On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina

Cary, United States

3.4

Open now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 919-439-5030
Website:
www.ontheborder.com
Address:
1102 Walnut St., Cary, NC, 27511
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
1.1 mi158
1.4 miRoute 300 Inbound, Bus Stop #1842: Chatham St @ Wake Med Soccer Park
1.5 miRoute 300 Outbound, Bus Stop #1843: Chatham St @ Wake Med Soccer Park
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Lunch
Parking
Private Lot
Bike Parking
No
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
Free
Has TV
Yes
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
Yes

Today

Today 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Cary) 1:26 PM Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Business hours

Monday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Tuesday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am – 11:00 pm
Sunday 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

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20 reviews of On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Garner, NC
I would probably give this 4.5 stars. We prefer TexMex to «authentic» Mexican food especially when it comes to cheese. Most authentic Mexican restaurants serve Queso Fresco in their cheese enchiladas and chili con queso which is bland and without flavor. We prefer cheddar cheese. Our favorites are the chili con queso and the enchiladas. My wife likes the cheese and the beef enchiladas where as I prefer the sour cream and chicken enchiladas. I also enjoy the Chili Relleno and the chicken empanadas. I think they have the best salsa in town with plenty of spice and flavor containing chopped onions, jalapenos and cilantro in addition to the tomatoes. Much more flavor than the watery salsa served at La Cocina and Chilis which tastes almost like tomato purée straight out of a can.
Place rating: 5
Cary, NC
I’m honestly not really a huge fan of «Americanized» Mexican food but my boyfriend and I came here Friday night for dinner and it was delicious! Our server was great and he offered great margarita choices. The receipt said his name was William but he said he went by Joe or Jim, can’t remember which. Anyways, management checked in on us and everything was great. I work at a restaurant as well and sometimes Unilocal reviews can be a little ridiculous. My advice would be to try this place out for yourself. Definitely going back soon!
Place rating: 4
Raleigh, NC
Perhaps coming in at 4 o’clock on a Thursday makes all the difference, but the service was excellent and the food was good (not mind blowing, but good). The guacamole was freshly made as were the chips. The salsa didn’t deliver the spice that the waiter said it would, but not everyone likes to eat fire so no points lost there. The refried beans were nothing to write home about, but my fish tacos were crispy and flavorful. The kids meal cheeseburger looked and tasted like something from McDonalds, but my youngest ate the steamed veggies so huge victory there! I have an equal number of pluses and minuses,…overall, it was a decent meal.
Place rating: 2
Wilmington, NC
Some of the worst «Mexican» food Iv ever had. I got the cheese enchiladas which tasted like one of those «taco box» kits you can get at the grocery store. I asked for no beans and no meat and I got some kind of meat sauce on the top and it came with beans anyways so I was annoyed. The cheese was processed, tasted like it came pre-​grated from a bag… The only thing I remotely enjoyed we’re the chips (which were over-​salted) and salsa.
The «meal» was 11.99 $! Highway robbery! I was almost offended I was charged so much for that garbage.
The service was just OK. The only reason they got 2 stars instead of one is because the waitress was really apologetic.
I will never return to this sorry excuse for a tex-​mex establishment.
Place rating: 2
Louisville, KY
We weren’t expecting greatness based on past reviews but decided to try On the Border for an early Saturday night dinner.
We were seated immediately. Our bottomless chips and salsa came out quickly, and a server came over to get our drink order right away. OTB has a great outdoor patio with refuge from the sun and no pesky bugs! Unfortunately those are really all the positive things I can say.
The menu is large, and the prices are reasonable, but the food is extremely subpar. I ordered the grilled chicken fajita tacos. They were overseasoned and extremely spicy, like someone had just dumped hot sauce on them. The cilantro lime rice tasted like it had been sitting for hours and microwaved. My husband said the same thing about his meal.
Might return here for a drink on the patio, but definitely wouldn’t go back for dinner. Even the food at Chili’s is better than what On the Border is offering. No bueno!
Place rating: 3
Cary, NC
Such an interesting dinner. My daughter and I ended up with a bit of dinner and show. Behind us, the waiter spend about 30 minutes loudly telling his customers about the drama going on with management and management changes. It was all very exciting. Periodically other servers would sit down with the customers and share their thoughts, so they must have known the them. Our waitress was wonderful but food was just okay. We are from out of town and are used to the Charlotte Northlake On the Border. The food here was not as good. The chips especially were cold and had little salt. We usually go to our On the Border just for the fabulous chips! My daughter’s order also wasn’t quite right. She asked for no tomatoes and ended up with tomatoes. This restaurant is obviously going through a transition and is not on its top game.
Place rating: 3
Apex, NC
