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Mon-Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 a.m.
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*Tamarindo Margarita
*Cucumber w/ Chile Margarita
*Sangria Margarita
*Carnaval (Soda Water, Squirt, Lime, Tequilla)
*Micheladas
*Their New House Tequilla (Very very good at an excellent price)
*Open till 3am
*Spicy Margarita
*Blue Margarita
*Bloody Marias
*Sangrita (Tequillas soulmate)
What else do you need to find the latin drunk lover in you..................
Some of the best bartenders in the bay!!!!! Since it does take skill to make a great authentic Margarita!!!
This is the spot for me.....serio (serious for those who don't speak spanish). I fell in love with… Read more »
No w I have mix feelings about this place. Rating the food and the service is hard. Some times it is good some times it sucks. Bottom line. I am going to start off with there
Chips and Salsa- It is the very good. The chipas come out warm and the Salsa come with a taste that you can stop eating. I give this 5 Orales.
Enchiladas de Mole- This is some thing I really like here. I tried all of them but these are the best. I also just like them with just cheese. The Mole has a lot of flavor and does not make you taste it a later time. i give this also 5 orales.
Torta de Carne Asada_ this was absolutely Horrible. There is no reason to have that on the menu if it is going to suck that bad. I ate it because some was paying for me and i did not want to be rude. But other wise I would have sent it back. I give this -3 orales and it is rare to give a negative number.
Good food w/ a fun twist. Reasonable prices. Nice atmosphere..
I didn't know they're open till 3AM, but that certainly wins more points in my book! Another plus is when the gf and I share a one-person-sized plate, we're always full & satisfied.
We'll shall be back.
Great margaritas! We always get the pitchers and snack on the chips and salsa. La P's is a good mix between authentic and Cal Mex cuisine. The battered fish taco's are really tasty. I've had the flauta's but prefer the ones at Chevy's more. These are fried to taste like taquitos. Portions are huge enough to share. There are 2 in Alameda, but this one is the original one. If you want to come for a date, go to the one in BayFarm (Harbor Bay) my Safeway. That one has a nicer ambiance.
I have a crush on Alameda, so I like everything that is in Alameda just a bit better than I would if the same sort of establishment were in another city. I like La Pinata 3 (and I love that it has a THREE in the title, for effs sake) a whole, whole lot, but I don't know if I would like it as much in, say, South City. Just a disclaimer.
I think the food here is quite tasty: my frequent Mexican-food-eating companion and I have different ideas about what is tasty in Mexican food, but this place is one that we both like.
I get tickled pink by the sugar cane in the margaritas. The chips and salsa are top-notch. The servings are generous. They have good chile rellenos, and for some reason, a lot of chile rellenos are really nasty, so that's an extra star right there.
One time I got super confused while waiting for the bathroom, but that is clearly my own problem. I don't blame you, La Pinata 3. Since you are in Alameda and all.
I went to "La P" for lunch with some buddies... pretty solid spot.
First and foremost, the chips and salsa - very, very, VERY good!
I had a carne asada burrtio with the works. The food was good, same with the service. Definitely nothing special. Just good. The price is a little high for mexican food, but you you pay for the sit-dwn restaurant vibe.
Highlight of the meal was watching Mr Dave Kao dominate a football sized burrito in about 3 min/9 bites.
La P is also a Tequila bar, which I didn't have the pleasure of fully enjoying.
If you're in the mood for good Mexican, cross the bridge and visit the Mission, but if you can't make it there, La P is a place worth checking out.
So far, my favorite of the 3 La Pinatas I have been to, and #2 is about 5 mins from my house, talk about convenience!!
This is the 4th time I have been here for both food and drinks. for a friday night, around 930ish, it looked busy from the outside but we got a table for 2 right away, they didnt even check for tables, just sat us, it was great!
