Fabulous food, perfect margarita, pleasant and comfortable patio dining, friendly service. Let's keep Mexican food alive in Newton Center!

Where has this place BEEN!? It's somewhat hidden, so I am not totally surprised it took me this long to find it. You'll have to walk down a little alleyway/staircase to get to this hidden gem. Wow. The ambiance, portions, service, flavors. This place is the definition of five stars. My friend and I took advantage of the free chips and salsa while enjoying our margaritas. I am ALWAYs the person who goes with a spicy marg and often find myself disappointed when it doesn't pack a punch the way I'd like it to. Trust me, their jalapeno infused tequila won't leave you feeling like that. In terms of food, I got the Burrito Supremo while she went with the Enchiladas Poblanas. I dipped my fork in her mole sauce...killer. The food portions for the price were insane. Despite how big they make look in these photos, these were some HUGE plates. We had plans to get ice cream after dinner that didn't come to fruition. We were STUFFED. Cannot wait to get back here. Add it to your summer "gotta try" list if you're in the area! read more

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I hate to leave a negative rating for Sol Azteca as it is a restaurant in which I have celebrated many a special occasion, but my experience tonight was absolutely unacceptable. I was seated and warned it would be a wait to get my food. I asked how long and was told 20 minutes, which was fine and I thanked them for the heads up. I received my food finally 90 minutes later and my water was filled once in the 90 mins. As can be expected, the order came out wrong. They clearly did not have sufficient staff and should've remedied this by not seating me initially if they were short staffed and under pressure. Unfortunately this is another poor experience in a long line of forgotten items, menu price increases, and issues with takeout orders. My family has been eating here and at their other location for more than 25 years but I'm not sure how much longer we will if this trend down continues. read more

It is a bit hard to find the entrance from the street, but once you make it downstairs, there's a large open area patio. The manager was very friendly as we walked in, and we were seated right away. We were given the usual free chips and salsa. I have to say, the salsa was exceptional. Definitely not out of the jar. I ordered the Carne Asada, which was awesome. The chorizo, sausage, was awesome and I love the big scoop of guacamole. My only small complaint (if you want to call it that) was that my margarita had no taste to it. Granted, I ordered the house margarita. It wasn't awful, but I say it in the spirit of continuous improvement. Will definitely go back here. read more

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Went in for some appetizers this time with some friends. The food was fresh , tasty and the portion sizes were good. I was actually expecting the portion sizes to be smaller but not at all . The service was very friendly. The vibe is welcoming. They have lots of metered parking outside . They also have a seating area outside. read more

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I met my date at Sol Azteca tonight and immediately noticed she weighed 30 pounds more than her pictures. Why do I waste my time on the dating apps? Regardless, I still gave the broad a chance, because I'm a nice guy. But you know what happens? Unbelievably, this broad somehow thinks she's out of my league even though my looks are roughly an 8, while she was, at best, a 5. God only knows how bad she would look without make up! Regardless, she drinks half of her Margerita, and then gets out her phone to pretend to contact her loser brother who is failing at being a single father because he needs immediate help with the kids. Or some pathetic excuse like that. She then says "Nice meeting you" and walks out to door. I must have been too nice for her and she's into bad boys. You know how girls are nowadays. So I then sit there with low self esteem because my date left me after only 20 minutes. But I still have to finish my Margherita, then finish the second half of her Margerita, and then pay the bill, because obviously this horrible broad didn't offer to split the check. But then something amazing happens that turns my horrible first date into the best first date I've ever had. The owner, Gabriel, or whatever his name is, sits down with me and hears me tell the story of how horrible my date was, and then he offers to bring me a free Margerita on him! Has that ever happened to you? Hasn't happened to me before tonight baby! I'm telling you, Cafe Sol Azteca is the best thing to happen to the restaurant industry since the Ground Round chain finally went out of business (ate there once when I was 5 and puked the whole car ride home)! Stop by Sol Azteca whenever you want and if your date goes horribly, ask to speak to this stud named Gabriel and you may even get a free drink! read more

We were so excited to try this place, but were sadly disappointed. Our meals were okay, just nothing to really rave about. I got the shrimp fajitas, good, but tiny shrimp and for almost $30 wasn't really worth it. My bf got tacos with chicken in some kind of orange marinade, also okay, but really messy. He asked for a side of fresh jalapeños, but they only had pickled, which they charged extra $4 for. I got a spicy margarita which was not worth $15 and served in a lowball glass. I thought for a place claiming to having authentic Mexican it would have at least been in a real margarita glass. Also the service was not friendly at all. Lastly we got a flan to go, which was tiny when we opened it up, again overpriced for $9. The carmel tasted like chemicals. Not sure if it was old or what, but we had to remove all the sauce to eat it because it was that bad. I wouldn't go back. read more

