So I just realized the name translates in english to exotic shorthair which is a cat breed. It makes sense because there is a big cat mural next to the bathroom and framed pictures of funny cat artwork. I am a lover of Wusong Road and so when I heard Gato Exotico was opening I was excited to try. The decor and design of the place is so fun it feels like you are stepping into another world, much like Wusong, and it has that distinct restaurant design like Wusong where the tables are side by side and the middle is like a long road that never ends. Bernardo our server was so nice from the get go mentioning how he worked at the other restaurant for years and decided once a Mexican concept was announced he wanted to be a part of the show. He gave us recommendations for the food and cocktails which were all new and fun to me. They start out your meal with some chips and salsa and you can then order away. My tijuana taxi was a fun cocktail where the alcohol was feeling herbal but in a very fun way. My friend got the jungle pear which was very perfumy and much like my favorite scents that always include some pear. The tacos were nothing crazy but yummy. My favorite was the camarones which was the shrimp one that was a bit spicier than the conchinita. Esquite which was essentially corn, cheese and some sauce was freaking yummy. That was one of my favorites despite being so... simple. I had to finish off the meal with some DEESSERt... LFG. The champurrado tasted like nothing to me but lukewarm lactaid milk but the flan was delightful, a bit thick but wonderful flavor. It was poppin on a Tuesday evening and I enjoyed my time here though Wusong Road will always be my favorite. Good luck trying to find the menu as it is not on their site but hey it's good to mention they have a bunch of GF options. The majority of their tacos are GF. And also make a reservation like a couple days before at least. What we got Tijuana Taxi Jungle Pear Esquites Taco Camarones Frito (GF) Taco Conchinita Pibil (GF) Chicharrones Ceviche Empanada Hongos con Huitlacoche Champurrado Flan $$ Food 7 Atmosphere 9 Service 8 read more

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Convenient. Unique. Delicious. I ate at Gato Exotico before they opened, as well as now several months into their operations. In a world of also-ran chain Mexican restaurants, Gato is a beautiful space with a unique ambience and unique takes on both familiar and unfamiliar dishes. Drinks are delicious and affordable, particularly given the area, while the convenience to the Cambridgeside Galleria is undeniable, particularly given your alternative dining choices are between sharing a close table with retirees at the Cheesecake Factory or teeny boppers at the food court... choose wisely my friends! A small outdoor space provides options for dining in warmer months and staff are focused, but friendly. Restaurant can get busy, so I recommend stopping by here on a weekday or outside of prime hours, if you do not have a reservation. All in all, a great new dining option for the area for those seeking a little less cookie (or cheese) cutter dining experience. read more

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Parking is so easy in the Cambridgeside Galleria Mall garage. I think this restaurant gives validates for the $3 cost. Not sure as we walked. This sister restaurant to Wusong Road looks just as vibrant and has great potential, but it's no Wusong. The drinks, food, and service are inferior. Sat at the bar which was maybe a quarter full on a Sunday night. Waited quite a while for one of two bartenders to head over. The bar back brought us chips and salsa which was nice. Had reservations for a table and were seated a little later. Service at continued to be painfully slow, not friendly, and sporadic. They need engaged servers and bartenders. The hostess was the nicest person we met all evening. Drinks were 3/4 full void of garnishes. We love tiki drinks, but half of the ones we ordered were watered down or too sweet. Far better at Wusong. This place uses tequila and mezcal instead of rum which would be great if done right. Food options are good. Plenty of vegan options. Portion sizes are on the medium size. Our party ordered mix of a salad, tortas, tacos, and enchiladas. Prices are high for what you get. Hours on their website are not correct. Apparently the whole place closes at 10pm and not 11pm. There were several tables still there at 9:45pm like us and we were all asked to leave. Not a great experience considering our friends drove an hour to meet us. read more

Gato Exotico - Jalisco Bird delivered at this level (I had not taken a drink yet). - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Trendy (and new) spot in Cambridgeside perfect for date night or even a birthday dinner with friends. They offer a vibrant cocktail menu served in cute cups (we had a frog) and menu featuring Latin flavors. We just got drinks and dessert but everything looks great. I loved my margarita. The drink in the frog glass was a little strong but tasty. Our bartenders were very attentive. Plus the decor inside is beautiful, very good for photo ops! Also, they validate parking! read more

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Such a fun experience at Gato as expected from the sister restaurant of Wusong Road! The food and drinks were excellent - we ordered several plates to share including ceviche, cochininta tacos, empanadas, and esquites. I personally quite enjoyed the ceviche and esquites. The drinks were served in super fun mugs - we had the Tijuana Taxi (tequila and mezcal based) and Jungle Pear (gin based with pear and mango notes). The mango margarita was also delicious! Fun decor throughout the restaurant including the wallpaper and framed cat photos leading to the restrooms. And wonderful service!! An overall lively yet laid back environment read more

