Wasn't really blown away here, but it's one of the only oasises (oasii?) in the desert that is tech square (unless you want that awful quiznos). They have absolutely no idea how to roll up a burrito. I can do a better job @ home. It's loose & saggy & goes all over the place, it's not easy to eat @ all. I'd rather take a walk to boca or picante which are far more authentic w/latinos hosting the festivities. Let a gringo roll a burrito & you get something close to taco bell.
(2)
Dave J.
Another mediocre burrito place in Boston. Good variety of food, I like the vegetarian options and the nonfat yogurt as a sour cream substitute, but the burrito just tastes like nothing. There's no tomatoey flavor from the pico de gallo, very little cilantro essence, and it's just kind of a big squishy ball of stuff. The staff is friendly, but for an $8 burrito, I expect something really tasty.
(2)
Emily M.
As a Californian stuck in Cambridge for years the terrible attempts at Mexican food have been the beign of my existence. MexiCali gets 5 stars because they use shredded cheese. I have no idea why any self-respecting eatery would plop down a slice of cheese on a tortilla and think it's okay. Must be a New England thing. They also make their own chips, their guacamole is delicious, their beans are never watery, and neither is their pico de gallo, so your burrito wont fall apart, and after eating here I don't feel like I've increased my chances of heart disease, unlike some other greasy burrito places. They have yogurt as an alternative to sour cream, two types of chicken, chile relleno, and they serve their quesidillas with chips. I say for a discerning burrito eater this place is a gem. They also do deliver after 5pm through campusfood.com
(5)
matt k.
Tasty, but my two-filling, one-tortilla burrito quickly exploded due to a breach in one wall, necessitating a fork for meal completion. I liked the options for veggie fillings, but I think by default they put in too much stuff to taste anything in particular. I will probably return, and I will cut out the cheese and possibly the rice (for reasons of structural integrity)
(3)
Teju P.
Its like visiting California - without the painfully long flight. They have vegetarian beans and sides. You have the option of sour cream or yogurt on your burrito... and they have a salsa bar! It is a big enough place to sit down and eat but more conducive to parties of 4 or less. A nice addition to the lunch options in Kendall Square.
(5)
Mike J.
This place has very friendly and fast service! The burritos are very large and all the ingredients are fresh and the meats are fantastic! Very delicious food! The horchata was great as well! Only downside is if it's lunchtime and your hungry there is a good chance you'll be taking it to go or standing to eat the monster!
(4)
Brian K.
I think my review is going to be similar to a few others here who share the same opinion. I went here today even after a coworker told me it was terrible and overpriced. I really wanted to give it a chance especially since kendall sq aka the dude ranch has no good food places to speak of..... i ordered the monterey burrito and was very underwhelmed for my $9 with a drink. it is too bad their burritos do not match their salsas or the few pieces of chicken in my burrito. the chicken was actually very tasty although they only gave me a few pieces and loaded the thing up with beans and then rolled it into a softball just as mentioned in other reviews. i had to eat the thing with a fork and knife...is that what they do in california? honestly, i dont care what california style burritos are, i want more meat than beans and i want cheese in my burrito. this place is a one and done! too bad the best food in kendall sq comes from trucks that have disappeared and convenient stores. Eric I hope your reading....
(1)
Nat S.
What a let down. Finally a burrito place in Tech Sq. to supplement the Jose's truck and it blows. The atmosphere is bizarre- corporate yet south of the border...? The burritos were akin to Chipotle. The guac had the consistency of lumpy ranch dressing. I had a burrito with sour cream and guac along with a soda and it was $9.30. Could that be right? They get it wrong on so many levels: flavor, assembly, offerings. The salsa bar was completely laid to waste, so I went without. For their sake I hope they have a short lease. My dining partner would have preferred Quiznos....
(2)
Ja H.
Ok. More interesting than Boca and the big chains but not as good as Anna's or Felipe's.
(2)
Darryl H.
Overpriced and not tasty. I'd walk through MIT to Anna's if you want better
(2)
M C.
They hardly heat the tortilla. Tastes bland, homemade (in a bad way) and its fairly expensive for what it is. Nearby Picante in central square is a MUCH better option.
(1)
Jeff C.
This review is for the "Burrito Cabana" location, not the regular brick and mortar store. I bought two burritos with an internet deal: one with the vegetable of the day (Mexican squash) and the other with steak. These were both the worst tasting burritos I've ever had. Now I'm used to tasteless bland "Mexican" (this is Boston after all where Anna's Tacqueria is a lot of people's idea of "good Mexican"). And I would have preferred tasteless and bland. This was just ugh. Sadly I have 3/4 of the steak burrito leftover for lunch at work today - it's either eat it or starve. I'm not looking forward to it.
(1)
Tammy K.
You know how authentic Mexican joints sometimes have pictures of Mexico on the wall? This place has pictures of authentic Mexican restaurants on the wall. And that about sums up what this burrito joint is about. Authenticity aside, these burritos are pretty tasty. The guacamole and pico de gallo are fresh and delicious, and they are included in the price of most of the burritos. The fillings are also tasty -- especially the spicy chicken. Extra star for having a complimentary salsa bar. The green salsa verde and onion/cilantro mix are the perfect accompaniment to any burrito.
(4)
Chris R.
Its not often that a new food option opens up near Kendall, and the opening of MexiCali was much anticipated by my officemates (at least one of them) and I. Unfortunately, I found much to be lacking with my experience at MexiCali. First of all, the line moved slowly. I know this place is new, but burritos shouldn't take that long to make. The way the menu works is odd. The lowest "level" of burrito contains one filling and two toppings. The next level contains two fillings and all the toppings. I've never considered putting two different types of meat in a burrito, so I guess with the second level I would get two servings of one type of meat? It turns out this might be necessary because my carne asada burrito with one "filling" had about four pieces of meat in it. On second thought, I'm not sure I would want more of this carne asada because it was dry and bland. Anyway, I found the menu to be poorly designed. I hate gimmicky menus. The staff were reasonably nice. But, my burrito was incredibly poorly put together. It was basically this blob that was impossible to eat in any reasonable way. This would have been entirely acceptable had the burrito been tasty, but it was not. The last straw for me was when I visited their website. They have all these pictures of restaurants in California and compare themselves to the taquerias in the Mission District in SF. Wishful thinking my friends.
(2)
Weijia Z.
got the spicy chicken burrito but can barely see any chicken, mostly beans and rice!!
(1)
Dom M.
I wasnt really that impressed. First, the set up is a mess. You can only fit about 8 people in line before it has to go outside. Good luck with that in the winter. Second as someone else pointed out, the burrito was sloppy. Thing was falling apart before I even bit into it. I had the bean town and it was ok. Its a good size burrito but you dont really get much with it. I added yogurt to it and they charged me a buck, which while its only a buck seemed a little silly for a spoon full of it. The wrap was dry too. I actually think its a little on the pricey side for what you actually get. I went with a coworker who got the east LA, he said the chicken was good but he didnt see much difference from Anas.I also went to school in amherst so I compare everything to Bueno y Sano, which is hands down the best burrito place in the state.
(2)
olivia s.
This is yet another place that makes me feel ill and I try to avoid eating here because of this fact. BUT the staff is super friendly and they offer what appears to be decent vegetarian options. So I give Mexicali 2 stars instead of 1.
(2)
Pokey R.
Pales in comparison to Anna's. The chips are thick, crunchy, and still oily. The steak is chewy, not tender. The burrito is a thick wrap - stands out, but with its blandness. The guacamole is nothing special, though the salsa is nice. Expensive for a quick Mexican burrito place.
(2)
Greg S.
After waiting out the initial wave of Kendall-ites and their desire to have something new to eat in the area, I decided to go here for a late lunch one day (1:30). There were still quite a few people waiting in line because of the confusion with the menu mostly, and one guy who couldn't put down his cell phone long enough to order a burrito. Anyway, there are fillings and then there are toppings, for their burritos. I am the type of person who likes all the toppings on my burrito and one filling, like chicken for example. The problem with MexiCali is to get all the toppings you have to pay for a two filling burrito. In my mind that was a little bit of a rip off because toppings are much cheaper then fillings. Oh well, as for the overall taste of the burrito it was bland and the one topping they didn't have was hot sauce which could have made it better. My other knock is the burrito construction itself, there is a reason why Boca and Anna's steam the tortillas it is so the burrito stays together, this burrito which wasn't even rolled properly, all meat on one end and toppings on the other, fell apart the minute I unwrapped the top most part of the foil, luckily my co-worker had a plate and a fork I could borrow.
(2)
Roberto S.
Chile relleno is more like a cheese omelette that was then warmed on their grill. I found very few pieces of Chile in my "Chile relleno", it was mostly egg and cheese. I believe this item should be either removed from the menu, or sold for what it is, but please stop calling it a Chile relleno. Service is fast and prompt, nothing to complain on the service and cleanliness of the locale, but the foods leaves a lot to wish. Salsa's lacked overall flavor and depth as well as the food, so I was forced to use some salt. Despite generous portions and nice service the food quality was not worth it. I would prefer their competition any time.
(2)
Kassandra L.
Great portion sizes, and I love that when I order an item but don't require all the toppings they adjust the price. Try the chips with the homemade chipotle sauce! If they bottled that sauce they could make millions.
(4)
Sofia S.
I bought a coupon to eat here on living social. After spending 20 minutes trying to find parking, we finally got to Mexicali Burrito at 7:30. Even though they close at 8, they were already cleaning everything out. They rudely said they were out of rice and beans, didn't seem to understand or acknowledge why this might be an inconvenience. One of the people who worked there kept telling us we could have nachos. Uh.. we didn't want nachos for dinner, which we told him but he kept repeating himself. No apology or anything. Needless to say, I asked for a refund on my coupon
(1)
Emma B.
Their "delicious squash soup" is, well...actually delicious. Their burritos are great- you can really taste the hint of zesty onion/lime/something in the guac or salsa. Best burrito I've had in Boston yet and DOUBLE the size of the one you get at Anna's for more or less the same price. Mexican squash filing is also a good unique option. And let's not forget the home made hot chocolate- thick, rich hot chocolate that will render your office's free Swiss Miss just pathetic in comparison.
(5)
Sharon O.
"A-OK" sums up the burrito experience at MexiCali. Their location is convenient, and the line moves pretty quickly- which definitely what makes it a place I'm sure you'll find me again. Here's the run down on how to order: Most options either have you pick 1-2 fillings with 1-2 toppings.... "Fillings" here = meat [pork, beef, steak, or 3 types chicken] (or veggies if going the vegetarian option) "Toppings" here = pico de gallo, guac, shredded cheese, sour cream or nonfat yogurt, shredded lettuce Personally, I like 1 filling with all the toppings...which curiously, is only an option for the vegetarians among us! Ultimately, I ended up choosing the "Monterey" (a special chicken burrito). But I'll have to come up with some sort of compromise on the toppings because the guajillo-marinated pork sounds tasty... next time in. Skip the limeade if you're looking for punch-you-in-the-face lime flavor. There's some seating room, which is nice- ideally your party is 4 people or less or come on the early side.
(3)
Diana H.
Mexicali is my go-to lunch place on workdays. They're quick, courteous, inexpensive, and delicious. I think what makes their food so good is the freshness of everything. I highly recommend this place if you're looking for good eats cheap.
(5)
Brian K.
Definitely not the best burrito I have ever had, but definitely not the worst, either. I'm not a huge burrito fan, or from California, so I can't speak to authenticity or the finer points of burrito ingredients, but it was good enough for a workday lunch. They could aim to be a little less blah, but I appreciated that it was not a killer gut bomb either.
(3)
Shaina P.
Maybe you noticed, maybe you didn't ... Mexicali Burrito caters! And for serious, they take the nut for Mexican food catering (as compared with Picante catering... which technically wasn't catered, because I couldn't justify paying their delivery fee, so I picked up and was utterly dismayed) in Cambridge for their superb pricing, appetite-filling, responsiveness, accommodating-ness, and kindness. The baseline cost for the burrito platter was $70 for 10 orders, including 10 full sized burritos with a filling choice, cheese, rice, and beans; and chips, salsas, and paper products; more than enough food to satisfy 10 hungry co-workers. Oh, but did I have a convenient 10 co-workers to satisfy? No, I had 15. And Mexicali ACCOMMODATED that number with the same unit pricing (i.e. $7 per person). Add tax and 10% delivery fee, and you're still much less than $10 per person. The burrito was girthy and filled with a higher rice/bean to filling ratio than what you can expect from the store, but it was still very satisfying and quite manageable for consumption. With the addition of 2 large guac-sides and those sauces (+some self-purchased sour cream), the overall tastiness improved. I also have to give a hand to Eric, who coordinated the order, responded to all 4 of my ridiculous email inquiries, and even delivered the meal (on time, no doubt). He confides that they respond best to phone calls, but I'm a busy lady and deal much better with email; and certainly know a thing or two about not receiving email responses in the immediate; so really really, this was no concern. Will I order catering again from Mexicali? Heck yah.
