Great food, fair prices and friendly staff! went here for brunch, wish they had a few more taco options not so brunch-esque, but they had fish tacos, which I ordered and devoured. Chips and the homemade, very fresh salsa are complimentary, and a nice way to start a meal. Overall the food was great, but does not quite live up to the high expectations I had given the very high ratings this place has. the tacos were great, but I was kind of surprised by their lobster benedict, not really on brand for a Mexican restaurant? i think it would have been more original for them to have a different twist to it or something to not make it so bland. read more

The Painted Burro - fried fish tacos (brunch), mimosas, and lobster benedict - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Went here on a date night with a reservation and we were sat right away. It's a little cramped inside; we were sat in the middle of the restaurant so it felt like we could hear everyone's conversations. The decor is really cool though and the food was really good! read more

I am really into this monthly restaurant club, and January's meet up was at the Painted Burro. First of all, I had no idea there was a parking lot nearby with is a bummer since I spent 15 minutes looking for street parking. But if you go, just park in the lot behind the place. Inside it's very warm and friendly! With a bar area to the right and the dining area to the left. There being 10 of us I always imagine a team of servers but given how short staffed everyone is, a brave soul must tackle us alone. And she did great! Drinks arrived promptly, and she was on it for the rest of the meal. My first highlight is the spicy margarita. YUM! Perfect amount of kick and those jalapeno slices were huge. I would return just for those, We ordered a plethora of stuff off the menu including guacamole, queso, brussel sprouts, kale salad, and churros. I also ordered the chicken enchiladas as my main dish. Everything was quite tasty but the standouts were the queso and brussels. Aside from my enchiladas, others ordered the chimichanga, street cart chicken, carnitas enchiladas, and carnitas cubano torta. All were very pleased but the torta had the best review. Prices were very reasonable for the portions and we all had a nice time! I would go back again with friends. Especially for that spicy margarita! read more

I came here for the first time last week and had a really great time. I opted to do their Bottomless Brunch which is an all-you-can-eat option that's available on the weekend from 10AM to 3PM. It's $25 per person and you can choose from a pretty extensive menu. Just a note: it's all-you-can eat for 90 minutes only! The beverage menu (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) varies in pricing depending on the drink, though. Their "entree" portions are tapas-sized but you can definitely get full off multiple plates. I tried the El Montanero "Superbeasto" and Fried Chicken. Out of the two, the El Montanero "Superbeasto" was the best! I ordered it twice. :- ) It consisted of chorizo con papas, sunny side egg (but I requested it to be fried instead), pork charro beans, chicharron, fried plantains, burro rice, chipotle mayo, and baja crema. All of this was heaped on top of two crispy tortillas. The chicharron was crispy on the outside but lean and tender on the inside. The fried plantains were plentiful and sweet and paired well with the whole ensemble. I thought the Fried Chicken was just okay. It was served on a toasted English muffin and consisted of a fried chicken thigh slab, spicy cabbage slaw, and chorizo gravy. I think I would've preferred a fried chicken breast instead! Their appetizers are indeed appetizer portioned. I tried the Brussels Sprouts, Papas Bravas, and Flash-fried Shishito Peppers. The peppers were definitely my favorite. They were perfectly salted and a little spicy from the togarashi sprinkled on top. The Papas Bravas was a delightful dish because potatoes are the best, obviously!! It was topped with an aji amarillo aioli drizzle and lime zest. I really adored the addition of lime because it provided such a fresh, mildly citrusy flavor to an otherwise savory dish. The Brussels Sprouts were fun! I liked the pickled red onions they threw into the mix. It worked well with the crema sauce and orange-Cholula vinaigrette. For my beverage choice, I decided to try their iced Horchata ($7). I was really surprised when it arrived in a huge beer mug! It was creamy with just the right amount of sweetness to it. I wasn't able to finish it because I was just too full but it was seriously delicious and definitely worth the price. The service was top-notch throughout our entire stay. Our waitress was super attentive and kind!! There was minimal wait time for each dish we ordered, too. I'm definitely coming back to try some other items off their Bottomless Brunch menu soon! read more