Gato Exotico - Tacos, ceviche, empanadas, esquites - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Gato Exótico is definitely a place that looks amazing. The aesthetics are everything -- from the vibrant decor to the overall vibe, it's truly a beautiful space and perfect for photos. That was honestly the standout of the experience for me. We ordered the birria papas fritas, which were pretty good and probably the best thing we tried. Unfortunately, the tacos were a bit subpar and didn't really live up to the hype. Flavor-wise, they just didn't wow us. What really helped the experience was our waiter -- the customer service was phenomenal and definitely made the visit more enjoyable. Overall, I'd give it a solid 6/10, mostly because of the incredible aesthetics and great service. I'm curious though... has anyone else been? What were your thoughts on the food? read more

Gato Exotico is new addition to the reimagined CambridgeSide dining scene. When you walk in you feel transported & could not even tell this place used to be a beer hall. It is pretty tight between the tables but with how loud it was you could not hear any conversations around you. The chips & salsa are fine but not worth the calories when you'll find all the main items delicious & flavorful. The tortilla on the Mahi tacos was great & I found 3 to be the perfect amount. It is al la cart so you can mix taco choices if you want to try other ones. The service was friendly but a little slow. The margaritas come in pitcher size so if you have a group it makes it easier. Beer choices are pretty limited & did not include Pacifico, but did have Corona & Modelo. read more

Gato Exotico - Taco Pescado Frito - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Decent Mexican food in the cambridgeside mall. Best item we had was the tres leches cocktail. Got birria fries ok a tad salty. Fish tacos were ok. Esquites ok not enough lime or chili read more

Gato Exotico - Birria fries - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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The newest restaurant at the Cambridgeside Mall, run by the same team behind Wusong Roadis a much-needed addition, especially since Cheesecake Factory was the only dining option there before. I was excited to check it out during their soft opening. They're operating with a limited menu until the grand opening on December 8th. I ordered the birria tacos and the asado de puerco, both of which were delicious. I also tried their margarita with a Tajín rim. Service was excellent, our server was attentive, and the food came out quickly. The interior has a fun tiki-inspired vibe reminiscent of Wusong Road but with its own unique twist. I'm looking forward to coming back once they fully open. A great spot to stop by for any occasion. read more

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I had a chance to try Gato during their soft opening and thought it exceeded expectations in every possible way. The decor leans full-on maximalist (which I love), with super cute tropical wallpaper, greenery hanging from the ceiling, and incredible woodworking with alligators and jaguars carved right into the tables. The cocktails (Sapo Pero, Tijuana Taxi, Tres Leches Colada) were all reasonably priced, balanced, and a good mix of complex/refreshing/boozy. Food wise, everything we tried tasted incredibly fresh and hit the spot. The calamari was complemented well by the cherry peppers, cabbage, and mango it was served with, and the lengua tacos/quesadilla were tender and rich without feeling heavy. For those apprehensive about lengua, I'd encourage trying - I'm always surprised by how tender it is. Overall, it's the rare place that nails atmosphere, drinks, and food equally well. Make no mistake, this place will get busy very soon so get in before it gets too crowded! read more

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3.5 stars. They didn't have one of their spring specials, but they didn't tell us until we tried to order it. They couldn't make a simple adjustment to an order because their "iPad didn't have to option to do that". A lot of the menu items were crossed off (all the tortas). Food that we did get was good, but the steak was a little tough. It was soooo dark inside could hardly see the menu. read more

Fantastic experience. As fans of Wusong Road we had high expectations and the experience lived up to them! Delicious drinks of course and a flavorful, fun selection of tacos. We stopped in for lunch but are planning to go back soon for dinner. Can't wait to try more things here. The decor is so cool and the waitstaff were pleasant and attentive. read more

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We came for the fun drinks, delicious food and funky ambience! Warm chips and salsa to start (on the house) and I ate every bit of the Plato carne (though the hot pepper was HOT!) No doggy bag for me My husband also enjoyed his margarita and beef tongue tacos! Validated parking up to 3hrs only $3 read more

Gato Exotico - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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pretty good restaurant! stopped by to get takeout on a Tuesday night. the mall was boring. but this place was popping. the atmosphere was very lively and the decorations were styled very well. staff was nice and helpful with menu items. I bought the habanero wings, yellowfin tuna Toscana, and taco de lengua. flavor was great on the Toscana. the wings were a bit bland and was drenched in mango habanero sauce, so it could've been a bit crispier. the lengua tacos were good, not the best lengua I've had but very good potential, would've been better with a slice of lime in there as well. Will definitely be back here whenever im in the area. read more

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Went for lunch today. Had high hopes based on the people who opened this restaurant since I love their other restaurant in Harvard Square. Chips were just like a grocery store bag was opened and poured into a bowl. Why don't they make their own chips?! Salsa was medium spicy and very good. Warning that the lunch menu is quite limited. I got tacos and the tortillas were homemade and quite good. The chicken could have used a bit more spice, but not bad. Our greatest disappointment was the margaritas. Tastes like bottled margarita mix and our margaritas tasted exactly the same even though one of us ordered passion fruit and the other ordered spicy. Maybe dinner is better and they just don't care about lunch guests? read more

Gato Exotico - Ceiling - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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I would give this place 5 stars because the food and service are really good. But sadly, and I regret having to say this, beware of the manager, Matt--because of him I will never go back. And I was a frequent customer who lives down the street. I will walk far and wide to avoid running into him. read more

