Not your average taco place. A very authentic mexican food, as opposed to a Tex-Mex burrito place. If you are looking for nachos, you will be disappointed. The tamales and the mole are awesome. We try new plates every time and so far we have never been disappointed. Note: the dinner menu has more choice than the lunch menu. We live in Somerville and this is one of our favorite places. Very good restaurant with kids too. read more

I can't actually speak to the food, as we weren't able to try it, but the way we were treated here left a bad taste in my mouth. Two of us walked 20 minutes round-trip out of our way to try this restaurant because an acquaintance had raved about it. It was a Saturday evening so we were expecting a wait, but we allowed ourselves to be optimistic when we looked in the window and saw what appeared to be an empty two-person table. We met a group of three who were leaving as we came in and who told us there was a 20 minute wait, but we were fine with waiting a little while so we went in. There was no hostess station and no one waiting to greet people coming in; we figured that one of the wait staff would come over to help us as usually happens in those situations so we stood at the entrance to the dining room and waited. And waited. And waited. We got increasingly confused and uncomfortable as about five minutes passed with staff walking around the dining room but no one approaching us. Finally a staff person who had been filling water pitchers behind the counter came over. He'd already made eye contact with me a couple of times while we were awkwardly waiting around but since he hadn't left his post I'd assumed he wasn't responsible for seating customers. I said there were two of us. He asked if we had a reservation. I said no, did we need one? His exact response: "This is a restaurant." Because... you can't ever just walk into a restaurant without a reservation and get something to eat? Let's be very clear, this is clearly not a super-fancy five-star crazy popular joint where you obviously can't be seated if you haven't called well in advance. Baffled at the snark but trying to be polite, I said something like, "So you couldn't fit us in anywhere if we waited for a little while?" He said there was a 40 minute wait. Apparently somehow, between the last group who wanted to eat here leaving the restaurant and us walking in, with no one else present waiting for a table, the wait time had doubled for a group one person smaller in size. (I'll note that the empty table for two was still right there, though of course it could have been reserved.) Well, we left, walked back to Davis, and got ourselves perfectly tasty Mexican at a different restaurant where staff were willing to interact with us and were not weirdly snarky/rude. The whole thing left us just really confused. We went back over it on our walk back to Davis, trying to figure out if maybe we had misheard him (he was speaking very softly)? Maybe there had been some miscommunication? But the fact remained that it had taken a really long time for anyone in the restaurant to even acknowledge our presence, I was absolutely certain that I had correctly heard what the person we spoke to said, and we were both sure that there was nothing aggressive or otherwise problematic in my words or my tone to provoke a rude reaction. It was even weirder to get on Yelp and see that we appear to have been the only ones to encounter this behavior. Maybe the person we spoke to was new, or having a bad day, or something. Maybe the other staff were distracted or the person who was supposed to seat customers was temporarily out of the room. Still, I don't think we'll be going out of our way to try to give this business our money again. read more

Repeated visits have not disappointed! My only suggestion is more comfortable chairs!

Great authentic Mexican food but the portions are very small so it doesn't bod well at all for sharing. Appetizers are very much for one person and the same for entrees. The food, however, is fantastic. Incredibly flavorful and fresh! read more

This place didn't wow me. I had the cactus for my main dish. The cactus was delicious, but it was just... Cactus. Nothing else. It came with a side of beans and rice, but these were meh and tasted like any old generic Mexican takeout. We had a Groupon which was good because honestly, I think for what you get it's overpriced. I probably won't be going back. read more

Really? Authentic Mexican? ...Really? "Simple" doesn't have to mean "void of flavor and character." After being so underwhelmed at how bland the food was, I was rightfully pissed when I learned there was a minimum dinner price. But don't worry, the food is so overpriced you practically reach it when you order an appetizer. I'm always completely shocked when I see how packed this place is at night. read more

Food was okay, but pricey. For the prices they charged and all the high ratings, I would have expected more. Worth checking out, but this ranks as one of those places that you go once and probably don't go back. read more

Good food, but overpriced. The servers are very friendly and the atmosphere is lovely, but I'm not sure how they can justify charging $15-20 per plate in this neighborhood. read more

Went to Tu Y Yo on a Saturday night about a month ago on a recommendation from my Spanish professor and was delighted that it lived up to expectations. The food was both authentic (as far as I could tell) and delicious. It was very busy, even at 930pm, but I'd called ahead and made a reservation (which i highly recommend). Service was a little slow at first, but once the food arrived I didn't mind. Good sangria--lots of cinnamon. Smaller pitcher than expected, but i think we each had 2 full glasses from it. We ordered the napoles con salsa verde, which were good. Really enjoyed the sauce. The cactus was similar in texture to peppers, but without the skin. My bf got the dish with the chapulines (grasshoppers) and i think he liked it. The vegetarian tamales were definitely the highlight of the meal. 5 different tamales with different fillings and they were all delicious. It wasn't a cheap meal, but worth the trek out to Somerville from Allston. read more

