This used to be a fantastic place, with good prices and always-hot food; but it's now turned the corner and is heading to Chi-Chi's mediocrity: the menu and portions have constricted, but the prices have jumped way up. What I used to get was around $11; it's now over $17. One thing that stung most was discovering yesterday that frozen margaritas are no longer made to order at the bar: how difficult can that be? There's now a margarita machine serving slushes with WAY too much mix, drowning out the hint of any (I hope) tequila. That, along with cold chips and cold queso dip, made this last my last trip. read more

We used to travel to Saugus before the Burlington location and have been going since they opened. Food used to be excellent, menu selections used to be good, we always looked forward to going to Border Cafe. We went to the Burlington location today 7/10/2021. What a complete disappointment. Chips were overcooked - 3 different batches - completely over cooked. They dropped many menu items, cut ingredients they put in the salads. They wouldn't put grilled Cajun chicken in the salad, would only use shredded chicken or beef.. yet the prices went up. They charged 15.95 for lettuce, a couple of tomatoes, and a little cheese in a tortilla bowl. My wife had to order the Cajun chicken appetizer to add to her salad. The Jim Bowie (sp) steak which I used to get weekly when I went to Northeastern night school.. its no longer a filet, but sliced / shredded beef or pork that was exceptionally fatty and tough. The Jambalaya has changed and no longer fresh but some sort of rice coated in a brown coating with dried out chicken and sausage - taste is no where close to what is used to be. It's 100% not worth 19.95. I will never get that again. You know - Border used to be known for good margaritas - one is perfect with dinner.. I felt like I had a glass of flavored water, not even close to the Border we are used too. This place used to have excellent food at decent prices and now prices have gone up, quality of food dramatically dropped. The manager tried to put blame on Covid - this is sad the manager was using this for an excuse. I used to bring my co-workers to Border Cafe for lunch every 3 weeks or so.. When Border Cafe opens up for lunch on Fridays- we won't be back. Reason for doing a review on yelp. There isn't any corporate email address on Border Cafe site.. Robert Irvine would be ashamed of how this restaurant self destructed. The people running the show clearly have a different agenda instead of offering great quality food - which they did for many years.. You would think they are trying to kill their business - especially in a location surrounded by high quality restaurants and numerous businesses. Border Cafe - what a disappointment and we won't be back until I hear the quality of food has come back and the menu has been expanded. Or you bring in high quality food and offer different things like a great sirloin rubbed in Cajun spices. What a heart breaker !! read more

We shared our love of Border Cafe with two of our kids in Burlington MA. Both appreciated the chips and table salsa to start. My daughter had cheese quesadilla and my son, like me, enjoyed pulled beef enchiladas. read more

Border Cafe - Pulled beef enchiladas with rice and black beans - Mexican Near Me - Burlington, Massachusetts

I found this location by accident after an appointment at Lahey. I used to go to the one in Harvard Square in college and I missed it. This location doesn't disappoint. I just did takeout, but their system was organized, food was hot, fast and delicious, even on a Sunday. It tasted just like I remembered. I suspect they have some of their staples premade, and they just warm them up, but it was all delicious. And it keeps service moving. I will be back! read more

What happened to this place??? Used to be good, but tonight we ordered 4 dinners, all cold and overcooked and SALTY!! Did i mention salty?

Food served cold. Bar was sloppy. Slooooooooooow service. Beer was cold. Thank God. Other than that - I pass on the return...

