Mexico Lindo
449 Main St, Melrose, MA, 02176
Mexico Lindo Menu
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Address :
449 Main St
Melrose, MA, 02176 - Phone (781) 662-4056
- Website https://www.mi-mexicolindo.com/Welcome.html
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
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.
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Lizzy B.
If I could select NO stars I would. Last week my husband and I decided to try this place. I didn't have high hopes, but I thought it might at least be ok. I immediately had a bad feeling when we walked in. It was humid and dirty in the restaurant, and the host appeared to be 13 years old, and was hanging out with his friends. We were told we would have a 30 minute wait for a table, so we went to sit at the bar. We did consider going elsewhere, but as you may or may not know, the Malden/Melrose area has NOWHERE to eat. So we sit down at the bar and are completely ignored by a bartender who was acting like the bar was slammed when it wasn't.. The bar wasn't even half full. While we waited almost 15 MINUTES to get a drink, I had plenty of time to take a look at the food the was coming out of the kitchen, and it looked pretty bad - tired looking shredded iceberg lettuce on everything, orange cheese, you get the idea. So we get our lame house margaritas, and we ask the bartender for some menus as we decided to eat at the bar. I already wanted to leave, but my husband was starving and wanted to eat. The bartender throws one menu at us, and never looks at us again. It was enraging. So we walked out. I didn't want to even pay for our drinks but we did. I'm so glad we didn't hang around any longer (we were there for 45 MINUTES), to eat the slop that they serve there. DONT GO HERE!!!!!
(1)Adiam B.
New to the Melrose area and decided to try this Mexican restaurant. As soon as you walk in you the decor feels authentic! The chips & salsa was a great start! The waiter was prompt, it could be because it was a Monday night and it was not too busy. The food was perfect! And the price was reasonable!
(4)Karla M.
Good food and good service although the waiting time to get a table is always long due to the restaurant being on Melrose Main Street. Portions are big so you have extra to take home and I have to say is the only place that doesn't cheap out on the shrimp for their shrimp dishes
(3)Lu R.
Good place for Margaritas and large groups. Food is okay-average, not better than average. We often go because it is in walking distance from our house and their service its always really fast, which means they probably have a lot of this stuff pre-made. This could explain why they have never had the slow-cooked shank dish any of the times we have gone. They have a great deck if it is open and weather permits. Nothing special, other than that and the incredibly friendly hostesses.
(3)Amanda B.
Great stop while we were in Melrose, MA. The wait staff was exceptional, even when my toddler spilled water all over the floor! We walked right in and got seated, though it was the time in between lunch and dinner. The food was delicious, kid approved delicious.
(4)Laser s.
Closed? Does anyone know if this place is closed permanently? They have a sign up that says "closed until further notice" and their voicemail box is full! I've had better Mexican, but it's pretty good.
(2)Michelle T.
There was a 30 minute wait for our party of 5 on a Saturday night at 7:30pm, but the drinks and chips were well worth the wait. ;) I'd rec this place for groups of friends to hang out, drink, and have a good time! We got seated in the outdoor back patio/porch area where they have a bunch of tables and plastic chairs. ALmost immediately, we were served piping hot, freshly fried crunchy yellow tortilla chips in a basket with (what tastes like) homemade smooth, spicy, cool salsa. (AHHH I could eat those chips and salsa every day) Between the 3 girls, we shared a pitcher of peach frozen margarita, which came out to be a perfect 2 glasses each. I loved the margarita. Perfect blend of sweetness and balanced with not too much or too little tequila. Enough to get my Asian glow going after a glass, but not enough to give you a headache. Food on the menu was mediocre though. Our table shared the shrimp nacho's, which were actually QUITE gross. The chips were swimming in a deep pool of oil and cheese, and they actually appeared WET. What is actually a manageable sized dish of nacho's weren't even halfway finished and there were 5 of us. FAIL. Fish taco's were decent. The $14 fish were tender and warm, and I loved that they grilled the soft taco's first before loading it with fish. However, I TRULY missed some guac, salsa, or sour cream to go with the taco's. The rice and beans served on the side were not very tasty at all. I'd come back again for drinks and those delicious chips and salsa, but probably have to try some other dishes. NO NACHO's, that's for sure.
(3)Terry C.
Atmosphere (at the outdoor patio): The area was nice enough to be during nice weather, not windy at all. The music was overly loud during early dinner (around 7pm) to the point of having to shout to be able to be heard. The music itself was bad. Drinks: We house margaritas that tasted like they had no tequila in them. Just awful corn syrup juice with salt. Food: Meh. I had a veggie burrito drenched in what seemed like tomato sauce, and it all tasted sweet. More like Buweirdo. My wife had a veggie spinach quesadilla that was OK, but nothing to brag about.
(1)Valerie P.
Food is ALWAYS fantastic...by and far my favorite mexican anywhere. Great drinks, great food, waitstaff is attentive enough. Great outdoor seating when its warm!
(5)Shelly A.
I don't really see what people are talking about here; the service was atrocious, the food was average, and the portions were off. We ordered chicken and steak fajitas that came with a spoon of rice, it was expensive for nothing. Their homemade salsa was the only thing I enjoyed - we even got fried ice cream, but it was probably made two weeks ago and has been sitting in their freezer, it was gross. An overall disappointment.
(1)Shari M.
I still go here because I love the food. However the wait staff is never even polite. I almost feel as though the are frustrated we are there. It's a shame because the food is good, drinks are great, and it's a local place.
(2)Cristina C.
I used to frequent this Melrose gem when my Aunt lived in Melrose. I am not someone who enjoys Mexican food often, maybe 3-4x a year but if it ever comes up as a type of food to eat, I'd only want to come here. I went in recently with a friend during the day time and all my fun memories of this place came flooding back. I will certainly be back. I got the vegetarian burrito because it had a lot to offer. When I've come in the past with my Aunt we would split the fajitas and a pitcher or two of margaritas! Yum. Their house salsa is incredible by the way and the chips are so tasty. There is a back patio which is covered now so I'll make it a point to come back again and check it out.
(4)Dan G.
Get the mole! I don't know what else to say, but if you come here you gotta try at least one of the real Mexican dishes, other than the usual tacos and burritos. YUM! The decor is fun, the waitstaff are friendly and attentive and the chips are a plenty.
(4)Sarah E.
I'm a cheese enchilada connoisseur. I know, it sounds boring, but I like them. I'm originally from California, and like most Californians, I consider the local Mexican food to be superior to most of the country. That said, the best Mexican food that I have had is in Melrose, MA at Mexico Lindo. First, they provided a basket full of chips, which I find is quite rare anymore -- restaurants tend to skimp on the chips. The salsa was great! It's reason enough to go. The enchiladas were perfect! They had the right amount of cheese, weren't greasy, and the sauce was the best I've had. My better half had the chicken mole enchiladas, which he said were the best enchiladas that he has had also. Reasonable prices (both meals were under $12) and great service. Worth checking out if you're in the area and into Mexican cuisine.
(5)Rajen A.
My wife and I have been here multiple times and they are very good but have some consistency issues. The first time I went I was quite dissapointed - I had the chile rellenos and was underwhelmed. The second time, I discovered the pierna de peurco which is excellent. The mole poblano here is pretty good - not the greatest ever but very good. Service is pretty good if not very good. There's a few really authentic dishes on the menu and those are highly recommended. The servers are friendly but the place is absolutely packed most of the time. I've never had a really bad experience but its not a 5 star restaurant. The food needs to be more consistent for that to be the case.
(4)Jen T.
Went here for the first time on a gorgeous day to enjoy the patio. The patio I would say is half outside. It is covered with a(n apparently) regular ceiling, and can be a positive or negative depending on your preferences. The food (we got burritos) was ample, tasty, and inexpensive. The service, however, was very slow. They were not busy, but we had to ask several times for water, and the drinks took forever to come. Overall, it was a neutral experience. We may or may not be back.
(3)Emily H.
I have absolutely no complaints about this places food and atmosphere. Sometimes the servers don't seem at all integrated in being there but did delivery us quick nonetheless. I love love love their homemade chips and salsa and have never had a meal I didn't like. I bring my family there every time they're in town.
(5)Jaclyn S.
Mexico Lindo is the most authentic Mexican restaurant in the area. The margaritas are not watered down and are a must for all of the margarita lovers out there. If you are with a few people then ask for a pitcher as it ends up being cheaper. They also have sangria that is good and not too fruity. They also have Dos Equis on draft which is a pretty good beer. The chips and salsa are fantastic and before you know it you may have ate 2 or 3 baskets! The chips are obviously made by the restaurant as is the salsa and it's just too addictive. Good luck trying to stop eating them! If you like cheese then I'd recommend the chili con queso to also go with your chips. For dinner, I've only ever ordered the steak and/or chicken fajitas. It comes with rice, refried beans, guacaomle, sour cream and pico de gallo. The onions and peppers with the steak/chicken is flavored and cooked just right. I honestly have no desire to ever order anything different since I think these are so good. I've been to Borders and Margaritas and while both of those places are good, they do not compare to Mexico Lindo. The service is fine, and you may end up waiting longer for a table than you want to but it is worth it for those that love a strong Margarita and some good Mexican food.
(4)Christine D.
I love this place. There is a reason it is packed on Thurs- Sat nights. Fortunately we manage to find bar seats even when it's really busy. The bartenders are great, very efficient and friendly but not all over you. Unlike the more uptight restaurants in town, the clientele is very eclectic, hipsters, young professionals, sports lovers and empty nesters alike. Having spent a lot of time in Mexico I would say the food here is legit. If you want Americanized Mexican food go to Taco Bell. Margaritas by the pitcher is a good value.
(4)Tatiana B.
This is an average Mexican restaurant, it is nit bad but it is not fabulous. Though their soups were great.
(3)Melissa F.
I actually visit this restaurant the most of any place in Melrose. The food is good for what you can get for Mexican in the northeast. The prices are very reasonable and the menu is varied. Probably my favorite part about this restaurant though is the large deck they have out back. It's so hard to find a place with outside seating in the suburbs and this is such a treat in the nice weather. It's reason enough to visit.
(4)Thiago G.
This is our go-to Mexican Restaurant!! Melrose is kind of a dry town, so a nice bar that isn't too pricey or fancy is unheard of.. Until I went to Mexico Lindo :) I must have been there over a dozen times with my wife.. Food portions are very generous, their steak is excellent (Chimichura is my Fav) also you can't go wrong with their Nachos, Fajitas or quesadillas.. Be aware their apps are huge :) - my all time favorite here is the Wachinango (Red Snapper) I have ordered it for take out multiple times as well.. It's a deep fried white fish that is excellent with Lime and a cold Corona!! Good beer list Dos Equis XX on draft in Amber or the Lager - also as you would expect in a Mexican Place a long list of Tequilas. A new feature here is the outdoor patio in the back, you must ask about it bcz you would never know!! On a nice summer evening it's perfect out back, also they have a live band singing table to table during the busier nights of the week! A must go if you like Mexican Food :)
(5)Beth R.
The food was fabulous. The service, however, stunk. We went for Sunday lunch, just after noon, and there were only two other seated tables at the time we arrived. I ordered a Coke to drink, and the waitress did not inform me (ever) that they serve Pepsi products instead of Coke. I found it in the menu, later, and asked for (and got) something else to drink. However, that first round was our only round of drinks - no refills were ever offered or brought. When our food came out, my Arroz con Pollo came up first, along with all the "extras" for my husband's fajitas, plus a kids quesadilla (which we didn't order). None of the steak, chicken, onions, or peppers for my husband's fajitas and none of the chicken tenders and fries that we had ordered for our son. No mention was made of having to wait for it, either - she just disappeared for 3 - 4 minutes before approaching a newly seated table behind us. After about 12 minutes of conversing in Spanish with that table, the waitress returned with the rest of my husband's food and when I informed her the kids meal was incorrect, she swapped it for one she was carrying that was correct. Another 15 minutes later, she came by and we requested boxes, which were delivered quickly. The check, however, was ANOTHER 10 minutes. We never saw or spoke with a manager, and the waitress seemed wholly unaware that waiting 15 minutes for the rest of our food to come out isn't really acceptable. I would really love to find a great Mexican restaurant around, but Mexico Lindo isn't it - if they can't handle things with less than 25% of the restaurant full, I don't want to be near the place when it's busy.
(2)Bill M.
Food here is just ok. Definitely not fresh ingredients. The service is always horrible. It's like they don't appreciate your business. The salsa is the star of the show and it's a good place for drinks!! Keep the expectations low and you won't be too disappointed!
(1)Heather M.
The atmosphere of this place definitely gives you that authentic feeling, the colors are bright and beautiful, and the music is great...However...the service is very poor. On multiple occassions my server has gone missing for extended periods of time, leaving me to become frustrated, and they are definitely not the cheeriest bunch of people. As for the food, I have had much better. The only reason I have gone back is because the flavor of the queso is really tasty! Though the consistency is really thin and tends to drip right off the tortilla chip, they have right flavors. I have had a chimichanga and the beef is absolutely dreadful. DO NOT GET THE GROUND BEEF, it tastes almost dirty. The presentation of the plate is scary and almost unappetizing. You can tell they use cheap poor quality ingredients...On a brighter note, it is local, and convenient when in the mood for some queso and a magarita or two.
(2)Liana K.
This place never disappoints!! Seriously, once you eat the fajita or taco salad here, any others will just be a sad disappointment.
(5)Stephanie D.
The mararita pitcher we ordered was amazing! However, the food left something to be desired. I ordered the enchiladas. I felt that it needed way more sauce and cheese (flavor in general) but I did think that the rice that came with it was very good. The service was ok and the food came out fast after ordering. Overall, I've had much better mexican food at other places!
(2)Caitlin W.
Food = gross, I would not go here for the food, besides chips & salsa. Even the quesadillas are subpar, how can a mexican restaurant mess that up! Their taco salad is gross shredded lettuce and their guacamole just doesnt seem right. On another note, their margaritas & drinks are awesome!!! I have gone here multiple itmes with my fiance (we're within walking distance) and gotten a pitcher of margaritas, some chips and salsa and just hung out for a few hours at the bar. It's a great deal and time and the atmosphere is good in the bar. Will definitely go again for the drinks, but not for the food.
(3)S. H.
Went here with my sister just to try it out. I wasn't that hungry so I just had a shrimp quesadilla and some guacamole. I make my own guacamole with lots of garlic and cumin, so I'm fussy about getting it out. This was delicious. I have that cilantro "allergy" where it tastes like soap to me. There was some in both the guacamole and the sauce with the chips but it didn't ruin it for me. The waiter was honest about it when I asked before ordering. Anyway, I loved it. The shrimp quesadilla was incredible. Never had a shrimp one before and i can't wait to go back. I want to go when I'm hungry next time!
(4)CJ S.
Loved the food, drinks and atmosphere! Had such a good time and the Mariachi band was fabulous (Wed nights I guess) !!!! You'll have fun!!!
(5)Chris D.
The only reason I'm giving this place two stars is because they took my chimichanga off the bill after there was a hard piece of something in it that nearly cracked my tooth. This place is tacky, front to back. The decor is cheesy, the menus have celebrity tabloid quality photos of unappetizing looking dishes; et cetera, you've been to a place like this before and you know what I'm saying. Do yourself a favor and save yourself a few bucks and an overall bland experience and go to Border Cafe in Saugus. The only analogy I can give is that Mexico Lindo is to authentic Mexican cuisine as McDonalds is to authentic American cuisine. They know the keywords that ring authentic for any Mexican food enthusiasts that have watched food network once or twice (mole, masa, queso fresco, etc.) but really, their food is totally devoid of flavor and unapologetically underseasoned. Wait staff is scarce, very broken English, and hardly knowledgable or helpful. Would not recommend.
(2)Alyssa K.
My husband and I have been dining at Lindo's ever since we moved to the area three years ago. Mexico Lindo is our absolute favorite spot. The staff are friendly and attentive. The drinks are fantastic - my favorite is the homemade red sangria. Complimentary homemade salsa and chips are plentiful and yummy. The best item on the menu is the pollo a la crema. I've never had that dish anywhere else and will not order anything but! Truly authentic Mexican, truly exceptional food, great atmosphere and great staff.
(5)Alison S.
YUM. Outdoor (covered) seating, margaritas by the pitcher, delicious queso (and salsa!) and fantastic food, all topped with excellent service and a super clean and very friendly environment. We will DEFINITELY be back and we will be bringing our friends!
(5)Cassandra H.
Love this place!!! The burritos are great, love there chips and salsa, and there margaritas are to die for haha. Usually always get a great server.
(4)Cynara C.
This place is great. The food is excellent and the atmosphere is really nice. There is a marachi (sp?) band on wednesday nights and they are terrific. I highly recommend going here - don't spoil your appetite before you come - portions are huge.
(4)Nan A.
This brightly decorated american-Mex restaurant with comfortable booths has decent fare, with generous portions and reasonable prices.
(4)Margaret W.
We liked the free salsa and chips before our food arrived. Buffalo wings were very crispy and tender but not flavored or hot in the least. My husband ordered the Special Burrito, which arrived w/o cheese or burritos and sopping wet from the mystery "burrito sauce." I ordered a chicken burrito with green chile sauce. The chicken was in large dice (?), but at least the burrito had beans and cheese. Generous portions that we could not finish b/c they were so unappetizing. I hear the drinks are good, alas, didn't wash these down with any. And now, three hours later, my intestines are in nasty knots. Even if I live to see tomorrow, we won't be back.
(2)candice g.
Came here on a whim since it was in the way from route 1, Saugus to my brother in laws house in Malden. Service was friendly and prompt. Free chips and Salsa. Had a regular margarita. For $6.50, it was pretty good. Husband had enchiladas poblano and I had tacos al pastor. He enjoyed his plate but my plate was kind of gross. Couldn't pick up tacos. They were limp and greasy sprinkled with queso fresca. Just weird. All plates were garnished with a limp cabbage salad. Tacos al pastor is my go to. When in Mexico, i ate it every day. this was not a good representation. The plate also came garnished with a limp cabbage salad. Place is cute and homey. Come for the chips and drinks only.
(1)Mr. X.
After reading through the previous 150 reviews of this restaurant, I have noticed the following trend: 3, 4, and 5 star reviews- People who rave about the margaritas and who clearly engaged in healthy consumption of such beverage while dining here 1 and 2 star reviews- People who make no mention of the margaritas, and who either ate their meals sober or drank responsibly while dining here Conclusion- You need to be hammered to like the food here As someone who's eaten dinner here both sober and while under the influence of several margaritas, I can attest to the fact that the food does indeed blow if consumed sober
(2)Shawn H.
I had been searching for a good Mexican Restaurant in Boston for awhile and one night my wife and I spotted this place and decided to give it a try. Now we are regulars. I have since moved to Gloucester but will drive down to Melrose at least once a month just for Mexico Lindo The food is delicious. I pretty much always get my usual but I've never really been letdown. The food is very consistent although last summer I had a couple experiences where something was a little off. Whatever it was the food is great again and haven't had a problem since. Our food always comes out super fast. Last night the place was busy but our food was delivered to us probably less than 5 minutes after we ordered it. It's almost always that way. The chips and salsa are usually pretty good but sometimes they need to go a little easier on the cilantro. The service is good not great. There have been a couple of times we have had very mediocre service but overall it's usually up to par. There was a night when we had a server pretty much ignore us all night but thankfully we haven't had her again. The place is almost always busy which is a good sign. When it's really busy parking is tough but there's usually a spot around back. If you want a table on a Saturday night without waiting it's best to call ahead. If you don't mind sitting up at the bar there's usually a spot available. The restaurant is very clean and colorful. The atmosphere is delightful. The music isn't too noticeable. The place isn't overly loud although occasionally you do get the semi-loud drunk at the bar. One thing that does bother me a bit is in the winter the restaurant is cold near the door. The draft flows into the bar area. In the summer they have a nice patio to sit in and enjoy your dinner. I wouldn't change a lot about this place. I do wish they would offer a larger beer than just your standard pint. Most Mexican restaurants I've been to offer at least a tall 24 ounce beer. I would love to give this place 5 stars but the only thing really holding it back is the shaky customer service that can be hit and miss. Overall I definitely recommend this place if you are looking for good Mexican food. Note: Mexico Lindo in Lynn is not affiliated with Mexico Lindo in Melrose and is a completely different restaurant. We made that mistake already.
(4)S L.
Vegetarians Beware! Longtime vegetarian and longtime Lindo's customer - just recently heard a rumor that the meals listed on the vegetarian menu aren't vegetarian at all - and that all beans Lindo's uses are cooked with meat. Chef confirmed to me that this is true. Not sure what the point of having a separate vegetarian section is to them - but this is not acceptable. Disappointed, but will not make the mistake of dining here again.
(1)Adamson T.
My kinda spot for Mexican. Awesome crispy appetizers w/ chips and salsa. The entrees were super and the homemade hot sauce was to die for. This place is poppin for a reason !
(4)B K.
Disappointing after reading semi-decent Yelp reviews. Burrito was very expensive (for a plain old burrito) at around $11 but was understuffed and flavorless and sitting in a plate full of water (maybe they put it together and then microwaved it to melt the cheese instead of using a salamander or maybe they didn't dry the shredded lettuce that covered half the plate). My wife had the taco salad which was also beyond bland (completely unseasoned chicken sitting on top of iceberg lettuce). I felt like the chef had heard of all of the basic ingredients, got them assembled in the right order, but had missed the concepts of seasoning, cooking, and presentation. Chips and salsa were very good, my wife had a decent margarita, and we didn't get sick so...two stars seems fair.
(2)Gary G.
After enduring what I describe to out-of-staters as "the longest winter of my 25 years", yesterday's weather was a pure treat. I was able to get out of the house to go hiking and fishing with a couple of friends. After hitting the blue trail in the Fells and reeling in a total of one fish, we were ready to sit down and enjoy dinner and drinks. My friends who I was with suggested Mexico Lindo. Our server was absolutely delightful, our food was incredible and very reasonably priced, and the margaritas were delicious (perfect blend of ingredients - not to boozy, not to mix-y). I got the arroz con pollo and it was out-of-this-world good. I sent a picture of it to my girlfriend who was not present, and she demanded I order a second one to go for her. All in all, great place and will 100% be returning. OH! and they have outdoor seating!
(5)Jessica E.
I want to like Mexico Lindo! It has a great location in the heart of downtown Melrose, and is bursting with atmosphere! It draws you in, you want margaritas and fajitas.... But I wish I could say the food is good. I've been disappointed with the food on each occasion I've been there. I've dined in probably 5 tines over the last year. Friends keep inviting me, I want to go...it's just not living up to the potential. My friends did seem to like the food more than I did. I found it merely passable. I hope things improve because it really is a fun place to go!
(2)Tom V.
Ole'! It's a fiesta! Not quite, but Mexico Lindo brings authentic Mexican cuisine to the heart of downtown Melrose. I've read a bunch of the reviews for this place, and most of the bad ones seem to revolve around speed of service and flavor. I think a lot of these people have set themselves up for failure. First off, just sit at the bar. It's a Mexican restaurant, you'll probably be enjoying some cocktails with your meal...don't depend on a busy waiters in a crowded restaurant- just sit at the bar and you'll be served quickly and efficiently. Also, the people complaining about the flavors seem to be ordering really obscure items. Crema de what?!? Just get the tacos, burritos, quesidillas, grilled shrimp dishes, etc. Trust me, none of them disappoint! I usually wash it down the house margaritas and those are solid also.
(4)Tricia W.
Came here for a family dinner. Service was ridiculously slow. Drinks were watered down. My "tacos" were sloppy wet corn flaps on the plate with "charred" aka burnt to hard lil crisps "steak". Not positive it was steak. Beans and rice completely lacking flavor. Again the service was horrible. Im sure there are much better mexican places in the area!
(1)Whitney S.
Absolutely love the ultimate margarita. I'm here quite frequently and always stick with steak and chicken fajitas. They are absolutely delicious and fill me to the brim. I've also had all of their burritos and can attest that they are great as well!
(4)Timothy D.
We go here probably 4 times a year. We just went again and thought I would give a review. Honestly I thought it was an update, but I guess I never reviewed it before. We had a late lunch on a Sunday afternoon. Busy, but not packed and there was no line. Most tables full and a small crowd at the bar. Service was very good (which has been our general experience). Plenty of refills on water, chips and salsa. As always the two types of salsa were delish and fresh, same with chips. Having lived in the southwest for a number of years, we are pretty picky about this style of food. Some of the meals were good, some just okay. Not up to past experiences. Almost looked like the food had sat under heat lamp for a while. That said, we will go again hoping it may have just been an off day. If I had to go by past experiences I would have been to give a 4 star.
(3)Matthew B.
Mexico Lindo is always good, never great, never bad. Pretty reliable cuisine, fair prices and a fun atmosphere. We've been there many times, but we love going on Wednesdays. The kids love the mariachi band. The bar is small, but it gets the job done. The burritos are delicious. My only complaint is the tap selection. Pretty limited. Everybody loves their margaritas!
(3)Sam P.
Best Mexican around really great fajitas chips are great good service 5 stars!! Will always come back for more
(5)Stephanie S.
I really, really wanted to like Mexico Lindo. They are the closest Mexican restaurant in Melrose and have a pretty large outdoor patio (overlooking a parking lot, but still...) I've been 4 or 5 times and each time is regretful. The food is not flavorful and I have tried the enchiladas, the tacos and a burrito. How do you screw these basics up?! I did have the shrimp/chix/steak fajitas last time and they were good, but I don't feel like fajitas really count...AND my date's food was so bad we sent it back for tacos. Not cool-if it weren't for the dos equis we would've left.
(1)Mike P.
Have been to Mexico Lindo more times than I can count. The food is always good; and the atmosphere is great. Summer nights on the back deck are fun -- and cold nights in the dining area are as well. It's open yet intimate. Beats most of the other Mexican restaurants in the area. We actually travel a bit farther to get here... but it's worth it!
(4)Colin G.
Soulless, unseasoned, mediocre mexican food for the 3rd time. I tried once again to like Mexico Lindo since we live up the road and its the closest mexican restaurant around. Try as I may, its not gonna happen. Every entree I have gotten here has been devoid of any flavor whatsoever and is served by such an apathetic waitstaff that its not really surprising theres no heart in the food. With places like Border Cafe, Tres Amigos, Tenoch (Hell, even Taco Bell on Rt 1 tastes more authentic) just 10-15 min away, I will cross Lindo off my list for future meals.
(1)Kevin G.
Mexico in MA! Found by accident. Free parking right behind. Tasted like homemade salsa w/warm chips is a good starting place. Had the fish tacos; flour tortillas, pico, rice, and beans. No one does rice and beans well so no surprise. Tacos got two thumbs from me. The place seemed clean, washrooms too. The local crowd came in and some seemed regulars as well. While it was getting busy, I had a bit of paper work to do and asked if I could stay for a bit. No hesitation; stay as long as you like. No hesitation. Good place and worthy of another visit.
(4)Rich L.
This is one of my favorite mexican places! From the salsa, the chile verde, to the pitchers of margaritas. It cannot be beat anywhere in the area. The covered outside patio is awesome on a nice day and the staff is always friendly. Definitely a few spelling errors on their drink menu though, had a good laugh picking them out.
(5)David S.
Started eating here about ten years ago. It is missing a few things the last few visits. Not sure why. Waitress was cranky two visits ago. The meal tonight was ok but uninspired service and a pitcher of margarita with 95% ice and a vapid waiter. Hast a la vista Mexico Lindo. Not much more to say. Just not what they used to be and kind of sad to experience.
(1)Marissa S.
Horrible. My boyfriend and I ate here last night after having heard from several sources that it was good. I will never trust those sources again. In terms of atmosphere, it was a fairly busy night. It's a cramped space with decor that's way over the top. They somehow also crammed a mariachi band in there, which would have been pretty cool if it weren't for the overall chaotic, claustrophobic feel to the place. They really try very hard to drive home that it's "authentic." Well, you can write the word "authentic" all over everything, which they have, but that does not make something so. This food tasted about as authentic as a boxed Old El Paso taco kit from the grocery store. The service was ridiculously slow. As I mentioned before, it was fairly busy, but not such that the amount of time we waited for things could be justified. We waited 10 min just for some hot sauce, which was basically just a lot of mustard and whatever else they could find in the kitchen labeled "spicy" mixed together. No flavor to it at all, just that mustardy feeling in your sinuses. That wait was on top of 10 min to be greeted, 10 min for drinks... you see where I'm going with this. In terms of the staff, they weren't rude, but they certainly weren't friendly either. In fact, I don't think I even saw any of them talking to each other beyond what was absolutely necessary.It just didn't seem like a very pleasant atmosphere for anyone involved. The food itself was devoid of flavor and quality. My boyfriend got the chili relleno and I got the pollo a la crema. The "authentic Mexican sour cream sauce?" Just warmed up sour cream drowning a pile of unseasoned chicken and green bell peppers. Cheap ingredients, no effort put into the prep at all, no spice or seasoning. Just bland, low-quality, overpriced food. And I won't go into how it works with your digestive tract. We ate what we could simply because we were really hungry and we will most definitely not be back.
(1)Be E.
I've been here a handful of times and each time, my experience is the same. If you come for lunch, or early enough, there will be no wait and an empty restaurant. The place is beautifully and vibrantly decorated and is very clean. If you come for dinner or later, you'll be waiting and the restaurant will be very loud. The food is amazing, and the menu has a lot, so no matter what you get, you will love it. I recommend the chicken enchiladas! The waiters are okay, but not overly friendly by any means, and service takes forever. I have physically seen waiters sitting at a booth and just chatting with other patrons while I waited for a check, or needed a drink refill.
