Okay, Boston, we need to talk. Your taco game is, how should I put it, downright New England. If I go to one more place that considers shredded iceberg lettuce an appropriate topping for a hot dish, I will lose all hope for Boston food. That's why it's such a relief to come to a place like Orale, which is somehow standing against the tide of charred steak and three-cheese blends and offering something that approximates good Mexican food. It's not perfect, I will never understand why places here can't two-ply their tortillas, but it hits the spot. I only recently actually sat down in the place and I have to say it has a nice cozy vibe even though it's kind of cramped. The margaritas were legitimately tasty, straddling the line between Painted Burro's cloying sweetness and Felipe's Harvard student-level alcohol tang. In my opinion, top tier taco for Boston. read more

After a day of riding around doing errands we found ourselves hungry and looked up what was well re used near us. Orale came up. So glad we popped in. A small place (maybe 6-8 tables and a bar), brightly painted, great music playing and friendly waitstaff. It smelled amazing. People online recommended the birria burito so we split that, 2 al pastor tacos and the Elote. Nothing disappointed. The burrito was delicious, messy in the best way, juicy and the jus was incredibly flavorful. The tacos were also fresh and delicious as was the corn - covered in all the best toppings with a squeeze of lime. We will 100% be back to try more. read more

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Been here many times and always super delicious! I got the Jalisco style birria burrito, which was messily good. Also their horchata they add a smoked cinnamon stick which adds a new level of depth to it. It's definitely a great go to mexican spot. The price for the birria Jalisco style I believe was around 17$ but they don't skip out on the ingredients and the consummate is delicious too. read more

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Love the decor at this restaurant. The service here was welcoming and helpful. The waiter answered all of my questions with a smile and gave good recs. I ordered the quesadilla and it so good! The crispy outside and tender chicken on the inside was the perfect balance. The birria tacos are next on my "try" list. read more

ORALE Mexican Grill - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Tried to go here a couple of weeks ago. I bet the food is awesome but the place was small, loud, and crowded, with particularly loud and unpleasant people at the bar. They appeared to have no clue that they were actually sharing the space with other patrons. Also very sexist stuff running on the TV. read more

Nice patio for a casual brunch. Service is good but not too speedy. Classic margarita is very well made -tasty and not too strong or weak. We really enjoyed the steak asada and chorizo tacos. The empanadas were not our favorite. Too much batter and not that much filling. read more

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Im really sad because I dont live in massachusetts anymore and these were the best tacos ive ever had in my life. I think about them all the time. I want to travel back to the area just for these tacos. The food is so fresh and authentic. Service is fast and friendly. There is seating inside but I always brought mine home to watch netflix. read more

ORALE Mexican Grill - Quesadilla Birria - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

My boyfriend and I arrived at Orale on a Sunday night and were seated immediately. We ordered the Al Pastor Burritos Jalisco, Fajita Mixta Plate, and a non-alcoholic Piña colada. The Al Pastor Burritos Jalisco was presented nicely. I enjoyed the al pastor, finding it tender and moist. Nothing felt too overwhelming as the flavors paired well with each other. The Piña colada was a bit lacking. The pineapple part was strong without much coconut flavor. The Fajita Mixta Plate was served piping hot. I enjoyed the grilled steak but found the chicken strips a bit lacking in flavor. My boyfriend did not like their yellow rice and found the meal disappointing. Service was very slow considering how they were not busy at all. We were served food without utensils, and it took a while to flag someone down for anything. Overall, for the price you pay for, I was hoping the food would be better. read more

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SUPER YUMMY!!! I am almost always disappointed with Mexican food on the East Coast but WOWZERZ! This place was great!! The nachos were like real nachos! The tacos were correct and each had 2 corn tortillas! The Verde sauce on the enchiladas was bright & tangy! And the Birria tacos tasted just like home in DTLA!! Oh and the margaritas were fantastic! Loved the option of salt, tajin or sugar on the rim of ur glass. PSA get the tajin!! Go check em out! We went twice in one week and I still can't wait to go back!! read more

Still one of our favorite Mexican restaurants / takeout spots in East Cambridge. The dining space is cosy and colorful but we tend to call ahead with our order and drive to pickup. Birria tacos and fried shrimp tacos (tropical tacos) are our go-to's here, and the churros are excellent. Servers are always pleasant. read more

great authentic mexican food. lowkey spot not too much space but enough to have parties of like 6 people. double tortilla on the tacos, amazing sauces, everything fresh. ella mai was playing the entire time we were there. best mexican in boston read more