My girlfriend and I went in tonight for dinner for the first time at Border Café. We were seated with a very positive host. And our servers name was Donovan. Donovan's personality was amazing as well with his enthusiasm especially during Covid time. He was very upbeat, he always kept up on our drinks he was very tidy as well with neat and constantly cleared our table. In the picture below, I had the half and half fajitas for dinner. Half chicken and half shaved beef. I wasn't really a fan of the shaved beef but it really wasn't Donovan's fault. My girlfriend and I shared the Camptown shrimp. Our server Donovan was very thoughtful and told us that the bread with the shrimp comes covered with the sauce and that it would be soggy and he put it on the side for us which was a really great idea. As we were leaving I had complimented our server with a manager... Who is very kind, listened to what I had to say smiled and said thank you and hope to see you again soon. Overall, I have seen negative reviews about this place via FB and Yelp.....and they all happen during Covid. If you aren't going to have the patience to deal with the restaurant(s) during Covid times then please do not visit restaurants they are struggling during this time and they need us more then we need them. Have patience, be a little bit more understanding and just have fun. We will definitely be back and we will make sure Donovan serves us. read more

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

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I have been Border Cafe's fan from the time it was in Harvard Square. Great , great, great food . Lively ambiance. Private parking lot in Burlington location are some of the pros: There used to be mango margarita with crushed ice. It used to be so good . Due to some reason they removed it from the menu. But strawberry margarita is good too. Chips, Salsa are great. But it gets even better with guacamole. Baha Shrimp tacos are delicious. Deep fried shrimps are tasty. The Mayo dip on the side is mouth watering. My another favorites is corn and bean empanadas. They are just scrumptious and extremely creamy. Must try. read more

We've been going here for years, and it never disappoints. This place is always alive with vibrant music. It's the perfect place for Mexican food and drinks. They start you off with chips and salsa, and the chips we got were still warm. Corn and black beans with rice is one of our favorites. Their tostada salad with pulled chicken is also very good. Our server was very nice. She would often check on us and made sure we didn't need anything. Overall, great place, good food and drinks, highly recommend it. read more

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Been on a mexican/margarita binge lately in NH, so why not try one close to work that I enjoyed the last time I came here? Well, I don't know if coming here at 9ish when they close at 11pm was the reason, but I felt rushed. I got one margarita, which I planned on getting a few more, which didn't happen since I left before 10. I usually go for the Grand Burritto of some kind. Since they didn't have it, I was happily ready to try something new. In this case, it was the Chicken Guadalajara. I liked it, so soft and sweet, I think it had veggies in between. Again, took a few bites and asked for a to go box. read more

Terrible customer service. We were told there was not enough room for our party. This establishment is first come first served, and it was a weekday. However, a party that walked in immediately after us was seated (while we stood there wondering why we were told there would be a wait.) It is unfortunate, as the food is probably good. However, on principle, I will not return based on what appears to be poor customer service by a host. I walked away feeling mistreated. read more

Went there yesterday for takeout. Two girls standing at podium commenting on each other's nails couldn't be bothered to help me out. Told me you have to order on line for take out. Asked if they could take my order as I was already there. They again said no you have to go on line to order. That is no way to run a business or to please a customer. I left and when to a nearby restaurant Rosa Mexicano and they were very pleased to take my order and money. I spent $81.00 there. The food was wonderful too. You really need to reconsider how you treat your customers! read more

I don't understand why they have now shutdown their outdoor seating on a weekend night during dinner. We were willing to go out to eat again tonight, but not yet comfortable with eating indoors. The employees seemed to not care, even going as far as hanging up on us when we called back to discuss the seating options with a manager. At the very least, update your listing here if you are not going to offer outdoor seating. At least it will save us the time and frustration of making a trip over just to find out it is not an option. read more

Went to the Border in Burlington last week and was disappointed as it is nothing close to the one that used to be in Harvard Square Cambridge. This was a typical Tex Mex restaurant with the standard fare. For the price it was not bad but just not the same. read more

So they took away the blackened crawfish and shrimp salad off the menu A healthier choice. 'Not a lot of call for it ' says Chris the manager. He was super apologetic but damn Why do you keep changing the menu? Dissatisfied to say the least. What's next ? Removing tacos ? Sadly this will probably be our last time here ( yep here right now ) You've made a long time patron pretty pissed of read more