I tend to overeat here because I love food but I kept it in check. I got hte half order enchilada plate with the shredded beef! the meat was a tinsy bit too salty but mixed in with the rice and beans it was awesome overall. good portion too because we orered a pitcher of margaritas. they brought one full glass each and a full pitcher. FULL! that's never happened before but it was appreciated...it made me feel ful later thoough, for some reason it tasted really sweet, still sweet after ice had melted. but that was the first time i really didnt like anything about this place.
Get hungry, go here! order a margarita, and enjoy the chips & salsa!
I've been to TONS of Mexican restaurants in my day and this one doesn't fare well compared with the others. The server was slow, forgot to put our order in for over 30 minutes, didn't get our appetizer until we were already there for almost an hour. Granted they were busy, but this guy just plain forgot over and over again! I asked him if the cheese dip had meat in it, he said "no," then it came and it was basically melted cheese over chorizo. Little bit misleading. The bill was outrageous for the amount of food we got and they charge over $4 for a CAN of Tecate. I'm pretty sure it's $6 a six pack at the store. I know they rack up prices at bars, but seriously! That was extreme mark-up in my opinion. We paid way more than we expected for what we got, the food was just "ok," the service was awful and the atmosphere was loud and obnoxious. Oh and their salsa sucks. Not impressed.
Pretty good food and really good sized portions for fair prices. I enjoyed my blended mango margarita, and thought the service was decent, too. At certain days/times it can get pretty crowded, and if you're not lucky, parking is not fun.
The menus for both food and drinks are extensive, which can be both a good and bad thing. While trying to look at their drink menu, I found a piece of blue gum sticking a couple of the pages together. Disgusting.
It's nice to have this place as an option for late night munchies,too.
I am always eager to add a new Late Night spot to eat at... There's nothing worse than not having a place to grub at 2am where the food options are a lot healthier than Jack in the Crack! And there's seating to boot instead of spilling in your car in a parking lot!
I've driven past this La Pinata several times for YEARS, and never knew that they were open past midnight! At 1:45 am they were not too crowded on a weeknight. Customer service was prompt, the salsa and chips were very good, and we only waited a little under 15 minutes for our burritos. I was kicking myself in the ass the next morning for forgetting the other half of my burrito when we left the restaurant! The prices are on point and the portions are huge!
Can't wait to come back for happy hour and try their chile relleno!
Yet another establishment where I can only speak of the bar, as I've never actually made into the restaurant area.
That's odd.
I actually came here on accident while killing time between the ceremony and reception of a wedding I was attending. As one always does with this period of time, I sought an appropriate place to hydrate so I can hit the ground running at the reception. Having just finished my breakfast across the street, I saw La Piñata and thought, "OK, Mexican restaurant - they must have a bar."
I can't think of the last time I've told a hostess, "Two for dinner/lunch/..." Our conversations always seem to end in, "Nope, I'm here for the bar." After the inevitable exchange, she pointed me in the right direction.
The bar area is pretty small, but immediately you notice one glorious fact about this place - it's all about the tequila here! Suddenly, I'm at home.
You know when you sit down at a sports bar, the A's game is on, and the guy next to you asks about the new kid they brought up at short stop? He's only batting .248, but he's got awesome defense. Well, it's a lot like that, except what is on the flat screen above the bar is an educational video on the traditional methods of tequila production and the conversation with your new neighbor is surrounding the pros and cons of white oak in the aging process.
Wow!!!!! By trade, I'm an academic, and when you combine tequila with education and critical analysis, I'm in hog heaven. The staff and clientele are very well versed with their signature product, and if ordering a shot of Patron, you will get looked at as the pinot connoisseur looks at the individual ordering a glass of White Zin. Tequila snobs... MY PEOPLE!!!!!
Now, they even have me on their emailing list and inform me of events that tequila producers host at the restaurant.
If you're looking to learn about and indulge in the world of fine tequila, this is a great place to begin (and continue) your education.
THIS PLACE IS AMAZING!
