La Pinata
(between Mission Blvd & Prospect Ct)
Hayward, CA 94541 (510) 538-9967
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street, Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner, Late Night
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
162 reviews
Neighborhood: Downtown
"lunch with supervisor his treat I eat burrito sit between 3 Cal girls smell of food scent of women heavenly full tummy back to work…" read more »
86 Reviews for La Pinata
When Matt and I lived in Alameda, we went to the one 2 blocks down at least once a week. Now that we're in Hayward, we go about once every 2 weeks. I crave it, it's a staple in my life...we had it last night for dinner and if they catered weddings we would have them do it.
I LOVE LA PINATA IN HAYWARD!!!!!!!! I emphasize the Hayward location, since Fremont isn't as good. It is a little hole in the wall restaurant so it can get cramped & I've had 2 wait before, but I think the longest I've ever waited was 7 minutes and the food makes it well worth the wait. Unfortunately, the only alcohol they serve is beer, but if you like that sort of thing then good for you!!! I always get chicken enchiladas and they are always the best I've ever tasted!!!! The chips & salsa is good too. Other people that I've brought with me have had burritos, fajitas, tamales, & other things and can't wait to go back again. Matter of fact, I think I'll go this weekend, my mouth is watering just thinking about it!!!!
Not impressed. I tried this place out because of all of the great reviews. I agree that it does have it's share of charm, but there's a fine line between charming and uncomfortably small. The food was ok, but nothing remarkable. The service was average to poor. I think it's great they are open late, but I wouldn't go out of my way to visit this place again unless the food and service were outstanding.
Whenever my dad brings food home from La Pinata, I get excited!!!
The food is very flavorful and it's off the hook! Despite its size, by far its the best one among the Bay Area locations.
Whatever you do, don't try the Fremont Location. The food there is mostly bland.
Hole-in-the-wall but great food. Go, you will love it.
Open late, earned a star!
The portions are huge and prices are decent! Ladies can def. share a plate.
Overall, the food is a little bland. I've tried this place several times only cause they're open late, it's easy to get sick of Denny's and IHOP!!
I do enjoy their refried beans with cheese on top! Oh and of course cocktails!
It's a small, hole in the wall spot, so it can get crowded.
Nothing to rave about, but would go back.
Great little hole in the wall Mexican restaurant. Quick service, great food and reasonably priced. Taco platter is my personal favorite. A friend goes weekly and once they see him pull up they start his food! A beer is even waiting at his regular table. Talk about personal service :)
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I don't get it. This place is really mediocre. I don't know what the fuss is about.
The portions were large, but the food was carelessly prepared and lacking in flavor. I tried some of each of my table mates dishes and I found it the same. One companion found his dish so lacking in flavor that he lost interest halfway through.
It's over-crowded and noisy.
I'd go again if dragged there.
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Deeeelish!! Best Mexican around. It's a total hole-in-the-wall. But definitely a diamond in the rough.
My coworkers and I eat here at least once a week. We all order something different and all swear it has to be the best thing on the menu. Their chips & salsa are super-duper hot, but addicting never the less. Yummy! Their refried beans and rice are soooo good.
The only thing wrong with the place is that it's too small. You have to get there before the rush or you'll end up waiting for a table.
The food here is super greasy, and I noticed that the only fresh vegetable in the place was shredded lettuce. The gaucamole looks like it's from COSTCO.
Havent been in a while, I used to live nearby and me and my roomie at the time lived on La Pinata.
Good salsas.. spice n kick - smooth/unchunky salsa unless you ask for the Pico De Gallo and then mix the 2.
Homemade (bad for you) beans, but yum.
They stay open all times of the night. It's fun to go when the drunk folks are there, I get a kick out of that.
Tight dining area, but you adapt quickly once you embark on the tasty goodness in front of you.
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Not only large amounts of food but they are open until 2 am on weekdays!! The place could suck and i'd still go there because they are open late and it beats dennys. Their Talapeno soup (aka chicken soup) is a freaking meal and the salsa that comes with the chips and salsa is nice and spicey. Enchiladas are good there as well. Minus a star for charging for everything, $1 for sour cream and even chips and salsa if you take it to go and plus for their chips sometimes being waaaay too salty.
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I used to eat here a lot when I worked nearby. It gets pretty crowded at lunch, but it's worth the wait. The tacos, enchiladas, carne asada burritos, veggie burritos, salsas . . . all great and consistent!
Yummy.. Totally had a craving for Mexican tonight and I wanted Carne Asada, nothing else would do... La Pinata hit the spot, the salad, the rice, the beans, it was gooooood... Food was fast and hot and totally yummy.. Big on space La Pinata is not, so be prepared to cozy up to the table near you.. The wait staff are friendly and the chips are hot. Oh and I like the purple and yellow swanky decor.. :)
Love this place! I come with the coworkers for lunch quite often. My regular is the 1 enchilada and 1 taco combo. I know the taco salad is quite popular too. I am never disappointed by the food.
