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La Pinata - Fremont

3.5 star rating
based on 87 reviews

Category: Mexican  [Edit]

39136 Paseo Padre Pkwy
(between Capitol Ave & Walnut Ave)
Fremont, CA 94538
(510) 790-6550
Happy Hour 4-6!

Join us from 4-6 Monday-Friday for great drink…

Announced 8 days ago
 
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  • Hours:
    Mon-Thu, Sun 8:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
    Fri-Sat 8:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m.
  • Price Range: $$
  • Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
  • Parking: Private Lot
  • Attire: Casual
  • Good for Groups: Yes
  • Good for Kids: Yes
  • Takes Reservations: Yes
  • Delivers: No
  • Take-out: Yes
  • Waiter Service: Yes
  • Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
  • Outdoor Seating: No
  • Good for: Dinner, Lunch
  • Alcohol: Full Bar

87 Reviews for La Pinata - Fremont

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One of La Pinata - Fremont's Favorite Reviews

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Ruben A.

Santa Clara, CA

5 star rating
04/14/2008

I used to come here a lot when I lived in Milpitas, and I don't care what anyone says all the Mexican food in Milpitas SUCKS!!!... This used to be the after work spot to throw down some beers and eat some food. I've only been to the bar to hang out and met Chris ( I don't know if he still works there) but he's super cool...yes I wrote super cool, but he was always fun to talk to. Plus one time my gf and I got a little tiny Chihuahua and left her in the car and Chris said to bring in but put her in the doggy purse so that was chill, and yes the mixed drinks are good as well as the food.... Top Shelf Margarita is BOMB :-)

FYI... I think they are open till 2am on Fridays and Saturdays

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Jennifer d.

Fremont, CA

2 star rating
05/13/2008

I wish there were a way to forgo star-rating -- my review of La PInata is extremely subjective because it is from the point of view of a vegetarian, and so my criticism is irrelevant to most people.  

The vegetarian options here are really silly. A vegetarian enchilada has salsa on the inside... that's it. And even though they have plates and burritos labeled "vegetarian," there are asterisks next to them that lead to a note that says the rice has chicken broth in it. It's nice of them to disclose this, but why put something non-vegetarian on a plate labeled "vegetarian"?

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The F.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
05/06/2008

What I enjoy more than the food is the fine selection of alcohol. Mmm, yes. Many a night have I spent here drinking margaritas and laughing with a good group of people. Ahhh, suburbia.

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Cynthia H.

Fremont, CA

4 star rating
05/06/2008

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, Alan and I decided to celebrate the holiday by heading over here for dinner.  Oh boy was it crowded!  The entire restaurant was packed with ppl enjoying their drinks and having a great time.  We arrived around 6:45 and were told the wait would be about 20 mins.   We grabbed our little buzzer and took a walk around the area.  Came back 20 mins later and our table still wasn't ready yet.  We ended up having to wait 45 mins for our table!!!  That sucked.

The waiters were super nice and really took care of us.  Our drink orders were taken fairly quickly after we were seated.  They also brought us chips and salsa.  The chips were excellent - thin, warm, and lightly salted.  The salsa was nice and spicy but I wish it had been a little chunkier.  

Considering how busy it was, our food came out really fast!  I went with a combo that consisted of 2 chile rellenos, 1 pork taco, and rice and beans ($11.99) and Alan had the super burrito, covered with red enchilada sauce, guac, and sour cream (about $10).  My dish was yummy, esp the rice and beans!  The chile rellenos were a little bit dry and needed more sauce on top.  My taco went untouched.  I was soooo full after chomping down on the chips and salsa, 1 chile relleno, and some of Alan's burrito.  I ended up packing over half my food - it'll be our dinner tonight!  Alan's giant king-kong sized burrito w/ carne asada was very tasty.  I'm not sure how we managed to finish that thing, but we did.    

So we ordered a berry margarita waaaaaaay in the beginning when we were first seated.  It finally arrived at our table as we were finishing up our meal.  That was annoying.  However, the waiters were very helpful in that they kept checking on the order for us.  Apparently, they were just super backed up with drink orders.  Alan and I both agreed that the margarita was excellent - maybe even the best we've ever had!  I believe they used patron, and fresh berries, which is probably what made it so tasty.  That made the long wait worth it.