Really... it is sooo worth your time if you are NOT in a hurry to be anywhere. In my experience, it can get really busy on weekends and on some random week nights as well. (I went there last week on a Wednesday night and it was packed! Who knew?) What's is even more surprising is that even if you do have to wait for a table, you don't wait long! I have always had great service with friendly staff! The theme is really cheesy/yet festive so it's got a great atmosphere!
**Great for any group you are out with (I have been with my family, my boyfriend, as well as my girls from college!!
**HIGHLY recommend the guacamole!! (Get the large order if you are more than two people!)
**Oddly enough, they make one of the best cheeseburgers I have ever had!
Big portions, huge drink list with tasty margaritas, and good solid food at a decent price. Service was average. The chips and salsa were notable - spicy salsa and tasty fresh chips.
Gets a four star rating because the food was great but not earth shattering, plus when I tried to use the bathroom and when I tried to use the unisex/family bathroom, unfortunately it was unusable due to grossness. The women's bathroom was fine.
More of a 2.5 star review for a really weird place. Huge encyclopedic menus (The drink menu is really silly - it seemed like it was about 20 pages long, single spaced in an 8 point font) that are actually difficult to navigate. Service was slow. The large portions of food was decent and moderately priced.
There was prime people watching though- when I was there, some guy was trying to pick up on every woman in the joint by offering them his friend's baby.
Long story short, I would be open to the idea of going back, but would rather try some other places in the 'hood.
sub par mexican food.
last time i checked, the cheese inside of an enchilada should not resemble a solid.
however, the drinks are cheap during happy hour and the bartenders were very attentive.
the service is better than the food
Probably the only good Mexican restaurant in Alameda that serves great food and provides friendly service.
When I first moved to Alameda, CA this was the first place we went to eat. I loved it! The chips and salsa are the best! The salsa is def homemade and we can never get enough of it. They have many different tequlias all around the world displayed in the dining room. The burritos are HUGE and they are great tasting. I had the chicken fajtas... talk about huge portions!!! The mexican rice was also a fav of mine. They also have a location on Bay Farm that is right on the water but smaller.
I have been a regular patron at La Pinata for the last six years. I considered it the place to eat with my girlfriends and have a lot a memories there. In the last two years or so I saw the prices in the menu continue to rise with no real change in the food or drink. No biggie right? Prices have to go up. But condiment pricing of $1 or more for typical dishes that should include the condiment in the plate price was more than I could take. And as packed as that place is on a Friday night, ya think they are already making bank without having the change the menu every six months and increase the prices.
There are less expensive, more enjoyable Mexican restaurants around that give great service where you don't have to scream over the din and all those TV's in the bar. Oh and trying to get the attention of the bartender on a Friday night is ridiculous, unless you plan to tip him $5 on an already overpriced drink. Don't was your time or money.
My girlfriend and I live about two blocks from La Pinata, so we have eaten there a lot in the past.
First off, their breakfast is good. The menu offers many choices, and the prices are reasonable.
If you can make it for happy hour, the drinks are reasonable, otherwise, they are very expensive.
Dinner prices have gone up and up and up over the last few years. My girlfriend has nicknamed the place La Inflata, for their inflated prices. The food is good, but it's way over priced. You are paying for the atmosphere. There are several other restaurants in the neighborhood that the same level of food for lower prices.
We don't eat there for dinner any more. The final straw: $1.50 for a small cup of sour cream. This is something that most restaurants give you with a quesadilla. We complained to the manager, who was younger than most shoes I own. He told us that people find it rude for waiters to inform customers that they charge that much for sour cream. And that was that. So, they lost some loyal local customers because of their ridiculously priced sour cream.