The restaurant is clean and service is great. They keep us supplied with lots of chips and salsa. They even deal with our bad habit of splitting the bill on multiple credit cards.
Parking is easy to find, even when their lot is full. The only thing I don't like is that the place gets pretty crowded during the lunch hour since this location is so tiny. So you might want to get there by 11:45 if you want to be seated for lunch. They also handle large parties well (like 12 of us, that's large right?). Oh, and prices are reasonable, about $7-8 for a dish. Love it!
Great food! Great salsa! Same as the one in Alameda or Fremont. Only complaint was how tiny it is and not full bar. Great for a quick bite or to go. Still great place in Hayward.
By far my most favorite Mexican joint in the city of Hayward.
This place is clean, authentic and worth the wait. Open Till 3am.
This place is so good it serves huge portions. My favorite things on the menu are the enchiladas, chili Colorado, and the home made chicken soup.
*the only thing I wish they had was a full bar, they have beer only. I understand it's because the place it tiny.*
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Gotta love a place that's open til the wee hours and serves great food. I love La Pinata because it's close to home, you get tons of food, the place is clean and the wait staff is nice. The only thing I don't like is the one in Newark has pico de gallo but this one doesn't. Seriously, they lost one star behind that.
I pretty much only order the same thing, carne asada burrito with chips and salsa, and each time it always tastes great plus I usually have enough for lunch the next day. Gotta love the 'buy one get one freeness' of a meal. Consistency is a big deal to me, so La Pinata definitely gets my vote for good Mexican food.
I really like This Pinata much better than any of the others I have been to. The building itself is pretty cute- a cross between a diner and a traditional cute, hole in the wall family restaurant- and the food is much tastier than the food at their location in Fremont. The food is good but beware- the portions are MASSIVE. Everything I have had here is good so far except for the nachos. The serving is too big for one person (it's better to be ordered as an appetizer if you're with a party of 4 or more) and in my opinion, the amount of sour cream they top it with is a bit grotesque. The burritos are great and so is the carne asada entree. Do not go here if you are on a diet!! You will regret it!!
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A great place to eat at hours you shouldn't be eating.
Open 'til 3am, you can come to La Pinata and grab a nice and hearty Mexican meal at almost all hours. This place is great for take-out as well.
It's a small place that can get crowded at times but they have their take-out process well in-order.
The portions are huge (as said many times already) so I would recommend you be hungry or get ready for a doggie bag. You also get an unlimited amount of chips and salsa, however they make the salsa sooooo spicy that you can only handle a little.
I've been to the other La Pinata locations and the service here is the best. It's a smaller size restaurant so the waiters can be more attentive to your needs (more chips and salsa please?).
I recommend the Carne Asada Taco's Dinner.
4!
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I've only eaten here once (and it was a LONG time ago), but I remember it was one of my favorite mexican restaurants. I usually order a chicken enchilanda and/or chicken tamale when I go to Mexican Restaurants. The space is small, but the walls are painted in warm bright colors. I loved the food.
This place is awesome. The original! I take their salsa home whenever I go. At the Hayward location it was $6 for a 32oz. cup. It was like a Big Gulp of salsa. My family in Fresno (and they KNOW Mexican Food) devoured it during a family gathering.
Now I'm off to get me some more...
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Not much to be said that hasn't been said in the 50 previous reviews. But here are the points I would make:
1) Small place, about a dozen tables. And it is very full and crowded. The nice thing is they seem to have the staff to handle it... 4 or 5 people on the floor at any given time. They checked in on us frequently and were nice.
2) Steady stream of carry out customers throughout our dinner.
3) I liked my chicken mole, though I was surprised it wasn't the least bit spicy.
4) No carnitas! At all. In any form. Very disappointing for my husband.
5) Yeah, big portions.
I'm waffling between a 3 and 4 star review, and almost feel compelled to give it four stars because it seems that everyone loves it! But the only thing I thought was exceptional was the portions. I arrived hungry and still brought almost half my dinner home. If that's your thing, this is your place. I'd rather have reasonable portions.
Not caving in to peer pressure. Three stars. I may upgrade after return visits if I find something wonderful to eat.
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We're regulars here, I memorized the phone number years ago but don't ask me what it is, give me a phone and I'll get it right.
The food is pretty consistently good. Once we had a case of too much salt, so now i always say "light salt" but for the most part we have no problems.
My husband always orders the Steak Ranchero (since he doesn't like beans but likes "soupy" food).
I've started trying different things including the enchiladas (w/ flour tortilla), burrito and chimi's have been a stable. Lately I've been ordering tostadas (beef for me, i ask for tomatoes on top too) and haven't been disappointed (they make me feel like i'm eating more greens even though it's obviously iceburg lettuce on top).
Sure the parking isn't great and the place is bright and small and the mural on the wall was obviously painted by a man (notice the nippley women) but the food is good.
we're there at least twice a month for either take out or dine in.
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Chicken mole, warm flour tortillas and a horchata...yummm.