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We came here for dinner and were fortunate to get a table, as it's small inside on a somewhat busy night. We were able to get seated and put our order in soon after. The interiors was beautifully decorated with art and even a giant painted burro on the wall. Their kids meal was pretty cool as well. A colorful Skelton mask on the other side. They started us off with some chips and salsa. My wife ordered their Chorizo Nachos. They chorizo was very tasty and covered with your usual nacho toppings. Guacamole, charro Beans, cabbage & jalapeño slaw, "pimpin" jalapeños, tres quesos, Baja Cream, and chipotle mayo. A lot of ingredients, I know, but you can literally taste it all in every bite. I ordered their Pork Barbacoa torta. A cider braised pork, guajillo mole, sliced avocado, tres quesos, roasted apples and pork charro beans. A very tasty torta, very different than what I've ever had. The pork was braised perfectly and was complimented my the creaminess of the avocados, and then a nice crunch from the roasted apples. Definitely a nice touch that I've personally never seen before. You could either stay traditional and sometimes mundane by serving what everyone else is serving, or you can by like The Painted Burro and be different and add roasted apples in your torta. Not really sure I'd be returning next time in Boston, because there's so much to try, but if i was local, I'd be coming quite often. read more

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The service is 5 star- they are very friendly, and quick to bring food and drinks. The decor is lovely- I like the paintings, which have Mexican themes-e.g. calaveras (skulls), Mayan jaguar- painted in a contemporary style. It is lively inside, and they have a big drink menu. It's a popular place on a Saturday night. Food-wise, everything was tasty. They have mostly Mexican themed dishes (tacos, milanesa sandwiches), but also have some more Spanish style dishes (octopus, paella). They have warm, freshly made, tortilla chips and salsa as a starter. Then we got a melted cheese, poblano, corn appetizer. It had some yummy crunchy bits and jalapeño slices on top. It's very filling for 2 people though- I would suggest getting it for a larger group instead. I got a spicy shrimp taco. The shrimp was very fresh and delicious, and I liked the pickled onions and sauce. My friend got a chicken milanesa sandwich, which he enjoyed. Next time I'd like to try cocktails, and the churros for dessert. Seems like a fun place to go out for drinks and snacks with friends. I'll preface this by saying that perhaps having a Mexican background shoots up my standards for authenticity. But, had to knock off a star for authenticity, just because I think that the appeal to the American palate is primary here. read more

The Painted Burro - Gulf Shrimp Diablo Rojo - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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I have been to The Painted Burro on a variety of occasions over the years. I would describe it as non-mainstream Mexican. They still have chips and salsa and margaritas but they don't have arroz con pollo, burritos or fajitas, which I would typically look for at a Mexican restaurant. I usually end up getting something a little outside my comfort zone, and end up enjoying. My most recent trip was for brunch and I had a great time. The food was all very good, except the bacon, which was sugar coated. I did not like that. Unfortunately, it was not advertised that way on the menu. I would recommend this place for brunch or a date night out! read more

The Painted Burro - Bacon, morning tacos, home fries, mimosas - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Good food, Fun ambience. They add a 5% fee on to the bill, and are fuzzy about why. When I asked why, they said it sort of goes to kitchen staff. read more

Went to The Painted Burro for brunch this weekend and it was excellent! One of the first times I've been in a restaurant since over a year ago when the pandemic hit. I definitely recommend making a reservation for brunch since this place can get booked up pretty fast. We made one for 12:45pm and there were actually a few open tables. We got the bottomless brunch which is $21 per person and it's an amazing deal! We tried so many things and were absolutely stuffed by the end. Horchata iced coffee - enormous mug of iced coffee, very tasty. Pretty rich and sweet. Mexican Street Corn Esquites - this app is pretty good, I'm a big fan of Mexican street corn and this one is good, but not the best. Chili glazed chicken wings - these are delicious!! An order only comes with 3 wings and they are really good so definitely order a couple plates! Kale Salad - this plate was pretty interesting, the pomegranate seeds, pear and apple slivers, and creamy mustard dressing made for a very unique and refreshing flavor. Carnitas Cubano Torta - ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS, loved this one so much, it had dynamic flavor and was so satisfying, highly recommended!! Chorizo and Egg Torta - another amazing Torta! The chorizo is super flavorful along with the Chipotle Mayo, not too spicy if you're worried about it. The two tortas were our favorites!! Tacos - we got a few tacos and didn't love them. The Baja fish was decent but the gulf shrimp Diablo and the short rib were pretty mediocre. Also very small. Fried Chicken - these dish wasn't great either, the chicken was just a little too fried with a lot of batter. Pancake - this was super yummy, I could have ate a few of these, it's just one smallish pancake be it was good! French Toast - I loved the French toast, it was really tasty. It was brioche but the type they use is a little heavier/more spongy than I expected. I still very much enjoyed it. Overall, it was a great spread of food and for $21 it was such a great deal. The service was a little slow at first but wasn't too bad. I'd definitely go back. I really enjoy The Painted Burro, great Davis Sq spot!! read more