(4)Yago M.
This place definitely deserves the fourth star. Service, food and drinks are great, and prices are very reasonable. Their chips and salsa are the best, and you can order food until 11 pm during weekends and 10 pm on weekdays. Outdoor seating, weather permitting, is quite nice also. We love this place!
(4)Angel B.
Could be better, could be worse. The atmosphere is fine and the service is friendly and prompt. The food is mostly mediocre (sometimes too salty/overdone), but the margaritas are nice and the flan is great.
(3)Meghan S.
Nothing inherently wrong with this place, but nothing super special about it. It was Mexican food. Didn't leave a super lasting impression, nothing that made me say " oh my gosh we have to go back there!"
(4)Melissa M.
Just ordered take out from this place. we ordered a fajita plate and when we got home we saw there were no shells and our soapapilla desert was missing. I would've let the desert go but there's no way to eat fajitas without the shells. When I called to inform them the girl told me I was wrong and they were in there which they were not. She the. Asked me to hold while she spoke to t he manager and she failed to put me on mute so I heard the whole conversation basically speaking badly about me. They said re cook our food because it would have been stone cold otherwise. However, they definitely did not, all the food was completely cold. And when we got there the girl who was rude to us on the phone started talking about us to her friends In Spanish and they all turned around and stared at us. Dont they know that people can speak spanish? I can't believe how rude everyone was after we had to drive an extra 25 min for tortillas Bc of their mistake. We didn't ask for anything for free we just asked for them to correct their mistake. I will not give them future business
(1)Amy P.
I'm not sure why this place has such good reviews. It took so long for us to even get someone to take our drink order and they weren't even busy. When she finally took our drink order, she didn't take everyone's. We told her a pitcher for 5 of us...the 6th person never got to order their drink. When he finally ordered it after she got the pitcher, the waitress never brought it. Our food came out in waves. Burritos first, vegetarian, then fajitas last. She didn't bring tortillas for our fajitas so we had to wait, yet again, for her to bring those. She just wouldn't give us the time of day and as a former waitress, I would be giving a table of six my full attention. Secondly, the food was subpar. I make better Mexican at home. Nothing tasted very fresh. My fajitas weren't blackened, but like they were made in a crock pot. Guacamole tasted like it was premade from shaws. Overall, I wouldn't suggest this place, nor would I come back.
(1)Jackie K.
Great margarita ($20 well pitcher) only okay food. It's that kind of Mexico where they just cover the food in lots of okay sauces and cheese instead of paying attention to the ingredients. Their red sauce is really sweet (like marinara sauce) and their mole sauce tastes just sweet (no other flavors). Our service was great the table, less attentive at the bar. I'd go back for drinks and chips but not for a meal.
(2)Doug B.
Eeh, not sure what the hype is. My girlfriend had the fish burrito and it was really not good... A strong aftertaste. It's also a bit on the loud side. I doubt we'll go back.
(2)Mercedes C.
Great service and staff, but not so great food. Everything tastes like it came out of a box, so it doesn't taste like traditional mexican at all...
(2)Marc H.
One of my favorite Mexican restaurants. Right behind the Howling Wolf in Salem. Nothing bad about this place at all!! Food: 10 Environment: 7.5 Cleanliness: 10 Price: 8 Overall: 9.5
(5)Jeffrey G.
This used to be one of my favorite restaurants in Melrose. However, following a definite decline in portion size and service, the straw that truly broke the camel's back was the time they made us feel completely unwelcome. We came to eat early on a weekend night and asked to sit on the patio in back. The server and hostess gave each other a side-eye look, and asked if we wouldn't be more comfortable inside. This was odd, but we asked to be seated outside, as it was a lovely day for it. We were taken out and the hostess again asked if we wouldn't prefer to be inside on more solid chairs. Now, my wife and I are overweight, but we're not going to break plastic deck chairs by sitting on them. We figured if they were more worried about the chairs than about serving us, then they could have the empty chairs. We left and got Chinese at No. 1 Taste instead. TL;DR: If you don't want fatties at your restaurant, you're in the wrong business.
(1)Crystal H.
We go here often and usually we go with takeout. It's definitely a hit or miss. For example, I order the beef chimichanga every time, but once I received chicken instead. Also, in this same order, the rice and beans were almost inedible. The rice was hard, the refried beans were just a thin film. On the positive side, my boyfriend gets a lamb shank every now and then and has raving reviews. It's a bit on the expensive side being $20+. Overall, I would still recommend trying it and we will continue ordering food from there!
(3)Anthony V.
We go often. Better than the Mexican chains like Chili's. More authentic with a huge menu. The food won't blow you away but we've never had a bad meal.
(3)Robert G.
The last few times I've eaten here has been great!. Excellent quality (Fish Tacos, Steak and Shrimp Fajita, Enchilada etc.) and large portions. Great value and Great drinks (Mango Margarita & Sangria) Our waiter has also been excellent. This place has definitely gotten better with age.
(5)M M.
My favorite Mexican Restaurant. The staff are super friendly! Love the burritos..good portions. Always packed on Fri/Sat nights so expect to wait. They've also catered an event i've been too and the food was delicious. Never had a poor experience.
(5)Z D.
As I entered mexico Lindo I was immediately hit with the delectable aroma of true mexican cuisine. My margarita was made with tender love and care, after the second drink, I was texting everyone how much I love them. As soon as I bit into my carne asada, immediately saw Jesus..
(5)Sophia S.
Went here last night with some girl friends. Only two words: SO GOOD. Service was great, margaritas were awesome, and the food was excellent. Definitely will be going back!!
(5)Drew P.
Great authentic Mexican food. We always sit at the bar. Great margaritas. Get here early because they fill up quick. Service is great. Salsa and chips are great. We have been here twice now. And service and food are consistent. I couldn't be more pleased. We love the tamales, guacamole, enchiladas, vegetarian options are also good (even though we are far from vegitarians) This is going to be one of our new local favorites.
(5)Tim S.
Great location, atmosphere and food but the service is sub par. Went on a Saturday night with a group of 7, 4 adults and 3 kids. It was fairly busy. The restaurant is cozy and festive. We ordered a few drinks at the bar while waiting to be seated. Only one bartender was working for a busy bar and making drinks for tables as well. She wasn't very friendly but probably overwhelmed. Really slow. The menu selection is decent, I got a carne Asada burrito, it was pretty good. Everyone liked their food and the prices are reasonable. The waiter was really slow but got everything right. He just tended to disappear for lengths of time. So this is a decent place if you can be patient with the service. If they were more professional Mexico Lindo would be 5 stars.
(4)TJ M.
Fantastic lunch. The shredded beef tostada and enchilada are legit. I check out every mexican place I come across and this place is definitely a gem.
(5)Ramin S.
Great place to go out to eat in melrose! Extremely high quality food with great pricing on both food and drinks. The salsa is amazing and I always mix it up between the fajitas or burrito or the deluxe chicken salad. The one downfall is ordering take out. You have to wait a while when you get there and I've had my orders messed up about half the time whether it was a mess up or missing item.
(4)Dave L.
Wednesday night is the time to go. The mariachi band is awesome. Great frozen margaritas, too!
(4)Sarah B.
We like this place as a good close place to go with the kids. I really like the new outdoor patio. I think the food is your average Mexican food place - nothing special. One warning ***A PEANUT MOLE SAUCE IS STANDARD*** So when you order an enchilada here the standard sauce they use a peanut based mole sauce. I've seen this offered any many Mexican places, but never as the standard sauce. My husband is allergic to peanuts and we always forget to tell them to use the green sauce instead and end up sending his meal back! We feel horrible about this, but in all our years of eating Mexican food we've never seen peanut sauce be the standard! Overall we'll keep going back and hope to remember about the peanut sauce!
(3)Gary G.
excellent family restaurant. Very accommodating to large group (8) on a busy night. Steak dishes were excellent, so were stuffed chillis, and the salsa was hot, as it should be. Very generous helpings, server was wonderful, nice people all around. It was my second trip. And i will be back.
(4)Jeanne M.
I hit Mexico Lindo when I want basic good Mexican food. My friends and I love the chips and the Queso (a white one) with a yummy Tecate and lime. I've had quite a few things on the menu, and my favorites are the Mole California, the Deluxe Burrito when I'm feeling really greedy, and the vegetarian quesadillas. The pluses are I can walk home and I always have a good time.
(4)Shawn T.
Like others have said, the food is great, the service is hit and miss. This is the best Mexican food I've had since I moved here from the West Coast. The chips are fresh and hot and the salsa is perfect. The place is almost always busy, especially on Friday and Saturday nights so expect to wait a few minutes unless you call ahead. Parking is BRUTAL. There's some parking out back but the lot is almost always full on the weekends. You can park across the street behind those buildings but it's little bit of a walk on a frigid night. Sometimes even those lots are full. I don't recommend eating in the bar if you want good service. The service in the bar is always pretty lousy and in the winter the draft from the front door makes sitting in the bar area pretty uncomfortable. There's a few decent servers but also a few that don't really act like they want to be there. It all depends on who you get. Overall the atmosphere is pleasant and the food is delicious. The portion sizes are decent, you won't leave hungry.
(4)Debbie B.
If food were a drug, Mexican for me must be like what heroine addicts experience. A little is good, a lot is better, and sometimes you just need a hit. Lucky for me- Mexico Lindo in Melrose is excellent. It was packed on a random Tuesday when Lisa G and I popped in for some sangria (mostly for her) and something with cheese on it (mostly for me). We waited about 20 min for a table and the hard working bar tender got us a half carafe of sangria. The bar tender also ended up being our waiter when we were seated. Although the place was packed and he was very busy- I found him attentive, funny, and very cool. Chips and salsa came and they were fantastic- the salsa was very fresh and not overly spicy (which I like). I got the chicken burrito which was made with whole chunks of white meat chicken breast - not the weird non descript chicken "parts" you get at other places. Lisa got some spicy chicken and rice thing what was very good as well (I made off with her leftovers). Honestly- the only thing I didn't like about this place was the majority of the clientele. Maybe its something about Melrose, but I found the other patrons rude, obnoxious, and intolerant of the fact that this little place had a 20 min wait on a Tuesday. Sorry Melroseians! If you want to be the only person being served- head out to the taco bell in Malden.
(4)Jean D.
Excellent margaritas! (and at least one bartender has a heavy hand too) They have ample outdoor seating in the back, so it's great for Summer. I recommend the wings as they are not your typical buffalo wings. They are not that spicy, but so flavorful. The seafood enchiladas and the chef's fajitas are also high points. At times, they have a mariachi band in house. This can definitely add to the festive feel of the place, but can also be a little too loud and make conversation difficult.
(4)Justine Y.
Great food! Great Margaritas! Chips and queso are amazing! Service may be at times lacking but I am never dissatisfied with the food.
(4)Sean F.
The food here is good. I got the deluxe burrito and it was filling. Drinks are very tasty and well worth the money. It was about 10 dollars for my margarita. Photos of both are posted. I would recommend to a friend and go here again.
(4)Milee S.
The decor feels like you are in a Corona commercial (you will know what I mean when you go there), it is one of the better Mexican restaurants in town. Went here for lunch yesterday (and had been here before for dinner) and were seated immediately. Chips and salsa are brought out if you sit down, and the chips are very thick, while the salsa is thin but spicy. They have a list of lunch specials which are served every day. Both of us got the fajitas. I have had great margaritas here and I'm sure the sangria is fantastic. Also, this is one of the only restaurants with Corona Light (which I guess is very hard to find), so my friend was very happy about that. Food came out really fast and portions are very reasonable. With the fajitas comes a plate of refried beans, rice, guac, sour cream, and lettuce. Everything tasted great, although there was a lot of seasoning on the chicken. The menu is extensive, so it would be difficult to believe someone couldn't find anything to eat. I try to go here everytime I am in Melrose...definite winner!
(4)Crystal l.
The best Mexican food you can find in the area!! Not to mention, the pictures of Margaritas are $20 each!!! I have never had a bad meal there and the service is always amazing and friendly!
(5)Mike-Kara B.
Having only been to the " On-the-Border " / " Border-Cafe " type Mexican joints, this was a pleasant surprise. While we were only here for drinks and appetizers, it was a very pleasant experience. Me and my Italian beauty stumbled in half inebriated and found ourselves munching on delicious warm tortilla chips and a creamy queso unlike anything I've ever had. The bartender ( who looked like Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite ) was very friendly and made a very strong pitcher of Strawberry-Banana margaritas. Very delicious indeed. Two shots of patron ( kinda warm ) later and we were out the door. All in all a great low key place. I have to admit that we first chose Mexico Lindo because it was stumbling distance from our house, but after this first impression we will be stumbling many times to this cantina! B+
(4)Karen L.
This is the kind of Mexican food I grew up with in southern California, not "TexMex". Love the pork verde burrito. The guacamole is very light on the cilantro, which is great. Some people (like me) taste cilantro and it tastes like soap. So I avoid it whenever possible. The salsa did have cilantro in it, but not chopped fine so it was easy to pull out. Liked the chips, the beer selection, the speed of service, and the portion size. I chose the smaller plate, and it was perfect. And I enjoyed my margarita, too.
(5)pamy g.
Some great Mexican food and stiff drinks. The menu is huge and filled with enough sweet or spicy things to satisfy anyone. The only problem is that is can get really packed and crowded and the waits for food can be long and tough. Gets pretty loud and hard to talk at times.
(4)Lauren F.
Mexico Lindo (I tend to call it Mexican Linda after a few margaritas) is great for a fun night out with friends. The margaritas are excellent (get the Cadillac with Petron), the chips and salsa are fresh and delicious, and the atmosphere is festive. I don't think the food is necessarily the most "authentic" Mexican, but it is full of cheese and you will have a good time. Also, the prices are very reasonable, leaving more dinero for margaritas!
(4)Ruby W.
This Is somewhere you go for live mariachi and not so much the service. The food is ok, however the chips and salsa is really the only item on the menu I can't help but to devour! For some reason it's hard to get the servers attention at all. When you do, it's not too friendly, more so a bother. But there is a reason I continue to go back and that is because my girlfriend just loves this place. Perhaps it's just me... Rubyritalikes the music.
(3)Grace E.
Mexico Lindo is a great place to meet friends or treat your family to a dinner out for a reasonable price. In the heart of downtown Melrose, it is perfectly located, family friendly, has a great atmosphere and good Mexican food. The chips and salsa are great, and I always finish the whole basket without much help. We have had a variety of dishes here and all were tasty. The decor is my favorite thing about this place though!
(4)Mike J.
One of my favorite spots to take my friends when they visit me in Melrose. I could live off the chips and queso dip. Despite what some other reviewers have said, the margaritas here are excellent and a pitcher for $20 is an absolute steal. Highly recommended, especially in the summer when the deck is open.
(5)Alana M.
Food was good but the staff was awful. Youngish group (late 20s) and we were treated like absolute trash. We sat outside, by ourselves, and the waitress acted like it was the most inconvenient thing to walk outside and serve us. Racked up a sizable bill among the 9 of us, over $300 and we are all good tippers, tipping well over 20%. After being outside and having full meals for over an hour and having a different waitress than ours give us DIRTY LOOKS through the window in the outside door several times we decided to move inside. Once we moved to the bar inside (wouldn't have done so but Melrose has like 3 bars) we were "cut off" after one drink even though some people in our party had just arrived and others were drinking water. Appalled by the ageist behavior displayed by the employees. Acted as if it was an inconvenience to serve us and gave us outright attitude. We will be sure to take out business to Malden or Wakefield in the future.
(2)LiLi M.
Stopped in for lunch this weekend...we just missed the lunch special after 3. Food was good and ample however the prices were a bit high. Boyfriend had the burrito with pork- super filling- he loved it. Free chips and Salsa!
(3)J M.
As I said -I continue to go Mexico Lindo for the drinks and have found that the nachos with the mexican sausage are delicious and huge! Definately to be shared with a couple of people.
(3)Kyle D.
I was disappointed when Baja fresh closed in Stoneham. This place is a good substitute. Great fajitas, nachos with cheese, and a nice bar area to watch the game if you want. This place is much better than Chipotle. I am looking forward to trying the sauteed shrimp the next time I am at Mexico lindo.
(5)Sean A.
Use to go here all the time, but have experienced inconsistent food quality. It's quick and easy, fairly decent and the kids and I liked to sit on the back patio. But after I got food poisoning there one night last summer, well that will be the last time for a while, which is too bad. The time before I found some metal wire in my food (which they gave me a free meal). Perhaps I'll venture back some time down the road when I think they cleaned up their act, but not anytime soon.
(2)N C.
Save yourself a bad meal and make the trek to Rudy's in Somerville or the Border Cafe - it's worth the ride. The chips and salsa were good and the margaritas were OK but after that it was all downhill. The queso was congealed before it made it to the table. My fiance ordered the fish tacos and I ordered #13 which was 2 beef tacos. Both our dishes looked exactly the same... in fact, as I looked around the restaurant, everyone's dish looked exactly the same no matter what they ordered: disgusting refried beans, bland tasteless rice, and then a mess of whatever taco you ordered. The refried beans look like there was a layer of oil or grease on top, the rice was awful, and the beef in my taco? It actually looked like cat food. By the time our tacos made it to us, the shells were completely soft and falling apart. The lettuce and whatever else they put in my taco smelled old. I felt really sick after eating here and I would not recommend coming here.
(1)K C.
Mexico Lindo is like homemade Mexican food and trust me I know my Mexican food!! I love the decor makes you feel like your in Mexico. The colors are vibrant. My favorite dish is the Fajitas. It is so yummy and the flour tortillas are fresh. In fact all the food there is fresh. I also like the Enchiladas. Oh and you can't forget the chips and salsa it's simply AMAZING. If you want a drink a pitcher of margaritas are the way to go. If it's your birthday and your 21+ your in for a treat he-he - You might not walk out. In the summer you can sit out on the back patio. Some nights they have live band, they come to your table and let you request songs. Link To mexican Lindo Melrose: mexicolindomelrose.com/i…
(5)Jill S.
Best Mexican food that I have ever had in my life!!!!! Drinks are very strong and delicious! If you like live music they have a mariachi band on wed. nights. The homemade salsa and chips that they give to you complementary are fabulous! I recommend the enchiladas, nachos and chimichangas! Staff is always pleasant and friendly. Make sure you call ahead because they are always packed!
(5)michelle c.
Happiness is a chile relleno!!!! After spending 16 years in Southern CA, I am repeatedly disappointed by recommendations of "good Mexican food" out here on the East Coast. Mexico Lindo was recommended by a co-worker...um probably 6 months ago. I figured nah it's gonna be the same old crap. I WAS WRONG! The place was packed when we got there so we went to the bar while we waited for a table. My margarita was pretty damn stiff and tasty too!! Chile Relleno - awesome, beans - pretty authentic, enchilada - great and then the manzana chimi came...sawheet! Good times...I will be back. While I will not say it is the best Mexican food ever....it is the best I have had so far out here!
(5)Brian T.
Their Pollo Chipotle is amazing! I order it at least once a week and never get tired of it.
(5)Laurie P.
This is my favorite spot for Mexican food. I've never had a bad meal here and with their back deck, it's a great spot to hit in the summer. I love the veggie burrito as well as the seafood burrito...the queso dip is really good too.
(4)Miss T.
I've been going for years - always great service & amazing food. Can't go wrong with this place at all. ALWAYS A GREAT EXPERIENCE!!!!!
(5)Joe B.
When I first passed this place in downtown Melrose my attention was immediately drawn to it because of the interesting color scheme of the exterior. Being an avid fan of Mexican Cuisine, authentic but able to appreciate even good Tex-Mex, I vowed to make sure to try it. A week later I did and I was pleasantly surprised by an authentic "Pollo de la crema" dish that was out of this world. The vegetables tasted very fresh and the chicken was melt in your mouth soft- It was everything that I could have wanted and the portion was immense. Definitely a place that is worth trying with very prompt service, kind waiters, a nice decor and fantastic margaritas. Don't settle for a chain, check this place out.
(5)L S.
Im not a "big" Mexican type food eater, but it was a good, overall experience, including the food. The chips n salsa are really good, addicting type..especially when drinking and talking. The sangria was good. Me and my bf got a carafe of it. I enjoyed it more than he did, but he did say he liked it. We got the appetizer called Side Taquitos Lindos, it was really good. My bf got a shrimp dish that came w/tortilla's that he didnt even eat, he enjoyed just the shrimp dish, not sure name of it. I got the deluxe burrito, chicken. It was good, a little bit mooshy. It had no beans, which I didnt want. I probably wouldn't get it again. They have a big, variety menu. It was an early Wed. evening. We sat outside, which we both enjoy eating outside. Only really negative experience was there was a table of "mom" w/their kids and kids were kind of running around, yelling. The moms seemed to be conversating and enjoying their wine a little too much. I remember those days, but I was lucky enough that both my kids were well behaved at restaurants. There has to be some kind of "courtesy" to the other people eating around you. Other than that, service was good, food was good and on Wed.'s, they have a mariarchi (sp?) band, that was a little entertaining. Overall, good experience and we will be back!
(4)Scott H.
I have only eaten here once, but it was excellent. It is nice to find a Mexican restaurant which is more authentic Mexican than Tex-Mex. I had one of their mole dishes, which was extremely flavorful. Every time I walk by, this place always seems to be packed--a good sign, but sucks if you are hungry. I will definitely be going back and I highly recommend it.
(5)Brian A.
As a Latino, I know good mexican food when I see it. And Mexico Lindo is one of the best. Their nachos with shredded beef is one of the BEST NACHOS I HAVE EVER HAD (and I have been to mexico and central america, dont question my palette). The beef was perfect, and there was a LOT of cheese. The plate itself looked like a huge mound of cheese, you have to dig in to get the nachos. Ohhh yes. The only thing that prevents this place from getting 5 stars is the portions. I feel that you pay a lot and get a little food in return. When I pay $18 for a meal, i expect to be at least half full. Not so with this place. The quality of the food is great, the quantity isnt. The margaritas were great, try the Margarita de Oro (something like that). The service was nothing special. The waiter gave us the food promptly and checked in every once in a while, but wasnt overly friendly. The burritos are awesome, but a little pricey (around $13). However, they are so stuffed and massive that you cant possibly eat them by hand, they give you a knife and fork, so its not that bad of a value. Overall, I love this place, and I am sure as hell coming back for a 7th time.
(4)Colin G.
For good solid Mexican food this is the place on the North Shore. the food is good and not the slop you get at some other chains. the drinks are tasty and even a little strong. the atmosphere is fun and authentic. the price is right as well. this is a great place or a fun night out.
(4)Allison B.
Being from Melrose- I would say this is the best restaurant in town. (if you like Mexican food of course) Really fun atmosphere: Crazy bright Mexican themed decor, a live mariachi band some nights, *authentic* mexican cuisine(or closest to authentic that I've had in the area) and pitchers of Margaritas! I frequent "The Lindo" with my girlfriends for midweek margs year-round. In the summer its great because there is an outside deck~ especially fun if you are with a large party.
(4)Christine S.
Good authentic food. Skip the stuff you know and go right for the pork and rice or other main dishes. Margaretta's by the picture are a bit on the weak side. But Im telling you, with all the corporate Mexican out there (two more on Rte 1 I believe) its nice to visit a family place that knows what they are doing.
(3)Mary D.
best mexican restraunt ever!!!! the food is not salty and its all freash! the chips and salsa are amazing!!!
(5)Bhuvana H.
This place is really good! We went on a Saturday night a few weeks ago with friends and had to wait a little while for a table. We figured a busy restaurant was a good sign. We had two kids with us and the staff was very friendly and helpful. The chips and guacamole were yummy, as was our ceviche appetizer. The other people in my group ordered fajitas, tortilla soup, and a whole fried snapper, all of which were also tasty. My margarita was also delicious. We will definitely be going back!
(4)Justin H.
Mexico Lindo, a small Mexican restaurant in downtown Melrose, really delivers with good service and good food at reasonable prices. Heather and I came here last week when were jonesing to get out of the house one evening. So after a little back and forth on where to go, we decided to take the walk over to Main Street and have a little Mexican night. After being seated at a table near the bar, our waiter, pulling double duty as the bartender, served us up some tasty Sangria and a good margarita with a complimentary basket of chips and salsa. The salsa was a little runny, but what can you expect for free. She ordered her usual Mole California and enjoyed what she could eat. The sauce is a little too sweet for me to eat a plateful, so knowing she couldn't finish hers, I pilfered some for myself. I ordered the taco/enchilada combo dinner and was satisfied. Most dinners come with sides of rice and refried beans. These are just ok and considered filler in my book. Service was pretty good even though the bar began getting busy toward the end of our meal. They got everything right and I really didn't have any complaints. The food is moderately priced, about 50 bucks for the two of us with drinks and tip included. Overall, the place is consistently good and that says a lot in that we feel we can come here and have a nice dinner when we don't want to eat in and feel like taking a walk downtown.
(4)James P.
Great food , presentation a little scary on occasion but it's good.
(4)Ken M.
Three of us got take out from Mexico Lindo tonight. For $45 we ate heartily, and so did the raccoons that live in the dumpster at the boy's complex. I'd say it's pretty average food wise, but there is great value. The guacamole is pretty good. I'd like to eat at the restaurant, because I feel like takeout (even from down the block) tends to wilt things or otherwise take the crunch out.
(4)Jeff R.
Being a fan of Mexican food this place is just what I look for. The food and drinks are always good and consistant. The portions are big. The menu has just enough variety. And it's always clean. My favorite dish is the Polo asada burrito.
(4)Matthew D.
I lived in Melrose for about a year, and I used to hit up this place once in a while. I have to say it's definitely one of the better Mexican restaurants in the general area. Yes, the decor is pretty over-the-top. My one friend was joking once about attempting to steal a sombrero off the wall. Aside from that, the staff seems friendly enough, and the service was decent. The food...ahhh, the food. Everything I've tried has been good. I don't feel like going into detail, but you have a wide variety. Some specialties and the typical Americanized-Mexican stuff as well. The picante sauce hurts me though (but that may be your thing). I like hot and spicy, but damn... Definitely worth checking out
(4)Mary R.
I recently ate outside, and although the service was slow -- I think there was only 1 waiter working?! it was a beautiful day, so I didn't mind. The ceviche was also really, really good.
(4)Susan C.
I like this place. Good, strong margaritas, which is always important in a Mexican restaurant. I like all the vegetarian options, though my favorite is the cactus (I think it comes in an enchilada). Takes a bit of getting used to when you first try it, but has a unique flavor. I think it's a bit spendy, but it's Melrose, everything here is expensive just because. The place is usually full of families, so I wouldn't recommend it for a special date night, but good for groups or a casual meal. I've been a few times and never had a bad meal here. Border Cafe is good for more of a tex-mex/cajun style food, but this is the closest thing I've had to the Mexican places I frequented when in Arizona a few years ago.
(4)Ken L.
Been here about six times, never love it. They do offer some other menu options beyond the nachos, tacos, enchiladas....which is nice. Went there last night and was once again underwhelmed. We sat outside - which is the best part of this restaurant, but the service suuuuuuuucked. Never got a water refill, had to ask 3x for more chips. Just really too bad. The kid waiting on us seemed nice enough, just not good at his job. My other beef with this place is that I think they charge too much money. Dishes that are $15-16, but I feel they should be more in the 8.99-9.99 range. Not a huge deal, but I keep thinking the same thing every time I eat at this joint. I'd give it 2.5 stars but I can't. That said, I just don't feel it's quite worthy of three stars because of the service. The food is 3 stars, just not worth what they charge....
(2)Ed M.
I have to agree with much of what others have written. This is a tough review to write because the food was so good, but the service was so poor. The food was fresh, hot and delicious. Very flavorful and seemed to be very authentic with a more varied menu than the typical Mexican joint. I would definitely want to eat this food again. However, the service was poor at best, our waiter had the personality of coma patient and seemed genuinely annoyed at our presence. He left us without napkins or silverware. Acted as if taking our order were a real burden, and took forever to come back for our desert order. It's too bad because as much as I enjoyed the food I would think twice before going back.
(3)Mary Ellen C.
My husband and I were loyal customers of Mexico Lindo, even though over the last few months their service has gotten really bad, and the food quality has gone a little downhill. After tonight, though, we will never give them another dime of our money. We went in for dinner, and asked if we could sit on the patio, since it was a lovely evening. The hostess said she'd have to check, and then went and had a long conversation with a waitress -- too long to just be checking to see if there were tables available on the patio. Once we were finally seated, that same waitress came outside and, in a very snotty tone, told us we should sit somewhere else because "the chairs are weak." Apparently she decided that my husband and I were too fat for the patio?! We're not stick figures, but we're perfectly able to sit in chairs without breaking them! We left, and won't be back.
(1)Anastasia L.
I have to agree with ALL the other reviewers on this place, some how. I've had a really good meal here (although, truth be told, not all that "authentic," to the best of my knowledge), but also a pretty sad meal. Seems to depend on random circumstances such as the night you go, the server, and whoever's cooking. The menu is, at least, quite extensive, so there should theoretically be something for everyone. (Note: Avoid the steak salad, or whatever it's called- lukewarm strips of fatty steak on sad iceberg lettuce.) LOTS of enchilados, burritos, tacos, etc, as well as a variety of beef, chicken, and seafood dishes. Good sauces. They have the prerequisitive mixed drinks and beers, and the bar seems quite popular (maybe in part b/c Melrose is semi-dry and you have to order food if you want 2+ drinks). The chips and salsa are pretty good as an accompaniment (and they come free with seated meals). Wednesday nights IS live music but be forewarned, it's very. loud. mariachi. A pro/con is that lots of people bring their kids here. It seems pretty kid-friendly but the acoustics ain't great so prepare your ears for the odd shrieking baby.