(4)
D Z.
I eat lunch at this place just about everyday. Great homemade tasting food, inventive vegetable fillings. Service is fast and friendly. Homemade hot chocolate just doesn't get any better. Free salsa table is a great touch.
(5)
Todd R.
MexiCali is a family-owned, California-Mexican style burrito spot in Cambridge, MA (Kendall Square). They offer a sizable menu featuring standard and unique choices of burritos, tacos, and soups and salads. There is ample room to dine in, and the counter service is quick enough for take-out if you are in a rush. The restaurant is very clean with sunny ambiance and friendly staff. In addition to their permanent menu, MexiCali serves daily specials, many of which are unique takes on California-Mexican fare. During my last visit I ordered the Squash Quesadilla - that day's special - and I was blown away. I'm quite sure I could not find anything like it in the area. Highly recommended.
(5)
Alex C.
Mexicali is near my job, and is very convenient. Unfortunately, that's about where the good things I have to say in this review end. While it's typically mobbed around 12 pm, Mexicali really brings nothing good to the table. All food options at Mexicali are BLAND AND FLAVORLESS to the extreme, as other reviewers here have mentioned. It's really quite remarkable; instead of the zesty potpurri of exciting flavors that good Mexican food can provide, Mexicali offers a knotted morass of mediocrity. All of the "different" chicken options taste identical. Even the "spicy" chicken is putridly absent of real flavor. The "hot" sauces provided at Mexicali barely even register as present as they are hurried down your throat by your now-upset tongue, craving absent taste stimulation. In addition to being tasteless food-matter, the burrito pricing is convoluted, and in general, quite overpriced. A (bad) burrito sans guac and a small drink shouldn't be almost 10 dollars. Finally, I must make a note about the workforce at Mexicali. As far as friendliness goes, they're neutral, though they seem to be exceptionally downtrodden and perhaps pessimistic about their lives. I do not believe that the workers at Mexicali are treated very well. Another reviewer here mentioned the weird "boss is watching" atmosphere. It's a real thing, and it's unnerving. The employees appear to be on edge, or perhaps intimidated at gunpoint by an invisible man standing with them behind the counter. Once, I had the displeasure of overhearing one of the managers interview a prospective new hire. The gist of their conversation was that new hires wouldn't be allowed to touch any money for a long time for fear of theft, and that they would be monitored while preparing their personal lunch items to ensure that they didn't "steal" more of the bland and flavorless meat than they were intended to have. It's never a good sign when the interviewer babbles on about all the conditions under which the interviewee could get fired or censured. In sum: bland, terrible, overpriced food, and a bad working environment.
(1)
Jessie C.
I'm going to be totally up front with this review. I love Anna's. I have always loved Anna's and I always will love Anna's. I just wanted to put it out there before staring my review. Overall - not bad, but not good either. Bland would be the best way for me to describe these burritos. I love salsa and didn't even see the salsa bar when I walked in. That could have been my bad since I went at noon but still. I had the mexicali burrito with guac and cheese. Here are a few of my gripes: #1 Don't charge me for cheese on a burrito. Just put it on there. #2 I'm happy to pay for guac but this was a little generic, maybe a little lime or salt or cilantro? #3 Chicken - it was bland. All I tasted was the beans. I see a lot of reviews about this place - honestly, a burrito wrapper isn't healthy no matter how you slice it. Fresh ingredients don't always equate to healthier either. I do agree, however, that these ingredients did seem fresher than elsewhere. I also liked that the staff was pleasant. That's always a plus.
(2)
Steve L.
I've been going here quite regularly at lunch for several years. They always have quality ingredients, and the dudes who work there always have a smile. They've long since learned my preferences, and they remember even when I've been away for a long while. Good guys and good food.
(5)
Jeremy K.
This isn't your typical Mexican burrito shop; this is a California-style burrito which is very different than the regular one. First off, it is less greasy and thus healthier, second of all the ingredients in it and prepared differently and you will immediately feel a difference once you bite in it. I can't describe it, it's just different. I give them a few stars just for that. They managed to bring me right back to Los Angeles in just one bite. Their achiote chicken is very nice, well marinated with a slight tangy/citrucy flavor. Very pleasant. The place is air conditioned and has good street parking but does get busy during the regular work days lunch hour peeks. The staff is friendly and they even have an alternative to the regular sour cream: yogurt! How cool is that! The prices aren't bad either. Oh and two more things I'd like to add. Their salsa bar isn't big but it's very well designed and very good. Secondly, they have this vegetarian filling alternative featuring squash, and a bunch of other unexpected vegetables. Kinda cool too!
(4)
c. wallace o.
This is my third time visiting Mexicali. Its definitely "Meh. I've experienced better". Positives (+): * The homemade chips * decent salsa bar * the concept of a good SF mission style burrito spot. Negatives (-): * the execution of a SF mission style burrito spot. * not very flavorful ingredients * the annoying gimmicky pricing structure! ----- If you are a burrito shop you should include whatever makes your burrito good, then allow people to make modifications if they want, not the other way around?? With Mexicali its confusing and you either get nothing for pretty cheap or too much for too much. It feel like some twisted food game that you lose either way you choose. * Lastly the staff are relatively friendly but there is a weird "boss is watching" vibe that makes the ordering experience unpleasant.
(2)
Ian C.
Mexicali has really great food. If you like Chipotle, you'll love Mexicali! Everything tastes extremely fresh, and their homemade chips are delicious. Substituting yogurt for sour cream is a great choice - tastes the same and it is so much healthier! The staff is also extremely friendly and patient. I hope when the new Chipotle opens nearby, Mexicali doesn't lose too much business! My only complaint is the hours... I wish they were open on weekends! And later on weekdays!
(4)
Lia B.
I recently tried MexiCali because it's so close to campus. I was very pleasantly surprised. I know that Boston isn't the best place for Mexican food, but this is good. The burritos are fresh, with a great topping to rice ratio -- some places put in way too much rice (like Boloco), but this is good. If you're expecting to be able to add toppings in the way you can at Chipotle, you'll be disappointed. But basically all the combinations are on the menu. And the staff was really nice about substitutions. There's also a little condiment bar with onions and cilantro, and all sorts of salsa, which is convenient and nice. And the limeade is fantastic!! Any time I get a craving for a burrito, I hope that it's before 8pm, because that's the only drawback to MexiCali -- not open late. But they more than make up for it during the time that they are open.
(4)
Ted B.
Their burritos are really not good. Check the picture of it that I uploaded if you want to see for yourself. I would suggest Anna's, the food court on Wednesdays (make your own tacos), the truck by the Coop, or a walk to the gas station in Beacon hill that sells burritos. Their super nachos are good, especially with buffalo chicken. So if that is your style, give them a try. Be careful if you want them to cater for you.... They only cater burritos.
(1)
Kirstie L.
I love Mexican food to begin with, especially genuine Mexican food. Love spicy. The Spicy Rojo Chicken burrito with the habanero red chile sauce with all of the toppings is literally one of the best things that I have ever eaten. Every time I am in the Boston area, my number one thing to do when I arrive off of the T is to get a Mexicali burrito. I need one right now!!
(5)
Nate M.
MexiCali has two locations near Kendall, this one and a popup shop at a garage near MIT Sloan School of Management: Pros: -Food quality is definitely decent, though the meat has been dry from time to time -Convenient location for Kendall Square Cons: -Flavors are OK at best, might be from sides and meats sitting out for extended periods -Serving size is lacking with the burritos - WAY too overpriced. Base burrito is around $6, but 4 toppings make a $8 burrito. I can understand charging more for guacamole and sour cream (standard at most Mexican places) but paying ~$0.50 for for salsa, cheese, lettuce (are you kidding me?) I only go here when I don't feel like walking to Anna's over the bridge or Chipotle is too busy. Save your money and go somewhere else
(2)
Opal L.
I suppose it's quite fitting that this place is at MIT - the food tastes like a scientist created it. I was very hungry and ate it, so the fact that it was food and edible was cool. However, it really did not make me say, "wow, I should come back and eat here again". As some other reviewers were, I was drawn to this place with a groupon. This is the only place that has charged me tax, separate from the groupon. My order came to only $9.27 and the guy asked for 61 cents for the tax. That was strange. I gave it but thought that was strange. Ok, so I had a burrito with the beef and the steak. That sounds redundant but it wasn't. The beef is pulled bits of meat and the steak is in chunks. The flavor was kinda bland so I put some of the green stuff from the salsa bar on it. That made it a little better. I'm really not a Mexican food gourmand so I'm not sure what good Mexican food is. However, I can say that El Pelon's food has more flavor. I kinda like flavor.
(2)
Tim B.
Reading some of the other reviews, I have to agree with some points but not the ones that say it's terrible. Anyplace that has an edible vegan option and not just a salad gets a couple stars anyway. And I like their burrito with either spicy tofu, green beans, or broccoli. I do end up using a lot of salsa, so I could see how some would say that it doesn't have bold enough flavors. I often get the veggie chili though, and the flavor on that is outstanding (IMO). In fact, I would love to get a burrito with that inside instead of the spicy tofu, which I find not flavorful enough. One last point for vegans: They put milk or cream in the guacamole, so that is not vegan. Dairy makes me ill, so I was thankful they told me, though I don't recall what I said that prompted them to do so. Update: I stopped going here. As I note above, the food is a bit bland, and I pay more than at my other option, the MIT food trucks. But then the portions here got even smaller, so I was paying double for half the food.
(3)
Peter W.
The owners and employees seem like nice people, but this review is about the food: not good at all. Boston may not have the wealth of great burrito and taco places that a San Francisco or Houston has, but it's got plenty that are better than this! They seem like burritos made by someone who doesn't know what they're doing: they fall apart, they are too bread-y (or wrap-y as it were) and the overall flavor is blandfully bland. As burrito places go, this place almost isn't even one.
(1)
John A.
This place is generic in many ways but they are super fast and that makes them a reliable place to grab lunch in Tech Square. The burritos are pretty much a clone of the Chipotle/Qdoba style. I guess if you're hungry then that's a huge plus but if you're looking for something more traditional then you're out of luck. Nonetheless, the food is good. I recommend the Monterrey burrito. It's a good helping of grilled chicken with pico, guac, sour cream and chipotle mayo. If you're feeling more original then you can go for the Watsonville and choose 2 meats and have any topping combination you want. Come here if you're hungry and looking for something fast and cheap.
(3)
Ellomenno P.
Gringos making overpriced, underwhelming burritos. How they can charge $0.75 for jalapenos, a tiny sprinkling of lettuce or a tablespoon of salsa on a burrito with a straight face is beyond me. Also, it just wasn't that good. I could easily make a burrito of this quality at home. The rice was nothing special and overpowered by your standard black beans, which were too soupy. The roja chicken had a little flavor...but not enough to make up for it. Bland, expensive burrito. I'd put this place behind Anna's, Boca, Felipe's, Picante, The chinese burrito place in Southie, La Verdad, El Pelon, Boloco, Fresh CIty, Any of the restaurants that also make burritos, anything your mom could make, the frozen food section of Trader Joe's... the dumpster behind Trader Joe's.
(1)
Nitya D.
It's alright, nothing special. I just had a platter with a cheese enchilada and a chile relleno, which also came with chips, guac, rice, beans, and pico de gallo ($9). But I didn't really eat the chile relleno (I'm really upset about this as I've been craving it for some reason or another since I woke up today). It's one thing to use an egg batter for frying something - but it's a whole different story to literally serve me an omelette with a pepper and some cheese inside and call it a chile relleno. If I wanted an omelette, I would've just gone to Friendly Toast. Everything else in my meal was decent but nothing really to write home about.
(3)
P L.
1 star for poor food quality and mediocre service. I've eaten here at least 2 dozen times simply because its so close to where I work. When it opened I got really excited about having a burrito place so close to work. However I was quickly disappointed. The food quality is quite low, its quite often that the beans and rice are both undercooked. Whats worse than eating a burrito with undercooked rice? I say nothing. Additionally I'm not sure how they make their guacamole but its not great. It doesn't turn brown (good fresh guacamole SHOULD turn brown after a few hours), The portions are too big and the food leaves me feeling sick a few hours later. A few hours after eating at Mexicali I feel the same as if I had eaten at McDonalds or the chinese food truck. My stomach is churns and i don't feel like eating again for at least 6-8 hours (not in a good way). The mustached man is rude and cheap. I frequently order quesadillas which are just tortilla and cheese that i'm getting charged 6+ dollars for, well one day when the server was preparing my quesadilla I overhead him reprimand the guy for putting too much cheese in my quesadilla. He said something to the effect of "how are we going to make money if you put that much cheese in". Seriously? I'm paying 6+ bucks for a quesadilla and you're screwing me on the cheese? If this was primo quality cheese I'd understand but its no. I had high hopes for Mexicali but after a few years i've only be meet with disappointment. I eat there less and less and opt to walk to kendall square simply because if I'm going to pay that much for lunch I at least want better quality food than what Mexicali offers.