The Painted Burro - Bottomless Brunch!!!! - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Servers are sweet, ambiance can be a hit or miss depending on what day of the week you go - have found that it's not the busiest on weeknight buts is always busy for weekend brunch Food is really delicious, very flavourful, and very healthy (vegetarian/pescatarian options were lovely) The tuna ceviche is hands down one of the best items on the menu and is absolutely to die for ! read more

Stumbled across this place after two other restaurants in the area were too full to take a walk-in table. They were able to accommodate us on a Friday night around 6:30 without a reservation because they have a whole section of the restaurant that is meant for first come, first served. This review is only for the food, as we didn't order any drinks or cocktails. The first order of chips & salsa come for free, which was honestly the best part of the meal. We ordered the Burro's Big Birria Quesadilla and a Shrimp Al Ajillo. The quesadilla came with sour cream, pico de gallo, and a salsa. It honestly needed all of the sauces, and even then, it was bland. The cheese inside was not very melted and I was missing a lot of the lime & cilantro flavors. The shrimp dish was like shrimp & grits. Again, the flavor was very bland and was missing a bit of freshness to it. I ended up eating only the shrimp and left most of the stone-ground corn at the end. The service was fine, but nothing special. I had to ask twice for a water refill. Overall, don't think I would come back unless it's specifically to try their cocktails. read more

The Painted Burro - Burro's Big Birria Quesadilla and Shrimp Al Ajillo - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Came for the cocktails, stayed for the amaaaazing apps and tacos. This is quickly becoming my favorite Mexican place in the area, only giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because it's always packed and the service could use some work to keep up with this place's popularity. Last time I was here I tired both the Spicy Watermelon and the Spicy El Diablo Margarita. I consider myself some what of a spicy marg expert and let me tell you this place does not disappoint. The Spicy watermelon comes with a big slice of fresh watermelon and has some great flavors, but it's a little on the sweet side for me. The El Diablo definitely stole the show, sooo spicy and not for the faint of heart, but just perfect for me. Definitely get the Skillet Roasted Shrimp Al Ajillo to start, I'd never had Mexican shrimp and grits before and this was incredibly well done - so garlicy, so creamy, soooo perfect. I followed up with the Scallop taco special and Short Rib taco, both were perfectly cooked with creative toppings and bursting with flavor. The tacos are on the large side and I was stuffed with only two of them. Like I said before, this place is always crowded, so the only downside of my meal was that service was pretty slow and it was kind of hard to hold a conversation even with just 3 of us. I wouldn't even bother stopping by at prime times without a reservation. All in all, the amazing food is worth braving the crowds, if you're considering the Painted Burro - go :) read more

We made reservations for the outdoor bottomless brunch under the tent and it was fantastic. Off the bat, it was easy to check in at the front and we were sent around back and quickly seated. We then got a pitcher of water without having to ask. The brunch was $21/person and we paid extra for cold brew, which came out with our first round of food. The server came around at just the right frequency to order more dishes (I think we did three rounds) and everything we ordered was awesome, including the Brussel sprouts, kale salad, morning tacos, chorizo tacos, shrimp tacos, short rib tacos and fried chicken. I think my favorite were the short rib tacos, which are really mini tostadas. I think this place may be my new favorite brunch in the area. read more

The Painted Burro - Short Rib "Double Stack" Taco - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

All you can eat tapas style brunch, combined with a vast menu. Every single item was deeeeelicious. Our group of 4 indulged our palates and then some... enjoying pretty much everything on the menu with teas and mimosas and bloody mary's. Cannot wait to go back again! read more

We've been away from Boston for 5 years and took the opportunity to revisit this excellent restaurant. Great service, they were able to handle our party of 8 with little notice. Loved the ambiance, the place was busy and lively but I could comfortable talk and hear everyone in my group. Loved my diablo margarita (it warmed my mouth but quenched my thirst). Food tasted fresh as ever. They used to do a "street corn" dish served on the cob, which is called chollo corn and served in a bowl...which tasted good but not as wonderful as the street corn. Even with that minor complaint it's still 5 stars from me. read more

