Nothing more annoying than a review that starts with "I'm from Texas/California and I know Mexican food" blah blah blah shut your trap. No one cares. But guess what? I'm from LA and also spent most of my life in NYC and I know what good Mexican food tastes like.... And guess what?! Howling Wolf might be the best Mexican food on the east coast. Sure, it's a little pricey ($19 for a burrito?! Really?) but I didn't eat in the restaurant so I can't speak to the level of service or detail that comes with that price. I did take out. I f***g hate take out but we were passing through Salem and it was cold and the gf didn't want to eat out. This is really amazing Mexican food. I got the steak tip burrito. 9.5 out of 10. Gf got quesadilla (with carne asada) and I noticed another diner said it was soggy. I disagree. But JUST order the steak tips. Next level. Absolutely loved it. Salsa - very acidic but delish. They also gave us enough for two meals. Guac, solid. Needed salt - but that's not a crime. Only criticism- no one greeted me when I came in. I worked in the food biz and I believe staff should acknowledge you exist within seconds if they aren't greeting/seating you. I waited for a bit and finally someone figured it out. But ya know what - who cares about that when the burrito is this good - best $19 ever spent. Howling wolf - congrats. You've done the impossible. You made good Mexican food in the North Shore and converted a food snob into a believer. Wolf people, I love you. I will howl at the moon and sing your praises forever. Keep doing gods work. read more

Seriously good food here!! Everything was delicious especially the carne asada. As a nurse the specialty drink served in "blood bags" hooked me. Really delicious and sweet-sorta like a strawberry daiquiri. This is a must eat here place if you are in Salem! read more

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Howling wolf burrito is awesome! I can never bring myself to order anything else. My sister got the steak tip burritos. She liked it alot. Great chips and salsa. If you don't finish you can take home the rest and they even gave us new salsa. I did get the soup to go once and I really enjoyed it. The howling wolf burrito is spicy. But didn't blow my head off spicy. If you don't like spicy it might not be for you. read more

Howling Wolf Taqueria - Howling wolf burrito Howling Wolf Burrito Howling Wolf Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

I ordered the Al pastor quesadilla and it was just ok. The quesadilla got a bit soggy because of the marinade on the meat. It was a bit bland, that I ordered a guacamole to add some more flavor to it. The employees were friendly but our server wasn't tentative, we had to call them over when we wanted refills on our drinks. The interior has a cool vibe to it the have Mexican heritage decor. read more

Howling Wolf Taqueria - Al Pastor Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

This place was great, it was a random pick, when we walked by and it was amazing. The food, drinks and the service were amazing. I got the chicken stew with all the extras and it was so good. The drinks in blood bags creative and delicious. My friend was raving about her food also. The art and the friendly bar vibe was a plus. We missed the trivia night that was starting but that will be for next time. read more

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Would give about a 3.5 star. In Salem from Texas and wanted to see what Mexican food was like up north. The waitress was very amicable. The atmosphere was decorated authentically. The margaritas were strong! The rice was a bit bland, however the chicken wings were flavorful and delicious! The birria meat was juicy albeit slightly salty. Overall like the kids say "we ate but left a few crumbs" read more

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Totally did not expect to find some good tex mex food in the middle of Witch City, but yes, it exists! The chips and salsa was not what we're used to (chips we a bit stale, salsa was very liquified like a hot sauce) but the Howling Wolf Burrito and Al Pastor Quesadilla (i added Guac) were both delicious, not overly salty and not over-sauced. My partner requested "light on the beans" for the burrito and the kitchen came through. Not only that, it was evenly distributed throughout the burrito. It makes a difference and we were happy with both of our meals through and through. My moscow mule was on the flat/sweet side so I wouldn't recommend it. There are lots of cocktail and drink options with some fun specials. Good find for us! read more

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This place is SO GOOD! You get a ton of food- well worth the price and it tastes great. It's nice and warm inside compared to the miserable cold outside. The staff is super friendly and accommodating! Try the margarita flight, tastes delicious! We went as a group of 6 and everything came out very quickly and super hot. Of all the places we ate while visiting Salem this was the best! read more

We were on the fence on where to eat in town but this for sure was the best choice we could have made! First of all the service was so good! The guy who sat us was so friendly and attentive. He even wiped my menu for me when I spilled salsa on it. Loved him to death and hope he gets the best things in life. When it came down to the food, I literally could not stop. It was so good! I recommend the chimichanga!! The house salsa was also very impressive and we all killed that and the chips in like five seconds. I would definitely come back here. Not only was it delicious, but they have the nicest people in town working for them. read more

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On a short walk from the ferry, close to the fire station, this mexican restaurant serves nice food and fun drinks. My fave, of course in a nice Salem feel, is the i.v. bag drink. It is a funny way to serve and enjoy the drink. Too bad they only have alcoholic version of it. read more