(1)
Robin L.
Yes, I like Anna's too, since they have more interesting fillings. But this place is great and the staff is friendly and efficient. I like the Watsonville burrito because it includes all the toppings. (I hate saying "I want this, that, and the other thing" only to find that suddenly I'm being charged an extra $5. And for WHAT!) I'll come back and add a star if they start serving lengua burritos like Anna's :)
(4)
ack c.
I frequent this place and am shocked by the reviews! So many mentions of Anna's that I wonder if some of the reviews are paid protests... I stop in here a few times a week and while it's not El Pelon, these guys are making good quality food. I don't worry that I'm eating institutional grade food here. They actually seem to care about ingredients. And as others noted they are fast and friendly. Maybe I haven't tried some of the other options that are bumming people out, but everything that I've had has been worth the walk, wait, and cash. And I'm tired of all the people from California laying claim to expertise in mexican food. Give it a rest already! And props for having area appropriate magazines such as science and nature!
(5)
Ross G.
Been here a couple times, and got to say NOT a fan! the "Beef" is disgusting and looks super gross! Go to Anna's or chipotle!
(1)
Nicholas S.
This is by no means authentic "California-style burritos". Growing up in California, I like to think that I have a good idea about what a burrito should taste like, and this is not it. Just naming your menu items after locations in California doesn't do it. Thankfully I had a $5 for $10 coupon or else I would have been a little more perturbed. I won't be going back.
(2)
Jonny C.
Not half bad, considering I am no longer in California and it is downstairs from my office. The burrito was poorly rolled, but was fairly tasty. I got the Wadsworth which is two meats and all toppings (cheese, sour c, guac, lettuce, pico de gallo) The chille colorado and asada mix tasted sort of "do-it-yourself" burrito seasoning-ish, but not bad. Salsa bar was actually really good and fresh, I like the extra hot chipotle quite well. Tapatio at tables. Decent size, I was full for 7 bucks. It is certainly not the Mission Burrito joints in SF that it claims to mirror, but it's a fix. Ill be back at least a couple of times a month. 2 hours later and no tummy ache, no Montezumas revenge, nada mal en mi estomacho. !Que suerte!
(3)
Jake M.
So witheringly bland and mediocre as to be almost forgettable, but then made offensively so by the outrageous price point. For eight bucks, I want my burrito to either a) make me forget about dinner, if I got it for lunch; b) feed me for two days and make me skip breakfast on the third; c) give me a handjob. MexiCali fails on all three fronts. The burrito is poorly put together, the ingredients stingily added and unevenly distributed, so you have dense pockets of meat here, rice there, sour cream the next town over, never to meet. On the other hand, the paucity of core burrito components, esp. meat, means I'm not in danger of slipping into a food coma post meal. Of course, I also forget that I've eaten five minutes later, and find myself either in need of another 8 dollar burrito - so perhaps they're on to something.
(2)
Yash B.
I was in the MIT area, and saw this come up on my phone as a burrito place nearby so I went to check it out. It's a fairly new location, the recipes come from East Los Angeles (hence, the Mexi-Cali name), but this is the first restaurant open. Its a fairly standard looking burrito joint, a place to order, and then several small tables and a salsa bar in the corner (think Baja Fresh if you've been there). The ordering was interesting, there were several interesting burrito options. They have a bunch of vegetable fillings that rotate every day (they had lentils, corn, and squash when I was there), and I ordered a vegetarian burrito with corn, guacamole, and black beans. They have a wheat tortilla for an extra 25 cents. My burrito was pretty good. Not amazing, but not bad. The guacamole was ok, the beans were standard beans, and the lettuce and rice were also pretty standard. I actually really liked the corn vegetable filling. And I really liked the wheat tortilla. So, not an amazing place, but service was good, and the burrito was pretty good. I wouldn't go out of my way to go here again, but if I found myself in the area, I would go to check out the other vegetable fillings.
(3)
Liz S.
This place is good, but Qdoba is better. Definitely try the Mexican hot chocolate. I'll probably come here again, but not if I have time to drive to Qdoba or even Chiptole.
(3)
Jonathan B.
I tried their new remote location by Genzyme, and it will be my last visit. I went with three friends and we all gave it a thumbs down. So, what didn't we like. 1. Taste, the rice was hard, the filling tasted like a bunch of canned sauces on meat. You do wonder if the freshness is bad given the remote location and the fact that the food ls likely sitting in a warmer and is less than fresh 2. It was wrapped poorly, and became a giant mess including the fact that their was salsa on the burrito 3. Its expensive compared to the competition. I guess for me, its just wasn't a very authentic burrito and there are better burritos in the neighborhood. Their actual store is too far away, and I certainly wonder if its better.
(2)
Deb S.
Think this place is great! Friendly, fast service, decent prices too. But most importantly, the food is great. Everyone at my office talks up the burritos, quesadillas and the salads.
(4)
Herb D.
Ok, I'll admit it. I miss mexicali's taco salads. My company left the kendall area and now I am without delicious carnitas and black bean taco salads. Sad.
(4)
Gwen K.
This is like what fake Ameri-Mex would taste like if it were prepared by people with no taste buds. Everything looked nice and seemed fresh, but had no flavor. While eating my weirdly-folded quesadilla with its poorly-distributed filling and spartan dose of cheese, I meditated on the many ways flavor could be added to my food. Salt came to mind. Vinegar or lime juice, maybe? Onion (other than the chunks in the pico, which despite its overdose of cilantro was the only flavorful thing on my plate)? Even some heat? These are basic flavoring tactics that any idiot with access to a pantry could use competently. I get bitter when I end up paying people to make me something that I could have fixed better if they'd let me go behind the line and make it myself.
(2)
Lisa I.
The burritos are decent, but they're overpriced. You're better off eating at Anna's or Chipotle down the street. My boyfriend also got food poisoning from here once.
(2)
John H.
My favorite burrito near MIT. To be fair, there aren't a ton of options, but Chipotle is opening up nearby, and even though Chipotle is one of my favorite places I know I will still frequent Mexicali.
(5)
Angelina C.
Hungrily, I ate my Monterey burrito in about two minutes. From what I remember, the ingredients tasted fresh, the pico de gallo was tangy in the only way fresh tomatoes can be, my achiote chicken was deliciously citrusy, the tortilla was right off the griddle and the guac tied it all together. Not entirely authentic, but pretty good. Cheers on the mango bebidas, too! MexiCali: where you can wolf down a tasty burrito without spilling it on your lap.
(3)
Alex S.
The MexiCali burrito (1 filling, 2 topping, rice, and beans for $6.52) is pretty solid, filling, and tasty lunch. As a vegetarian, I was thrilled to see all the rotating veggie options: spicy mushrooms, sauteed squash, or spicy tofu. The ingredients--including those at the salsa bar (the chipotle was fantastic)--are all very fresh and well prepared; not at all greasy or heavy. If you're in the area, I definitely recommend giving MexiCali a try. It won't blow you away, but it will do the trick. And the staff is incredibly nice and helpful. The one thing that sort of turned me off a little is what MexiCali considers a "topping." I think it's a little odd (read: cheap) to charge extra for shredded lettuce and pico de gallo. Not a big deal, but for the slightly high price, I was hoping for just a little more je ne sais quoi. And by "je ne sais quoi," I guess I mean fresh avocado.
(3)
Deidred A.
I love burritos, and while Mexicali tries hard, it is probably the worst burrito place in Cambridge/Boston. Yes the store is clean, the staff is very nice, and the ingredients seem fresh, but the food is horrible. All of the fillings are dry, the burritos are always stale, and ingredients are off. The food just taste bad. The salsa bar is really more of a sauce bar. Also, as a place that makes it money off the staff, the prices are ridiculously high. $7 for a regular burrito? If you have a chance walk to Anna's at MIT center.
(1)
Mark B.
Meh. I was excited with option of wheat tortilla and spicy tofu (it wasn't ) filling. My burrito was bland. I forgot there was guacamole in it because there wasn't any flavor. Can't recommend
(2)
Matt L.
I go here at least once a week since it's close to work -- consequently I have tried many different combinations of ingredients. I can't speak to it's similarity to "California style" Mexican fare as I am from MA and frankly I don't care if it doesn't taste like the hole-in-the-wall joint you used to go to in Rio del Mar, so I'll leave that to the uppity West-Coasters. My winner has to be a wheat Watsonville (cheaper to get the Watsonville if you want more than 3+ toppings rather than adding on the extra charge for the same on a Mexicali, plus you get another filling!) w/ Chile Colorado Pork, refried beans, corn (if available, if not then get spicy green beans or double the pork!), guac, pico, and cheese. I have no idea how they keep the guac so creamy and delicious without adding citrus acid, but it works, and the guac is always perfectly fresh tasting. The total for that comes to $7.91, if I'm not mistaken, and that's definitely within the $7-9 average range I've found lunch meals to cost in the area so the price point is spot-on. The Chile Colorado has the most flavor for the non-poultry meats. I tried the Barbacoa once and it was a bit bland and mushy. Steak was OK but maybe a bit dry and harder to eat... I usually don't order steak burritos for that reason. No complaints about either chicken option -- both are quite good. Quesadilla was pretty standard but I much prefer Anna's Taqueria style in that department. Your best bet is to go while they have multiple people working the counter (i.e. lunch rush) to ensure your burrito is rolled correctly. Admittedly, some of the staff has trouble with that step, but not if you get one of the seasoned pros working the end of the line. They keep all the areas quite clean so no worries for germophobes. They rotate out the fillings/toppings as needed so everything is fresh. Don't be too intimidated by the line, it moves fairly quickly and there are usually free seats to eat in if you want. Portions leave nothing to be desired - you will NOT need a side if you get a Watsonville or larger. I did try the Big Sur once while hungover after not eating for about 24 hours and it was the size of my head -- it certainly delivered as "the biggest burrito in Boston". They also have Jarritos and a few other drink selections including Horchata for those of you who are into that. I don't think I've seen that sold anywhere else that I know of. Given the somewhat limited lunch selection for the area (at least in terms of good/fast Mexican food) and the welcoming staff I have to give it 4 stars for being a delicious beacon of burritoness in Tech Sq.
(4)
Dianna B.
I gave this place a try on the premise that a) it was near work and b) offered burritos. The staff is very friendly and polite, everything looked clean. So far, so good. The burrito was OK, but mine had the same structural integrity issues that some other reviewers noted. Basically, halfway through, the burrito fell apart into a loose mush and I forfeited most of the remainder. Also, I thought the tortilla itself was a little dry (stale?). Next time, I'm going to Boca Grande instead -- at Boca, I get all the same toppings as Mexicali, PLUS guacamole, and a better burrito for just a little less $ . I'll probably only come back here if I'm short on time (and, if I bring a fork)
(2)
Stephen M.
They make a good effort, but it's just not quite amazing. The meat is ok but not great. People are friendly though and they're pretty quick. It's great to have a burrito place closer to the office than Anna's or Boca Grande though. If I close my eyes and squeeze hard enough, I can pretend it's Chipotle. :(
(3)
Chris W.
Their burritos are too short. Just like this review.
(2)
David S.
Very good quesadillas, very good convenient location to MIT campus. The rest of the menu is OK, not spectacular.
(3)
Doreen C.
I got the chipotle mushroom burrito bowl (black beans, rice, guac, and pico de gallo) - ~7.50. It was pretty flavorless and very soggy. There was a sauce that drenched my rice so by the end, I couldn't eat anything. Rice was also kind of hard. Although the staff is super friendly, the food is bland and not filling either.
(2)
Mike F.
Food is ok, bit overpriced and they are SUPER stingy with the portions. Better to go to Chipotle or somewhere else.
(2)
Ana V.
This place is super close to my work soooo I had to try it! I went in for lunch and had a spicy chicken burrito with beans, rice, cheese, and guac. It was fine. Nothing special. But it did the trick!
(3)
Madoka K.
The burrito ingredients looked good, but I don't really eat those so I got an enchilada and it was super dry and disappointing so I didn't eat it after picking at it. The sides that came with the platter were just fine. I'd try something else here at least.
(3)
Raina B.
Good Mexican food with so much better vegetarian options than anyplace else (e.g. Anna's)! They do some kind of squash, which took some getting used to - it's a sweeter vegetable - but I really like it. They have chipotle mushrooms - definitely have that smoky taste, which I don't enjoy. Portions are HUGE and very customizable - easily lunch and dinner. The pop-up's menu is slightly different than the restaurant. They cater for us all the time! Their chips are really good, salsas are ok. Guac is nice and chunky but not really flavorful. I find the burritos a little dry, as well.
(4)
Mike F.
Very good burritos but PLEASE start draining more of the liquid out of the pork before putting it in the burrito. It's like trying to eat a water balloon and I end up with my face and hands stained orange. It tastes great but I don't even bother going there for lunch if I don't have time to take a shower when I'm done.
