Quality has gone down a little bit since my last review; still one of my favorite places, but unfortunately got pretty violently ill after eating there about a year ago. Gave it another chance 6 and 3 months ago and thankfully no illnesses! Beef burros are still one of my favorite meals on the planet, so I'll keep going back read more

Great food and atmosphere. Love the free chips and salsa and the HUGE drinks. Alcoholic drinks are always great as well. A fun cheap dinner out! read more

Its ridicules to wait hour and a half to eat and i dont know why people do it Its decent food but its crowd -loud and kind of not very well organized The waitress at the end of the shift would try to service the last table , receive the money from the previous table and sweep at the same time and pick up the empty dishes all together . my question is how you can do that and still not washing your hands ?????????? read more

I've gone to Border many times over the years, and while the food has been consistent, often very good on some things, and always good value, if you want a decent Margarita don't come here. High mix concentration, most with mediocre tequila choices, and at $8-10, poor value. And if you order a specific non-mix cocktail, like a Mexican Cosmo, you will get a 3oz drink (including cranberry juice). I never learn and always shift to beer for a second drink, as I did last night. read more

Well... we were starving and on our way home from Boston-- can't go wrong with Mexican right? The place was packed! But they sat us in 15 minutes. The environment is a bit intense for me... and that was a foreshadowing for the food! It was SO over seasoned, my husband stopped at Wendy's on the way home, he didn't eat any of his steak fajitas. He is picky, I am not. However, the black beans, rice and French fries(French fries with kids meal at Mexican??) SO salty, I couldn't eat any of it. My daughters quesadilla was very soggy and thrown together, so I had to feed it to her as it kept falling apart. The service was fine, the chicken was good. But everything else was terrible. I will not ever be going back. Sorry to say. read more

The Saugus Border Cafe is horrendously bad. Today we went to get an early dinner and I can honestly say that I have never had a worse dining experience. Right after receiving our meal, the fire alarms went off. Our server not only did not come to offer any information about this issue, she totally ignored all her tables. A manager came around to say, "This isn't a big issue. The fire department will be here in just a minute." When we left the restaurant, at least 10-15 minutes later, the fire department had still not shown up. Not only did we not finish our food. The disinterested waitress, Carlita (?) actually had the audacity to yell at us for not tipping her. "The fire alarms aren't my fault," she yelled, "I still deserve a tip!" Needless to say, our food was left at the table as well as our future business. Thank you for showing us what poor customer service and zero empathy feels like read more

If I could go 2.5 I would. I tended to avoid the old Border if for one reason, I could never get into it. The parking lot was tiny & the restaurant was always packed. So I was glad to see they were building a new one. Its been several months since the new location opened so I gave it a try. The parking lot is a bit larger, but the big difference is the neighboring parking lots. So if you don't mind a little walk the days of driving around the building in circles (look kid's its Big Ben) are gone. Problem # 1 solved. That's it! The inside is no bigger. Louder than ever (the bar is now open to the dining room.) The waiting area seems the same size as well. My ears are still ringing from last night. There is no louder place to eat! Limited tequila sections. My margarita was watery & tasteless. So why then is this place so popular. Well there's no limit to bad taste, but it's most likely the reasonable prices & the consistency. Good service. The food is decent. No better than decent but you know what your gonna get before you get it. But if you want good or better than good Mexican food, this is not the place. read more

The food is really good. The prices are very, very reasonable. My opinion is going down due to a few things: One: why wait for everyone to arrive before seating, especially when there are open tables. If most of the party is here, please just SEAT US! We'll probably order more drinks/appetizers waiting for the rest of the party. Two: Condiments- You serve beef, you need to bring back A1 sauce! Also, you don't have mustard? Why not? Three: Bring back the Hurricane drink! It was really, really good! Four: Desert is not Starburst for children only. Please consider expanding desert. Other than that, this constantly-crowded restaurant has wonderful food, a large selection of Tex-Mex/Cajun entrees, and prices that can't be beat. read more

I used to LOVE the Border Cafe on Route 1 Saugus. Up until last night I went to the Border once a week. Not anymore. Last night, I went in and requested my usual appetizer, Tejas Chicken and due to food allergy concerns they used to grill them. I was informed last night that they are no longer accommodating special requests. All I wanted was the appetizer prepared a different way. Nope can't do it anymore. So now they lost a sale on the appetizer and a faithful customer! I will never return. I am not asking for any special treatment. Just to prepare something a little differently than they normally did for YEARS due to a food allergy concern. Place sucks! No loyalty to loyal customers! I hope Papagayo(sic) going into their old spot on Route 1 South tanks them! Their website says: "It has been our goal from the start to satisfy each guest in a manner that will ensure his or her return. When you dine with us, we're confident that you'll see our effort to make you feel comfortable and at home..." Perhaps they should reconsider this little blurb as they REFUSE to accommodate anyone with a food allergy. Because the owner doesn't want people ordering off the menu. Well all I wanted was something on the menu that has been accommodated for YEARS slightly tweeked. Grilled instead of deep fried! What a HUGE undertaking. Sad business practice! read more

