I've been coming here for years for their lunch (more so recently having to work from home) and brunch. I'm surprised I haven't reviewed them yet as I'd give them six stars if I could. This is a truly authentic place with a diverse set of dishes, I'm a huge fan! It's a small shop and I always get a more personalized experience here - even when picking up. Their lunch is always a great value for what I get although sometimes the orders are inconsistent (e.g I may not get plaintains or avocados). I absolutely adore their brunch because it's always top notch, affordable and I never ever have to wait in line. Eggs and Chorizo are always done right and tortillas are served fresh. The ambience is amazing and good for having some space to think. When I first came here, I had mistakenly read the menu (added avocado and got charged per taco) and complained. The staff was genuinely sorry then offered to give me credit to make it up. I used that to buy Cafe de Olla which is an absolutely amazing (Mexican Coffee) and get that basically every time I go. The staff appreciates their customers and noticed how often I purchase that coffee drink. Every now/again slip me a free one :) As I read some of these recent negative reviews, most are due to issues with staffing and the pandemic. I really don't think they deserve as much criticism as is painted and nearly all restaurants are struggling in some way. Please go if you're on the fence - it'll be worth it!! read more

My family used to enjoy this place a lot. Perhaps we were being naive: tonight we ordered the sample plate of vegetarian tamales. When they arrived, the tamales were cold and soggy and obviously had been incompletely microwaved. We sent it back and the server was so unfazed that she told us to wait "three minutes": she must set the timer herself. Once your eyes are opened, you see it everywhere: my entree had also been heated in a microwave and I was paying $16.00 for a microwaved entree along with the microwaved appetizer. Take a look at the pattern at the end of the enchilada in the attached photo. If that doesn't look like it's been microwaved, disregard this review. If it does, save yourself eleven bucks by stopping at Trader Joe's and microwaving your own dinner. read more

Tu Y Yo - Microwaved enchilada - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

One of the best Mexican restaurants around! The staff is always so nice and friendly. The guac and homemade sangria are delicious. And every food item we've ordered has been amazing. Highly recommend coming here! read more

If you are looking for classic Tex Mex then this is not the place for you (go to Rudy's in Teele Square for that). However, if you are looking for authentic, interesting and delicious Mexican food you must try out Tu Y Yo! The menu is full of interesting items and every one that I've tried has been top notch. The interior of the restaurant is beautifully painted and the service is wonderful, so overall it is a top restaurant in the area! Highly recommend. read more

Let's face it. Boston isn't exactly a Mecca for Mexican food (mixing up my cultural references there but bear with me). However, Tu y Yo serves up some really tasty eats that strays from the tex-mex burrito/enchilada/quesadilla you're liable to get elsewhere in the Boston area. The guacamole came with two generous scoops and a dish of obviously-freshly-fried-made-in-house tortilla chips. The tamales sampler dish was perfect: $10.95 or so for 5 different tamales, some sweet (coconut, corn), some savory (pork, chicken, fish). All beautifully wrapped and portioned out, and served with a nice side of beans and cheese. And the entrees were solid as well: I found the mole sauce good although a little on the lukewarm side, and the chicken breast a tad dry. The crepa de cuitlacoche (Mexican "truffle") was damn delicious though -- cheesy crepe wrapped with excellently sauteed mushrooms and corn. We finished off the meal with an avocado cheesecake which was only okay -- it was an interesting dessert, for sure, and I loved the crunch and saltiness the pistachios brought, but the avocado itself felt a tad over-frozen and not that pleasant texturally. Barring a few small nits, this is an excellent restaurant if you're willing the make the trek out to Davis Sq. and then some. Cute ambiance although nothing too stuffy, friendly service, and good food. read more

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The food here is great but the issue is the portion of the meal. I got Carnitas($18 after tax) for takeout as one of the restaurant staff highly recommended it. When I opened my paper bag at my friend's place, I was surprised how small the portion was. The dish was composed of two little tiny scoops of Spanish rice, probably two table spoons of carnitas, some salsa de verde, salsa de roja sauces and three little tortillas. The carnitas tasted really great but I had to have chicken leftover to fill in my stomach. I wonder whether the portion would be larger if I had it in restaurant. For $18, it is not worth it. read more

Birria tacos are the best around and everything is honestly great. Great spot for quick and tasty Mexican!

