Felipe’s Taqueria

I came here on recommendation by multiple people. The prices are low, but the chorizo tasted like straight up paprika and the size and flavor of the burrito was lacking. Not sure what the hype is about but I won’t be coming back if I’m craving Mexican food. Very similar to the taste of Amelia’s – not authentic.

The worst service. Not child friendly and the handicap automatic door opener does not work.
Food is decent but when you have a grown man yelling at you, it is hard to enjoy your meal.
The bar was also closed and no one behind the food counter seemed to know if and when someone would be there to make drinks.
I know my review will not have much of an impact on this business nor will my complaint to the management – but I do think customers should be ready for shi##y service.
However, the lack of accommodation for handicap access is major concern.

Coming from the West Coast this place reminds me of home. Food is great. Price is right for a restaurant like this. It was busy but service was fast.

Delicious food and margaritas, roof deck, and all the hot sauces in a self service cart. Whats not to love

The food was pretty good but the customer service was one of the worst I have ever experienced. The cashier did not understand my order and became irate as if her job did not depend on at least maintaining some decorum.

The food here was great and I would love to give it five stars but the staff was not friendly. The party I was with had three different interactions with three different staff members and they were all not pleasant.
I would recommend the food, environment, and the rooftop bar. If the staff was more friendly this would be an easy five stars.

Inexpensive food (LARGE PORTIONS) and drinks. 3 levels including a cute rooftop space with a bar. There was quite a line to get on the roof but it moved pretty quickly.
I tried buying two drinks so I could take one to my friend but they require an ID for each drink you buy because of all the college students that frequent them. The prickled pear margarita had zero pear flavor, otherwise it was a good margarita. I’m not really into frozen drinks but they had a couple of interesting frozen margarita flavors like passion fruit.
It’s a pretty solid place and I’m glad I found it while there’s still plenty of warm weather ahead for roof time!

The best quick Mexican you can get in the area. It’s cheap, authentic, and fast. Though the staff can seem a little cold or rude at times, it’s more just out of efficiency. The lines really fill up quickly, and empty quickly.

So sad. I’ve been here four times… the food is great. Finally found really good Mexican food in Boston. The problem is the staff. The staff here is horrible. The bar tenders on the rooftop are especially rude. I watched them treat people whose first language is obviously not English, like they were idiots… So bad… I will never come here again. Every time I have been here, I have left having a bad experience, because of the staff… not the food. If the owner would hire staff with even mediocre customer service skills, this place would be amazing. Food is easily a 4 or better, staff is a zero… not allowing me to rate this place any higher.

The best burritos I have ever tasted! I wish I had a bigger appetite so that I could eat another one. The regular burrito is only 5 $ and you can choose from a range of ingredients for the burrito. The special for the day was a tamarind margarita, I also got a regular margarita with mescal tequila. Both of them were very potent and delicious. I would definitely go there again, several times!

My favorite burrito in Boston, hands down! Casual atmosphere that is crowded almost any time of the day. Burrito doesn’t fall apart one bit when you’re eating it. Both the carnitas and the pollo tinga are very flavorful. Now throw in a great margarita menu and a rooftop, DONE.

Great food at a reasonable price– especially in the Square. I will say that service is not always great. I’ve had a run in with a rude bartender and incompetent staff. The place is honestly growing faster than it can hire and maintain good staff. But the food is always good and the drinks are strong. One of my faves even if I occasionally have to put people in check.

Cheap. Tasty. Patio. What else could you want?
This place is our go-​to for a cheap eat or a night out. The margaritas are inexpensive and delicious (I recommend the house margarita or the prickly pear frozen one) and my favorite is the chimichanga. Total calorie bomb but mind meltingly yummy. Guac is solid.
Bar staff is attentive and fun!