This place is so average I wouldn't go back. It is so loud you can barely hear the people you are with. I got the swordfish tacos, they lacked any flavor. I left disappointed. read more

Don't expect to be seated unless your whole party is here. Came here after a long day and couldn't be seated because we had a couple late friends. This is obsurd. I have never been to a restaurant that made us wait. I was starving and we had places to be afterwords. read more

Great place to go if you love Mexican food. The margaritas are huge and food is delicious. Chip and salsa to start off with. Definitely will go home not hungry. read more

Border Cafe - Taco salad - Mexican Near Me - Saugus, Massachusetts

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I suppose this is karma at its best. Maybe I should thank the General Manager at the Border Cafe for not accommodating my Type 1 Diabetic, son with Celiac while our family was dining at the Saugus location. The General Manager was so pompous and arrogant, that our family paid for our drinks and promptly left when we learned he would not accommodate our 7 y/o with dietary restrictions. The General Manager had the nerve to state they are not a "conglomerate" food chain. I have since learned the kitchen is infested with cockroaches and the food isn't stored properly. I guess the STRICT health guidelines the General Manager claimed to be following was a total farce. I know I will NEVER eat there again. read more

When the Border was on the southbound side of Route One I was not a fan, but I don't think I gave it a fair chance! I have gone several times to the NEW location located conveniently near a Starbucks (perfect for some pre or post Mexican food latte) and I have now become a HUGE fan. The service is great and the wait staff is really cool. The endless chips and salsa are awesome to accompany a margarita (try the Raspberry) or the new Hurricane. My favorite things to eat there are the Chili, Queso dip and the quesadillas! I have gone for lunch, dinner and after work at 10:30PM...no matter when I have gone I have been glad I made the choice to go there! Also you won't break the bank going there as it is pretty cheap, but in price only! ;-) read more

The wait was long - 50 minutes, but the hostess was dead-on with the estimate. Good chips and salsa, and a decent margarita to go along with it. The rest of the food was so-so. The atmosphere was very upbeat but way too loud to even have a conversation across the table. read more

If you want to go here for a drink, but have an out of state license, save yourself the trip because they will rudely deny it and accuse you of having a fake id. My wife was there at a going away party for a friend and after being sold a drink by the bartender, her drink was taken away by the waitress and she was denied a refund. That's right, she had to PAY for a drink that was taken away from her. Also, the food is below sub-par. If anything, they should have at least given her a refund and apologized for serving her in the first place. read more

My wife and I (28/29 age) are suckers for Border Cafe. I Am born, raised and still living in the North End of Boston. Everytime my wife and I have "date night" I ask her to pick a restaurant and all she ever comes up with is Border Cafe. Atmosphere- fantastic - almost has that "I'm on vacation" feel to it because everyone in the place(young and old) is having a grand ole time with their drinks and Mexican cuisine. Staff is friendly and the decorations are cool. nice set up with big roomy tables and booths. Drinks: I've been stuck on the Sangria on the rocks- usually have a few and are delicious mix of red wine and fruit. Margaritas are delicious as well- nothing abnormal Apps- always get a bowl of gumbo. Can't compare it to any places really but I think it's dynamite. Popcorn shrimp is my wife's favorite app. Nice helping for the price - light batter with a ton of flavor. Dinner: usually split fajita for 2 half chicken half beef. It's perfect. Sautéed with onions. Side of either rice and beans or jambalaya. Comes with warmed soft tortilla and lettuce/tomato/cheese/sour cream. Don't forget to order side of guacamole. Also have had the guacho chicken And Chicken Guadalajara which are delicious. The wife sometimes goes with the torstada salad with the shell. Everything about the place is perfect and the price won't even dent the wallet on a night out. Enjoy -Dan read more

The Border cafe has been a longtime favourite of mine for as long as I can remember. Once you see that neon EAT on the highway already you're craving margaritas and fajitas. Tex-Mex is obviously their speciality but their Cajun style menu options are absolutely fantastic. For the price you get great portions, and that's not taking into account the chips and salsa served tableside upon being seated. The only complaint I've really had with the place is that up until two months ago parking was a complete disaster. This has been remedied since they've moved across the street into the spacious Trader Joes plaza where parking is in abundance and complete with a starbucks nearby for those of you who'd like to top of a few Negra Modelo's with an espresso or two. read more