We'll continue to eat there for breakfast, until those prices go up too, but we will not return for dinner.
the complimetary chips are nice.
when a friend and i ordered the carne asada that had the salad on the side. we wait for it like normal....and it comes. and in the MIDDLE of the salad there is already dressing. which the waiter did not know about (which made me skeptical that it was "new" salad...ugh) the plate comes out hot and i get to eating it, its ok. i lean into my cup of water and notice something FLOATING in it!!!! i poke it with my straw and it sinks to the bottom of my cup. --- o.0 ----
i pay for my junk and we leave.
i dont think i'll be going back. i went there because all the sushi restaurants were closed in the first place.
My experiences with the food has been consistently good. The sopes are my favorite, the chicken soup has great flavor, and the burritos are pretty darn good too.
La Pinata is less enjoyable when its crowded. The service is usually pretty good, but when it is busy they switch from man-to-man to zone - and there's very little ownership over an individual table.
There are a lot of nooks and crannies here, which could make for a great conversation spot, but the place is usually pretty loud around dinner time. And if you are in one of those nooks during the busy dinner rush, you may be forgotten about by the wait staff.
It's a rather impersonal experience, to be honest. I'd say this is probably a good spot to take kids for an inexpensive weekend dinner out, or to gather with a few loud friends.
I've been to La Piñata a few times this year and am finally reviewing this restaurant. My experiences at La Piñata have been pleasant most of the time. I have had the opportunity to have lunches, and early dinners here.
For those who have never been to La Piñata, it is located in a friendly and fairly safe neighborhood in Alameda. Nearby La Piñata is ... Starbucks, Tommies Thai Cuisine, and Quicklys. There is plenty of street parking available and the meters are much cheaper than parking in Oakland or San Francisco. La Piñata is open late which is convenient for some people, and customer service is a bit slow, and is somewhat prompt (our server gave us the wrong check once). Aside from the slow customer service, La Piñata offers a variety of tasty burritos, enchiladas, tacos, sandwiches, and much more ... and the best part is that they come in large portions and is reasonably priced ... and they're so tasty!
If you are in the neighborhood, check out La Piñata ... the food is delicious, and won't drain your wallet!
The only reason this place gets one star is because it is open super late. Otherwise, there are a lot of other better Mexican spots with better food for your buck. They are supposedly known for their Famoso Burritto, but the only thing it should be famously known for is being the largest burritto stuffed with rice ever. I[m not exagerating, the burritto was over 60% rice and dry as a bone. Why not call it the Riceoso? Their margaritas are pretty weak for a place known for their tequila selection too. A great place for those who don't know better and who are too drunk late in the evening to care about the bland food.
I've been to this place several times, usually with mediocre or "okay" service.
The fajitas are good, and they have lots of tequilas...... but the fish tacos gave me food poisoning. If I decide to go back, I'll be avoiding the seafood, at the least.
You can tell a lot by the way a guy's shoulders look while he sleeps. Is it relaxed and straight or uncomfortably tight and muscular? Is he dreaming of running through the woods chasing a batch of wild goats or getting gently stroked by *insert fantasy woman.* It's all in the shoulders ladies.
The same assessment could be made by looking at La Pinata's. Big, brown, bricky, sturdy, hordes of people waiting anxiously to get inside: yeah, the place will most definitely rock-ON!
La Pinata's offers delicious yet affordable Mexican food. The sampler rocks my socks, so much better than TGIF. I'm a burrito kind of gal, so I usually order one of those, or if I'm feeling country, some fried chicken, naturally.
But I will say this caveat, DO NOT ORDER THE CRAB SANDWICH. It tastes like old, water-down tuna with lots and lots of ceviche juice, aka LIMES. I had a pool of leftover mayo-water juice on my plate. So unappetizing, it was really a shame. Well, we all can't be Chuck Norris.
Oh, La Pinata's happy hour from 3-5pm offers HALF OFF on food and drinks. Talk about a hayride and a half. Yee-haw!
Now, was that Mira Sorvino or Scarlet Johansson, you dirty old man?
