Food is solid, but even a chowhound road-foodie guy like me needs minimal ambiance, and this isn’t the kind of place I’d bring my mother(who judges many places by their restroom cleanliness). My other first impression was confusion: I was ordering at a counter, but the receipt included 16/18/20% tipping guidelines. Chimichanga was tasty, not large, but worth the $ 8 with very tasty rice and beans. The table salsas were wasted on me as being too spicy to carry in my stomach for 2 more hours of driving. I stopped here after seeing it was close to the highway, but on arrival I saw it was also across the street from universal studios, which explained why it had been so heavily reviewed(and charitably: I’m sure it compares very favorably when you take sky-high theme park pricing next door into consideration). That location, and the Unilocal exposure, must surely have generated sufficient pesos to allow ownership to fix the sagging roof, and update the bathroom.
Alex H.
Place rating: 3 Miami, FL
Food was tasty and fresh. I ordered the chimicanga with carnitas. The carnitas were a little overcooked for my taste, but still better than any red-mex place around town. I would definitely go again next time I am in town, but I think that I will keep it simple with tacos or something of the like.
Shawn B.
Place rating: 1 Orlando, FL
My husband and I decided to give this place a try for dinner based on all the positive reviews on Unilocal. This is one time that Unilocal did not lead us in a good direction. We are locals and familiar with the area but have never been to this place in an old run down shopping center. We walked in and the place is dirty looking with about 6 tables total very close together. My husband ordered unsweetened tea because he prefers to sweeten it himself with Splenda. We asked the server for artificial sweetener and he set something on the table with packets of regular sugar… That was all they had apparently. Overall the food was just ok. Being that my husband is full blooded Mexican we expected something better. In Orlando we have many choices and this is not one we plan to visit again.
Sam T.
Place rating: 2 Houston, TX
This place is not your traditional Mexican restaurant, food is great, the service is horrible, nobody tells you to seat yourself, or order and pay and then get your food. In other words figure it out, but food is good, value is outstanding, it was walking distance and close to Universal, so if you don’t want to spend too much or tire of paying for those $ 10 drinks at Disney and Universal come and check it out. No free chips either, first Mexican restaurant I’ve been to that charges for chips and salsa, it is still a great deal! I just wanted to update this review, I went back two days later, and man what a change, it went from no service to someone serving you, but the food took a bad left turn it went from good to I don’t know what that was, never order the fajitas, I don’t think this people even know what that is, it was a terrible steak cheap cut, and burned. The rest it’s ok. But it is a toss up. You never know.
Samantha M.
Place rating: 5 Clearwater, FL
Mariachi music — check! Delicious chips, salsa, and queso — check! Authentic and delicious entrees — check! I had enchiladas rancheras with rice and beans. The enchiladas were great, filled with tender chicken, and topped with flavorful sauce, cheese, and sour cream. Chorizo con huevo was also on point. I will come back here, for sure.
Paul K.
Place rating: 5 Orlando, FL
AWESOME! This place has some amazing food! I’ve tried everything from their burritos to tacos, queso, etc. Great flavor, taste and all the ingredients are well maintained and used. Portion size is also very generous. The burritos are humongous, very filling! Price is the selling point. Very reasonable price for what you get. You’re looking at $ 6.50-$ 9 for a whole meal! You can’t beat that deal, especially for the quality and quantity. This is a hole in the wall. Truly, it is tucked away in a small, run-down strip center, but it is absolutely amazing. A true hidden gem! I highly recommend this place for a quick, cheap and delicious meal!
Kalvin K.
Place rating: 5 Orlando, FL
The Unilocal reviews were not wrong about this place. It’s definitely a hidden gem in a unsuspecting cheap looking strip mall. The food was very tasty and the service was good. Definitely will return.
Sandy C.
Place rating: 5 Philadelphia, PA
It’s a nice little place. I mean it’s filled with hard working ladies so it’s understandable if they don’t get to you right away. The chips are awesome. Nice, thin and crispy. It’s fresh that’s the most important. Tacos, nice and simple, but yummy. What else can you ask for? You know what you can get once you walk in to the place. It’s a nice neighborhood restaurant close to all the nice hotels.
Michelle Q.
Place rating: 4 Orlando, FL
Came here because of the great reviews. Ordered the Chips and Guacamole($ 3.59, standard), Fish Tacos($ 9.95, tasty, needed a lime) and the Grilled Chicken Chicago Burrito($ 7.59, good but nothing extraordinary) Hot sauces ranged from«I’m Not Sleeping Tonight» to «Wake Up in Hell» and the hottest one«It Was Nice Knowing Your Asshole.» Overall; place is pretty standard for a Mexican spot and you get a lot for what you pay for.
Mary B.