Loud as hell, but great food, big drinks, inexpensive and a nice spot for some solid Mexican. I've been going here for a long time, and it's definitely a great place for all sorts of food/drink. read more

Staff is rude came with a large party on a Wednesday night and the manager would not seat us until the last person came. He then told us that if anyone else was to join they were not allowed to eat. I have worked in this industry for a long time and never been dished so much crap in my life!!! Way to go jerks we will say goodbye somewhere else..... read more

Absolutely love this restaurant. Amazing food, fast service and cheerful atmosphere. Been going here for years and I have never been disappointed. read more

One of my all time favorite restaurants! Such great quality Mexican food for an incredible deal! It is great for grabbing a quick bite as they always have you in and out in no time. Some of my favorites are the pulled chicken tacos, eggplant Saint Charles & the veggie quesadilla. The chips guac and queso are the best around oh and of course the margaritas !! read more

Great food, great price, and comes out QUICK. Only negative comment is No Takeout! read more

Went to the Cambridge location several times, but this was my first time here. Had the filet mignon Jim Bowie style. While I liked the steak and sauce, the french fries left a LOT to be desired. They were super salty, skinny as hell and hard as stones. My babe got the chicken Bandera and he enjoyed the chicken, but felt the same way I did about the fries. We decided that we would go elsewhere the next time we want to nosh on Mexican food. read more

Meh, I've heard people say this is the best mexican place in the greater Boston area, but I don't see it. Service is great, we were in and out in an hour ad everyone was friendly. Price was good, under $40 for 2 adults with drinks and we left stuffed. The food unfortunately was entirely unforgetable. My husband had the Mexican burger, which I will say was tasty. The fries were thin cut which I like, but not crispy and tasted as though they were made hours ahead of time and had no salt whatsoever on them. I got the enchilada with the flour tortilla (I think it was called burros or something similar). It was ok, not bad, but nothing special about it. Underseasoned, bland sauce. The rice was not good, I would try the jambalaya next time. I went hoping for a really good creative margarita, but the margarita list was boring. Literally every drink was tequila with lime and triple sec/cointreau except one flavored margarita. There doesn't need to be 10 different identical drinks listed for those options, mix it up with some infused tequila, herbs, something! The menu itself is weird, I'm not a fan of the cajun/tex me mismatch, I don't find them complementary cuisines (too similar yet not similar enough that I want gumbo and tacos together). They basically just picked 4 or 5 of the most stereotypical food from each cuisine type and then threw in a random section of burgers. All in all, another typical chain restaurant about the same quality and price as a Fridays or Applebees. read more

NO BUENO. I went there like a week ago and there was a long beard hair in my sour cream, which ok shit happens, but instead of the manager coming over and apologizing and making sure that i feel better about it ( because I was disgusted at this point) she didnt even state who she was, tossed a bowl of new sour cream at me which seemed to have something else in it (needless to say i didnt eat the rest of my meal). I dont think I'm gonna go back again, gross. read more

Waited for 40 minutes last night for a seat. After my hubby checked on our status, it was discovered that they lost our reservation. We were seated right away after that! The chicken Bandara was delicious! read more

Our favorite restaurant by far! My husband and I and the 2 kids go every Saturday. The chips and salsa are the best I've had anywhere. We have a few favorites but usually get the fajitas. One of my husband's favorite dishes was taken off the menu but if he requests it they will still make it for him. You can't beat the price and we always leave with a doggie bag. Kids meals are especially cheap with large portions. Sure, it's noisy but it doesn't bother us. Once we were sitting there eating our chips waiting for the food when the manager came over an apologized for it taking so long and gave us both meals for free. We didn't even think it was taking long...it never even crossed our minds and I really don't think it was all that long...Now that's great service!! read more

Used to love this place, but have heard some stories of food poisoning and undesirable things in people's food. Went with my family yesterday and can't keep anything down today. Will not be returning. read more

It's with a heavy heart that I give one star. I have always loved this place, but last time I went the server accidentally spilled about a half of a beer on me, while I was on a date. Now I'm not blaming him, as it was clearly a mistake and not his fault. What I am offended by is that they didn't even buy me a beer (talk about cheap) nor did a manager stop to say sorry. I was not even offered a napkin to replace the one I had to use to clean the spill. I wrote a hand written letter to the manager simply suggesting that they come up with a policy of how to treat a guest in situations like this, and again I didn't even get a response. They have a great customer base, and I was loyal for many years....but I will no longer recommend a place that doesn't show any regard got the people who keep their business alive. read more