Howling Wolf Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Bathrooms available and some parking-scarce during October time period. About 7-10 min walk -depending on how many people- to the train station. We got the IV drinks- they are off menu. I saw them on social media. Be aware that they are 20$ each. We did not realize that until the bill came. They were tasty-like cherry limeade flavor. These are alcoholic but very light on the alcohol (especially for a 20$ drink) We shared the fajitas with the three of us, and it worked out nicely. Our waiter was skeptical of it being enough food but we each had like 3-4 tacos. Not bad at all. Also shared some guacamole. Nice chunky guac. So that was good. Cool vibe- has a nice patio outside. But it's across from the fire station so we sat inside because the sirens kept going off. It was good-nothing mind blowing. Service was normal paced for a busy restaurant. IV drinks were cool. Not worth 20$ but it was cool. read more

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This spot is amazing. Especially for drinks. We sat at the bar on a very busy weekend and the bartender was slammed, despite this he served us in speedy manner and took our order right away. There were so many people ordering drinks and somehow he made everyone's drink right away without a mistake. The margaritas are very good, not too sweet, and not too strong, just right. Additionally, the howling wolf burrito tasted very good. The meat inside is not carne asada though so don't be mistaken like me. Im pretty sure it was carnitas. Still good though. Topped with 3 different salsas and big enough to make a grown man full. Enjoy ! read more

Howling Wolf Taqueria - Blood bag vodka - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

The service and restaurant atmosphere was great but the food quality really fell short of my expectations. I ordered 3 tacos, all of which were extremely dry and not super flavorful. I was pretty disappointed that the meat was not juicy, overall a mediocre taco. read more

Howling Wolf Taqueria - Al Pastor Tacos, Carne Asada Tacos - Three tacos with different fillings and toppings are served on a red plate, accompanied by lime wedges. In the background, there are drinks, chips, and a bowl of chips. - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

There was a wait, but then again, it's Salem in October. We gave our cell phone number and the estimated 45 minutes was only 30 minutes. We had a table outside and enjoyed "people watching" as everyone was dressed for Halloween! The food was delicious! Highly recommend the wings, chicken fajitas, taco salad and enchiladas. No leftovers! So I would say we loved it! read more

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I'm from Texas so consider myself a pretty good judge of Mexican food - and Howling Wolf is delicious! Great queso, great salsa, great entrees (quesadillas, enchiladas, tacos, burritos). I went for brunch today, and the breakfast tacos were SO GOOD. The service is awesome - everyone who works there is friendly. I also like the vibe - casual and fun, with a patio in the summertime. Highly recommend! read more

Howling Wolf Taqueria - Breakfast tacos - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

The french fry nachos here were perfect. Literally one of the best things i have ever eaten. The burrito we got (howling wolf burrito) had a lot of flavors but i wish the inside was a little hotter. Our waitress was very nice! Only complaint was the bathroom. read more

Howling Wolf Taqueria - French Fry Nachos - 5/5 - A large oval plate of loaded nachos with melted cheese, meat, diced tomatoes, and a dollop of sour cream on top, served at a restaurant. - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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I like that you can order the burritos over lettuce for a lighter meal. I felt I was lacking some steak. Meal was fine but nothing special. I believe chips are corn tortillas not flour, salsa ok read more

Howling Wolf Taqueria - Steak burrito over greens Chicken burrito over greens Beef taco - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

We went twice in a span of four days! The food selection was vast and delicious! The marinated steak tips with pinto beans was recommended by our server Chris. Very friendly and knowledgeable as he mentioned he had been working there over a decade. Very clean and the music selection was excellent! read more

Howling Wolf Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Full transparency: We had 1 appetizer and 2 mixed drinks, 1 beer and 2 fountain sodas and 5 entrees and it costed: $130 The service was abysmal. No real customer service. The ambiance was inviting but I highly suggest they clean their air duct because we were seated under it and all I kept thinking was damn I hope it's not blowing all that down onto our plates! Out of all that food, ONLY the steak tip burrito was good! So delicious. We used the jalepeno ranch from the avocado tacos on the burrito Because it did need like a sauce with it. The avocado tacos were ordered as an appetizer and they severly lacked salt. The carnitas chimichanga was underwhelming. The Al pastor and carne asada tacos were very fatty and dry. The green chile chicken stew was all right, but only because if you get it, definitely get the add on avocado and rice and cheese for an extra $3, they made the flavor. If not it would've just been broth. Our mixed drinks were extremely sour. I could not finish mine at all. read more