*Excellent* food - Simple, delicious *authentic* meals in reasonable portions - and great service. No liquor (there's a few other provisions in place to keep over-intoxicated college kids at bay), but they have negro modelo and good house sangrias. read more

Delicious food - great choices on the menu and a genuine feel of a Mexican restaurant. This is not Tex-Mex, though there may be some recognizable favorites, this is some of the delicious dishes you might see on a menu in Mexico City or Puebla - Mole is very well done. Michelada and Cheladas served just like the genuine thing. read more

The food is authentic and delicious! I really enjoyed my experience here, the food was great and their wait staff was nice as well. My only complaint is that they don't have hard liqueur for margaritas, only wine and beer but the sangria was good! I'd come here again. read more

Excellent food. Try the stuffed poblano pepper in a creamy sauce with cinnamon and pomegrante seeds. All dishes are presented beautifully on the plate and are fresh and homemade. Staff are friendly and helpful. Parking can be challenging...best time to go is early around 5-6 or in the summer when the college kids aren't around. read more

One of my favorite restaurants in the whole wide world. Chocolate mole and sangria are tops.

Tu Y Yo is one of my favorite area restaurants. The food is superb and the service is excellent. I particularly like the fact that all the recipes are family recipes and the added touch of naming the original creator on the menu is fun. Try the sangria, its fantastic. read more

A good experience. The food was very authentic, great full flavor and attentive staff (it was a slow day). Prices were a little higher, but food quality was excellent. One in our party had the mole, it was very good. Will return! read more

Ladies Restaurant Club went to Tu Y Yo on Tues, the night before the big blizzard. Tu Y Yo is a unique neighborhood place that' has graced the otherwise lackluster shopping strip at Powder House circle for many years. I've gone there a number of times and have consistently found the the food to be very good. Not too die for, but very good. Tues night was no exception. We shared some sopas, tamales, and a spicy/creamy shrimp crepe dish for apps. I personally think the sopas are the standout; tamales were a bit flat. I liked the spicy/creamy shrimp thing, as did one other restaurant club member (the rest of the crew either didn't like shrimp or goat cheese, two musts for this dish). We had a variety of pork, chicken, and fish dishes for entrees. I really liked my fish dish, and people seemed very pleased with their selections as well. With the exception of one mild chicken dish (chicken verde?), which was accurately described as split pea soup over chicken. Two of the three desserts were hit, including an avocado cheesecake that tasted much more like cheesecake than avocado. The third, which was some sort of dessert bread made with cactus and dosed in liqueur, was one of the perennial loser dessert that I always order (and often enjoy) due to my defective dessert taste buds. And I did like this dessert, although when I went to reheat it in my toaster oven the next day (the day of the blizzard), it almost set it on fire due to the liqueur. Let that be a lesson to me. Service was understated by good, especially for one of the ladies that the waiter took a shine to. In sum, I appreciate that Tu Y Yo is a solid, authentic, regional Mexican place, and I give them serious kudos for refusing to put a chimichanga or any other American-borne monstrosity on their menu. read more

This has been one of our most favorite places to go until recently. It seems as though they have gotten a new waitress who isn't really on top of her game. The food is still fantastic, but the recent change in the wait staff has not been for the better. Waitress seems sweet but just isn't so good at waiting tables. read more

I have eaten several times here. Because I'm Mexican and I always come from the same plate, "Nopales" I think the prices (based in service, quality and location) are exaggerated and many of the dishes are very greases. The service has always been no good, but the last time was really poor, the waitress didn't collect the dirty dishes from the table when she brought the next course, she gave us the plates in the hands, and didn't take dirty ones, and also she didn't come back in the next 10 minutes. read more

Fantastic menu! If you are looking to impress someone or just want to treat yourself well this evening, this is your place. I've had several pablano dishes, and loved every one. The Tamales - mouth watering. And the beans (standard with most meals) are smooth and flavorful. It's the kind of menu where you can be adventurous because everything is fantastic. The restaurant small, simple, and quiet, and you'll find a mix of families, friends, and dates. read more

very tastee mex. very creative. great sauces. have eaten there a few times. good prices. well worth it.

I wasn't very impressed with the food here. The mole is good, but everything else seemed average at best. The rice and beans were bland and the chicken was overcooked and dry. Given the quality and small portion sizes I felt the menu was pretty pricey. The service was disappointing as well. I'm quite certain I won't be going back here. read more

When you stop caring!!! We have not been to this restaurant in a while, and todays visit reminded me why. It has been going steadily downhill for a while; from being a sure shot to a hit amd miss. The staff though not very friendly used to be pleasant enough. Now it seems they and the management have stopped caring. Wine glasses not washed properly, fruit in the sangria still with the sticker on it. The food is just still quite good, though seems a knotch lower. Their most popular dessert is the cactus and nut cake, but they never seem to have it in stock. The cactus cheesecake was meh! Too bad, hate to see a wonderful restaurant go to seed. Guess the location does not help, as they rarely get walk in traffic. Will not be visiting agin. read more

