Dorado Tacos & Cemitas

Come for the Baja-​style fish tacos and cemitas. Located on the far end of Brookline’s Coolidge Corner, on Harvard Street, perfect for a summer evening with fresh ingredients and al fresco dining available.
Try a few tacos wrapped with soft corn tortilla. The namesake Dorado is a must with a spicy kick and the Ensenada is a go-​to without the spice. While the beer-​battered white fish tacos (Dorado and Ensenada) are lovely, the beer battered shrimp taco is the star with chipotle, cabbage, pineapple salsa, and a generous dollop of crema. The meat tacos are also worth sampling. The grilled steak taco features surprisingly tender cuts of beef with guacamole and slightly spicy roasted tomato habanero salsa. Taco specials are often available such as grilled tuna. Why not make it a plate with two tacos, rice, beans, and a large charred jalapeño?
Cemitas (Mexican sandwiches) are hearty with layers upon layers of goodness. Recommend the pork, either as a loin or chorizo, juxtaposed with buttery avocado, tangy and a little chewy Oaxaca cheese, black beans, smoky chipotle, and crisp cilantro.
Another must — elote — charred corn on the cob with queso fresco — grabs the sweetness of the yellow corn with the mildly salty cheese.

Really surprised to see such high ratings here. Came here after the Coolidge Corner Arts Festival nearby and was excited to try a new (for me) Mexican place. As a California native who’s lived in LA and SF, it’s tough to find Mexican food in Boston that lives up to those expectations. Dorado was disappointing. The staff were all super unfriendly, the rice was borderline stale and had no flavor, the cabbage was unimpressive, and the tacos were teeny tiny. 2 stars for fairly prompt service but we will not be returning.

Can’t believe I’ve lived in the neighborhood for two years and only just discovered this place. Dorado is SO GOOD. Their grilled veggie and spicy portabella tacos are unbelievable. The tortillas are perfectly doughy (the best) and all of the fillings are flavorful and fresh. Guacamole is delicious. I personally think the prices are very reasonable — about $ 3 – 3.5 per taco and I think 3 is a pretty solid meal.
Service is quick and friendly, and there are several tables inside and out on the sidewalk. I have a feeling I will definitely be making up for lost time and visiting this place pretty frequently. Quick and fresh food that’s also delicious? I’m sold.

Really great fish tacos at this place. Battered and fried to perfection. Light, but filling and full of flavor. They have their main stays and their specials and you would not be wrong to try one of each. That’s what I did!
Service was friendly, and food came out fast. Great for a quick bite to eat. Definitely will be back!

Excellent! A little pricey but worth it, so I’ll definitely be returning and I highly recommend coming here. I especially loved the elote corn. Fish tacos are amazing! But $ 3 a pop which is why I can’t give 5 stars

This small restaurant is big on taste! There are lots of delicious gluten free options and the staff know what is safe and what isn’t for a person with Celiac. I was very impressed. The prices are reasonable, the wait is short and the food is fantastic!

Our new favorite spot for Mexican! Definitely try the corn on the cob! It’s delicious! The chips and salsa were warm and fresh. And their zesty habenero sauce adds the perfect kick to their tacos. One of the few places we’ve seen so far in Brookline with a little outside area, but fills up fast. Definitely check it out if you are in the area. Walking distance from the T.

My biggest issue with Mexican restaurants in Boston is the bland flavors and the limited vegetarian/​pescetarian options. I did not have this problem here! I stopped by here for dinner and ordered the homemade tortilla chips with guacamole and salsa (fresh and addictive!) and the 2 taco plate that comes with vegetarian beans and Mexican rice. I had the grilled salmon taco and the spicy mushroom taco. Everything was seasoned well and the meal was filling and the portion size perfect. I also had the Jamaica hibiscus tea and it was refreshing. My friend had the bowl woth seasoned steak and throughly enjoyed it.
The service is fast and efficient but I gave 4 stars because the staff weren’t very warm.
I’d recommend and I’d come back for the food.

These are not like the tacos in the great Southern part of California but they are still very good. I recommend grilled fish tacos, shrimp tacos, and elote. The elote (grilled corn on cob with mayo, lemon, chili, and… something else) is messy goodness — just the way it’s supposed to be. I wish they put more chili on it though.
Interior is small. It’s like a fast food taco place.
Unfortunately, my first time here was on a rainy day so finding a seat was not a problem. Based on other reviews, it can be poppin’ in here!

Get the sangria!
As for tacos, there about as good as Boston gets. Definitely a pick for Mexican food for me amongst Chilacates and El Amigo. They’re not exactly a cheap bite but they do satisfy and hit the spot.
Definitely keen to come back and grab another bite sometime soon!