(4)
Steve C.
I love this place. Their catering is a little expensive for beans/tortillas, but the food is really good. I've never really had a complaint and always got what I wanted. The burritos (especially the Big Sur) are enormous and taste great. The chips are fresh and crunchy and the salsa flows freely!
(5)
Julius S.
We have Mexicali cater to Sloan frequently and honestly their food must be the worst Mexican I have ever had. The burritos taste like nothing, the salsas are so marginally tasteful it is saddening. Only the chips offer some hope in the dark but again- they are just chips.... Horrible food would never eat there after that catering service
(1)
Laura H.
I have eaten here several times. The location is pretty good if you are on campus and it seems to be clean inside with a lunch line that moves quickly. The food is decent and only slightly overpriced which is good for Kendall Square. All around its a pretty good place for a quick lunch to go. My contention with this restaurant is the servers on the line. Every time I have come through one or more of the folks on the line have been rude. Not all the folks but always one or two. I don't expect gushing friendliness, stoic faces and monotone voices are fine and at least minimally professional. However, at this location service is at times outright rude or just plain snotty. I'll have my meal sans sass in the future please.
(3)
Alissa P.
They offer mushrooms and do not skimp on the portions, a plus for a vegetarian. Also for anyone who loves guacamole as much as I do (it's a lot) they give massive portions. $6 (or more with more toppings) for a salad bowl with a huge serving of beans and guac with some fixings and that's about 2 lunches for me, and cheaper than most. A definite go to when I need guac, but the dressing is bland and otherwise, it's just a burrito place. Semi-confusing ordering, or maybe it's just me, I get nervous when I haven't made my mind up and they're waiting, and the Add-Ons sign is to the right of the window, hard to read and think and talk at the same time. The location being referred to is the outdoor cabana location in Kendall Square near Genzyme. It is a great area for a pop-up in the warmer months.
(3)
Brian S.
I went here when I arrived as a freshman at MIT several years ago but haven't been often since it seemed a bit of a walk from campus. Once I realized I just needed to suck it up, I've been at least once a week as a grad student! I think this place is better than most of the Central/Kendall/MIT area burrito joints - the burritos are big, cheap, and sturdy; the tortillas are grilled, not steamed or fried; and the meat is grilled, not boiled, and always well-seasoned. You can tell there's real quality in the food and it's delicious. For $8 you can get a huge (4"x6" or so) burrito with everything, including guac. Don't get salsa as a topping unless you really want the pico de gallo - there's better to be had for free at the salsa bar (I always get the fire roasted tomato, with enough garlic to make it spicy and repel co-workers for hours). Staff is friendly, except when they're pushing the lunch crowd through, which they do with amazing speed. You can almost always find one of the co-owners working the line.
(5)
Justin G.
It's very good. The quesadilla is fantastic. Crispy and tasty. Burrito wise, its good. I prefer it over Anna's but not as good as Boca Grande. I love when they do plantains, but they never seem to have them on the days when I go in.
(4)
Mike S.
Lunch is good here. Mexicali has been part of my lunch rotation since it opened a few years ago. The steak quesadilla is good - better than the burritos. It comes with a large scoop of guacamole and salsa. I usually order plain chips to dip in those. Fast friendly service. Closes around 2pm usually so not convenient for late lunches. Unfortunately no longer open for breakfast.
(5)
Kristine A.
This place rules, I totally dig it. I think they do a great job. I go there like every week for lunch & it's so tasty. As a vegetarian it's good to find places that can accommodate. Whole wheat tortillas & their fresh juices are a plus.
(5)
Samuel F.
A little more expensive than the competition, but the selection of vegetable options is better than some. Taste-wise... well, it's tasty, but I'd go for Anna's or Boca Grande first. Still, it's a burrito joint right near where I work, so I find myself there for lunch quite a bit.
(3)
patrick w.
I eat here one or twice a week. The ingredients are fresh and the price is about right. It really reminds me pleasantly of a LA taquerÃa, and it certainly wouldn't be out of place there. There are lots of good vegetarian/vegan options. There are very limited lunchtime food options around MIT (please don't mention the food trucks) this is a pleasant addition to the area.
(3)
Amy P.
I have eaten at Mexicali (far too) many times and almost every time I've enjoyed my lunch. I usually get the Mexicali with Shredded Beef, Refried Beans, Lettuce, and Yogurt. I also get the Tomatillo sauce to jazz it up a little. The servers are always very pleasant (which is a miracle considering they need to ask the exact same question fifty million times a day). The price is decent for the size of the burrito. I don't find the chips appetizing at all though. They are v. greasy, to the point I had to throw most of them away as I was feeling sick. Summation: good, cheap, avoid the chips and enunciate your order
(4)
aaron s.
Coming from California, where you can't throw a rock without hitting a taqueria, I am supremely disappointed by the burrito options in Boston. Typically, the most edible burrito around is at Chipotle's, and those are not "real" burritos. Nearby to my office is a Mexicali. If I'm in the burrito, they're the nearest place. Don't get me wrong, their burritos are edible. They won't make you sick or anything. However, the tortilla is doughy, you don't get much on a regular burrito, and all toppings cost a buck. You want hot sauce and pico de gallo? Well, that's an extra two bucks. Want chips? Another dollar. Salsa? Make sure you get a personal order (another dollar), as the default order is for more than one person, and costs more than $2. I guess if you want a burrito that's a step up from Taco Bell, go to Mexicali. But just know that it's not an authentic burrito by any means, and if you don't pay attention to what you order, you could end up paying more than you would like.
(2)
D L.
Meh, not the best burritos I've ever had, but not the worst. They have a salsa bar too, which is kinda neat I guess. The Monterey burrito is decent.
(3)
Chu C.
This is a small fast food burrito place off of Tech Square at MIT. I saw people going in there, so I thought, it must be pretty good to compete with Anna's Tacqueria, which is located inside the Student Center and much cheaper. Not so much. My friend had the steak burrito in a whole wheat tortilla, and I got the spicy chicken burrito. There's nothing wrong with the food, it just doesn't stand out in any meaningful way. It tastes fresh and homemade, but for $6-8 burritos, I was kinda hoping for something really good. I guess it's pretty good for the more health-conscious among us. MexiCali charges according to how many toppings you want, though sour cream and guacamole are the same price as everything else, unlike Anna's. They also have fruit juices and Mexican horchata, though I didn't get to try that today. They have a small salsa and jalepeno bar, so you can spice up your food. It's a clean decor with a mix of tiny tables and those high tables and stools, and doesn't get too loud, even during lunch hour. But that could be a problem for this place with decent Mexican food that's kind of overpriced. I don't know how they can compete with Chipotle, let alone Anna's.
(3)
Jorge C.
Complicated menu (read overpriced if you want all the toppings) and, just like most of the reviewers mentioned, massive structural issues with the rollup of this burrito. Mine not only collapsed under its own sogginess but it was rolled sideways so it was all guac and salsa on one end and all chicken on the other... The taste is not bad and the yogurt replacement of sour cream is a good new-age/California addition, however Anna's at MIT still worth the 5 minute extra walk... Oh, and they don't take AMEX either :-|
(2)
Stephanie B.
MexiCali is awesome. The food is delicious and they use natural ingredients, whole wheat and white tortillas, healthy ingredients like vegetarian chili, grilled vegetables, and tofu for burrito fillings (as well as the usual stuff). The staff is really friendly!
(5)
Shannon A.
Here, here for another lunch spot in Kendall Square! I just wish it was better than above average. The food is good, but it's no Anna's, no Boca Grande, no Jose's, no Picante. They do burritos "California Style" and offer some unique toppings (I like that you can get yogurt instead of sour cream). That, and the salsa bar is great...the tomatillo salsa has the perfect tang to it and they offer some great options (smoked tomato, carrots and cilantro, etc). The issue I had was the actual burrito - my veggie burrito was lukewarm in places, cold in others, and the cheese wasn't melted. Maybe the joint is working out some opening kinks, and maybe I should have gotten a meal with some warm protein in it. Either way, it's nice to see a new place for us working stiffs, and I'm sure I'll give it another shot for some lunchtime fare.
(3)
Tucker W.
I'm pretty shocked at the lukewarm to bad reviews on here. I'm a big burrito fan, and I think this place is awesome. Great, fresh ingredients, savory and high quality meat that is seasoned in various, tasty ways. Blows away a place like Boca Grande, which routinely burns its chicken, has gristle at times, etc. Give it a try - again, i don't understand how people don't like it. I think it practically beat Anna's.
(5)
Liz M.
I love this place. While I love me an Anna's burrito every once in awhile, I prefer this place because the ingredients seem higher quality, fresher, and there's more variety (plantains! citrus chicken! yummm). So, I'm willing to pay a bit more for it. Also, I'm a huge fan of their salsa bar. The salsa verde is my favorite!
(4)
T. Y.
I love all the vegetable-based fillings they have here. The roasted corn and spicy green bean are my favorites. The achiote chicken is really good too (especially when combined with the roasted corn). My only complaints are the texture of the tortilla (they could benefit from a tortilla steamer like the one at anna's), and the fact that their burritos are a little pricier than I like to spend on lunch. The people who work here are always very friendly and efficient. Long lines move quickly.
(4)
Katie C.
Service was fast and the people were helpful and nice, but this burrito was lame! Not tasty at all, poorly wrapped, i got a beef burrito, and it was a mess of sogginess and no taste. It was 5 or 6 or 7 dollers, i dont remember, and huge. but i would never go back. not worth it.
(1)
Kimberly P.
So thoroughly mediocre. Like.... nothing I had had any real flavor. The "hot" sauce tasted like heat. Thats it. No pepper taste, no tomato taste... it tasted like really watery leftover liquid from salsa with heat added. The chipotle mushroom burrito was meh... I ate it because I was hungry not because it was good. I won't venture back to this MexiCali... I'd rather go back to Philly where there is a little tiny hole in the wall also called MexiCali that actually serves good food that tastes like something.
(1)
Dan M.
Terrible. No tomatoes/Guac without cilantro. They make softballs not burritos. I work at Forrester which is right next door, but I recommend walking about 15 minutes by MIT to Anna's. Mexicali should research how to make a burrito and the concept of adjusting to customers to get return business.
(1)
Jon R.
Pros: It's in Tech Square, is cheaper than Quiznos, and is open after the food truck has left for the day. Cons: It's not Anna's, or Jose's or Picante. Everytime I go here, I keep thinking I'll get something tasty, and I keep being disappointed. The only halfway decent option is the Monterrey, but beware that the ingredients in the burrito bear no resemblance to the ones on the menu. Apparently they changed the ingredients two years ago (it now has beans) and never bothered to change the menu board. Their Chipotle Mayo is great, and the Achiote chicken is pretty good, but especially with the prices, it's not worth the trip.
(2)
Buck W.
Their tofu burrito is awesome, but they tend to run out of tofu mid-afternoon. They also have rotating daily veggie options. Their refried pinto beans are tasty and vegan, but the guacamole is NOT vegan. Overall a very tasty burrito.
(4)
Kristina M.
Not bad at all. They have fresh ingredients, whole-wheat burritos and even some fairly creative vegetarian/vegan options as well as a small but decent salsa bar. Nothing in particular to write home about, but absolutely appropriate for an occasional quick lunch. Prices are decent, too.
(3)
Edward F.
MexiCali claims to be inspired by the food in San Francisco's Mission District. I've been there, and I can't see the resemblance. Anna's is much better. The tortillas are just not right. You can't just take a tortilla out of a plastic bag, warm it on a griddle for a few seconds, and serve it up. Unless it was just freshly made (which nobody around here does), you need to steam it to make it soft and pliable. They don't roll them tightly enough, so they end up floppy and likely to fall apart. The menu nickel-and-dime's you for toppings that I would expect to be no extra change, like pico de gallo and hot sauce. And to those who are saying "at least it's healthier", I think your definition of healthy is stuck on the last discredited fad. Canola oil isn't so good for you. You're probably better off with the traditional lard.
(1)
Christine T.
This place is alright, its decent fresh mex. The food quality was decent, the veg acutally good. My biggest complaint taste wise was maybe they weren't busy enough to have fresh ingredients cause the beans were dry and over cooked. I also had a Super Taco with barbacoa, which was disappointing because its expensive for a freaken taco. $4 for a little corn tortilla with meat and veg. I'm sorry there were 2 corn tortillas one under the other. The meat was alright a little tough for barbacoa. The only reason its a super taco is because it has all the toppings they offer, not because its big. Which is the normal stuff people put on a taco, lettuce, cheese, salsa, sour cream. Guacamole i can understand charging extra for, but here its an extra 40 cents i think if you want more than 2 on your taco. Maybe i'm a mexican food snob and i spend too much time in mexico eating GREAT tacos for 50 cents US. It seems like the burritos are the best way to go, you get a little more bang for your buck. For those who like spice, the salsas (sauces) are a little bland and the pico de gallo is too oniony in my opinion. The space is a little cramped for seating and the flow of standing in line ordering then getting your drinks sauces and napkins is not user friendly.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Accepts Bitcoin : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Roberto C.