We had to wait forever for our table and drink, so why the 4 stars?  The service was great, considering how busy they were.  There were only about 4 waiters for the entire restaurant, but all of them were working their butts off.  We never got any attitude from them, even though you could tell they were pretty stressed.  They were friendly and quick to bring us almost everything we asked for.  Our water was always full and our food was served in a very timely fashion.  The total came out to about $40.

Thanks for a great Cinco de Mayo!  We'll be back for more food and margaritas!  Happy hour is from 4-6, and they have appetizer and drink specials.  Yum.

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Jennifer W.

Fremont, CA

5 star rating
04/30/2008

I love La Pinata! The super burrito will feed me for like 4 days seriously! Their tequila selection is the bomb, and they are also very community oriented.

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Jennifer W.

Belmont, CA

4 star rating
04/25/2008

Ok, this place was pretty damn good.  Their chips and salsa were good, but then we ordered the guacamole and that was awesome.  For lunch I got the super burrito and they were not joking with the super adjective.  This thing was massive.  Turned out to be very yummy and i really did want to finish it, but I had to decide between being very uncomfortable for the rest of the night or bringing it home to enjoy later.  So it is the burrito that keeps on giving because it still took me 2 more left-over nights to finish it.  The prices were pretty good too for lunch, as i am pretty sure that none of our meals cost more than $10.  I am not in the east bay much, but this is definitely a place I will come back to when I am there.

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Dee K.

Fremont, CA

5 star rating
04/08/2008

My favorite burritos!  They are so reasonably priced I can't get over it.  The tequila bar is great, and I always love the bartender.  The "sangrita" they serve with the shots is SO GOOD!  They refuse to give me the recipe, but I always try to copy at home.  YUMMY!

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shannon l.

Fremont, CA

3 star rating
04/18/2008

Lunch specials are around $6-8, quite the deal.  I wouldn't pay the regular menu price for their food because it tasted just okay.  My chicken enchilada dish overall was a good size but over half my plate was beans.  The salsa & chips were flavorful. The chipotle dressing with the salad has a really good kick, not sure if I can taste much chipotle in it.  I hear the drinks are good so maybe that's the main attraction.  Service was also really good - we were a party of 10 seated in the back but they came by various times to make sure that they got our order & anything else we needed.  All of us finished lunch in an hour!

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Elisa T.

Fremont, CA

4 star rating
04/10/2008

I came here last night after class with some co-workers and got some drinks. It's my third time here, each time ive had the same waiter, hes really nice and NOT too overly friendly. He knew when to come and ask us if we needed anything else and when we did, he did it willingly. They also give you a basket of chips and salsa with free refills =). He had a great sense of humor! As for the drinks, we got two 1L top shelf margaritas on the rocks and boy oh boy was it good. The place is pretty big and clean. I've ordered their chicken taco salad with no beans before and it was pretty good, but that's about the only thing, food wise, that ive tried. I would definately come here more often because its down the street from my house , they have great service, and theyre open late!

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Ellenia S.

Fremont, CA

4 star rating
04/20/2008

Good chips and salsa; if you're looking for authentic Mexican food, this is it! As close as you can get! One star off because the tacos are not so good, but the enchiladas and sopes rock, and I have only good things to say about the fajitas!

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Chris V.

Fremont, CA

5 star rating
04/18/2008

Went here for an Easter Lunch with 8 other family members. The food was extremely tasty (I HAD THE BEST CHILE COLORADO EVER) and the pitcher of margaritas were simply the best I've had, including the ones in I've had in several cities in Mexico! They use great tequila and strips of sugar cane w/ mint leaves... wow, they were so good. The servers were extremely nice, I use to go to Mexico Lindo in Union City as a regular, but I  found my new favorite Mexican joint.

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Arlene M.

Union City, CA

5 star rating
03/29/2008

La Pinata is hands down  the best Mexican restaurant I've been to in the Fremont/Union City area!  I've been here twice now, and while it was 4 stars the first time, I give it 5 stars for the second time since both the food and service have much improved.

I gotta thank the yelper who suggested the half-pitcher of the margaritas...it was the perfect size for me and my husband, we were able to get a couple refills whenever we needed it.  Their Top Shelf Margarita is great, you can really tell that they use good quality tequila as well as the other ingredients.  Supposedly they sell their margarita mix now so I'll have to check that out sometime.