Came here for a free birthday dinner. Loved the covered patio and shrubbery but everything else was just average. Host was attentive and friendly. Table we picked was dirty but he cleaned it off quickly. Menu had sauce on and in it. The salsa was average, not a fresh taste of cilantro that I really like. The chicken bowl was plenty and came out hot but rice and beans were not that flavorful and they were skimpy on the avocado slices. Only one waiter serving 8 – 9 tables but he did a good job. Chips were filled again pretty quickly.
Place rating: 4
Cary, NC
I really didn’t want to give this place a good review, but they’ve really earned their ‘4’ stars.
This place is consistently busy — I think we can thank the mall location for that. But if they weren’t decent, they would have closed long before now.
Things I like:
+ the servers do a good to great job
+ the chips and salsa are good
+ the margaritas are much better than your avg tex-​mex place, even if pricey
+ they offer more than a few healthier menu options
+ they take good care of the kids
+ they have a bar
+ you can sit outside
Place rating: 4
Cary, NC
This is a favorite of mine. I love to go here with my husband and have a delicious Chimichanga! It always hits the spot. My kids are finally at a point where we can choose this for a family meal out, but it adds up when we all go.
Place rating: 5
Raleigh, NC
Was here today with my girls. It was refreshing to see excellent customer service. Our waiter was Aaron and he was steller!!! His attention to detail was awesome!!! Food was great. I reccomend this restaurant and location make sure to ask for Aaron he is FANTASTIC!!!
Place rating: 1
Fuquay Varina, NC
So I got this auto responder from this woman. I filled out the on line information and got another auto response back that someone would contact me, no one ever did. I rest my case. It is all about the money and not about customer service. They could care less if you had a pleasant dining experience.
Place rating: 5
Charlotte, NC
I have ALWAYS heard mixed reviews of this restaurant. But then again, who would want to eat at an On the Border in Fayetteville? PSH, not me. Ew.
However, this place was TO DIE FOR. Great service, great food (including the chips and salsa/​queso), and all of it paired with a crisp Corona and lime, and I’m in foodie heaven.
I definitely recommend the fajitas! Even if you’re eating for one (instead of sharing), its enough to have leftovers and its served with plenty of veggies (for the fittie like myself)!
Place rating: 2
Apex, NC
Taco Tuesday… I was so excited to give this place a shot for the taco Tuesday. They should call it mini mini mini taco Tuesday. How can they charge $ 2-​$ 4 for these things. Maybe a buck at most…
They taste good, the size of the rice portion they charge you for is tiny, maybe a nickels worth of rice…
Our waitress was awesome, and they were very easy to work with for our part of 11…
Place rating: 1
Wake Forest, NC
Came here on a wed to the bar with beer specials that were $ 2 and free chips and salsa. But go on a Friday and with no beer specials and no prices what so ever on the menu, ordered two coronas total and was over $ 10. That is more than Angus Barn. No thank u. Bartender was friendly though.
Place rating: 3
Cary, NC
If you want Mexican cuisine then better to get your fix from a mom-​n-​pop restaurant than this chain. Consistent poor service and you end up paying at least 20 – 30 $ extra for an inferior quality of food/​service.
Place rating: 5
Durham, NC
I have always loved on the border. The only negative thing I have to say is they closed the one in durham some years ago and I have to drive to cary or raleigh to get it. But other then that I never stop thinking about the taste of on the border. It is my favorite restaurant. I always get the chicken Fajita con queso. Something they took off the menu awhile ago but still always make it for me. I appreciate you on the border for exceeding my expectations everytime! !!
Place rating: 4
Raleigh, NC
Our server today was Andy. He gave great service. He made sure our meal was correct. He checked on us several times before and during the meal. The salsa was not the best, but the entrees were good.
Place rating: 4
Cary, NC
I’m giving 4 stars because I think it is a HUGE improvement from my last experience almost a year ago. Our server really busted her butt, we believe she had 5 tables at once and gave us great service. The original queso is always a great choice in my book, I think the smaller size is perfect for 2 – 4 people. I had the grilled fish tacos and my husband had a sampler of enchiladas and we recommend both dishes. It was a last minute date night for us on a Wednesday and we cannot complain that we got a pitcher of margaritas, appetizer, and two entrees for $ 38.
Place rating: 2
Oxford, NC
Service was not good. Looks like they need more servers. There were 2 waiters for 12 table. It took us 32 min. to get our food!
Place rating: 3
Cary, NC
This is your typical chain restaurant, so don’t come here expecting great Mexican food. But don’t discount it just for that reason. It really isn’t that bad.
We always sit at the bar and have a great time talking with the bartenders. They are very nice and provide good service. The margaritas pack a good punch and the salsa is not runny (I hate soupy salsa), with a nice amount of spiciness. We also like to have the white queso dip. It is always hot… and it’s cheesy, so it’s hard to get that wrong.
The fajitas are my go-​to meal but we have tried many other items. Most recently the Brisket Quesadilla, which is new to the menu and was recommended by Darren (the bartender). As with most chains, the quesadilla could use more filling (meat, veggies, cheese, etc.) but with all the drinks and chips and salsa… do you really need it?