Wasn't really blown away here, but it's one of the only oasises (oasii?) in the desert that is tech square (unless you want that awful quiznos). They have absolutely no idea how to roll up a burrito. I can do a better job @ home. It's loose & saggy & goes all over the place, it's not easy to eat @ all. I'd rather take a walk to boca or picante which are far more authentic w/latinos hosting the festivities. Let a gringo roll a burrito & you get something close to taco bell.
(2)Dave J.
Another mediocre burrito place in Boston. Good variety of food, I like the vegetarian options and the nonfat yogurt as a sour cream substitute, but the burrito just tastes like nothing. There's no tomatoey flavor from the pico de gallo, very little cilantro essence, and it's just kind of a big squishy ball of stuff. The staff is friendly, but for an $8 burrito, I expect something really tasty.
(2)Emily M.
As a Californian stuck in Cambridge for years the terrible attempts at Mexican food have been the beign of my existence. MexiCali gets 5 stars because they use shredded cheese. I have no idea why any self-respecting eatery would plop down a slice of cheese on a tortilla and think it's okay. Must be a New England thing. They also make their own chips, their guacamole is delicious, their beans are never watery, and neither is their pico de gallo, so your burrito wont fall apart, and after eating here I don't feel like I've increased my chances of heart disease, unlike some other greasy burrito places. They have yogurt as an alternative to sour cream, two types of chicken, chile relleno, and they serve their quesidillas with chips. I say for a discerning burrito eater this place is a gem. They also do deliver after 5pm through campusfood.com
(5)matt k.
Tasty, but my two-filling, one-tortilla burrito quickly exploded due to a breach in one wall, necessitating a fork for meal completion. I liked the options for veggie fillings, but I think by default they put in too much stuff to taste anything in particular. I will probably return, and I will cut out the cheese and possibly the rice (for reasons of structural integrity)
(3)Teju P.
Its like visiting California - without the painfully long flight. They have vegetarian beans and sides. You have the option of sour cream or yogurt on your burrito... and they have a salsa bar! It is a big enough place to sit down and eat but more conducive to parties of 4 or less. A nice addition to the lunch options in Kendall Square.
(5)Mike J.
This place has very friendly and fast service! The burritos are very large and all the ingredients are fresh and the meats are fantastic! Very delicious food! The horchata was great as well! Only downside is if it's lunchtime and your hungry there is a good chance you'll be taking it to go or standing to eat the monster!
(4)Brian K.
I think my review is going to be similar to a few others here who share the same opinion. I went here today even after a coworker told me it was terrible and overpriced. I really wanted to give it a chance especially since kendall sq aka the dude ranch has no good food places to speak of..... i ordered the monterey burrito and was very underwhelmed for my $9 with a drink. it is too bad their burritos do not match their salsas or the few pieces of chicken in my burrito. the chicken was actually very tasty although they only gave me a few pieces and loaded the thing up with beans and then rolled it into a softball just as mentioned in other reviews. i had to eat the thing with a fork and knife...is that what they do in california? honestly, i dont care what california style burritos are, i want more meat than beans and i want cheese in my burrito. this place is a one and done! too bad the best food in kendall sq comes from trucks that have disappeared and convenient stores. Eric I hope your reading....
(1)Nat S.
What a let down. Finally a burrito place in Tech Sq. to supplement the Jose's truck and it blows. The atmosphere is bizarre- corporate yet south of the border...? The burritos were akin to Chipotle. The guac had the consistency of lumpy ranch dressing. I had a burrito with sour cream and guac along with a soda and it was $9.30. Could that be right? They get it wrong on so many levels: flavor, assembly, offerings. The salsa bar was completely laid to waste, so I went without. For their sake I hope they have a short lease. My dining partner would have preferred Quiznos....
(2)Ja H.
Ok. More interesting than Boca and the big chains but not as good as Anna's or Felipe's.
(2)Darryl H.
Overpriced and not tasty. I'd walk through MIT to Anna's if you want better
(2)M C.
They hardly heat the tortilla. Tastes bland, homemade (in a bad way) and its fairly expensive for what it is. Nearby Picante in central square is a MUCH better option.
(1)Jeff C.
This review is for the "Burrito Cabana" location, not the regular brick and mortar store. I bought two burritos with an internet deal: one with the vegetable of the day (Mexican squash) and the other with steak. These were both the worst tasting burritos I've ever had. Now I'm used to tasteless bland "Mexican" (this is Boston after all where Anna's Tacqueria is a lot of people's idea of "good Mexican"). And I would have preferred tasteless and bland. This was just ugh. Sadly I have 3/4 of the steak burrito leftover for lunch at work today - it's either eat it or starve. I'm not looking forward to it.
(1)Tammy K.
You know how authentic Mexican joints sometimes have pictures of Mexico on the wall? This place has pictures of authentic Mexican restaurants on the wall. And that about sums up what this burrito joint is about. Authenticity aside, these burritos are pretty tasty. The guacamole and pico de gallo are fresh and delicious, and they are included in the price of most of the burritos. The fillings are also tasty -- especially the spicy chicken. Extra star for having a complimentary salsa bar. The green salsa verde and onion/cilantro mix are the perfect accompaniment to any burrito.
(4)Chris R.
Its not often that a new food option opens up near Kendall, and the opening of MexiCali was much anticipated by my officemates (at least one of them) and I. Unfortunately, I found much to be lacking with my experience at MexiCali. First of all, the line moved slowly. I know this place is new, but burritos shouldn't take that long to make. The way the menu works is odd. The lowest "level" of burrito contains one filling and two toppings. The next level contains two fillings and all the toppings. I've never considered putting two different types of meat in a burrito, so I guess with the second level I would get two servings of one type of meat? It turns out this might be necessary because my carne asada burrito with one "filling" had about four pieces of meat in it. On second thought, I'm not sure I would want more of this carne asada because it was dry and bland. Anyway, I found the menu to be poorly designed. I hate gimmicky menus. The staff were reasonably nice. But, my burrito was incredibly poorly put together. It was basically this blob that was impossible to eat in any reasonable way. This would have been entirely acceptable had the burrito been tasty, but it was not. The last straw for me was when I visited their website. They have all these pictures of restaurants in California and compare themselves to the taquerias in the Mission District in SF. Wishful thinking my friends.
(2)Weijia Z.
got the spicy chicken burrito but can barely see any chicken, mostly beans and rice!!
(1)Dom M.
I wasnt really that impressed. First, the set up is a mess. You can only fit about 8 people in line before it has to go outside. Good luck with that in the winter. Second as someone else pointed out, the burrito was sloppy. Thing was falling apart before I even bit into it. I had the bean town and it was ok. Its a good size burrito but you dont really get much with it. I added yogurt to it and they charged me a buck, which while its only a buck seemed a little silly for a spoon full of it. The wrap was dry too. I actually think its a little on the pricey side for what you actually get. I went with a coworker who got the east LA, he said the chicken was good but he didnt see much difference from Anas.I also went to school in amherst so I compare everything to Bueno y Sano, which is hands down the best burrito place in the state.
(2)olivia s.
This is yet another place that makes me feel ill and I try to avoid eating here because of this fact. BUT the staff is super friendly and they offer what appears to be decent vegetarian options. So I give Mexicali 2 stars instead of 1.
(2)Pokey R.
Pales in comparison to Anna's. The chips are thick, crunchy, and still oily. The steak is chewy, not tender. The burrito is a thick wrap - stands out, but with its blandness. The guacamole is nothing special, though the salsa is nice. Expensive for a quick Mexican burrito place.
(2)Greg S.
After waiting out the initial wave of Kendall-ites and their desire to have something new to eat in the area, I decided to go here for a late lunch one day (1:30). There were still quite a few people waiting in line because of the confusion with the menu mostly, and one guy who couldn't put down his cell phone long enough to order a burrito. Anyway, there are fillings and then there are toppings, for their burritos. I am the type of person who likes all the toppings on my burrito and one filling, like chicken for example. The problem with MexiCali is to get all the toppings you have to pay for a two filling burrito. In my mind that was a little bit of a rip off because toppings are much cheaper then fillings. Oh well, as for the overall taste of the burrito it was bland and the one topping they didn't have was hot sauce which could have made it better. My other knock is the burrito construction itself, there is a reason why Boca and Anna's steam the tortillas it is so the burrito stays together, this burrito which wasn't even rolled properly, all meat on one end and toppings on the other, fell apart the minute I unwrapped the top most part of the foil, luckily my co-worker had a plate and a fork I could borrow.
(2)Roberto S.
Chile relleno is more like a cheese omelette that was then warmed on their grill. I found very few pieces of Chile in my "Chile relleno", it was mostly egg and cheese. I believe this item should be either removed from the menu, or sold for what it is, but please stop calling it a Chile relleno. Service is fast and prompt, nothing to complain on the service and cleanliness of the locale, but the foods leaves a lot to wish. Salsa's lacked overall flavor and depth as well as the food, so I was forced to use some salt. Despite generous portions and nice service the food quality was not worth it. I would prefer their competition any time.
(2)Kassandra L.
Great portion sizes, and I love that when I order an item but don't require all the toppings they adjust the price. Try the chips with the homemade chipotle sauce! If they bottled that sauce they could make millions.
(4)Sofia S.
I bought a coupon to eat here on living social. After spending 20 minutes trying to find parking, we finally got to Mexicali Burrito at 7:30. Even though they close at 8, they were already cleaning everything out. They rudely said they were out of rice and beans, didn't seem to understand or acknowledge why this might be an inconvenience. One of the people who worked there kept telling us we could have nachos. Uh.. we didn't want nachos for dinner, which we told him but he kept repeating himself. No apology or anything. Needless to say, I asked for a refund on my coupon
(1)Emma B.
Their "delicious squash soup" is, well...actually delicious. Their burritos are great- you can really taste the hint of zesty onion/lime/something in the guac or salsa. Best burrito I've had in Boston yet and DOUBLE the size of the one you get at Anna's for more or less the same price. Mexican squash filing is also a good unique option. And let's not forget the home made hot chocolate- thick, rich hot chocolate that will render your office's free Swiss Miss just pathetic in comparison.
(5)Sharon O.
"A-OK" sums up the burrito experience at MexiCali. Their location is convenient, and the line moves pretty quickly- which definitely what makes it a place I'm sure you'll find me again. Here's the run down on how to order: Most options either have you pick 1-2 fillings with 1-2 toppings.... "Fillings" here = meat [pork, beef, steak, or 3 types chicken] (or veggies if going the vegetarian option) "Toppings" here = pico de gallo, guac, shredded cheese, sour cream or nonfat yogurt, shredded lettuce Personally, I like 1 filling with all the toppings...which curiously, is only an option for the vegetarians among us! Ultimately, I ended up choosing the "Monterey" (a special chicken burrito). But I'll have to come up with some sort of compromise on the toppings because the guajillo-marinated pork sounds tasty... next time in. Skip the limeade if you're looking for punch-you-in-the-face lime flavor. There's some seating room, which is nice- ideally your party is 4 people or less or come on the early side.
(3)Diana H.
Mexicali is my go-to lunch place on workdays. They're quick, courteous, inexpensive, and delicious. I think what makes their food so good is the freshness of everything. I highly recommend this place if you're looking for good eats cheap.
(5)Brian K.
Definitely not the best burrito I have ever had, but definitely not the worst, either. I'm not a huge burrito fan, or from California, so I can't speak to authenticity or the finer points of burrito ingredients, but it was good enough for a workday lunch. They could aim to be a little less blah, but I appreciated that it was not a killer gut bomb either.
(3)Shaina P.
Maybe you noticed, maybe you didn't ... Mexicali Burrito caters! And for serious, they take the nut for Mexican food catering (as compared with Picante catering... which technically wasn't catered, because I couldn't justify paying their delivery fee, so I picked up and was utterly dismayed) in Cambridge for their superb pricing, appetite-filling, responsiveness, accommodating-ness, and kindness. The baseline cost for the burrito platter was $70 for 10 orders, including 10 full sized burritos with a filling choice, cheese, rice, and beans; and chips, salsas, and paper products; more than enough food to satisfy 10 hungry co-workers. Oh, but did I have a convenient 10 co-workers to satisfy? No, I had 15. And Mexicali ACCOMMODATED that number with the same unit pricing (i.e. $7 per person). Add tax and 10% delivery fee, and you're still much less than $10 per person. The burrito was girthy and filled with a higher rice/bean to filling ratio than what you can expect from the store, but it was still very satisfying and quite manageable for consumption. With the addition of 2 large guac-sides and those sauces (+some self-purchased sour cream), the overall tastiness improved. I also have to give a hand to Eric, who coordinated the order, responded to all 4 of my ridiculous email inquiries, and even delivered the meal (on time, no doubt). He confides that they respond best to phone calls, but I'm a busy lady and deal much better with email; and certainly know a thing or two about not receiving email responses in the immediate; so really really, this was no concern. Will I order catering again from Mexicali? Heck yah.
