Such a lovely restaurant! My wife and I enjoyed lunch of chicken enchiladas and fish tacos. Very impressed with the food! The service was excellent and we felt very well taken care of. Recommended! read more

"Mexican food on Ninth Street in Durham" Pretty much directly across from Juju on Ninth Street is this relatively new addition. It's perhaps in (or at least near) the old Chubby's location? It's unassuming for sure-- although it sports rather traditional Mexican food, the decor is more Texas-like, and country music was playing when we went there. It was shockingly empty for a Friday evening-- we were there from 6:15pm to 7pm, and there were a few people at the start and no one when we left at 7pm. My wife and I both ordered the enchiladas verdes with chicken. One oddity: we asked for water and got bottles of water (as per the other reviews). Good for convenience, bad for the environment. However, the table across from us got mugs of water. Not sure the difference. Positives: + Service. The servers were very friendly, and they checked on us quite regularly. Then again, there was pretty much no one else there. + Selection. Lots of good choices. And this is definitely Mexican-- the taco options included "lengua", for example. + Location. Right in the heart of Ninth Street, and just 2 blocks from Duke's East Campus. Parking is a bit tough, but there is a pay lot nearby and a bit of street parking if you get lucky. + Value. The quantities were pretty good, and the price modest. Two of us are good-sized meals for pretty much right at $20. Negatives: - Taste of main dish. Maybe we ordered the wrong item? This was easily the worst enchiladas verdes I've ever had. The sauce was really thick and oddly dry, the cheese didn't taste good (though maybe exacerbated by the dryness), the chicken was a bit dry, and the whole thing was remarkably tasteless. That said, I will say the accompanying rice was VERY good- nicely seasoned. Synopsis: Why 3 stars when I didn't like my dish? I'm giving them a break because I may have just gotten the worst menu option. And again, the rice was quite good. And everything else about this place was good. I'd be willing to give it another shot, so I'll go with 3 stars. read more

I was excited to try this new restaurant once I was back in Durham! The inside is cute and small, and we were seated right away. I really wanted a torta, but they were out of bread, so I definitely want to go back to try their tortas. I instead ordered chicken flautas, which were crispy and delicious. I asked for more salsa than what they gave in the small container, and they were happy to provide more for the whole table. I for sure will be back to try more on the menu! read more

Mi Calvillo - Chicken flautas - Mexican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Solid fare at this little family-run spot--lots of choices, super pleasant service and a real sense of authenticity/--feels like eating at mom's house if my mom was Mexican. read more

Great service. Instead of salsa and chips, they serve chicharrones with hot sauce--loved them! Best huevos a la Mexicans I have had. Green enchiladas also fantastic. Will definitely go again. read more

Wow a hidden gem. The space is small but clean. Service is quick and courteous. The tacos are excellent. I loved the potato taco. Lots of variety with veggie and pescatarian options! read more

As someone always on the search for Cali style Mexican food, we decided to give Mi Calvillo a try after reading the many positive reviews. The reviews were spot on - we tried the carne ranchera and the steak burrito to just see if the basic dishes were decent but were surprised with amazing food, especially for NC. They filled our takeout order quickly and lady taking our order was very nice. Seating area is on the smaller side, so larger groups may want to consider that and the parking challenges of the area before heading there but we highly recommend. read more

Stunned that I had never tried this place after 2+ years of living in Durham and being so close to it. The food here is seriously so flavorful. I'm vegetarian, so I got the burrito with the rajas (basically peppers) and it was probably the best burrito I've ever had. The rajas are seasoned so well and you can tell it's authentic Mexican food. The burrito was also massive, and for just a little over $10?! This place is the real deal. I'm looking forward to coming back and trying more of their vegetarian food, especially the nopales. Seems to be mostly a takeout restaurant, though we dined inside and there's two or three tables outdoors as well. The server was so nice and gave really good recommendations. Try the churros too! So good. Give this place a shot, you won't regret it! read more

Mi Calvillo - Burrito with rajas - Mexican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I'm so lucky to have found this amazing restaurant! Outstanding food that isn't over priced. So tasty. The service is as good as the food. Great atmosphere, food, family friendly, I could go on and on. If you go here you might spot me because I will be eating here a lot! Soooooooo good. read more

Mi Calvillo - Mexican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Really good food, fast service, and inexpensive. The ultimate fries with carnitas were a religious experience. read more

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Been obsessed lately with finding the best Mexican/Latin food in Durham. Been to a few places and wasn't thrilled- But this place passed the test! You always know it is good when you want to eat there two days in a row! We came here a few nights ago for some take-out. Got the green enchiladas and the carne asada ultimate fries. Major snaps on the ultimate fries!! They were loaded with perfected flavor and did not get soggy (bonus). And the green enchiladas were very good as well. Found it a little strange there was no chips and salsa with the order,... but other than that the price seemed reasonable and the place was following COVID-19 as much as I could tell. I look forward to going back! read more