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This was some gooooood Mexican food. I had the Chile Verde chimichanga ( pork stewed in green chile & tomatillo sauce) topped with chili con queso and served with beans and rice It was really yummy!!! The queso was insanely, bowl licking good. The pork was so tender. Everything was so flavorful. They served cups and salsa while you wait. (Yummy as well. ) The restaurant was cute and clean. The service was good! Loved their outside seating area. read more

Howling Wolf Taqueria - A Mexican meal on a yellow plate includes rice, refried beans, and a burrito, with a Coca-Cola bottle and utensils on a table. - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Great food! So delicious lol really cool drinks too! Only downside is the bathroom but other than that it's a great place to stop by and eat at! Very much recommended. read more

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Actually went for a trivia night, which was fun. But then, it's the only trivia night I've ever been to. We got drinks and apps and they were good. drinks were very good, apps were classically good. The place is a good size, and on this night things were quite loud. That's because of the trivia event I am thinking. Wait staff and trivia people were all very enthusiastic. I'd go back, and I would try their meals definitely. Looked like great portion sizes, and people seemed please. read more

Great salsa and chips Excellent burritos Fast service with a good selection of drinks including proper Mexican Coca Cola A star off for very dirty water glasses we asked to be replaced and never were. read more

Take out...Thanks for the side of black beans I paid for and didnt get, side of onions I didnt get, and side of jalapenos I didnt get. Never again..check please. Mexicali all day long...bummer. I knew it...but I was a sucker giving them another chance. Also miss Casa Tequila...now I know why the wolf is howling..he is hungry and pissed! read more

Had lunch there today bar was not open they weee working on it . Restaurant inside floor was dirty. I had the shrimp taco scale 1-10 rating a 2. The servers were trying hard to make everything work but it was just too much for them . read more

Came here on a Friday night to find it almost entirely full. Since it was Cinco de Mayo they even had a live DJ playing out front. We were lucky to have grabbed one of their last tables by the friendly hostess. For drinks we tried their Paloma and mango margarita. Both were decent but the mango was better in my opinion. For food we got the howling wolf burrito with pico de gallo and the full combo fajita. The burrito ingredients were spread well with lots of bacon pieces throughout. I preferred the steak and chicken over the shrimp since they were seasoned and cooked better but in general it was still satisfying especially with the caramelized onions and peppers underneath. I appreciated the bed of rice with sour cream, cheese, pico de gallo, and lettuce. It all made for some fun mini burritos. Overall we had a good experience. The portions were huge and food was tasty. Service was a little slow at times but he was nice when he was able to come around. Would come again for a fun casual vibe. read more

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Ala carte taco options are perfect for trying several kinds. Chips are fantastic too. Only reason for 4 stars are the salsa.... Pretty bland. Otherwise, the food is fantastic! read more

First time in Salem coming here and we stopped by the Howling Wolf Taqueria. The food was good, I recommend the Birria tacos. We also got the Al Pastor tacos which were alright. The server was nice but the hostess was EXTREMELY rude. She first tried to sit us by the door and we asked if we could sit elsewhere since it was so cold outside. She rolled her eyes and walked to another spot and aggressively placed the menus down. She was not very friendly. The entire restaurant was pretty empty and she sat us in a spot where I couldn't even sit down because someone was sitting directly behind my spot and you couldn't move the chair to sit. The servers were a lot more nicer. read more

After an interesting day traipsing through Essex Street in Salem, Massachusetts, we went to grab a bite at this family friendly restaurant nearby. It's next to a busy intersection so if you sit outside (and they have plenty of outdoor seating ) the noise may bother you. There is plenty of seating inside. Alex, our hostess & server, told us that the weekends here are crazy though... so you have been warned. There's an open bar facing the dining room and Mexican inspired decor. There are 2 all gender roomy restrooms that we found clean. We arrived on a Tuesday afternoon around 2 PM. It wasn't very busy and there were plenty of tables open. Alex actually thought it was strange because they most always receive the tourists flowing out from Essex Street M-F. Everything on the menu is Mexican inspired. Everything sounded great just reading the descriptions aloud. Alex explained that the Burritos are VERY LARGE and quite daunting. Not up for a challenge, we went for the sampler with the intention to order additional food if we were still hungry. Thumbs up to Fried Avocado Fries, Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños (for my partner anyway... It was way too spicy for me). We have very different perspectives on what is spicy. This was our first time having avocado fries and they are awesome. In fact, we ordered another side of them because we enjoyed them so much. We tried them blue cheese, but there is different sauces available. Meh on the chicken taquitos and the chicken wings basted in a sweet sauce. We were given their House hot sauce when we asked for a buffalo type marinade. It turned out to be a great addition and saving grace to the wings. All in all with thought this place was good value for the money spent. Plus, we really appreciated Alex taking the time to tell us which were her favorites and why when we asked. Next time we're in town we will try that daunting burrito and definitely order the avocado fries again! read more