Great spicy margarita to start. Flautas made with care that went beyond expectations. Fish tacos and shrimp enchiladas that had a great mix of unexpected flavors and just the right amount of spicy. Plus a chill atmosphere and great waitstaff. Feels like a family run restaurant that does everything right. Mmmmmmm. read more

Great food for decent price for Cambridge! Everything we tried from Birria tacos, fajitas to tacos al pastor tasted great. We are from TX so we are very particular about our Mexican food, and it met our expectations. read more

My friends and I ordered takeout from Orale. I pass by this place all the time, but never visited until now. I assumed it was just counter service, but there is seating inside and the ambiance is really fun and colorful! Next time I would like to dine in to get the full experience. There were lots of big groups there ordering food and drinks alike. The staff we interacted with were busy, but took the time to provide us with extra sauces and were friendly and helpful overall. Everything we ordered was delicious. Anything with the word Birria in it was a star. We really enjoyed both the Birria Tacos and the Birria Torta. The portion sizes were pretty good and all our food was nicely seasoned. For Mexican food in Boston/Cambridge, I would say this place is pretty top tier! read more

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Came here looking for some breakfast, their chilaquiles did not disappoint!! They tasted so authentic and fresh! Their green salsa was amazing!! Also the atmosphere felt so cozy and welcoming! read more

ORALE Mexican Grill - Chips & Guacamole (6 oz) - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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I popped in here the other day when I had a craving for tacos. ORALE is tucked in a building that's somewhat easy to miss if you're biking down the street and don't notice the bright colors of the building. There was only a handful of people when I came in for lunch on Saturday. It's a fairly intimate dining area, and they take orders via iPad if you are getting table service. I ordered a chicken taco and steak taco. The chicken taco was pretty standard, albeit a little dry. The steak taco was also a bit dry for me and the meat was not tender but sort of tough. So, not in love with the tacos overall, but the spicy salsa was a nice addition to both of them. The cajeta churros (with an extra side of cajeta) were AWESOME--I could come back just to have those again. As with any actual Mexican restaurant, they had several flavors of Jarritos and I had my usual mandarin. Service was pretty friendly, so I'm rounding this 3.5 review up to a 4 for that reason. read more

ORALE Mexican Grill - Chicken asada and steak asada taco - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I actually want to give the place 2.5 stars... But the waiter was very nice! Is it just me? ... Isn't a shrimp burrito supposed to have shrimp in it? It may have had a shrimp mash in the rice, but it was 90% rice for over $17. And I'm sick of all these restaurants getting away with charging four dollars for ice tea... When you're sitting on lawn furniture in a parking space. I'm so disappointed in what's happening to our restaurants. The food at the next table smelled wonderful... Maybe I should have opted for a beef dish. We tried to get a table inside, but they jacked up the music, which told us "we don't want you in here ". read more

My second time here and it'll honestly be a place I'll come often when I'm craving birria or Al pastor tacos! Birria Tacos ($14.65): I wanted to try their birria tacos again and the way they fried the tortilla was different (in a good way) from the first time I went! Super flavorful and though it was still just a tad bit salty I'd take that anyday compared to a bland one Al Pastor Tacos ($3.95): these were SO FLAVORFUL wow we had to get a second one right away bc it was that good!! The marinade had a nice balance of sweet and savory and I love how everything was coated definitely recommend!!!! With the creamy green sauce chefs kissss Steak Asada Quesadillas ($12.50): I wanted to get the quesadilla with Al pastor inside but my bf said to get the steak and afterwards we knew the Al pastor inside would be so much better after getting the tacos. The quesadillas wasn't anything too crazy or amazing but I still enjoyed it with the melted cheese inside CHURROS ($4.75): I have A BIG OBSESSION WITH CHURROS these satisfied my cravings. I liked how they had a little bit of ducle de leche inside as well I've had a regular chicken taco here before and it just tasted okay to me. The Al pastor is really flavorful and I enjoyed it so much that my recommendation to come here are for birria, Al pastor tacos, and churros! read more

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Top 2 or 3 birria tacos I've ever had. The consommé is rich in spices and flavor, and not outrageously expensive like most places. Food came out super fast, but tasted fresh, not premade at all. Sit outside if you can, it's nice and quiet at night. The margs are also delicious. read more

ORALE Mexican Grill - Tacos Birria(order of 3 tacos) - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Best nachos and tres leches I've ever had! So yummy. Service was great too. Everyone should come here for the best mexican food. read more

ORALE Mexican Grill - Tres Leches - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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The service here was welcoming and helpful. The man taking our order was patient and friendly. We ate outside as they have sidewalk seating. The food was highly recommended and it did not disappoint. I had the tropical tacos with fried shrimp and some of the burrito bowl. Everything was packed with flavor and the shrimp was complimented so nicely with the sauce and salsa on top. I would definitely loc to try it again. read more