(4)D Z.
I eat lunch at this place just about everyday. Great homemade tasting food, inventive vegetable fillings. Service is fast and friendly. Homemade hot chocolate just doesn't get any better. Free salsa table is a great touch.
(5)Todd R.
MexiCali is a family-owned, California-Mexican style burrito spot in Cambridge, MA (Kendall Square). They offer a sizable menu featuring standard and unique choices of burritos, tacos, and soups and salads. There is ample room to dine in, and the counter service is quick enough for take-out if you are in a rush. The restaurant is very clean with sunny ambiance and friendly staff. In addition to their permanent menu, MexiCali serves daily specials, many of which are unique takes on California-Mexican fare. During my last visit I ordered the Squash Quesadilla - that day's special - and I was blown away. I'm quite sure I could not find anything like it in the area. Highly recommended.
(5)Alex C.
Mexicali is near my job, and is very convenient. Unfortunately, that's about where the good things I have to say in this review end. While it's typically mobbed around 12 pm, Mexicali really brings nothing good to the table. All food options at Mexicali are BLAND AND FLAVORLESS to the extreme, as other reviewers here have mentioned. It's really quite remarkable; instead of the zesty potpurri of exciting flavors that good Mexican food can provide, Mexicali offers a knotted morass of mediocrity. All of the "different" chicken options taste identical. Even the "spicy" chicken is putridly absent of real flavor. The "hot" sauces provided at Mexicali barely even register as present as they are hurried down your throat by your now-upset tongue, craving absent taste stimulation. In addition to being tasteless food-matter, the burrito pricing is convoluted, and in general, quite overpriced. A (bad) burrito sans guac and a small drink shouldn't be almost 10 dollars. Finally, I must make a note about the workforce at Mexicali. As far as friendliness goes, they're neutral, though they seem to be exceptionally downtrodden and perhaps pessimistic about their lives. I do not believe that the workers at Mexicali are treated very well. Another reviewer here mentioned the weird "boss is watching" atmosphere. It's a real thing, and it's unnerving. The employees appear to be on edge, or perhaps intimidated at gunpoint by an invisible man standing with them behind the counter. Once, I had the displeasure of overhearing one of the managers interview a prospective new hire. The gist of their conversation was that new hires wouldn't be allowed to touch any money for a long time for fear of theft, and that they would be monitored while preparing their personal lunch items to ensure that they didn't "steal" more of the bland and flavorless meat than they were intended to have. It's never a good sign when the interviewer babbles on about all the conditions under which the interviewee could get fired or censured. In sum: bland, terrible, overpriced food, and a bad working environment.
(1)Jessie C.
I'm going to be totally up front with this review. I love Anna's. I have always loved Anna's and I always will love Anna's. I just wanted to put it out there before staring my review. Overall - not bad, but not good either. Bland would be the best way for me to describe these burritos. I love salsa and didn't even see the salsa bar when I walked in. That could have been my bad since I went at noon but still. I had the mexicali burrito with guac and cheese. Here are a few of my gripes: #1 Don't charge me for cheese on a burrito. Just put it on there. #2 I'm happy to pay for guac but this was a little generic, maybe a little lime or salt or cilantro? #3 Chicken - it was bland. All I tasted was the beans. I see a lot of reviews about this place - honestly, a burrito wrapper isn't healthy no matter how you slice it. Fresh ingredients don't always equate to healthier either. I do agree, however, that these ingredients did seem fresher than elsewhere. I also liked that the staff was pleasant. That's always a plus.
(2)Steve L.
I've been going here quite regularly at lunch for several years. They always have quality ingredients, and the dudes who work there always have a smile. They've long since learned my preferences, and they remember even when I've been away for a long while. Good guys and good food.
(5)Jeremy K.
This isn't your typical Mexican burrito shop; this is a California-style burrito which is very different than the regular one. First off, it is less greasy and thus healthier, second of all the ingredients in it and prepared differently and you will immediately feel a difference once you bite in it. I can't describe it, it's just different. I give them a few stars just for that. They managed to bring me right back to Los Angeles in just one bite. Their achiote chicken is very nice, well marinated with a slight tangy/citrucy flavor. Very pleasant. The place is air conditioned and has good street parking but does get busy during the regular work days lunch hour peeks. The staff is friendly and they even have an alternative to the regular sour cream: yogurt! How cool is that! The prices aren't bad either. Oh and two more things I'd like to add. Their salsa bar isn't big but it's very well designed and very good. Secondly, they have this vegetarian filling alternative featuring squash, and a bunch of other unexpected vegetables. Kinda cool too!
(4)c. wallace o.
This is my third time visiting Mexicali. Its definitely "Meh. I've experienced better". Positives (+): * The homemade chips * decent salsa bar * the concept of a good SF mission style burrito spot. Negatives (-): * the execution of a SF mission style burrito spot. * not very flavorful ingredients * the annoying gimmicky pricing structure! ----- If you are a burrito shop you should include whatever makes your burrito good, then allow people to make modifications if they want, not the other way around?? With Mexicali its confusing and you either get nothing for pretty cheap or too much for too much. It feel like some twisted food game that you lose either way you choose. * Lastly the staff are relatively friendly but there is a weird "boss is watching" vibe that makes the ordering experience unpleasant.
(2)Ian C.
Mexicali has really great food. If you like Chipotle, you'll love Mexicali! Everything tastes extremely fresh, and their homemade chips are delicious. Substituting yogurt for sour cream is a great choice - tastes the same and it is so much healthier! The staff is also extremely friendly and patient. I hope when the new Chipotle opens nearby, Mexicali doesn't lose too much business! My only complaint is the hours... I wish they were open on weekends! And later on weekdays!
(4)Lia B.
I recently tried MexiCali because it's so close to campus. I was very pleasantly surprised. I know that Boston isn't the best place for Mexican food, but this is good. The burritos are fresh, with a great topping to rice ratio -- some places put in way too much rice (like Boloco), but this is good. If you're expecting to be able to add toppings in the way you can at Chipotle, you'll be disappointed. But basically all the combinations are on the menu. And the staff was really nice about substitutions. There's also a little condiment bar with onions and cilantro, and all sorts of salsa, which is convenient and nice. And the limeade is fantastic!! Any time I get a craving for a burrito, I hope that it's before 8pm, because that's the only drawback to MexiCali -- not open late. But they more than make up for it during the time that they are open.
(4)Ted B.
Their burritos are really not good. Check the picture of it that I uploaded if you want to see for yourself. I would suggest Anna's, the food court on Wednesdays (make your own tacos), the truck by the Coop, or a walk to the gas station in Beacon hill that sells burritos. Their super nachos are good, especially with buffalo chicken. So if that is your style, give them a try. Be careful if you want them to cater for you.... They only cater burritos.
(1)Kirstie L.
I love Mexican food to begin with, especially genuine Mexican food. Love spicy. The Spicy Rojo Chicken burrito with the habanero red chile sauce with all of the toppings is literally one of the best things that I have ever eaten. Every time I am in the Boston area, my number one thing to do when I arrive off of the T is to get a Mexicali burrito. I need one right now!!
(5)Nate M.
MexiCali has two locations near Kendall, this one and a popup shop at a garage near MIT Sloan School of Management: Pros: -Food quality is definitely decent, though the meat has been dry from time to time -Convenient location for Kendall Square Cons: -Flavors are OK at best, might be from sides and meats sitting out for extended periods -Serving size is lacking with the burritos - WAY too overpriced. Base burrito is around $6, but 4 toppings make a $8 burrito. I can understand charging more for guacamole and sour cream (standard at most Mexican places) but paying ~$0.50 for for salsa, cheese, lettuce (are you kidding me?) I only go here when I don't feel like walking to Anna's over the bridge or Chipotle is too busy. Save your money and go somewhere else
(2)Opal L.
I suppose it's quite fitting that this place is at MIT - the food tastes like a scientist created it. I was very hungry and ate it, so the fact that it was food and edible was cool. However, it really did not make me say, "wow, I should come back and eat here again". As some other reviewers were, I was drawn to this place with a groupon. This is the only place that has charged me tax, separate from the groupon. My order came to only $9.27 and the guy asked for 61 cents for the tax. That was strange. I gave it but thought that was strange. Ok, so I had a burrito with the beef and the steak. That sounds redundant but it wasn't. The beef is pulled bits of meat and the steak is in chunks. The flavor was kinda bland so I put some of the green stuff from the salsa bar on it. That made it a little better. I'm really not a Mexican food gourmand so I'm not sure what good Mexican food is. However, I can say that El Pelon's food has more flavor. I kinda like flavor.
(2)Tim B.
Reading some of the other reviews, I have to agree with some points but not the ones that say it's terrible. Anyplace that has an edible vegan option and not just a salad gets a couple stars anyway. And I like their burrito with either spicy tofu, green beans, or broccoli. I do end up using a lot of salsa, so I could see how some would say that it doesn't have bold enough flavors. I often get the veggie chili though, and the flavor on that is outstanding (IMO). In fact, I would love to get a burrito with that inside instead of the spicy tofu, which I find not flavorful enough. One last point for vegans: They put milk or cream in the guacamole, so that is not vegan. Dairy makes me ill, so I was thankful they told me, though I don't recall what I said that prompted them to do so. Update: I stopped going here. As I note above, the food is a bit bland, and I pay more than at my other option, the MIT food trucks. But then the portions here got even smaller, so I was paying double for half the food.
(3)Peter W.
The owners and employees seem like nice people, but this review is about the food: not good at all. Boston may not have the wealth of great burrito and taco places that a San Francisco or Houston has, but it's got plenty that are better than this! They seem like burritos made by someone who doesn't know what they're doing: they fall apart, they are too bread-y (or wrap-y as it were) and the overall flavor is blandfully bland. As burrito places go, this place almost isn't even one.
(1)John A.
This place is generic in many ways but they are super fast and that makes them a reliable place to grab lunch in Tech Square. The burritos are pretty much a clone of the Chipotle/Qdoba style. I guess if you're hungry then that's a huge plus but if you're looking for something more traditional then you're out of luck. Nonetheless, the food is good. I recommend the Monterrey burrito. It's a good helping of grilled chicken with pico, guac, sour cream and chipotle mayo. If you're feeling more original then you can go for the Watsonville and choose 2 meats and have any topping combination you want. Come here if you're hungry and looking for something fast and cheap.
(3)Ellomenno P.
Gringos making overpriced, underwhelming burritos. How they can charge $0.75 for jalapenos, a tiny sprinkling of lettuce or a tablespoon of salsa on a burrito with a straight face is beyond me. Also, it just wasn't that good. I could easily make a burrito of this quality at home. The rice was nothing special and overpowered by your standard black beans, which were too soupy. The roja chicken had a little flavor...but not enough to make up for it. Bland, expensive burrito. I'd put this place behind Anna's, Boca, Felipe's, Picante, The chinese burrito place in Southie, La Verdad, El Pelon, Boloco, Fresh CIty, Any of the restaurants that also make burritos, anything your mom could make, the frozen food section of Trader Joe's... the dumpster behind Trader Joe's.
(1)Nitya D.
It's alright, nothing special. I just had a platter with a cheese enchilada and a chile relleno, which also came with chips, guac, rice, beans, and pico de gallo ($9). But I didn't really eat the chile relleno (I'm really upset about this as I've been craving it for some reason or another since I woke up today). It's one thing to use an egg batter for frying something - but it's a whole different story to literally serve me an omelette with a pepper and some cheese inside and call it a chile relleno. If I wanted an omelette, I would've just gone to Friendly Toast. Everything else in my meal was decent but nothing really to write home about.
(3)P L.
1 star for poor food quality and mediocre service. I've eaten here at least 2 dozen times simply because its so close to where I work. When it opened I got really excited about having a burrito place so close to work. However I was quickly disappointed. The food quality is quite low, its quite often that the beans and rice are both undercooked. Whats worse than eating a burrito with undercooked rice? I say nothing. Additionally I'm not sure how they make their guacamole but its not great. It doesn't turn brown (good fresh guacamole SHOULD turn brown after a few hours), The portions are too big and the food leaves me feeling sick a few hours later. A few hours after eating at Mexicali I feel the same as if I had eaten at McDonalds or the chinese food truck. My stomach is churns and i don't feel like eating again for at least 6-8 hours (not in a good way). The mustached man is rude and cheap. I frequently order quesadillas which are just tortilla and cheese that i'm getting charged 6+ dollars for, well one day when the server was preparing my quesadilla I overhead him reprimand the guy for putting too much cheese in my quesadilla. He said something to the effect of "how are we going to make money if you put that much cheese in". Seriously? I'm paying 6+ bucks for a quesadilla and you're screwing me on the cheese? If this was primo quality cheese I'd understand but its no. I had high hopes for Mexicali but after a few years i've only be meet with disappointment. I eat there less and less and opt to walk to kendall square simply because if I'm going to pay that much for lunch I at least want better quality food than what Mexicali offers.