Place rating: 5 Columbus, OH
What just happened? That was the best thing I have eaten yet. My love for Mexican food just got real. Stumbled on this place while in the area and had to check it after 520 reviews with 4 ½ stars. This place is small and quaint. I still can’t believe the line wasn’t out the door. Fast and friendly service. Not to mention delicious food that is well seasoned and flavorful. I got 3 chorizo tacos supreme that came with beans and rice. The tacos were flour that they threw on the flat top to get crispy and warm. Yes. The rice was fluffy and simply seasoned. The beans were the show stopper. I can taste the freshness. I am not sure how much English my server spoke nor did I care, gracious! I am making this apart of my regular stops when in the area.
Jenn S.
Place rating: 4 Miami, FL
I ate here last time I was in Orlando for work. It’s a local, casual, Mexican restaurant right across from Universal Studios that is priced very well and the food is the bomb! So good! I walked in on a week day to grab to-go and I had no idea what to order. The guy at the counter suggested the Carne Asada(steak tacos) so I went with those. The food was prepared in about 5 minutes so I am assuming they have things pre-made and ready to go. FYI, this is a casual restaurant so no need to get fancy. If you are grabbing dinner on the way home from work or want to go somewhere local that won’t break the bank this is a good spot. I would definitely go back next time I’m in the mood for a casual Mexican meal and in the area.
Larry Y.
Place rating: 5 Summerville, SC
We found this place, thanks to Unilocal,and stopped on our way back home from vacation. It’s located a few minutes off highway 4, off the beaten path, and away from the tourist congested Disney attractions. Upon entering, the place was packed with what seemed like locals out during their lunch period. You walk up to the counter, order, and find a table(if your lucky). Not a fancy restaurant, but the great food is their main attraction as it seems. Apps: We ordered the Chips, Salsa & Queso($ 4.59) and it was all good. The chips were a little thicker to my liking but the Queso and Salsa were quite tasty. My son loved it and ordered another one. Main course: — I ordered the Chimichanga($ 7.99) which was good, not perfect. However, I prefer larger steak pieces versus I the chopped style. Next time I would ask for the non chopped version. The flavor was on point as you would expect at an authentic Mexican place as they advertised — My wife ordered the Mexico City Taco — trio tacos($ 7.49), one carnita and two chicken tacos. The carnita was dry and didn’t have any flavor, however, the chicken tacos tasted very flavorful and seems like they cooked it with a lot of spices. She said the rice and beans were good but nothing extraordinary or impressive. — My daughter ordered the Little Amigos one crispy taco with rice and beans($ 3.99). I ended up eating it since she had some chips and cheese earlier. The taco was great, especially with the table hot sauce they offer. If your visiting Disney or surrounding attractions, check this place out! We will definitely hit this place up next time around when we are in town.
M. Richard P.
Place rating: 5 Colonialtown North, Orlando, FL
This is one of my favorite taco spots because they really use fresh ingredients here, you can taste the difference and know it right away without having to shell out a small fortune. I Love the salsa, especially the habanero one with the little onions. Went in for the vegetable burrito this time and it was awesome. The size of a small baby! They tend to get busy for lunch so we try to hit them up off peak hours. Makes an excellent treat before or after Universal visits without spending bukoo bucks on lunch.
Melissa N.
Place rating: 5 Orlando, FL
It’s a modest and casual Mexican eatery. They make tasty, good, low-priced meals. I love the freshness and simplicity of the food. I ordered the two tacos which are served with rice and refried beans. The rice was perfectly cooked and the chicken meat was moist and juicy. Best of all, the service was pleasant.
Todd S.
Place rating: 5 Orlando, FL
Great spot! Fresh and authentic! I stopped in here for lunch after reading all the other great reviews. I opted for the green burrito which was excellent and good sized. The queso was pretty standard, but tasted better with the Negro Modelo I washed it down with. The menu is large, so there’s something for everyone. I’d highly recommend his spot you may never notice otherwise.
Tracy W.
Place rating: 5 Memphis, TN
Awesome little hole in the wall… only 10 tables or so but a great feel. Our waiter was very attentive, nice, and knowledgeable. The cheese dip was different than many in that it was a bit thicker with a spicy finish… very good… salsa was also very good. All of our dishes came out quickly, accurately and delicious. My only complaint would be I ordered my chimichanga EXTRA crispy and it came out underdone… but still tasty! Great place to stop after a day at Universal Studios!
Boon C.
Place rating: 3 Tampa, FL
This is a high traffic place for lunch. Expecting line will build up at this place for lunch. It take 10 minutes to order and 20 minutes to wait for your order. There is a lot of phone in to go order. This place has limited space for table. I would said the occupancy is about 30 people. Their special is on the board. You can pick up the special or somethings in the menu for the taco combination with rice and beans. The steak taco I have ordered is dry. The steak is not juicy and nice. I have better taco. The steak cooking may need to improve on.
Grant C.
Place rating: 3 Tampa, FL
Legit Tex-Mex if I were in the Great State of Texas. Order took some time to receive at the lunch rush but all good things take time, so hang tight for a few extra minutes. The chips and salsa were average. I ordered Dos Tacos with one grilled chicken and one shredded chicken. Both were excellent, lime included. Fresh ingredients with every bite. Mexican Yellow Rice and refried beans that came with the delicious tacos were average.