They got some of the best chips and salsa I've had!  The chips are nice and warm when they come out, and thin the way I like it.  The salsa could use a little more spice, but I've got crazy spicy taste and my hubby prob couldn't eat it if it were spicier.  We also got some taquitos to start...it kind of cracked me up since they looked a lot like the taco truck tacos, but they kind of justified charging $2.25 (taco truck charges $1) since they had bigger and better chunks of meat, and had better flavor.  $1 tacos are hard to beat, but I guess the extra 25c is for the flavor, and the extra $1 for eating it in a nice table w/ your margarita.

Their chicken mole did not impress me the first time, I thought it was kinda meh.  This time, however, I asked them to make it spicy and they did!  The extra spice really did kick the sauce up a notch and just made it so tasty!  I couldn't quite finish all the chicken since they give huge portions, but I actually scraped off all the sauce so I can have extra sauce w/ the parts I did eat.  Their mole sauce + extra spice definitely gives my fave mexican restaurants in the south bay a run for their money.  One great thing about going to a local restaurant like this (as opposed to a Chevy's) is being able to customize your meal a little.  Give it a try whenever you stop by!

I like the ambiance of this place.  It doesn't look like much from the outside but is much nicer on the inside.  It's not as pretty and homey at La Casita, but it does seem more lively and at least there's tons of parking.  The servers were good...the first time they kinda ignored us at times, but that could have been because it was super-crowded and they had some large parties.  The second time we were there though it was more low-key and they were very attentive.

Overall, 4 1/2 stars (averaging the 2 visits), but I give them 5 stars anyway since the overall yelp rating seems a bit low.  I had no complaints about either the chips/salsa (and I'm normally very picky about chips/salsa), appetizers, margaritas, or the entrees.  And best of all, our total bill (including the top-shelf margaritas) came out to about $50 so it's very affordable.  Stop by whenever you're in the Fremont area!

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Lori L.

Fremont, CA

3 star rating
03/20/2008

Another Great Mexican restaurant here in Fremont besides Casa Robles.
Love their Ceviche!!!  Yummo,....Low fat too  :)  for once I don't feel the guilt or the added poundage.
 Awesome Top Shelf Margarita's,.  gotta get the half pitcher with dinner it's cheaper in the long run and you won't have to wait for the sometimes neglectful waitstaff, though I must admit I believe they've been addressing that issue cause last time we went (Monday) they seem to be more attentive. Chicken enchilada and Chili Relleno are my faves.

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gEe C.

San Bruno, CA

3 star rating
04/27/2008

to be honest, ive had better tasting tacos that were less expensive, than the ones ive eaten here.  my tacos were pretty bland and it was a little disappointing.  however, their pitcher of sangria?  was suprisingly good.  though, not exactly as potent as the one they serve up at cha 3, it definitely held its own. the fruits are definitely fresh. a combination of pineapples, berries, and strawberries. and its more frothy in texture. although, the concept of frothy sangria is a little strange... its still a perfect drink to accompany a perfect day.

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Clarissa R.

Fremont, CA

4 star rating
04/27/2008

For fast and authentic Mexican food I go to taquerias or taco trucks, but La Pinata has a definite place in my Fremont restaurant habits. Here's how they earned their stars:

- OPEN LATE!  (a rarity around here!--and they're open VERY late on Friday and Saturday night).
- Cheap American-style breakfast (most combinations are $5.50)--I wish more people would go here for breakfast! I love eating salsa and chips before I dig into my waffle, or pouring salsa on my fried eggs. Served mornings 8-11 AM M-F and to 1 PM on weekends.
- Pretty good all-you-can-eat Sunday brunch at around $11, with french toast, pancakes, bacon, two kinds of chilaquiles, menudo, home fries, some delicious creamy chicken thing, fresh fruit, etc. Pass on the panaderia items, because they're a bit dry.
- Some very good specialties including red and green mole, pollo a la parilla, etc.
- The free salsa and chips. Their salsa is not very spicy (oh well) but it IS delicious! I crave their salsa.
- Usually friendly and accommodating staff (I usually order combos with no rice, just whole black and whole pinto beans, and they're fine with that).
- Famous for their margaritas and selection of tequilas. I don't drink, but their list of drinks sounds delicious even to me.
- I usually have leftovers.
- Unlike the Alameda location, the servers will actually bring us water on request.
- Nice, creamy Mexican hot chocolate with spices.

