On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: Latin American, Mexican
Neighborhoods: Fruitvale, East Oakland
Loading...
I had to return.. it was like a calling... but this time I decided to be BRAVE and order what I have never heard of... and then some.
El Huarache Azteca is just that.. ordering both familiar and the unfamiliar. Given you are here because you love Mexican cuisine, but in essence, when you come here you can option to be a discoverer. Andre, the owner was more than happy to help us with our order. I couldn't resist asking him what did Spanish Explorer Hernan Cortez and his men eat that excited him so much to tell Spain back in 1524? According to history, it was variation of the Huaraches. rediscovered in the 1920s. Andre's store tries to better replicate a courser variation and in doing so allows something quite tasty, and very different than your usual Wet Burritos. Wonderful sandal shaped pockets of meats and saute vegetables; you can see how this dish fully inspired Mexican food we find today, like the taco, burrito and enchilada. So great were these had to be the techniques and manners in how to make them. I am five starring this place because gosh.. it deserves SIES ASTRELLAS DE ORO. (six stars of gold)
Best thing to do when arriving to this restaurant is park on the street and stroll to and fro the restaurant. Take in the spirit of the fruitvale, and the friendliness of the residences.
Just like I would have turkey on Thanksgiving, fish on Friday, or Fuddruckers on the 4th of July, a… Read more »
El Haurache Azteca has real solid authentic Mexican food. We enjoyed the mole and huarache. The appetizer plate of anojitos wasn't half bad either. Check out our video review here:
http://www.youtube.com...
We stumbled upon this place by chance, and we were pleasantly surprised. You can tell that the owner takes pride in the business, and the hand-painted murals are a nice touch. We were even asked to complete a survey at the end of our meal. I had a beef gordita, beans & rice, which were all tasty. The rest of the party decided on steak and al pastor tacos. The al pastor was cooked with fried onions and apparently the best they had ever tried. The salsas, especially the salsa verde, were fresh and spicy. I would recommend this place if you're in the area, but keep in mind that the freaks come out at night in this neighborhood (and not the good ones).
I actually found out about this place from the show "Check Please!" I planned on going to try out their burrito, but when I found out the huaraches were their specialties, I had to try one. The vegetarian huarache (means "sandal" in Spanish - I guess it's in the shape of one:) was delicious and SO flavorful. The best part about it was the cactus and the corn tortilla.
Our waitress was super friendly and realized we were not regulars so was very helpful. I want to go back and try a burrito and then a torta!
The wife and i stumbled upon this place during the dia de los muertos festival. We were on a beer drinking/taco eating crawl and this place was our last stop. I honestly didn't think i was going to be able to eat anymore but once i saw the menu, my eyes went straight for the tinga. There aren't many restaurants that have this on the menu. I also wanted to try the huarache. My wife's eyes widened at the menu as well when she saw queso de puerco and the pickled pork skin as meat choices.
The tinga was Great. Nice and spicy. The huarache was kinda boring and bland. my wife loved the pickled pork skin tostada and torta de queso de puerco. They also have yummy michelada's
We will defintely come back here to try the green mole and all the other yummy items that we saw on the menu.
My friend from work recommended this place after a long day of hiking. I had the huarache which I hadn't tasted before and it was good. For the price though, I would've expected some rice and beans on the side though. I also enjoyed the agua fresca de jamaica. It wasn't to sweet which is just the way it should be. I might go again if I was in the area.
PS-I love the murals on the wall. It depicts the Spanish coming to Tencohtitlan.
Another "Check Please" recommendation. The location is pretty iffy and parking was a bit of a hassle. The huaraches were pretty good. Service was friendly and helpful. I will go back if I am in the area which is probably never unfortunately.
El Huarche Azteca is by far my favorite Mexican restaurant in the Bay Area (not including taquerias). It's one of those spots that you have got to know about beforehand because most people aren't rollin' around International Blvd and are like "that looks like a fine establishment to go to." I actually found out about them on a PBS show and one of the food reviewers raved about their mole verde whle they other one was turned off about the area which seemed to affect her opinion of the food.
So I had to check it out and I've been there twice since I found out about El Huarache Azteca and have tried their green chicken mole and huarache with rib meat on top of onions and oaxaca cheese. Both are excellent choices although I am biased favorably toward the verde pollo mole and will be back again to try their red chicken mole. I also really enjoyed their strawberry drink that was in a large tub right next to the horchata tub. Chunks of strawberry and a milky kind of flavor made it a refreshing compliment ot the meal.