After this place being at the back of my mind as some Mexican place, it was national Margarita Day that finally persuaded me to bring my tail in here. Reading the reviews from a whole lot of Yelpers I know personally, I didn't know what to think... which is good in the sense that I didn't have my expectations preset too high or low. I guess between the good and bad, 3 stars is right about average. Coming in just after six on a Friday night, I needed to wait for 90 minutes for a table, which was to be expected. It may seem like a lot, but all things considered it's to be expected. It's a plus that Davis Sq. has plenty of little shops to explore while you wait. Stay close though, once your table is ready they hold it for 10 minutes. Or better yet, be smart and make a reservation! By the way, I really dig the set-up here, where there is a divide between dining room and bar/lounge (different ends of the restaurant). That way, if you're looking to enjoy a meal with friends, the bar crowd won't get in the way (literally and figuratively). For food I had: Chicarrón & Mango (pork belly), a Carnitas Taco, and Margarita Cupcakes (special for National Margarita Day). I did start with the chips and salsa, of course. Apparently the chips were changed at some point, but this being my first visit I wouldn't know the specifics. Though they are made elsewhere; they were warmed, not greasy, and thick with a good solid crunch! Them apparently being multigrain helped with the guilt of devouring these things. Salsa was nothing to write home about, though I seem to remember it being a on the acidic side. The pork belly was a minute or two on the grill shy of being a winning dish. I think I understand what they were going for: that being a thin crisp interior, and a nice, smooth, fatty interior, sort of like macaron. However, they overdid it on the crust. It was not only as crisp as a tortilla chip, but tasted somewhat burnt. Only one of the pieces allowed the smooth interior shine through a little. The sauce was sweeter than I was expecting. I saw a few little serrano pepper slices, but it only made a cameo appearance in the sauce, if that. Yes, you can get the heat from the hot sauce, but it's just not the same. Speaking of: their house made habanero sauce is hot, and a nice touch, though the sauce itself is nothing to write home about. I do wish their mild and medium options were homemade as well, alas, they are Cholula and Tepatío. The pork carnitas taco was a mixed bag. It was quite large, and the house made tortilla help up superbly, and almost the whole taco could be eaten without utensils. Since it was not only large but loaded with ingredients, a tortilla like that is needed. Now, by themselves I enjoyed the carnitas, while had a light and pleasant flavor. However, even though they didn't skimp on the meat per se, the other ingredients overwhelmed it. This is especially true of the cheese and crema while made the starring role look like it a supporting actor at best and an extra at worst. By the way, where is the tomatillo salsa? I didn't pick up on any. My last critique is while I didn't mind the pineapple bits, I would have preferred onion. The taco could really benefit from a little extra crunch and burst(s) of freshness. The margarita cupcakes looked cool, but the taste was unremarkable. To start with, the little bit of red jam inside was just a hint. It would have been so awesome to either have more! The frosting came off easily, almost as if it was added later. I guess that's what the straw is for (although it was inedible). I did like that they were overly sweet. Now, the margaritas, the whole reason I was here in the first place. I had the Margarita Day flight which included a Sparkling Tea-garita and a Spicy Tangerine Margarita. In a word, they were underwhelming. Other than just booze, I like them to have a little oomph, which was missed. Sparkling Tea-garita was quite mild and somewhat refreshing. More something to enjoy on a hot day. It reminded me on a Violet Spritz which I had abroad. Other than this and the tequila, no other flavors really stood out to me. Spicy tangerine margarita was a little bolder, perhaps one-and-a-half dimensional. There were tangerine flavors and a little heat, tequila, but that's about it. The service was really nice, and fairly attentive considering how busy it was that evening. Madison (Madisen?) took great care of me, and knew the menu and options well. Finally, though the location was clean, I wish there was a small plate or something to place the utensils on. I'm just not a big fan of placing them on a bare table. read more

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Fun Mexican with tapas style small plates for brunch. Everything is tasty and you will be well attended by the waitstaff. I like this location better than others - it doesn't have the annoying vibe of the Harvard Square area. They're also very attentive to food sensitivities/allergies AND it doesn't break the bank! Definitely worth a trip for brunch and will be coming back for dinner in the near future, read more