Service only. Never again. I never even got the food I ordered. Not that I wanted it after he double checked the order, saw the take out box was still pen and passed it along to be packed up. But I guess that is what happens when you are eager to return to the conversation with the customer behind me about your upcoming gig in Brooklyn and his friend’s gig this past weekend also in Brooklyn.
I don’t necessarily look it but I am officially disabled under ADA. I sat until standing on line looked manageable. I was in serious pain. My food was ready, I asked for it so I could pay, leave and sit down again. The musician guy wouldn’t let me have it because they were still making the food for the guy who ordered before me. That is when he touched the take out box, it popped open, and he left it like that. I motioned toward the cashier and said something like So, if it is ready, why can’t I pay for it? I was told «That’s not the way we work.» He went on to tell me they only have one cashier and she is busy. We both looked at her, and she had no customers. He wisely shut up. But he did return to the customer behind me to continue the conversation about music.
I told them they could throw out my food. I don’t know if they heard me. No one answered me, that is for sure. I walked away, took the bag of the things I bought at a neighboring store and left at a nearby table, and walked out of the restaurant. You don’t want my money, you aren’t going to get it. Ever. You get one chance to make a positive impression and you failed big time.

I used to love Felipe’s but I felt obligated to write a review after going twice in the last week and being presented with honestly the worst and rudest service from their bartenders that I’ve ever encountered. I sat at the bar for over 15 minutes with all three bar tenders deliberately ignoring me the entire time. One even pulled out their phone and spent several minutes texting instead of serving me. I had my ID and credit card out and ready and several times they made eye contact but refused to acknowledge me or my presence. There was a middle aged male bartender with dark hair (and a beard I think), a younger male bartender and a young female bartender with very short hair. It wasn’t very busy, they didn’t seem to be working on anything — it just seemed like they were BSing with each other and ignoring the customers.
I thought it might have been just me but when my friend joined me, he was presented with the exact same treatment and we kept shooting each other looks like «You’ve got to be kidding me right now».
When I went back later in the week with a different group of friends, we were presented with the exact same service! I honestly couldn’t believe it. I’ll go back for the burritos but I never plan on coming back for drinks.

The new location is fantastic! The other one had very limited seating and the new space is very welcoming, clean, and open. It has more of a formal restaurant feel with the same classic Felipe’s food that we’ve all come to know and love. As always, the burrito I ordered was delicious and authentic. Felipe’s holds a very special place in my heart and I can honestly say the new location was well worth the wait! Love it!

Love love love. Awesome fish tacos, light and crispy breading and tender inside. The Burritos were great. If you like perfectly melted cheese, get the Super Burrito. Great portion size.
I LOVE Chipotle, but this beats it. In addition to delicious pork or chicken burritos, their veggie burrito was also superb. REAL VEGGIES (asparagus, red and green bell peppers, etc) sautéed to perfection!
Super fast service (the crazy long line is deceiving), worth the few mins wait. Friendly staff. Great atmosphere. Self serve water and condiments station toward the back is a plus. A bit noisy but still good with groups of up to six.
Watch out: The quesadillas look like toasted burritos.

Food: 3.0÷5.0
Service: 2.5÷5.0
Value: 3.0÷5.0
Décor: 3.5÷5.0
Overall: 3.0÷5.0
Don’t hurt me, but I prefer Chipotle’s industrial-​tasting burritos laden with over-​seasoned salsas over the stuff at Felipe’s. Cool rooftop bar though.

As a legitimate Mexican officially endorse this establishment as the most authentic and savory Mexican food in Harvard Square.
If you don’t like the food here then you simply don’t like real Mexican Food.
Now I must clarify that a 5 STAR on Mexican food in Cambridge or anywhere in the easy coast really — equates a 3.5 STARS in Los Angeles.

The best thing about Felipes is the patio and location. Food prices are on the cheaper side, compared to other places in Harvard Square. I’ve been here about four times, only because my friends wanted to.
Otherwise, limited seating, unfriendly service, tacos fall apart, and so do the quesadillas. Also, quesadillas are more like toasted burritos.
Line formation is weird, they have two stations to order, but people rarely know. The staff ends up yelling at the customers that there’s a second line towards the back of the place.
Honestly wouldn’t come back. I think people come here mostly for the drinks and the loud, chattery vibe. In terms of food, I’d enjoy Chipotle more.