I love dorado! Their elote/​street corn is my fave-it’s seasonal but if available, it’s a must try. Perfectly flavorful and super delicious. Never had a taco there that I didn’t like, and their guacamole and chips are a perfect side! Can’t go wrong at dorado.

I love and have been going to dorado for years. The staff here is friendly, quick, and knowledgable. My favorite thing here is not a taco or a cemita (which are both amazing) but a quesadilla! I came here tonight and ordered one of my favorite dishes out of all time. Spicy portobello mushroom quesadilla with tomatillo and avocado salsa. I can’t even explain the perfection that is this quesadilla but it is wonderful. I also ordered a special grilled fish taco (it was tuna today) my boyfriend got a dorado taco, an Ensenada taco and a chorizo cemita. His cemita was oozing with chorizo and looked heavenly. I love coming here for a quick bite. Although I did not get it tonight they have great sangria as well as a selection of Mexican beers and sodas.
Side note– their bathroom is clean which is always a plus in my book.

I almost cried today. I moved from SoCal 5 years ago and I’ve been looking for fish tacos that don’t disappoint. This place does NOT disappoint.
The guac is made in-​house and has a tiny kick to it. I loved it.
The cornflour salmon tacos were amazing. Just amazing! Yes, they’re a bit small but traditional fish tacos aren’t that huge. And they had Tapatio, no one knows what Tapatio is on the east coast. I was floored.
I cannot wait to go back. So glad I found this place. If you’re from SoCal… go!

Truly authentic taco’s. Had the Ensenada and Shrimp. Also tried the patatas bravas. The watermelon aguas frescas were also awesome. Great prices, quick and friendly service. Winning combination

Great casual spot for tacos and other Mexican food. The Dorado fish taco is really good (especially with its chipotle crema) and probably my favorite of the bunch. The tacos don’t look very big but are actually quite filling. Elote corn is also good, though a bit rich to eat the whole thing for my taste. I like how you can add the rice and beans with charred jalapeño for under $ 2 to round out the meal.

Dorado makes my heart weak everytime I pass it and can’t get food. But when I can eat there, it’s true love.
The tacos are to die for. Small but filling and they’re so flavorful. I would have never tried a fish taco until Dorado and I’m glad I did. I usually get the taco plate and a side taco (go big or go home) and I’m stuffed by it.
The tortilla soup is soooo amazing and the newest addition the bowls. I had a bowl yesterday with fish and inhaled it within minutes, it’s literally what is on the taco plate but no tortillas.
Finally, the sangaria. When I started coming here I was under 21 (lame) and when I finally was 21, I hated wine. But for Cinco de Mayo I got the sangaria and was blown away. It’s sooo strong but it’s so flavorful and delicious.
Pretty much just go to Dorado, you won’t be played.

So this place had 3 kinds of fish tacos the last time I visited (one was a special) and I was impressed by everything I tried so far. I love that there is a non battered/​fried fish taco here, as the grilled salmon and tuna were some of the best tacos I had in Boston.
I can’t wait to come back for brunch, and I love that there is indoor and outdoor seating. When you order, they give you a number and bring the food to you.
Also this place has beer!

Far exceeded my expectations. Great spot to catch a quick and casual meal without sacrificing on flavor. The food is cheap, but certainly doesn’t taste it. Fish tacos and pork cemitas are the way to go. If you check in on Unilocal,you get a free aguas frescas!!!

Stopped by again tonight and this time I have pictures! Again, I love the dorado fish taco. It’s so good. I was so full today that I couldn’t try anything else, but my boyfriend had tried to chicken, steak, and the yellowfin tuna tacos.
Also, check in when you get here! You’ll get a free Jamaica Agua Fresca — it was Hibiscus tea today (not sure if it’s that every day). And it was so refreshing. The tea totally hit the spot for me today, sweet and tangy tea that was cold on a slightly humid day like today.
We got to sit outside today for dinner, which was a nice addition to enjoying some tacos :) (refer back to my previous review for more about other stuff I tried!)

I came here kinda full but have been meaning to try this place. They have cute outdoor seating and a check in freebie! I really like the laid back vibe of the place.
I ordered a chorizo taco and the dorado taco and made it a meal with rice and beans. For the freebie I got the watermelon and lemon agua fresca.
I came with a bunch of friends who ordered a variety of things as well. I was not a fan of the chorizo even though it seemed to be a highlight for this place. It was grounded up and I couldn’t taste much of the meat. The consensus amongst all of us was that the fish was the best option to pick. But my favorite part of the watermelon juice. It was so refreshing and it would be the only thing I would go back for