Knirps L.
Place rating: 5 Merritt Island, FL
Amazing dinner! We originally went out to Azul something or other down the road for our early Valentine’s dinner but they were overly packed and a bit overpriced. We took a chance based on the reviews and went here instead. Worth it! The only table available was next to the kitchen but we took it anyway. Ended up leaving us warm, engulfed in delicious smells, and with incredibly fast and attentive service. Can’t imagine why no one likes being next to the kitchen. The food was great! They were out of the Mexican pork stuff so I went with carnitas tacos and my(now) fiancé got the shrimp diablo. They were both fantastic. The rice and even refried beans tasted delicious. The tea was perfectly brewed, the salsa served with the chips tasted homemade and had a good kick. I will def. come back here to try more of the menu!
Pragna A.
Place rating: 5 Greensboro, NC
When it comes to Mexican food you know these tiny Hole-in-the-wall restaurants never disappoint you and this place proved the point. This place was packed when we visited and we were greeted and seated immediately, we got their Horchata Drink and chips & salsa to start off . We both got their taco platters one regular and one supreme with chicken and BOY were those Tacos Good, chicken was PERFECTly Grilled and was super moist and juicy, I found peace with one of the mildest sauces and it was a piece of heaven in my mouth. Horchata paired perfectly with the spicy sauces and I couldnt have asked for more that evening. Their Mexican Rice was very flavourful and beans were great, we ordered 4 more tacos and they were gone in seconds. We were so ready to visit this place the next day but were told they are closed on sundays.
Daniela M.
Place rating: 4 Jupiter, FL
For a while it was rough going to Border Grill especially when calling in and picking up but lately they’ve been more organized and efficient leading to a more frequent return from me and my family. If you’ve never been it’s a quick service style restaurant. You can either order to go at the counter or go ahead and have a seat and someone will help you. I’ve seen both occur but if it’s not busy I typically go ahead and sit down and wait for menus. Not only is their Mexican food authentic but it is also extremely affordable. I go for the Pulled chicken quesadilla, which is actually stuffed with chicken and cheese unlike other places where it only contains a few diced pieces of chicken. They are also served with sour cream and a side of chopped up onions and tomatoes(which makes the quesadilla taste even more amazing.) Their guacamole is incredibly fresh and savory. I also recommend their watermelon water(it’s to die for) or their Pineapple Jarrito(a Mexican soda) it tops of your meal! My significant other gets the Trio Tacos with the shredded meat, and a side of rice and beans. The rice tastes just like the homemade rice his ethnic mom makes, so it’s definitely authentic! The staff is very nice, especially the two young gentleman that work there, we’ve gone so often one of them even remembers our orders. Sometimes with the other servers it’s no such luck. They are a bit frazzled and rushed that they tend to either delay bringing items or stopping by to check on the table. All in all, this is a great place to return to time after time, especially now that they seem more comfortable helping during busy times.
Giuliano S.
Place rating: 5 Celebration, États-Unis
Très bonne nourriture pour très bon prix, le meilleur rapport qualité prix d’orlando que j’ai fait ! Je le recommande vivement pour les amateurs de cuisine mexicaine.
Claudio N.
Place rating: 5 Orlando, Estados Unidos
Excelente restaurant! Sin palabras!
Anna S.
Columbus, OH
What Border Grill lacks in size, they make up for in flavor. The menu here is traditional Mexican street food with some Tex-Mex offerings as well. Everything is cooked to order in the open kitchen towards the back of the restaurant with fresh ingredients and fast service with no frills. That is what makes this place so special. The Taco’s have become famous for those who have already found out about Border Grill. Taco offerings include, carnitas, shredded chicken or beef, seasoned beef tongue, chorizo and of course fish tacos. If tacos aren’t your thing, they have a good variety of some pretty awesome burritos and enchiladas and a few other dishes and daily specials. Chips and salsa are complimentary, but we ordered a side of Guacamole and a side of Queso to get our dinner started. My guest chose the Trio Tacos with Carnitas. The pork was seasoned wonderfully and was topped with fresh cilantro and diced onions. All combos come with Mexican rice and refried beans. I really wanted to order tacos, but once I saw Milanesa steak on the menu, I had to order it, as it is one of my favorite things. Milanesa is a thinly cut, breaded and fried steak. The one at Border Grill is topped with fried potatoes and sauteed onions and has now moved into first place for my favorite Milanesa in Orlando. In addition to potatoes and onions, the dish is served with lettuce, tomato, Mexican rice, refried beans and your choice of three corn or flour tortillas. Sopapillas are popular dessert in a lot of Mexican restaurants. The deep fried pastry is usually served as a dessert, covered with honey or syrup and cinnamon. The sopapilla at Border Fresh is made for at least two people to share and is topped with chocolate sauce, honey, cinnamon and lots of ice cream and is a pretty fantastic dessert.