Excellent food and service! Delicious food. We love the Birria tacos, avocado tacos, guacamole, black beans...truly authentic!

I love this place and keep coming back. One of my favorite restaurants in the area. Definitely my favorite place in West Somerville. Tu Y Yo offers up traditional Mexican cuisine. I like them for brunch, lunch or dinner or even small events. The staff is always nice, friendly and accommodating. Most recently I had brunch here and I loved the Huevos Divorciados with plantains. Try the hot chocolate or coffee or mimosa. Make sure to get a bottle of their to-die-for house-made sangria to go. read more

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We came here last night and had such a lovely experience! We started with drinks--I got sangria and my boyfriend got a margarita. Both were delicious and very fairly priced. I then ended up ordering the veggie Chile relleno and my boyfriend got a steak dish with chilaquiles. Everything was so good and it was pretty healthy too--I didn't feel liek it was drenched in any oil or excess cheese. We will be making this our new regular spot! Great service and wonderful authentic food. Oh and as a side note--I left my wallet there and didn't realize until the next morning. As soon as I called (early in the AM) they informed me that they had it and kept it safe for me. Not everyone is honest these days! read more

I've added a photo to the business listing. LOOK AT IT. This beauty is Chiles En Nogada, and is THE thing to get at Tu Y Yo in late fall and winter when the pomegranate seeds are in season. From Wikipedia: It consists of poblano chiles filled with "picadillo" (a mixture usually containing chopped or ground meat, aromatics, fruits, and spices) topped with a walnut-based cream sauce and pomegranate seeds, giving it the three colors of the Mexican flag (red, green, and white). [awww.... 3 colours of the Mexican flag. How sweet of them to cook such tasty food in patriotic colours. Anyone ever eaten a red-white-and-blue steak? Just an idea] It's an amazing dish that is a real ambush on the senses. It tastes as complex as it sounds, layered with unique flavours and textures. It's the pinnacle of real Mexican cuisine, the antidote to all those tacos and rice n'beans and Tu Y Yo do a fair stab at it for a reasonable price. Go give it a try this weekend. Winter will soon be gone and the window of yum will then be shut. read more

Tu Y Yo - Winter time only - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

This is hands down the most authentic Mexican restaurant in greater Boston. My husband was born and raised in Mexico and we have struggled to find any place in the area that serves anything but tacos and quesadillas with your choice of Americanized meats, and this place is the total opposite. Portions are large and the service is attentive. Environment is clean and nice but very casual. Special mentions to the grasshopper appetizer, the pipian, the mole, and the cactus juice (on its own and in margaritas)! read more

I know the world is going through a lot right now. Which is why I have been extra patient with delivery times, and very understanding when I get a call from the restaurant because they are out of an item. Additionally, I have been adding the $2 restaurant donation to every Uber Eats order. I always tip well. Well, almost always. In this case, I was craving chicken molé. So I ordered it, with an app and a few sides. They completely forgot the entire entree. How do you accept a $70 payment, and send out tamales, rice, and beans, without thinking, hmmm, aren't we missing something important? This ruined the entire experience for me, and J am very disappointed. I called to try and sort it out, but the man on the phone had a very difficult time understanding what went wrong. So I'm just submitting for a refund. Long story short, if you want repeat customers and good reviews, make sure to check the darn receipt when you're ringing up orders, and packing them. It really is that simple. I have been in the biz for 16 years. This was just blatant carelessness. I will not be ordering from here again. read more

I first came hear about 7 years ago at the recommendation of a friend. I must have ordered the wrong stuff, because I thought things were just okay. Fast forward to 2019 (and beyond). The burrito is the BOMB. Delicious. Fast and friendly service. I'm a repeat and happy customer. read more

Tu y yo is the most authentic Mexican food you can find in Boston. It doesn't look like much from the outside but the food is consistently AMAZING. The last time I was there I decided to be adventurous and ordered grasshopper tacos which had real cooked and seasoned grasshoppers in them. They were surprisingly delicious!! Also, as mentioned in other posts, the carnitas are the most incredible thing you will ever taste in your life. Prices are reasonable. Would highly recommend checking out this hidden gem in Davis! read more