Had bottomless brunch here for the first time and it was so worth it! I came with a large group and they seated us in the back patio. We were served promptly and our food came out fairly quickly as well. The serving size was perfect for trying a variety of things. Our table got multiple orders of the brussel sprouts and dare I say -- that was the highlight of the menu for a couple of us. Everything else was more traditional brunch food with a Mexican flair, and were all yummy! Will definitely come back for this! read more

The Painted Burro - French Toast Brunch, Brussel sprouts - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Great food and service, gotta try the horchata iced coffee! The atmosphere is casual but fun at the same time. I've only been for brunch but there is also a tequila bar for later in the day. read more

Rating only the chimichangas. These were flavorful, rich, and filled my craving of a gourmet deep-fried cheesy burrito. The first chips are free at first but the second's paid. read more

Rating: 1.5 stars Pros: Location and vibes were good. The waiter was nice. Seems like a decent place. Cons: After touring many parts of Mexico, I would consider myself a person who understands the various types of Mexican food. Folks, This is not Mexican food. I cannot stress this enough. I was thoroughly disappointed. The seasoning is not right. It's sweet and savory as opposed to spicy and savory. But the very worst part is that it was also BURNED. Like how can they charge $22/plate and BURN my food. That's what really got them the 1 star. Return?: absolutely not. P.S.This is either Guatemalan or Honduran. Definitely not Mexican. Hate that they describe as Mexican. I'm too far from the border to get decent Mexican food in the North East. Sucks! read more

The Painted Burro - Swiped the chicken fajitas and saw all the burnt veggies. - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

The food was good everyone of us enjoyed! The only thing was that I ordered the Kale Salad with Diabl hY ya uhcsobwcm 0vmunkn y read more

Holy gas!!! The smell when you walk in this establishment is incredibly strong and makes you think there's a legit gas emergency, servers say it's just the heating system. It permeates the WHOLE restaurant and impacted my ability to taste the food. The repair person "cancelled a few days ago, and is coming in a couple days" but this information doesn't help me as a visitor who isn't going to be here again anytime soon. I would have left immediately if I wasn't here with family. We were a party of 6 sat at a terrible table for our party size. It was a large square table meant for 8, but when 6 of us sit on 3 sides, the 2 people on the ends can't hear any of the conversation unless we yelled - but this may also be due to the terrible layout of the restaurant making everyone's voices extra loud as they speak towards the wall/glass, or the pounding music (we could only hear the bass of) pointed down at us from above. I'm also floored by the super fine print on the menu sharing that their 5% fee for their kitchen staff is "the most transparent way" of helping that wage disparity instead of raising their prices. Fine print is NOT transparent. Raise your prices if you have to - don't try to pull a fast one on your customers. I'm walking out of this restaurant with a massive headache. At least my margarita was good. read more

Really good AYCE tapas style brunch on the weekends. My favs are the french toast with caramelized plantains, the pancakes with agave, the chorizo tacos, the burro wings. People I'm with always enjoy the morning taco, huevos rancheros, brussel sprouts and more. Wash it down with a mango pineapple mimosa or three. Service is great, vibe is lively. read more

Their bottomless brunch is a must! We've been several times and it's always so good plus the fact that you can order several different dishes and they come in small portions to share makes it perfect for those like us who want to try lots of things! The service is nice and the whole atmosphere really makes you think you're in Mexico :) Their Horchata coffee is so so good so don't miss it and then we really liked the kale salad, the Braised Rib Taco, the carnitas Taco, the Chicken Enchiladas or the Gulf Shrimp "diablo" Taco, to name only some. read more

The all you can eat brunch is a must visit. Great food and a large menu selection for only $25.