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Made a Friday reservation. Street parking is hard to find, but there is a lot in the middle of town and not a bad walk. To get to restaraunt you do need to go down an alley/stairs to get to the entrance but they do have signs directing. Big patio area (I definitely will be back next summer to enjoy an outside experience) Once we sat we got chips and salsa, very good. I saw they had Ghost Tequila and asked if they could make me a marg with that - they said we will make a spicy margarita that came with jalapeno garnish and was good I lived in Arizona for many years and am a simple bean and rice burrito (wet style preferred) and it has been damn near impossible to find a mexican restaurant I really like in Mass. Well let me tell you, I got the Burrito Vegetariano and IT WAS AMAZING. I cleared my whole plate and just was so happy to say for the first time my burrito was very good. I was sad about the prices because it is high ($19) but again a relief my money went towards something delicious. I most definitely plan on coming back to try enchiladas with cactus! read more

Awful service! Food was cold by the time it came out. Never returning. Very poor experience.

Patio! Karaoke! Great staff! This place has been around for decades and is a rare gem these days-family owned small business with some fabulous chefs and cooks in the kitchen!! read more

First, on their website is a place to click to make a reservation, and that's what I did. Made a reservation for 7pm on Saturday night, and received a confirmation by text. We arrived shortly before 7pm. Several people were in line ahead of us, but nobody acknowledged us until 7:30, because the host was also a waiter and bus person. I told him I had a reservation, and he had no record of it. I showed him my confirmation, and he said he's not notified of all online reservations, and I should have called. How would I know that? I booked online ON THEIR WEBSITE, and received a confirmation! It was 8pm before we were seated, and we were not given menus. About 20 minutes later, the host/waiter/bus person asked if we were ready to order, which we weren't, because we had no menus. I told him that, and he said he'd bring menus. A few minutes later he came to take our drink orders, and then asked if we were ready to order our meals. Again I told him we had no menus. Finally he brought menus, and we ordered our meals. About 15 minutes later, someone else stopped by and asked if we were ready to order! We told her we had already ordered. It was 9pm when we received our meals for our 7pm reservation. The food was good, but not great. I really felt bad for the host/waiter/bus person because he clearly needed more help. But that has nothing to do with their online reservation system not working, and all the other things that went wrong. If you want decent (but not great) Mexican food, this place would be okay. But don't reserve online - CALL to make your reservation. And be prepared to spend a few hours there. read more

I had my girlfriend's surprise 50th birthday party there. The food was amazing. Gabriel and his staff were excellent. They made our special night unforgettable. We had our own private room with Karaoke. Gabriel made sure we had a great time. My girlfriend was so happy!! Everyone kept on telling me how delicious the food was. We had family style fajitas with nachos and all the fixings. My mom said it was the best party she's ever been to. She's very hard to impress. I would definitely recommend this place if you ever want to have a party or function. They hit a home run!! I couldn't be any happier. Thank you Gabriel from all of us!! read more

Cafe Sol Azteca - The birthday girl!! - Mexican Near Me - Newton, Massachusetts

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First time based on 4 star rating from somewhere. Ordered premium tequila w grand marnier. My wife likes regular old fashion beef tacos and I had enchilada rojas. Other than the salsa, it was the most flavorless Mexican we've had. I thought the rojas sauce was Campbell tomato soup out of the can. The beef in the taco looked like refried beans and zero flavor. One of three enchiladas and a half of the two tacos were eaten and the waitress didn't say anything when we said we're done. We thought, I guess she's used to this. Got the bill and it was $93 (I did try another margarita hoping the buzz might change things. Small glass filled to brim with ice so probably a shot and a half sized drink). Won't be going back. read more

We didn't make a reservation when we walked in around 5pm on a Sunday, but they were able to seat us. There were probably 2 parties there, so I was surprised when they asked if we had a reservation. The service was good and they were very nice The salsa they give with chips was good, but the guacamole we ordered as an app was too blend. Not really flavorful. We had kids and they gave them 2-3 crayons each with some paper for them to draw. When we eat out with kids we try to eat order as fast as we can. The food took FOREVER. My girls ate so many chips that they weren't really hungry when the food came. The food was ok. Nothing out of the extraordinary. Unfortunately, we won't be going back. read more

