Salsa's

Southie has long been a stronghold for the area's working-class Irish American community, and despite the steady influx of new arrivals (not the least among them being plenty of college students), the presence of long-time locals remains pronounced. That's why it was probably silly of you to come here for Mexican food. I'm certainly not saying that there cannot exist an oasis of ethnic authenticity in an otherwise relatively homogenous land. Kitchens are kitchen, and on Southie's sweeping plains of pizza-and-sub shops, dimly-lit bars, and humble breakfast stops, they can be had by anyone willing to buy (or lease, as it were). But this isn't one of those times. I don't know who owns Salsa's, or even who works in the kitchen, but either they don't know what real Mexican food is, or they don't care. In fairness, the latter may be the more likely scenario. After all, you're in Southie. For Mexican. How interested in authenticity can you possibly be? So maybe they get points on the savviness scale. After all, when the average townie gets off work and heads over to Dorchester and Broadway, what are they really looking for? Technically precise carnitas, or some tasty chips and salsa? How about a comically oversized margarita to wash that down? Hey, the chile en nogada is actually really tasty: jam-packed with interesting flavors, it's exactly the sort of dish I love, and the creamy walnut sauce more than hides the dry ground beef. But the fish tacos were salty and mind-numbingly boring, and the carnitas were inexplicably -- and unforgivably -- cubed. The salsa was quite good, and that being their namesake, perhaps I should just take the hint and admit that they do what they, in all likelihood, seek to do: get Southie natives sloshed on tequila, beneath the approving gaze of a fake saguaro. If that's what you're looking for, then hell, come on over. Support the South Boston economy, and maybe have a drink while you're at it. But don't expect exacting Mexican food, and for the love of god, if you happen to enjoy it, don't tell MC Slim JB. Pros: Chile en nogada: very tasty. Cons: Again, you want Mexican, and you're in Southie. more

We had a Sweet 16th Birrthday Dinner for my daughter who loves this restaurant. She had a choice of having a big party at a hall with a DJ and everything, but she insisted she wanted it at her favorite restaurant.\r There were 22 family members who came and I cannot say enough about the service we received, it was fantastic. The service was great and the waitress (Stephanie) did an exceptional job along with the rest of the waiters and bartender (Lauren). They made my daughter's 16th birthday a special night she will never forget as well as me and my family. The food was delicious and everyone had nothing but praise for each meal. I would totally recommend\r this for anyone who has teenager's and loves mexican food. Thank You to everyone of you at \r Salsa's and Dave the owner for making this a memorable occasion for me, my daughter and my family.\r \r ' Pros: margarita's Cons: nothing more

Charming and Cozy! this Authentic Mexican restaurant is a one of my favorite spots in Southie! what a treat to have it just a short walk away. the food is terrific and the drinks are as well. more

I moved my friend to Boston and after a long day of unpacking we decided to go out for dinner. There were four of us together, we were seated right next to the bar after waiting outside for about 20 minutes. Once seated we quickly placed our orders. Our server somehow forgot about us and our food was served before we received our drinks. Two of our orders were incorrect and we delt with it. After eatting we requested seperate checks and our waiter quickly returned to ask if we were paying with credit cards. We were and he said it would be easier to split it with the cards. We gave him our cards and when he returned he had decided to divide our check by four rather than actually splitting it up with what each person ordered. I did not feel the service was very good so I did not leave a large tip. Apparently the server Robichaud, from my bill did not feel it was adequate and decided to take additional money. I called my bank to report the error and they suggested I call the restaurant to see if they would credit my account. I called the restaurant five times before I was able to speak to the manager Miguel. When I informed him that I was overcharged and another person I was with was overcharged he told me I would have to come into get my money. I live over 1,000 miles away and he suggested I get someone I know to come and get my money for me and then send it to me. He also told me the standard tip in Boston is 18%, and that is why my bill was larger. I responded that was not the amount that I authorized and if one of my employees was stealing from customers I would apprecaite knowing. The owner David has been unreachable to hear about how his customers are being treated. I would not recommend this restaurant for its food and definately not for its customer service. Cons: customer service more

Brought my nephew here as a going away present. Decent atmosphere but a little cramped. The two waitresses tried their best to keep up with the 25 tables. The $20 Sangria was tasty but seemed like it came from a blender. It fills 4 glasses. Average main meals are about $16 so not bad. My nephews lamb was good but the Abodingas that were recommended to me were so salty that I could not eat them. Maybe it was just a bad night for the cook. Beans and rice were tasteless . I would like to give them another try but will order something totally different.\r \r Best to go down the road and get take out from Alfredo's Italian Kitchen. Pros: Prices were okay. Lamb dish seemed okay. Cons: Sangria came from a blender. Salty Abodingas. Take you chances. more

I could not agree more with the Zach guy below, this place is simply terrible. He didn't mention though it's also gross and smelly and that the waitresses can't care less about their guests. Anyone who likes this place has never had Mexican or Southwestern food. On the plus side, it's cheap. Oh, there's also no parking and often a line ruled by anarchy/whichever steroid a-hole has had the most to drink already. Sadly my wife really likes this place for nostalgic reasons and I'm forced to go here to keep our marriage together, and each time I have to order something new because what I had last time was so bad. I dread even suggesting eating out nowadays because I'm afraid we'll end up here. Note: you don't really want to sit at the bar unless you like it that your clothes and hair smell like burnt grease for the next week. Oh, and feel free to skip the margaritas; they're made with a little too much store mix and a little too little cheap tequila and generally just make you wonder why you didn't just stay home and organized paper clips instead. Pros: Cheap Cons: Everything else more