I typically don't leave reviews but this time I felt it necessary. The staff was very accommodating and sat our large group right away when I called ahead which was great. Drinks came out quickly as did warm chips. However, it took most of our dinner time to realize that my dairy allergy would affect what I choose. Our server apologized but in reality, she should have known ahead of time. I also asked for things that weren't spicy since the side could be spicy. My new item was ordered and came out once everyone had already paid so I had to take it to go. Unfortunately for me the tacos had jalapeños in it (aka spicy) which I didn't know about it till after I took a big bite back at my hotel. That should have been the second flag when I asked "is the side spicy". We were treated well but the attention to detail for spicy and dairy allergy should have been written down. The manager could have comped that meal considering the delay and the size of our group. The menu can just be updated to reflect that as well. read more

One of my favorite restaurants in the area. I always go after seeing a movie next door. Right when you sit down, you are given a warm plate of tortilla chips and some fresh salsa. The chips are very fresh and also addicting. The restaurant is very vibrant and has some fun, mexican decorations. The place is usually very crowded no matter what time of day you go. The shrimp appetizer (new orleans shrimp I believe) is my favorite and it is amazing! The sauce on the shrimp is the best I have ever tasted. The portions for all the meals are huge so be prepared to leave with leftovers. The margaritas are also very good and I like the sangria too. read more

My favorite tex-mex place with great food and excellent drinks. The place has a nice ambience which would make it ideal for dinner.Do try their blackened salmon as an entree or in the salad.Its a perfectly cooked salmon fillet with blackened sauce that bursts with flavor.Equally good is their blackened chicken entree. Make sure you plan ahead during weekends and weekday evenings as the place is packed. read more

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I spent many a late night at the Border Cafe in Harvard Square with my college roommates, and I have really missed that spot. Tried the Burlington location tonight -- same chips and salsa, same gigantic cups of soft drinks, and same chicken quesadilla. It was glorious. My husband and son both ordered the burros -- they enjoyed them, said they were kind of salty. We had plenty to take home, and the bill was so reasonable. I only miss that they took the burger off the menu. Their burger used to be delicious, and I think having a burger would be helpful as the kids' menu is so limited. read more

Border Cafe has risen to the COVID challenge and succeeded. They have transformed a good portion of their parking lot into outdoor seating that are spaced out for safety. Waitress wore gloves and Mask and hand sanitizer was available throughout. I felt very safe! The food was great. Solid American Mexican food with a nice level of spice. Wish there were more choices on the menu but I understand its reduced during COVID. We both ordered margaritas and they were yummy, albeit light on the alcohol. I absolutely be back. Thanks for all your efforts during this time! read more

Visited Border Cafe around 5 PM on a weekday after noticing they have brought back my favorite dish (French Quarter Chicken). Although not actually the same as before it was delicious. The chicken is deep fried breaded tenders not pan fried breast meat but the lemon pepper sauce was spot on. The chicken is on a bed of white rice and you get one side. Cornbread is no longer offered. The service was friendly, quick and efficient and the overall experience pleasant. My only complaint is the relative noise level which has always been an annoyance to me. In the end I am excited to find the new iteration of my previous favorite dish. read more

So, I was first introduced to this brand years ago when I traveled for work in NJ. The location (though oddly named Jose Tejas in NJ ... probably a legal issue?) on Route 9 near the Woodbridge Mall is packed with a 45 min. wait 7 days a week for dinner. Imagine my surprise when I found out the chain originated across the street from Harvard in MA and had a location near the Burlington Mall. I've been to this location a few times and its NOTHING like the NJ location due to the quality. And that is reflected in the customer base. In the NJ location any night of the week is a 30 minute to 1 hour wait for dinner. You can pretty much walk into the MA location anytime and get a table. The food here is ALWAYS overcooked. Everything! The chips are always burned ... slightly brown with that 'burned popcorn taste' to them. The salsa is watery and runny without chunks of tomatoes, etc. The burgers and fajita meat are also burned on the outside (to the point of soot-tasting black char needing to be scraped off). And the jambalaya and gumbo are usually lukewarm and sat so long that they are solid from not being stirred. The french fries have the consistency of fried potato sticks from a can they have been so overdone. They need a complete replacement or retraining of the kitchen staff here. If one or two things were overcooked ... or if it happened infrequently ... I'd say fine. (Even though the NJ location has NEVER ONCE been off point and I eat there at least twice a month.) But at this MA location every time I've come its been the same story. Runny salsa, burned meat and overcooked chips. The atmosphere is nice with a roadhouse look and feel to it ... it had that 'aged gypsie bohemian look' before it was popular. Thats where it ends. The food is terrible, although the recipies are not. The restaurant prides itself on making everything fresh ... from the guacamole to the salsa ... fresh squeezed orange juice to the salad dressing ... nothing is bagged or boxed. Thats great but only takes you as far as the people making the food. If you burn everything, take no care in the prep ... you may as well be McDonalds. I won't be back to this location. Its like throwing money away. read more