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i wish I could give this place more stars! The stars are for the atmosphere and hospitality Such a cute place. I loved the ambiance and the owner as well as the servers were so nice and hospitable However.... The food..... Awwww man..... well the tortilla chips and salsa was pretty good, drinks were awesome; no complaint but the burrito bowl I got was the worst, most blandest, boring dish I've ever had in my life lol No flavor at all. It could've benefited from at least some salt. My girlfriend got the enchiladas which she barely touched. She didn't care for it. I really want to like this place but I hope they work on the overpriced bland dishes. read more

Cafe Sol Azteca - Super Bland, no flavor at all. They could've at least sprinkled some sea salt on there - Mexican Near Me - Newton, Massachusetts

On 6/21/25, I tried to order carryout from Newton Center. I had seven people waiting for dinner and was told it would be ready at 7:10. At 7:05, I received an email saying it would be ready at 7:15. At the same time, I was sent a text saying my order had been cancelled, but I missed it, because I was not looking for another communication. When we arrived at the Restaurant, we were told that they had cancelled our order because they were busy. They had a cell #, but could not be bothered to call. They said that they could fill the order in 20 min. It took 50. The food was just okay. Any other restaurant would have comped all or part of the dinner. And a manager would have contacted me the next day to apologize and make it right. I like the ambiance of this restaurant, and I have been going to Sol Azteca from the time it took over the space of Clair de Lune, in Brookline in the early 1970s. I am now done. And my family is done. read more

Went there on a first date. The food was all excellent. Neither of us drinks so I can't comment on the alcohol offerings. The reason I dock a star is that the place is totally out of complience with the ADA. Due to a recent surgery I am currently handicapped, and getting into and out of the restaurant was pure hell. read more

I have been coming to this Restaurant for decades, however, have not been there for quite some time.. and it did not disappoint.. it was as good as I remember if not better, it was fresh drinks were fantastic. Service was attentive..... I do not like a lot of sauce or spicy and they understood perfectly. Can't wait to return. read more

I have called to order takeout twice from this restaurant. Both times menu items have unexplicably been charged extra for no apparent reason. Perhaps they have a $15 phone charge that is not listed on the receipt. The food is completely edible. If you ask why I have allowed myself to be duped twice, it is because the lady was very nice and I assumed it may have been a one time error. read more

The restaurant has a lovely patio. I always enjoy the enchiladas verdes and sangria. Hubby enjoyed his veggie fajitas. The tortilla chips are excellent. read more

Cafe Sol Azteca - Enchiladas verdes, veggie fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Newton, Massachusetts

Ate in the restaurant for the first time in years (I usually do takeout) and it was a hot mess. My friend made an online reservation weeks ago and got several confirmation texts. We showed up at the reserved time and they had no record of us. My friend pointed to the confirmation and the man at the counter said, "Oh yeah, we don't take online reservations." (OK, why offer it on your website, then?) We were seated around 20 minutes later, finally get our orders in a while after that, and then we just... sat and waited. Got our drinks (quality was good), but no food for nearly an hour and a half. Other tables on the patio were also looking around in confusion, and nobody was able to get a clear answer out of the staff. We saw a couple folks give up and walk out. Finally, we were coming up on two hours since we'd been seated; the restaurant closed in half an hour and we still hadn't gotten our food. I asked for an ETA and noted the time, and the man at the counter told me, "Yeah, yeah, everybody is waiting." The food finally arrived at 9 p.m. (the restaurant closed at 9:30 p.m.), lukewarm and just OK. I've loved Sol Azteca in the past, but the whole experience really screamed of mismanagement. I hope it was a fluke and they're able to turn it around. read more

Despite a power outage that caused the other restaurants on Union Street to close (you can't open a restaurant at the last minute when the power comes on), Cafe Sol Azteca stayed open offering drinks (Extra large margaritas, beer...) chips, salsa and guacamole. It was festive sitting in the courtyard with other "drinks for dinner" groups. The service was great and loyalty to customers will make us come back again soon when we can actually eat the food! #CustomerService #MargaritasAndPowerOutages . Despite the heat it was festive in the open courtyard outside the restaurant. Coming back soon. read more

Old family favorite. More than just typical tacos, etc. The mole and the cilantro sauce are especially good. Service is good. Eating outside is a delight! read more

I'll start by saying the food is no better than that in a cafeteria. Not only was the service slow (while the restaurant was not busy) but it the servers rolled their eyes and shook their head at me and my family several times. While the owner is notably nice, that does not excuse the both terrible food and service. May I add, my family also received food poisoning from the food. read more

A wonderful evening sitting outside. Highly recommend as food is amazing and we were not rushed. The refried black beans are unique since the have a smoky flavor read more