So while La Pinata is neither the cheapest nor the most authentic Mexican place in town, it's still a really good place to know about--particularly when it's 10 PM on a Tuesday and you can't face the thought of Denny's or IHOP.

(I'd almost take a star off for the obnoxious auto-play audio and video on their website, but it's not this location's fault.)

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Rocky B.

San Jose, CA

4 star rating
04/29/2008

I've been to this place twice and the food is pretty good but I'm just writing to say how GOOD their margaritas are, they use top notch tequila and they mix it just perfectly, I have yet to be served a better margarita anywhere in the bay. You can get your buzz on here for sure!

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Vikram C.

Concord, CA

4 star rating
03/10/2008

Place was very good, huge burrito like i showed in the picture.  Didn't have much hot sauce, which was a little disappointing.  Other than that, everything was great.  Service was the best.

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Donna P.

San Jose, CA

4 star rating
01/31/2008

Great little sit-down Mexican restaurant. In fact, the best one I've been to in  the Fremont area thus far!

The biggest perk? They're open really late for M-Th weeknights--until 11pm! We went around 8:30 for dinner and drinks. I was most impressed with the service (extremely friendly and quick) and the house margarita (the bartender does not skimp on the tequila...delicious!).

My dinner, which was the #7 combo (1 taco, 1 enchilada, rice, beans) was pretty good. The enchilada sauce is more like traditional mole sauce, and not the red "americano" type sauce you get in lots of Mexican places. I liked that. The carnitas taco was tasty and packed full, but the meat was a little over-salted.

They have a nice full bar with a great selection of tequilas and all the other regulars. And the bartender on was great--heavy-handed and quick!

I'm definitely going back here.

The only drawback was my friend's Super Burrito, which he said had way too much filler (rice and beans). Oh and the couple sitting at the table behind us...let's just say, as soon as they were gone, the intermittent nasty smells of fart seemed to disappear with them.

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Sierra A.

Fremont, CA

1 star rating
04/26/2008

Okay, I don't understand all the good reviews. I just recently decided to give it a second chance after a bad experience with the food and service the first time. The food and the service werer horrible again. In fact, all the food at our table was overcooked and tasteless There are so many other Mexican restaurants in Fremont that are more authentic and have better service(i.e. La Casita). I will never return.

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D-shiz L.

Fremont, CA

4 star rating
01/28/2008

Walked in around 11 pm on a Friday night and the place was packed.  Been here several times (mostly lunch) and have even been to the other locations and have never thought bad of the food, but this was another experience.  People were in more of a party mode at this hour and definitely made for an interesting dining experience.

Good tequila selection here, but the margaritas are a little sweet.  A good margarita, you should be able to drink a few without making your stomach sick.  I tried the Nopales con Huevos (Cactus and Scrambled Eggs) and it was really good.  With the rice and beans and warm corn tortillas, it made for a filling meal to go with a little drinking.

The extra star is for having later hours of operation and in this town where people get in line to go to Denny's, this mofo will chill at this Mexican joint, party on with some beers and enjoy some decent grub, all well into the AM hours.  All you other fools, you can have your Grand Slam Breakfast and Eggs over My-Hammy and get ignored by your server that doesn't want to be there.  And I'll be at La Pinata.

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Miz Tam T.

Danville, CA

4 star rating
01/09/2008

Had lunch here today with my best friend. To repeat some history, she lives in Los Altos, I live in Danville so we tend to meet in Fremont or Milpitas and since we both Yelp, we find a restaurant with good reviews and make some of our own.

I have been to the Alameda location and the Concord location. This one is in a strip mall, but once you walk in, you feel like you are in a real stand-alone restaurant. I arrived before my friend and was promptly seated, brought chips and salsa and asked what I would like to drink.

My friend arrived. We chatted, chatted, chatted then ordered. She had the fish taco. I had 2 tacos (soft chicken, hard shredded beef), black beans and rice. The chicken taco was fabulous-warm, tender and tasty. The beef taco was just okay. We also shared a little guacamole. It was delicious-fresh avocados with lime juice and seasoning. My friend thought the food was too salty. I thought the chips and beans were salty but not overwhelming (I mean, I have had Chipotle).

Service-5 stars
Food-3.5 stars
Company-priceless!
I will be back!

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Michelle W.

Los Altos, CA

3 star rating
01/09/2008

Forgive the strip mall location.  Once you're inside you'll forget you're in a strip mall.