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. read more

Border Cafe - Seafood enchilada with beans and rice. - Mexican Near Me - Burlington, Massachusetts

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What a strange night! When we first came into the restaurant we were quickly whisked away to our booth, passed social distancing half-walls made out of various 30-racks. When we sat down, two servers approached us together, with one taking our drink order while the other anxiously whispered in server who was taking our order's ear. Very odd. When we finished, they both speed-walked away. A few minutes later a table next to us got their food delivered and we noticed some really weird behavior. All the waiters were half-jogging or speed walking around even though the place was half empty. We saw a guy full on sprint to put down a stand for a food tray, then run away equally as fast as soon as the food had been served. More than once I saw a waiter full on running down a hallway, not classy. The food we got was ok, nothing special. My chicken fajitas were slightly tasteless and this restaurant was very skimpy with protein size, opting to made up for it with cheap multiple rice dishes. The chips were under-salted and when we got a refill, the "new" salsa looked like it had been used by other patrons. The drinks on the other hand were huge and seemed like a great value. All in all, I mediocre night out with rushed service and staff, would not recommend! read more

It's a shame that this quaint place doesn't have better food. The service was super. The music, fun and just loud enough that you can still hear the conversation at your table. The cheese and green chilies enchiladas were just ok. Nothing to order again. The steak fajitas were really disappointing. The chips and salsa were great. Maybe this should be just a drinking place. read more

We previously ordered "take out" and I was always disappointed for the selection and portions. We visited the restaurant yesterday evening and found it a great experience. The meal was excellent, especially the selection of steak. Drinks, side dishes, the cleanliness, the chips and salsa, the friendliness of the waitress were outstanding. I look forward to going again. Don't be mislead by the online site and menu. read more

It breaks my heart to write this, but I miss the old Border Cafe. During high school/college, this is the only restaurant my friends and I would go to, but it's just not the same anymore. I understand that covid really hurt a lot of small businesses, so I'm hoping I can come back In the future and update my review if it goes back to how it used to be. The prices went up, and portions got smaller(damn inflation.) however, the taste just wasn't there anymore, either. The jambalaya and the beef fajitas had a strange tangy after taste, and the beef was chewy and overdone. Normally it comes out still a little pink, which I love, because no other place that serves fajitas offers steak that isn't well done. I was also pretty bummed that I only got a few strings of onions. Normally they load them up. The queso and the pastelitos were bland compared to usual. I also really miss the grilled veggies. It seems that they're just as busy as they used to be, so I'm sure they won't go back to how it used to be, but one can hope! read more

I called to ask if their outdoor seating was still available in the rain (if it has a roof or not) and the the hostess hung up on me twice and then i called the manager line and asked the question again and he hung up too. I'll take that as a no? read more