What I was hoping would be a trendy Mexican restaurant in Somerville with a fantastic taco and drink menu, turned out to be an unimpressive experience with lackluster food and an overpriced bill. The drink and food menu alone look great. The restaurant has a great website and I was really excited to order the spicy margarita, chicken tinga and short rib tacos. But after the salsa (reminiscent of tomato paste) and the syrupy cocktails came out, I had less hope for the entree. The tacos were very average and looked a lot better than they actually tasted. Service is also something that can really make or break a dining experience for me, regardless of the food, and unfortunately this also ranked below average. Customers visiting should also be warned that Painted Burro is currently adding a 3% PPE charge to the bill, which they failed to tell us until they brought out the check. It's worth noting that our table didn't even have hand sanitizer on it, so I guess it's more for the restaurant themselves than the customers. With all the better Mexican restaurants in the area, I don't think even post-COVID I'll be back. read more

The Painted Burro - Chicken Tinga Taco (left) and Short Rib Taco (right) - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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It was simply alright. I think this place is far too overhyped. Oh and it's overpriced for what you get...had to pay for each tiny little bag of chips we got. What Mexican restaurant does that??!! The ones I don't return to do that. Not many vegan options. Over crowded. I mentioned it was a friends bday and they didn't do anything special which is fine but they definitely don't try to make you feel special here. I ordered the bowl and they forgot to give it with a couple toppings so I had to wait 15 min to flag down the waiter to ask for the rest of my meal lol. All Mexican food tastes good tho so I'll give it 3 stars... 3 very weak stars that is. read more

The Painted Burro - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

I was a little underwhelmed with my experience at The Painted Burro. I really really wanted to give this place a higher rating but couldn't. Let's talk about the good things first. The outdoor seating was plentiful. They had tables in the front of the restaurant on the, in the parking lot at the back they had huge tents and inside the had the windows open to accommodate an indoor/outdoor feel. The service was good - the staff was attentive and came to check up multiple times and the food came out quickly. The downsides - the tables and chairs were outdoor picnic tables with no tablecloths or anything. I sat in my seat and I felt like i had sunken into the grown - just didn't feel like a nice restaurant rather some set up I would put in my backyard for a cheap bbq. The food was ok - both tacos tasted pretty good but honestly it wasn't anything spectacular. The marg was underwhelming and nothing special - also the use of paper and plastic products for everything just really made the experience not feel as special. The marg had no salt or sugar rim and was full of sugar. I think I would come here again but I would want to sit inside and get a real dining experience rather than the outdoor picnic style set up they had for COVID-19. read more

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The place has a great ambience and swrvice was good. Food was average/not too bad. We got a couple of different tacos and the nachos de la casa. The nachos were really good. The shrimp taco was amazing and the rest mediocre. Their salsas were not spicy at all even after we asked for the spiciest one they had. We just ended up getting hot sauce to make up for the missing spice. read more

Even though the restaurant was 80% empty the hostess led us immediately to the table next to the kitchen door and service station. Huh? When I asked if we might sit somewhere else she vaguely motioned around and led us over to what turned out to be a high-traffic table, but -- not next to the kitchen. I thought the food was mediocre at best, although to it's credit (or my good luck) I ordered ONE taco with a side of beans and it was sufficient for a meal. Two tacos would have been too much. The chips and salsa were tasty. read more

The Painted Burro is hands down my favorite restaurant in Davis Square. I have lived in the neighborhood for almost fifteen years and keep coming back here because the food is delicious- think upscale Mexican, not Tex Mex. I highly recommend their mango guacamole and duck enchiladas. Brunch is also good. I will say that the last two times I was here, service was slow, which is why I am deducting one star. It was very busy and crowded even on a week night. The ambience is casual and low key. read more

True rating: 3.5 My experience is only based on their brunch menu. First off, we had a reservation for patio dining due to COVID and it was not the best experience. They do not have any umbrellas so my mom and I got sun burnt - get indoor dining if you feel comfortable! Despite that, it seemed like they were doing a great job in terms of sanitizing and keeping things socially distanced. Food: - Complementary Tortilla Chips and salsa: the salsa was really good! Loved the freshness that came from cilantro but the tortilla chips seemed a little stale. - Chilaquiles ($12): I had high expectations for this dish but it wasn't anything special. The tortillas had a tough time maintaining its crisp texture so the main texture was very mushy. It just did not have much flavor. I'm glad I asked for some tapatio to provide some punchy flavors - Kale Salad ($11): the ingredients in the kale salad were great! I loved the complex texture and flavors that the combination provided. However, the salad was overly dressed so it felt more heavy than it should have. I would suggest asking for the dressing to be on the side so that you can control it. read more