Enjoy the SALTsa, but not too much because your main dish will be slightly over salted, too.

Order the fish tacos.  SOOOOO yummy!  The fish was grilled perfectly and the accompaniments were fresh.  If it weren't for a little too much salt, and with some decent salsa, the taco would have been 5 stars!  Kudos for the lime to squeeze on it!

They would get 4 stars from me, if either I wasn't sensitive to salt or they used less of it.  The atmosphere was nice, casual, elegant and a slight party vibe.  The service was spot on!  They serve gigantic sodas with free refills, but I couldn't near drink 2 of them.  So I had to refuse something like 5 offers to refill my soda.  

I would definately return, salt & all.

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michelle p.

Sacramento, CA

4 star rating
01/28/2008

I've been to La Pinata a few times now and every single time the service and food have been excellent. The chips and salsa are pretty standard but still good. I've had a few types of margaritas there and all have been delicious. They also have the largest tequila bar in Fremont too. Their list is ridiculous. Anyhow, two things I've had and I'd recommend- the gigantic bowl of homemade chicken soup and the enchiladas with green sauce. Mmm! I guess its kind of hard to mess of Mexican food, but whatever. This place is still yummy!

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Amy O.

Santa Clara, CA

4 star rating
01/15/2008

Arrrrrrr---rrriba Margarrrrrrrrrrrrrita! Aye! Aye!

Mmmm..1/2 pitcher of Top Shelf Margarita...nice.

Shrimp (aka: Camarones) Fajita...nice.

Good Company....nice.

Good Company with very nice buzz on....super nice.

La Pinata brings it. It being excellent margaritas and good food. Seating could be more comfy, but who cares? You can put the restaurant in a strip center in Fremont, but you can't take the tequilla out of the margarita. Or, wait...yes, you can.

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PRETTY D.

Fremont, CA

4 star rating
02/25/2008

Great place, very good margaritas, tasty mexican food!
I liked the ambiance and service too. Ample of parking available, it is located in a strip mall.
This is one of the few places where I got veggie enchilada with veggies in them and not just cheese. I found the place to be a little expensive for the location though!

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Rachel S.

Fremont, CA

4 star rating
01/22/2008

I love the service.  We always sit at the tequila bar and discuss and taste the different tequila varietals.  The bartenders are always friendly and knowledgeable.  The steak is OK.  I'm not sure it has enough flavor for my taste.  The house margaritas are strong and good.  No need to spend on expensive stuff, the tequila in the house margarita packs a punch.

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Rosie T.

Fremont, CA

4 star rating
01/27/2008

I have been going to La Pinata's for a while. And used to go to the one that I think is first one in Hayward, that's built in a house.  I'm not sure about it being the first, but it's beena around for a while.  Later I went to the one in Newark, and I'm glad that they've branched out, and now have one in Fremont, just up the street from me.  I love the bar in this location.

If you love mojitos you have to try the mango mojito, it's excellent.  I also like the pineapple one. But if you want it a little sweeter, then the mango is the one to go with.

The food is also good.  One of my favorites is the enchiladas verde.

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Gladys R.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
01/25/2008

Yeah, I've gotten drunk here a few times.  They have the biggest margarita list I've ever seen in my life.  I personally love the Cactus margarita and the Desert Rose margarita.  The food is also great, especially the tlalpeno chicken soup. Minus one point for the layout of the restaurant, there's something off.  Also, it's really bright in there and the waiter likes to vacuum a lot, which is loud.  I like that it's open really late and we can come at two AM to sober up with some greasy mexican food.

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alicia g.

Union City, CA

4 star rating
01/23/2008

Great Mexican Sunday brunch they even had chicken nuggets for my daughter.  Good service too we will definitely be going back.

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Amanda R.

Fremont, CA

5 star rating
01/22/2008

I have to say that this is my favorite mexican joint in Fremont.  And they have the best margaritas I've ever experienced!!!  I measure the quality of a mexican joint by five things (all which they exceed):

1. Salsa & Chips - Just spicy enough, and fresh crisp chips

2. Margaritas - Perfect blend, and they aren't stingy with the tequila! :)

3. Enchiladas - Oh SO amazing after a few margaritas.. or maybe I just think they are good cause I'm already half smashed from the AMAZING margaritas.  Try them with carnitas, oh so good!