ORALE Mexican Grill - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Hole in the wall vibe with some pretty darn delicious birria tacos, definitely going back! read more

ORALE Mexican Grill - Birria Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I can't believe I haven't discovered this place earlier! Authentic, no frills Mexican food. Must must must haves are the birria tacos and churros. The birria was delectably tender, juicy and seasoned. Utter perfection. The churros were stuffed with dulce de leche AND came with additional dipping sauce. I really enjoyed the frozen mangonada to accompany the meal. The guac tasted fresh. The only disappointment of the night was the elote. Not as flavorful or well cooked as I would have liked. Pro tip: To use the bathroom, you get a mini behind-the-scenes tour through their back kitchen! read more

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This place is a must try in Cambridge! I went inside for the first time and will definitely be coming back to sit inside. It's a fun place, music is blasting and perfect for a date night or a girls night out. There's a full bar and the menu is extensive. I got the veggie torta and it was amazing. The veggies were cooked to perfection and love the addition of pickiled onions. I wish the bread was a bit more toasted but regardless, it was a warm hefty bite. I ordered take out but the order came out within 10-15 minutes! read more

ORALE Mexican Grill - Menu - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Just a few minutes from Union Square, this is a great little spot for some delicious Mexican food. We were lucky to find a little table to sit at - since we visited on a Friday night it got super packed inside (and outside!). We started off with a Piña Colada since this place seemed to have great drink options. It came topped with a fresh slice of pineapple, a cherry, and some toasted coconut on the rim. It was tasty but had lots of ice chunks in it, so I enjoyed it more when it melted a few minutes later. For food, I ordered the birria burrito "Jalisco style". It was delicious and filled with lots of toppings. The consome that came on the side was also super tasty and elevated the burrito, although I did find it very spicy. I also got to try the Al Pastor burrito, and I honestly enjoyed it a bit more just due to the flavor of the meat and found it slightly less spicy. At the end of the night we ordered some churros. I was a bit surprised that there were only 3 really small churros per order, which came with a caramel sauce squeeze bottle. I definitely wouldn't order these again since they didn't seem super fresh to me. The caramel also was a bit too much paired with the cinnamon sugar coating on the churros, but that's probably just a personal preference. Still, I'd love to come back here especially if I'm in the mood for a good burrito! read more

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Service was quick and staff was friendly. Food was fresh and I would try other items on their menu next time. I got three tacos, which were good overall, but the meat was on the dry side (great flavor) and quite salty. Think it would've tasted a lot better if there were more toppings/other flavors on the tacos to balance out the meat/saltiness of the meat. My favorite of the three tacos was the carnitas taco. The meat in this taco was the juiciest and tastiest out of the three. Loved the doubles up soft corn taco shells. Enjoyed the hot sauce that came with the tacos. read more

ORALE Mexican Grill - Left to right, tacos: Carnitas, Al pastor, and chicken asado - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Another California native leaving a review for this place-- I have been searching for a good Mexican restaurant (comparable to what I can get in CA) in Boston. Don't get me wrong, Orale is very good and definitely comes close to what I am looking for, but I am still looking... I tried their birria tacos ($13.99 on Uber Eats) which came with 3 tacos. They were absolutely STUFFED with meat and cheese. I noticed that the tacos alone were underseasoned while the consomme was much saltier, so paired together it would have been perfect. The concept of birria tacos is to dip the taco in the consomme. Unfortunately the taco shells got kind of soft during delivery so the tacos would fall apart when I tried to dip them. I definitely want to try the birria tacos in person-- hopefully they will hold their shape. I got the jaliscos burrito ($11.50 on Uber Eats) with steak and added guac for $1.50. With rice, beans, cheese, meat, sour cream, pico de gallo, and guac, the burrito had all the components of a San Francisco "mission burrito" I was looking for. The burrito had a crispy fried layer of cheese on the outside and was drizzled in sauce. It was rolled nicely so that all the components were included in each bite. The burrito as a whole was flavorful and quite salty (much saltier than the birria tacos). I liked that the guac had mangoes in it. The portion was also pretty big so it could be split into two meals if you are not that hungry. Orale definitely hits the spot if you're craving CA-style Mexican food. However, I still felt that it was missing something (maybe I just need the Pacific ocean breeze and lots of people saying "hella"). Until I find a better spot, I'll be hitting up Orale for Mexican food! read more

