Sometimes you just want to sit down and have some delicious food and drink presented to you without any sort of dance or spectacle. Whenever I’m in this mood, I head to Lone Star Taco bar in East Cambridge, an intimate Mexican joint with a small but robust menu.
This isn’t to say that Lone Star is unfriendly; the staff will be happy to chat it up over the bar and make recommendations, but they also won’t bother you if your focus is on the food. The food comes fast too — and is meant to be shareable. This means those three carnitas pork tacos various members of your party ordered will come together on the same plate, as soon as they’re ready.
With just a Texas Lone Star above the door as the only signage, a tin patterned ceiling, under-bar lighting, and a mounted bison head on the wall, this place has a very hipster vibe — though not hipster enough to offer PBR. Instead, try a Mexican Happy Meal, which consists of a blanco tequila shot, a side of sangrita, and a pint of Modelo Especial.
For food, I always go for some grilled avocado or braised tofu tacos, with a side of grilled street corn if I’m hungry. Tacos can come with corn tortillas for the gluten free folk, though this small kitchen makes cross contamination difficult to avoid. Check out Lone Star’s original location in Allston too (but be careful – each location is on a different Cambridge Street!)