On a weekend afternoon, you may also be graced with a group of mariachi performers that roamed through the restaurant to play authentic Mexican music. This can be an eye opening and enjoyable experience, unless they're playing right next to your table where it is nearly impossible to hear the person right next to you. Otherwise, definitely a spot to get some great mole or huaraches, try something different than your typical Mexican burrito spot, and gain a better cultural experience.
So I have to be honest. I haven't eaten here in about six months but since I am new to Yelp, I wanted to give a shot out to this place.
I went here with my husband, mom and step-dad on a Saturday afternoon. I enjoyed the ambiance, the food and the Aztec decor. I also liked the little bit of Aztec history on the menu. The food was good. I had never eaten Huaraches before so it was a new experience for me. The Huaraches were a little thick for my taste but the tasty meat they piled on top made up for it. I also really liked their combination appetizer that had mini-tortas & mini-huaraches. My husband ordered the enchiladas with mole sauce and he was happy with his selection.
What I really really enjoyed the most was the entertainment. There was a gentleman playing a guitar. He played songs by request. I think my family spent more money on the music than the food. I don't know too many Spanish songs so I let my family do the requesting. It was enjoyable and my husband picked out some love songs.
I want to go back soon but on a Sunday for the Mariachi.
When I was in Oaxaca a few years ago, I had the tastiest spicy pork huarache in a non-descript eatery right off the main plaza. It was the only time when a corn tortilla surpassed my general preference for flour ones, and the ingredients were so good that I think I had about four and didn't know how to say "Pepto-Bismol" in Spanish afterward.
I'm so happy I found El Huarache Azteca thanks once again to that show that fluctuates between obnoxious and useful , "Check Please! Bay Area". The food is damn tasty here. Yep, you heard me. And it reminds me of that place in Oaxaca because the corn tortillas here are just incredibly moist and flavorful - best I've had in the Bay Area. Finding the place is another issue entirely. It's in the less-than-desirable part of Oakland's Fruitvale neighborhood right on International Blvd. The name of that street always promises more than it can deliver.
Anyway, it looks like El Huarache Azteca has three locations - two side-by-side and a more tropical-looking places right across the street. I'm not sure why, but I hope that means it's doing well. The interior of the biggest place is wide-open with the walls covered with sepia-toned murals of Cortez conquering the Aztecs (see my photo). The menu is full of all sorts of goodies, including more familiar items like tortas and quesadillas.
However, their specialties include huaraches which they describe as "thick corn tortillas shaped like a sandal". I'm not sure I would care for a food item compared to footwear, but I decided to go for the big guns and ordered the $11 Alambres Regular - which has four huaraches covered with chopped beef steak, Mexican chorizo and bacon bits with bell peppers, onions, fresh avocado slices, and Oaxacan cheese (see my photo). That was really hearty, spicy and just damn tasty - and the homemade corn tortillas really make the difference.
Oh, I'll be back, probably in daylight since I don't want to worry as much about my car next time. I have to mention the super-friendly owner and terrific waitstaff there - who patiently heard my Oaxaca story without looking at their watches.
FOOD - 5 stars...yep, I tell you it's damn tasty stuff
AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...the inside is fine, the outside not so much
SERVICE - 4.5 stars...really friendly and helpful...and the owner fished out a rare takeout menu just for me
TOTAL - 5 stars...takes me back to Oaxaca
I was craving enchiladas so I went here last night for some takeout food. We ordered cheese enchiladas, chiccaron quesadillas, and the huarache. My enchiladas were ok. The cheese was not melted and it seemed like they used a different kind of Mexican cheese that I have seen crumbled on top of beans and such but never in an enchilada. The rice was bland and the beans were ok. The quesadillas were different than I am use to but in a pleasant way. They were folded like tacos and a bit crunchy. I didn't care for the filling and next time would order steak. The salsas were the hit of the dinner. Not sure how tasty the huarache was. I like that it is food that it is different than your regular Mexican restaurants. I loved the murals. I would come back and maybe try some other things because I do want to like this restaurant.
Perhaps the fact that I had just had the veggie huarache at Fonda Solana the week before and it was lick-the-plate awesome (spicy with a slow burn, variety of flavors but none competing with each other, excellent texture - fluffy with just enough chewiness on the tooth) created a conflict for me, but I gotta say that if you're gonna haul my ass down to the Fruitvale for the sole purpose of eating huaraches, they better blow my mind.