We visited this restaurant pre-COVID on a whim, since the other longstanding go-to Mexican spots in the nearby area have been lackluster and increasingly overpriced for a while now. We had such a good experience that when COVID hit, we were worried that not enough people had found out how good this restaurant is yet to support it through these trying times for businesses. Luckily, that seems to not have been the case. We ordered a few tacos and enchiladas, and I ordered the House Burrito, which is a mix of steak and chorizo...genius. Simply put, everything was delicious, to the point that we were honestly shocked. If you're not a die hard Mexican restaurant lover like us, then the typical Mexican joint is hit or miss and all of the food is about the same in terms of quality, quantity, and pricing. Usually in this area, you have a Tex-Mex style, food truck style, and maybe one or two fine dining or cantina style Mexican options to choose from. Mi Calvillo is an interesting mix of fine dining in terms of food quality, Tex-Mex in terms of food quantity and reasonable pricing, and Mexican Fusion in terms of sheer creativity. And although they had plenty of traditional dishes to choose from, I think the creativity in their dishes, along with the execution of that creativity and the high quality of the food, is really what wowed us. It made us both wish that our stomachs were bigger and that we could afford the calories so that we could order and try more of their dishes right there on the spot. The atmosphere on the inside is very cute, with an understated seating area / arrangement. I'm glad to see that they now have an "open" banner hanging outside, as there wasn't any sign at first. I would highly recommend trying this place for lunch, die hard Mexican food fan or not. We will certainly be back! read more

Stopped by this cute restaurant in Durham to grab food for a picnic! I ordered the green enchiladas which were very flavorful, and good sized portions. Would definitely come back again! read more

Mi Calvillo - Mexican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Staff were welcoming and friendly. We asked them for their recommendations and they did not disappoint. The food was really good and they give you a good amount. Would definitely go again if in Durham. read more

Mi Calvillo - Shrimp and Tortillas - Mexican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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tl;dr Straightforward, solid tacos Ordered: Carnitas Taco, Steak Taco, Lengua Taco Ordered takeout for a quick bite. The food came out quickly and piping hot. Overall the tacos were solid with the standard meat filling, onion, and cilantro. The best by far was the Lengua taco with its amazingly tender meat. My only critique across the tacos were that they were slightly under-seasoned and some were dry (especially the carnitas). Will definitely come back some time to try the other tacos. read more

I love this place! Very authentic and the flavors are balanced. Wife and I have been going twice a week since it opened! This is NOT a chips and salsa whitewash Mexican place. When I first came in I was a bit confused and not sure what to expect. The decor is clean and not overdone, and much better than the typical cliche stuff you might expect. I love this place for that. It is also run by a family, it is the summer and their kids are helping out. That may seem a little weird at first but when it dawns on you the entire family of good people are putting that heart into the delivery you feel like family. Hard to explain but it took going there a few times to recognize they were related, now I say hello and bye to the fam when I come and go. It is very endearing. I did see a review another user added and I am going to address it directly: 1) you have to order chips and salsa separately. Do you get chips and salsa at an authentic food truck? No, of course not. I'd much rather be surprised with their small delicious soup of the day. If this is what you are expecting you have the wrong mindset. Go to El Tapatio, eat a bunch chips and queso, get full before you even get your food and feel like greasy crap when you are done eating. You can keep that... 2) they serve bottled water. How is this a complaint? WTF? 3) teens serve. I felt a bit awkward. They are helping their family open their business over the summer. It is their teen kids and endearing to see that they care and are humble people. I supposed you've never had fast food or gone to an ice cream shop where teens were working? Grocery store? 4) salsa is served in a tiny plastic container. And I've never needed more. Not once, and it is delicious! 5) relatively small portion. The portions are perfect for the price. In fact, when I get the tacos they have an extra tortilla if you want to make them into two. If anything every time I leave I feel like I underpaid and leave a bigger tip. You could easily spend more at Taco Bell, eat twice as much and not be full or satisfied like you are here. read more

Staff is very friendly restaurant is clean wit nice Latin music very quiet atmosphere food was very taste server was very good at communicating and making sure we understand the menu food was served hot and taste delicious very nice spot for a lunch or lunch date read more

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Nice little Mexican restaurant, affordable food, and very accommodating staff. Had myself a torta asada that surpassed all the other sandwiches I've ever eaten before. 10 out of 10 read more

I think this is now my third review of this Durham gem. Service is outstanding! The quality of their food is unparalleled. Finally tried their House Burrito today. Oh my!!! As someone that grew up on burritos in California, I have to say that this is one of the best ones I've ever had. I'm in my mid-50's and have had my fair share of delicious burritos... this one is perfect. Spicy. Succulent. Incredibly flavorful. I added guacamole- a must. Mi Calvillo is THE BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT IN NORTH CAROLINA!! read more

Such an authentic Mexican spot right in the middle of Ninth street! It's a family run business, which is truly a delight! I ordered their vegetarian tacos- one with grilled cactus and one with grilled vegetables, both were awesome and super flavorful. Their salsa verde is amazing, took the flavor to a whole another level. Would definitely stop by again! The service was fast considering lunch hour! read more