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I have been going to Cafe Sol Azteca for decades, and typically the food is delicious. My recent visit was no exception. I usually order the Mole Poblano, and my wife orders the green enchiladas. Both were every bit as tasty as in the past. Our friends also very much enjoyed their choices as well. I also ordered red Sangria....outstanding! The blend of juices and wine with a hint of cinnamon is unique....the perfect summer drink for hot weather. My only complaint is that when I booked the reservation from a Google maps link, I don't recall seeing the option for the patio, and. I was disappointed to find out that all patio tables were booked when my party of four arrived, hence inside with the air conditioning. Not what I was hoping for when booking the reservation. Now, I could be wrong and missed a check box, but I really don't recall seeing that option. So, hoping this can be addressed with the reservation app tied to the restaurant. My fault for not following up with a phone call as well. Still, all options should be presented when booking. read more

We should have know when the place was completely empty and the servers were surprised to see customers. Totally terrible.

We recently had a family gathering at Cafe Sol Azteca, and I can not say enough good things about this restaurant. The food was fantastic, and the staff was very friendly and helpful. The atmosphere on the outside patio was the perfect place for us to have our party. I was in direct contact with Gabe, their event manager, who was very helpful in helping make menu selections, as well as having special menus printed up for our group. He also explained the benefits of having the event inside, as well as the ones to having our on the patio. We were fortunate to have a great weather day, and opted for outside. He was very available as I spoke with him by phone on a number of occasions leading up to the event. Louisa, who singlehandedly waited on our party of 15 people, by way of taking orders, and keeping the refreshments coming, was fantastic. She also happened to be the one who first walked us through the day we dropped by to check it out initially, and was very knowledgable about how they handled larger parties, both indoors and outdoors. The only help she had was in delivering the food to the table, otherwise she was the Star! We can't wait to go back have have a nice dinner outside again before the Summer is over. I can't recommend Cafe Sol Azteca enough. read more

Always good. The food is very good quality, it comes out hot and the portions are big. Friendly service and nice ambiance.

My #1 favorite restaurant. I live in California now, but Sol Azteca is always my first stop when I visit Newton. The chips and salsa alone are worth the trip. I usually get the enchiladas verdes. So good. The cabbage, beans, and rice that come with most dishes are delicious. Chicken mole and tostadas are also great. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. read more

This is a great spot! They are following covid procedures. We ate outside tonight, despite rain. We had a warm table, covered on 3 sides, so it was dry and warm from the heater they provided our table. All the food was great! Definitely recommend the guacamole or fajitas. They're margaritas are all great. Our table tried the blood orange, coconut and lime, strawberry and original - ALL GREAT! We also get take out frequently, which is just as good. We will definitely be back. We love it here! read more

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I went here on a busy weekend evening on May 6th. To be fair, the place was slammed. Despite being slammed, the host was incredibly generous with letting us have a wonderful table by a window in a corner indoors. We really appreciated it. I think the food here in theory is great. However, they were so short-staffed that night. By the time we received our food, it was cold. I imagine it was ready in the kitchen, but they hadn't gotten back there to bring it to us. I am gluten-free and dairy-free and while they remembered I didn't want cheese, they brought me flour tortillas (not gluten-free). I had to find a server who wasn't ours to bring corn tortillas and that took a while to get them. Our drinks came right away, faster than the food. The bathroom was very clean. If the food was hot and arrived right out of the kitchen, I think I could offer better feedback, but that was our experience. Once we were finished we had to wait a good while to get the check. The staff were all friendly and apologetic for the delays, but I can't say the overall experience was 5 stars. read more

A truly middle of the road, thoroughly "eh" restaurant. When asked "is the food okay?" by the server, I thought, "yes, it is okay. Not great, but thoroughly... okay." Tbh we went there because it was basically the only place still seating at 8:45pm in Newton Center. I'd gone only once before a few years ago and while I hoped my lackluster experience prior pale in comparison to 2019, the experiences were about the same. We had to knock on the counter to attract the hostess's attention to seat us because she was on her cell phone, we were seated around a corner at the back of the empty restaurant, and either the server, the chef, or the manager kept coming around the corner, almost to confirm we were still there. Kind of weird. As far as food goes, again, not mediocre by any stretch, but simultaneously nothing to write home about. It honestly feels like someone tried to take Mexican home cooking and make it "hipstery." I wish they had pinto beans. Only black beans. No Chile verde on the menu. Given the "okay"ness of the food and the weird vibe and the subpar service, I know why I haven't made it a staple, even though I love Mexican food more than anything else ‍ read more