And they didn't. The flavor was lackluster and the texture was rather unpleasant - too chewy overall and a bit grainy.
Not to mention that the blandest possible huarache model of beans and cheese and nothing else was still "too spicy" for my wimpy-tongued children. Not really El Huarache's fault that my children are paranoid little white people who think that there's an international plot afoot to make them experience flavor, but it's a shame they couldn't please any of us.
I'm used to Latin American establishments meeting either the adult or the child threshold in my household for good food, but El Huarache failed to hit either mark. Too bad, cause we have very similar names.
Pretty stellar, I thought.
I read a lot of the reviews below. Seems like the latino-american contingent were pretty hard on this place. They may know better, but "Full of Gringos" was one comment I noticed. -That was not my experience this last Sat night, and is also a pretty shallow observation. Don' be hatin'!!!!!
I speak spanish, and have spent a fair deal of time in Mexico. I thought this place really held up, and was beyond the hole-in-the-wall taquerias and the fare they offer.
This place is pretty scrumptious! I went here with my friend Jose last night and I was not disappointed. I dont get why it says $$ for price range. This place is cheap!
I had the tamales with rice and beans... mmm yummy.
Jose said his torta was good. I believe him - he practically licked his plate clean.
this place doesnt get 5 stars simply cuz the waitress was very inattentive. No drink refills.
But the walls are very beautiful. Whoever painted the murals is very talented.
RED ALERT!!
I have found the BEST! MEXICAN! FOOD! (in America) of my life!!!!
EL! HUARACHE! AZTECA!!!!!!!!!!!
The gorditas are like God's pillows, if he's resting his big ol' magical head on a layer of beans and cotija cheese. We also had a quesadilla (there was LETTUCE in there but it totally WORKED) and a sope, and with every gaddang bite my eyes crossed in ecstasy. Virgen santa. It seems to me the style is a bit different from your regular taqueria fare, concentrating more on aforementioned holy pillows of masa and squash blossoms and crumbly cheese. CLARO QUE SI.
I am an El Farolito devotee, but H.A. made E.F. look like a chump.
Chicken tingo, tortas cubanas the alambres the huaraches and of course mexico citys ever famous taco suadero , It's almost a secret menu, and it may not be listed on the board, but try asking for the rack of lamb cooked in maguey leaves called Mixiote (is ok). Also, the stuffed bell pepper with pomegranate seeds are delicious. Both of this these though are hard to find later in the evening as they sell out quickly.
, green mole chicken , black beans , chicken tamales (Loved it) (lamb on weekend only).
amidst the aztec murals on the walls, the ancient ritual of human sacrifice reminds one of daily ritual sacrifcies of toil for coins needed for survival. the murals are impressive as is the food here.
everyone gets gratis fresh chips w/ green and red salsa to start off.
i sampled the following and enjoyed them all except for the dessert.
-alambre regular (11.25) - combination of carna asade, bell peppers, onions, sausage, cheese, etc.
-flan napolitan(2.75)- a porous egg desert w/whippled cream and cherry. nothing spectacular
-tamarind aqua fresa(listed as 1.50, bill at 2.00)real tamarind used, you can see the skin and pits. not too sweet, pretty nice.
candy for dessert.
definitely will repeat.
Corn huaraches with your choice of meat on top with shredded lettuce, salsa...in my case, lengua...delicioso!
Even the inside of the restaurant keeps you entertained while you wait for your food with paintings and descriptions of the Aztecs...
my problem with the place is probably the lack of service, i had to ask to refill my water....and i hate doing that....but hey, the food was good!
Hmm this place got raves in the gringo press, so I, being a gringa, decided to check it out. The joint was full of gringos, and the food was bland as all get-out.
Yes, I did try the huitlacoche, just so I could cross one more thing off my "before you die" list.
But that wasn't enough to make me want to come back.
I cant see giving this place 5 stars, but maybe that's a taste thing. My man and I went and surprisingly were only one of like 3 tables of non latinos, maybe the fact that it was Sunday noon and the mariachis were in FULL effect had something to do with it. Not a place for a hangover, people. Yes, they have the hangover-curing menudo, which every single table was getting, but the mariachis were ear splitting.