Strict ID policy and I’m guessing that’s because we’re right near the campus but they mean no harm.
Food is good. Typical Mexican food. And very inexpensive.

Aight, here’s the run down.
** This review is for 3.5 stars **
My friends worship this place, and one day had insisted to go after dance workshops. Needless to say, this place screamed hype, because every time the name «Felipe» was uttered, my two friends would have the giddy face of a 90’s kid who awoke from a surprise gift of a Gameboy.
Food: I had gotten the super burrito (Base price, $ 6.00), and was torn between getting the Al Pastor or Pollo Tinga. I was disappointed. Simply, the al pastor lacked flavor. In conjunction with the corn, salsa, sour cream, and other stuff I through in it, it couldn’t enhance the flavor. The horchata though was the bomb dot com.
Misc: The line WILL be long, but the line moves super quick. The guy putting your burrito together is the real MVP. I almost felt like I wasn’t telling the guy what I wanted in the burrito fast enough that I was slowing down his efficiency. lol
Random rant: YOOO, l don’t know if its just the specific crowd the night I went or what, but the patrons be hella rude. If there’s this big ass line and you tryna cut through to claim a table, the simple way to cut through is to say, «Excuse me». TWO WORDS. EXCUSE. ME. Literally had 4 people in four separate occasions just walked by and bump into people like they literally don’t exist. We get it, you got your food, now you’re trying to hunt for a table and it’s literally every man for himself, but is there such thing as just being a courteous human being anymore??? Fuming.
Overall: Comparatively, this situation of me not liking the Al Pastor is kind of like a superstar NFL player who end up doing stupid sh! t and is given this «second chance». Once they done f*cked up, every NFL analyst with a southern accent be saying, «Yeah, I think Peyton Manning, if he had taken that illegal HGH, I think he deserves a second chance. He rubbed his genitals on that trainer many years ago, he deserves forgiveness and a second chance. He’s human, he messes up, and we need to support him.» (Even though I think Peyton Manning should get his ass investigated to the extent of justice for his alleged HGH usage and get his ass suspended. LEZ GO PATRIOTS. TOM BRADY GOAT) Al Pastor, I’m willing to give a second chance and try other stuff on their menu.
TL;DR: Chipotle and E. Coli: I still love you, a lot.

Perfect for groups of friends because you pay at the counter… Don’t have to stress about how to break down the check. I went with a bunch of coworkers for lunch. There was a line because this place is very good for takeout. It’s like subway or chipotle in the way that you pick the type of food you want (plate, burrito, salad) and then point to the ingredients you want as you go down the line.
Even at lunch the bar is open, which is fun.

This place reminds me a lot of Anna’s. It’s a hole in the wall place that you might walk by without noticing.
It’s so good and filling.
The burritos and dillas are cheap and they weigh the same size as a baby.
Everything is hand made, even the veggies are chopped to order.
Definitely worth it!
It’s better than Chipotle and I love Chipotle.
The staff is fast and friendly, it’s a show in itself to just watch them make your meal.
Whenever I’m in Harvard and crave burritos, this is ALWAYS my place of choice.

I don’t understand why this place is rated only 3.5 stars — they have the best burritos in Harvard Square! Felipe’s used to have a small hole-​in-​the-​wall location near The Garage for years, and used to be the hangout for late-​night college students with the drunchies or people who wanted to pop in to grab a cheap burrito ($ 3.50) for take-​out. About a year ago, they moved locations to Brattle Square and seriously upgraded to a legit restaurant with two floors of seating and a rooftop bar. Their burritos have risen in price as well (~$ 5) but are still the same quality.
The ordering system is a bit of a mix between a traditional restaurant and the take-​out hole-​in-​the-​wall of Felipe’s origins. You enter and stand in line behind a long counter (there are two ends of the line that meet in the middle, and you can start from either end), place your order, and watch it be made before your eyes. You pay for it at the cashier and then find a spot in the restaurant to sit down with your order.
Now, on to the food: the burritos are delicious. The meat is well-​seasoned and tender. My favorites are the carnitas and the Al Pastor, since I think Felipe’s does their pork especially well. You can add any number of add-​ons to your burrito, including lettuce, beans, rice, jalapeños, salsa, and some paid extras (guacamole, sour cream). Their nachos are also to-​die for. They are more expensive than the burritos (~$ 8), but come loaded with cheese, guacamole, tomatoes, meat, sore cream, and jalapeños.
During the summer you can also go to their roof deck for frozen margaritas and beer!