We have been here many times over the past few years and I have to say that it was better during the Pandemic. The dishes were flat and lacked taste and flavor. In particular the cheese enchiladas as well as the chicken enchiladas were so flat in size and in taste that they were about the same height as the flat plate they came in. We ordered queso and chips before dinner which tasted no different then something from a jar in the chip aisle at Market Basket... bright orange and all! My fajitas which are described as chicken tenders consisted of approximately 8 strips of chicken saturated in seasoning with no sizzle and a fajita dish mounted to the top with onions. A neighboring table asked the waiter what the dish was with all the rings on it and the waiter just ignored the question and continued to suggest menu ideas. We told them It's the ton of onions and chicken fajitas... don't order them unless you have a strong stomach. The waiter I'm sorry to say lacked The same interest as the food as he was so annoying..... we had barely sat down and he was rushing us already. We ordered some chips and we had hoped to relax and enjoy those without being interrupted twice to put our entrees in. Once we placed our meal Order the meals came pretty quickly and Then the question came can I clear any of these as we were Still finishing up our apps but made to feel as if we had enough!!! The meals were delivered and within 10 minutes he was back again to ask if anything could be taken away. The table was packed with meals still at this point. They were busy but I have seen it much busier than this. The check came and it was a receipt plopped on the table which landed in a puddle of water from the sweat of a glass. There literally was no personality whatsoever there. We had really looked forward to our dinner together tonight to kick off the long weekend but sorry it was less than satisfactory. And it was the entire experience..... I'm sorry but tonight was not good. I guess with so many choices this probably won't be one of mine in the future. Picture of onion fajitas with chicken on the side!! read more

Border Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Burlington, Massachusetts

Screwed up and didn't say no fries for takeout I don't want rice I want shoe string fries

This place is great! Their holiday decor was amazing inside and had good tunes playing. They say us right away and the service was phenomenal thanks to Lidia our waitress. Loved the portion sizes of everything. I did try my boyfriends Blackened Salmon and that was the only thing I did not approve of. But my black bean burro was delish! Definitely going back. read more

The new menu is disappointing and limited now. The portions have done sized and are way to salty. The steak fajita didn't taste like steak. Maybe it was just sitting there being recooked. Use to love this place but won't go back. read more

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). I also like the sangria and the husband loves the hornitas with salt. 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. read more

Everything looked good on the outside, But as I went to swallow my shrimp taco I felt a slight choking sensation. As I reached into the back of my throat I slowly pulled out a long, black, curly hair. Response from the Manager: " are you sure it's not your hair"? read more

Took a skating team off 15 kids and their parents here. We had reservations for 5:40. People of course trickled in. They were really nice and provided us pretty prompt service for a big group like ours. The orders were all correct and everyone was eating by 6:30. read more

Best Mexican I've found on the east coast! I'm from california and used to delicious Mexican. After looking for decent texmex for years, I finally found that in border cafe. The fajitas are especially delicious and I cannot get enough of their food. Always a great experience. read more

The hostesses work very hard to make sure you know you are not welcome. We were party of 2. We were told a table was being cleaned. Then told that we need to wait list because on tables for 4 or more are available. I asked if we could sit at a 4 top and was told no, we have to wait. Friday evening 7:30... there were lots of open tables, just not for us. Message received loud and clear. There are tons of other options near the mall that want your business... read more

Always been a fan, it's the only place I'll eat their chicken... great burritos and love the taco salads.

So I used to love this place pre-pandemic. Was actually my boyfriend and my first date spot. So I just went to see what it was like as I haven't been here in almost 3 years. So, I preface it with this - I was preparing for the worst with these recent reviews. But, I was pleasantly surprised. Everything tasted great, the chips came out piping hot, margs were good....but...BUT! Only negative...the PORTIONS! They definitely decreased the portions. Got less rice and beans, my beef burro was significant smaller than it used to be. Still tasty! But smaller. So just note that. Also there's less on the menu, but it sounds like they are slowly bringing things back. read more

3 stars only because of lousy service. 7 of us came and waited over 15 minutes to order drinks and appetizers. Then had to wait another 15 minutes for a bottle of beer. I mean... seriously! Asked for another bowl of salsa and it was never delivered. The food was great but you guys have a lot of room for improvement in terms of service. Chimichurri steak was delicious. Also tried blackened chicken and salmon. Everything was great and portions are big! Just organize your staff for God's sake. read more