Updated review! There are few Mexican places that have warm…read morechips and salsa with quality food. Plus the friendly staff and laid back atmosphere make it perfect for any time you're in the mood. The art and decor is pretty amazing as well. The fajita is good for three corn tortillas, perfect single serving. They have a good number of gluten free options as well as specials. Worth coming!

I've been coming here for many years and I only get by here 2-3 times a year. If nothing else…read morethis place is consistent. Food is consistently excellent....no complaints here....this is the reason I keep coming back. Service is consistently sub-par and very poor. While everyone is friendly, the staff are not attentive to say the least. Most of the staff are texting and surfing on their cell phone and hiding in the corners. They have enough staff but they always seem distracted or not paying attention to their customers. Maybe they need an actual manager providing some oversight. I hope they fix this (it's been years and they haven't) because this place could be great.

Not only did the food portions match with the prices, but it was beyond FLAVORFUL ! I've always…read morebeen a chipotle person and after having what real food taste like here... bye bye chipotle. As it was my first time here, the owner personally came out and introduced everything that we coukd order and let me just say... the aromas are mouth watering to say the least. The vibe gives very much relaxing and full of color. I will certainly be back more frequently and thank you for giving me the best experience at a new place!

This is my go to Monday night meal!! $5 burrito or bowl on Mondays is incredible! Delicious food,…read morekind staff and I even get left overs! Santa Fe is always clean and it makes me feel great seeing how they take care of the business. The workers are kind and speedy, you are in and eating your food very fast! This is one of my partners favorite places in Melrose, he gets it all the time. We BOTH recommend adding the potatoes!

Caliente Mexican Grill in Malden is exactly the kind of local, family-owned neighborhood gem that…read moredeserves all the support it can get. You can feel the pride they take in their food and hospitality from the moment you walk through the door. We stopped in on Taco Tuesday, where most tacos are 20% off. The only exception was the birria tacos--which, of course, happened to be exactly what we wanted. After taking the first bite, we couldn't have cared less that they weren't included in the special. They were absolutely worth every penny. The birria tacos were incredible--loaded with tender, juicy meat, plenty of melted cheese, and packed with rich, authentic flavor in every bite. They were perfectly prepared and easily some of the best birria tacos we've had. If you're looking to support a fantastic local business while enjoying amazing Mexican food, Caliente Mexican Grill should absolutely be on your list. We'll definitely be back to work our way through more of the menu, but those birria tacos will be hard to pass up. Highly recommended!

Modest Mexican restaurant on the corner of main st. I came with zero line in a Wednesday afternoon…read moreat 4:30. All reasonably priced options under $25. I went with the birria tacos and was not disappointed! 3 for $15 and came with a side of Mexican rice, some sliced radish and lime wedges. The beef stew to dip the tacos in was tasty and rich. Tacos came with shredded beef and perfectly melted cheese, slammed together with a crispy outer shell and softer inner taco. Yum!

Off RT 1 drag . Plenty of parking. As we walked in , it was…read morea nice feel , almost felt we were in Mexico . Walls full of color and the friendly staff greets you !!! I got to say this place is full of color full of fast service and good food !!!! As we got seated the give you chips, salsa and refried beans. Got the white burrito and my wife got the white chimichanga, both excellent!!! The service was fast and the waitress was great ! Large portions , you won't be disappointed! Drinks are good here as well !! 5 starts cause they were fast, friendly and on point!!!

I visited last week with my sister for a quick lunch on Sunday. We've dined here many times over…read morethe years and have consistently had positive experiences! My 3 star review is due to the fact that gratuity was automatically added to our bill. In all the years I've been coming here, I've never had this happen before, especially on a bill of around $60 for a party of two. I feel this should be clearly disclosed to guests. As someone who has worked in the service industry, we were always told to communicate when gratuity has been added, as failing to do so can come across as misleading and may result in customers unintentionally tipping twice. I don't necessarily take issue with gratuity itself, but transparency and clear communication are important parts of good service.

