12 Best Tex-Mex Restaurants near Providence

“Local RI chain that serves great Mexican fast food.

My colleagues from Providence have been telling me to try Baja’s for months. According to them, it’s basically an upgraded Chipotle with a much bigger menu. Drove down for a late-night meal, and since this location by Brown is the only one open past midnight, it was still pretty busy even on a Sunday.

The first thing that caught my eye was the chimichangas. I haven’t had one since my college days, so I had to get it. Not as fat or indulgent as the one I used to get in NC, but the protein options here were much better. They go lighter on the rice and beans by default, so it didn’t hit the same level of comfort-food fullness.

Also grabbed a steak burrito bowl, and that was exactly what my colleagues meant. Fresh toppings, good sauces, and most importantly, steak that’s freshly grilled. Not the dry pre-made stuff you get at most chains.

If you’re curious what Rhode Islanders get for their Mexican cravings, this is a fun place to check out.“

“Tortilla Flats is my go to restaurant. Great food, good service, and a great place to meet friends. This place rocks. Try the Mojito. it's the best around.“

“excellent staff great tacos, hidden gem“

“Nearly perfect! Food was delicious, had to remind server about some missing items. The music was perfect, my MIL was not looking forward to eating but ended up grooving to a song she hadn't heard in a while and it made the experience fun as she was dancing and eating her burger. Wife's go-to was great but when did Chili's stop caring about their boneless wings, no longer adding green onion. Ever since they started their confusing lil side gig where they're just selling wings/boneless wings...it's not been the same. My FIL loves his Cajun Pasta. I usually go with the Smokehouse Combo but was happy trying the Fajita Trio. Solid 4 stars with 5 star potential.“

“We go to Chillis often, the Server Melissa is very friendly, accommodating and extremely attentive. We are always so impressed, many of the fine dining restaurants we frequent should have servers like her. She makes sure our orders are done the way we like them, while she’s running around greeting, cleaning and checking on tables! \nNice to see the Fajitas are being done with red peppers 🌶️ rather than all green again. Ribs were great! \nSide Salads with Avocado Ranch, excellent!“

“My favorite spot!!!!!!!!!“

“To be honest, I was having a pretty bad day. Spent the day running errands and driving my son to appointments while recovering from a weekend flu. I was exhausted and miserable. Since contractors were rebuilding my kitchen (another story), my wife thought it might be nice to go to dinner. Sure, why not?

We chose Chili's. My wife and son loved their meals. I had an unfortunate occurrence - my food wasn't prepared properly, and I was put off my appetite. Honestly, I know things happen, but I had seen this particular error only in 1940s Looney Tunes cartoons.

When I pointed it out, my server was very apologetic and swept the offending dish away. In about 30 seconds the manager on duty came over to apologize. He took ownership of the situation and offered to personally cook me a new meal as he previously worked as a cook. I thanked him but assured him it was OK.

I know that what I described is SOP for any eatery, but after the day I had, I really appreciated the gesture. He was sincere. That saved the dining experience. My only regret is I didn't ask his name, so I could properly praise him in this post.

So, thank you, Anonymous Chili's MOD.“

“Staff are always friendly and accommodating when asking for a change to the order. If you take your food to go and realize it was made wrong, as long as you bring back both the food and the receipt, they're happy to remake the food. I've definitely revisited this place several times in the past week alone.

Dietary restrictions: If the staff is made aware of any allergies, they make sure that no contact with the allergen is made.

Parking: Located in a plaza with plenty of parking, but the area in front of the store does fill quite fast

Kid-friendliness: They have high chairs and booths that move, as well as tables with chairs that pull out for easier access when seating.

Wheelchair accessibility: There's no stairs to get in and the food selection in the front is low enough that it can be seen from a wheelchair. They also have handheld menus at the front for if you can't read the screens.“

“Finalmente!! Tacos muy deliciosos!! Haven't had any good Mexican food since leaving LA, CA. The Al Pastor is on point! Get the soft tacos! Will definitely be back to try more stuff. I had crunchy chicken taco, soft taco carnitas and pastor. All very good. Decent price for what you good. Not far off from food truck prices in Cali.“

“I love Baja’s the food is amazing! The atmosphere is loving and comfortable. The staff are always friendly and welcoming! I would recommend 10/10! I would love to see them more in the CT area. Preferably Bristol, CT or Southington, CT!“

“I love it I eat there when I’m in town“

“Andrea was absolutely amazing! She was friendly, knowledgeable, and went above and beyond to make sure everything went smoothly. The service at Baja’s was excellent from start to finish — fast, professional, and welcoming. I’ll definitely be coming back and highly recommend them to others!“