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This place is under reviewed! Always on the hunt for good, hot, takeout birria tacos! I ordered via Yelp delivery and my food came within 30 mins. The Birria tacos come with sauce on the side and lime wedges. The tacos were crispy on the outside and the tender meat have it a nice soft inside. The Birria sauce was well spiced. I got a single shrimp taco which disassembled during delivery, but still tasted really good. The crazy elote was so soft and sweet, very easy to eat. This place is decently priced and packed with flavours. It will not disappoint! I'll have to come back to try the crazy Birria Shrimp nachos! read more

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Delicious grilled fish salads, fresh guacamole and chips, carefully crafted burritos, tasty desserts to finish. Can't say enough good things. Best Mexican food in Cambridge. read more

Absolutely the BEST birria tacos you will ever have. The taco shell was lightly toasted, the beef was juicy and tender; I was surprised but there was cheese at the bottom of the taco that was fresh and pulled apart. It added such a unique texture that worked well with all of the spices and savoriness. The consome broth was also flavorful and complemented the birria wonderfully. I also got their pescado taco, but this was not crafted as well as the fish fillet was not crispy and was missing a sauce. I will be back here if I ever want birria tacos again. read more

ORALE Mexican Grill - Birria Tacos Birria(order of 3 tacos) - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Super overpriced for very mediocre Mexican food. Inside was super messy and I would go as far as saying dirty. Super hot as well so wouldn't recommend on a hot day. Got the elote to start, nothing crazy about it. In fact I would say it was anything but crazy. Super expensive and they cheap out on the toppings as well. Same thing with the Horchata, For the price at least give me a full cup. To try more of their meats, we ordered 6 tacos. Most of them were terrible. A couple like the chorizo were passing but overall, the meats were poorly seasoned and overpriced for how bad the food was. read more

Food was great. Great Vibes and music playing. Serves are very nice and respectful. Had a very nice time

I ordered take out last night and got the birria tacos with a side of rice and beans. It was delicious! I would love to return and try some other menu items. read more

Great Birria Tacos and drinks. Nice spot hidden near kendall, def worth a try with their outdoor seating

Great tacos and amazing elote! The staff was so friendly and the menu had so many things to choose from. I can't wait to go back and try more... even though I had one of every taco. read more

ORALE Mexican Grill - Crazy Elote - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Really delicious and authentic Mexican food in Cambridge! I went for lunch last Friday and it hit the spot. I ordered the birria tacos and they were delicious. They really stuffed them, and the toppings included, cilantro, cheese, and red onion. The food came out hot, the service was quick, and the restaurant was decorated nicely. Don't sleep on the guacamole, this was seasoned perfectly! read more

ORALE Mexican Grill - Tacos Birria(order of 3 tacos) - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I love Mexican orale grill I used to go there everyday but now I can't as much as I used to because I live a little farther now, but everything On their menu is so good I love their empanadas and chicken burrito and tres leches and the birria ramen and birria tacos just everything is so good and the workers are so sweet and welcoming and they take care of you the whole time you are there, they usually recognize me when I come in because of how much I go! The place is so pretty too their decorations are cute. Their food is delicious and I will forever support them. read more

I don't recommend this place. Food was not flavorful and service took almost half an hr

ORALE is a quaint, small Mexican restaurant off the beaten path in Cambridge. The delightful hostess/waitress greeted my wife and me as we walked in, at 7:30 on a Monday night (after having some beers at Lamplighter). The place was clean and colorfully decorated. Some quiet Mexican pop music played on a small tv. We ordered the chicken nachos and they were delicious. (Pictured). Fresh sliced jalapeños, fresh, delicious guacamole. Perfect for a starter for two- or dinner for one. After that we had tacos... on the waitresses recommendation I got the Birria tacos, and they did not disappoint. The dipping sauce/broth was fantastic. Overall it was a great dinner- lovely place. Just one FYI, water is not complimentary- was 2$ a bottle. read more

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Taste/Quality of Ingredients: 4.5/5 My girlfriend was craving birria tacos and I'm glad we found this place! The outer shells could have been a little crunchier but the meat was super tender and cheesy flavored. For Mexican food in Boston, this might be one of the top places. The burrito was yummy as well - the chunks of al pastor were really flavorful. Only ding is that the pupusa was mediocre - a bit hard and not very tasty. Price/Value: 4/5 I thought the burrito was a good price for what it was but the other things we got were a bit pricy for the quantity of food. Service/Atmosphere: NA we got pick up. They currently aren't doing dine in because they're doing construction even though it says they are on Yelp. Other: There's a nice park right by the restaurant if you want to take the food and do a picnic. That said, our lunch date got cut short because there was an ongoing police chase (multiple helicopters were involved!) for an armed man who robbed a nail salon and jacked a car... read more

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