I was psyched, we got to have the Barbacoa, but it was just ok - lacked flavor, for lamb. The red mole was great! Rice was a little hard/overcooked, but we were stuffed when we walked out to go to Hernandez Meats to get some arracheta (sp?) for our bbq later. So obviously we didnt starve- the chips and salsas were super good too - the green had a fresh splash on the tongue, and the red was smoky and a lil flamin' hot - liked that! There are so many great loncheros that to sit down and wait for food seems weird. Like the 3 star category says: A-OK- not bad, just not A-mazing.
I've been eating at El Huarache Azteca for a while now and have never been disappointed.
]Today I got the #1 Alambre- 4 corn tortillas mounded with chopped and grilled carne asada, BACON, chorizo, onions, peppers, and all covered with some melted Oaxacan cheese. Yeah, it's a heartattack deathwish, but a perfect hangover cure, sure to put you to sleep with a comfy stomach.
OK-Yelp put this place on my map, so Joan and I headed over for a business lunch. We had a huarache with a big slab of chewy steak on top, and 2 tostadas: one huitlacoche, one chicharron.
No rice, no beans, no problem.
We loved the green salsa served with the chips, and the red was good too, only not as.
I liked everything fine, but nothing knocked my sox off, The tortillas that surrounded the tostadas (their tostadas are folded in half like a big taco) were very nice, obviously home-made, and just crunchy enough on the outside, but still chewy on the edges. The huarache was very good too. I liked the masa, and the salsa. The slice of meat was flavorful, maybe too cooked for my taste, and definitely not tender, but I found myself sucking the last tasty bits off the bone. The chicharron tostada had a red sauce that was just a bit picante, and the flavors were there, and smoothed out by the crumbly cheese. The huitlacoche was very mild flavored, but played well with the cheese. There was a little tangyness that seemed to emanate from the shrooms, but might have been the sauce.
I had a giant flagon of delicious pineapple agua fresca and I was pulling chunks of fruit out of the glass with my fork after I'd downed the liquid.
OH, (BTW) a man at an adjacent table was eating a big bowl of Caldo de Res (beef-vegetable soup) which isn't on the menu at all. It looked good. I would bet that they will also make caldo de pollo on request.
I'll go back on the weekend when they have the barbacoa going, and there are twice as many available items on the menu. Definitely want to chow down on some pulpo ceviche. Most of the mariscos aren't available until Friday (ugh! catholics).
If you want pools of soupy refritos topped by melted white cheese with all your entrees, this ain't yer place. If you like more subtle flavors and authentic preparations, this could be your Mexican grandma's house.
OH, and you parking-obsessed drivers can breathe easy...they have a parking lot, but it's also just a few blocks from Fruitvale BART, so you can arrive without stinking up the air.
Interesting quesadillas to try:
Corn fungus
Pumpkin flower
Nopales (cactus)
All of these were good but my favorite is the corn fungus. Kind of like a large portion of diced portabello with a bit more earthiness.
Huaraches - kind of like a papusa minus the filling. Chewier than your average flatbread but tasty. Did not remind me of eating my own sandals contrary to other reviews. Topped with lettuce, queso blanco cheese, and flat strips of beef.
Tamales were weak - overcooked and slighty rubbery.
They have BBQ lamb (barbacoa) on the weekends but other joints in the area do a better job of it. The nopales egg dishes are also pretty good.
I went to the Fruitvale Dia De Los Muertos festival knowing that I would have some great food that day, and thankfully those expectations were more than met. It's not your typical taqueria, focusing more on traditional indigenous foods and preparation. The huarache, which the restaurant is named after, come in plenty of varieties and the two I was able to sample were great. The pozole was ok. The pork was great, the hominy was good, it was just the broth that was too mild for me. I ordered the chilaquiles. They were spicy, the tortilla was still crispy, and the sauce was nice and thick. I also had a quesadilla with nopales. It was very tasty but everyone should know that the quesadilla they will put down in front of you is not like the quesadillas you may be familiar with. The tortilla was thicker and rather than oozing melted cheese you get lots of filling with cheese crumbles for flavor. It was good but it was more like a super sized taco.
The menu had many other items that I want to come back and try.
I came across EHA as I was walking along International, on my way back from my friend's place to the Fruitvale BART. I was interested in some food, but was certain I was going to eat anywhere. When I passed by EHA, it called to me, so I backtracked a few steps and entered. I have always been able to pick out a good restaurant by sight, even in an unfamiliar neighborhood. There were only a couple other tables occupied, as it was late afternoon on Sunday. One had two young Latina/Latino couples, drinking what looked a little like margaritas, and eating full meals.