The best fajitas and good margaritas (sometimes lacking enough tequila but for under $6 can't complain). The only place to go for Mexican food in the area. Super cheap food and super fast service. Fajitas served in no joke 5-10 minutes tops from time of order. Nice big water/soda cups so you probably won't need a refill. Free chips and salsa! Chips are freshly fried and hot. Must try this place. Saugus location much better than Burlington one, I've been at both many times. Overall great, quick place but avoid going during peek times, usually a huge wait and packed. Lost a whole star because they DO NOT do TAKE OUT. I tried to call ahead and place an order and they will not let you....you can only dine in which kind of sucks. I even offered to order it in person and wait at the bar to carry out and they still said no. I can understand this during peek hours but to not allow carryout at all is crazy. Also if you are going in a GROUP you must have everyone there before they will seat you which sucks. Say 8 out of 10 people are ready to sit and order drinks/food they won't seat you til everyone is there....crazy. Not the best place for GROUPS. read more

Loud, crowded, and fun atmosphere. Three friends and I decided to come here for a late dinner because their kitchen is open till midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. I remember coming here a few other times in the past, and not really liking the quesidillas I ordered. This time I decided to try the vegetable quesidilla and it was literally amazing. So good. Our waiter had an amazing smile and was very helpful to my friend who cant eat too much spicy food, and he gave her good recommendations for what she should order. They don't take Discover cards! read more

I've started coming back to Border because friends and family have told me that they were back to their old ways, giving the customer the appropriate bang for their buck. I can confirm this is true since I've gone twice in recent weeks and I've left satisfied every time. I wanted to update my review of Border to be up to date and accurate, as I now feel comfortable recommending them to friends and family again. Thanks for the larger portions on my fajita plate, Border Cafe :) read more

I've been to Border Cafe many times over the last few years and i must say it was always one of my favorite places... Cheap food, pretty good prices, awesome waiters/waitresses but as of the last year everytime I have gone it has ended terribly... The managers are EXTREMELY beyond rude and unprofessional. The last time I came to this restaurant I ordered my usual chicken quesadilla... When biting into the quesadilla I bit right into a big piece of dirty rusted metal... I showed my waitress and she was so apologetic and assured me that she would get a manager to come over pronto... I waited 15 minutes until I was approached by a young brunette woman who said she was manager on duty that night... As soon as she walked to our table she did begin to apologize for the metal I ended up finding in my mouth but she seemed to have an attitude as if she really didn't want to be bothered with the situation... She did not offer me another item off of the menu or offer to take the quesadilla off of my bill instead she said she would be right out with another freshly made quesadilla for me.... Why on earth would I want another quesadilla after finding metal in the first one? When I told her I'd rather not have that she gave me a fake smile said okay and walked away from the table.. Extremely unprofessional... While my husband was sitting finishing up his meal I could hear the manager gossiping about other customers to someone who i assume was another manager (dressed in black pants and button down) - rolling her eyes at her staff when they approached her with problems and would proceed to talk poorly about them after walking away ... I must say if the metal in my food wasn't enough to make me not go back, this manager put the nail in the coffin... Last thing I want to hear while I'm out to dinner is "management" gossiping about the restaurant and the people in it. I'm utterly shocked that a successful chain restaurant such as this would have people like this in charge and have chefs that don't check the food they are presenting before it comes to the table. I will NEVER go back to this restaurant and you can bet your ass I've told everyone I know to take their business elsewhere. read more

Border Cafe is just fine. It is huge and loud and the food is average and gloppy. But it is also fast and cheap. So...Enjoy?

I went to Border on Sunday. Food was good. Waitress spilled a drink in my husbands lap. I am a little peeved. It would have been nice if a manager came over and if they at least comped the drink he didn't get to finish. read more

It used to be much better Fajitas served with tortillas so small nothing fit in them. I think they were 4" around. Good drinks though. Go for the drinks and chips with salsa, don't be dissappointed by eating here. read more

Hometown favorite. Went all the time in high school- the food and service was much better then. I ordered the beef enchiladas and just wasn't impressed. The rice was too salty and the beef in the enchilada was a bit hard to chew. Only plus was that water and drinks come in huge cups and the starter bottomless tortilla chips and salsa. Atmosphere is nice and you run into everybody there read more

The food quality here has gone way down. Very inconsistent... used to be great but I'm not so sure there is a good job managing the kitchen like it used to be. read more

The service was okay my mother and I waited like over 30 minutes just to get a waiter. And when we got one he straight up told us that they where very busy but I looked around half of the tables were empty. And most of the people that came after us serviced right away. We where like what the in fuck is going on here, is it because I am Arab that I am not the service that they guaranteed me at the door. read more

Border Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Saugus, Massachusetts