(3)Jeff G.
Great, great, great.
(5)Andrea S.
Delicious food, Fantastic drinks and a Huge menu. Can't wait to go back!
(4)Soren V.
I am in shock with some of the reviews here. I wanted to love this place. The neighborhood is cute, the atmosphere and the decor is really cute, but the food. As an avid fan of Mexican food, this has to be the WORST Mexican food I've ever had in my life. Well, this actual rivals the Alamo in Milford - just the pits. The waiter, however, was such a nice guy. I wish I remembered his name as he was great. He greated us with menus and water. He refilled our water and my husband's soda. Our Son got a cheese quesadilla - well lets just say they cooked it in a buck of crisco it was so slimy he couldn't hold it. The beans were the worst ever. not a bit of flavor. the rice, dried up and crunchy. I got the shrimp special and my husband go the chicken special - both were barely edible. Let's just say that by the time the waiter came back to check on us, we said, yes, we're done, just the bill please. Get us out of that dump and fast!! NEVER would I suggest going here in my life!! STAY AWAY!
(1)Suzanne P.
My husband and I love to go to this Mexican Restaurant. The food is always great. I expected this place to be like all the other Mexican Restaurants, one day you go there the foods great and the next time the foods horrible. But it's been exceptionally consistant in providing both my husband and I with great food and the service is awesome. We always ask for the same Waiter, his name is Oscar, he is the best. So if your looking for a great Mexican Restaurant you've got to try this one, both my husband and I recommend this restaurant.
(4)Erika C.
Ahhh...Mexico Lindo. I have been stopping by here for several years, and it's usually pretty good. I'll agree with some of the other posts that the service is hit or miss, but I'd still go back. During the summer, sitting on the patio is always a nice thing...
(4)james z.
First, I'm completely in agreement with the earlier reviewer who grudgingly gave one star-it's one star too many. I'm here to do a public service to warn potential victims! should be zero or negative stars. We are former regular, sent all our friends to the place, patrons. It used to be very good, now looks like a different crew/ownership. on to the review: Pre-dinner drink, two Oro Margaritas, described in their drink menu as Sauza Gold Tequilla, bla bla bla, Gran Marnier floater. The no-brained, or no care bartender makes the drinks right in front of us using no-name tequilla and a gran marnier knock-off. we asked why he was using shit (more politely than that, i didn't want dishwashing liquid in my drink) in a $9.00 drink, and no kidding, he tells us the people that printed the menu made a mistake & thats how the make the world famous $9 Oro. After a big discussion on what we needed to order to get Sauza Gold and Gran Marnier in a drink, which apparently is not used in any of their drinks, no matter what the menu says, we ordered a pitcher ultimate margarita with our meal that seemed ok, then went back to the same miserable jerk bartender & ordered two top shelf oro's, no salt. he starts making the drink in front of us, all of the liquor is right there,- he salts the glass & i said no, no salt. So he shoots me a look & goes around the corner of the bar to where we can't see him to make the drinks. Naturally we got the shit booze, we should have told him to keep the drinks & left, but we drank them, no tip, & told him we'd never be back. follow up, i woke up with my gut in knots the day after, now two days later I'm still not right- why did he have to go around the corner, out of sight, to make the drinks with the full bar right there in front of us? we'll never know. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe they are shipping the contaminated Mexican sewer water up from south of the border to keep the place authentic. The rest of the review: Service, took 1/2 hour before we could even get someone's attention to see which zomble illiterate was going to wait on us. Food, 'ok' not at all what it used to be. Appears to have changed ownership/cooks anyway, STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(1)ACally C.
Who knew quiet little Melrose would have such amazing Mexican cuisine? Finally suburbia has a Mexican restaurant that serves something other than greasy, cheese-laddened burritos and enchiladas. The menu boasts several types of mole sauces. If you do order the quesadilla it is filled with delicious, healthy, shredded chicken breast. The ingredients are very fresh and flavorful. The sangria is quite delicious as well! I've gone to Mexico Lindo with small and large groups and have never been disappointed.
(4)Amy C.
All of the times I have been here the food has been pretty much fantastic, the Fish Tacos are great, Ramiro's Burrito is great, the Mole is great...sometimes the Salsa tastes a bit off to me but that is my personal opinion the guac is tasty though. Fun times...the decor is super tacky but who cares.
(4)Damien Y.
Dropped in for dinner tonight with a coworker and was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the furniture and feel of the restaurant but felt the music was a bit too loud . The menu was fairly extensive with a lot of dishes I saw and tried while I was in Mexico. I had the Albondigas soup to startthat was very good, though not as good as the bowl I had in a town in Oaxaca which had more of a kick to it. For my main course I had the Pollo Asado which was different from what I had in Michoacan almost every week for 8 weeks. The Mexico Lindo version was only the breast, served with bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions; while the version I was used to had the entire chicken grilled over charcoals and no veggies, but the Mexico Lindo version still had great flavor, it was just different. The flour tortillas came in a traditional tortilla container which made me smile because my host family used the same type for their corn tortillas, while Mexico Lindo's were made of flour. All in all, it was pretty darn close to a genuine Mexican dinner as I have had in Massachusetts, and I got to order in Spanish which was a huge plus in my book. Will definitely go back the next time I am in Melrose.
(4)Vincent R.
My friends and I eat lunch here and my husband and I do the occasional dinner too so I'm fairly familiar with the food. Service is usually pretty good and we've never gotten a sub-par mean. Their mole and chimmychanga dishes are my favorites.
(3)lil s.
Solid two star establishment. The positives: we were seated promptly upon arriving even though the restaurant was fairly busy and the food came out pretty quickly. Unfortunately that is where the positives pretty much end. With a sweet little location in Melrose center, this place is in serious need of a makeover to keep pace with the evolving area. While the waitress was courteous enough, the interaction left a lot to be desired. Those two downsides could be ignored if the food was at least good, but alas even the food was a serious disappointment. My "enchiladas" were bland and served in flour tortillas - I'm by no means an expert on Mexican food, but experiences at other establishments have generally dictated corn tortillas for enchiladas, the main reason I generally prefer the dish. The bland contents and mushy rice were additional downfalls to a dish who's only real saving grace was rubbery, tasteless cheese. My companion's combination meal suffered from the same characteristics, perhaps further marred by unseasoned ground beef. The sangria was also disturbingly, slurpee sweet - not a complex, full-bodied flavor you would hope to experience. In the end, if you're looking for $3 drafts and some chips, go for it, otherwise Border Cafe or Taco Bell have more flavor and "authenticity" to offer.
(2)Abby H.
Absolutely delicious Mexican food. I think I could live off of their chips and salsa. I might've only gone there maybe 5 or 6 times total, but I've never had a problem with service or the food (although one time I got chicken taquitos when I ordered beef, but I love both so I don't really consider that a problem).
(4)beth c.
always good, always reliable, always satisfying. this is one of our go-to spots, when we want to eat out, and want to leave feeling happy. they've saved many a day with a pitcher of non-alcoholic margaritas and a plate of shrimp or mole chicken.
(4)Katie C.
i dont even really like mexican food, came here for the first time and it made me fall in love with mexican food. thats a sign of good food.! decor is cute hand painted chairs and mexican tiles and all that. staff is attentive and great.margaritas are awesome, kick your you know what.. mojitos are pretty good and im really picky about my mojitos. i dont even like ceviche and it was awesome. very fresh. steak fagitas are so so so good! perfectly cooked beef not killed in spices, hot tortillas, yummy guac, smooth with fresh lime yum!!, oh im getting a craving just thinking about it. we got the sampler appetizer with everything ( taquitos and quesadillas and buff wings and everything else) very good buff wings were too spicy for me but im a whimp. rice not too salty i find a lot of places this is their downfall with the rice. beans not too salty either.food and everything comes out fast, this is my favorite mexican place around hands down. plenty of parking in back. everyone who works there is friendly and attentive the only complaint i have about this place is the first time i went they had live mariachi band- oh yuck. please stop loudly singing in my face, i just want to talk with my friends and enjoy my food haha.advoid live mariachi night if you can =) prices are great! they give you a ton of food i got three meals out of it
(5)Cosmo X.
Its ok and crowded with people that dont know better
(3)Peter A.
My wife and I visit this place about once a month, usually on Saturday night. Last night, the food was good as usual, but the service sucked. The "waitress" mumbled to us whenever she came over - it was impossible to hear anything she said. Once she dumped the entrees on the table, she ignored us the rest of the night - we never saw her until she brought the check. She left us with empty water and soda glasses all night, never asking or offering to refill them. Arrgh.
(2)Najely S.
I love this place! It's a hidden gem in the 'burbs, not where you'd expect to find great Mexican food, but this place is the best! I lived in Mexico for a couple of years and Mexico Lindo does a good mix of authentic Mexican food like arroz con pollo (delicious), and the more familiar Tex-Mex cuisine like enchiladas. Everything I've had there has been outstanding, their salsa is great, and the decor, while cheesy, is very true to the border towns of Mexico. Ah, nostalgia.
(5)Jay B.
If you have read my other reviews on Mexican food (ok, currently there is only one...but there WILL be more)- you know I like a good burrito smothered in cheese and tomatillo sauce... well "the Lindo" as some of my friends call it- delivers this favorite dish of mine and it rocks! Also notable: delicious chips and salsa and WHITE queso dip. Maybe I eat too much Mexican food- but when the dip is white instead of yellow- that screams: DELICIOUS MEX HERE! And what can I say- I listen to cheese... Come to the Lindo, you won't be disappointed. :-)
(5)Alan G.
I've eaten at Mexico Lindo a bunch of times. It can get a bit crowded, but thats probably because the food is great. The chicken mole, burritos, and fajitas are perfect and the margaritas are acceptable. It looks like they may have hired some rude servers from the most recent reviews.... I can't say that I have ever encountered anyone at this place that was anything other than nice.
(4)Riem K.
This is one of VERY rare instances where YELP needs to make it where I can rate some place with 0 stars. They don't even deserve one star. Hell, they don't even deserve a spot on this site! NEVER in my life have I encountered such rude service. You had a this little witch of a woman literally screaming at people as they were trying to wait in what little space there is, "MOVE!! Oy, what is wrong with you people". Never, umm, have you not realize that restaurant business requires some sort of customer service? Secondly, after waiting for a half an hour for a table, we were seated. We were seated at a small table directly under a TV, riiiiight next to the bar and right in front of a door. So, one - everytime someone open the door, this massive draft came over me (hence the reason why I never took off my goosedown coat) , two - right behind where my boyfriend was sitting was a bench with people waiting. 3) I have NEVER heard so many idiotic, mindless, brain cells killing conversation in my life. Cause of where we were, we had people surrounding our table as they were waiting. Literally, they mind as well have just sat on my lap since their ass was in my face. Then not to mention, as you're trying to eat your appetizers, you have one girl screaming "OMG- Goal!! He made a GOAL!!". Then let's not forget the two princesses who were standing right next to me "OMG, OMG- she bought her dress and she like had it made into like a tube top thingy and she like, paid $1800, but like, it did not look good on her what-so-ever" "OMG- I like sooooooo agreed", after listening to this for about 15 minutes, and trust me, it seemed like a torturous life time, I was ready to walk out. What is the point of going out to dinner if you can't even talk with each other? Instead, I've lost brain cells due to retarded, lack of any substance, catty, bitchy conversation I was forced to listen to as I had a drunk guy ASS bumping into my damn chair every chance he got! Also, service is ridiculous slow. If you want mexican food, damn it go to Borders or go to Acapulco's. I don't know if it's authentic, but damn at least you get better service and better atmosphere. BTW- I ended not even staying for dinner, I paid my check and left. You can tell me that Jose Cuervo was going to serve me himself next time, I still won't go back.
(1)Sylvia M.
Mexico Lindo is a fantastic Mexican restaurant. The tequila menu and margaritas are outstanding and the food is delicious. Try a chicken mole dish, seafood enchiladas or steak or shrim fajitas. The salsa and chips which are complimentary and fresh and delicious!
(4)Gina M.
This is one of the best Mexican places around! Great margarita list. The menu is a neat mix of the typical cheese/chili/bean smothered entrees and some more refined, more traditional sorts of things (like octopus ceviche and tortilla soup). Nice vegetarian selection. Highly recommended all around!
(4)Michele s.
.Yummy! I love the Shredded Beef Enchiladas and the Margaritas are Delicious. The patio outback is great for those warm summer nights. This place can get Crowded Quickly, and they have limited room to wait for a table. This is a Kid Friendly Restaurant, but as some others have mentioned the Live music can get really Loud. This place is one of my Favorites in Melrose
(4)Megan M.
If you appreciate Mexican food at all, don't go here. The food is extremely Americanized and the decor-- oh the decor!-- is terrible. I ordered a shrimp dish, a "house specialty." The food was bland and the presentation not good. The salsa with the chips was full of sodium and not fresh or homemade tasting at all. Now, the decor. I am definitely not a decor snob. I can forgive bad design when the food is good or the atmosphere is comfortable, but the decorating was so bad, it was distracting. The sad part is that a lot of time was put into it-- the place is covered in tiles, mosaics, and hand-painted scenes. Unfortunately, they used every single bright color imaginable with no sense of design, so it looks like a children's playroom. When you sit in the booths, you're being stared at by a huge creepy sun, with human eyes and eyebrows, painted onto the raised headrest of the opposite bench. Definitely not worth the trip.
(1)Kim D.
For authentic Mexican you have got to come here - yes it's off the beaten path, but it's worth it. On Wednesday's they have a live band come and play by your table, it's a little TOO LOUD, for me, but it makes you feel like you are in Mexico. They have everything you could ever dream off, I really like their tamales and burritos. If you like Sangria, I recommend ordering a carafe, it can be a little on the sweet side, but it's always good.
(4)Robert S.
Their food is flavorful and moderately priced. Its a good place for groups. It gets noisy and quite busy on the weekend. They excel at all the standard fare (burritos, enchiladas, rellenos, etc) and I eat there maybe once a month. Good food with attentive wait staff. Yes, the decor is over the top with bright colors and traditional paintings and carvings. While it isn't my style I think its fun.
(4)P L.
I recently ate here with my wife and was totally unimpressed with the food and the service. I don't know how this place stays in business. We sat at a table in the bar section, which was our first mistake because the bartander was also waiting the 5 or so tables in that section. We barely got drink order out before he was walking away...the same happened when we were ordering our food. When our food came, my wife's order was wrong and the bartender/waiter gave her a big time attitude when she asked him to bring it back to be fixed. Can you imagine the attitude she got when it came out wrong two more times??!! My order came out correctly, but the presentation was a joke. I got chicken with mole, rice and refried beans. The food came out on a HUGE plate, but the chicken looked like a cutlet that had been butterflied, there was about 1/4 cup of rice and 1/4 cup of beans spread out in a thin layer. For the price I would have expected leftovers, but I was still hungry when I was finished. The food didn't taste that great either. We usually order dessert at every place we go to, but we chose to skip it at Mexico Lindo. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. Go to The Border...better food, better prices and better service.
(1)Julia P.
I am just perplexed as to how this place has received such good ratings. When dining out, it takes a lot to displace me and persuade me to never return.... this is because as a past time server (back in the oldschool college days) I give other servers the benefit of the doubt and shower them with apologies/thank you's profusely while being served... all you past/current servers- you know what I'm talking about as you find yourself subconsciously prebusing the entire table in a neat little stack and then.. profusely apologizing and thanking the server! =) So needless to say- this is not an angry review from an unexperienced ungrateful 'burbs commuter! =) So to get to to the point... I found this place appaling. Upon being seated, we waited 10 minutes to get the server's attention (the place was casually busy- sporadic empty tables around us at 5ish on a Saturday afternoon)... we ordered Queso... it was more liquid than water (is that possible?... yes)... the salsa.... even runnier... no physical substance.... no consistency....just pepper and some spices sprinkled in for flavor. So the main course? Mexican happens to be a fetish of mine.... and I literally get the same food dish at every Mexican restaurant I go to... and this delicious wonderful food item is not on the menu... so when servers are attentive and customer-oriented enough to ask the kitchen if my delicious prize can be made... it makes my soul ever so happy.. =) This server of mine did not hesitate for a split second before announcing the big NO that was left echoing in my mind as I brainlessly picked a random selection off the menu which resulted in shrimp and mayo on a very hot plate... (bad combination- I blame myself for that one) The sole fact that the not-busy server who had 1 other table at the start of my request did not ever attempt to cater to my taste buds by walking in the kitchen and asking if my delicious item can be made.. that immediately put me in a mind-played boxing ring with the server. I really can go on for much longer than anyone would ever wish to read about the Libre Nachos of the Mexican Lindo... but I'll wrap it up.... When a party of 7 shows up and orders appetizers for meals and asks your server to take 27 pictures from 501 angles.. you will have a greater chance of seeing your chips and salsa do the Argentenian Tango than you will seeing your very own bill. We spoke to the server once- when we placed our order. We asked a host for the bill, upon which he processed our payment. We walked out as the server stood chatting away at the hostess stand. But recall what I said about benefit of the doubt (all you lawyers out there)... go there yourself... and give this place all your benefit. I did not prebus this table. THE END.
(1)Mmmm M.
good food. very slow wait staff.
(3)KT K.
I can't believe how many people think this place is great. The food was totally bland and tasteless and it's very expensive considering it's really kinda like Taco Bell. And $22 for a carafe of sangria, are you kidding? Service and ambiance were very good, food is really not.
(1)Angela C.
I am giving this review only 3 stars bc while the food is excellent in my opinion, the service was terrible! We waited a very long time and the service was very very rude! I would hesitate going back for that reason, they need better staffing and a better way to manage their crowds, while the food is good the service is really bad!
(3)phil d.
I'm thinking the other reviewer is so used to American Mexican that they forgot what the real stuff looks like. This place had the most authentic mexican food I've had since being in texas. None of the dishes had what a call the american 'glop' of nasty cheese and enchilada sauce all over everything (where's the food? i dunno, but i have cheese!!). Everything was fresh, well prepared, neatly served and very tasty. I'm a particular fan of the mole (all of em). I've brought several groups of friends here and no for a fact they have al gone back. The decor? Well, yeah, it's more than a little over the top.
(4)Lex M.
We tried the restaurant today. I loved my spinach enchilada. The salsa they served with the chips was yum with fresh ingredients. You could taste the lime, black pepper, cilantro, garlic . My husband got the chilli relleno and that was also good.
(5)Andi R.
OK- first off, we just moved to Melrose from Dallas, so I know real Mexican! While Mexico Lindo has big American influences on it's food, it is surprisingly quite authentic! Lot's to choose from, great queso blanco (white cheese dip), good margaritas, excellent fajitas! Yes the decor is a bit ridiculous, but most Mexican restaurants are. Wednesday nights are mariachi band night. Very good, but very loud!
(4)Ellen S.
This is a hidden jewel in Melrose. The food is fabulous. When we have company, we always take them here. Another great discovery is that they have live music on Wednesday evenings...we are typically there on a weekend so this was news to us. Every meal I have ever had here is great!
(5)A. G.
my family has been eating here about once/month in the summer...only. why the summer? because it has a kick-ass back patio. the taco salad ain't bad. that's it. end of story.
(4)martie L.
I'm really not sure how other people were able to give this place more than 3 stars - at best! The service was poor, poor, poor. The food was bland and boring. No spice, no flavor, no nothing! The only good thing about the experience was the chips and salsa. The rest of the meal - waste of money. Please Mexico Lindo - learn how to to cook with some flavor, substance, and love.
(2)Jenna D.
Decent food, indifferent service, good for kids & margaritas
(3)Andrew K.
Authentic Mexican food at a very affordable price. I usually get the chicken and steak fajitas and my fiancee gets the veggie burrito, both very generous sizes. All the times we have been there the service has been quick - sometimes too quick if you're trying to enjoy a couple of drinks with dinner. The margaritas are good and the beer prices are excellent - $3 for a pint of dos equis. If you are looking for an authentic mexican experience I would recommend.
(3)Lisa L.
Poorly executed Mexican/American food. Once they gave me brown guacamole ... the waitress said it was ok like that LOL! Beans are disgusting, rice is hard and cold. The only thing you should try is the chip and salsa, and a beer!
(1)TK H.
Fantastic food and service. Live band walking around to the tables was very friendly and respectful. Best Mexican food in the area at at affordable price.
(5)Elisa T.
This is my go-to place on a Friday night when the work week is over. Love the food, love the drinks, love the atmosphere. On top of it all, it's very affordable. Who can beat that? The food is far better than any chain Mexican restaurant, and the service is good. I've sat in the dining area, and at the bar, but they just opened a deck in the back so you can sit outside in the warmer months....next time I go I am requesting to sit there. When you first sit they give you chips and salsa that are fantastic, I always order guacamole to go with it...for $4 it is amazing guacamole. I really love the burritos, fajitas, and the appetizer nachos, but they have some other specialties on the menu that are also very good. You can't go wrong with any order I think. This is one of my favorite local places and I always look forward to going!
(4)Robert K.
Great authentic Mexican. Never disappointed with food or service.they have a deck out back, great spot in the summer as well. They have a mariachi band on Wednesday.
(5)Ribblet N.
Very good food, large portions, great service. Have been here now going on 4 times and its worth the wait. (because it can be quite busy here)
(4)Edna Z.
Short and simple. Very Yummy ! and staff is great ~
(5)Suzanne S.
The service was as slow as the Mexican economy. I asked for more chips twice. They brought more salsa. What am I going to eat the salsa with? My hands? Guess so. They never came to refill the waters either.
(1)Jecheima A.
The margaritas were DELICIOUS and I am not a huge margarita person. We got the house margarita pitcher......loved it. We got steak fajitas too. The single order was enough to split....it was huge and we were SO full. It was really fresh and tasty though!
(4)Marilyn T.
The best part of the dining experience was the decor...food was meh and the service was horrible...I had the fish tacos, which were the only items on the plate that had any flavor...presentation was sloppy as well. Dessert? Save your $$$ and go get a Twinkie (would have been better than what we were served....imagine that).
(1)Meredithe H.
Have ate here alot in the past, will NEVER give this place another dollar of mine! I sent my husband in with a list to get take out, he sat at the bar and tried to order. He order our 2 entree's, a childrens meal, two appitizers, a soup, and a desert. He ordered a drink and 20 min into waiting for food they came back and told him they did not have tamale's (we had ordered for appitizer) so he ordered 2 chile relleno's instead and another drink. he never got waited on again (drinks were long gone, would have ordered more) until the bill came. the recipt shows he ordered at 6;44pm he paid at 7:59pm! REALLY over an hour for take out??? RIDICOULOUS!! Upon un-packing take out we noticed we had no chile relleno's, no desert and no guacamole. So we called (thinking he left a bag there) i and was VERY rudely informed i had not ordered guacamole or desert and that they had ran out of chile relleno's TOO. (would have been nice to have been told so i had enough food for us!) Then told i could speak with the bartender that the items were not ordered and we were told about both the tamale's and chilie relleno's. I was shocked thinking that they would want to keep their customers happy, but i had this mouthy, rude lady yelling at me through the phone. Have never been treated so poorly by a resturuant in my life!! I hung up and emailed resturuant, thinking they would want to know how their employees were treating the patrons, no response! So Mexico Lindo will never be getting my money or referals any longer!!
(1)kelly m.
My husband and I have ate here probably 5 times now. I'd say everything is mediocre with the exception of the carne asada entree, which has been excellent each time we ordered it. I ordered the carnitas once, expecting tender shredded pork but was very disappointed by a tough, thin slab of pork. Good service and nice outdoor seating area for when it's warmer out.
(3)Bassel A.
This place is OK. If you are from Melrose and want a night out, then this is a OK spot. Food is ok, the service is very good, the prices are ok, the drinks are good. I want to give this place a 4 star but I find myself wanting to go to Borders Cafe about 7 miles away rather then this place (across the street) whenever I am craving American style Mexican food. I don't have anything negative, this place is what it is. A decent night out in Melrose. Tip 1: Margarita by the pitcher is $20 versus $6 by the glass. You get about 5 1/2 glasses out of the pitcher so it is a much better deal. Tip 2: If you life Spice, then ask for the server for the "real hot sauce" on the side. They don't advertise it, but will bring it to you if you ask. It's a Habanero sauce that is really spicy but has good flavor.
(3)Kelly T.
Wonderful first experience! My server seemed to be waiting on several tables AND the bar but he was very attentive to our needs. The nachos were tasty and the strawberry margarita was refreshing! Will definitely come back soon
(5)Robert D.
Always Good and very fast. . Kinda feel rushed sometimes but food so good can't complain
(5)Greg R.
My wife and I have long favored another Greater Boston tex-mex restaurant, but found ourselves north of the city at rush hour on a Friday and just wanted to relax, have a couple margaritas, and a decent dinner. A local recommended Mexico Lindo, so we gave it a try, and were not disappointed. The margaritas were made exactly as we asked and, unlike even our usual place, they were available by the pitcher for much less than individual glasses cost. As for the food, it's a little old-fashioned traditional for our tastes, but pretty good nonetheless. What I liked is that I was able to find a good tex-mex seafood dish that wasn't fried or mushy. We've been looking for a good alternate to our usual tex-mex, and Mexico Lindo came through. I have to comment on the decor, too. It's very cheesy and borderline tacky, but in a very fun way that made us smile. After so many other restaurants that take themselves overly seriously these days, Mexico Lindo's playful atmosphere made it easy to just relax and kick back. So, don't go expecting the next great thing in fine dining, but if you have any sense of whimsy at all -- and a serious appetite -- definitely do go, relax, and enjoy.
(4)Alex D.
Decent food, decent prices, decent waitstaff, decent drinks. Not by any means a stand out place for Mexican, but probably the most fun spot on Main St. in Melrose. Definitely a lot better than the Methuen location of Mexico Lindo.
(3)Traci K.
Mexico Lindo is alright. The service here is great (everyone was very polite and pretty much on the ball) - the decor is awesome (bright, bold colors) and there was a mariachi band playing a few songs here and there (though at times, the music was a little too loud - i.e. when we were trying to order). The food is nothing to write home about. My fella had chicken enchiladas in a mole sauce which was pretty tasty (the mole, from my experience was a little thin - but the flavor was nice). The rice and beans were adequate. I had the chile relleno and I was not totally pleased. First, the batter. It was more like a cocoon rather than apart of the chile. It was so thick and not crispy that I was able to peel the entire battered part off - which was a good thing since I was not interested in eating a large mass of soggy batter. The chile itself was nice - it had a nice smoky flavor and was slightly sweet. The filling was plain - just plain cheese. No wait. Scratch that. It was plain CHEESE. SO MUCH CHEESE. IT WAS SO MUCH CHEESE THAT I HAVE TO WRITE IN ALL CAPS TO RELAY HOW CHEESY IT WAS. Congealed. Cheesy. Mess. Saddness in my heart. Now, I don't mind cheese - I actually love it oh so very much, but whoa now. let's take it easy with the amount there. There was no other flavor or texture to the filling other than greasy, congealed cheese. I'm thinking I probably ordered the wrong thing. I'm thinking I should have probably gone with the shrimp enchiladas like I had originally decided. I guess I'll have to see...
(3)John Q.
This place is good for chips and drinks and some of the foods good but I waited to post a review to go back a few times to see if negative things were repeated and they were. Some of the wait staff is not attentive by any means. I've been there when its busy and when theres 2 other people and the length of time just to refill water was ridiculous and no different which is inexcusable. If you ask for a few things during your meal its like your asking for the whole world and staff starts to get rude and its always a certain waitress. I've been here many many many times and this is a constant which makes me want to put it on my blacklist.
(3)John B.
Open till 10pm on Sundays. Always has the game on. Chips and salsa come right out when you sit down. And they make a pretty good martini for a mexi-joint. Right now I'm just loving the open on a Sunday night deal..... Omg and the Martinis are $7.50. New best place on earth and its next to coffee tea and me
(5)Ryan N.
I've eaten here dozens of times over the years and it really is hit or miss. Food is consistently above average but the service can be horrendous at times. It always seems like the waiter/waitress disappears for long periods of time whenever you are looking to order, get another drink, or get the check so you can get the heck out. That being said, we always come back as it kid friendly and the chips and salsa can't be beat. Oh, and a $3 Sam Adams ain't bad either. I'm still confused as to why cole slaw is a garnish for a Mexican dish?!
(3)Kelly C.
I'm torn. I wanted to say how wonderful I thought the food was. But I wasn't feeling it. I wasn't a fan of the salsa that came with the cold chips. I ordered the Chicken Mole, and though I don't know if it's fair to say it was bad (it was my first Chicken Mole) I just wasn't a fan. I do have to say that I am a person who will try anything and eats almost anything. It came with barely any rice ( The rice was different, kinda crunchy?) I did enjoy the refried beans ( kindof a soupy texture) My boyfriend had the Camerones Adaso. I wasn't a fan of his dish either. The good thing was that we went during the lunch special time, so at least we didn't pay dinner prices. It's hard to find Mexican in the Boston area, so maybe next time, I'll stick to the basics, and have a few margaritas :)
(3)Craig B.
Staff have always been friendly, and the food is delightfully non-Americanized Mexican. They do have some TexMex style dishes for the less brave, but do yourself a favor and go for something traditional. Their fish tacos are light and non-breaded/fried versus American style which have thick breading and are deep fried ruining the whole point.
(4)Dee P.