The menu is large, with tortas and alambres and other items, including the titular huaraches. Each item is described in Spanish first, and then in English. I can't vouch for the former, but the latter is grammatically astute. As the menu noted that El Huarache Azteca specializes in huaraches - a fact I had actually failed to notice, given my disorientation - I order one that sounded good. "Una Huarache con Costilla, por favor", in my abominable Spanish, "y una Jamaica grande". After I repeated myself on each, the waitress understood.
Her English was probably as good as mine, and I don't really want to say anything more about my Spanish.
I got my big glass of jamaica shortly, which cooled me down and stoked my eagerness for the dish to come, which arrived 5 or 10 minutes later. It was almost a foot long and more than half as wide, as I remember it, a puffy tortilla covered with Oaxaca cheese (I am told) and a big slice of rib-cut beef, with an eye bone at one end. Onions, and a flavor I couldn't place, but reminded me of mushrooms.
It was delicious, very savory, very filling, hot, ample...ah, it was a pleasure. I ate, and watched the soccer on the TV, and Googled "huarache" on my iPhone, to find out more. Turns out that it is a specialty from Mexico City, from the 1930s, and can be taken as a mark of authenticity in a Mexican restaurant. Not that the place needed one. International Avenue is akready the closest thing I've found to Ensenada.
I liked the place overall; I was happy with the price (10.25 for the huarache and jamaica); the decor is pleasant, with fairly subtle murals of Aztec warriors and the like; the food I loved; and for the first time in quite a while I felt the pull of food coma as I took the BART back to Baghdad by the Bay. Next time I won't expect to eat a whole Huarache.
It's in the barrio so it's gotta be awwright, right? Wait a minute! I don't see a whole lot of Latinos eating in here. If I'm in Chinatown, I'm eating where the Chinese people are eating. The same goes for the barrio.. um.. except w Latino people.
The Latinos that were there were having big bowls of soup. But I gotta order a huarache don't I? I mean, it's in the NAME of the restaurant..
Huarache refers to a flat sandal or this bread shaped like it. There didn't seem to be much difference between the two, taste-wise... ya know, back when I used to gnaw my sandals for sustenance...
The toppings atop said foot covering did not offend... or elate, but I kept wishing for a plain tortilla on my plate, and imagining putting the huaraches on my feet.
"No Usamos Manteca?" ----HERESY!!!
Warm, Sunday afternoon and a craving for good mexican food.
Drove to El Huarache Azteca after seeing it on Check Please!
Small wait, but well worth it.
The food was fresh, tasty and service was quick and efficient.
The stroilling mariachi band was a complete bonus.
My favorites are the pumpkin flower huaraches and the quesadillas. Vegetarian Mexican food lovers will LOVE this place. I am not one, but my mom brought all her veggie friends here and they were thrilled at the food, and amazed at the cheap prices.
I think that another reviewer is right, most people around here are used to either Tex Mex food or food from Jalisco or Michoacan. This is food from the State of Mexico. It is different, but deliciosa.
We went to Oakland's Fruitvale district to see the Dia de Los Muertos festival Sun 11/5/06. We got there a bit after 10am and that's a good time to see everything without the crowds.
We tried: #3 Barbacoa plate $10.50-smoked lamb plate w/ rice, beans & catus. Includes 1 order of handmade tortillas. I liked the catus and the handmade tortillas. The meat tasted a bit strange to me and I usually like lamb, B. liked it.
huarache w/ chicken tinga-the huarache is lighly fried and covered w/ chicken and cheese. It was pretty good.
huitlacoche quesadillas-black corn mushroom. Didn't have much taste but it was ok.
B. said the chips & salsa were really good.
Horchata was just ok-sweet and a bit gritty.
They had live musicians when we went, and it was Loud inside the restaurant.
Total with tip & tax $30. They have both a women and men bathroom. Women's had 1 toilet w/ sink, don't know about the men's.
I want to like this place. I like the murals and the tables and internal guts of the restaurant-- but I give in, I'm not convinced. There are better places down International than this.
I've been here many times for Sat or Sun am meal with newspaper-- it's bustling and they do their chilaquiles and huevos dishes well enough to bring you back. Not amazing, but solid.
But, I hate to report that the Huarache A. is not that great for a weekday dinner. Discovered this last week.