So flavorful and special, this restaurant makes me realize how real Mexican food is supposed to taste. I didn't really recognize some of the dishes on the menu and I have eaten my fair share of Mexican food. Even their rice and beans were something else... I had the tamales which came wrapped in banana leaves and were each uniquely delicious, the mushroom quesadilla, perfectly crispy and soft on the inside, and the bisteces en salsa borracha, a very tasty and tender beef stew. Everything was amazing so I don't even know what specifically to recommend. The waitress was also very pleasant. The music, paintings and photos on the wall, and even their leather bound menus all transported me to another place. Great experience and fantastic meal :) read more

Tu Y Yo - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Yum! I enjoyed a cozy delicious dinner here. I could honestly just live off of their tamales alone, but this restaurant has more to offer than that. Tu y Yo offers more Prehispanic dishes, interesting ingredients foreign to other Mexican restaurants in the New England area and a charming atmosphere. I had the cerdo cooked with delicious savory cuitlacoche sauce and topped with cubed fresh cheese and it did not disappoint. Pork is not my first choice at restaurants unless I am dining on Korean food, but the flavors werre fantastic and the rice and beans complimented the dish nicely as well. The service was fast and the sangria was good. I will have to try the michelada next time as I haave always been intrigued by this complex drink, but I wasn't sure what to pair it with. The beer menu offers many Mexican lagers that will pair well with heartty flavorful dishes. read more

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Tu Y Yo, you and I need to talk. Like most "you and I" relationships, ours is not without conflict. We need to find a balance between the shockingly authentic and pleasantly palatable. You have authenticity, but you need a little more polish. I admire your willingness to march to the beat of your own drum, but I'm not sure that beat is making me dance. The Empanadas de Platano Macho con Queso were a sweet and crispy start for the soft and slightly bitter entrees. Not exceptionally notable, but still quite good. I had the Puerco en Salsa de Cacahuates, which was full of tasty tenderloin, but sauce didn't totally sink into the meat, and the peanuts and cinnamon made it a bit bitter. An interesting entree to try is the Pipian Paskal. The chayote squash resembles the hybrid love-child of an eggplant and a zucchini. The thing that bothers me is that the sauces on both the puerco and the pipian were a bit similar since the peanut flavor was a bit overpowering. Being a loyal resident of Beantown, I never thought that my fave beans to date would be the rice and BLACK beans at Tu Y Yo. The beans are flavorful and may be the only marinated ingredient in the entire restaurant. This surprisingly well-seasoned staple really hit the spot. The rice is firmly soft and chewy, and together, the rice and beans for a combination deadly to any Atkins diet. If I come back, I'll be having a huge plate of just the rice and beans. read more

This place is a neat home-cooking restaurant right near Powderhouse square. It's about a 10 minute walk from the Davis Square t and right near Tufts campus. The windows make it easy to people-watch from the inside, which is always fun. The food was quite flavorful. I had the Chile Relleno En Nogada and thought the flavors blended together well. I didn't think it would be possible to combine all of those ingredients into something delicious, but I was wrong. I just wish it was a bigger meal! The sangria was pretty lackluster. Nothing to write home about. My friend was really underwhelmed, too. Service was on the slow side, but our waiter was kind. The price point is between 2 and 3 dollar signs. Bottom line: you might not be in love with this place, but they pull off the vibe they're going for. read more