We are huge Wusong Road fans. This didn't even scratch the surface. Salsa was mediocre, tacos were definitely not anything to write home about. Cocktail was poured half full - wondered if it had come from another table. Disappointing based on how much we adore Wusong. Step up the game. read more

A friend and I visited this restaurant on Christmas Eve. The service, ambience and drinks were good and we and LOVED their tacos. I had fish, short rib and braised pork and want to go back to try more of them. And of course, drinks are served in fun tiki mugs and there was fun artwork in the bathroom (if you've been to their other place in Harvard Square you know this is a thing). There are lots of fun details in the decor if you look around. I loved this new spot! read more

Gato Exotico - Drinks! - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Went on a Monday night with a reservation. 4 of us waited for about 10 min for a greeting from a server at the table. I got a frozen margarita that came with a tamarind straw. 10/10! Enchiladas were very good and had a kick that wasn't overpowering. I didn't love the tacos, but my boyfriend really enjoyed them. The restaurant itself is dark, quiet, and intimate. I drop a star because the server wasn't very attentive. read more

Gato Exotico - Beef tongue taco, fried fish taco, and shrimp taco - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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The owners of wusong road have done it again!!! Love how they kept their theme of tiki and custom mugs. Came during the soft launch and their drinks are sooo good. Plus all the decorations and ambiance are really unique. read more

Gato Exotico - Menu - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Amazing new spot with really great vibes, food and drinks. We tried the Birria fries, fish taco and carne asada tacos and everything was delicious and perfectly cooked. The details of the space were beautiful! STUNNING back room for large parties with engraved pieces. Will definitely come back to host a birthday/ large group gathering in the future. read more

Gato Exotico - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Ambiance great, Enchiladas were good, Margaritas were fine, wings were not crispy, service couldn't be less attentive

We sat at the bar and had a great time. The food and drinks were delicious. They've only been open for a few weeks and are still fine-tuning the service. Our bartender was very friendly and attentive. We especially enjoyed the shrimp ceviche and nopales tacos. Wish the spicy margarita had been even spicier. Love the decor and theming. You can tell it's by the same people from Wusong Road. We'll definitely go back. read more

Myself and coworkers were in the area for work and tried for several days to be seated. Even though the restaurant was basically empty each time we went, the hostess told us they were booked with reservations and on one night they claimed to have a buyout. Again- the place was mostly empty each time we went and the hostess was rude. However, on our last day in town we tried one more time during lunch hour. The lunch menu was dismal but we all ordered. Everyone received their order and after 20 minutes the waitress came over and told me my tamales would be another 10 min. After another 15 she came back to tell me it would be awhile longer. If there was going to be a long wait time on these, I would have changed my order at the beginning. I cancelled my order and asked to speak to the manager - the rest of the table was done eating at this point. The manager seemed less than interested, gave the normal apology line, stated he'd just clocked in, blah blah, and comped the drinks for everyone. I only had water so this didn't benefit myself at all. I ended up eating at the mall food court which was cheaper with better quality food and service. Kudos to the mall staff! I recommend skipping this place and eating there instead. read more

The interior of this restaurant is gorgeous, fun, and inviting. But the food--I had PLATO POLLO ENCHILADA VERDE, and I could hardly tell there was queso in the filling, there was barely any sauce verde, and only a squiggle of crema on top. No garnishes at all. Cilantro would have been nice. I get it that these dishes should not be swimming in sauce, but a bit more would have been nice. And just had a schmear of refried beans. Cocktails look amazing and I will go back to see how the menu has been tweaked, as I was there during soft opening. I live nearby and want this restaurant to be my go-to spot! read more

Wow! What a design when you walk in I was blown away. A large restaurant that is not near the food court in the Galleria Mall which is a good mall food court. This at the other end of the mall. It should be noted we went for lunch which is a completely different menu than on the website which is for dinner. We sat down but the bar is also big and inviting. Chips came out were great. Guac was good and the drinks.... well the presentation was outstanding and the taste was also outstanding. We got a margarita and the Tijuana Taxi. On the drink menu it says the Tijuana Taxi might require a Uber or Taxi. I was the designated driver but it was strong and good ( I had a sip). Definitely could be for two people. We got tacos, quesadillas and a salad. All the food was great but the tacos were the best. Freshly made corn tortillas were up there with Taqueria Jalisco. One little problem was the tacos were medium size but the taco tray was for large tacos. This made it slightly difficult to get the taco out. My only little issue. Service was great even when it got busy as we were leaving. Definitely going back maybe even just for drinks. read more

The experience and staff were great, but I was quite surprised to see that they charged me for SODA WATER. Water should not be charged and if it is, it should be made known. I've only ever experienced soda water to be free so was shocked when it was $6 for 2 waters... I would have just had regular water if I had known it was going to cost me. read more

Very clean, cute decor, excellent food. Definitely trying to offer more interesting ingedients than your typical American Mexican cuisine but still all the yumminess you crave when going out for Mexican. Great service from Santiago! (Skip the senor and senorita and rock that Boston accent :) read more