Mi Calvillo - Mexican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Coming from Texas, one of the things I miss most is authentic Mexican food, and I think Mi Calvillo fills that hole. They have it all from gorditas to menudo to your classic tacos. Oh and the prices are an absolute steal. Three of us split a taco party platter which was 18 tacos for $25 and they were so so good. Reminded me of so many restaurants on the north side of San Antonio. The staff was incredibly friendly and just made it a great atmosphere to share an incredible meal. I'd recommend the pulled chicken and the tongue. My friends really liked the diabla and the chorizo. However, I'm fairly confident that any taco you get will be great. Can't wait to be back! read more

I grew up in Tucson, Az and this was the BEST, most authentic, fresh food !! I had the house burrito and my gf had the red enchiladas. Both were amazing. It is run by a mom and her very polite daughter. Lot of care goes into the food and restaurant! Also, the decorating is so inviting and welcoming. We had a great dinner in this wonderful, humble, clean restaurant. Oh, this is not American Mexican food.. it's the real deal. Don't expect Margaritas but the Maichleleta was fantastic... but it is not a common drink in the states. (Bloody Mary with beer taste). But soo good. They have tacos and such.. but they are authentic!! read more

Amazing family restaurant. Kind people, awesome food! Great options for vegetarians and vegans!

The food is bomb! I had the sampler and had a little taste of everything. SO GOOD. All of it. Not only was the food fantastic, the price for authentic Mexican dishes like this cannot be beat. The wait staff was friendly and you could tell that the kitchen cooks behind the counter were putting a lotta love into the food. When my friends and I asked for seconds they made new maize fresh just for us. The decor is nice and the atmosphere is welcoming. 100% will be back for more! Personal recommendation: the Gorditas are awesome! read more

Popped in to this place because we were across the street; we read the good reviews on Yelp so decided to give it a try. This used to be Chubby Taco a few years ago, now it's Mi Calvillo and the food is great! The server was great and we enjoyed our authentic Mexican meal. read more

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Mi calvillo best enchiladas and Hawaiian tortas, I recommend it to any one that will be visiting Durham. read more

Great sit-in or takeout Mexican food! I had the tongue and carnitas tacos, and an asada gordita. Their corn tortillas are very good, and the meat is juicy and tender. I really like the space - it's the first indoor sit-in Mexican street food I've had within 5mi, and a great addition to Ninth St. read more

Mi Calvillo - Mexican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Authentic and delicious Mexican food. I had the fish tacos. I also love their flan. The best I've had in the area.

Meats are very well seasoned and flavorful, tasty, interior seating area pretty good. But I won't go back because 1) you have to order chips and salsa separately. 2) they serve bottled water. 3) teens serve. I felt a bit awkward. 4) salsa is served in a tiny plastic container. 5) relatively small portion. Again, foods are pretty tasty, but did not enjoy much. read more

I regularly dine at Mi Calvillo multiple times a week and the food is amazing. It is run by a very friendly family that takes pride in the authenticity of their food. That have a great variety of dishes, some of which aren't found anywhere else in Durham. read more

Mi Calvillo - Ultimate Fries - Mexican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Omg. This place is soooooo good. It's a small restaurant on the ninth street. The menudo is the best!!! I know it's Mexican food but it tastes exactly like one at my hometown. I will come at every week! The drinks are not so good though, they don't taste natural to me. read more

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Great spot in Durham. Been in the triangle area for the last 3 years, have tried many mexican restaurants and this is by far my favorite one now. If you can't decide on what to eat, get the sampler. Sooo delicious read more

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Best menudo. Been coming here almost every other weekend and I have never felt disappointed. Great food, fast and friendly service. So good I just think of this restaurant at the top of list of places to eat out every weekend. Also great options for taco/burrito fillings. I don't often see places serving some of the 'more exotic' options. So kudos to this restaurant for having the guts to serve them. read more

The food here taste just as good as my abuelas cooking. Easily becoming one of my new favorite authentic Mexican restaurants in the area! Also the staff is super friendly! read more

Mi Calvillo - Mexican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Recently found this gem in Durham and have gone back 3-4 times already. Highly recommend it! Their shrimp ceviche on the weekend is super tasty. Their tacos, burritos, and Gorditas are also amazing. Can't go wrong with anything you order. read more

Great food, decent prices. The restaurant is clean, and the service is prompt and friendly. It's a bit of a hole-in-the-wall, so don't take a fancy date here. The food is excellent and prepared quickly. read more

A great spot for tacos and burritos! Excellent friendly service, too. I'm a huge fan of the shrimp burrito, but everything I've tried has been tasty. read more

The cochinita pibil burrito is the best burrito I've ever eaten, and I've eaten a *lot* of burritos.

Everything is good. I love this place, my go to spot for burritos, tacos, enchiladas, EVERYTHING! Agua fresca is also yummy. Can't go wrong getting anything from here. read more

Best rice I have ever had at a mexican restaurant. The meat is all so tender and juicy, and the mango agua fresca was delicious as well. The server was very attentive and nice and answered all our questions as well. read more