Went there with S.O. for dinner on a Monday, and the place was pretty empty. Maybe 4 tables. We were the only gringos there, though. Seemed like a good sign.
Good service, for a while-- then the waitress forgot about us.
I had the appetizer sampler-- the huarache was OK, fine, could have been more interesting but was a little bland. The nopales were good, if slimy, the sandwich with potatoes, starch turboload.
Probably the best thing was the tiny flauta on my combo. Cooked well and spiced well.
S.O. had the big spicy steak with peppers-- spread out on 4 or so corn tortillas so it looks like 4 separate tacos. That was pretty meaty but he really seemed to like it.
Should have had the barbacoa.
Will be checking out other Int'l Blvd spots for a better clutch joint. The one next door (on the corner) is actually OK, but last year they charged us $250 for a meal (an error), which took a while to correct. The new rule-- cash.
We went here with the fam one night when I didn't feel like cooking. It was alright. Nothing really memorable or outstanding unfortunately. Don't know that I'll be rushing back.
El Huarache is definatley worth the trip. Eva, the owner, is spectacularly hospitable, as is the entire staff. Eva also prides herself on authentic mexican fare. I sampled the enchiladas mole (Best.Mole.Ever.). Also a pepper dish, which I don't remember the name of, but which was presented beautifully. It was a large pepper stuffed with meat cooked with fruit. Topped with sour cream and sprinkled with pomegranete seeds.
Salsa was spicey, and the rice drink that we had was fabulous.
I will go back again!
I went here for lunch after seeing it featured on Check Please Bay Area on PBS. I tried one of their signature Huarache's with chicken mole. I have to say it was the best mole I ever had. I was kind of on the fence about my position on mole but after that experience, I can confidently admit I am fan of at least El Huarache Azteca's mole. I also tried a carnitas taco because that is kind of the litmus test for me - the carnitas. It passed the test. I don't venture into Fruitvale very often but El Huarache Azteca is a reason to change that.
Update: I have fallen in love with their Alambre Aztec. It is a gathering of corn tortillas topped with sauteed onions, cactus, peppers, and choriso. Then on top of all of that is some melted cheese and sliced avocado. It is divine!
I think I'd get far more out of this place if I weren't vegetarian. So many dishes caught my eye but most involved meat. I expected that; nevertheless, it was great fun to sit in a new restaurant with a menu before me that offered never before seen/sampled taste combinations. This is not the typical (Jalisco) Mexican menu you find in most of California.
I ordered the pared down huarache (topped with just lettuce, onion, cheese and cream) and borrowed my squash blossom and cactus toppings from the "quesadilla extras" listed just below. (The menu is very text-condensed in a Dr. Bonner soap container kind of way...but without the new age jabber.)
The mashed pinto bean-filled tortilla really didn't do it for me -- kind of a dry, indistinguishable taste which too greatly affected the overall flavor of the dish-- and when I found the one, then two, three, four pieces of pork I had to stop. I traded dishes with a friend at the table and sampled the huitlacoche topping on her huarache. They call it "black corn - mushroom" on the menu and, while it is a fungus, it didn't taste like mushroom to me. A little sweet, a tiny bit earthy, a little tangy and just very different in a likeable way. We washed the food down with tamarind agua.
The live music, decor and super friendly staff are other big pluses as is the colorful variety of textured business card giveaways (complete with 2007 calendar on reverse sides) found at the register. One of 'em even features the expired pope! Cool!
A good little experience overall and I'm hoping I can play with the menu options a bit more next visit so I can sample more of what people are raving about below.
My friend and I had a sampling of all their appetizers and 3 quesadillas: the pumpkin flower, the corn fungus and the nopales. We both felt like everything was either overcooked or under-seasoned. The white crumbly cheese they used tasted like styrofoam.
I'd read the other reviews here before going and had a recommendation from another friend to check it out, so we both knew to expect a different mexican food than we were used to. Even so, nothing was tasty. Ambiance and service were ok but we still left annoyed that we paid so much for such icky food.
This place has excellent "D.F." (Mexico City) style cuisine, my favorite being the taco's that are lightly fried to crisp them up. You can find items on the menu that you would be hard pressed to find at any other taquerria in the Bay Area, most notably the Huitlocoche (the fungus that grows on corn cobs). Their Oaxacan style cuisine is very impressive as well, including their Mole, as other reviewers have noted, and their Queso Oaxaqeno which I have found only one other Mexican restraunt in the Bay Area to offer the real deal (Tamarindo in Downtown Oakland).