I visited this spot late for dinner on Sunday night; the line was nearly out the door. But, this was understandable, as it is located on a college campus.
I was warmly greeted by the employee taking my order. I knew I wanted the two baja style tacos, but I was unsure how I wanted them filled. The employee made the experience simple, with no fuss; he told me he would make them however I wanted. I got one fried shrimp and one fried fish taco. I had them dressed with extra sauce.
The ambiance took me central america, filled with a latin summer vibe. At any given time, based upon the number of people in the restaurant and the time of day, the place transforms from an intimate lively feel to a poppin’ night spot. Of note, this place was recently renovated, to accommodate the demand. My friend, who has been visiting this place since its early years, misses the local and hole-​in-​the-​wall ambiance.
Forget bottled hot sauces and preserved condiments! This spot has a station of fresh and well-​made salsas and condiments. Any one of the options provide an added boost to one’s meal.
Shockingly, this is a chain restaurant; it surely does not exude that vibe. With the flavors and the impressive competitive prices here, I do not know how other Mexican spots in the area stay in business.

So I’ve now been to the revamped Felipe’s a few times and it was fun in the summertime when you could go to the roof deck and enjoy some beer with your food but now that the deck is closed, I think the honeymoon is over and I’m seeing what the new Felipe’s has become.
Used to enjoy the simple but excellent burritos that they offered but now that it’s turned into more of a bar scene it feels lacking. What are my issues? People behind the counter are very unfriendly these days and last few times haven’t even listened to what I want in the burrito which then makes things awkward when they put something in the burrito that you don’t want and you ask for a change; bartenders are also super hit or miss, the last one we had was just lethargic. So negative points for service. What about the food?
That’s the worst part: the burritos have totally lost their flavor. Not sure if recipes have changed, or if they’re serving more people and quality is coming down or what but it’s not as flavorful as it used to be. I’d still rank it above Ana’s but if you’re not tied to the Cambridge area I would head to El Pelon to get some better burrito goodness.

Discovered this place while wandering through Cambridge /​Harvard Sq. due to Unilocal and a great discovery it was! What a cool vibe. It had a fast causal, «chipotle style» line to order food which smelled incredible and was a great price. Almost everything was 5 dollars. Went with tacos and got two tacos stuffed with a delicious spicy shredded chicken. So good. There were so many protein options it was hard to decide!
Our table decided to split an order of chips and queso as well and there were no leftovers. It was quality food done well. This place was busy so it was clear the Harvard /​MIT crowd were fans of the restaurant too.
One unique aspect about the place is that the food line and bar line are separate meaning if you want a drink, you have to wait in line all over again. I wish it was more integrated because we were all wiped out from being touristy all day and didn’t feel like waiting again for margs. However, they looked authentic and refreshing! One cool thing though was as it got past 8 pm you could tell people were coming for the Mexican beers and margs to just chill with some chips and guac before hitting up the clubs so it had a cool night life vibe as well.
The price was right here and the food was tasty. I’d make a return visit if I was ever in the area again!

Probably the only place I willingly drink terrible margaritas (they really are tequila slushies).
Two key tips:
1. There are actually two lines, starting at either end of the counter.
2. Get drinks (and food) downstairs and bring them to the roof, even though the roof has a bar.
The rooftop is pretty nice and a welcome addition to Harvard Square. The food is surprisingly better than I remember old Felipe’s! I got the vegetable tortilla bowl and was pleasantly impressed by it.