(1)Robin L.
Yes, I like Anna's too, since they have more interesting fillings. But this place is great and the staff is friendly and efficient. I like the Watsonville burrito because it includes all the toppings. (I hate saying "I want this, that, and the other thing" only to find that suddenly I'm being charged an extra $5. And for WHAT!) I'll come back and add a star if they start serving lengua burritos like Anna's :)
(4)ack c.
I frequent this place and am shocked by the reviews! So many mentions of Anna's that I wonder if some of the reviews are paid protests... I stop in here a few times a week and while it's not El Pelon, these guys are making good quality food. I don't worry that I'm eating institutional grade food here. They actually seem to care about ingredients. And as others noted they are fast and friendly. Maybe I haven't tried some of the other options that are bumming people out, but everything that I've had has been worth the walk, wait, and cash. And I'm tired of all the people from California laying claim to expertise in mexican food. Give it a rest already! And props for having area appropriate magazines such as science and nature!
(5)Ross G.
Been here a couple times, and got to say NOT a fan! the "Beef" is disgusting and looks super gross! Go to Anna's or chipotle!
(1)Nicholas S.
This is by no means authentic "California-style burritos". Growing up in California, I like to think that I have a good idea about what a burrito should taste like, and this is not it. Just naming your menu items after locations in California doesn't do it. Thankfully I had a $5 for $10 coupon or else I would have been a little more perturbed. I won't be going back.
(2)Jonny C.
Not half bad, considering I am no longer in California and it is downstairs from my office. The burrito was poorly rolled, but was fairly tasty. I got the Wadsworth which is two meats and all toppings (cheese, sour c, guac, lettuce, pico de gallo) The chille colorado and asada mix tasted sort of "do-it-yourself" burrito seasoning-ish, but not bad. Salsa bar was actually really good and fresh, I like the extra hot chipotle quite well. Tapatio at tables. Decent size, I was full for 7 bucks. It is certainly not the Mission Burrito joints in SF that it claims to mirror, but it's a fix. Ill be back at least a couple of times a month. 2 hours later and no tummy ache, no Montezumas revenge, nada mal en mi estomacho. !Que suerte!
(3)Jake M.
So witheringly bland and mediocre as to be almost forgettable, but then made offensively so by the outrageous price point. For eight bucks, I want my burrito to either a) make me forget about dinner, if I got it for lunch; b) feed me for two days and make me skip breakfast on the third; c) give me a handjob. MexiCali fails on all three fronts. The burrito is poorly put together, the ingredients stingily added and unevenly distributed, so you have dense pockets of meat here, rice there, sour cream the next town over, never to meet. On the other hand, the paucity of core burrito components, esp. meat, means I'm not in danger of slipping into a food coma post meal. Of course, I also forget that I've eaten five minutes later, and find myself either in need of another 8 dollar burrito - so perhaps they're on to something.
(2)Yash B.
I was in the MIT area, and saw this come up on my phone as a burrito place nearby so I went to check it out. It's a fairly new location, the recipes come from East Los Angeles (hence, the Mexi-Cali name), but this is the first restaurant open. Its a fairly standard looking burrito joint, a place to order, and then several small tables and a salsa bar in the corner (think Baja Fresh if you've been there). The ordering was interesting, there were several interesting burrito options. They have a bunch of vegetable fillings that rotate every day (they had lentils, corn, and squash when I was there), and I ordered a vegetarian burrito with corn, guacamole, and black beans. They have a wheat tortilla for an extra 25 cents. My burrito was pretty good. Not amazing, but not bad. The guacamole was ok, the beans were standard beans, and the lettuce and rice were also pretty standard. I actually really liked the corn vegetable filling. And I really liked the wheat tortilla. So, not an amazing place, but service was good, and the burrito was pretty good. I wouldn't go out of my way to go here again, but if I found myself in the area, I would go to check out the other vegetable fillings.
(3)Liz S.
This place is good, but Qdoba is better. Definitely try the Mexican hot chocolate. I'll probably come here again, but not if I have time to drive to Qdoba or even Chiptole.
(3)Jonathan B.
I tried their new remote location by Genzyme, and it will be my last visit. I went with three friends and we all gave it a thumbs down. So, what didn't we like. 1. Taste, the rice was hard, the filling tasted like a bunch of canned sauces on meat. You do wonder if the freshness is bad given the remote location and the fact that the food ls likely sitting in a warmer and is less than fresh 2. It was wrapped poorly, and became a giant mess including the fact that their was salsa on the burrito 3. Its expensive compared to the competition. I guess for me, its just wasn't a very authentic burrito and there are better burritos in the neighborhood. Their actual store is too far away, and I certainly wonder if its better.
(2)Deb S.
Think this place is great! Friendly, fast service, decent prices too. But most importantly, the food is great. Everyone at my office talks up the burritos, quesadillas and the salads.
(4)Herb D.
Ok, I'll admit it. I miss mexicali's taco salads. My company left the kendall area and now I am without delicious carnitas and black bean taco salads. Sad.
(4)Gwen K.
This is like what fake Ameri-Mex would taste like if it were prepared by people with no taste buds. Everything looked nice and seemed fresh, but had no flavor. While eating my weirdly-folded quesadilla with its poorly-distributed filling and spartan dose of cheese, I meditated on the many ways flavor could be added to my food. Salt came to mind. Vinegar or lime juice, maybe? Onion (other than the chunks in the pico, which despite its overdose of cilantro was the only flavorful thing on my plate)? Even some heat? These are basic flavoring tactics that any idiot with access to a pantry could use competently. I get bitter when I end up paying people to make me something that I could have fixed better if they'd let me go behind the line and make it myself.
(2)Lisa I.
The burritos are decent, but they're overpriced. You're better off eating at Anna's or Chipotle down the street. My boyfriend also got food poisoning from here once.
(2)John H.
My favorite burrito near MIT. To be fair, there aren't a ton of options, but Chipotle is opening up nearby, and even though Chipotle is one of my favorite places I know I will still frequent Mexicali.
(5)Angelina C.
Hungrily, I ate my Monterey burrito in about two minutes. From what I remember, the ingredients tasted fresh, the pico de gallo was tangy in the only way fresh tomatoes can be, my achiote chicken was deliciously citrusy, the tortilla was right off the griddle and the guac tied it all together. Not entirely authentic, but pretty good. Cheers on the mango bebidas, too! MexiCali: where you can wolf down a tasty burrito without spilling it on your lap.
(3)Alex S.
The MexiCali burrito (1 filling, 2 topping, rice, and beans for $6.52) is pretty solid, filling, and tasty lunch. As a vegetarian, I was thrilled to see all the rotating veggie options: spicy mushrooms, sauteed squash, or spicy tofu. The ingredients--including those at the salsa bar (the chipotle was fantastic)--are all very fresh and well prepared; not at all greasy or heavy. If you're in the area, I definitely recommend giving MexiCali a try. It won't blow you away, but it will do the trick. And the staff is incredibly nice and helpful. The one thing that sort of turned me off a little is what MexiCali considers a "topping." I think it's a little odd (read: cheap) to charge extra for shredded lettuce and pico de gallo. Not a big deal, but for the slightly high price, I was hoping for just a little more je ne sais quoi. And by "je ne sais quoi," I guess I mean fresh avocado.
(3)Deidred A.
I love burritos, and while Mexicali tries hard, it is probably the worst burrito place in Cambridge/Boston. Yes the store is clean, the staff is very nice, and the ingredients seem fresh, but the food is horrible. All of the fillings are dry, the burritos are always stale, and ingredients are off. The food just taste bad. The salsa bar is really more of a sauce bar. Also, as a place that makes it money off the staff, the prices are ridiculously high. $7 for a regular burrito? If you have a chance walk to Anna's at MIT center.
(1)Mark B.
Meh. I was excited with option of wheat tortilla and spicy tofu (it wasn't ) filling. My burrito was bland. I forgot there was guacamole in it because there wasn't any flavor. Can't recommend
(2)Matt L.
I go here at least once a week since it's close to work -- consequently I have tried many different combinations of ingredients. I can't speak to it's similarity to "California style" Mexican fare as I am from MA and frankly I don't care if it doesn't taste like the hole-in-the-wall joint you used to go to in Rio del Mar, so I'll leave that to the uppity West-Coasters. My winner has to be a wheat Watsonville (cheaper to get the Watsonville if you want more than 3+ toppings rather than adding on the extra charge for the same on a Mexicali, plus you get another filling!) w/ Chile Colorado Pork, refried beans, corn (if available, if not then get spicy green beans or double the pork!), guac, pico, and cheese. I have no idea how they keep the guac so creamy and delicious without adding citrus acid, but it works, and the guac is always perfectly fresh tasting. The total for that comes to $7.91, if I'm not mistaken, and that's definitely within the $7-9 average range I've found lunch meals to cost in the area so the price point is spot-on. The Chile Colorado has the most flavor for the non-poultry meats. I tried the Barbacoa once and it was a bit bland and mushy. Steak was OK but maybe a bit dry and harder to eat... I usually don't order steak burritos for that reason. No complaints about either chicken option -- both are quite good. Quesadilla was pretty standard but I much prefer Anna's Taqueria style in that department. Your best bet is to go while they have multiple people working the counter (i.e. lunch rush) to ensure your burrito is rolled correctly. Admittedly, some of the staff has trouble with that step, but not if you get one of the seasoned pros working the end of the line. They keep all the areas quite clean so no worries for germophobes. They rotate out the fillings/toppings as needed so everything is fresh. Don't be too intimidated by the line, it moves fairly quickly and there are usually free seats to eat in if you want. Portions leave nothing to be desired - you will NOT need a side if you get a Watsonville or larger. I did try the Big Sur once while hungover after not eating for about 24 hours and it was the size of my head -- it certainly delivered as "the biggest burrito in Boston". They also have Jarritos and a few other drink selections including Horchata for those of you who are into that. I don't think I've seen that sold anywhere else that I know of. Given the somewhat limited lunch selection for the area (at least in terms of good/fast Mexican food) and the welcoming staff I have to give it 4 stars for being a delicious beacon of burritoness in Tech Sq.
(4)Dianna B.
I gave this place a try on the premise that a) it was near work and b) offered burritos. The staff is very friendly and polite, everything looked clean. So far, so good. The burrito was OK, but mine had the same structural integrity issues that some other reviewers noted. Basically, halfway through, the burrito fell apart into a loose mush and I forfeited most of the remainder. Also, I thought the tortilla itself was a little dry (stale?). Next time, I'm going to Boca Grande instead -- at Boca, I get all the same toppings as Mexicali, PLUS guacamole, and a better burrito for just a little less $ . I'll probably only come back here if I'm short on time (and, if I bring a fork)
(2)Stephen M.
They make a good effort, but it's just not quite amazing. The meat is ok but not great. People are friendly though and they're pretty quick. It's great to have a burrito place closer to the office than Anna's or Boca Grande though. If I close my eyes and squeeze hard enough, I can pretend it's Chipotle. :(
(3)Chris W.
Their burritos are too short. Just like this review.
(2)David S.
Very good quesadillas, very good convenient location to MIT campus. The rest of the menu is OK, not spectacular.
(3)Doreen C.
I got the chipotle mushroom burrito bowl (black beans, rice, guac, and pico de gallo) - ~7.50. It was pretty flavorless and very soggy. There was a sauce that drenched my rice so by the end, I couldn't eat anything. Rice was also kind of hard. Although the staff is super friendly, the food is bland and not filling either.
(2)Mike F.
Food is ok, bit overpriced and they are SUPER stingy with the portions. Better to go to Chipotle or somewhere else.
(2)Ana V.
This place is super close to my work soooo I had to try it! I went in for lunch and had a spicy chicken burrito with beans, rice, cheese, and guac. It was fine. Nothing special. But it did the trick!
(3)Madoka K.
The burrito ingredients looked good, but I don't really eat those so I got an enchilada and it was super dry and disappointing so I didn't eat it after picking at it. The sides that came with the platter were just fine. I'd try something else here at least.
(3)Raina B.
Good Mexican food with so much better vegetarian options than anyplace else (e.g. Anna's)! They do some kind of squash, which took some getting used to - it's a sweeter vegetable - but I really like it. They have chipotle mushrooms - definitely have that smoky taste, which I don't enjoy. Portions are HUGE and very customizable - easily lunch and dinner. The pop-up's menu is slightly different than the restaurant. They cater for us all the time! Their chips are really good, salsas are ok. Guac is nice and chunky but not really flavorful. I find the burritos a little dry, as well.
(4)Mike F.
Very good burritos but PLEASE start draining more of the liquid out of the pork before putting it in the burrito. It's like trying to eat a water balloon and I end up with my face and hands stained orange. It tastes great but I don't even bother going there for lunch if I don't have time to take a shower when I'm done.
(4)Steve C.