Expect to wait a few minutes for a table for Lunch on the weekend, evenings there's no wait.
A good rule of thumb, eat where the people from the neighborhood are eating. People who patronize this restaurant are not from the Fruitvale, we know better. Other selection from the area are by far a better deal and tastier food. Huarache is frankly overrated and many who attend have not tried other restaurant, like, LA TORTA LOCA down the street for great Mexico City tortas, Nesa for the best Huraches, Best soups from Otaez right next door, and the best, best homemade tortillas from La Mexicana.
This review is specifically for the catering service at El Huarache Azteca.
My wife and I have eaten at the restaurant a few times in the past and enjoyed their huaraches and other solid, authentic Mexican dishes. And so when we began looking for a place to cater a party we were throwing, we sampled El Huarache Azteca, along with several other places in Oakland. We wanted tacos at the party, so that was our primary focus. We also wanted a place that would send one or more persons to prepare and serve the tacos to our guests. After much debating, we settled on El Huarache Azteca, and we are both glad that we did.
From the beginning, the people at El Huarache Azteca were great to work with. Adrian (the guy in charge) was really nice and helped us put together a good menu--four kinds of tacos (carne asada, chicken tinga, nopales, and flor de calabaza) as well as rice, beans, chips and salsa, and some augas frescas. The price was very competitive too.
The actual party went extremely well. We had about 55 guests and everyone loved the tacos. My wife and I both thought they tasted even better than they had in the restaurant. Adrian and his sister (unfortunately, we didn't catch her name) were very friendly and professional. They brought all the traditional taco fixings (onion, cilantro, red and green salsas) as well as others that gringos like us often expect (lettuce, sour cream, etc). The tortillas were heated on a griddle, and the tacos fillings were kept warm in chafing dishes (originally, we thought it was important that the caterer have an actual taco cart or stand to cook the meat at the party, but this way worked out just as well). There weren't many leftovers, but they let us keep what we wanted.
Overall, we were extremely satisfied with the catering at El Huarche Azteca and would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to have a taco party.
It was our 3rd time there. And this place doesn't disappoint us. The 2nd time it was on Valentine's day and it was LOUD. The 2 guys were playing the guitars and singing NON-STOP. Yes, that was annoying and the waitress easily forgets to pay attention to us when it got really crowded. Yes, it's true, but the food was excellent.
Now back to yesterday. I had Caldo de Camaron and Flautas de barbacoa (smoked lamb). He had sopa de fideo, gordita de chicharron, quesadilla de chicharron con nopales (cactas), tostada de tinga. Then we both had aguas frescas de mango.
Caldo de camaron was today's special and it was soooooooo good. A bit spicy, but perfect. The vegitables in the soup were tender and soft. I loved the soup. Flautas were very yummy. Man, the homemade tortillas were GREAT. Barbacoa (smoked lamb) was so tasty, a bit sweet and chewy a bit, I thought, but it was really nice.
Sopa de fideo was today's soup they had. It was tomato based soup with spagettie type short noodles in it. It was like you're having a soup in Mexico. Tinga was, as usual, AMAZING. It was really really spicy yesterday, but so yummy.
For the quesadilla fans, try quesadilla de chicharron con nopales. These combination is perfection!!
Agua fresca de mango was, to me, a bit taste like oranges, not really mango-mango, btw.
1/24 (sat)
Our first review on yelp.
We checked out this place after reading the others' reviews and…
Read more »
This place is AWESOME. If you're tired of all mexican food tasting the same, then definitely check this place out. It's more Aztecan than Mexican, so it's really unique and the big sandal-sized huaraches are THE BOMB.
Highly, highly recommended. One of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the entire bay area, hands down.
Saturday Happy Hour!
Neighborhood: Old Oakland
Happy Hour
Neighborhood: North Oakland
Neighborhood: Fruitvale
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Fruitvale
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Fruitvale
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Fruitvale
Category: Latin American
Neighborhood: Fruitvale
Category: Mexican
favorites in the sf bay area that are walking…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
I'm no SF snob. Honest. I went to Cal and lived in…
Well. . .half of my peoples since I am a half…
Here's some spots in Fruitvale, Oakland. I live…
Places to go if you are dining with 6 or more…
There really isn't anything in my immediate…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