It seems somewhat pointless to comment on a restaurant that already has 450 reviews, but I will say this: damn tasty Mexican food served in generous portions by very friendly staff. The fact that they are open late is also a plus - there are not many places on the island where one can get a decent meal after 9pm, and seeing that the hubby and I rarely eat dinner before 10pm, we consider La Pinata to be our restaurant of choice.
Yeah, as good as it gets - for the price I paid for the meal! I recently went back to La Pinata during their happy hour after a couple of years and was thoroughly surprised at the deal you can get here! We ordered three appetizers and drinks and our bill came to just a little over $20 with tip! And for that amount, we got a huge amount of food, bottomless chips and salsa, and refills on drinks. I've heard a few times now that their margaritas are also very good, but the last couple of times I've been here I haven't been able to order alcoholic drinks, but soon!
Also, check out their awesome tequila collection on the walls!
Great Mexican restaurant. there are a couple of La pinatas around the bay area. it is a family owned restaurant. I like this one because I think the cooks are better here. I think the sitting is kind of close to each other. They have a full bar which is nice. Purple long island will makes u tipsy!!
They are open till 3am so that is great. They have pretty good desserts too!
This place is a must try! Often busy from Thursday throu Saturday, the wait it's too long. Great service, great food, great drinks!!
This place is yummy but not the best standing/waiting room. I felt like I was going to get trampled over a few times!
For what you order the portions are huge but the flavors could use some work.
The chips and salsa were great, hot chips and spicy but not too spicy salsa served us right for our appetizer.
The mixed chicken and beef chimichangas were okay... nothing really to speak on ... I wish the chicken wasn't shredded though.
Same for my tacos. I ordered a combo that came with 2 tacos and an extra taco instead of an enchilada and was surprised that the tacos had only meat and lettuce. Hmm. No sour cream, guac, nothing else. Not even cheese. I thought that was weird.
The pinto beans (whole beans) could also use some jazz and the rice was okay. I had to mix some sour cream to go with it.
My bf ordered a HUGE burrito though but scoffed at the fact that when he ordered a single taco to go with his appetizer, it was $5! Hmm.
Well anyways, our dinner was good. My bf recommends the XX beer. I can't remember the name but he says its good.
Next time I go I wont be prego probably and will try their tequila!
this food is the shit.
i hope this helps
This is our standby "we know it will be good" Mexican restaurant.
The margaritas with the elderflower liquor are awesome, as is everything else on the menu. I had three tacos last night: shrimp, fish, and beef. All delish, with a great little smorgasborg of small cup of beans and pickled veggies on the side.
It's just good - have fun. :)
I L-O-V-E this place!! I've been here many times and they have the best Mexican food in the Bay Area! I have tried their Tostadas, enchiladas (red sauce and mole sauce) with shredded beef and chicken, Fried fish (it's HUGE), and soups and they are sooo goood!
Now these portions are huge so I recommend being very hungry before you go but they also have portion selections that you can choose from. There is usually a wait but it's not too bad, I avoid going during the weekend because it gets too packed. They are also great for birthdays and/or family gatherings because they do have the space and they understand how to take care of large parties.
I highly recommend trying them out for Mexican food- they make excellent authentic Mexican food!!
Great margaritas! Excellent guacamole! The food is always tasty and soooo filling!
I will go back over and over again!
This place gets really busy and is known for it's weekend buffets. Out of all the La Pinata's this one is definitely numero uno, although I haven't been to this location in the wee hours of the morning so I'm not sure if it's open late.
I used to come here all the time when I lived in Oakland. This was the place to be at after a night of drinking. The salsa here is amazing!!
It's been about 4 years since I've been back and it's just as good as when I last ate there. I met with a few old friends for lunch while we caught up with great food and margaritas.
Their chile rellenos are like no other. They are freakishly huge and tasty. The prices are reasonable considering you're on Park St. in Alameda. The only big downside to this place is the lack of parking. Their service has always been great.