I love this place. Their catering is a little expensive for beans/tortillas, but the food is really good. I've never really had a complaint and always got what I wanted. The burritos (especially the Big Sur) are enormous and taste great. The chips are fresh and crunchy and the salsa flows freely!
(5)Julius S.
We have Mexicali cater to Sloan frequently and honestly their food must be the worst Mexican I have ever had. The burritos taste like nothing, the salsas are so marginally tasteful it is saddening. Only the chips offer some hope in the dark but again- they are just chips.... Horrible food would never eat there after that catering service
(1)Laura H.
I have eaten here several times. The location is pretty good if you are on campus and it seems to be clean inside with a lunch line that moves quickly. The food is decent and only slightly overpriced which is good for Kendall Square. All around its a pretty good place for a quick lunch to go. My contention with this restaurant is the servers on the line. Every time I have come through one or more of the folks on the line have been rude. Not all the folks but always one or two. I don't expect gushing friendliness, stoic faces and monotone voices are fine and at least minimally professional. However, at this location service is at times outright rude or just plain snotty. I'll have my meal sans sass in the future please.
(3)Alissa P.
They offer mushrooms and do not skimp on the portions, a plus for a vegetarian. Also for anyone who loves guacamole as much as I do (it's a lot) they give massive portions. $6 (or more with more toppings) for a salad bowl with a huge serving of beans and guac with some fixings and that's about 2 lunches for me, and cheaper than most. A definite go to when I need guac, but the dressing is bland and otherwise, it's just a burrito place. Semi-confusing ordering, or maybe it's just me, I get nervous when I haven't made my mind up and they're waiting, and the Add-Ons sign is to the right of the window, hard to read and think and talk at the same time. The location being referred to is the outdoor cabana location in Kendall Square near Genzyme. It is a great area for a pop-up in the warmer months.
(3)Brian S.
I went here when I arrived as a freshman at MIT several years ago but haven't been often since it seemed a bit of a walk from campus. Once I realized I just needed to suck it up, I've been at least once a week as a grad student! I think this place is better than most of the Central/Kendall/MIT area burrito joints - the burritos are big, cheap, and sturdy; the tortillas are grilled, not steamed or fried; and the meat is grilled, not boiled, and always well-seasoned. You can tell there's real quality in the food and it's delicious. For $8 you can get a huge (4"x6" or so) burrito with everything, including guac. Don't get salsa as a topping unless you really want the pico de gallo - there's better to be had for free at the salsa bar (I always get the fire roasted tomato, with enough garlic to make it spicy and repel co-workers for hours). Staff is friendly, except when they're pushing the lunch crowd through, which they do with amazing speed. You can almost always find one of the co-owners working the line.
(5)Justin G.
It's very good. The quesadilla is fantastic. Crispy and tasty. Burrito wise, its good. I prefer it over Anna's but not as good as Boca Grande. I love when they do plantains, but they never seem to have them on the days when I go in.
(4)Mike S.
Lunch is good here. Mexicali has been part of my lunch rotation since it opened a few years ago. The steak quesadilla is good - better than the burritos. It comes with a large scoop of guacamole and salsa. I usually order plain chips to dip in those. Fast friendly service. Closes around 2pm usually so not convenient for late lunches. Unfortunately no longer open for breakfast.
(5)Kristine A.
This place rules, I totally dig it. I think they do a great job. I go there like every week for lunch & it's so tasty. As a vegetarian it's good to find places that can accommodate. Whole wheat tortillas & their fresh juices are a plus.
(5)Samuel F.
A little more expensive than the competition, but the selection of vegetable options is better than some. Taste-wise... well, it's tasty, but I'd go for Anna's or Boca Grande first. Still, it's a burrito joint right near where I work, so I find myself there for lunch quite a bit.
(3)patrick w.
I eat here one or twice a week. The ingredients are fresh and the price is about right. It really reminds me pleasantly of a LA taquerÃa, and it certainly wouldn't be out of place there. There are lots of good vegetarian/vegan options. There are very limited lunchtime food options around MIT (please don't mention the food trucks) this is a pleasant addition to the area.
(3)Amy P.
I have eaten at Mexicali (far too) many times and almost every time I've enjoyed my lunch. I usually get the Mexicali with Shredded Beef, Refried Beans, Lettuce, and Yogurt. I also get the Tomatillo sauce to jazz it up a little. The servers are always very pleasant (which is a miracle considering they need to ask the exact same question fifty million times a day). The price is decent for the size of the burrito. I don't find the chips appetizing at all though. They are v. greasy, to the point I had to throw most of them away as I was feeling sick. Summation: good, cheap, avoid the chips and enunciate your order
(4)aaron s.
Coming from California, where you can't throw a rock without hitting a taqueria, I am supremely disappointed by the burrito options in Boston. Typically, the most edible burrito around is at Chipotle's, and those are not "real" burritos. Nearby to my office is a Mexicali. If I'm in the burrito, they're the nearest place. Don't get me wrong, their burritos are edible. They won't make you sick or anything. However, the tortilla is doughy, you don't get much on a regular burrito, and all toppings cost a buck. You want hot sauce and pico de gallo? Well, that's an extra two bucks. Want chips? Another dollar. Salsa? Make sure you get a personal order (another dollar), as the default order is for more than one person, and costs more than $2. I guess if you want a burrito that's a step up from Taco Bell, go to Mexicali. But just know that it's not an authentic burrito by any means, and if you don't pay attention to what you order, you could end up paying more than you would like.
(2)D L.
Meh, not the best burritos I've ever had, but not the worst. They have a salsa bar too, which is kinda neat I guess. The Monterey burrito is decent.
(3)Chu C.
This is a small fast food burrito place off of Tech Square at MIT. I saw people going in there, so I thought, it must be pretty good to compete with Anna's Tacqueria, which is located inside the Student Center and much cheaper. Not so much. My friend had the steak burrito in a whole wheat tortilla, and I got the spicy chicken burrito. There's nothing wrong with the food, it just doesn't stand out in any meaningful way. It tastes fresh and homemade, but for $6-8 burritos, I was kinda hoping for something really good. I guess it's pretty good for the more health-conscious among us. MexiCali charges according to how many toppings you want, though sour cream and guacamole are the same price as everything else, unlike Anna's. They also have fruit juices and Mexican horchata, though I didn't get to try that today. They have a small salsa and jalepeno bar, so you can spice up your food. It's a clean decor with a mix of tiny tables and those high tables and stools, and doesn't get too loud, even during lunch hour. But that could be a problem for this place with decent Mexican food that's kind of overpriced. I don't know how they can compete with Chipotle, let alone Anna's.
(3)Jorge C.
Complicated menu (read overpriced if you want all the toppings) and, just like most of the reviewers mentioned, massive structural issues with the rollup of this burrito. Mine not only collapsed under its own sogginess but it was rolled sideways so it was all guac and salsa on one end and all chicken on the other... The taste is not bad and the yogurt replacement of sour cream is a good new-age/California addition, however Anna's at MIT still worth the 5 minute extra walk... Oh, and they don't take AMEX either :-|
(2)Stephanie B.
MexiCali is awesome. The food is delicious and they use natural ingredients, whole wheat and white tortillas, healthy ingredients like vegetarian chili, grilled vegetables, and tofu for burrito fillings (as well as the usual stuff). The staff is really friendly!
(5)Shannon A.
Here, here for another lunch spot in Kendall Square! I just wish it was better than above average. The food is good, but it's no Anna's, no Boca Grande, no Jose's, no Picante. They do burritos "California Style" and offer some unique toppings (I like that you can get yogurt instead of sour cream). That, and the salsa bar is great...the tomatillo salsa has the perfect tang to it and they offer some great options (smoked tomato, carrots and cilantro, etc). The issue I had was the actual burrito - my veggie burrito was lukewarm in places, cold in others, and the cheese wasn't melted. Maybe the joint is working out some opening kinks, and maybe I should have gotten a meal with some warm protein in it. Either way, it's nice to see a new place for us working stiffs, and I'm sure I'll give it another shot for some lunchtime fare.
(3)Tucker W.
I'm pretty shocked at the lukewarm to bad reviews on here. I'm a big burrito fan, and I think this place is awesome. Great, fresh ingredients, savory and high quality meat that is seasoned in various, tasty ways. Blows away a place like Boca Grande, which routinely burns its chicken, has gristle at times, etc. Give it a try - again, i don't understand how people don't like it. I think it practically beat Anna's.
(5)Liz M.
I love this place. While I love me an Anna's burrito every once in awhile, I prefer this place because the ingredients seem higher quality, fresher, and there's more variety (plantains! citrus chicken! yummm). So, I'm willing to pay a bit more for it. Also, I'm a huge fan of their salsa bar. The salsa verde is my favorite!
(4)T. Y.
I love all the vegetable-based fillings they have here. The roasted corn and spicy green bean are my favorites. The achiote chicken is really good too (especially when combined with the roasted corn). My only complaints are the texture of the tortilla (they could benefit from a tortilla steamer like the one at anna's), and the fact that their burritos are a little pricier than I like to spend on lunch. The people who work here are always very friendly and efficient. Long lines move quickly.
(4)Katie C.
Service was fast and the people were helpful and nice, but this burrito was lame! Not tasty at all, poorly wrapped, i got a beef burrito, and it was a mess of sogginess and no taste. It was 5 or 6 or 7 dollers, i dont remember, and huge. but i would never go back. not worth it.
(1)Kimberly P.
So thoroughly mediocre. Like.... nothing I had had any real flavor. The "hot" sauce tasted like heat. Thats it. No pepper taste, no tomato taste... it tasted like really watery leftover liquid from salsa with heat added. The chipotle mushroom burrito was meh... I ate it because I was hungry not because it was good. I won't venture back to this MexiCali... I'd rather go back to Philly where there is a little tiny hole in the wall also called MexiCali that actually serves good food that tastes like something.
(1)Dan M.
Terrible. No tomatoes/Guac without cilantro. They make softballs not burritos. I work at Forrester which is right next door, but I recommend walking about 15 minutes by MIT to Anna's. Mexicali should research how to make a burrito and the concept of adjusting to customers to get return business.
(1)Jon R.
Pros: It's in Tech Square, is cheaper than Quiznos, and is open after the food truck has left for the day. Cons: It's not Anna's, or Jose's or Picante. Everytime I go here, I keep thinking I'll get something tasty, and I keep being disappointed. The only halfway decent option is the Monterrey, but beware that the ingredients in the burrito bear no resemblance to the ones on the menu. Apparently they changed the ingredients two years ago (it now has beans) and never bothered to change the menu board. Their Chipotle Mayo is great, and the Achiote chicken is pretty good, but especially with the prices, it's not worth the trip.
(2)Buck W.
Their tofu burrito is awesome, but they tend to run out of tofu mid-afternoon. They also have rotating daily veggie options. Their refried pinto beans are tasty and vegan, but the guacamole is NOT vegan. Overall a very tasty burrito.
(4)Kristina M.
Not bad at all. They have fresh ingredients, whole-wheat burritos and even some fairly creative vegetarian/vegan options as well as a small but decent salsa bar. Nothing in particular to write home about, but absolutely appropriate for an occasional quick lunch. Prices are decent, too.
(3)Edward F.
MexiCali claims to be inspired by the food in San Francisco's Mission District. I've been there, and I can't see the resemblance. Anna's is much better. The tortillas are just not right. You can't just take a tortilla out of a plastic bag, warm it on a griddle for a few seconds, and serve it up. Unless it was just freshly made (which nobody around here does), you need to steam it to make it soft and pliable. They don't roll them tightly enough, so they end up floppy and likely to fall apart. The menu nickel-and-dime's you for toppings that I would expect to be no extra change, like pico de gallo and hot sauce. And to those who are saying "at least it's healthier", I think your definition of healthy is stuck on the last discredited fad. Canola oil isn't so good for you. You're probably better off with the traditional lard.
(1)Christine T.
This place is alright, its decent fresh mex. The food quality was decent, the veg acutally good. My biggest complaint taste wise was maybe they weren't busy enough to have fresh ingredients cause the beans were dry and over cooked. I also had a Super Taco with barbacoa, which was disappointing because its expensive for a freaken taco. $4 for a little corn tortilla with meat and veg. I'm sorry there were 2 corn tortillas one under the other. The meat was alright a little tough for barbacoa. The only reason its a super taco is because it has all the toppings they offer, not because its big. Which is the normal stuff people put on a taco, lettuce, cheese, salsa, sour cream. Guacamole i can understand charging extra for, but here its an extra 40 cents i think if you want more than 2 on your taco. Maybe i'm a mexican food snob and i spend too much time in mexico eating GREAT tacos for 50 cents US. It seems like the burritos are the best way to go, you get a little more bang for your buck. For those who like spice, the salsas (sauces) are a little bland and the pico de gallo is too oniony in my opinion. The space is a little cramped for seating and the flow of standing in line ordering then getting your drinks sauces and napkins is not user friendly.
(2)