4. Service - Quick and very nice!  They always call me their seniorita.

5. Atmosphere - Small and quaint.  Great happy hour area!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!  Definitely worth checking out a few hundred times! :)

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Kim W.

Fremont, CA

1 star rating
01/05/2008

What is wrong with the people in Fremont?  I truly am at a loss.  I read the reviews for this place and thought we would try it.  

Never again.  The service was atrocious.  The food was ugh.  I love shrimp cocktails.  Not here.  It was more like a soup.  Yuck.  We had the steak special.  The steak was tough and gristly.  The sauce was bland not spicy as advertised.  We never got the salad that was supposed to come with it.  The only time we saw our server was when he took our order.  He didn't even bring the bill.

Come on Fremont.  Quit accepting mediocre and just plain bad restaurants.  G.M. stated that Fremont's Mexican food options are limited.  What an understatement.  However, La Pinata is NOT a decent option.  Could someone please explain to me why this place is usually busy?  While you're at it, what is it that keeps La Casita busy?

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Victor C.

Fremont, CA

3 star rating
12/15/2007

Dinner Review.

Walked past this place a number of times (en route to Chipotle after my oh-so-intense workouts)... decided to check it out tonight (so I could come home and yelp about it).

Was surprised walking in to see that it was a "real" restaurant... from the outside, I thought it was one of those fast-food type, sit-down places. It's clearly not.

Ordered the chicken flautas... it came with some rice and refried beans, topped with lettuce, tomatoes, guac, & sour cream. Didn't touch the beans, the rice was okay... and I still don't know what the difference is between flautas and taquitos. Someone please explain.

The food was okay... not terrible, not spectacular.

The service was really good though, I must admit. The servers were very friendly and attentive enough. Chips and salsa was served before our orders were taken.

I might come to (1) check out the Tequila Bar, and (2) to possibly try the food again... more likely though, it would be for the tequila.

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Cori M.

Fremont, CA

5 star rating
11/15/2007

La Piata Fremont.
Have to say hands down the best La Piata... And the Best Mexican restaurant in the Bay area. We are hooked!!!!! The tequila bar is extensive and the food is so so so so good you'll keep eating till you can't move. I swear I feel like my husband and I need to be rolled out of this place.
Alameda La Piata has the Best Bar. BUT for the food, totally lacking. And Fremont Good bar and Great food. Even though they are all family owned and all have the same menu. Some how Fremont's food is different. It is "that much better" I swear.
I've eaten at the ones in San Leandro, Alameda, Newark & Hayward. I live in Fremont and am so happy the best is closest to home. Never a weight more then a few minutes even though there are always plenty of people there eating. Service is fast and attentive. I hope you have your next taco super burrito and fajita here with a Margarita or two.

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Chris C.

Union City, CA

3 star rating
01/03/2008

The Fiance and I met my older brother, sister, and brother in-law at LaPinata for dinner.  Having never been to any of the other LaPinata locations and having passed by this restaurant for years, I have to admit, I wasn't expecting much, I was thinking that this would be a run down taqueria  But when we got inside we were both surprised about how big the place was (with a small bar with 5 or 6 tables) and that it was nicely decorated including have the game playing on a nice size flat screen tv.

We got there and were immediately shown a table.  La Pinata is your typical mexican restaurant with all your standard mexican selections from Burritos, Fajitas, Sopes, Chile Rellenos, Enchiladas, Flautas, etc etc to chose from along with about 8 house specials.  Pricing here is moderate.  You're looking around $8 - $10 for most items, about $10 - $12 for their 2 combo plates, and around $14 - $16 for their fajitas and house special plates.  The other nice thing about LaPinata is that they have a pretty big tequila selection and margaritas.  For a nice size pitcher of margaritas you're looking around $24 - $30.  

For you vegetarians out there, they do offer vegetarian friendly options and do note on the menu things they use chicken broth in and things they don't (like the rice for example).

We got our menu and chips and salsa right away (both the chips and salsa tasted like they were made fresh that day) but was kind of left hanging there waiting for our waiter.  When he did finally arrive we put in our orders and I decided to go with something different and got the Chicken in Tequila Creme Sauce and the fiance got the vegetarian fajitas.  My bother in law got the sopes, sister got the chicken tacos, and my older brother got the chicken.  We also put in an order for a pitcher of their house margaritas.