This restaurant is a great place for families! It is brightly colored and you don't have to worry about your kids being too loud. Not to mention the food which is fantastic!! We have never been there and been disappointed! They have a mariachi band that comes in once a week and the kids love it, it is too loud for me but the kids had a great time!!
(5)Kelly A.
I should probably visit this place more often. It's quite good. But I guess I sometimes forget it's there, or when I'm in the mood for Mexican food I usually head over to La Siesta in Winthrop. But I think I need to show Mexico Lindo a little more love! The mister and I stopped in yesterday for some lunch, and we pretty much had the place to ourselves. We were greeted with some chips and fresh salsa, which was a super tasty blend of spicy, cilantroey, tomatoey goodness. And I got an iced tea, which was wicked good. It might have helped that it was like 90 degrees outside and I was thirsty, but the iced tea totally hit the spot. I savored it to the last drop. We were happy to see a vegetarian section listed on the menu, as it makes the perusing much easier. I ordered the vegetarian burrito, and he opted for the enchiladas Popeye. The burrito was filled with lettuce, beans, rice, tomatoes, onions, and such, topped with some bright green guac, cotija cheese, and a lovely mole-style sauce. The enchiladas were, as the name suggested, chock full o' spinach and green through and through. We were both pleased with our meals. Prices are pretty reasonable - the burrito was about $8 and the enchiladas were about $9. The fun decor, happy music, and good food were enough to remind me to add this place to the rotation.
(4)Amada W.
This place was pretty much exactly what a three star on Yelp is--"A-Ok". I wasn't blown away by the food but it was quick, hot and average taste. My boyfriend and I walked over from our apartment less then five minutes away. It was around 9:20 when we got there and we were back to our apartment by 10:15. Service was faaast. We went in, were immediately sat and given water and chips. Chips were good and hot, salsa was pretty tasty. No complaints. We didn't try the margaritas because we both had work in the morning :) but we did get a beer each. The menu itself is pretty huge but my boyfriend was disappointed that they didn't offer chimichangas as a main dish. You could get them as sides. We both ended up ordering run of the mill burritos--I had chicken and he had beef. Each entree was about $12 for a large burrito. Kind if disappointing that they didn't automatically come with rice and refried beans like every restaraunt under the sun. We had to order them as sides. Some entrees did come with rice and beans, others didn't. I'm not sure why. Either way the food was to our table in less then five minutes, seriously, it was crazy. I guess it isn't all that hard to cook up a burrito, but we hadn't even finished our chips! My burrito was full of nice big chunks of chicken and it tasted great. Usually you get shreds of chicken in burritos but these were nice hearty chunks. I liked that. Boyfriend chowed his burrito down. We paid and off we went. I do wish that the server was more attentive. He didn't ask us if we needed anything or if everything was okay once, and I would have liked some salsa or hot sauce for my burrito but couldn't grab him. He seemed busy but was relatively friendly for during the required interactions (drink order, dinner order, money taking). $40 for two beers, two burritos and two sides with the tip included isn't terrible but a little pricey compared to other restaraunts I've been to where I could get two margaritas and escape for a little over $20 (and with a major buzz!). But it was close and fast. We will give it another shot to try their margaritas and maybe sit at the bar and have wings or something because it's so so close. And colorful! I loved the decor!
(3)Meatless B.
Vegetarians.... Forget about it. Their menu has a vegetarian section; any with rice and beans ARE NOT VEGETARIAN! I've been told several times that they would change the cooking method of rice without chicken stock but they have not. And the option for the beans is plain black beans instead of the ones cooked in animal lard. Our revised vegetarian burrito come out luke warm with a nondescript sauce. Many servers, yet our margarita and second basket of chips took waaaay too long for so many waiters standing around. We come for convenience and margarita, but the food seems to come from giant cans. Certainly does not merit 3 1/2 star rating.
(2)Kathleen F.
So first of all this place needs to start taking reservations to avoid overcrowding because there was so much ridiculous crowding around their too small entry area because lots of people were waiting around for tables. We called ahead because we had a party of 6 and still had to wait about 45 minutes. The margaritas are about a 3 star I would say, decent, but i've definitely had better. Chips and salsa at the table would be about a 4 star because the salsa is really good. The portion sizes for the food are ridiculously big, as in could feed a family of 4, and as a result the food is slightly overpriced for mexican. My food came out partially warm/cool and definitely wasn't held at a safe food temp, but I still ate about half. I regretted that about 5 hours later when I got really sick at home. Basically this place needs to find a way to keep up with the crowds and run the kitchen efficiently to keep up w' it too so food stays warm enough to be within safeserv standards. There are better, cheaper, less crowded mexican places around. I would definitely not go back for food....maybe on an off night do chips and a drink at the bar...maybe...but not if I had to wait 45 minutes!
(2)Face D.
I've been going to Mexico Lindo for years now, and always enjoyed the food and frozen margaritas. BUT... I went there around 9:45 on a Saturday night and was told they were closed. I told the person at the front counter that was strange since their website said they were open until much later. He then shouted "Computers are broken!" I've worked in the service industry before... computers being broken doesn't make you close down. My boyfriend and I thought it was odd since we saw people around the bar drinking. He went back into the restaurant and asked a waitress if he could sit down at the bar and order food, she said "Yes" and then the impolite man yelled at her and said no. Seems to me like they wanted to close down early, which is fine, but at least be polite about it rather than trying to shoo us away and yell at your waitstaff. We went to Stearns & Hill instead where we were greeted, seated, and served.
(1)Mike R.
The chips and salsa, the drinks, and the atmosphere are the only reasons that this place got 2 stars. The food was HORRIBLE. I got a combo plate with a chicken taco, beef taco, and chicken enchilada. All three were incredibly bland and didn't taste like anything. Both of my hard shell tacos were soggy by the time they got to my table. I'm hoping I just ordered wrong and that there is actually good food here because the place was fun and has pitchers or margaritas! I'll give it one more shot.
(2)Mark A.
My wife loves this place (she loves Mexican), and this place has a little more authentic Mexican than most of the chain restaurants. The food is tasty, and reasonably priced. The wait-staff is hit-or-miss. They often have a mariachi band on Wednesdays/Thursdays, and the place is a little small for that (gets REALLY loud in there). If you're in the mood for that, it can be fun, but I like a little more quiet with my meal.
(4)Max W.
The food here is awful. My wife and I tried 3 or 4 times and every time, just awful. I guess they spent all of their money on the new back patio instead of the food. Did I mention it is awful?
(1)Smar T.
The service was slow, the food was bland and greasy, the margarita (which was supposed to be made from real stuff) tasted like cheap mix, the guacamole was made with cream cheese, and the chips didn't taste homemade to us. Gross carnitas, weird oily chile relleno, bland enchiladas. And check out the photos to see the sea of grease in which the rice was sitting. Very sad bc we were psyched (muy) that there might be great Mexican so close to home. Guess we're still going to Brookline for sol azteca.
(2)Henry O.
* Check Your Wallet * Weeks after eating here I realized that my credit card statement showed the wrong amount charged by this restaurant. It didn't match the restaurant receipt for the total meal and tip charge. My credit card company, Discover Card, said that the charge was correct, and that I had to settle the mischarge with the restaurant. (I guess it doesn't "pay to Discover".) The charge was not off by much, but it was enough to make me question the integrity of the restaurant. I contacted the restaurant half a dozen times, at different times and days, leaving messages for the manager, who was never there. (How does a restaurant run without a manager?) On one call, the receiver said that they'd take care of the problem and refund the mischarged difference; I took him up on the offer, but found out through Discover Card weeks later that the refund was not provided. As of today, I canceled my Discover card, never received my refund, and never returned to this place. * Average Food & Prices * The food is average with reasonable prices; it is what you would expect from a plain Mexican restaurant in the suburbs. They serve you chips and salsa as an appetizer; the chips were OK, but the salsa had an unappealing flavor. The service was slow; the waiter barely checked on us through our stay. We had to ask for the check just to get out of there. (We could have easily walked out without paying.) * My Journey for Mexican Food * From my past trips to Texas, I grew to love authentic Mexican food --there's nothing like spicy food to get you going. I am always on the lookout for good Mexican restaurants, especially back home in New England. I wanted to like this place, but this is not one of the good Mexican restaurants. They deserve zero (0) stars, but I'll give them one (1) just to be nice. * Bottom Line * Check your credit card statement against your receipt if you were unfortunate enough to eat here.
(1)K B.
I came here tonight with 7 of my friends. The food was good but the staff was horrible! And I mean horrible! We sat outside on the patio because it was nice outside and there was a wait for inside tables. We consistently got dirty looks from several of the servers. They either thought we were going to run out on our bill or were mad that we wanted to stay after eating to have drinks and catch up with one another. It got to the point where it became crystal clear that they wanted us to cash our check even though we had two more hours until close. I went to the bathroom and got dirty looks from several servers. i had that feeling i was being talked about in Spanish as I walked by. We decided to head inside and have after dinner cocktails. But after one beverage each we got cut off! Now we all just finished eating a huge dinner and were in no way shape or form to the point where we shouldn't be drinking anymore. I have lived in Melrose my entire life and I am disgusted. I will never return here again.
(2)Julie G.
I went here on Saturday afternoon on a whim with the boyfriend. We sat out back, with only one other table. It took 10 minutes for our margaritas... a little extreme since there were only 3 other tables in/out back of restaurant. Margaritas were strong = made me VERY HAPPY :) We only got a side of fries since we weren't that hungry but I filled up on tortilla chips & salsa which was good. SERVICE SUCKED. I'd go back only for the drinks.
(3)Scott J.
Mexico Lindo is a true find. Nestled in the suburban paradise that is downtown, picturesque Melrose, you'll find this gem of a Mexican restaurant that serves up gigantic plates of tasty, well-prepared meals. The ambiance is colorful and festive and we were entertained by a live Mariachi band, including a trumpet player. This added to the atmosphere as we sipped our decadent banana frozen margaritas. For my entree, I savored the signature Mexico Lindo burrito -- and there was no ito to be found. This was HUGE, smothered in cheese, guacamole, and sour cream. I opted for pork, which was succulent and deliciously marinated; the fat-free beans were flavorful and the tortilla was lightly baked to provide the perfect shell. It's rare to find good Mexican in New England, but you're guaranteed an incredible meal here. Nothing wrong with venturing out of Boston to enjoy a fine meal -- and it's only minutes away from Oak Grove Station on the Orange Line.
(5)Busta M.
It's unfortunate in this age of TV reality shows such as "Chopped" and "Gordon Ramsay's F Word" that we still have to suffer through fundamental blunders such as those offered up by Mexico Lindo. This restaurant has such a terrific opportunity to succeed in an under saturated market. They are in the perfect location and fill a wide-open market need for Mexican food north of Boston. However, they simply don't pay enough attention to the quality of their food. I"m hoping they wake up from their potentially disastrous siesta before its too late. I recommend they take the entire staff over to Arlington for a meal at Zocalo. My beef taco was soggy with grease and off-tasting. No hot sauce at the table. Tamale was dry with dry pork. To be fair, chips and salsa were good, chicken enchilada was also good. But I expect way more value for $36.00! This place can be saved, they just need to wake up and take the food up a notch. Message to cook: Give us food you would give to your family.
(3)Lauren M.
I like this place because it's one of the few Mexican restaurants in the area that is not a chain. They serve good food and decent cocktails and also have an outdoor patio which is a huge bonus.
(3)Joan R.
This is a great place for a family outing! They have good kid's options, and if your kiddo has a sensitive palate, then they also have "kiddy salsa" that has no kick at all. The style of Mexican food here was similar to what we got on our vacation in Telchac. Definitely fun, good food, and well worth it.
(4)Caitlin G.
Yum. Yum. Yum. This place is excellent! Everything I've ever eaten here has been freshly prepared and was crawling with flavor and spice. And, you can order pitchers of margaritas. Enough said right there. Then, of course, there's the chips and salsa that arrives at your table upon seating. They're bottomless, I might add, and quite a deadly (but delicious) combo in conjunction with the margarita pitchers. I can't remember all of their dishes that I've tried over the years, but most recently I ordered the enchiladas and they were both filling and scrumptious... all melty and gooey and perfect. This is a great place to go if you want a real taste of authentic Mexican cuisine!
(4)Laurel C.
I have gone here many times over the past 5 or 6 years and it used to be good. Really. It certainly has great margaritas and was enjoyed during many a girls night out, as well as meals with the kids. However, we had lunch there this week and it was awful. The plate was so covered in lettuce and coleslaw that it was hard to find my enchildada and taco. They up charged me $4 for choosing a filling of chorizo instead of beef or chicken (in the past, they either charged nothing or 50 cents). The waiter told us that if we didn't want to pay that much, not to, but it would come out of his paycheck. Being sympathetic to what could be the truth, we took the high road and paid for it. The portions were also tiny and the Queso dip was AWFUL and runny. I don't know what happened to this place, but the quality has tanked.
(1)Rebecca S.
Overall, this place was ok. The ambience was cute. The service was fine. The food was ok. The chicken in my chimichanga was good and the salsa with the appetizer chips excellent, but everything else was just basic and uninteresting. If I was desperate for close by mexican-style or wanted to try their drinks, I'd go back. But other than that, I would try someplace else.
(3)Cynthia A.
Mexico Lindo, you used to be so lindo! What happened? Food and service average. Food quality has been decreasing. The best part is the chips and salsa. Some nice qualities: mariachi band on some nights and an outdoor patio in the back.
(3)Jane B.
This place reminded me of the Mexican restaurants in LA. Loud decor, loud ambiance. I had been trying to find a Mexican place since moving to the area, so I was very happy to come across Mexico Lindo on Yelp. Of course, the reviews were all over the place. But, generally it was good. We headed over on a weekend evening around 6pm. Granted it was a holiday weekend, it was nice to not have to wait for a table. We were seated and handed a menu. A while later, water was brought...then chips and salsa. Then we waited a little bit, and were then asked if we wanted a drink. I got the Mango Margarita, he got the Sangria. Both were tasty and well poured. Again, we waited for the waiter to come back and take our order. Although, that wasn't a terrible thing as their menu is rather expansive and I had gone in craving a good taco...and then I was hit with a bit of a conundrum. In the end, I went for a combo plate of a chile relleno, chicken enchiladas, and a beef taco. He went for the Red Snapper dish. I also ordered a side of guacamole. As we noshed on the guac, which was pretty good although could have had more garlic. It was more of a traditional style, being almost completely smooth instead of chunky. It started to fill up...and get a bit noisy, but nothing horrible. We eyed some of the other dishes as they came out and everything looked good. Finally, our food came, and we tucked in. One of my main tests of a Mexican restaurant is their relleno. It can easily be greasy, too cheesy, gross cheesy, etc. This one was pretty darn good. The taco was tasty too, without a ton of grease falling out of it. And my enchilada was pretty good, with a decent amount of chicken. He adored his Red Snapper dish, which was a whole Snapper fried (and crispy so guessing it had a slight batter on it) and topped with a salsa of tomato, cilantro, and onion. Both our dishes were served with rather large portions of rice, beans and some sort of slaw like dish. Overall, I'd say the service was a little slow, but we really weren't in a rush so that was fine. The food was great. I'm curious to try a few more dishes to see how those fare but this might just end up being my place for Mexican food. And all thanks to Yelp. Aww!
(4)Jphubs J.
Wicked good Mexican food and the best Sangria I've ever had!
(5)Brett K.
This place use to be my go to restaurant at least once a week. But lately I feel they have been resting on their laurels. The quality of food is still up there but the service is what's really fallen off. The last few times I've been I felt rushed out the door. I still like this place and go fairly regularly but I just feel they need to get back to what made them great, awesome service and really solid Mexican food.
(3)Al G.
About the only good place about this restaurant is the decor and the fried ice cream dessert. What a disappointment. Their seafood enchiladas tasted rancid and hardly contained any "seafood", and had a weird color and taste to the so called "shrimp" in the enchiladas. I went there again as I thought perhaps I just had bad luck the first time, but my chicken tacos were straight up nasty. Chicken was as tough as leather and dry. Their rice is horrible, I mean how hard is it to make Spanish rice??? Don't bother with this place, go to Turner's or Stern's & Hill if you want a good restaurant in Melrose. If you want Mexican, there are lot's of better places than this spot in the greater Boston area.
(1)A B.
I do like the chips and salsa. The staff is very rude. They need a training class in wait staff service. They just don't care. Does the restaurant have a manager? You would never know...
(1)Emily O.
Mexico Lindo is a fun spot in Melrose's Downtown. I ended up here after a failed attempt at going to the Border Cafe in Saugus for dinner and drinks, since it's always a packed house - especially on a Saturday night. Anyway, someone in my party recommended this place for authentic Mexican eats, after having gone there some time before. When we arrived, it was also hoppin', but we were able to score some seats at the bar. Their margarita selection is impressive, and they offer pitchers which are a fantastic idea. The chips and salsa, the mainstays of a Mexican restaurant, were tasty. I ordered the vegetarian enchiladas, which have been reviewed here already, and was pleased. I don't think my dish is a good measure of authentic Mexican eats, but my dining companions did order the carne asada burrito and fish tacos, which they said were tasty, though I think anything tasted good after a few margs. The one thing I though was bogus is that a side of guacamole (which I wasn't impressed with) cost $4 a pop. A little pricey for mediocre guac if you ask me. Otherwise, I'd recommend it. I'll be back in the summer to enjoy the outdoor seating, and to try the sangria. Another fav!
(3)J A.
Read reviews & wanted to check out a new Mexican place. We were very disappointed. Everything tasted and looked like it came out of a can or box with a lack of flavor, and the service was lackluster. Sangria was only saving grace. Too yummy to drink slowly (but not very strong). Will not return.
(2)Leann F.
This review is for the lunch crowd; I've never tried dinner at this restaurant. The food at this place is sub par by every measure. The tortilla chips are obviously fresh, but they are incredibly bland without even a hint of salt. Things don't improve with the food. I ordered chicken mole, which had the strangest flavor, not savory, not complex, just strange and spicy. The chicken covered in this strange sauce was overcooked, chewy, and the exact opposite of moist. What's more, the meat was cut up into odd little chunks and then cooked, further removing any possibility of moistness. The rice was fine, though unremarkable and the beans were a heap of bland mush. I've given this place two shots and it has failed to meet even my expectation for mediocrity on both occasions. I'll fulfill my Mexican craving elsewhere in the future.
(2)A M.
Wonderful, fresh food, with a nice atmosphere, and great for kids! Prices are a bit high, however, for dinner.
(4)Steve C.
great food, have been there a few times now and haven't had a bad meal yet. my favorite thing to get is the chicken mole dish, awesome mole sauce!!
(4)Michelle L.
Went here for dinner and had veggie enchiladas (Mexico Lindo Enchiladas). I have never had an enchilada with spinach in it. It basically only had spinach- I wished they mixed it up with other veggies. Asked about the sangria (was told by people it's a must-get) and was told that a half carafe had 4 glasses (perfect for me and my dinner date). Then the tiny glasses came out filled with ice. Wished we got the full carafe, which supposedly had 8 tiny glasses. Definitely very good sangria, just a little stingy on the quantity. Guac side was not up to par. It was missing the lime. If you dipped the chips in the guac then the salsa it was much better. Glad my friend made that discovery. May be back. Ambivalent about this place, but perhaps I'll find something that's a-mazing next time. I haven't given up hope.
(3)Rad B.
Loved this place. We had tamales and enchiladas for dinner. The chips and salsa were great and we also ordered guacamole. The guac was a little creamer than I'm used to but still very tasty. We were planning on having dessert as well but the portions were big enough that we just couldn't do it. I highly recommend this place.
(4)Lynne S.
I could honestly eat Mexican food every day for the rest of my life and die happy. And from what I've experienced so far, I'd be happy to eat those meals at Mexico Lindo. This unique restaurant on Main Street in Melrose is colorfully decorated, making you feel like you've stepped into the middle of a Mexican fiesta! The service was fast and friendly and the food was delicious. The Carne Asada plate was out of this world. The beef was thinner than I've had elsewhere, but was so tender and flavorful it almost melted in my mouth. The enormous plate was served with guacamole, pico de gallo, rice, refried beans, vinegary Cole slaw and tortillas. I also stole a bite of my dining companions Camarones Mexicanos, which were also bursting with flavor. Gracias Mexico Lindo! Muy Excellante!
(4)Eshe F.
Everyone is raving about the margaritas....maybe I should have had a few and I would think the food was great too... I was not greeted when I entered... I ordered the Mole California...which was pretty mediocre... Maybe I just picked a bad day to dine here... I had high hopes, unfortunately I won't be back
(2)Jeff C.
Always good, sometimes it can get a little loud, but this is one of our fool proof go-to's.
(4)Sharalyn P.
The food was not horrible...but not great. Bland and soggy burrito...taco salad with barely and lettuce... Skip the entrees and get a bowl of queso and chips and order the margaritas!! Strong and yummy drinks! Besides the drinks, the other memorable parts were the decor and mariache band!
(3)Andy E.
I'm no vegetarian, but if I was, I would love Mexico Lindo. Por Supuesto, I often forgo meat in favor of veggie options and they have a terrific arsenal ranging from quesadillas to creative burritos. The other quality that sets this place apart is that it offers an authentic Mexican seafood experience that few other places do. I just got the Red Snapper and out it came full bodied on my plate smiling up at me with those creepy eyes watching while I devoured every bit of its fleshy deliciousness. As the perfect complement, avocado slices, lime, rice and beans adorned the periphery of Mr. Snapper's demise and commingled swimmingly en route to my stomach. Also complete here are the Mexican staples that guarantee there is something for everyone...Food would fit that sentence also, but I was referring to the alcohol. They have a fantastic selection of margaritas and a sizable variety of Mexican beers, which coupled with the food, really represent my favorite Mexican exports all in one place. ****The service being somewhat slow and and less than attentive is the reason the elusive fifth star is being withheld.
(4)Jack M.
We got takeout from here last week. Still wicked good! Carne asada is still a favorite. I got an enchilada and burrito and it was very nice. Each dinner comes with rice and beans - both really good - and a bag of taco chips with a side of salsa. This is the BEST place to get takeout - tasty and not too bad for ya!!!
(4)Paige A.
Fish tacos and their cole slaw side...yes please.
(4)Robert P.
First off, their chips and salsa are amazing. I dont like really chunky salsa and they have a great, smooth salsa with just enough kick to it. So, I used to live right around the corner from this restaurant. Everything was always cooked hot and fresh. Spent money nights at the bar grabbing a bite and a beer, watching the bruins game. The staff always made me feel welcome, whether I was ordering a dinner or just having a quick beer. I am not a Mexican food expert butterfly from what I've seen and tasted this place is probably as good as you're going to get for a reasonable price. If you like Mexican food this place is definitely worth a try. If you get a margarita , try and spring for the Don Julio tequila. A bit more but certainly worth it. I think it equals about two regular margaritas and the tequila is much smoother. I'd give it a three and a half only because I've tried only a limited portion of the menu but thats not their fault. In the end, reasonable pricing, good service and fresh food. Parking can be a little tricky, its downtown Melrose so that's to be expected. Don't listen to the bad reviews, try it for yourself.
(3)Christopher G.
WORST EVER. I was told the margaritas were great since $20 a pitcher is a good deal. Is $20 for a lot of crappy margaritas a good deal? I was also told the buffalo wings are great to get me there. When I say they were the worst I am including the fact that they do not even know how to make them. When these dry fried gross things showed up on my table by the rude waiter who occasionally stopped by I couldn't help noticing that 50% of the ingredients were missing. Namely the "Buffalo" portion of the Buffalo Wings. I said "These don't even have any sauce on them?" Angry waiter "Theees is how we get them" Noted. Horrible. How do you have something on your menu that you don't even know how to or care to make correctly? Especially when there are only 2 ingredients and they are both in the name of the product? If you go there and waste your money you've been warned.
(1)Joanne G.
Mexico Lindo is closer to real Mexican food - with their tamales and wonderful salsa. I highly recommend the Chile Con Queso and ask for flour tortillas to dip in the warm gooeyness of it all. Enchiladas, Tacos and anything with the pork is amazing. Fajitas are fantastic and the guac and shredded cabbage is yumo Service is great - people are friendly - they don't serve Coke products - and I hate Pepsi so I drink a Margarita instead ;) It fills up quickly on Sunday afternoons so get their early and it's worth the wait for a table. The decor is fun and very very Mexican - I'd love to get one of those chairs home with me! Hasta Luego Amigos!
(5)Kevin S.
Great place, my wife and I tried it for the first time this weekend. Food was great, prices were very reasonable. We sat at high top table in the bar area, got a bit loud when the younger crowd came into the bar area to hang out, but not too bad. We will definitly be going again
(4)Rob F.
Ordered "Mole Poblano." I know Mole Poblano. This was no Mole Poblano. This was a paper thin boneless chicken breast covered in some kind of orange colored ketchup goo. Seriously sub par. I don't know what the high ratings are about, unless they were all written after muchos margaritas, which were muy bueno. But, c'mon. I know it's possible, but you need to work very, very hard to screw up a margarita. My dinner mates ordered enchiladas, tacos, etc. I tasted theirs. Seriously sub par. Canned refried beans are better. Tostitos Chips are fresher. The salsa is more like a red water color wash. ¡No me gusta! See my review of Cielito Lindo in Beverly. A bit more of a drive from town, but there's no compromising when it comes to the search for decent Mexican in New England.
(1)Jen S.
I'm a California native, and here on the East Coast, I seriously miss good Mexican food. I mean, you can find what native East Coaster will TELL you is good Mexican food, but it's usually nothing like what I grew up eating and doesn't resemble anything I've ever eaten in Mexico, either. Mexico Lindo, on the other hand, comes as close as possible to the Mexican food I'm used to. And now that I'm living in yet another state on the East Coast, I miss it mucho. Some of the fancier dishes (the moles, etc.) don't always impress, but I've never been let down by the hearty, basic fare. The burritos, enchiladas, rellenos, tamales, taquitos -- all very tasty. Sangrias and Margaritas are refreshing and have a good kick. The flan is tasty. Service has always been friendly and attentive. The place is often a zoo in the evening - I found it easier to go for lunch on the weekends, instead.
(4)Alex M.
Pretty typical mexican food in a colorful environment. I got the bacon-wrapped shrimp (a house specialty), which was decent. Friends ordered burritos, and I didn't hear any complaints. Service was cold but attentive, so can't really take points off (stressful day?). Meh, not bad.
(3)Ian R.
Great margaritas at a good price. Food is OK, nothing earth shattering although they do have some amazing desserts like Deep Fried Ice Cream. If you are looking for an over the top Mexican Restaurant experience then head here on Wednesday night when they have a live mariachi band that plays table side.
(3)Ken F.
Delicious food, best Mexican within 20 miles. Service is annoyingly slow however, once your food comes they kind of forget about you. The chili con queso is delicious,and the shredded beef taquitos are a real treat. Some of their fancier fare is going to disappoint, as they really are oriented towards tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, and other simple stuff. I can't think of any Mexican place anywhere nearby that is nearly as good, and this place has the added benefit of being a real sitdown restaurant. Any time I am in Melrose I make it a point to eat here.
(4)Michael S.
I liked the chips and salsa, they were fresh. I had a bland beef enchilada and my wife had an amazing arroz con pollo according to her. The server was alright, nothing special but the busser needed her attitude adjusted, she was just rude. Well go again and I'll try something else and my wife will probably get the same because she it was that good.
(3)Charles C.
This is my favorite restaurant in town. The food, the vibe, and the friendly staff are all awesome. I could probably just fill up on chips & salsa if they let me. Entree-wise, I almost always end up getting the Carne Asada burrito. I should branch out, but that burrito makes me all kinds of happy. Prices are very reasonable for the amount of food you get (that burrito *should* last me two meals . . . but it never does). Definitely recommended if you're in Melrose.
(4)PN D.
Food is really good...buritos are awesome and love there mexican style steaks...There maragaritas are very good.
(5)Di L.
The one thing you must must have here...is the queso. It's so good. There isn't a time I've gone that I haven't had the queso. It's seriously amazing. It reminds me of the queso from Isla in Las Vegas. Anyway, continuing on... Margaritas are excellent and have a good amount of alcohol. You're not trashed off of one, but you're not wondering what you spent your money on either. Pitchers are always a good option, in my opinion. The chicken fajitas and burritos that I've had there are fantastic and a lot of food for a reasonable price. I've definitely never gone home hungry and I don't always finish my meal since there's so much food. One night we went and I wasn't feeling like a huge meal and ordered the chicken flautas (I wish I could spell) appetizer. There were about 6 mini flautas on the plate and it was plenty if you're looking for a smaller meal. Parking can be tough since there's no lot and it's right on Main Street, but I think it's worth it to make the trip. In the warmer months, the patio out back also makes for great seating despite there not really being a view.
(4)Casey D.
Food: VERY good. My favorite for Mexican in greater Boston. Super-creamy refried beans. My favorite: Enchiladas Mexico Lindo (btw I'm vegetarian). Great sauces, very good rice, delicious beans. Great chips and salsa. Why the three stars? The drinks (namely, the margs) are terrible!! All mix. Sour, heartburn elixir. Bad. Also the service is at times problematic. The VERY surly bartender is the worst. I go here often, and the drinks are always bad. Believe me, I've tried! Bottom line: go for the food, order beers.
(3)Ester K.
I love this place. The chips and salsa are the best EVER, hands down. The margaritas are nice and strong. So the food isn't mindblowing, but come on, they have live mariachi bands (on wednesday nights I believe) that come around to tables to take requests! And the portions are huge. You will never leave this place hungry. I personally enjoy the fajitas. The staff is also very nice and friendly. The colorful decor is a real pick-me-up too!