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Lovely outdoor seating! The food was okay -- would definitely go back for the ability to reserve patio seating with decent food. A minor but still annoying thing was that there was something in my water cup and then the replacement water cup also had something in it. (This did not afflict my companions, so I think I was just unlucky.) I also felt like we were being rushed out; the wait staff were just a little too eager to clear away empty dishes. The carnitas taco (8.5$) was unmemorable, but I'll note it was quite a neat taco to eat -- not very messy at all. The Jugo mocktail (5$) was tasty, though quite small. The tuna ceviche (18$) was texturally great and also very pretty, but only tasted overwhelmingly acidic; it could have used some kind of side like corn or rice to balance it out a little more. The free chips and salsa were very nice, they were even warmed up! Note there is a required 5% fee on top of those listed prices (and obviously tax and tip too). read more

Met friends for Sunday brunch -- the food and service was good. Upon reviewing my receipt closely, after the fact, there was a 5% Kitchen Admin Fee tacked on to the total bill equaling $7.49. So, in total I tipped 25%, 20% to the servers and 5% to the kitchen. I'm not opposed to this IF it's my choice, but it wasn't my choice, and I did not see any signs posted or a notice on the menu about this fee. I just searched online and according to the Boston Globe "Restaurant owners, facing labor shortages and concerns about the plight of low-wage workers, are adding surcharges to customer bills to boost the pay of kitchen workers."..."Restaurant owners in Boston point out that the hospitality fees are not in lieu of tipping but are a way of addressing the same issue -- holding onto workers." Apparently, the typical surcharge is 3%, but Painted Burro adds 5%. Buyer beware. read more

The Painted Burro - 5% Kitchen Admin Fee (5.00%) - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Charged us a 5% admin fee. Why not just raise prices instead of adding random fees? Unfortunately, I must give an automatic 1 star review for this. read more

HOW have I not been here until now??!! I'm actually disappointed in myself for not eating here sooner. I definitely have been missing out. Here are some reasons why The Painted Burro is amazing: 1.) Their menu items are incredibly delicious. Obviously. 2.) Their brunch menu is so inexpensive for being located in the city! I mean shrimp tacos with side potatoes for 12 dollars? 3.) A vast delicious menu of fresh made (no mix) margaritas 4.) It is easy to make reservations for large groups. We made a reservation for 7 people and were seated with only 4 people present- which was wonderful because our other 3 friends were running late. 5.) When we were sat at our table, waiters brought us 4 servings our chips since there were 7 of us seated. This was such a generous serving of free chips and salsa. I can't wait to come back here. Everything about our experience was amazing. read more

The Painted Burro - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Came to Burro for Friday to meet some friends after work for drinks and food! Definitely make a reservation online beforehand if you want to reserve outdoor seating! The outdoor seating is nice because it is shaded, decorated, and has plastic dividers in between tables. However, the tables are picnic style (no tablecloth), and the chairs sit awkwardly low to the ground. I ordered the Elderflower Mule and really enjoyed it! It was a refreshing twist on a classic drink. Other members in our party ordered the cucumber margarita and it was a hit, but the the diablo margarita was syrupy and overly sweet. For tacos I ordered the short rib and chicken Tinga. I recommend 2-3 depending on your level of hunger. The tacos were good but nothing incredibly memorable, especially for the price point. There was a 3% service fee applied to the bill, which I absolutely understand, especially during these times.... however, I wish the waiter would've notified us of this before we were charged. If you make a reservation, you have the table for two hours. Our waiter was attentive, but I felt like she was trying to get us to leave far before our time was up (and it wasn't crowded) . I would be willing to give it another shot because I think the restaurant has potential! read more

The Painted Burro - Elderflower Mule - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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My friend and I made a reservation and was seated within 5 minutes; luckily we made a reservation because the restaurant was extremely busy. You can make reservation through the phone or directly from the website. The food was somewhat disappointing as I was expecting more of Mexican kick as it claims to be an upscale Mexican Kitchen. I got the gulf shrimp "diablo rojo" tacos which was supposed to come with guacamole, pickled red onion, habanero and mango salsa. When the food arrived, it was not was I was expecting. I asked the server why both the guacamole and salsa was missing and she said the guacamole would be an additional charge and they ran out of salsa. I'm confused as to why they would advertise guacamole on their menu if there is an additional charge - one would assume it would be included if it is listed on the menu. I got the blood orange mimosa and definitely felt as if the bartender filled the entire glass with juice. read more

The Painted Burro - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Food was horrible in Davis Square. I recommend the restaurant in Waltham which is outstanding.