Every Harvard student’s good night out ends at one of the Square’s renowned late-night Mexican-style eateries. With this comes a fun debate on the walk home from a party over whether Jefe’s or Felipe’s will ultimately satisfy that 2 a.m. craving. The die-hard fans of each of these establishments will happily engage you with their points as to why one is better than the other, so much so that “Jefe’s or Felipe’s” should probably be added as a standard part of the Harvard introduction. However, one new restaurant may begin to shake up the debate and add itself into the conversation. Could Achilito’s Taqueria, new to Harvard Square, sway students to betray their old favorites?
The family-owned restaurant, native to Jamaica Plain in the South Boston area, was founded in October 2018. Harvard Square is now their third location, implicating success at their previous two establishments. Upon arrival, customers should expect the expediency of Jefe’s rather than the home-style feel of Felipe’s. Achilito’s is decorated with brightly colored walls, Bandera de México hanging from the ceiling, and vivid orange chairs, with minimal seating space. The experience is meant to be quickly paced.
Harvard students are known for constantly berating HUDS dining options and, rightfully so, complaining about the d-halls shutting down at 7:30 p.m. One would expect that despite its current lack of reputation around Harvard, a new restaurant in the Square should be busy because it offers an escape from students’ meal plans. Boasting hours of 10:30 a.m.-4 a.m., Achilito’s certainly caters to the college scene. While up late p-setting or socializing, there is an endless list of reasons why students may find themselves with late-night cravings. Currently, Achilito’s has a Taco Tuesday Deal that offers three tacos and a mango, piña colada, or lime virgin margarita for $12. Considering that these drinks typically sell for $5 each, one would anticipate this to be a huge draw for customers. Additionally, you can purchase their alcoholic margaritas for $11 each until 1:45 a.m. every night of the week.
Considering this deal, it would not be surprising if Achilito’s became the next wildly popular food option in the Square. Despite it only being advertised with some “Taco Tuesday” signage outside the restaurant, the offerings of the advantage speak for themselves. Something to note is that their signs portray what appears to be a Stock Image of hard shell tacos, however Achilito’s sells flour or corn soft shell tacos. It is a great bonus that they have the option of corn or flour tortillas for no difference in price. For this Taco Tuesday deal, customers choose between chicken, spicy chicken, or beef along with the options of pico de gallo, cilantro, crema, and onions for toppings free of charge. Other toppings are 50 cents, and the salsas are an additional dollar. They have a wide range of protein options if you’re not ordering with the Taco Tuesday deal—these range from baja shrimp tacos to the greasiest pork you’ve ever tried. If this is what you are looking for in a taco, then you have come to the right place.
Although their Taco Tuesday deal is perfect for a cheap bite, the same cannot be said for the rest of their menu. Their burritos come in either a regular or large. The regular size ranges from $10-$14.50 (depending on the protein option) and they charge $2.50 to upgrade to a large. This comparatively high price does not bode well for competing in the already saturated Mexican food market in the Square. At Felipe’s, burritos cost $7.50 for a regular and $8.50 for a super burrito, and at Jefe’s, they are $10.30 with the option of any meat. Since college students are always looking for the best deal, this data seems to come into support of Felipe’s or Jefe’s being the preferred option. This being said, Achilito’s has phenomenal churros and chips with guac or queso. These both retail for a mere $3, which is comparable to other restaurants. So, the quality of Achilito’s and the convenient experience it offers is undeniable, making it still worth a shot for those willing to try out somewhere new.
We have seen such a phenomenon before with Noch’s vs. Joe’s or Tasty Burger vs. Shake Shack. All of these options also serve the perfect amount of grease to soak up the alcohol after a night out and have their band of loyal followers. And now, Jefe’s, Felipe’s, and Achilito’s all offer various options for Harvard students to fulfill their late-night quesadilla, bowl, or burrito craving in the Square. It seems pretty simple really—Harvard students love their Mexican food, so why not more?
If history were to repeat itself then in the coming months, we would see that there is always room for another comforting, hand-held, late-night food option on a college campus. Especially with fun drinks and easy-to-grab snacks, it’s easy to see how Achilito’s could become an institution. Alternatively, the disappointment in the lack of cuisine diversity, and love of old favorites could keep Harvard students away from Achilito’s, despite their fun deals and late-night hours. Next time you are out late and craving a taco, stumble into Achilito’s to try something new.
Breagh Bridge ’27 (breaghbridge@college.harvard.edu) go-to Mexican food order is a pork chimichanga.