(4)Leann F.
This review is for the lunch crowd; I've never tried dinner at this restaurant. The food at this place is sub par by every measure. The tortilla chips are obviously fresh, but they are incredibly bland without even a hint of salt. Things don't improve with the food. I ordered chicken mole, which had the strangest flavor, not savory, not complex, just strange and spicy. The chicken covered in this strange sauce was overcooked, chewy, and the exact opposite of moist. What's more, the meat was cut up into odd little chunks and then cooked, further removing any possibility of moistness. The rice was fine, though unremarkable and the beans were a heap of bland mush. I've given this place two shots and it has failed to meet even my expectation for mediocrity on both occasions. I'll fulfill my Mexican craving elsewhere in the future.
(2)A M.
Wonderful, fresh food, with a nice atmosphere, and great for kids! Prices are a bit high, however, for dinner.
(4)Steve C.
great food, have been there a few times now and haven't had a bad meal yet. my favorite thing to get is the chicken mole dish, awesome mole sauce!!
(4)Michelle L.
Went here for dinner and had veggie enchiladas (Mexico Lindo Enchiladas). I have never had an enchilada with spinach in it. It basically only had spinach- I wished they mixed it up with other veggies. Asked about the sangria (was told by people it's a must-get) and was told that a half carafe had 4 glasses (perfect for me and my dinner date). Then the tiny glasses came out filled with ice. Wished we got the full carafe, which supposedly had 8 tiny glasses. Definitely very good sangria, just a little stingy on the quantity. Guac side was not up to par. It was missing the lime. If you dipped the chips in the guac then the salsa it was much better. Glad my friend made that discovery. May be back. Ambivalent about this place, but perhaps I'll find something that's a-mazing next time. I haven't given up hope.
(3)Rad B.
Loved this place. We had tamales and enchiladas for dinner. The chips and salsa were great and we also ordered guacamole. The guac was a little creamer than I'm used to but still very tasty. We were planning on having dessert as well but the portions were big enough that we just couldn't do it. I highly recommend this place.
(4)Lynne S.
I could honestly eat Mexican food every day for the rest of my life and die happy. And from what I've experienced so far, I'd be happy to eat those meals at Mexico Lindo. This unique restaurant on Main Street in Melrose is colorfully decorated, making you feel like you've stepped into the middle of a Mexican fiesta! The service was fast and friendly and the food was delicious. The Carne Asada plate was out of this world. The beef was thinner than I've had elsewhere, but was so tender and flavorful it almost melted in my mouth. The enormous plate was served with guacamole, pico de gallo, rice, refried beans, vinegary Cole slaw and tortillas. I also stole a bite of my dining companions Camarones Mexicanos, which were also bursting with flavor. Gracias Mexico Lindo! Muy Excellante!
(4)Eshe F.
Everyone is raving about the margaritas....maybe I should have had a few and I would think the food was great too... I was not greeted when I entered... I ordered the Mole California...which was pretty mediocre... Maybe I just picked a bad day to dine here... I had high hopes, unfortunately I won't be back
(2)Jeff C.
Always good, sometimes it can get a little loud, but this is one of our fool proof go-to's.
(4)Sharalyn P.
The food was not horrible...but not great. Bland and soggy burrito...taco salad with barely and lettuce... Skip the entrees and get a bowl of queso and chips and order the margaritas!! Strong and yummy drinks! Besides the drinks, the other memorable parts were the decor and mariache band!
(3)Andy E.
I'm no vegetarian, but if I was, I would love Mexico Lindo. Por Supuesto, I often forgo meat in favor of veggie options and they have a terrific arsenal ranging from quesadillas to creative burritos. The other quality that sets this place apart is that it offers an authentic Mexican seafood experience that few other places do. I just got the Red Snapper and out it came full bodied on my plate smiling up at me with those creepy eyes watching while I devoured every bit of its fleshy deliciousness. As the perfect complement, avocado slices, lime, rice and beans adorned the periphery of Mr. Snapper's demise and commingled swimmingly en route to my stomach. Also complete here are the Mexican staples that guarantee there is something for everyone...Food would fit that sentence also, but I was referring to the alcohol. They have a fantastic selection of margaritas and a sizable variety of Mexican beers, which coupled with the food, really represent my favorite Mexican exports all in one place. ****The service being somewhat slow and and less than attentive is the reason the elusive fifth star is being withheld.
(4)Jack M.
We got takeout from here last week. Still wicked good! Carne asada is still a favorite. I got an enchilada and burrito and it was very nice. Each dinner comes with rice and beans - both really good - and a bag of taco chips with a side of salsa. This is the BEST place to get takeout - tasty and not too bad for ya!!!
(4)Paige A.
Fish tacos and their cole slaw side...yes please.
(4)Charles C.
This is my favorite restaurant in town. The food, the vibe, and the friendly staff are all awesome. I could probably just fill up on chips & salsa if they let me. Entree-wise, I almost always end up getting the Carne Asada burrito. I should branch out, but that burrito makes me all kinds of happy. Prices are very reasonable for the amount of food you get (that burrito *should* last me two meals . . . but it never does). Definitely recommended if you're in Melrose.
(4)PN D.
Food is really good...buritos are awesome and love there mexican style steaks...There maragaritas are very good.
(5)Robert P.
First off, their chips and salsa are amazing. I dont like really chunky salsa and they have a great, smooth salsa with just enough kick to it. So, I used to live right around the corner from this restaurant. Everything was always cooked hot and fresh. Spent money nights at the bar grabbing a bite and a beer, watching the bruins game. The staff always made me feel welcome, whether I was ordering a dinner or just having a quick beer. I am not a Mexican food expert butterfly from what I've seen and tasted this place is probably as good as you're going to get for a reasonable price. If you like Mexican food this place is definitely worth a try. If you get a margarita , try and spring for the Don Julio tequila. A bit more but certainly worth it. I think it equals about two regular margaritas and the tequila is much smoother. I'd give it a three and a half only because I've tried only a limited portion of the menu but thats not their fault. In the end, reasonable pricing, good service and fresh food. Parking can be a little tricky, its downtown Melrose so that's to be expected. Don't listen to the bad reviews, try it for yourself.
(3)Christopher G.
WORST EVER. I was told the margaritas were great since $20 a pitcher is a good deal. Is $20 for a lot of crappy margaritas a good deal? I was also told the buffalo wings are great to get me there. When I say they were the worst I am including the fact that they do not even know how to make them. When these dry fried gross things showed up on my table by the rude waiter who occasionally stopped by I couldn't help noticing that 50% of the ingredients were missing. Namely the "Buffalo" portion of the Buffalo Wings. I said "These don't even have any sauce on them?" Angry waiter "Theees is how we get them" Noted. Horrible. How do you have something on your menu that you don't even know how to or care to make correctly? Especially when there are only 2 ingredients and they are both in the name of the product? If you go there and waste your money you've been warned.
(1)Joanne G.
Mexico Lindo is closer to real Mexican food - with their tamales and wonderful salsa. I highly recommend the Chile Con Queso and ask for flour tortillas to dip in the warm gooeyness of it all. Enchiladas, Tacos and anything with the pork is amazing. Fajitas are fantastic and the guac and shredded cabbage is yumo Service is great - people are friendly - they don't serve Coke products - and I hate Pepsi so I drink a Margarita instead ;) It fills up quickly on Sunday afternoons so get their early and it's worth the wait for a table. The decor is fun and very very Mexican - I'd love to get one of those chairs home with me! Hasta Luego Amigos!
(5)Kevin S.
Great place, my wife and I tried it for the first time this weekend. Food was great, prices were very reasonable. We sat at high top table in the bar area, got a bit loud when the younger crowd came into the bar area to hang out, but not too bad. We will definitly be going again
(4)Rob F.
Ordered "Mole Poblano." I know Mole Poblano. This was no Mole Poblano. This was a paper thin boneless chicken breast covered in some kind of orange colored ketchup goo. Seriously sub par. I don't know what the high ratings are about, unless they were all written after muchos margaritas, which were muy bueno. But, c'mon. I know it's possible, but you need to work very, very hard to screw up a margarita. My dinner mates ordered enchiladas, tacos, etc. I tasted theirs. Seriously sub par. Canned refried beans are better. Tostitos Chips are fresher. The salsa is more like a red water color wash. ¡No me gusta! See my review of Cielito Lindo in Beverly. A bit more of a drive from town, but there's no compromising when it comes to the search for decent Mexican in New England.
(1)Jen S.
I'm a California native, and here on the East Coast, I seriously miss good Mexican food. I mean, you can find what native East Coaster will TELL you is good Mexican food, but it's usually nothing like what I grew up eating and doesn't resemble anything I've ever eaten in Mexico, either. Mexico Lindo, on the other hand, comes as close as possible to the Mexican food I'm used to. And now that I'm living in yet another state on the East Coast, I miss it mucho. Some of the fancier dishes (the moles, etc.) don't always impress, but I've never been let down by the hearty, basic fare. The burritos, enchiladas, rellenos, tamales, taquitos -- all very tasty. Sangrias and Margaritas are refreshing and have a good kick. The flan is tasty. Service has always been friendly and attentive. The place is often a zoo in the evening - I found it easier to go for lunch on the weekends, instead.
(4)Alex M.
Pretty typical mexican food in a colorful environment. I got the bacon-wrapped shrimp (a house specialty), which was decent. Friends ordered burritos, and I didn't hear any complaints. Service was cold but attentive, so can't really take points off (stressful day?). Meh, not bad.
(3)Ian R.
Great margaritas at a good price. Food is OK, nothing earth shattering although they do have some amazing desserts like Deep Fried Ice Cream. If you are looking for an over the top Mexican Restaurant experience then head here on Wednesday night when they have a live mariachi band that plays table side.
(3)Ken F.
Delicious food, best Mexican within 20 miles. Service is annoyingly slow however, once your food comes they kind of forget about you. The chili con queso is delicious,and the shredded beef taquitos are a real treat. Some of their fancier fare is going to disappoint, as they really are oriented towards tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, and other simple stuff. I can't think of any Mexican place anywhere nearby that is nearly as good, and this place has the added benefit of being a real sitdown restaurant. Any time I am in Melrose I make it a point to eat here.
(4)Michael S.
I liked the chips and salsa, they were fresh. I had a bland beef enchilada and my wife had an amazing arroz con pollo according to her. The server was alright, nothing special but the busser needed her attitude adjusted, she was just rude. Well go again and I'll try something else and my wife will probably get the same because she it was that good.
(3)Di L.
The one thing you must must have here...is the queso. It's so good. There isn't a time I've gone that I haven't had the queso. It's seriously amazing. It reminds me of the queso from Isla in Las Vegas. Anyway, continuing on... Margaritas are excellent and have a good amount of alcohol. You're not trashed off of one, but you're not wondering what you spent your money on either. Pitchers are always a good option, in my opinion. The chicken fajitas and burritos that I've had there are fantastic and a lot of food for a reasonable price. I've definitely never gone home hungry and I don't always finish my meal since there's so much food. One night we went and I wasn't feeling like a huge meal and ordered the chicken flautas (I wish I could spell) appetizer. There were about 6 mini flautas on the plate and it was plenty if you're looking for a smaller meal. Parking can be tough since there's no lot and it's right on Main Street, but I think it's worth it to make the trip. In the warmer months, the patio out back also makes for great seating despite there not really being a view.
(4)Casey D.
Food: VERY good. My favorite for Mexican in greater Boston. Super-creamy refried beans. My favorite: Enchiladas Mexico Lindo (btw I'm vegetarian). Great sauces, very good rice, delicious beans. Great chips and salsa. Why the three stars? The drinks (namely, the margs) are terrible!! All mix. Sour, heartburn elixir. Bad. Also the service is at times problematic. The VERY surly bartender is the worst. I go here often, and the drinks are always bad. Believe me, I've tried! Bottom line: go for the food, order beers.
(3)Ester K.
I love this place. The chips and salsa are the best EVER, hands down. The margaritas are nice and strong. So the food isn't mindblowing, but come on, they have live mariachi bands (on wednesday nights I believe) that come around to tables to take requests! And the portions are huge. You will never leave this place hungry. I personally enjoy the fajitas. The staff is also very nice and friendly. The colorful decor is a real pick-me-up too!
(4)Debbie B.
If food were a drug, Mexican for me must be like what heroine addicts experience. A little is good, a lot is better, and sometimes you just need a hit. Lucky for me- Mexico Lindo in Melrose is excellent. It was packed on a random Tuesday when Lisa G and I popped in for some sangria (mostly for her) and something with cheese on it (mostly for me). We waited about 20 min for a table and the hard working bar tender got us a half carafe of sangria. The bar tender also ended up being our waiter when we were seated. Although the place was packed and he was very busy- I found him attentive, funny, and very cool. Chips and salsa came and they were fantastic- the salsa was very fresh and not overly spicy (which I like). I got the chicken burrito which was made with whole chunks of white meat chicken breast - not the weird non descript chicken "parts" you get at other places. Lisa got some spicy chicken and rice thing what was very good as well (I made off with her leftovers). Honestly- the only thing I didn't like about this place was the majority of the clientele. Maybe its something about Melrose, but I found the other patrons rude, obnoxious, and intolerant of the fact that this little place had a 20 min wait on a Tuesday. Sorry Melroseians! If you want to be the only person being served- head out to the taco bell in Malden.
(4)Jean D.
Excellent margaritas! (and at least one bartender has a heavy hand too) They have ample outdoor seating in the back, so it's great for Summer. I recommend the wings as they are not your typical buffalo wings. They are not that spicy, but so flavorful. The seafood enchiladas and the chef's fajitas are also high points. At times, they have a mariachi band in house. This can definitely add to the festive feel of the place, but can also be a little too loud and make conversation difficult.
(4)Milee S.
The decor feels like you are in a Corona commercial (you will know what I mean when you go there), it is one of the better Mexican restaurants in town. Went here for lunch yesterday (and had been here before for dinner) and were seated immediately. Chips and salsa are brought out if you sit down, and the chips are very thick, while the salsa is thin but spicy. They have a list of lunch specials which are served every day. Both of us got the fajitas. I have had great margaritas here and I'm sure the sangria is fantastic. Also, this is one of the only restaurants with Corona Light (which I guess is very hard to find), so my friend was very happy about that. Food came out really fast and portions are very reasonable. With the fajitas comes a plate of refried beans, rice, guac, sour cream, and lettuce. Everything tasted great, although there was a lot of seasoning on the chicken. The menu is extensive, so it would be difficult to believe someone couldn't find anything to eat. I try to go here everytime I am in Melrose...definite winner!
(4)Crystal l.
The best Mexican food you can find in the area!! Not to mention, the pictures of Margaritas are $20 each!!! I have never had a bad meal there and the service is always amazing and friendly!
(5)Mike-Kara B.
Having only been to the " On-the-Border " / " Border-Cafe " type Mexican joints, this was a pleasant surprise. While we were only here for drinks and appetizers, it was a very pleasant experience. Me and my Italian beauty stumbled in half inebriated and found ourselves munching on delicious warm tortilla chips and a creamy queso unlike anything I've ever had. The bartender ( who looked like Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite ) was very friendly and made a very strong pitcher of Strawberry-Banana margaritas. Very delicious indeed. Two shots of patron ( kinda warm ) later and we were out the door. All in all a great low key place. I have to admit that we first chose Mexico Lindo because it was stumbling distance from our house, but after this first impression we will be stumbling many times to this cantina! B+
(4)Karen L.
This is the kind of Mexican food I grew up with in southern California, not "TexMex". Love the pork verde burrito. The guacamole is very light on the cilantro, which is great. Some people (like me) taste cilantro and it tastes like soap. So I avoid it whenever possible. The salsa did have cilantro in it, but not chopped fine so it was easy to pull out. Liked the chips, the beer selection, the speed of service, and the portion size. I chose the smaller plate, and it was perfect. And I enjoyed my margarita, too.
(5)pamy g.
Some great Mexican food and stiff drinks. The menu is huge and filled with enough sweet or spicy things to satisfy anyone. The only problem is that is can get really packed and crowded and the waits for food can be long and tough. Gets pretty loud and hard to talk at times.
(4)Lauren F.
Mexico Lindo (I tend to call it Mexican Linda after a few margaritas) is great for a fun night out with friends. The margaritas are excellent (get the Cadillac with Petron), the chips and salsa are fresh and delicious, and the atmosphere is festive. I don't think the food is necessarily the most "authentic" Mexican, but it is full of cheese and you will have a good time. Also, the prices are very reasonable, leaving more dinero for margaritas!
(4)Justine Y.
Great food! Great Margaritas! Chips and queso are amazing! Service may be at times lacking but I am never dissatisfied with the food.
(4)Sean F.
The food here is good. I got the deluxe burrito and it was filling. Drinks are very tasty and well worth the money. It was about 10 dollars for my margarita. Photos of both are posted. I would recommend to a friend and go here again.
(4)Jeanne M.
I hit Mexico Lindo when I want basic good Mexican food. My friends and I love the chips and the Queso (a white one) with a yummy Tecate and lime. I've had quite a few things on the menu, and my favorites are the Mole California, the Deluxe Burrito when I'm feeling really greedy, and the vegetarian quesadillas. The pluses are I can walk home and I always have a good time.
(4)Ruby W.
This Is somewhere you go for live mariachi and not so much the service. The food is ok, however the chips and salsa is really the only item on the menu I can't help but to devour! For some reason it's hard to get the servers attention at all. When you do, it's not too friendly, more so a bother. But there is a reason I continue to go back and that is because my girlfriend just loves this place. Perhaps it's just me... Rubyritalikes the music.
(3)Grace E.
Mexico Lindo is a great place to meet friends or treat your family to a dinner out for a reasonable price. In the heart of downtown Melrose, it is perfectly located, family friendly, has a great atmosphere and good Mexican food. The chips and salsa are great, and I always finish the whole basket without much help. We have had a variety of dishes here and all were tasty. The decor is my favorite thing about this place though!
(4)Mike J.
One of my favorite spots to take my friends when they visit me in Melrose. I could live off the chips and queso dip. Despite what some other reviewers have said, the margaritas here are excellent and a pitcher for $20 is an absolute steal. Highly recommended, especially in the summer when the deck is open.
(5)Alana M.
Food was good but the staff was awful. Youngish group (late 20s) and we were treated like absolute trash. We sat outside, by ourselves, and the waitress acted like it was the most inconvenient thing to walk outside and serve us. Racked up a sizable bill among the 9 of us, over $300 and we are all good tippers, tipping well over 20%. After being outside and having full meals for over an hour and having a different waitress than ours give us DIRTY LOOKS through the window in the outside door several times we decided to move inside. Once we moved to the bar inside (wouldn't have done so but Melrose has like 3 bars) we were "cut off" after one drink even though some people in our party had just arrived and others were drinking water. Appalled by the ageist behavior displayed by the employees. Acted as if it was an inconvenience to serve us and gave us outright attitude. We will be sure to take out business to Malden or Wakefield in the future.
(2)LiLi M.
Stopped in for lunch this weekend...we just missed the lunch special after 3. Food was good and ample however the prices were a bit high. Boyfriend had the burrito with pork- super filling- he loved it. Free chips and Salsa!
(3)J M.
As I said -I continue to go Mexico Lindo for the drinks and have found that the nachos with the mexican sausage are delicious and huge! Definately to be shared with a couple of people.
(3)Kyle D.
I was disappointed when Baja fresh closed in Stoneham. This place is a good substitute. Great fajitas, nachos with cheese, and a nice bar area to watch the game if you want. This place is much better than Chipotle. I am looking forward to trying the sauteed shrimp the next time I am at Mexico lindo.
(5)Sean A.
Use to go here all the time, but have experienced inconsistent food quality. It's quick and easy, fairly decent and the kids and I liked to sit on the back patio. But after I got food poisoning there one night last summer, well that will be the last time for a while, which is too bad. The time before I found some metal wire in my food (which they gave me a free meal). Perhaps I'll venture back some time down the road when I think they cleaned up their act, but not anytime soon.
(2)N C.
Save yourself a bad meal and make the trek to Rudy's in Somerville or the Border Cafe - it's worth the ride. The chips and salsa were good and the margaritas were OK but after that it was all downhill. The queso was congealed before it made it to the table. My fiance ordered the fish tacos and I ordered #13 which was 2 beef tacos. Both our dishes looked exactly the same... in fact, as I looked around the restaurant, everyone's dish looked exactly the same no matter what they ordered: disgusting refried beans, bland tasteless rice, and then a mess of whatever taco you ordered. The refried beans look like there was a layer of oil or grease on top, the rice was awful, and the beef in my taco? It actually looked like cat food. By the time our tacos made it to us, the shells were completely soft and falling apart. The lettuce and whatever else they put in my taco smelled old. I felt really sick after eating here and I would not recommend coming here.
(1)K C.
Mexico Lindo is like homemade Mexican food and trust me I know my Mexican food!! I love the decor makes you feel like your in Mexico. The colors are vibrant. My favorite dish is the Fajitas. It is so yummy and the flour tortillas are fresh. In fact all the food there is fresh. I also like the Enchiladas. Oh and you can't forget the chips and salsa it's simply AMAZING. If you want a drink a pitcher of margaritas are the way to go. If it's your birthday and your 21+ your in for a treat he-he - You might not walk out. In the summer you can sit out on the back patio. Some nights they have live band, they come to your table and let you request songs. Link To mexican Lindo Melrose: mexicolindomelrose.com/i…
(5)Jill S.
Best Mexican food that I have ever had in my life!!!!! Drinks are very strong and delicious! If you like live music they have a mariachi band on wed. nights. The homemade salsa and chips that they give to you complementary are fabulous! I recommend the enchiladas, nachos and chimichangas! Staff is always pleasant and friendly. Make sure you call ahead because they are always packed!
(5)michelle c.
Happiness is a chile relleno!!!! After spending 16 years in Southern CA, I am repeatedly disappointed by recommendations of "good Mexican food" out here on the East Coast. Mexico Lindo was recommended by a co-worker...um probably 6 months ago. I figured nah it's gonna be the same old crap. I WAS WRONG! The place was packed when we got there so we went to the bar while we waited for a table. My margarita was pretty damn stiff and tasty too!! Chile Relleno - awesome, beans - pretty authentic, enchilada - great and then the manzana chimi came...sawheet! Good times...I will be back. While I will not say it is the best Mexican food ever....it is the best I have had so far out here!
(5)Brian T.
Their Pollo Chipotle is amazing! I order it at least once a week and never get tired of it.
(5)Laurie P.
This is my favorite spot for Mexican food. I've never had a bad meal here and with their back deck, it's a great spot to hit in the summer. I love the veggie burrito as well as the seafood burrito...the queso dip is really good too.
(4)Miss T.
I've been going for years - always great service & amazing food. Can't go wrong with this place at all. ALWAYS A GREAT EXPERIENCE!!!!!
(5)Joe B.
When I first passed this place in downtown Melrose my attention was immediately drawn to it because of the interesting color scheme of the exterior. Being an avid fan of Mexican Cuisine, authentic but able to appreciate even good Tex-Mex, I vowed to make sure to try it. A week later I did and I was pleasantly surprised by an authentic "Pollo de la crema" dish that was out of this world. The vegetables tasted very fresh and the chicken was melt in your mouth soft- It was everything that I could have wanted and the portion was immense. Definitely a place that is worth trying with very prompt service, kind waiters, a nice decor and fantastic margaritas. Don't settle for a chain, check this place out.
(5)L S.
Im not a "big" Mexican type food eater, but it was a good, overall experience, including the food. The chips n salsa are really good, addicting type..especially when drinking and talking. The sangria was good. Me and my bf got a carafe of it. I enjoyed it more than he did, but he did say he liked it. We got the appetizer called Side Taquitos Lindos, it was really good. My bf got a shrimp dish that came w/tortilla's that he didnt even eat, he enjoyed just the shrimp dish, not sure name of it. I got the deluxe burrito, chicken. It was good, a little bit mooshy. It had no beans, which I didnt want. I probably wouldn't get it again. They have a big, variety menu. It was an early Wed. evening. We sat outside, which we both enjoy eating outside. Only really negative experience was there was a table of "mom" w/their kids and kids were kind of running around, yelling. The moms seemed to be conversating and enjoying their wine a little too much. I remember those days, but I was lucky enough that both my kids were well behaved at restaurants. There has to be some kind of "courtesy" to the other people eating around you. Other than that, service was good, food was good and on Wed.'s, they have a mariarchi (sp?) band, that was a little entertaining. Overall, good experience and we will be back!
(4)Brian A.
As a Latino, I know good mexican food when I see it. And Mexico Lindo is one of the best. Their nachos with shredded beef is one of the BEST NACHOS I HAVE EVER HAD (and I have been to mexico and central america, dont question my palette). The beef was perfect, and there was a LOT of cheese. The plate itself looked like a huge mound of cheese, you have to dig in to get the nachos. Ohhh yes. The only thing that prevents this place from getting 5 stars is the portions. I feel that you pay a lot and get a little food in return. When I pay $18 for a meal, i expect to be at least half full. Not so with this place. The quality of the food is great, the quantity isnt. The margaritas were great, try the Margarita de Oro (something like that). The service was nothing special. The waiter gave us the food promptly and checked in every once in a while, but wasnt overly friendly. The burritos are awesome, but a little pricey (around $13). However, they are so stuffed and massive that you cant possibly eat them by hand, they give you a knife and fork, so its not that bad of a value. Overall, I love this place, and I am sure as hell coming back for a 7th time.
(4)Colin G.
For good solid Mexican food this is the place on the North Shore. the food is good and not the slop you get at some other chains. the drinks are tasty and even a little strong. the atmosphere is fun and authentic. the price is right as well. this is a great place or a fun night out.
(4)Allison B.
Being from Melrose- I would say this is the best restaurant in town. (if you like Mexican food of course) Really fun atmosphere: Crazy bright Mexican themed decor, a live mariachi band some nights, *authentic* mexican cuisine(or closest to authentic that I've had in the area) and pitchers of Margaritas! I frequent "The Lindo" with my girlfriends for midweek margs year-round. In the summer its great because there is an outside deck~ especially fun if you are with a large party.
(4)Christine S.
Good authentic food. Skip the stuff you know and go right for the pork and rice or other main dishes. Margaretta's by the picture are a bit on the weak side. But Im telling you, with all the corporate Mexican out there (two more on Rte 1 I believe) its nice to visit a family place that knows what they are doing.
(3)Mary D.
best mexican restraunt ever!!!! the food is not salty and its all freash! the chips and salsa are amazing!!!
(5)Bhuvana H.
This place is really good! We went on a Saturday night a few weeks ago with friends and had to wait a little while for a table. We figured a busy restaurant was a good sign. We had two kids with us and the staff was very friendly and helpful. The chips and guacamole were yummy, as was our ceviche appetizer. The other people in my group ordered fajitas, tortilla soup, and a whole fried snapper, all of which were also tasty. My margarita was also delicious. We will definitely be going back!
(4)Justin H.
Mexico Lindo, a small Mexican restaurant in downtown Melrose, really delivers with good service and good food at reasonable prices. Heather and I came here last week when were jonesing to get out of the house one evening. So after a little back and forth on where to go, we decided to take the walk over to Main Street and have a little Mexican night. After being seated at a table near the bar, our waiter, pulling double duty as the bartender, served us up some tasty Sangria and a good margarita with a complimentary basket of chips and salsa. The salsa was a little runny, but what can you expect for free. She ordered her usual Mole California and enjoyed what she could eat. The sauce is a little too sweet for me to eat a plateful, so knowing she couldn't finish hers, I pilfered some for myself. I ordered the taco/enchilada combo dinner and was satisfied. Most dinners come with sides of rice and refried beans. These are just ok and considered filler in my book. Service was pretty good even though the bar began getting busy toward the end of our meal. They got everything right and I really didn't have any complaints. The food is moderately priced, about 50 bucks for the two of us with drinks and tip included. Overall, the place is consistently good and that says a lot in that we feel we can come here and have a nice dinner when we don't want to eat in and feel like taking a walk downtown.
(4)James P.
Great food , presentation a little scary on occasion but it's good.
(4)Ken M.
Three of us got take out from Mexico Lindo tonight. For $45 we ate heartily, and so did the raccoons that live in the dumpster at the boy's complex. I'd say it's pretty average food wise, but there is great value. The guacamole is pretty good. I'd like to eat at the restaurant, because I feel like takeout (even from down the block) tends to wilt things or otherwise take the crunch out.
(4)Jeff R.
Being a fan of Mexican food this place is just what I look for. The food and drinks are always good and consistant. The portions are big. The menu has just enough variety. And it's always clean. My favorite dish is the Polo asada burrito.
(4)Matthew D.
I lived in Melrose for about a year, and I used to hit up this place once in a while. I have to say it's definitely one of the better Mexican restaurants in the general area. Yes, the decor is pretty over-the-top. My one friend was joking once about attempting to steal a sombrero off the wall. Aside from that, the staff seems friendly enough, and the service was decent. The food...ahhh, the food. Everything I've tried has been good. I don't feel like going into detail, but you have a wide variety. Some specialties and the typical Americanized-Mexican stuff as well. The picante sauce hurts me though (but that may be your thing). I like hot and spicy, but damn... Definitely worth checking out
(4)Mary R.
I recently ate outside, and although the service was slow -- I think there was only 1 waiter working?! it was a beautiful day, so I didn't mind. The ceviche was also really, really good.
(4)Susan C.