The beginning of the night we got to the restaurant and waited in line got a margarita as we waited in line. Waited 45mins for a Friday so wasn't too bad. We got seated at a corner table and got another margarita with chip and salsa as we looked over the menu. Our waiter came took our order its 7:00 right now ok waited 20mins goes by we see people around us getting their food and check that were seated after us! An hour goes by I get really pissed and go up to the manager and ask where the heck our food is we have been waiting an hour! I sat back down and it came 15 mins after the waiter said sorry and asked if we wanted more drinks I said yes but we wouldn't be paying for this round because of the awful wait! He rolled his eyes and went and got us more drinks. We got the bill which wasn't properly itemized and found out the margaritas were $10 per drink. Food was so so tasted like it sat for an hour under the hot plate! So word to wise there's better places to go! Service sucked hold on to your $45 your going to spend and head to Acapulco's in Needham! We will not be back and I wish that the manager at least apologized for forgetting about us and our food! read more

I took 20 college students here for dinner- my kids and their friends. The restaurant was accommodating and the food was terrific.

The food is very tasty but as a vegan there just aren't many options. I really wish the rice did not contain chicken broth too. The service is always good, though, and they refill chips and salsa often (which is complimentary with an entree purchase. I highly recommend getting the sangria. It's the perfect mix of sweet and tart and tastes very authentic. read more

Our mission: find a tasty Mexican joint since it is Monday and La Paloma is closed. Our asassin team: myself and foodie roommate/platonic lifemate Our decision: scope out Cafe Sol Azteca, since aforementioned cohort works with the manager Our arrival: easy. getting to union street/newton centre is a bit out of our way, but not terribly so. it was moderately entertaining to walk through a dark alley-like way (i think this is the patio in the summer) to get to the restaurant. Our impression of the restaurant: cozy. very down-home mexican (does this exist? well, it does in my mind). cool tile tables and wood/brick paneling. Our chips, salsa and guac: very tasty. i would have liked the chips more salty, and warm, but still solid. the guac was creamy. Our adult beverages: solid. stoked they had pacifico, which was featured on the specials menu. i don't like margaritas, but theirs looked fine. Our meals: again, tasty. and plentiful. my dish was definitely dinner and the next day's lunch. his carne asada all looked fabulous. the rice was a bit bland, and i would have liked spicier refried beans. Our check: moderate. manager comped our drinks and chips, which was an unnecessary friendly gesture. he was also involved with seeing that other guests were satisfied with their dining experience. Our conclusion: we'll be back when in the area. read more

- Amazing salsa & guac but terrible chips (sad when that happens). - Nice drinks. - Vegetarian Burrito: boring.. didn't realize it's a burrito that comes stuffed with just rice & refried beans, which also happen to be the sides you get with it, so I basically had a gigantic plate of rice & beans & tortilla. - Excellent service. read more

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Pros: 1) It has a beautiful outdoor patio in the summer. (Not when we visited, but I hear it's lovely from other family members.) 2) They make a seriously great mojito! 3) Really great chips and salsa! 4) My food was good. Overpriced and not phenomenal, but solidly good. Cons: We waited 30 mins. on an early Sunday night--before what we thought would be the prime dinner hour. Unfortunately, there is no place to wait in the cramped alcove leading up to the host stand. There were others on the stairs, making it difficult to even get to the host to put in our names. We tried getting bitten by mosquitos for awhile near the patio and kitchen's exhaust fan, before retreating to literally wait in the adjacent alley. Upon being seated, and getting a high chair, there was no place to put the extra chair that was removed. It sat there with people tripping on it as they went by our table. Our next BIG issue was that they didn't bring us chips or water for about 15 mins. after seating us. When you have hungry, young children in tow, that is a BIG problem. In fact, it turns an angel child into a gremlin. The table next to us was seated after us and got their chips and salsa along with their menus. They are NOT kid-friendly and although they have high chairs, I think they should just tell folks that they aren't kid-friendly. We totally respect non-kid friendly establishments. In fact, we visit them exclusively on date night. However, we called ahead to make sure this place was kid-friendly, and instead ended up feeling scorned. Not cool. Outcome: We've decided we'll be happier campers if we go again on a date night without the kids, and just order drinks and apps. and/or dessert. Note: They skimp on the guacamole and avocado where it states that it comes with your dish. Order accordingly! read more

I've been a fan of Cafe Sol Azteca for years, but had a bad experience last week. I ordered a fajita special which included beef, chicken and shrimp. It looked good to start, however I cut a couple of pieces of the chicken and it was RAW. Not rare, not pink, it was RED inside. How disgusting. I told my waitperson and she meekly said, "I'll have to tell the kitchen." And then gave me the bill. Seriously? No apology, no free desert, no comp for the order? If you go there, avoid the chicken as you are rolling the dice. It's too bad, because I really do like the restaurant, its ambience and the menu. read more