We're forever in search of good Mexican food. After spending 4 years in LA and have eaten at many places there, I'll admit that standards are pretty high and thus we've been disappointed by most placed we've had thus far. While I don't think Tu y Yo is a show stopper for traditional Mexican cuisine, I do think that it's really good choice in an ethnic food challenged Boston. It was a bit of a hike from where we live, but was able to get a reservation no problem on a Saturday night. Easy street parking is always a plus. The restaurant itself is simple but cute, bench seats not the most comfortable but adequate. Not really busy but probably because school is out for the summer. My favorite food of the night is the tamales appetizer. Come with 5 small tamales of varying design and flavor: corn, coconut, chicken, pork, and beef. First 2 are sweet, and the meat ones are savory. Every single one was super delicious! For entree, I had the Puerco En Salsa De Cacahuates and the husband had Carnitas. Both had decently tender meat and good tasting sauce. However what differentiates the better Mexican food I've had previously from this is the depth and complexity of flavor. I felt that my pork dish just tasted like pork in a tomato sauce. A little more spices, herbs and heat would have made this dish so much more. Overall, had a pretty good meal with again the tamales being a standout. Elsewhere I may have given 3 stars, but will bump up one given that Tu y Yo is still probably one of the best in Boston so far. read more

Tu Y Yo - Tamales - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Solid place for Mexican food. The service is what turned me off. Attentive with water refills. However we felt VERY rushed. Literally 2 minutes after we were seated she asked if we were ready to order. Our menus were still open and we didn't even look at the drink menu. Then 3 minutes later, she asked again if we were ready to order. So we put in the drink order - half carafe of white sangria, which was pretty good. There were only 3 tables seated at this point. Not busy by any means. She came with our drinks and this time we were thankfully ready to order. Flautas de pollo - bland, chicken had no seasoning. Needed a lot of the salsas served with the flautas to give some flavor. Caldo tlalpeno - solid soup, not too much chicken, good for a cold day like any soup. Hearty. Mole Colorado - amazing flavor. Could definitely taste the ancho and chipotle with the nutty flavor of almonds and pumpkin seeds. Would definitely recommend. In the middle of our meal, she came up to us and asked if we wanted to take anything home. We still had pretty full plates. She was not perceptive at all. When we were finally finished (no food left on plates), she asked if we wanted to see the dessert menu. I wanted to take a peek. When she returned to our table, she asked if we wanted our check! I was taken aback. Seriously? Why offer the dessert menu then? My husband was nicer and took over - he ordered the Mexican coffee and informed her that we were going to share the flan. The Mexican coffee was the other highlight of the meal. The flan got better as we ate more. It had a sour taste at first but weirdly became mildly sweet. Ambiance was comfy casual. We were one of the first people to arrive and we didn't have to wait for a table but it did eventually fill up on a Friday evening. Overall an "okay" meal - our last minute casual date night was made to feel awkward by the service. read more

Tu Y Yo - Chicken flautas, caldo tlalpeno, mole Colorado and side of rice and beans - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

One of my favorite and one of the best "authentic" Mexican restaurants in the area. Great Sangria, and always a fresh selection. It's hard to find great Chile Relleno around, but this place always does it right. read more

Got the fish tacos and they were delicious. Best I've had in the boston area! 5 stars would recommend.

No where listed on their website that says reservations only. They do not even provide a way to make a reservation on their website. Drove out of my way to get here and they tell me no walk ins. Horrible way to run a business. Maybe if you only allow reservations make that known somewhere or at least provide info on how you are supposed to reserve. read more

Tu y Yo is always one of my favorite restaurants in the Somerville/Boston area, and definitely the best Mexican food I have ever had here. I had my first delivery experience recently because of the Covid situation and I was blown away at how incredible the food was and how well it held up to delivery. I've had a lot of carnitas in my life, and the carnitas plate here is hands down the most incredible carnitas I've ever had. So rich and tender it's actually hard to describe. Even after re-heating after getting delivered, it was still just as delicious. Side note/ the sangria and cafe de olla is also the best I've ever had! So warm, spice-filled and unique. I cold go on and on. I can't wait to keep ordering takeout/delivery in the meantime, and return in person eventually! Thank you for feeding us such delicious food! read more

When you are tired of the Dining Hall's food, Tu Y Yo is probably one of your best alternatives. I went there a few days ago, hoping for some really good Mexican food and some very small prices and I left very happy! The food was delicious! I took a beef quesadilla as an appetizer and finished with a chicken -that was insanely tender and perfectly cooked- with rice and a red sauce with cacti. The person I was with took a entree of beef. Sorry, but I am not going to even try to remember the name of the dishes! Spanish is not my strong suit! Anyway, the food was delicious! I only did not like the beans very much, but it's just because I don't like beans at all. And the best surprise was the price! Very very fair! Finally, I have to talk about the service, which was impeccable. Very nice waiter! Don't hesitate to go if you want to discover or re-discover Mexican food! read more