I like this place. Good, strong margaritas, which is always important in a Mexican restaurant. I like all the vegetarian options, though my favorite is the cactus (I think it comes in an enchilada). Takes a bit of getting used to when you first try it, but has a unique flavor. I think it's a bit spendy, but it's Melrose, everything here is expensive just because. The place is usually full of families, so I wouldn't recommend it for a special date night, but good for groups or a casual meal. I've been a few times and never had a bad meal here. Border Cafe is good for more of a tex-mex/cajun style food, but this is the closest thing I've had to the Mexican places I frequented when in Arizona a few years ago.
(4)Ken L.
Been here about six times, never love it. They do offer some other menu options beyond the nachos, tacos, enchiladas....which is nice. Went there last night and was once again underwhelmed. We sat outside - which is the best part of this restaurant, but the service suuuuuuuucked. Never got a water refill, had to ask 3x for more chips. Just really too bad. The kid waiting on us seemed nice enough, just not good at his job. My other beef with this place is that I think they charge too much money. Dishes that are $15-16, but I feel they should be more in the 8.99-9.99 range. Not a huge deal, but I keep thinking the same thing every time I eat at this joint. I'd give it 2.5 stars but I can't. That said, I just don't feel it's quite worthy of three stars because of the service. The food is 3 stars, just not worth what they charge....
(2)Ed M.
I have to agree with much of what others have written. This is a tough review to write because the food was so good, but the service was so poor. The food was fresh, hot and delicious. Very flavorful and seemed to be very authentic with a more varied menu than the typical Mexican joint. I would definitely want to eat this food again. However, the service was poor at best, our waiter had the personality of coma patient and seemed genuinely annoyed at our presence. He left us without napkins or silverware. Acted as if taking our order were a real burden, and took forever to come back for our desert order. It's too bad because as much as I enjoyed the food I would think twice before going back.
(3)Mary Ellen C.
My husband and I were loyal customers of Mexico Lindo, even though over the last few months their service has gotten really bad, and the food quality has gone a little downhill. After tonight, though, we will never give them another dime of our money. We went in for dinner, and asked if we could sit on the patio, since it was a lovely evening. The hostess said she'd have to check, and then went and had a long conversation with a waitress -- too long to just be checking to see if there were tables available on the patio. Once we were finally seated, that same waitress came outside and, in a very snotty tone, told us we should sit somewhere else because "the chairs are weak." Apparently she decided that my husband and I were too fat for the patio?! We're not stick figures, but we're perfectly able to sit in chairs without breaking them! We left, and won't be back.
(1)Anastasia L.
I have to agree with ALL the other reviewers on this place, some how. I've had a really good meal here (although, truth be told, not all that "authentic," to the best of my knowledge), but also a pretty sad meal. Seems to depend on random circumstances such as the night you go, the server, and whoever's cooking. The menu is, at least, quite extensive, so there should theoretically be something for everyone. (Note: Avoid the steak salad, or whatever it's called- lukewarm strips of fatty steak on sad iceberg lettuce.) LOTS of enchilados, burritos, tacos, etc, as well as a variety of beef, chicken, and seafood dishes. Good sauces. They have the prerequisitive mixed drinks and beers, and the bar seems quite popular (maybe in part b/c Melrose is semi-dry and you have to order food if you want 2+ drinks). The chips and salsa are pretty good as an accompaniment (and they come free with seated meals). Wednesday nights IS live music but be forewarned, it's very. loud. mariachi. A pro/con is that lots of people bring their kids here. It seems pretty kid-friendly but the acoustics ain't great so prepare your ears for the odd shrieking baby.
(3)Jeff G.
Great, great, great.
(5)Andrea S.
Delicious food, Fantastic drinks and a Huge menu. Can't wait to go back!
(4)Soren V.
I am in shock with some of the reviews here. I wanted to love this place. The neighborhood is cute, the atmosphere and the decor is really cute, but the food. As an avid fan of Mexican food, this has to be the WORST Mexican food I've ever had in my life. Well, this actual rivals the Alamo in Milford - just the pits. The waiter, however, was such a nice guy. I wish I remembered his name as he was great. He greated us with menus and water. He refilled our water and my husband's soda. Our Son got a cheese quesadilla - well lets just say they cooked it in a buck of crisco it was so slimy he couldn't hold it. The beans were the worst ever. not a bit of flavor. the rice, dried up and crunchy. I got the shrimp special and my husband go the chicken special - both were barely edible. Let's just say that by the time the waiter came back to check on us, we said, yes, we're done, just the bill please. Get us out of that dump and fast!! NEVER would I suggest going here in my life!! STAY AWAY!
(1)Suzanne P.
My husband and I love to go to this Mexican Restaurant. The food is always great. I expected this place to be like all the other Mexican Restaurants, one day you go there the foods great and the next time the foods horrible. But it's been exceptionally consistant in providing both my husband and I with great food and the service is awesome. We always ask for the same Waiter, his name is Oscar, he is the best. So if your looking for a great Mexican Restaurant you've got to try this one, both my husband and I recommend this restaurant.
(4)Erika C.
Ahhh...Mexico Lindo. I have been stopping by here for several years, and it's usually pretty good. I'll agree with some of the other posts that the service is hit or miss, but I'd still go back. During the summer, sitting on the patio is always a nice thing...
(4)Scott H.
I have only eaten here once, but it was excellent. It is nice to find a Mexican restaurant which is more authentic Mexican than Tex-Mex. I had one of their mole dishes, which was extremely flavorful. Every time I walk by, this place always seems to be packed--a good sign, but sucks if you are hungry. I will definitely be going back and I highly recommend it.
(5)james z.
First, I'm completely in agreement with the earlier reviewer who grudgingly gave one star-it's one star too many. I'm here to do a public service to warn potential victims! should be zero or negative stars. We are former regular, sent all our friends to the place, patrons. It used to be very good, now looks like a different crew/ownership. on to the review: Pre-dinner drink, two Oro Margaritas, described in their drink menu as Sauza Gold Tequilla, bla bla bla, Gran Marnier floater. The no-brained, or no care bartender makes the drinks right in front of us using no-name tequilla and a gran marnier knock-off. we asked why he was using shit (more politely than that, i didn't want dishwashing liquid in my drink) in a $9.00 drink, and no kidding, he tells us the people that printed the menu made a mistake & thats how the make the world famous $9 Oro. After a big discussion on what we needed to order to get Sauza Gold and Gran Marnier in a drink, which apparently is not used in any of their drinks, no matter what the menu says, we ordered a pitcher ultimate margarita with our meal that seemed ok, then went back to the same miserable jerk bartender & ordered two top shelf oro's, no salt. he starts making the drink in front of us, all of the liquor is right there,- he salts the glass & i said no, no salt. So he shoots me a look & goes around the corner of the bar to where we can't see him to make the drinks. Naturally we got the shit booze, we should have told him to keep the drinks & left, but we drank them, no tip, & told him we'd never be back. follow up, i woke up with my gut in knots the day after, now two days later I'm still not right- why did he have to go around the corner, out of sight, to make the drinks with the full bar right there in front of us? we'll never know. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe they are shipping the contaminated Mexican sewer water up from south of the border to keep the place authentic. The rest of the review: Service, took 1/2 hour before we could even get someone's attention to see which zomble illiterate was going to wait on us. Food, 'ok' not at all what it used to be. Appears to have changed ownership/cooks anyway, STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(1)ACally C.
Who knew quiet little Melrose would have such amazing Mexican cuisine? Finally suburbia has a Mexican restaurant that serves something other than greasy, cheese-laddened burritos and enchiladas. The menu boasts several types of mole sauces. If you do order the quesadilla it is filled with delicious, healthy, shredded chicken breast. The ingredients are very fresh and flavorful. The sangria is quite delicious as well! I've gone to Mexico Lindo with small and large groups and have never been disappointed.
(4)Damien Y.
Dropped in for dinner tonight with a coworker and was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the furniture and feel of the restaurant but felt the music was a bit too loud . The menu was fairly extensive with a lot of dishes I saw and tried while I was in Mexico. I had the Albondigas soup to startthat was very good, though not as good as the bowl I had in a town in Oaxaca which had more of a kick to it. For my main course I had the Pollo Asado which was different from what I had in Michoacan almost every week for 8 weeks. The Mexico Lindo version was only the breast, served with bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions; while the version I was used to had the entire chicken grilled over charcoals and no veggies, but the Mexico Lindo version still had great flavor, it was just different. The flour tortillas came in a traditional tortilla container which made me smile because my host family used the same type for their corn tortillas, while Mexico Lindo's were made of flour. All in all, it was pretty darn close to a genuine Mexican dinner as I have had in Massachusetts, and I got to order in Spanish which was a huge plus in my book. Will definitely go back the next time I am in Melrose.
(4)Vincent R.
My friends and I eat lunch here and my husband and I do the occasional dinner too so I'm fairly familiar with the food. Service is usually pretty good and we've never gotten a sub-par mean. Their mole and chimmychanga dishes are my favorites.
(3)lil s.
Solid two star establishment. The positives: we were seated promptly upon arriving even though the restaurant was fairly busy and the food came out pretty quickly. Unfortunately that is where the positives pretty much end. With a sweet little location in Melrose center, this place is in serious need of a makeover to keep pace with the evolving area. While the waitress was courteous enough, the interaction left a lot to be desired. Those two downsides could be ignored if the food was at least good, but alas even the food was a serious disappointment. My "enchiladas" were bland and served in flour tortillas - I'm by no means an expert on Mexican food, but experiences at other establishments have generally dictated corn tortillas for enchiladas, the main reason I generally prefer the dish. The bland contents and mushy rice were additional downfalls to a dish who's only real saving grace was rubbery, tasteless cheese. My companion's combination meal suffered from the same characteristics, perhaps further marred by unseasoned ground beef. The sangria was also disturbingly, slurpee sweet - not a complex, full-bodied flavor you would hope to experience. In the end, if you're looking for $3 drafts and some chips, go for it, otherwise Border Cafe or Taco Bell have more flavor and "authenticity" to offer.
(2)Abby H.
Absolutely delicious Mexican food. I think I could live off of their chips and salsa. I might've only gone there maybe 5 or 6 times total, but I've never had a problem with service or the food (although one time I got chicken taquitos when I ordered beef, but I love both so I don't really consider that a problem).
(4)beth c.
always good, always reliable, always satisfying. this is one of our go-to spots, when we want to eat out, and want to leave feeling happy. they've saved many a day with a pitcher of non-alcoholic margaritas and a plate of shrimp or mole chicken.
(4)Katie C.
i dont even really like mexican food, came here for the first time and it made me fall in love with mexican food. thats a sign of good food.! decor is cute hand painted chairs and mexican tiles and all that. staff is attentive and great.margaritas are awesome, kick your you know what.. mojitos are pretty good and im really picky about my mojitos. i dont even like ceviche and it was awesome. very fresh. steak fagitas are so so so good! perfectly cooked beef not killed in spices, hot tortillas, yummy guac, smooth with fresh lime yum!!, oh im getting a craving just thinking about it. we got the sampler appetizer with everything ( taquitos and quesadillas and buff wings and everything else) very good buff wings were too spicy for me but im a whimp. rice not too salty i find a lot of places this is their downfall with the rice. beans not too salty either.food and everything comes out fast, this is my favorite mexican place around hands down. plenty of parking in back. everyone who works there is friendly and attentive the only complaint i have about this place is the first time i went they had live mariachi band- oh yuck. please stop loudly singing in my face, i just want to talk with my friends and enjoy my food haha.advoid live mariachi night if you can =) prices are great! they give you a ton of food i got three meals out of it
(5)Cosmo X.
Its ok and crowded with people that dont know better
(3)Peter A.
My wife and I visit this place about once a month, usually on Saturday night. Last night, the food was good as usual, but the service sucked. The "waitress" mumbled to us whenever she came over - it was impossible to hear anything she said. Once she dumped the entrees on the table, she ignored us the rest of the night - we never saw her until she brought the check. She left us with empty water and soda glasses all night, never asking or offering to refill them. Arrgh.
(2)Najely S.
I love this place! It's a hidden gem in the 'burbs, not where you'd expect to find great Mexican food, but this place is the best! I lived in Mexico for a couple of years and Mexico Lindo does a good mix of authentic Mexican food like arroz con pollo (delicious), and the more familiar Tex-Mex cuisine like enchiladas. Everything I've had there has been outstanding, their salsa is great, and the decor, while cheesy, is very true to the border towns of Mexico. Ah, nostalgia.
(5)Riem K.
This is one of VERY rare instances where YELP needs to make it where I can rate some place with 0 stars. They don't even deserve one star. Hell, they don't even deserve a spot on this site! NEVER in my life have I encountered such rude service. You had a this little witch of a woman literally screaming at people as they were trying to wait in what little space there is, "MOVE!! Oy, what is wrong with you people". Never, umm, have you not realize that restaurant business requires some sort of customer service? Secondly, after waiting for a half an hour for a table, we were seated. We were seated at a small table directly under a TV, riiiiight next to the bar and right in front of a door. So, one - everytime someone open the door, this massive draft came over me (hence the reason why I never took off my goosedown coat) , two - right behind where my boyfriend was sitting was a bench with people waiting. 3) I have NEVER heard so many idiotic, mindless, brain cells killing conversation in my life. Cause of where we were, we had people surrounding our table as they were waiting. Literally, they mind as well have just sat on my lap since their ass was in my face. Then not to mention, as you're trying to eat your appetizers, you have one girl screaming "OMG- Goal!! He made a GOAL!!". Then let's not forget the two princesses who were standing right next to me "OMG, OMG- she bought her dress and she like had it made into like a tube top thingy and she like, paid $1800, but like, it did not look good on her what-so-ever" "OMG- I like sooooooo agreed", after listening to this for about 15 minutes, and trust me, it seemed like a torturous life time, I was ready to walk out. What is the point of going out to dinner if you can't even talk with each other? Instead, I've lost brain cells due to retarded, lack of any substance, catty, bitchy conversation I was forced to listen to as I had a drunk guy ASS bumping into my damn chair every chance he got! Also, service is ridiculous slow. If you want mexican food, damn it go to Borders or go to Acapulco's. I don't know if it's authentic, but damn at least you get better service and better atmosphere. BTW- I ended not even staying for dinner, I paid my check and left. You can tell me that Jose Cuervo was going to serve me himself next time, I still won't go back.
(1)Sylvia M.
Mexico Lindo is a fantastic Mexican restaurant. The tequila menu and margaritas are outstanding and the food is delicious. Try a chicken mole dish, seafood enchiladas or steak or shrim fajitas. The salsa and chips which are complimentary and fresh and delicious!
(4)Gina M.
This is one of the best Mexican places around! Great margarita list. The menu is a neat mix of the typical cheese/chili/bean smothered entrees and some more refined, more traditional sorts of things (like octopus ceviche and tortilla soup). Nice vegetarian selection. Highly recommended all around!
(4)Michele s.
.Yummy! I love the Shredded Beef Enchiladas and the Margaritas are Delicious. The patio outback is great for those warm summer nights. This place can get Crowded Quickly, and they have limited room to wait for a table. This is a Kid Friendly Restaurant, but as some others have mentioned the Live music can get really Loud. This place is one of my Favorites in Melrose
(4)Jay B.
If you have read my other reviews on Mexican food (ok, currently there is only one...but there WILL be more)- you know I like a good burrito smothered in cheese and tomatillo sauce... well "the Lindo" as some of my friends call it- delivers this favorite dish of mine and it rocks! Also notable: delicious chips and salsa and WHITE queso dip. Maybe I eat too much Mexican food- but when the dip is white instead of yellow- that screams: DELICIOUS MEX HERE! And what can I say- I listen to cheese... Come to the Lindo, you won't be disappointed. :-)
(5)Alan G.
I've eaten at Mexico Lindo a bunch of times. It can get a bit crowded, but thats probably because the food is great. The chicken mole, burritos, and fajitas are perfect and the margaritas are acceptable. It looks like they may have hired some rude servers from the most recent reviews.... I can't say that I have ever encountered anyone at this place that was anything other than nice.
(4)Megan M.
If you appreciate Mexican food at all, don't go here. The food is extremely Americanized and the decor-- oh the decor!-- is terrible. I ordered a shrimp dish, a "house specialty." The food was bland and the presentation not good. The salsa with the chips was full of sodium and not fresh or homemade tasting at all. Now, the decor. I am definitely not a decor snob. I can forgive bad design when the food is good or the atmosphere is comfortable, but the decorating was so bad, it was distracting. The sad part is that a lot of time was put into it-- the place is covered in tiles, mosaics, and hand-painted scenes. Unfortunately, they used every single bright color imaginable with no sense of design, so it looks like a children's playroom. When you sit in the booths, you're being stared at by a huge creepy sun, with human eyes and eyebrows, painted onto the raised headrest of the opposite bench. Definitely not worth the trip.
(1)Kim D.
For authentic Mexican you have got to come here - yes it's off the beaten path, but it's worth it. On Wednesday's they have a live band come and play by your table, it's a little TOO LOUD, for me, but it makes you feel like you are in Mexico. They have everything you could ever dream off, I really like their tamales and burritos. If you like Sangria, I recommend ordering a carafe, it can be a little on the sweet side, but it's always good.
(4)Robert S.
Their food is flavorful and moderately priced. Its a good place for groups. It gets noisy and quite busy on the weekend. They excel at all the standard fare (burritos, enchiladas, rellenos, etc) and I eat there maybe once a month. Good food with attentive wait staff. Yes, the decor is over the top with bright colors and traditional paintings and carvings. While it isn't my style I think its fun.
(4)P L.
I recently ate here with my wife and was totally unimpressed with the food and the service. I don't know how this place stays in business. We sat at a table in the bar section, which was our first mistake because the bartander was also waiting the 5 or so tables in that section. We barely got drink order out before he was walking away...the same happened when we were ordering our food. When our food came, my wife's order was wrong and the bartender/waiter gave her a big time attitude when she asked him to bring it back to be fixed. Can you imagine the attitude she got when it came out wrong two more times??!! My order came out correctly, but the presentation was a joke. I got chicken with mole, rice and refried beans. The food came out on a HUGE plate, but the chicken looked like a cutlet that had been butterflied, there was about 1/4 cup of rice and 1/4 cup of beans spread out in a thin layer. For the price I would have expected leftovers, but I was still hungry when I was finished. The food didn't taste that great either. We usually order dessert at every place we go to, but we chose to skip it at Mexico Lindo. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. Go to The Border...better food, better prices and better service.
(1)Amy C.
All of the times I have been here the food has been pretty much fantastic, the Fish Tacos are great, Ramiro's Burrito is great, the Mole is great...sometimes the Salsa tastes a bit off to me but that is my personal opinion the guac is tasty though. Fun times...the decor is super tacky but who cares.
(4)phil d.
I'm thinking the other reviewer is so used to American Mexican that they forgot what the real stuff looks like. This place had the most authentic mexican food I've had since being in texas. None of the dishes had what a call the american 'glop' of nasty cheese and enchilada sauce all over everything (where's the food? i dunno, but i have cheese!!). Everything was fresh, well prepared, neatly served and very tasty. I'm a particular fan of the mole (all of em). I've brought several groups of friends here and no for a fact they have al gone back. The decor? Well, yeah, it's more than a little over the top.
(4)Lex M.
We tried the restaurant today. I loved my spinach enchilada. The salsa they served with the chips was yum with fresh ingredients. You could taste the lime, black pepper, cilantro, garlic . My husband got the chilli relleno and that was also good.
(5)Andi R.
OK- first off, we just moved to Melrose from Dallas, so I know real Mexican! While Mexico Lindo has big American influences on it's food, it is surprisingly quite authentic! Lot's to choose from, great queso blanco (white cheese dip), good margaritas, excellent fajitas! Yes the decor is a bit ridiculous, but most Mexican restaurants are. Wednesday nights are mariachi band night. Very good, but very loud!
(4)Ellen S.
This is a hidden jewel in Melrose. The food is fabulous. When we have company, we always take them here. Another great discovery is that they have live music on Wednesday evenings...we are typically there on a weekend so this was news to us. Every meal I have ever had here is great!
(5)Julia P.
I am just perplexed as to how this place has received such good ratings. When dining out, it takes a lot to displace me and persuade me to never return.... this is because as a past time server (back in the oldschool college days) I give other servers the benefit of the doubt and shower them with apologies/thank you's profusely while being served... all you past/current servers- you know what I'm talking about as you find yourself subconsciously prebusing the entire table in a neat little stack and then.. profusely apologizing and thanking the server! =) So needless to say- this is not an angry review from an unexperienced ungrateful 'burbs commuter! =) So to get to to the point... I found this place appaling. Upon being seated, we waited 10 minutes to get the server's attention (the place was casually busy- sporadic empty tables around us at 5ish on a Saturday afternoon)... we ordered Queso... it was more liquid than water (is that possible?... yes)... the salsa.... even runnier... no physical substance.... no consistency....just pepper and some spices sprinkled in for flavor. So the main course? Mexican happens to be a fetish of mine.... and I literally get the same food dish at every Mexican restaurant I go to... and this delicious wonderful food item is not on the menu... so when servers are attentive and customer-oriented enough to ask the kitchen if my delicious prize can be made... it makes my soul ever so happy.. =) This server of mine did not hesitate for a split second before announcing the big NO that was left echoing in my mind as I brainlessly picked a random selection off the menu which resulted in shrimp and mayo on a very hot plate... (bad combination- I blame myself for that one) The sole fact that the not-busy server who had 1 other table at the start of my request did not ever attempt to cater to my taste buds by walking in the kitchen and asking if my delicious item can be made.. that immediately put me in a mind-played boxing ring with the server. I really can go on for much longer than anyone would ever wish to read about the Libre Nachos of the Mexican Lindo... but I'll wrap it up.... When a party of 7 shows up and orders appetizers for meals and asks your server to take 27 pictures from 501 angles.. you will have a greater chance of seeing your chips and salsa do the Argentenian Tango than you will seeing your very own bill. We spoke to the server once- when we placed our order. We asked a host for the bill, upon which he processed our payment. We walked out as the server stood chatting away at the hostess stand. But recall what I said about benefit of the doubt (all you lawyers out there)... go there yourself... and give this place all your benefit. I did not prebus this table. THE END.
(1)Mmmm M.
good food. very slow wait staff.
(3)KT K.
I can't believe how many people think this place is great. The food was totally bland and tasteless and it's very expensive considering it's really kinda like Taco Bell. And $22 for a carafe of sangria, are you kidding? Service and ambiance were very good, food is really not.
(1)Angela C.
I am giving this review only 3 stars bc while the food is excellent in my opinion, the service was terrible! We waited a very long time and the service was very very rude! I would hesitate going back for that reason, they need better staffing and a better way to manage their crowds, while the food is good the service is really bad!
(3)A. G.
my family has been eating here about once/month in the summer...only. why the summer? because it has a kick-ass back patio. the taco salad ain't bad. that's it. end of story.
(4)martie L.
I'm really not sure how other people were able to give this place more than 3 stars - at best! The service was poor, poor, poor. The food was bland and boring. No spice, no flavor, no nothing! The only good thing about the experience was the chips and salsa. The rest of the meal - waste of money. Please Mexico Lindo - learn how to to cook with some flavor, substance, and love.
(2)Jenna D.
Decent food, indifferent service, good for kids & margaritas
(3)Lizzy B.
If I could select NO stars I would. Last week my husband and I decided to try this place. I didn't have high hopes, but I thought it might at least be ok. I immediately had a bad feeling when we walked in. It was humid and dirty in the restaurant, and the host appeared to be 13 years old, and was hanging out with his friends. We were told we would have a 30 minute wait for a table, so we went to sit at the bar. We did consider going elsewhere, but as you may or may not know, the Malden/Melrose area has NOWHERE to eat. So we sit down at the bar and are completely ignored by a bartender who was acting like the bar was slammed when it wasn't.. The bar wasn't even half full. While we waited almost 15 MINUTES to get a drink, I had plenty of time to take a look at the food the was coming out of the kitchen, and it looked pretty bad - tired looking shredded iceberg lettuce on everything, orange cheese, you get the idea. So we get our lame house margaritas, and we ask the bartender for some menus as we decided to eat at the bar. I already wanted to leave, but my husband was starving and wanted to eat. The bartender throws one menu at us, and never looks at us again. It was enraging. So we walked out. I didn't want to even pay for our drinks but we did. I'm so glad we didn't hang around any longer (we were there for 45 MINUTES), to eat the slop that they serve there. DONT GO HERE!!!!!
(1)Gary G.
After enduring what I describe to out-of-staters as "the longest winter of my 25 years", yesterday's weather was a pure treat. I was able to get out of the house to go hiking and fishing with a couple of friends. After hitting the blue trail in the Fells and reeling in a total of one fish, we were ready to sit down and enjoy dinner and drinks. My friends who I was with suggested Mexico Lindo. Our server was absolutely delightful, our food was incredible and very reasonably priced, and the margaritas were delicious (perfect blend of ingredients - not to boozy, not to mix-y). I got the arroz con pollo and it was out-of-this-world good. I sent a picture of it to my girlfriend who was not present, and she demanded I order a second one to go for her. All in all, great place and will 100% be returning. OH! and they have outdoor seating!
(5)Jessica E.
I want to like Mexico Lindo! It has a great location in the heart of downtown Melrose, and is bursting with atmosphere! It draws you in, you want margaritas and fajitas.... But I wish I could say the food is good. I've been disappointed with the food on each occasion I've been there. I've dined in probably 5 tines over the last year. Friends keep inviting me, I want to go...it's just not living up to the potential. My friends did seem to like the food more than I did. I found it merely passable. I hope things improve because it really is a fun place to go!
(2)Tom V.
Ole'! It's a fiesta! Not quite, but Mexico Lindo brings authentic Mexican cuisine to the heart of downtown Melrose. I've read a bunch of the reviews for this place, and most of the bad ones seem to revolve around speed of service and flavor. I think a lot of these people have set themselves up for failure. First off, just sit at the bar. It's a Mexican restaurant, you'll probably be enjoying some cocktails with your meal...don't depend on a busy waiters in a crowded restaurant- just sit at the bar and you'll be served quickly and efficiently. Also, the people complaining about the flavors seem to be ordering really obscure items. Crema de what?!? Just get the tacos, burritos, quesidillas, grilled shrimp dishes, etc. Trust me, none of them disappoint! I usually wash it down the house margaritas and those are solid also.
(4)Tricia W.
Came here for a family dinner. Service was ridiculously slow. Drinks were watered down. My "tacos" were sloppy wet corn flaps on the plate with "charred" aka burnt to hard lil crisps "steak". Not positive it was steak. Beans and rice completely lacking flavor. Again the service was horrible. Im sure there are much better mexican places in the area!
(1)Whitney S.
Absolutely love the ultimate margarita. I'm here quite frequently and always stick with steak and chicken fajitas. They are absolutely delicious and fill me to the brim. I've also had all of their burritos and can attest that they are great as well!
(4)Timothy D.
We go here probably 4 times a year. We just went again and thought I would give a review. Honestly I thought it was an update, but I guess I never reviewed it before. We had a late lunch on a Sunday afternoon. Busy, but not packed and there was no line. Most tables full and a small crowd at the bar. Service was very good (which has been our general experience). Plenty of refills on water, chips and salsa. As always the two types of salsa were delish and fresh, same with chips. Having lived in the southwest for a number of years, we are pretty picky about this style of food. Some of the meals were good, some just okay. Not up to past experiences. Almost looked like the food had sat under heat lamp for a while. That said, we will go again hoping it may have just been an off day. If I had to go by past experiences I would have been to give a 4 star.
(3)Matthew B.
Mexico Lindo is always good, never great, never bad. Pretty reliable cuisine, fair prices and a fun atmosphere. We've been there many times, but we love going on Wednesdays. The kids love the mariachi band. The bar is small, but it gets the job done. The burritos are delicious. My only complaint is the tap selection. Pretty limited. Everybody loves their margaritas!
(3)Sam P.
Best Mexican around really great fajitas chips are great good service 5 stars!! Will always come back for more
(5)Stephanie S.
I really, really wanted to like Mexico Lindo. They are the closest Mexican restaurant in Melrose and have a pretty large outdoor patio (overlooking a parking lot, but still...) I've been 4 or 5 times and each time is regretful. The food is not flavorful and I have tried the enchiladas, the tacos and a burrito. How do you screw these basics up?! I did have the shrimp/chix/steak fajitas last time and they were good, but I don't feel like fajitas really count...AND my date's food was so bad we sent it back for tacos. Not cool-if it weren't for the dos equis we would've left.
(1)Mike P.
Have been to Mexico Lindo more times than I can count. The food is always good; and the atmosphere is great. Summer nights on the back deck are fun -- and cold nights in the dining area are as well. It's open yet intimate. Beats most of the other Mexican restaurants in the area. We actually travel a bit farther to get here... but it's worth it!
(4)Colin G.
Soulless, unseasoned, mediocre mexican food for the 3rd time. I tried once again to like Mexico Lindo since we live up the road and its the closest mexican restaurant around. Try as I may, its not gonna happen. Every entree I have gotten here has been devoid of any flavor whatsoever and is served by such an apathetic waitstaff that its not really surprising theres no heart in the food. With places like Border Cafe, Tres Amigos, Tenoch (Hell, even Taco Bell on Rt 1 tastes more authentic) just 10-15 min away, I will cross Lindo off my list for future meals.
(1)Kevin G.
