Stuff to Eat in the Suburbs: Waltham—Taqueria Mexico

If you live in the Waltham area, it’s likely that you have passed Taqueria Mexico a number of times and never really noticed it. Tucked away at the end of Charles Street a block away from where it connects to Moody, Taqueria Mexico is a hidden gem worth finding.

We originally discovered it while in search of Mexican food that didn’t require an hour wait (like Margaritas down the street). A quick Google search revealed this small Mexican place that we had been driving by for months.

The décor at Taqueria Mexico isn’t going to win any awards. The restaurant is filled with basic booths and tables and lightly decorated with authentic touches. There are two televisions playing all the time, though they are usually tuned to Spanish language channels. The focus at Taqueria Mexico is the food. They boast an extensive menu with the first page consisting entirely of a la carte items like tacos, quesadillas, burritos, and nachos. Almost everything offered on this first page is under nine dollars, sometimes even under five; however, several of these items are small and it’ll take a couple of them to fill you up. The rest of the menu features a mix of authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex fare such as enchiladas, fajitas, ceviche, and a slightly disturbing tongue plate. These larger entrees won’t break the bank either, most items on the main course menu cost fewer than eleven dollars.

All of the food we’ve tried at Taqueria Mexico has been delicious. Some of our favorite entrees are the crispy chorizo taco and the tasty taquitos. The tender, salty chorizo meat, nestled inside a crispy shell and topped with lettuce and sour cream, may seem simple—but the complex flavor of the chorizo makes this taco a must-order no matter what else you’re getting for dinner. Eight small taquitos—crunchy corn tortillas wrapped around lightly seasoned chicken and topped with sour cream and guacamole—can easily become an appetizer for a table of four or most of an entrée for one. The nachos are good, though the enormous pile of toppings makes the chips go soggy quickly. The pollo enchiladas with poblano sauce are well rounded and filling with a rich combination of flavors. The chicken is moist and salty under the rich muddy flavor of the spicy poblano sauce.

Though the restaurant doesn’t serve hard liquor, it does offer a variety of beers, as well as some tasty sangria which is also fairly cheap. There's a small outdoor seating area, a rare commodity in Waltham, though it will have to stop raining before it becomes practical again. (Things are looking up on this front!)

Overall, Taqueria Mexico provides good solid Mexican food at a great price. The resturant can be crowded on weekend nights but the wait is seldom more than 15 minutes. Take-out is available. You can find the menu on the restaurant's website.

This post was originally featured on the Bostonist