What's that ese'? You mean to tell me you ain't never been to La Pinata, bro? Where's the damn tilde key on this Americano keyboard, anyway? Yo, this place be bumpin' 24-7, let me tell you! This place is the bomb!!!! They got all kinds of burriots and good shit, filled with all kinds of good shit, bro'! And if you want tequilla drinks, ohh, ayi Papi, let me tell you, this is some good stuff being served at this mutha fucker, let me tell you ese'!
They have full menu to compliment their fine dining establishment, and the bathrooms are even in order, bro! Like a 5 star establishment, or sumthin' ese'! A real classy joint! You better get in early, though, else you gonna be waiting a long mutha fuckin' time, ese'! This place is popular, especially on the weekends, bro! Let me tell you, this place is to legit to serve shit, they the mutha fuckin' bomb, babayyyyy!!!
I would give it two thumbs up, but my manos are stuffed with a huge ass burrito right now, and drippin' with all kinds of juices and shit from the burrito. Better get one your self. You gonna love it, ese!
Wow, the food in the pictures look a lot better than what I was served. Maybe I ordered the wrong dish. I shared a combo plate (chile relleno, taco, enchilada) with my friend. I'm not sure if 2 people can get full from one dish because we were half full from chips and salsa. The salsa is somewhat barbecue flavored. I had better salsa from other Mexican restaurants. I was really excited to try the chile relleno because I've only seen it on TV. La Pinata is not the best place to try it. They fried the chile with a light batter then stuffed it with cheese and topped it off with salsa. The fried mess tasted like tofu. I love tofu, but this was mushy. I hate mushy foods. There was nothing special about their enchilada. My friend said that our home-made enchiladas taste better. The La Pinata in San Leandro has pretty good food. I don't know what happened this time.
P.S. Their $10 burritos are humongous. It can feed 3 people.
La pins!
Every area has their late night after bar/club eats. It's nice to check out Alameda's hot spot that's open til 3am and I am glad that it's not at a Denny's.
Definitely the best Mexican you can find at this late hour.
Ordered up a chili verde burrito and while it wasn't as big as the one from La Pin's in Hayward, I still made 3 meals out of it.
The bottomless chips and spicy salsa are their signature item and they just pile it on you, as opposed to having to constantly ask for it.
+ I like how they are doing their part in being "Green" with the paper takeout trays. I personally despise styrofoam.
Decent late night eats in Alameda.
I've been faithfully going to La Pinata for many many years but I feel like their food has gone downhill every time I have been there recently.
On my recent trip there, all the carbonated drinks were totally flat so we requested new ones.... but they still were not carbonated. I mean like REALLY flat. So we asked them again, and told them what the problem was, but still, they refilled again with flat coke... I guess maybe their machine was broken or something but really?
Many people in my party pointed out that the food was too salty. I had like a HUGE group so, yeah, for a big portion of the party to say that the food was salty, wasn't great.
I think I'll probably give them a few more chances but if this continues, I might have to stop going here.
The service was good though... even though we had to flag down the waiter a couple of times... when we got his attention, he was very accomodating.
Aside from the fact that the website for their Alameda location seems determined to give you a seizure with its hundreds of tiny pinatas dancing about....La Pinata is...ok.
http://www.lapinataala...
I think it's the kind of restaurant requires a blood alcohol level of 0.05+ to overlook the inadequacies of the food and enjoy.
However, they serve a delicious margarita and have a bajillion (I counted) kinds of tequila that are sure to please anyone looking to sip or shoot. They also offer a "lunch special" margarita that is both reduced in size and in price, so you don't go back to work full of tequila fury and tell your boss to take this job and shove it.
Saturday Happy Hour!
Neighborhood: Old Oakland
Happy Hour
Neighborhood: North Oakland
Alameda, CA
Category: Mexican
Alameda, CA
Category: Mexican
Alameda, CA
Category: Mexican
Alameda, CA
Category: Mexican
Alameda, CA
Category: Mexican
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