Mexico in MA! Found by accident. Free parking right behind. Tasted like homemade salsa w/warm chips is a good starting place. Had the fish tacos; flour tortillas, pico, rice, and beans. No one does rice and beans well so no surprise. Tacos got two thumbs from me. The place seemed clean, washrooms too. The local crowd came in and some seemed regulars as well. While it was getting busy, I had a bit of paper work to do and asked if I could stay for a bit. No hesitation; stay as long as you like. No hesitation. Good place and worthy of another visit.
(4)Rich L.
This is one of my favorite mexican places! From the salsa, the chile verde, to the pitchers of margaritas. It cannot be beat anywhere in the area. The covered outside patio is awesome on a nice day and the staff is always friendly. Definitely a few spelling errors on their drink menu though, had a good laugh picking them out.
(5)David S.
Started eating here about ten years ago. It is missing a few things the last few visits. Not sure why. Waitress was cranky two visits ago. The meal tonight was ok but uninspired service and a pitcher of margarita with 95% ice and a vapid waiter. Hast a la vista Mexico Lindo. Not much more to say. Just not what they used to be and kind of sad to experience.
(1)Marissa S.
Horrible. My boyfriend and I ate here last night after having heard from several sources that it was good. I will never trust those sources again. In terms of atmosphere, it was a fairly busy night. It's a cramped space with decor that's way over the top. They somehow also crammed a mariachi band in there, which would have been pretty cool if it weren't for the overall chaotic, claustrophobic feel to the place. They really try very hard to drive home that it's "authentic." Well, you can write the word "authentic" all over everything, which they have, but that does not make something so. This food tasted about as authentic as a boxed Old El Paso taco kit from the grocery store. The service was ridiculously slow. As I mentioned before, it was fairly busy, but not such that the amount of time we waited for things could be justified. We waited 10 min just for some hot sauce, which was basically just a lot of mustard and whatever else they could find in the kitchen labeled "spicy" mixed together. No flavor to it at all, just that mustardy feeling in your sinuses. That wait was on top of 10 min to be greeted, 10 min for drinks... you see where I'm going with this. In terms of the staff, they weren't rude, but they certainly weren't friendly either. In fact, I don't think I even saw any of them talking to each other beyond what was absolutely necessary.It just didn't seem like a very pleasant atmosphere for anyone involved. The food itself was devoid of flavor and quality. My boyfriend got the chili relleno and I got the pollo a la crema. The "authentic Mexican sour cream sauce?" Just warmed up sour cream drowning a pile of unseasoned chicken and green bell peppers. Cheap ingredients, no effort put into the prep at all, no spice or seasoning. Just bland, low-quality, overpriced food. And I won't go into how it works with your digestive tract. We ate what we could simply because we were really hungry and we will most definitely not be back.
(1)Be E.
I've been here a handful of times and each time, my experience is the same. If you come for lunch, or early enough, there will be no wait and an empty restaurant. The place is beautifully and vibrantly decorated and is very clean. If you come for dinner or later, you'll be waiting and the restaurant will be very loud. The food is amazing, and the menu has a lot, so no matter what you get, you will love it. I recommend the chicken enchiladas! The waiters are okay, but not overly friendly by any means, and service takes forever. I have physically seen waiters sitting at a booth and just chatting with other patrons while I waited for a check, or needed a drink refill.
(4)Yago M.
This place definitely deserves the fourth star. Service, food and drinks are great, and prices are very reasonable. Their chips and salsa are the best, and you can order food until 11 pm during weekends and 10 pm on weekdays. Outdoor seating, weather permitting, is quite nice also. We love this place!
(4)Angel B.
Could be better, could be worse. The atmosphere is fine and the service is friendly and prompt. The food is mostly mediocre (sometimes too salty/overdone), but the margaritas are nice and the flan is great.
(3)Meghan S.
Nothing inherently wrong with this place, but nothing super special about it. It was Mexican food. Didn't leave a super lasting impression, nothing that made me say " oh my gosh we have to go back there!"
(4)Melissa M.
Just ordered take out from this place. we ordered a fajita plate and when we got home we saw there were no shells and our soapapilla desert was missing. I would've let the desert go but there's no way to eat fajitas without the shells. When I called to inform them the girl told me I was wrong and they were in there which they were not. She the. Asked me to hold while she spoke to t he manager and she failed to put me on mute so I heard the whole conversation basically speaking badly about me. They said re cook our food because it would have been stone cold otherwise. However, they definitely did not, all the food was completely cold. And when we got there the girl who was rude to us on the phone started talking about us to her friends In Spanish and they all turned around and stared at us. Dont they know that people can speak spanish? I can't believe how rude everyone was after we had to drive an extra 25 min for tortillas Bc of their mistake. We didn't ask for anything for free we just asked for them to correct their mistake. I will not give them future business
(1)Amy P.
I'm not sure why this place has such good reviews. It took so long for us to even get someone to take our drink order and they weren't even busy. When she finally took our drink order, she didn't take everyone's. We told her a pitcher for 5 of us...the 6th person never got to order their drink. When he finally ordered it after she got the pitcher, the waitress never brought it. Our food came out in waves. Burritos first, vegetarian, then fajitas last. She didn't bring tortillas for our fajitas so we had to wait, yet again, for her to bring those. She just wouldn't give us the time of day and as a former waitress, I would be giving a table of six my full attention. Secondly, the food was subpar. I make better Mexican at home. Nothing tasted very fresh. My fajitas weren't blackened, but like they were made in a crock pot. Guacamole tasted like it was premade from shaws. Overall, I wouldn't suggest this place, nor would I come back.
(1)Jackie K.
Great margarita ($20 well pitcher) only okay food. It's that kind of Mexico where they just cover the food in lots of okay sauces and cheese instead of paying attention to the ingredients. Their red sauce is really sweet (like marinara sauce) and their mole sauce tastes just sweet (no other flavors). Our service was great the table, less attentive at the bar. I'd go back for drinks and chips but not for a meal.
(2)Doug B.
Eeh, not sure what the hype is. My girlfriend had the fish burrito and it was really not good... A strong aftertaste. It's also a bit on the loud side. I doubt we'll go back.
(2)Mercedes C.
Great service and staff, but not so great food. Everything tastes like it came out of a box, so it doesn't taste like traditional mexican at all...
(2)Marc H.
One of my favorite Mexican restaurants. Right behind the Howling Wolf in Salem. Nothing bad about this place at all!! Food: 10 Environment: 7.5 Cleanliness: 10 Price: 8 Overall: 9.5
(5)Jeffrey G.
This used to be one of my favorite restaurants in Melrose. However, following a definite decline in portion size and service, the straw that truly broke the camel's back was the time they made us feel completely unwelcome. We came to eat early on a weekend night and asked to sit on the patio in back. The server and hostess gave each other a side-eye look, and asked if we wouldn't be more comfortable inside. This was odd, but we asked to be seated outside, as it was a lovely day for it. We were taken out and the hostess again asked if we wouldn't prefer to be inside on more solid chairs. Now, my wife and I are overweight, but we're not going to break plastic deck chairs by sitting on them. We figured if they were more worried about the chairs than about serving us, then they could have the empty chairs. We left and got Chinese at No. 1 Taste instead. TL;DR: If you don't want fatties at your restaurant, you're in the wrong business.
(1)Crystal H.
We go here often and usually we go with takeout. It's definitely a hit or miss. For example, I order the beef chimichanga every time, but once I received chicken instead. Also, in this same order, the rice and beans were almost inedible. The rice was hard, the refried beans were just a thin film. On the positive side, my boyfriend gets a lamb shank every now and then and has raving reviews. It's a bit on the expensive side being $20+. Overall, I would still recommend trying it and we will continue ordering food from there!
(3)Anthony V.
We go often. Better than the Mexican chains like Chili's. More authentic with a huge menu. The food won't blow you away but we've never had a bad meal.
(3)Robert G.
The last few times I've eaten here has been great!. Excellent quality (Fish Tacos, Steak and Shrimp Fajita, Enchilada etc.) and large portions. Great value and Great drinks (Mango Margarita & Sangria) Our waiter has also been excellent. This place has definitely gotten better with age.
(5)M M.
My favorite Mexican Restaurant. The staff are super friendly! Love the burritos..good portions. Always packed on Fri/Sat nights so expect to wait. They've also catered an event i've been too and the food was delicious. Never had a poor experience.
(5)Z D.
As I entered mexico Lindo I was immediately hit with the delectable aroma of true mexican cuisine. My margarita was made with tender love and care, after the second drink, I was texting everyone how much I love them. As soon as I bit into my carne asada, immediately saw Jesus..
(5)Sophia S.
Went here last night with some girl friends. Only two words: SO GOOD. Service was great, margaritas were awesome, and the food was excellent. Definitely will be going back!!
(5)Drew P.
Great authentic Mexican food. We always sit at the bar. Great margaritas. Get here early because they fill up quick. Service is great. Salsa and chips are great. We have been here twice now. And service and food are consistent. I couldn't be more pleased. We love the tamales, guacamole, enchiladas, vegetarian options are also good (even though we are far from vegitarians) This is going to be one of our new local favorites.
(5)Tim S.
Great location, atmosphere and food but the service is sub par. Went on a Saturday night with a group of 7, 4 adults and 3 kids. It was fairly busy. The restaurant is cozy and festive. We ordered a few drinks at the bar while waiting to be seated. Only one bartender was working for a busy bar and making drinks for tables as well. She wasn't very friendly but probably overwhelmed. Really slow. The menu selection is decent, I got a carne Asada burrito, it was pretty good. Everyone liked their food and the prices are reasonable. The waiter was really slow but got everything right. He just tended to disappear for lengths of time. So this is a decent place if you can be patient with the service. If they were more professional Mexico Lindo would be 5 stars.
(4)TJ M.
Fantastic lunch. The shredded beef tostada and enchilada are legit. I check out every mexican place I come across and this place is definitely a gem.
(5)Ramin S.
Great place to go out to eat in melrose! Extremely high quality food with great pricing on both food and drinks. The salsa is amazing and I always mix it up between the fajitas or burrito or the deluxe chicken salad. The one downfall is ordering take out. You have to wait a while when you get there and I've had my orders messed up about half the time whether it was a mess up or missing item.
(4)Dave L.
Wednesday night is the time to go. The mariachi band is awesome. Great frozen margaritas, too!
(4)Sarah B.
We like this place as a good close place to go with the kids. I really like the new outdoor patio. I think the food is your average Mexican food place - nothing special. One warning ***A PEANUT MOLE SAUCE IS STANDARD*** So when you order an enchilada here the standard sauce they use a peanut based mole sauce. I've seen this offered any many Mexican places, but never as the standard sauce. My husband is allergic to peanuts and we always forget to tell them to use the green sauce instead and end up sending his meal back! We feel horrible about this, but in all our years of eating Mexican food we've never seen peanut sauce be the standard! Overall we'll keep going back and hope to remember about the peanut sauce!
(3)Gary G.
excellent family restaurant. Very accommodating to large group (8) on a busy night. Steak dishes were excellent, so were stuffed chillis, and the salsa was hot, as it should be. Very generous helpings, server was wonderful, nice people all around. It was my second trip. And i will be back.
(4)Terry C.
Atmosphere (at the outdoor patio): The area was nice enough to be during nice weather, not windy at all. The music was overly loud during early dinner (around 7pm) to the point of having to shout to be able to be heard. The music itself was bad. Drinks: We house margaritas that tasted like they had no tequila in them. Just awful corn syrup juice with salt. Food: Meh. I had a veggie burrito drenched in what seemed like tomato sauce, and it all tasted sweet. More like Buweirdo. My wife had a veggie spinach quesadilla that was OK, but nothing to brag about.
(1)Shawn T.
Like others have said, the food is great, the service is hit and miss. This is the best Mexican food I've had since I moved here from the West Coast. The chips are fresh and hot and the salsa is perfect. The place is almost always busy, especially on Friday and Saturday nights so expect to wait a few minutes unless you call ahead. Parking is BRUTAL. There's some parking out back but the lot is almost always full on the weekends. You can park across the street behind those buildings but it's little bit of a walk on a frigid night. Sometimes even those lots are full. I don't recommend eating in the bar if you want good service. The service in the bar is always pretty lousy and in the winter the draft from the front door makes sitting in the bar area pretty uncomfortable. There's a few decent servers but also a few that don't really act like they want to be there. It all depends on who you get. Overall the atmosphere is pleasant and the food is delicious. The portion sizes are decent, you won't leave hungry.
(4)Adiam B.
New to the Melrose area and decided to try this Mexican restaurant. As soon as you walk in you the decor feels authentic! The chips & salsa was a great start! The waiter was prompt, it could be because it was a Monday night and it was not too busy. The food was perfect! And the price was reasonable!
(4)Karla M.
Good food and good service although the waiting time to get a table is always long due to the restaurant being on Melrose Main Street. Portions are big so you have extra to take home and I have to say is the only place that doesn't cheap out on the shrimp for their shrimp dishes
(3)Michelle T.
There was a 30 minute wait for our party of 5 on a Saturday night at 7:30pm, but the drinks and chips were well worth the wait. ;) I'd rec this place for groups of friends to hang out, drink, and have a good time! We got seated in the outdoor back patio/porch area where they have a bunch of tables and plastic chairs. ALmost immediately, we were served piping hot, freshly fried crunchy yellow tortilla chips in a basket with (what tastes like) homemade smooth, spicy, cool salsa. (AHHH I could eat those chips and salsa every day) Between the 3 girls, we shared a pitcher of peach frozen margarita, which came out to be a perfect 2 glasses each. I loved the margarita. Perfect blend of sweetness and balanced with not too much or too little tequila. Enough to get my Asian glow going after a glass, but not enough to give you a headache. Food on the menu was mediocre though. Our table shared the shrimp nacho's, which were actually QUITE gross. The chips were swimming in a deep pool of oil and cheese, and they actually appeared WET. What is actually a manageable sized dish of nacho's weren't even halfway finished and there were 5 of us. FAIL. Fish taco's were decent. The $14 fish were tender and warm, and I loved that they grilled the soft taco's first before loading it with fish. However, I TRULY missed some guac, salsa, or sour cream to go with the taco's. The rice and beans served on the side were not very tasty at all. I'd come back again for drinks and those delicious chips and salsa, but probably have to try some other dishes. NO NACHO's, that's for sure.
(3)Valerie P.
Food is ALWAYS fantastic...by and far my favorite mexican anywhere. Great drinks, great food, waitstaff is attentive enough. Great outdoor seating when its warm!
(5)Shelly A.
I don't really see what people are talking about here; the service was atrocious, the food was average, and the portions were off. We ordered chicken and steak fajitas that came with a spoon of rice, it was expensive for nothing. Their homemade salsa was the only thing I enjoyed - we even got fried ice cream, but it was probably made two weeks ago and has been sitting in their freezer, it was gross. An overall disappointment.
(1)Shari M.
I still go here because I love the food. However the wait staff is never even polite. I almost feel as though the are frustrated we are there. It's a shame because the food is good, drinks are great, and it's a local place.
(2)Cristina C.
I used to frequent this Melrose gem when my Aunt lived in Melrose. I am not someone who enjoys Mexican food often, maybe 3-4x a year but if it ever comes up as a type of food to eat, I'd only want to come here. I went in recently with a friend during the day time and all my fun memories of this place came flooding back. I will certainly be back. I got the vegetarian burrito because it had a lot to offer. When I've come in the past with my Aunt we would split the fajitas and a pitcher or two of margaritas! Yum. Their house salsa is incredible by the way and the chips are so tasty. There is a back patio which is covered now so I'll make it a point to come back again and check it out.
(4)Dan G.
Get the mole! I don't know what else to say, but if you come here you gotta try at least one of the real Mexican dishes, other than the usual tacos and burritos. YUM! The decor is fun, the waitstaff are friendly and attentive and the chips are a plenty.
(4)Sarah E.
I'm a cheese enchilada connoisseur. I know, it sounds boring, but I like them. I'm originally from California, and like most Californians, I consider the local Mexican food to be superior to most of the country. That said, the best Mexican food that I have had is in Melrose, MA at Mexico Lindo. First, they provided a basket full of chips, which I find is quite rare anymore -- restaurants tend to skimp on the chips. The salsa was great! It's reason enough to go. The enchiladas were perfect! They had the right amount of cheese, weren't greasy, and the sauce was the best I've had. My better half had the chicken mole enchiladas, which he said were the best enchiladas that he has had also. Reasonable prices (both meals were under $12) and great service. Worth checking out if you're in the area and into Mexican cuisine.
(5)Rajen A.
My wife and I have been here multiple times and they are very good but have some consistency issues. The first time I went I was quite dissapointed - I had the chile rellenos and was underwhelmed. The second time, I discovered the pierna de peurco which is excellent. The mole poblano here is pretty good - not the greatest ever but very good. Service is pretty good if not very good. There's a few really authentic dishes on the menu and those are highly recommended. The servers are friendly but the place is absolutely packed most of the time. I've never had a really bad experience but its not a 5 star restaurant. The food needs to be more consistent for that to be the case.
(4)Jen T.
Went here for the first time on a gorgeous day to enjoy the patio. The patio I would say is half outside. It is covered with a(n apparently) regular ceiling, and can be a positive or negative depending on your preferences. The food (we got burritos) was ample, tasty, and inexpensive. The service, however, was very slow. They were not busy, but we had to ask several times for water, and the drinks took forever to come. Overall, it was a neutral experience. We may or may not be back.
(3)Emily H.
I have absolutely no complaints about this places food and atmosphere. Sometimes the servers don't seem at all integrated in being there but did delivery us quick nonetheless. I love love love their homemade chips and salsa and have never had a meal I didn't like. I bring my family there every time they're in town.
(5)Jaclyn S.
Mexico Lindo is the most authentic Mexican restaurant in the area. The margaritas are not watered down and are a must for all of the margarita lovers out there. If you are with a few people then ask for a pitcher as it ends up being cheaper. They also have sangria that is good and not too fruity. They also have Dos Equis on draft which is a pretty good beer. The chips and salsa are fantastic and before you know it you may have ate 2 or 3 baskets! The chips are obviously made by the restaurant as is the salsa and it's just too addictive. Good luck trying to stop eating them! If you like cheese then I'd recommend the chili con queso to also go with your chips. For dinner, I've only ever ordered the steak and/or chicken fajitas. It comes with rice, refried beans, guacaomle, sour cream and pico de gallo. The onions and peppers with the steak/chicken is flavored and cooked just right. I honestly have no desire to ever order anything different since I think these are so good. I've been to Borders and Margaritas and while both of those places are good, they do not compare to Mexico Lindo. The service is fine, and you may end up waiting longer for a table than you want to but it is worth it for those that love a strong Margarita and some good Mexican food.
(4)Christine D.
I love this place. There is a reason it is packed on Thurs- Sat nights. Fortunately we manage to find bar seats even when it's really busy. The bartenders are great, very efficient and friendly but not all over you. Unlike the more uptight restaurants in town, the clientele is very eclectic, hipsters, young professionals, sports lovers and empty nesters alike. Having spent a lot of time in Mexico I would say the food here is legit. If you want Americanized Mexican food go to Taco Bell. Margaritas by the pitcher is a good value.
(4)Tatiana B.
This is an average Mexican restaurant, it is nit bad but it is not fabulous. Though their soups were great.
(3)Melissa F.
I actually visit this restaurant the most of any place in Melrose. The food is good for what you can get for Mexican in the northeast. The prices are very reasonable and the menu is varied. Probably my favorite part about this restaurant though is the large deck they have out back. It's so hard to find a place with outside seating in the suburbs and this is such a treat in the nice weather. It's reason enough to visit.
(4)Thiago G.
This is our go-to Mexican Restaurant!! Melrose is kind of a dry town, so a nice bar that isn't too pricey or fancy is unheard of.. Until I went to Mexico Lindo :) I must have been there over a dozen times with my wife.. Food portions are very generous, their steak is excellent (Chimichura is my Fav) also you can't go wrong with their Nachos, Fajitas or quesadillas.. Be aware their apps are huge :) - my all time favorite here is the Wachinango (Red Snapper) I have ordered it for take out multiple times as well.. It's a deep fried white fish that is excellent with Lime and a cold Corona!! Good beer list Dos Equis XX on draft in Amber or the Lager - also as you would expect in a Mexican Place a long list of Tequilas. A new feature here is the outdoor patio in the back, you must ask about it bcz you would never know!! On a nice summer evening it's perfect out back, also they have a live band singing table to table during the busier nights of the week! A must go if you like Mexican Food :)
(5)Lu R.
Good place for Margaritas and large groups. Food is okay-average, not better than average. We often go because it is in walking distance from our house and their service its always really fast, which means they probably have a lot of this stuff pre-made. This could explain why they have never had the slow-cooked shank dish any of the times we have gone. They have a great deck if it is open and weather permits. Nothing special, other than that and the incredibly friendly hostesses.
(3)Amanda B.
Great stop while we were in Melrose, MA. The wait staff was exceptional, even when my toddler spilled water all over the floor! We walked right in and got seated, though it was the time in between lunch and dinner. The food was delicious, kid approved delicious.
(4)Laser s.
Closed? Does anyone know if this place is closed permanently? They have a sign up that says "closed until further notice" and their voicemail box is full! I've had better Mexican, but it's pretty good.
(2)Andrew K.
Authentic Mexican food at a very affordable price. I usually get the chicken and steak fajitas and my fiancee gets the veggie burrito, both very generous sizes. All the times we have been there the service has been quick - sometimes too quick if you're trying to enjoy a couple of drinks with dinner. The margaritas are good and the beer prices are excellent - $3 for a pint of dos equis. If you are looking for an authentic mexican experience I would recommend.
(3)Beth R.
The food was fabulous. The service, however, stunk. We went for Sunday lunch, just after noon, and there were only two other seated tables at the time we arrived. I ordered a Coke to drink, and the waitress did not inform me (ever) that they serve Pepsi products instead of Coke. I found it in the menu, later, and asked for (and got) something else to drink. However, that first round was our only round of drinks - no refills were ever offered or brought. When our food came out, my Arroz con Pollo came up first, along with all the "extras" for my husband's fajitas, plus a kids quesadilla (which we didn't order). None of the steak, chicken, onions, or peppers for my husband's fajitas and none of the chicken tenders and fries that we had ordered for our son. No mention was made of having to wait for it, either - she just disappeared for 3 - 4 minutes before approaching a newly seated table behind us. After about 12 minutes of conversing in Spanish with that table, the waitress returned with the rest of my husband's food and when I informed her the kids meal was incorrect, she swapped it for one she was carrying that was correct. Another 15 minutes later, she came by and we requested boxes, which were delivered quickly. The check, however, was ANOTHER 10 minutes. We never saw or spoke with a manager, and the waitress seemed wholly unaware that waiting 15 minutes for the rest of our food to come out isn't really acceptable. I would really love to find a great Mexican restaurant around, but Mexico Lindo isn't it - if they can't handle things with less than 25% of the restaurant full, I don't want to be near the place when it's busy.
(2)Bill M.
Food here is just ok. Definitely not fresh ingredients. The service is always horrible. It's like they don't appreciate your business. The salsa is the star of the show and it's a good place for drinks!! Keep the expectations low and you won't be too disappointed!
(1)Heather M.
The atmosphere of this place definitely gives you that authentic feeling, the colors are bright and beautiful, and the music is great...However...the service is very poor. On multiple occassions my server has gone missing for extended periods of time, leaving me to become frustrated, and they are definitely not the cheeriest bunch of people. As for the food, I have had much better. The only reason I have gone back is because the flavor of the queso is really tasty! Though the consistency is really thin and tends to drip right off the tortilla chip, they have right flavors. I have had a chimichanga and the beef is absolutely dreadful. DO NOT GET THE GROUND BEEF, it tastes almost dirty. The presentation of the plate is scary and almost unappetizing. You can tell they use cheap poor quality ingredients...On a brighter note, it is local, and convenient when in the mood for some queso and a magarita or two.
(2)Liana K.
This place never disappoints!! Seriously, once you eat the fajita or taco salad here, any others will just be a sad disappointment.
(5)Lisa L.
Poorly executed Mexican/American food. Once they gave me brown guacamole ... the waitress said it was ok like that LOL! Beans are disgusting, rice is hard and cold. The only thing you should try is the chip and salsa, and a beer!
(1)Stephanie D.
The mararita pitcher we ordered was amazing! However, the food left something to be desired. I ordered the enchiladas. I felt that it needed way more sauce and cheese (flavor in general) but I did think that the rice that came with it was very good. The service was ok and the food came out fast after ordering. Overall, I've had much better mexican food at other places!
(2)Caitlin W.
Food = gross, I would not go here for the food, besides chips & salsa. Even the quesadillas are subpar, how can a mexican restaurant mess that up! Their taco salad is gross shredded lettuce and their guacamole just doesnt seem right. On another note, their margaritas & drinks are awesome!!! I have gone here multiple itmes with my fiance (we're within walking distance) and gotten a pitcher of margaritas, some chips and salsa and just hung out for a few hours at the bar. It's a great deal and time and the atmosphere is good in the bar. Will definitely go again for the drinks, but not for the food.
(3)S. H.
Went here with my sister just to try it out. I wasn't that hungry so I just had a shrimp quesadilla and some guacamole. I make my own guacamole with lots of garlic and cumin, so I'm fussy about getting it out. This was delicious. I have that cilantro "allergy" where it tastes like soap to me. There was some in both the guacamole and the sauce with the chips but it didn't ruin it for me. The waiter was honest about it when I asked before ordering. Anyway, I loved it. The shrimp quesadilla was incredible. Never had a shrimp one before and i can't wait to go back. I want to go when I'm hungry next time!
(4)CJ S.
Loved the food, drinks and atmosphere! Had such a good time and the Mariachi band was fabulous (Wed nights I guess) !!!! You'll have fun!!!
(5)Chris D.
The only reason I'm giving this place two stars is because they took my chimichanga off the bill after there was a hard piece of something in it that nearly cracked my tooth. This place is tacky, front to back. The decor is cheesy, the menus have celebrity tabloid quality photos of unappetizing looking dishes; et cetera, you've been to a place like this before and you know what I'm saying. Do yourself a favor and save yourself a few bucks and an overall bland experience and go to Border Cafe in Saugus. The only analogy I can give is that Mexico Lindo is to authentic Mexican cuisine as McDonalds is to authentic American cuisine. They know the keywords that ring authentic for any Mexican food enthusiasts that have watched food network once or twice (mole, masa, queso fresco, etc.) but really, their food is totally devoid of flavor and unapologetically underseasoned. Wait staff is scarce, very broken English, and hardly knowledgable or helpful. Would not recommend.
(2)Alyssa K.
My husband and I have been dining at Lindo's ever since we moved to the area three years ago. Mexico Lindo is our absolute favorite spot. The staff are friendly and attentive. The drinks are fantastic - my favorite is the homemade red sangria. Complimentary homemade salsa and chips are plentiful and yummy. The best item on the menu is the pollo a la crema. I've never had that dish anywhere else and will not order anything but! Truly authentic Mexican, truly exceptional food, great atmosphere and great staff.
(5)Alison S.
YUM. Outdoor (covered) seating, margaritas by the pitcher, delicious queso (and salsa!) and fantastic food, all topped with excellent service and a super clean and very friendly environment. We will DEFINITELY be back and we will be bringing our friends!
(5)Cassandra H.
Love this place!!! The burritos are great, love there chips and salsa, and there margaritas are to die for haha. Usually always get a great server.
(4)Cynara C.
This place is great. The food is excellent and the atmosphere is really nice. There is a marachi (sp?) band on wednesday nights and they are terrific. I highly recommend going here - don't spoil your appetite before you come - portions are huge.
(4)Nan A.
This brightly decorated american-Mex restaurant with comfortable booths has decent fare, with generous portions and reasonable prices.
(4)Margaret W.
We liked the free salsa and chips before our food arrived. Buffalo wings were very crispy and tender but not flavored or hot in the least. My husband ordered the Special Burrito, which arrived w/o cheese or burritos and sopping wet from the mystery "burrito sauce." I ordered a chicken burrito with green chile sauce. The chicken was in large dice (?), but at least the burrito had beans and cheese. Generous portions that we could not finish b/c they were so unappetizing. I hear the drinks are good, alas, didn't wash these down with any. And now, three hours later, my intestines are in nasty knots. Even if I live to see tomorrow, we won't be back.
(2)candice g.
Came here on a whim since it was in the way from route 1, Saugus to my brother in laws house in Malden. Service was friendly and prompt. Free chips and Salsa. Had a regular margarita. For $6.50, it was pretty good. Husband had enchiladas poblano and I had tacos al pastor. He enjoyed his plate but my plate was kind of gross. Couldn't pick up tacos. They were limp and greasy sprinkled with queso fresca. Just weird. All plates were garnished with a limp cabbage salad. Tacos al pastor is my go to. When in Mexico, i ate it every day. this was not a good representation. The plate also came garnished with a limp cabbage salad. Place is cute and homey. Come for the chips and drinks only.
(1)Shawn H.