I was really scared to go to a Mexican restaurant in Southie - first of all, Mexican food is usually terrible on the East Coast and on top of that we were in Southie of all places - however, this place was great. The atmosphere was fun & festive - great place to get a cool drink and grab a bite after sunbathing on Carson Beach (which is what we were doing). The salsa was delicous (fitting, since that's the restaurant's name!). The margaritas were pretty good (although a little too sweet - but the company I was with thought they were excellent). We ordered the shrimp diavolo which was sooo good - I highly recommend this appetizer - the sauce is amazing. We also ordered chicken and steak fajitas which were very good as well. The service was prompt, friendly, and made good recommendations - I really enjoyed this place & highly recommend it! Pros: good food, great service, fun atmosphere Cons: location more

Salsa's is not only the worst Mexican restaurant in Boston, but one of the worst restaurants I've ever been to, period. I signed up for Citysearch just so I could write this review. The food is completely inauthentic; we had tacos and quesadillas and neither amounted to more than tortillas, fancy mix Kraft shredded cheese, and week old microwaved chicken pieces. Nearly any other Mexican or El Salvadorian restaurant in Boston serves significantly better food at a third of the price. This is a terrible restaurant, please do the world a favor and do not go here. more

Being a new Southie resident, I went here one a whim with one of my friends. We were happily surprised by both our meal and the experience. We ordered the steak tacos and the chicken enchiladas and then we split our meals so we could both try more than one menu choice. They were both excellent. The service was friendly and fast and the best part about it all, the price! So cheap! We will both be back. more

This authentic Mexican grill offers delicious dishes and a fun atmosphere. Even though you're still in Southie, it feels like you just stepped over the border. The food is great and the prices are super reasonable. Pros: Authentic food and great prices. Cons: Parking more

I was looking for a place to meet friends and someone suggested Salsa's. I read a couple of good reviews and one really bad one. The bad one made me say ""no way"". Luckily one of my friends insisted that we at least give it a shot. I am so glad she did. We had the best meal and a great time. The Fajitas are out of this world! So is the Almond Chicken, lamb chops, albondigas (sp?) and they do this steak that my boyfriend got. It was wrapped in cheese and smothered in onions and peppers. I forgot what it was called but it was DELICIOUS! I say, don't knock it til you try it. This place is great. They make food as spicy or as mild as you want it. Pros: fun and romantic atmosphere, great food, extensive mexican beer list... Cons: parking can be an issue if you are not familiar with Southie...but worth the hassle. more

I had a good if uninspired burrito. The tacos were average too, sorry, I can find the ingredients at stopNShop for 8 dollars less. Maybe I need to try the other stuff.. more

Overall, a disappointment. Although the atmosphere was jovial and the sangria was good (served in large carafes), the food was very bland, besides the free chips and salsa and a delicious Mahi Mahi chowder. We knew something wasn't quite right when we walked in and there wasn't any hot sauce on the tables. The sausage guy should stick to what he's good at and/or come to terms with the fact that Salsa's is on the same part of the food chain as Taco Bell. more

This place is fabulous! The atmosphere is calm, romantic, and intement. This is a great place to bring friends to have a nice long slow conversation, bring a new date to impress her (and it is very reasonably priced), or just to enjoy a great meal (try the mahi mahi soup, amazing!) I highly recommend going for you will not be disappointed! Pros: Atmosphere, Food, Mahi-Mahi Soup more

The salsa and chips were very good, especially the salsa - you knew it was homemade. The entrees were very satisfying, however, the refried beans, black beans & rice accompanying them were absolutely flavorless. It was surprisingly crowded for a Tuesday night. Overall, it seemed like an off night and we would be willing to give Salsa's another chance. Pros: Inexpensive more

The food is good, and the atmosphere is nice, especially in the seats by the window. On some occasions, the sangria has seemed a little weak, but they also offer Mexican beers. The salsa is very good, and they sometimes serve a delicious corn chile soup. Pros: good food, nice ambience more

We highly recommend this spot-in southie of all places. This place is not afraid to serve a little spice to their patrons, contributing to a truly authentic mexican food experience. Every dish we try tastes better than the next. No bland food here. The wait staff tellls us the cooks barely speak english. That says real mexican. Try the Albondigas - a type of mexican meatball filled with all sorts of spices. The ingredients are consistently fresh and the wait staff always has a smile on their face. The food will certainly leave you coming back for more. Pros: food, staff, inexpensive more

Food excellent. Parking not so good. Very fun atmosphere. Great place to get together with friends. Price was very reasonable. Fiesta! more

This is embarrassing Mexican Food. You can tell it all comes from the freezer or a can. This is really, really bad Mexican. Southie doesn't have a lot of diverse options when it comes to dining, but this place still isn't worth it a try. Just horrible... As a kicker, the waitstaff didn't seem real interested. Cons: The Food, The Service more

Excellent food, great atmosphere, reasonable prices. The complimentary chips and salsa are amazing. more