Tu Y Yo - Chicken topped with cactus - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Delicious and unusual food in an unpretentious and relaxed setting. The menu contains many ingredients that I had never eaten or even encountered before. Pre-hispanic options! And great vegetarian options. The food tastes and feels real - not fussy, flavorful and nourishing. Portion sizes not overwhelming. Entrees come with a side of rice & beans, which means you can create a mixture to your liking. I don't always take pictures of my food before eating it, but I could not resist with the Indio Vestido - a cactus 'paddle', dressed and filled with cheese. Heavenly. read more

Tu Y Yo - Indio Vestido. Cactus 'paddle', dressed and filled with cheese. - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

One of the best ( if not the best) Mexican restaurants I had in Boston. Customer service is phenomenal. Everyone was so kind and always checking on us; they were also cautious of not bothering us. Delmy was very hospitable to us. I got the Camarones Macario, the shrimp was cooked well, it came with about 6 pieces. All entrees came with rice and beans. I love the rice a lot. The spice was good, even if I have a super high tolerance. For drinks I got the red Sangria with my friends and it was tasty and expected for a sangria and priced well for $18. The dessert was so tasty as I got the impossible, which is a chocolate cake topped with flan. That was good. read more

Tu Y Yo - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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"Diners were polarized in rating for this "homey" Mexican, with "friendly service; but agreed that "tables with a steel column in the middle" were "kinda small;" and the apps were mostly "delicious" (the sope) and "spicey and good" (the Mexican sausage), the main courses didn't meet our "[high] expectations," other than the "sublime chiles rellenos." Food: 3.5 Service: 3.5 Decor: 3 Overall: 3 Lightly edited comments follow: "While my Mexican sausage app was spicy and good, I thought my pork and cactus was rather bland. Service was friendly and the atmosphere was comfortable and homey." --- "My expectations were really high going into this visit so I may have built it up to be the ultimate in Mexican when I got here, but upon reflection, it falls victim to the same issue I've had with every other Mexican restaurant in New England; every one of them is trying so hard to elevate Mexican food to some fine dining experience, when really, all I want is an expertly made taco, a truly flavorful enchilada, and a good helping of cheese that I wouldn't normally eat. (Yes, that was one sentence, but I'm pretty certain it's grammatically correct. ha!) I'd go back, but I'm still not happy that I haven't found the Mexican food I want. Quit trying so damned hard to impress me with your exotic foods (grasshopper, anyone?), and get back to basics. The sope was really delicious. Why wasn't more of that evident in the rest of the meal?" --- "The fungus crepe was bland with too much sauce and an amateur plating. The chiles relleños were sublime ... but... both dishes came out of the kitchen cold. When I arrived, they tried to arrange the table for us with the steel column in the middle of the two tables! I had to get Helen to make them change it and they still refused to move us more than 6" from that column. I'm sure that the woman in charge was glaring as we were enjoying ourselves which is why they stopped filling our water glasses or checking if we would like more coffee. Putas!! Conyos!! But those chiles relleños were good." --- "Besides Chipotle, don't have much experience with Mexican, (not even Mexican men either) so it was a treat, especially the fungus. The tables were kind of small for our massive appetites, but all in all, I really enjoyed the place, and would come back again! " read more

This place is a thrown stone from my son's new apartment so we skipped over for lunch and ended up ordering from the brunch menu. Excellent food, good prices, friendly staff in this small little eatery that packs a bunch. We'll definitely be back when we visit the area. read more

This place is the real deal.... not TexMex, not Taco Bel, real honest Mexican home cooking. If you had an abuela, this is what she would be making for you on a Sunday afternoon. read more

Great food and service! They have their own bottled white and red sangria. We tried the white. It was super refreshing. And the fish tacos were very fresh! read more

Came in for dinner with husband on a wedn night for dinner .! A just ok experience. Overall, food was not so good to be Mexican food, service was very good! No complaints about it! Decor, I guess it is too dark! The sangria was sooo good = loved it ;) No sure if we will be back! read more