I had been searching for a good Mexican Restaurant in Boston for awhile and one night my wife and I spotted this place and decided to give it a try. Now we are regulars. I have since moved to Gloucester but will drive down to Melrose at least once a month just for Mexico Lindo The food is delicious. I pretty much always get my usual but I've never really been letdown. The food is very consistent although last summer I had a couple experiences where something was a little off. Whatever it was the food is great again and haven't had a problem since. Our food always comes out super fast. Last night the place was busy but our food was delivered to us probably less than 5 minutes after we ordered it. It's almost always that way. The chips and salsa are usually pretty good but sometimes they need to go a little easier on the cilantro. The service is good not great. There have been a couple of times we have had very mediocre service but overall it's usually up to par. There was a night when we had a server pretty much ignore us all night but thankfully we haven't had her again. The place is almost always busy which is a good sign. When it's really busy parking is tough but there's usually a spot around back. If you want a table on a Saturday night without waiting it's best to call ahead. If you don't mind sitting up at the bar there's usually a spot available. The restaurant is very clean and colorful. The atmosphere is delightful. The music isn't too noticeable. The place isn't overly loud although occasionally you do get the semi-loud drunk at the bar. One thing that does bother me a bit is in the winter the restaurant is cold near the door. The draft flows into the bar area. In the summer they have a nice patio to sit in and enjoy your dinner. I wouldn't change a lot about this place. I do wish they would offer a larger beer than just your standard pint. Most Mexican restaurants I've been to offer at least a tall 24 ounce beer. I would love to give this place 5 stars but the only thing really holding it back is the shaky customer service that can be hit and miss. Overall I definitely recommend this place if you are looking for good Mexican food. Note: Mexico Lindo in Lynn is not affiliated with Mexico Lindo in Melrose and is a completely different restaurant. We made that mistake already.
(4)S L.
Vegetarians Beware! Longtime vegetarian and longtime Lindo's customer - just recently heard a rumor that the meals listed on the vegetarian menu aren't vegetarian at all - and that all beans Lindo's uses are cooked with meat. Chef confirmed to me that this is true. Not sure what the point of having a separate vegetarian section is to them - but this is not acceptable. Disappointed, but will not make the mistake of dining here again.
(1)Adamson T.
My kinda spot for Mexican. Awesome crispy appetizers w/ chips and salsa. The entrees were super and the homemade hot sauce was to die for. This place is poppin for a reason !
(4)B K.
Disappointing after reading semi-decent Yelp reviews. Burrito was very expensive (for a plain old burrito) at around $11 but was understuffed and flavorless and sitting in a plate full of water (maybe they put it together and then microwaved it to melt the cheese instead of using a salamander or maybe they didn't dry the shredded lettuce that covered half the plate). My wife had the taco salad which was also beyond bland (completely unseasoned chicken sitting on top of iceberg lettuce). I felt like the chef had heard of all of the basic ingredients, got them assembled in the right order, but had missed the concepts of seasoning, cooking, and presentation. Chips and salsa were very good, my wife had a decent margarita, and we didn't get sick so...two stars seems fair.
(2)TK H.
Fantastic food and service. Live band walking around to the tables was very friendly and respectful. Best Mexican food in the area at at affordable price.
(5)Elisa T.
This is my go-to place on a Friday night when the work week is over. Love the food, love the drinks, love the atmosphere. On top of it all, it's very affordable. Who can beat that? The food is far better than any chain Mexican restaurant, and the service is good. I've sat in the dining area, and at the bar, but they just opened a deck in the back so you can sit outside in the warmer months....next time I go I am requesting to sit there. When you first sit they give you chips and salsa that are fantastic, I always order guacamole to go with it...for $4 it is amazing guacamole. I really love the burritos, fajitas, and the appetizer nachos, but they have some other specialties on the menu that are also very good. You can't go wrong with any order I think. This is one of my favorite local places and I always look forward to going!
(4)Robert K.
Great authentic Mexican. Never disappointed with food or service.they have a deck out back, great spot in the summer as well. They have a mariachi band on Wednesday.
(5)Ribblet N.
Very good food, large portions, great service. Have been here now going on 4 times and its worth the wait. (because it can be quite busy here)
(4)Edna Z.
Short and simple. Very Yummy ! and staff is great ~
(5)Suzanne S.
The service was as slow as the Mexican economy. I asked for more chips twice. They brought more salsa. What am I going to eat the salsa with? My hands? Guess so. They never came to refill the waters either.
(1)Jecheima A.
The margaritas were DELICIOUS and I am not a huge margarita person. We got the house margarita pitcher......loved it. We got steak fajitas too. The single order was enough to split....it was huge and we were SO full. It was really fresh and tasty though!
(4)Marilyn T.
The best part of the dining experience was the decor...food was meh and the service was horrible...I had the fish tacos, which were the only items on the plate that had any flavor...presentation was sloppy as well. Dessert? Save your $$$ and go get a Twinkie (would have been better than what we were served....imagine that).
(1)Meredithe H.
Have ate here alot in the past, will NEVER give this place another dollar of mine! I sent my husband in with a list to get take out, he sat at the bar and tried to order. He order our 2 entree's, a childrens meal, two appitizers, a soup, and a desert. He ordered a drink and 20 min into waiting for food they came back and told him they did not have tamale's (we had ordered for appitizer) so he ordered 2 chile relleno's instead and another drink. he never got waited on again (drinks were long gone, would have ordered more) until the bill came. the recipt shows he ordered at 6;44pm he paid at 7:59pm! REALLY over an hour for take out??? RIDICOULOUS!! Upon un-packing take out we noticed we had no chile relleno's, no desert and no guacamole. So we called (thinking he left a bag there) i and was VERY rudely informed i had not ordered guacamole or desert and that they had ran out of chile relleno's TOO. (would have been nice to have been told so i had enough food for us!) Then told i could speak with the bartender that the items were not ordered and we were told about both the tamale's and chilie relleno's. I was shocked thinking that they would want to keep their customers happy, but i had this mouthy, rude lady yelling at me through the phone. Have never been treated so poorly by a resturuant in my life!! I hung up and emailed resturuant, thinking they would want to know how their employees were treating the patrons, no response! So Mexico Lindo will never be getting my money or referals any longer!!
(1)kelly m.
My husband and I have ate here probably 5 times now. I'd say everything is mediocre with the exception of the carne asada entree, which has been excellent each time we ordered it. I ordered the carnitas once, expecting tender shredded pork but was very disappointed by a tough, thin slab of pork. Good service and nice outdoor seating area for when it's warmer out.
(3)Bassel A.
This place is OK. If you are from Melrose and want a night out, then this is a OK spot. Food is ok, the service is very good, the prices are ok, the drinks are good. I want to give this place a 4 star but I find myself wanting to go to Borders Cafe about 7 miles away rather then this place (across the street) whenever I am craving American style Mexican food. I don't have anything negative, this place is what it is. A decent night out in Melrose. Tip 1: Margarita by the pitcher is $20 versus $6 by the glass. You get about 5 1/2 glasses out of the pitcher so it is a much better deal. Tip 2: If you life Spice, then ask for the server for the "real hot sauce" on the side. They don't advertise it, but will bring it to you if you ask. It's a Habanero sauce that is really spicy but has good flavor.
(3)Kelly T.
Wonderful first experience! My server seemed to be waiting on several tables AND the bar but he was very attentive to our needs. The nachos were tasty and the strawberry margarita was refreshing! Will definitely come back soon
(5)Robert D.
Always Good and very fast. . Kinda feel rushed sometimes but food so good can't complain
(5)Mr. X.
After reading through the previous 150 reviews of this restaurant, I have noticed the following trend: 3, 4, and 5 star reviews- People who rave about the margaritas and who clearly engaged in healthy consumption of such beverage while dining here 1 and 2 star reviews- People who make no mention of the margaritas, and who either ate their meals sober or drank responsibly while dining here Conclusion- You need to be hammered to like the food here As someone who's eaten dinner here both sober and while under the influence of several margaritas, I can attest to the fact that the food does indeed blow if consumed sober
(2)Greg R.
My wife and I have long favored another Greater Boston tex-mex restaurant, but found ourselves north of the city at rush hour on a Friday and just wanted to relax, have a couple margaritas, and a decent dinner. A local recommended Mexico Lindo, so we gave it a try, and were not disappointed. The margaritas were made exactly as we asked and, unlike even our usual place, they were available by the pitcher for much less than individual glasses cost. As for the food, it's a little old-fashioned traditional for our tastes, but pretty good nonetheless. What I liked is that I was able to find a good tex-mex seafood dish that wasn't fried or mushy. We've been looking for a good alternate to our usual tex-mex, and Mexico Lindo came through. I have to comment on the decor, too. It's very cheesy and borderline tacky, but in a very fun way that made us smile. After so many other restaurants that take themselves overly seriously these days, Mexico Lindo's playful atmosphere made it easy to just relax and kick back. So, don't go expecting the next great thing in fine dining, but if you have any sense of whimsy at all -- and a serious appetite -- definitely do go, relax, and enjoy.
(4)Alex D.
Decent food, decent prices, decent waitstaff, decent drinks. Not by any means a stand out place for Mexican, but probably the most fun spot on Main St. in Melrose. Definitely a lot better than the Methuen location of Mexico Lindo.
(3)Traci K.
Mexico Lindo is alright. The service here is great (everyone was very polite and pretty much on the ball) - the decor is awesome (bright, bold colors) and there was a mariachi band playing a few songs here and there (though at times, the music was a little too loud - i.e. when we were trying to order). The food is nothing to write home about. My fella had chicken enchiladas in a mole sauce which was pretty tasty (the mole, from my experience was a little thin - but the flavor was nice). The rice and beans were adequate. I had the chile relleno and I was not totally pleased. First, the batter. It was more like a cocoon rather than apart of the chile. It was so thick and not crispy that I was able to peel the entire battered part off - which was a good thing since I was not interested in eating a large mass of soggy batter. The chile itself was nice - it had a nice smoky flavor and was slightly sweet. The filling was plain - just plain cheese. No wait. Scratch that. It was plain CHEESE. SO MUCH CHEESE. IT WAS SO MUCH CHEESE THAT I HAVE TO WRITE IN ALL CAPS TO RELAY HOW CHEESY IT WAS. Congealed. Cheesy. Mess. Saddness in my heart. Now, I don't mind cheese - I actually love it oh so very much, but whoa now. let's take it easy with the amount there. There was no other flavor or texture to the filling other than greasy, congealed cheese. I'm thinking I probably ordered the wrong thing. I'm thinking I should have probably gone with the shrimp enchiladas like I had originally decided. I guess I'll have to see...
(3)John Q.
This place is good for chips and drinks and some of the foods good but I waited to post a review to go back a few times to see if negative things were repeated and they were. Some of the wait staff is not attentive by any means. I've been there when its busy and when theres 2 other people and the length of time just to refill water was ridiculous and no different which is inexcusable. If you ask for a few things during your meal its like your asking for the whole world and staff starts to get rude and its always a certain waitress. I've been here many many many times and this is a constant which makes me want to put it on my blacklist.
(3)John B.
Open till 10pm on Sundays. Always has the game on. Chips and salsa come right out when you sit down. And they make a pretty good martini for a mexi-joint. Right now I'm just loving the open on a Sunday night deal..... Omg and the Martinis are $7.50. New best place on earth and its next to coffee tea and me
(5)Ryan N.
I've eaten here dozens of times over the years and it really is hit or miss. Food is consistently above average but the service can be horrendous at times. It always seems like the waiter/waitress disappears for long periods of time whenever you are looking to order, get another drink, or get the check so you can get the heck out. That being said, we always come back as it kid friendly and the chips and salsa can't be beat. Oh, and a $3 Sam Adams ain't bad either. I'm still confused as to why cole slaw is a garnish for a Mexican dish?!
(3)Kelly C.
I'm torn. I wanted to say how wonderful I thought the food was. But I wasn't feeling it. I wasn't a fan of the salsa that came with the cold chips. I ordered the Chicken Mole, and though I don't know if it's fair to say it was bad (it was my first Chicken Mole) I just wasn't a fan. I do have to say that I am a person who will try anything and eats almost anything. It came with barely any rice ( The rice was different, kinda crunchy?) I did enjoy the refried beans ( kindof a soupy texture) My boyfriend had the Camerones Adaso. I wasn't a fan of his dish either. The good thing was that we went during the lunch special time, so at least we didn't pay dinner prices. It's hard to find Mexican in the Boston area, so maybe next time, I'll stick to the basics, and have a few margaritas :)
(3)Kelly A.
I should probably visit this place more often. It's quite good. But I guess I sometimes forget it's there, or when I'm in the mood for Mexican food I usually head over to La Siesta in Winthrop. But I think I need to show Mexico Lindo a little more love! The mister and I stopped in yesterday for some lunch, and we pretty much had the place to ourselves. We were greeted with some chips and fresh salsa, which was a super tasty blend of spicy, cilantroey, tomatoey goodness. And I got an iced tea, which was wicked good. It might have helped that it was like 90 degrees outside and I was thirsty, but the iced tea totally hit the spot. I savored it to the last drop. We were happy to see a vegetarian section listed on the menu, as it makes the perusing much easier. I ordered the vegetarian burrito, and he opted for the enchiladas Popeye. The burrito was filled with lettuce, beans, rice, tomatoes, onions, and such, topped with some bright green guac, cotija cheese, and a lovely mole-style sauce. The enchiladas were, as the name suggested, chock full o' spinach and green through and through. We were both pleased with our meals. Prices are pretty reasonable - the burrito was about $8 and the enchiladas were about $9. The fun decor, happy music, and good food were enough to remind me to add this place to the rotation.
(4)Meatless B.
Vegetarians.... Forget about it. Their menu has a vegetarian section; any with rice and beans ARE NOT VEGETARIAN! I've been told several times that they would change the cooking method of rice without chicken stock but they have not. And the option for the beans is plain black beans instead of the ones cooked in animal lard. Our revised vegetarian burrito come out luke warm with a nondescript sauce. Many servers, yet our margarita and second basket of chips took waaaay too long for so many waiters standing around. We come for convenience and margarita, but the food seems to come from giant cans. Certainly does not merit 3 1/2 star rating.
(2)Smar T.
The service was slow, the food was bland and greasy, the margarita (which was supposed to be made from real stuff) tasted like cheap mix, the guacamole was made with cream cheese, and the chips didn't taste homemade to us. Gross carnitas, weird oily chile relleno, bland enchiladas. And check out the photos to see the sea of grease in which the rice was sitting. Very sad bc we were psyched (muy) that there might be great Mexican so close to home. Guess we're still going to Brookline for sol azteca.
(2)Amada W.
This place was pretty much exactly what a three star on Yelp is--"A-Ok". I wasn't blown away by the food but it was quick, hot and average taste. My boyfriend and I walked over from our apartment less then five minutes away. It was around 9:20 when we got there and we were back to our apartment by 10:15. Service was faaast. We went in, were immediately sat and given water and chips. Chips were good and hot, salsa was pretty tasty. No complaints. We didn't try the margaritas because we both had work in the morning :) but we did get a beer each. The menu itself is pretty huge but my boyfriend was disappointed that they didn't offer chimichangas as a main dish. You could get them as sides. We both ended up ordering run of the mill burritos--I had chicken and he had beef. Each entree was about $12 for a large burrito. Kind if disappointing that they didn't automatically come with rice and refried beans like every restaraunt under the sun. We had to order them as sides. Some entrees did come with rice and beans, others didn't. I'm not sure why. Either way the food was to our table in less then five minutes, seriously, it was crazy. I guess it isn't all that hard to cook up a burrito, but we hadn't even finished our chips! My burrito was full of nice big chunks of chicken and it tasted great. Usually you get shreds of chicken in burritos but these were nice hearty chunks. I liked that. Boyfriend chowed his burrito down. We paid and off we went. I do wish that the server was more attentive. He didn't ask us if we needed anything or if everything was okay once, and I would have liked some salsa or hot sauce for my burrito but couldn't grab him. He seemed busy but was relatively friendly for during the required interactions (drink order, dinner order, money taking). $40 for two beers, two burritos and two sides with the tip included isn't terrible but a little pricey compared to other restaraunts I've been to where I could get two margaritas and escape for a little over $20 (and with a major buzz!). But it was close and fast. We will give it another shot to try their margaritas and maybe sit at the bar and have wings or something because it's so so close. And colorful! I loved the decor!
(3)Craig B.
Staff have always been friendly, and the food is delightfully non-Americanized Mexican. They do have some TexMex style dishes for the less brave, but do yourself a favor and go for something traditional. Their fish tacos are light and non-breaded/fried versus American style which have thick breading and are deep fried ruining the whole point.
(4)Dee P.
This restaurant is a great place for families! It is brightly colored and you don't have to worry about your kids being too loud. Not to mention the food which is fantastic!! We have never been there and been disappointed! They have a mariachi band that comes in once a week and the kids love it, it is too loud for me but the kids had a great time!!
(5)Kathleen F.
So first of all this place needs to start taking reservations to avoid overcrowding because there was so much ridiculous crowding around their too small entry area because lots of people were waiting around for tables. We called ahead because we had a party of 6 and still had to wait about 45 minutes. The margaritas are about a 3 star I would say, decent, but i've definitely had better. Chips and salsa at the table would be about a 4 star because the salsa is really good. The portion sizes for the food are ridiculously big, as in could feed a family of 4, and as a result the food is slightly overpriced for mexican. My food came out partially warm/cool and definitely wasn't held at a safe food temp, but I still ate about half. I regretted that about 5 hours later when I got really sick at home. Basically this place needs to find a way to keep up with the crowds and run the kitchen efficiently to keep up w' it too so food stays warm enough to be within safeserv standards. There are better, cheaper, less crowded mexican places around. I would definitely not go back for food....maybe on an off night do chips and a drink at the bar...maybe...but not if I had to wait 45 minutes!
(2)Face D.
I've been going to Mexico Lindo for years now, and always enjoyed the food and frozen margaritas. BUT... I went there around 9:45 on a Saturday night and was told they were closed. I told the person at the front counter that was strange since their website said they were open until much later. He then shouted "Computers are broken!" I've worked in the service industry before... computers being broken doesn't make you close down. My boyfriend and I thought it was odd since we saw people around the bar drinking. He went back into the restaurant and asked a waitress if he could sit down at the bar and order food, she said "Yes" and then the impolite man yelled at her and said no. Seems to me like they wanted to close down early, which is fine, but at least be polite about it rather than trying to shoo us away and yell at your waitstaff. We went to Stearns & Hill instead where we were greeted, seated, and served.
(1)Mike R.
The chips and salsa, the drinks, and the atmosphere are the only reasons that this place got 2 stars. The food was HORRIBLE. I got a combo plate with a chicken taco, beef taco, and chicken enchilada. All three were incredibly bland and didn't taste like anything. Both of my hard shell tacos were soggy by the time they got to my table. I'm hoping I just ordered wrong and that there is actually good food here because the place was fun and has pitchers or margaritas! I'll give it one more shot.
(2)Mark A.
My wife loves this place (she loves Mexican), and this place has a little more authentic Mexican than most of the chain restaurants. The food is tasty, and reasonably priced. The wait-staff is hit-or-miss. They often have a mariachi band on Wednesdays/Thursdays, and the place is a little small for that (gets REALLY loud in there). If you're in the mood for that, it can be fun, but I like a little more quiet with my meal.
(4)Max W.
The food here is awful. My wife and I tried 3 or 4 times and every time, just awful. I guess they spent all of their money on the new back patio instead of the food. Did I mention it is awful?
(1)Henry O.
* Check Your Wallet * Weeks after eating here I realized that my credit card statement showed the wrong amount charged by this restaurant. It didn't match the restaurant receipt for the total meal and tip charge. My credit card company, Discover Card, said that the charge was correct, and that I had to settle the mischarge with the restaurant. (I guess it doesn't "pay to Discover".) The charge was not off by much, but it was enough to make me question the integrity of the restaurant. I contacted the restaurant half a dozen times, at different times and days, leaving messages for the manager, who was never there. (How does a restaurant run without a manager?) On one call, the receiver said that they'd take care of the problem and refund the mischarged difference; I took him up on the offer, but found out through Discover Card weeks later that the refund was not provided. As of today, I canceled my Discover card, never received my refund, and never returned to this place. * Average Food & Prices * The food is average with reasonable prices; it is what you would expect from a plain Mexican restaurant in the suburbs. They serve you chips and salsa as an appetizer; the chips were OK, but the salsa had an unappealing flavor. The service was slow; the waiter barely checked on us through our stay. We had to ask for the check just to get out of there. (We could have easily walked out without paying.) * My Journey for Mexican Food * From my past trips to Texas, I grew to love authentic Mexican food --there's nothing like spicy food to get you going. I am always on the lookout for good Mexican restaurants, especially back home in New England. I wanted to like this place, but this is not one of the good Mexican restaurants. They deserve zero (0) stars, but I'll give them one (1) just to be nice. * Bottom Line * Check your credit card statement against your receipt if you were unfortunate enough to eat here.
(1)K B.
I came here tonight with 7 of my friends. The food was good but the staff was horrible! And I mean horrible! We sat outside on the patio because it was nice outside and there was a wait for inside tables. We consistently got dirty looks from several of the servers. They either thought we were going to run out on our bill or were mad that we wanted to stay after eating to have drinks and catch up with one another. It got to the point where it became crystal clear that they wanted us to cash our check even though we had two more hours until close. I went to the bathroom and got dirty looks from several servers. i had that feeling i was being talked about in Spanish as I walked by. We decided to head inside and have after dinner cocktails. But after one beverage each we got cut off! Now we all just finished eating a huge dinner and were in no way shape or form to the point where we shouldn't be drinking anymore. I have lived in Melrose my entire life and I am disgusted. I will never return here again.
(2)Julie G.
I went here on Saturday afternoon on a whim with the boyfriend. We sat out back, with only one other table. It took 10 minutes for our margaritas... a little extreme since there were only 3 other tables in/out back of restaurant. Margaritas were strong = made me VERY HAPPY :) We only got a side of fries since we weren't that hungry but I filled up on tortilla chips & salsa which was good. SERVICE SUCKED. I'd go back only for the drinks.
(3)Scott J.
Mexico Lindo is a true find. Nestled in the suburban paradise that is downtown, picturesque Melrose, you'll find this gem of a Mexican restaurant that serves up gigantic plates of tasty, well-prepared meals. The ambiance is colorful and festive and we were entertained by a live Mariachi band, including a trumpet player. This added to the atmosphere as we sipped our decadent banana frozen margaritas. For my entree, I savored the signature Mexico Lindo burrito -- and there was no ito to be found. This was HUGE, smothered in cheese, guacamole, and sour cream. I opted for pork, which was succulent and deliciously marinated; the fat-free beans were flavorful and the tortilla was lightly baked to provide the perfect shell. It's rare to find good Mexican in New England, but you're guaranteed an incredible meal here. Nothing wrong with venturing out of Boston to enjoy a fine meal -- and it's only minutes away from Oak Grove Station on the Orange Line.
(5)Busta M.
It's unfortunate in this age of TV reality shows such as "Chopped" and "Gordon Ramsay's F Word" that we still have to suffer through fundamental blunders such as those offered up by Mexico Lindo. This restaurant has such a terrific opportunity to succeed in an under saturated market. They are in the perfect location and fill a wide-open market need for Mexican food north of Boston. However, they simply don't pay enough attention to the quality of their food. I"m hoping they wake up from their potentially disastrous siesta before its too late. I recommend they take the entire staff over to Arlington for a meal at Zocalo. My beef taco was soggy with grease and off-tasting. No hot sauce at the table. Tamale was dry with dry pork. To be fair, chips and salsa were good, chicken enchilada was also good. But I expect way more value for $36.00! This place can be saved, they just need to wake up and take the food up a notch. Message to cook: Give us food you would give to your family.
(3)Lauren M.
I like this place because it's one of the few Mexican restaurants in the area that is not a chain. They serve good food and decent cocktails and also have an outdoor patio which is a huge bonus.
(3)Joan R.
This is a great place for a family outing! They have good kid's options, and if your kiddo has a sensitive palate, then they also have "kiddy salsa" that has no kick at all. The style of Mexican food here was similar to what we got on our vacation in Telchac. Definitely fun, good food, and well worth it.
(4)Caitlin G.
Yum. Yum. Yum. This place is excellent! Everything I've ever eaten here has been freshly prepared and was crawling with flavor and spice. And, you can order pitchers of margaritas. Enough said right there. Then, of course, there's the chips and salsa that arrives at your table upon seating. They're bottomless, I might add, and quite a deadly (but delicious) combo in conjunction with the margarita pitchers. I can't remember all of their dishes that I've tried over the years, but most recently I ordered the enchiladas and they were both filling and scrumptious... all melty and gooey and perfect. This is a great place to go if you want a real taste of authentic Mexican cuisine!
(4)Laurel C.
I have gone here many times over the past 5 or 6 years and it used to be good. Really. It certainly has great margaritas and was enjoyed during many a girls night out, as well as meals with the kids. However, we had lunch there this week and it was awful. The plate was so covered in lettuce and coleslaw that it was hard to find my enchildada and taco. They up charged me $4 for choosing a filling of chorizo instead of beef or chicken (in the past, they either charged nothing or 50 cents). The waiter told us that if we didn't want to pay that much, not to, but it would come out of his paycheck. Being sympathetic to what could be the truth, we took the high road and paid for it. The portions were also tiny and the Queso dip was AWFUL and runny. I don't know what happened to this place, but the quality has tanked.
(1)Rebecca S.
Overall, this place was ok. The ambience was cute. The service was fine. The food was ok. The chicken in my chimichanga was good and the salsa with the appetizer chips excellent, but everything else was just basic and uninteresting. If I was desperate for close by mexican-style or wanted to try their drinks, I'd go back. But other than that, I would try someplace else.
(3)Cynthia A.
Mexico Lindo, you used to be so lindo! What happened? Food and service average. Food quality has been decreasing. The best part is the chips and salsa. Some nice qualities: mariachi band on some nights and an outdoor patio in the back.
(3)A B.
I do like the chips and salsa. The staff is very rude. They need a training class in wait staff service. They just don't care. Does the restaurant have a manager? You would never know...
(1)Emily O.
Mexico Lindo is a fun spot in Melrose's Downtown. I ended up here after a failed attempt at going to the Border Cafe in Saugus for dinner and drinks, since it's always a packed house - especially on a Saturday night. Anyway, someone in my party recommended this place for authentic Mexican eats, after having gone there some time before. When we arrived, it was also hoppin', but we were able to score some seats at the bar. Their margarita selection is impressive, and they offer pitchers which are a fantastic idea. The chips and salsa, the mainstays of a Mexican restaurant, were tasty. I ordered the vegetarian enchiladas, which have been reviewed here already, and was pleased. I don't think my dish is a good measure of authentic Mexican eats, but my dining companions did order the carne asada burrito and fish tacos, which they said were tasty, though I think anything tasted good after a few margs. The one thing I though was bogus is that a side of guacamole (which I wasn't impressed with) cost $4 a pop. A little pricey for mediocre guac if you ask me. Otherwise, I'd recommend it. I'll be back in the summer to enjoy the outdoor seating, and to try the sangria. Another fav!
(3)J A.
Read reviews & wanted to check out a new Mexican place. We were very disappointed. Everything tasted and looked like it came out of a can or box with a lack of flavor, and the service was lackluster. Sangria was only saving grace. Too yummy to drink slowly (but not very strong). Will not return.
(2)Jane B.
This place reminded me of the Mexican restaurants in LA. Loud decor, loud ambiance. I had been trying to find a Mexican place since moving to the area, so I was very happy to come across Mexico Lindo on Yelp. Of course, the reviews were all over the place. But, generally it was good. We headed over on a weekend evening around 6pm. Granted it was a holiday weekend, it was nice to not have to wait for a table. We were seated and handed a menu. A while later, water was brought...then chips and salsa. Then we waited a little bit, and were then asked if we wanted a drink. I got the Mango Margarita, he got the Sangria. Both were tasty and well poured. Again, we waited for the waiter to come back and take our order. Although, that wasn't a terrible thing as their menu is rather expansive and I had gone in craving a good taco...and then I was hit with a bit of a conundrum. In the end, I went for a combo plate of a chile relleno, chicken enchiladas, and a beef taco. He went for the Red Snapper dish. I also ordered a side of guacamole. As we noshed on the guac, which was pretty good although could have had more garlic. It was more of a traditional style, being almost completely smooth instead of chunky. It started to fill up...and get a bit noisy, but nothing horrible. We eyed some of the other dishes as they came out and everything looked good. Finally, our food came, and we tucked in. One of my main tests of a Mexican restaurant is their relleno. It can easily be greasy, too cheesy, gross cheesy, etc. This one was pretty darn good. The taco was tasty too, without a ton of grease falling out of it. And my enchilada was pretty good, with a decent amount of chicken. He adored his Red Snapper dish, which was a whole Snapper fried (and crispy so guessing it had a slight batter on it) and topped with a salsa of tomato, cilantro, and onion. Both our dishes were served with rather large portions of rice, beans and some sort of slaw like dish. Overall, I'd say the service was a little slow, but we really weren't in a rush so that was fine. The food was great. I'm curious to try a few more dishes to see how those fare but this might just end up being my place for Mexican food. And all thanks to Yelp. Aww!
(4)Jphubs J.
Wicked good Mexican food and the best Sangria I've ever had!
(5)Brett K.
This place use to be my go to restaurant at least once a week. But lately I feel they have been resting on their laurels. The quality of food is still up there but the service is what's really fallen off. The last few times I've been I felt rushed out the door. I still like this place and go fairly regularly but I just feel they need to get back to what made them great, awesome service and really solid Mexican food.
(3)Al G.
About the only good place about this restaurant is the decor and the fried ice cream dessert. What a disappointment. Their seafood enchiladas tasted rancid and hardly contained any "seafood", and had a weird color and taste to the so called "shrimp" in the enchiladas. I went there again as I thought perhaps I just had bad luck the first time, but my chicken tacos were straight up nasty. Chicken was as tough as leather and dry. Their rice is horrible, I mean how hard is it to make Spanish rice??? Don't bother with this place, go to Turner's or Stern's & Hill if you want a good restaurant in Melrose. If you want Mexican, there are lot's of better places than this spot in the greater Boston area.
(1)