Fresh and Tasty
Dishes are served fast and the flavors are authentic and wonderful. A find! Worth waiting in the small area.    [10 Feb 2003 13:27:25]

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Recommended Dishes: carnita pabill

     ­Anonymous   

Mediocre and Overpriced
I visited Ole several months ago. The lines were surprisingly long, though that's normally a good sign.

The disappointed awaited inside.

The place is well appointed and clean, but seating was cramped and tight. The food was just ok, if not bland (apparently New England cuisine seemed to destroy Mexican flavor in this place), and if you order soda you will get it in the can; I love ways restaurants try to gouge customers and avoid free refills - this method is among the most despicable.

The bill was the final straw - the place is expensive - especially for the cuisine it serves. One word to anyone considering Ole - Picante in Davis Square in Somerville is more than worth the extra drive.    [20 Feb 2003 10:02:14]

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     ­yuvalz   

It is my first time in this restaurant. I really had a great time with my friends, it reminded me of back home in Mexico. The food was authentic, just like grandma's cooking. Try and check it out and you know what I'm talking about.    [23 Apr 2003 22:50:37]

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Recommended Dishes: gambas enchiladas

     ­juan   

Extremely Overrated
Ever since I moved to Arlington 4 years ago I heard about how this place had the best Mexican food in the area. That's a pretty low standard, but Ole doesn't even come close to meeting it. The food is bland to the point that you might not even recognize it as Mexican if not for the presence of the tortillas. It was not served hot, and the service was erratic. I've gotten much better food than this from a taco truck for 1/3 the price, but unfortunately not in the Boston area.    [25 Jun 2003 10:34:51]

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     ­Jeff   

Ignore the Bad Reviews
Seriously. I simply can't believe those reviewers had bad experiences. I've tried most of the Mexican restaurants in town but this place is by far my favorite. The person seriously compared it to Anna's Taqueria? I love Anna's Taqueria, but Ole is simply better. What did those people eat? I think the place has great atmosphere, and the owner is friendly and informative. All the ingredients come up from Oaxaca, and they make all their own salsa, etc. The place is legit. If you think Taco Bell is Mexican food, well maybe you'll be disapointed. If you want real, good, Oaxacan food go here. Oh, and if it's too bland for you just ask for some Chipotle sauce. I bring my relatives there from out west, and now my dad insists on going every time he's in town. This is a man that knows good Mexican food.

I agree with the sodas in a can thing, but I don't think it's despicable. And one of the waiters used to have a hard time understanding English when it was loud in there, but other than that, service is great.    [13 Feb 2004 18:50:20]

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Recommended Dishes: enchiladas, alambre con queso tacos

     ­Sayf Sharif   sayf at iamlost dot com

We Love It
We've been regular visitors to this friendly place for over three years (at least twice a month, sometimes more), and have tried virtually everything on the menu and found every choice to be nicely prepared and presented. We've visited a number of other Mexican restaraunts in the Boston area and found Ole to be in the middle price-wise, with the most expensive dishes coming in at around $13.95. There is a small beer and wine list, and great tasting fresh fruit Sangrias, with the varieties increasing during the summer fruit season.

The place is run by Ricardo Ramos and Armida Amor, who really know what they're doing. During busy periods, one of them is almost always buzzing back and forth greeting and seating guests and supervising kitchen operations. No matter how busy, Their attitude is always friendly. They often visit tables for a quick chat with guests. It's so nice to have the owner come over to say hello and see if you're enjoying your visit.

Now for the food: There's a nice appetizer list, and the prizes here are the while-you-watch it made guacamole, the pozole, a good -sized bowl of dark, thin, but extremely flavorful Mexican pork and corn stew, the garnachas, three miniature corn tortillas topped with poblano peppers or mushrooms, with cheese, onions, and chipotle sauce. There's also the excellent alambre con queso taco and the tostada de nopales, a veggie appetizer that will even satisfy a carnivore. Great stuff!

The main dishes are all very good to excellent, with nothing being too hot or spicy. There are a number of vegetarian choices as well. Ole's dishes are always well balanced with different and wonderful flavors, never dominating. The pungent and frequently overused cumin of Tex-Mex is never apparent in Ole's food. If you have a hankering for stuffed peppers, Ole offers a variety of chile rellenos, a filling dish of two stuffed, deep-fried fresh and never soggy peppers that are amazing. While they are deep-fried, the batter is a wonderfully thin and crisp egg batter, just enough to let you know you're eating something deep fried. The peppers are "mild" (although sometimes have a little heat)poblanos and can be stuffed with a number of cheeses, meats, and veggies. The best in my opinion are the pork and cheese-stuffed. You can get enchiladas in a variety of sauces and configurations. For example, if you like green tomatillo sauce, you can get pork as well as chicken if you ask. Then there's the slightly sweet/slightly hot "chocolate mole" sauce that is great on pork or chicken. It's very different and delicious. The same variety of choice goes for thier burritos, Mexican pizza and quesadillas. Black beans and a nice rice are served with dinner items, with pinto beans as an option. The dessert menu consists of two items: A traditional flan (egg custard) served cold (I like mine warm) drizzled in a carmel sauce, and a truly decadent Mexican chocolate bread pudding, an ice cream scoop of dense, not too sweet chocolate-infused bread drizzled with an ever changing variety of fresh fruit sauces. Mmmm...a truly wonderful dessert. But there's no coffee to go with it. Bummer. I'd like to see coffee at some point. In defense of Ole's canned soda and the refill ripoff mentioned by another reviewer, this place is small. I just don't think there's enough space for the serving equipment.

Despite the tight seating when it's busy, Ole is a really great place offering excellent food, and friendly service.    [20 Mar 2004 13:51:36]

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Recommended Dishes: guacamole, chile rellenos, Mexican bread pudding

     ­Dave and Colleen   

Fantastic
I love this place. I also think it is very authentic. The guacamole is fantastic! I like the setting and everyone is so nice there. The food has been great every time I have been. I do think people who don't think it is great are crazy.    [18 Aug 2004 19:27:13]

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     ­Anonymous   

Our Favorite
We eat out a lot, and have enjoyed the renaissance in Arlington restaurants that has developed over the past 10 years. Of all the places we frequent, this is our favorite. The food is great and the menu is diverse and authentic (NOT Tex-Mex). The service is friendly, homey, and quick; prices are very reasonable. Great chips, salsa, and the made-on-the-spot guacamole is a diet buster you can't resist. If my ratings are not in the "incredible" range, it's because I reserve that for the worldwide, absolutely best at any price restaurants I've been to.    [22 Sep 2004 22:44:23]

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Recommended Dishes: chiles rellenos, mole, guacamole

     ­Anonymous   Lgalen at rcn dot com