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I had lunch with my sister here this week and I loved it. Our waiter, Chris, was upbeat and attentive. He served us chips and salsa (delicious!) and waters promptly. My sister wasn't very hungry so she got a side order of rice and refried beans, which she devoured lol. I got the chicken quesadilla with guacamole and I LOVED it. Our bill came out to $20 - the menu is priced very fairly and affordably. You can tell the ingredients are fresh, and Chris let us know we were receiving a freshly made batch of guac :) The ambiance is lovely and they have a fun bar area, so I'll have to come back during the evening sometime. 10/10 would recommend and I will be returning! read more

Howling Wolf Taqueria - Side of Rice & Beans - A white plate holds rice and beans alongside a piece of meat topped with gravy, on a wooden table. - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Great fast service & fun atmosphere. Seating outside or inside. Chips & salsa complimentary. I ordered the grilled veggie enchiladas. Delicious! Definitely recommend read more

Howling Wolf Taqueria - Grilled veggie enchiladas (side of guacamole cost extra) - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Great food.. friendly service.. was a bit loud for 12pm. The enchiladas were very tasty and filling.

This place is completely overrated. We waited an hour for a table of 4, yet completely disappointed. The only thing that was decent was the chips and salsa, which says a lot about the place. We had the carne asada, enchiladas, birria tacos, and quesadilla al pastor. The carne asada was dry and tasteless and so were the refried beans. The rice tasted like it was old and reheated. The beef in the enchiladas was also dry. The birria tacos are not what you think when you think of birria. They were regular tacos not soaked in the consommé, just a side of the consommé. Lastly, the quesadilla was not mediocre and the pork was cubed instead of pulled, made it a little more difficult to eat. Would not recommend or waste your time d money here. read more

Was told howling wolf was the best Mexican food in the area. They start you out with a bowl of chips and salsa. Chips were good, salsa is not the chunky type. I got the shrimp burrito but also added steak tips in my burrito. Also tried the al pastor tacos. The burrito as a whole was ok, had some decent flavor. But none of the meat I tried had much flavor. The burrito was very wet. I tried picking it up and it was dripping, then fell apart. The burrito is decent sized and would recommend using a fork and knife. read more

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we went for a super early lunch sat at the bar and stuck around way longer than we should have lol. the apps were amazing and so were the drinks I only took a pic of the first round but the following one were just as good if not better. #lunch #salem #Massachusetts #drinks #avacadofries #howalla #fries #spicypinapplemargarita #drunkindonutmargarita read more

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I always love complimentary chips and salsa. The chips were crispy, but the salsa was a little on the bland side and more watery than I like. The burritos are huge! They definitely over fill it because 2/3 burritos broke open so we had to eat with a fork and knife. The meat was tender, the rice was nicely cooked (not mushy), but it lacked some flavor. I definitely had to add hot sauce to make it better. The avocado fries were very interesting, I've never had them anywhere before. The outside is crispy whole the inside is soft. The sauce is what really tied the dish together, it was some sort of cilantro ranch. As for the service, I can't judge it too much since we did eat here on Halloween. And we did get seated immediately. Definitely a good bang for your buck type of place! read more

Howling Wolf Taqueria - Burrito - A large burrito is placed on a white plate, accompanied by a small cup of salsa and a side salad with corn, beans, and vegetables. - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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amazing service, delicious food, and a beautiful time! i always make it a point to come back here on my visit to MA! read more

Howling Wolf Taqueria - chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Drinks and food were phenomenal. Place was packed but service was good regardless. Vibes were greats -- would definitely come back!!!

Absolute worst "Mexican" food I've ever had in my whole life truly just disgusting. I was so hungry and I didn't even finish my food after payment I just left. If you are on vacation in Salem just spare yourself!!! Maybe get new chefs. read more

We were passing Salem and decided to do a quick stop here. At 8pm we were able to get seated fairly quickly outside and the inside looked to be a pretty busy bar place. They server free salsa and chips which was nice though the chips were on the stale side. We ordered the chicken enchiladas and tacos. I really enjoyed the enchiladas I had! It was really cheesy and (with some help of hot sauce) had a great flavor as well. The portion size was also very big. The tacos were a pass they were weirdly so wet. Look at the pictures, you can see both on the tortilla the pool of liquid the meat is sitting in as well as the amount of liquid that fell out of the taco just from being picked up! TLDR order the enchiladas and hard pass on the tacos! read more

Howling Wolf Taqueria - Enchiladas and tacos - A plate of Mexican food includes rice, black beans, a cheese enchilada, and garnishes, with additional side dishes and drinks on the table. - Mexican Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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