Cheap Eats: Maria's Taqueria

Folks who work in the Theatre District have a lot of lunch options. From New York Pizza to Subway to the haute cuisine of the Transportation Building, there's no shortage of ways to stuff your face. But do any of them actually taste good?

Enter Boloco and Maria's Taqueria. Taking on Herrera's in the Transportation Building, these two new pseudo-Mexican spots give downtown toilers at least a little bit of hope for sustenance superior to Sbarro. We already talked about Boloco; now it's time to give Maria's Taqueria a turn.

You can tell Maria's is new—not just to its location, but probably to the restaurant business as well. The stark blue and gray interior is warmed up some by an orange wall, but the place could really use some decor—perhaps images of sunny Mexico—to make it feel more cozy. The layout is also a little weird, with the ordering line at the near end of the counter. Once you place your order, you move toward the far end of the counter to wait, meaning you have to push back through the ordering line to leave after you've obtained your food. It's made for a massively awkward experience every time we've been there. Additionally, no one seems to have decided whether the food-makers or the order-takers should call out orders once they're ready, meaning that your food might wait around for a while or get misdelivered. Make sure to keep a close eye on the process to guarantee you get the right goods.

If you choose to eat in, you've got another problem—the dining area is freezing cold. Whether it's because of the many windows, the door that keeps opening and blasting the dining area with frigid air, or heat-stingy (er, environmentally conscious?) owners, it does not a pleasant eating experience make. There's currently a cost-effective piece of cardboard taped to the bottom of the door; maybe it'll start to help out with the temperature differential. (Or maybe you should wait until summer to check this place out—provided it's still around then.)

Should you manage to get past the awkwardness of the ordering experience, and remember to bundle up to dine in, you might manage to enjoy your meal. Maria's offers burritos (grande or tradicional), tacos, quesadillas, and dinner plates. Choose between carnitas, steak, chicken, shrimp, or rice and beans for most options. We tried the shrimp tacos, which were acceptable—mildly spiced, with the shrimp a little on the firm side. The tortillas were decent, and the portion size (three tacos) was just right. We also dabbled in the rice and bean burrito, which was a little larger than Herrera's offerings, and the ingredients seemed to gel together better—though as black bean aficionados, we were disappointed to get pinto. A slice of American "cheese" was melted into the burrito before the ingredients were added; we might have preferred the option to reject this inclusion of plastic in our meal. The food was filling, but not spectacular.

Overall, we found Maria's a welcome addition to the limited Theatre District quick-lunch options, but can't say we see ourselves eating there every day. It is relatively cheap, ranging from $2.25 for a single steak, chicken, or carnitas taco to $7.25 for a shrimp taco dinner plate, so it's easy on the wallet as well as the palate. We hope the owners take steps to warm it up a bit (both in terms of decor and temperature) and add at least a little spice to the food as well.

Maria's is at 226 Tremont Street, Boston, and is conveniently open until 1am, a plus for us night owls.