Tu Y Yo - Bistices? With borracha sauce! - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

This place is great. Their lunch enchiladas are out of this world, addictive and so flavorful. The way they cook their meat is how I am used to having chicken and beef. It's marinated well and slow-cooked so the flavor and texture are great. Their dessert is so good and so bad. Good for my taste buds and bad for my wallet and waste line. It's really the best dessert you can get and worth the bucks. One more thing, I usually couldn't care less about sides like rice and beans but this place makes rice and beans taste so good! read more

So good - the mexican food is next level. Interesting flavors and dishes you wouldnt get at the average joint. the plantains are stupendous and all the sauces have lots of flavor. read more

I really liked the ambiance and excellent sangria and frozen margarita. However, the food was overpriced though delicious. I would definitely go back for drinks but not for food. Sad they close so early. read more

Honestly, I came for the grasshoppers. No, really. There are very few places that'll do chapulines, and I wanted my wife to try them, so we came for grasshoppers on a slow and snowy Saturday night. They were decent -- spicy and tasting mostly of crunch, with a creamy and tangy avocado sauce. The rest of the meal was not bad, but again, mostly "decent". Huitlacoche crepes were cheesy, with more of that avocado sauce, but lacked the really smoky punch of good corn fungus. Pork with cactus paddles was tender and in a sauce with a good blend of smoke, chile, and nut... but desperately under-salted. House sangria was pretty bland, and they were just flat out of any beer that wasn't super light (no Negra Modelo, no Bohemia Obscura, etc.) The avocado cheesecake was, as other reviews have claimed, pretty innovative and avocado-ey. Nothing was wrong with the meal, the servers were attentive, and we had a decent time. I just walked out failing to feel like "wow, this is a place we have to come back to." I know it's home-cooking style, but especially given their focus on authenticity, it seems like the overall level of flavor could be bumped up a notch. read more

My part-time wife, full-time student Melissa has made Somerville her home for the next year. She goes to school in neighboring Cambridge. The choice between a long dreary weekend by myself in New York and one with me by her side in this ever festive and vibrant student town is always an easy one to make. One that has brought me here thrice over the last six weeks. The romance of her company and this town was however lacking some good food to make it a perfect getaway every time. Most culinary engagements in idyllic Cambridge proved less than satisfying. Food it seems is the last thing on a student's mind which is why the establishments here get away by serving fairly average food. I decided to head North within Somerville in search of something more interesting this morning. A 10 minute walk and a small bus ride brought us outside a large, colorful storefront near the Tufts University campus. Tu y Yo initially seemed unusually expensive. Jose, a young man from El Salvador was welcoming as our host and server. We found out that they only serve brunch till 2:00 which was a little disappointing. We decided to stay and ordered tamales, sopes, quesadilla and a side of rice and beans for lunch. Tamales sampler($10.95) with chicken, corn, coconut, fish and pork fillings was quite a discovery. The tiny Tamales (or as Melissa put it this morning-Tamalitos) were steamed fresh and wrapped in corn husk and banana leaves with a black bean dip. The sampler was every bit gourmet. The sopes were warm and fluffy with beans, fresh cheese, onions, lettuce and really fine Mexican sausage. The quesadilla here defied stereotypes. It used a small corn flour turnover(more like arepas) filled with cheese and meat ; far from the conventional quesadillas that use flour tortillas. The cinnamon infused Mexican coffee could have been a little warmer. Jose mentioned that the place serves food rooted in family tradition and the recipes go back hundreds of years. If appetizers are anything to go by, we will be back soon for more. At $44 for two for lunch this place may be more suitable for professors in the area. read more

Tu Y Yo - Folklorico - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Awesome and authentic Mexican food. Tasty and well done. Friendly staff, creative menu.

Although almost every food critic seems to hate the use of cilantro, I thought it was used quite well here. (I had the Tu Y Yo salad with the cilantro dressing, which was simple but good). The service was very slow and my food came out warm (but not hot), which was disappointing, because I can imagine the cheese (in my chile relleno) would have been great piping hot. read more