The Ocean County Mall property over the years has been filling empty spots with many cool eateries, such as P.F. Changs, Turning Point, and Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea. Back in November, another chain restaurant joined the club, bringing On the Border to Toms River, New Jersey.

On the Border has been firing up delicious Tex Mex specialties since 1982. What’s unique about it is they incorporate mesquite-wood grills into their peculiar ingredients, taking things up a notch. From the sizzling fajitas to the margaritas, chips, salsa, guacamole, and tortillas, On the Border serves it up freshly made by hand daily in very honorable portions. 

The restaurant itself is very stylish in its distinguishing Tex Mex atmosphere. With its colors representing all around, TV’s with sports on, and enjoyable music, On the Border is a fun experience that will not disappoint you.

I can’t help to mention the big booths that are so comfortable where I can lean back, relax, and enjoy some delectable taste.

To begin the night, the waitress brought to the table a big basket of chips and salsa, on the house. The chips were warm with a dash of salt and the salsa had a nice kick to it and was very smooth and tasty. They were banging! I’d give them an 8.4/10, starting off strong! 

For the appetizer, the empanadas seemed very interesting so I went for it and gave them a try. The empanadas are handmade pastries filled with mixed cheese & seasoned ground beef, served with on the Border’s signature queso. I cut them in half and the inside looked glorious. When you lightly squeeze it, the cheese just oozes out. You are able to get everything in one bite although the empanadas cheese mix overpowered the portion and flavor of the meat. There wasn’t enough of it as the ooey gooey cheese took over. I felt like I was eating a cheese empanada. You do not need to dip it in the queso for this reason, but save that part for the crust. Trust me, it is a power move!  

The empanada itself was soft and not blazing hot which is what I was aiming for. The crust was soft and crunchy at the same time, it did not break its structure. Overall, these empanadas were still pretty good, I enjoyed them and would order them again. You are looking at a 7.3/10 for the appetizer.

And now for the main event, Tacos Al Carbon, corn tortillas with fajita chicken or steak, Jack cheese, pico de gallo, fresh guacamole and roasted red-chile tomatillo salsa. You have the option to choose two or three tacos. I chose two and picked the fajita steak, leading to a great decision because the tacos were outstanding. 

The portioning of the tacos were perfect. The amount of steak for the size of the tortilla was flawless, along with the onions, melted cheese and cilantro. But the steak itself was  extraordinary. The taste carries on from fresh off the grill and its seasonings are truly remarkable. The tortilla was crispy and helped hold the taco together. The guacamole and tomato salsa topped it all off with pleasure. The guac was very good, combining into the taco making it even better. The Tacos Al Carbon was scrumptious and deserves a satisfying 8.6/10. 

On the side served with every Tex Mex Favorite is refried beans with rice. The refried beans came out to be a big portion, it almost looked like a puddle. I’m not going to lie, it was a little soupy and there were more refried beans than rice. But the combo was amazing. It really did its job alternating with the tacos. The side dish would have punched its tickets to the 9’s if the rice portion equaled the bean portion, but it falls short at an 8.9/10 and stays solid.

I highly recommend On the Border. The service is great and they bring out your food quickly. Since the meals are filling and the mall entrance is right next to the restaurant, you can walk it off. All inclusively, I award On the Border with an 8.2/10. I will definitely be coming back! 

On The Border

Location: Located in Ocean County Mall, 1201 Hooper Ave Suite A20, Toms River, NJ 08753

Phone: (732) 908-2551

Website: https://www.ontheborder.com/

Offerings: Dine-in, Curbside pickup, No-contact delivery

Store Hours: Sunday-Thursday: 11AM-10PM

Friday-Saturday: 11AM-11PM