This place serves true Mexican food, not Americanized tex-mex and you need to understand that's what you're getting. If you want upscale Chilli's or Chiplotle, go somewhere else. Tu y yo is very true to its roots. A smaller cantina with very good food and drinks. read more

Just had a quick enchilada lunch at Ty Y Yo. Delicious! The shredded chicken was delicious and the green tomatillo sauce was sensational - all for $5! Crazy! read more

Tu y Yo is definitely a hidden gem. Not as many people know about it since it's not located in a major restaurant area like Davis Sq, but it has some of the best food I have ever had. The food is delicious, authentic Mexican food based on family and traditional recipes. No typical tacos or burritos on the menu here. Their stuffed poblano is to die for, and their mole sauces are out of this world. The green mole with pepitas special I had last time was awesome. Their sangria, both the red and the white, is delicious. They are not super cheap, but the price is definitely justified by the quality of the food. The staff is attentive and very good about answering questions about the menu. This is not a place to be missed. read more

I absolutely love this place. The service is incredibly friendly and attentive and the food is delicious. It's not a particularly lively spot, but that means you'll usually be fine without a reservation and makes it a great date spot. Try the tamale appetizers - so good! read more

I try to share this restaurant with as many people I care about as possible. Amazing breakfast food. I've liked everything so far, but you need to order the Hibiscus Water and Mexican Coffee with every meal. I've yet to get lunch here, but I'm looking forward to the opportunity. read more

This place has been rated best Mexican in Boston Magazine and the Somerville local magazine. We went to check it out and were pretty disappointed. We were left incredibly unimpressed by the food and the place itself is pretty shabby and run down. I know that a lot of people here say that it's a nice, cozy, authentic spot, but we just found it overpriced and underwhelming. read more

I first tried this place when I moved to the area a year ago. I was happily surprised with the unusual menu and variety of food. After I ate the food though, I was ecstatic! Their service is excellent and their food is delicious! I particularly enjoy the stuffed bell pepper with beef in a creamy sauce with pomegranate seeds....yum, I'm drooling now. Still enjoying the food a year later! Definitely worth trying! read more

Yum! A really delightful, delicious meal. And the price was very reasonable. It's definitely Mexican and not Tex mex (not your typical tacos, burritos, enchiladas kind of menu) and I thought it was really cool that some of the dishes on the menu were labeled as being traditional pre-Spanish settlement dishes. We liked everything we tried, especially the first two items in the chicken section of the menu- a dark mole made with chocolate and a white one made with beer. I also ordered a cafe de olla at the end of the meal, which was new to me, and really enjoyed that. It would make a great treat on a cold winter day. read more

Tu Y Yo occupies a special, delicious place in my heart. I love how small the dining area is - it makes me feel like I'm eating at my grandmother's house. A friend of mine from Mexico said that this was the only place in the area where he felt like he could get a delicious, authentic meal. Thinking about the incredible food at this place makes my mouth water. Management is also superb! read more

Poor quality of food. "Steak" and eggs were terrible. Steak was a paper thin slice of tough meat. Don't waste your time, terrible experience. Poor service, poor atmosphere, poor quality of food. read more

Looking for something not tex mex style, then you've found it. Not onyl different, but most everything is really good.

Fairly unique (perhaps authentic) food. Flavor appears very genuine and not canned.. we got tamales and some other veggie dishes, pretty good fare.This is not your run of the mill Mexican with tortillas, beans, jalapeno etc etc.. However, the portions are very small, so i classify this restaurant in the $$$ category. read more

This is a great place for brunch or dinner. The food is fantastic. I especially love their Mexican coffee. Everything I have ordered has been wonderful from the refried beans (which are delicious) to entrees and even down to the dessert. I also like that it's a small quaint place where you can have a conversation without having to yell b/c of the noise. read more

good food that goes a long way. there is a 20% off coupon on yahoo if you dine between 4-6 pm

My husband and I just got home from Tu Y Yo. As vegetarians, we were extremely happy to see several interesting, creative vegetarian items on the menu. To start, we had the vegetarian tamales (5 varieties), which were pretty basic, but a good start to the meal. For an entree, I got the Pipian Paskal, which consisted of chopped chayote squash in a delicious spicy sauce and topped with sesame seeds. The flavors were interesting, the portion was generous, and everything tasted very fresh. My husband got the Indio Vestido, which was cactus paddle filled with cheese, breaded, fried, and covered in 2 different sauces. I tried it, and WOW! The flavors were amazing. When we go back, I am getting that dish. We got the "Impossible" for dessert, which was a layer of chocolate cake topped with a layer of custard and drizzled with caramel sauce. It was delicious, and was the perfect end to our meal. Yes, the food is more expensive than your typical Mexican restaurant, but it is worth it to get dishes that are not just variations of tortillas smothered in sauce and cheese. Our waiter was friendly, helpful, and attentive. We will definitely be going back. read more

awesome food, great cozy place, stuffed jalapenos are awesome as the crepa the camaron