We chatted for a bit and munched on chipped and salsa until the pitcher of margaritas arrived.  I have to say, it was a lot and pretty good.  Also they didn't skimp on the tequila which was very good.  After a little bit of drinking our meals came, well I should say half our meals.  My brother, sister, and brother in law got their food.  My fiance and I had to wait about 5 - 10 minutes after they got their food to get ours.  We ended up telling them to go ahead without us.  They got nice big plates and they seemed to enjoy their meal.  My brother in law really like the sopes and my sister like her tacos.  My older brother thought the chicken was a bit dry but otherwise ok.

When we got our meal, my fiance got a big plate of vegetarian fajitas.  It was quite impressive with the amount of veggies they stacked on there.  She thought her meal was pretty good.  My chicken in Tequila Creme sauce was pretty good.  Nice tender bite size pieces of chicken with the sauce made for a unique and good combination.  We did get a lot of food and there were plenty of boxes to take home that evening.

As to the rating, the food here was good and so was the margarita.  Definitely those items were 4 star worth.  The service here was just bad.  We were kind of waiting for the waiter to get our order and my siblings shouldn't have been served 5 - 10 minutes before us.  We should have all eaten at the same time.  Other than serving us, the waiter never came back until he had the check ready.  So I'm going to dock them a star for poor service.  Overall, a decent enough mexican place to consider when in Fremont and gets a 3 star rating from me and would definitely consider coming back sometime in the future to see if the service here has improved.

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Will A.

Alameda, CA

3 star rating
12/27/2007

I liked the layout of this place much better than the Alameda place.  I had some really good quesadillas.  The waitstaff was really friendly, and the place was not really super busy.

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Michelle E.

San Jose, CA

4 star rating
02/04/2008

2/4/08
my fav:
1) corn tortillas: freshly made in house, just roll up warm & dip in salsa, a tasty intense masa treat
2) tortilla soup: I don;t know how they make their soup but it sure is tasty with lots of shredded chicken, tortilla strips & avocado chunks
3) chilaquiles: tortilla casserole-like heaven! not to eggy
4) chicken salad: they put tons of chicken & refried beans in there, the salad is in a tostada bowl, it's so big you can share it

update 2/09/08:
-Warm corn tortillas were not as fresh, still good, but not the same
-chilaquiles were ok this time around
-chips & salsa still always good
-quesadillas are huge, order a half portion (half the size the plate)
I still need to try their drinks

Updated 3/11/08:
-although their quesadillas are huge, I didn't like the chicken quesadilla, I think it was because they didn't use monterey jack, I think they used lowfat jack or a mix of some other cheese... Will not be ordering this again...I should have ordered their tortilla soup
-Also, I have come to realize their tortillas are not fresh, each time I have gone, they were steamed, or old/dry, or grilled...pick one!

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G. M.

Oakland, CA

3 star rating
12/28/2007

Since Fremont's options are very limited when it comes to good Mexican food, this restaurant is a decent option.  

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND GOING TO THE LA PINATA IN ALAMEDA for the great party atmosphere if you want to bring a big entourage.  (See my previous review on La Pinata in Alameda).

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Steve B.

Sunnyvale, CA

3 star rating
03/14/2008

A very nice place to eat some great mexican food. This place is so much better tan the chain restaurants like El Torritos etc.  Love the Nachos.

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Vivian W.

San Jose, CA

3 star rating
11/22/2007

I've had other La Pinatas and didn't find the Fremont location to be particularly amazing.   The chips and salsa were pretty good, but not mindblowing.  The food was pretty standard.  Flavors were a little lacking in my opinion.

Don't get me wrong, I love me some Mexican food...but I definitely will not crave this place.  However, I'm willing to give it another chance.

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Lea B.

Livermore, CA

4 star rating
09/02/2007

Tried this place for lunch on a weekend ... it was actually fairly busy (about half full) considering we went in the middle of the afternoon.  Service was a tad slow/scarce because of that, but servers were always very nice and friendly.  I ordered the grilled fish and shrimp plate, which actually came with no rice or beans -- just a ton of fish and shrimp.  I think we counted at least 20 shrimps and there were two good-sized fish fillets.  With it came some sliced cucumber and sliced tomato, along with two kinds of dipping sauce (one a buttery-garlic).  It was very good.  Only $11.99 ... seemed like a good deal.  My boyfriend comes here more often than me because it's near his work.  He liked his lunch today but prefers another Mexican place that is apparently across the street (don't know the name).  But I would come back here again.

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