This place lives up to the hype - the corn tortillas are tasty and a bit fluffy, but structured…read moreenough to hold up to all the taco toppings and not fall apart. A lot of places double up on the tortillas for this reason, but no need here. We ordered the birria, carnitas, and cabeza tacos, chicken sopes, beans, rice, sweet plantains, sweet rice pudding and horchata. Standouts were the carnitas and cabeza for me - very delicious in their simplicity, the meat is seasoned and cooked to perfection. Birria was also very good but overhyped IMO (novelty factor). The chicken sopes were way bigger than expected, could easily be a meal on its own and the masa tart was pretty good. Our table liked the green sauce to add zip to the food. It was very sunny when we went, so it was blinding and hot to be sitting inside, hope they install a shade at some point. They seem to only serve in takeout containers, so eating at a table requires getting a bit creative for a "plate" etc. There's a small lot behind the building and street parking is pretty easy. I will definitely be returning to try the lengua and more things next time!

Have had this place on my list to try and it is a must! SO delicious. I cannot wait to go again and…read moretry more! We got the carne asade and chicken taco especial, the hibiscus tea, and churros! The tacos were delish! I usually opt for flour tortillas, however they make their corn tortillas and they are the soft ones, so I wanted to try it as it comes - I was not disappointed! The tacos come in 4 to a meal, so we so split two and two. Naturally, I prefer steak but both the chicken and steak were phenomenal. Lots of flavor!! The taco especial, has onions and cilantro and a nice lime squeeze on the side that is a nice flavor burst and addition. If you want the lettuce, cheese, tomato, etc. then you want the americano version. The tacos come with two sauces, both of which were spicy but you can tell were made/fresh! But that hibiscus tea - wow!! So delish! It was sweet and flavorful and a sip of freshness!! The churros were also incredible. Not that I didn't think I'd like the dulce de leche filling but it was um-yes yum! The outside was nice and crispy obv coated in cinnamon and sugar and then the inside was soft and doughy but not raw dough, just perfection. The dipping sauce was excellent too - they could provide a little bit more of it but we made it work. Anyways, highly recommend. It's fresh and authentic- clearly homemade with good ingredients!! Can't wait to try more from the menu!

We have been loyal customers of Tenoch for years. We have always enjoyed their service and freshly…read moremade Mexican food. Tonight we ordered takeout and our meals were subpar. They changed their Mexican rice, which was amazing, to a plain, tasteless white rice. Very disappointed and will be looking for another Mexican restaurant.

ALWAYS omit guacamole despite clearly stated on order. One time is understandable- human error, but…read moreit's regular occurrence. Wouldn't mind so much except their prices have consistently increased over the last few years. I sent an email about the issue and surprise - no response. I don't think they care much about customer service. There are plenty of Mexican restaurants within a mile - planning on switching up.

I live nearby and have for years wanted this to be my go-to for a quick bite, a lunch, a meeting…read moreplace. But it's consistently inconsistent. Recent visit included a taco plate and in the grilled pork tacos, the meat was like shoe leather: overcooked, gristly and tough. Only the pulled pork had any moisture. The avocados were underripe. Everything was under seasoned. THIS is the new Latino Cuisine? Creo que no. Sister restaurant T'ahpas is a more consistently good experience.

Counter serve restaurant with a variety of Latin American food. I thought my food was fine but…read morenothing special. The prices are on the higher side for what you get, and I feel like I would've had a better experience with some of their big plates instead of a rice bowl which is pretty simple and hard to mess up. The service here is quick and you get your food fast. There's parking that's pretty easy to find but I'm sure it's much busier on a summer afternoon than a Friday evening.

Listen... we all know Cinco de Mayo is a busy times for these restaurants but I have never been to…read moreone that has been so ran well with what they have. I am an avid goer to this place and I know the staffing has not always been easy. They really did their best with what they had and the resources. This place was Packed! and well deserved. Most places on this day do first come first serve and I do think they handled that very well. It is not their fault people are impatient on one of the busiest days of the year for them. Keep being amazing, keep pushing through. I appreciate the staff and the atmosphere here. Great on non busy days too!

My favorite place for Mexican food. I love fish tacos and chips and dips and fried ice cream. I…read morealso like drink choices.