Mestizo Modern Mexican — Restaurant in Cambridge

The worst restaurant experience I’ve had in Cambridge.

First visited shortly after they opened last year and walked away unimpressed. A mediocre, overpriced meal that felt like it was designed for uninspired business lunches rather than actual dining. The steak was dry, the cheese enmoladas were tough, and the portions were small. Still, I decided to give them another shot.

Unfortunately, it was way worse.We came back on a nice day for a casual dinner on the patio. The host was friendly, and we were seated right away. Then, nothing. For over 30 minutes, no one came by to take our order.

Several servers stood chatting at the bar, occasionally making eye contact, but we were repeatedly ignored. A few walked past our table without so much as a greeting. I even placed the menu at the edge of the table as a clear signal, but still, no response. To make matters worse, a party that was seated 15 minutes after us had their order taken first, while we were still waiting for someone to even acknowledge us.

I’ve eaten at hundreds of restaurants in Cambridge, and while service can vary, I’ve never experienced a place that seemed so actively indifferent. Can’t imagine this place...

I wish I’d checked the reviews before ordering takeout here because this place is an absolute ripoff. For $80, I expected a decent amount of food—especially from a Mexican restaurant, where meals are typically affordable and portions are plentiful. Instead, the portions were ridiculously small, and the prices were outrageous for what we got. Even the tiny containers they used weren’t filled all the way, which made the portions look even more pathetic. It’s clear they’re charging these prices to cover their rent, not because the food is actually worth it.

Speaking of their packaging, it was wasteful—several items could have easily been consolidated, but instead, they overdid it with unnecessary containers. On top of that, the food tasted no better than what you’d find at Chipotle. Please believe me when I say it’s nothing special. I later found out the co-owner runs a tapas spot in Melrose, which explains the absurdly small portions—they seem confused about what a Mexican restaurant is supposed to be. Save your money and go somewhere that actually delivers...

Me and my wife visited Mestizo on a late Saturday afternoon. We had just spent the afternoon kayaking the charles river and were close by to this vibrant looking mexican food location. Usually I do lots of restaurant research first, but we were tired and hungry. We love mexican food and we were right across the road. To make a long story short... The food was very tasty, portions incredibly small, service not good. I had the swordfish tacos and the wife had the shrimp 🍤 dish. Both items were listed as entrees (and priced). But were clearly appetizers. What size are the appetizers? Service thumbs down 👎. NO ONE LIKES THE SERVER LOOM OVER YOU AS YOU PAY THE BILL. When did this become a thing? Paying on a handheld device as the server stands over you, staring at you?! Gimme a freakin minute. Tip 20%, 25%, 30% ... um seriously. We finally had to go over to the bartender to place our order. Increase the portions, get real service and you'll have a...