Tiny little place that really packs 'em in. Fresh food, large portions and efficient service.
Userful note: There are at least 3 La Pinatas...this one is owned by different people (according to a sign near where you pay) so don't let any reviews of the one on Merced cloud your expectations.
I'll have to agree on the restroom point by Jenny E...it's a little closet basically in a cramped spot...you do the math.
Enjoy!
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Just thinking about La Pinata evokes a Pavlovian response. This is the place to get your grub on late at night. Portion control is definitely not an option here.
Oh la pinata, how I love thee. Many a hangover has been staved off thanks to this late night Mexican restaurant. The food is what you'd expect, cheesey-ricey-hot, but with doors open until 3 o'clock how can you go wrong?
To be honest I have only been to this place when I was uh... under the influence, so my review of the food (Amayzing) might be slightly off.
Although I do know that your best bet is to stick with less complicated dishes, i.e. nachos, burritos, enchiladas. They're fast and always great.
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Sorry folks, but this place was a thumbs down. The chips were ridiculously salty. Gawd were they salty!!! I had the 3 item combo which sounded good -1 taco, 1 enchillada and 1 pork tamal. Well... I gotta say everything was bland. What they need to do is add some of that salt from the chips to the food. The shredded chicken had no flavor. The tamal tasted like chucks of nothing and the enchillada was drenched in sauce. Anyways me and my homie left with a feeling of regret. We should have ate pho across the street.
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this place was the mexican place i was introduced to my first night moving to hayward--- haha fond memories- eating this take out on makeshift box tables in my empty place... anyways, the food's ok, i thought it was great until i tried el taquito down the street. all in all, the rice is only so-so, and i've heard the la pinata in san leandro is better, cause at least they have a bar. if you want something much better- go down the street towards a street to el taquito!
The service is so attentive and prompt.
They're really improving on the service!
The chimichangas are to die for.
I usually get the chicken chimichanga dinner, which comes with rice, beans, and 2 little chimichangas. They look little, but I've never been able to finish a whole one. I share this dish with a friend and stuff ourselves with their delicious hot chips that are so delicious. Their salsa is a bit spicy and that's what makes it fun!
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Chicken tacos = YUM
Nachos = YUM
This tiny little establishment serves up some great food, and quickly. Their shredded chicken tacos are delicious. The chicken is braised in a tomato broth with peppers, so the chicken is always tender and flavorful. The tacos are topped with lettuce and cheese. Note: If you order the tacos to go, ask for them to put the meat in a separate container because otherwise you will come home to find that your tacos have become soggy.
As one yelper mentioned, the nachos are large enough to split. They come topped with beans, cheese, jalapenos, guacamole and sour cream (get it on the side). My sister and I used to come here all the time to split the nachos....and we always left stuffed!
The staff is usually very nice and attentive, and they gladly bring you refills on chips/salsa, and on drinks (which by the way are huge)
I deducted one star because the guacamole is rather forgettable, and because they charge for sour cream.
Tengo gusto de este restaurante.
Tengo gusto de burritos.
Estudi francs en escuela; no espaol.
El la Pinata es muy muy sabroso.
Venden la cerveza!
Muy bueno!
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First time here. We couldn't figure out if there was parking or not. There is a lot in the back but we didn't know if it belong to the them or not. Good thing there was a space on the street. Very few street parking spots.
We had to only wait a few minutes for a table. Small place..quaint. I love the decor. Comfy yellow seats with green wrappings on the legs. I thought wow what a nice touch. Yummy chips and salsa..nice and warm. I had beef taco and chile rellenos. Nothing special I thought. The beef taco had shredded beef when I asked for ground beef. The chile rellenos was flavorful but oily. The dude had taco and enchilada. He also asked for ground beef but it came with shredded beef. So it took a bit of time. He wasn't impress. He had been to another Mexican place a couple of blocks down and he loved their food.
I'm glad to know they are opened til 3AM. Now we have more late night options. Sizable portions. I had a take home box.
In a pinch I would go back.
Yeah, this place is awesome.
I can't get enough of their cooking! I have never had a bad meal at this place and it's a regular (somewhat) spot for me and a few friends, regardless of the time of day (or night!). I can't recommend this place enough to anyone looking for some excellent food at extremely reasonable prices.
And if you feel like a REAL gutbomb - try the New Mexico Enchiladas. Burritos, you can get anytime, but all the goodness packed into this particular dish is just awesome.
Ow!Some!
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Undoubtedly the best Mexican food in the Hayward/Castro Valley area, this is a charming, colorful, very fast, very tiny place that serves up some terrific versions of our favorites. It is located right on the corner of Mission Boulevard and if you blink you'll miss it -- I drove right by the first few times I tried to go. Now I know, that going south on Mission, once I pass Grove, it is the next little street on the left.
Although it is small and somewhat cramped, it is comfortable, and we never feel rushed. I'd recommend this for groups of no more than 6 -- otherwise you'll swamp the boat and wait for a long time for the right constellation of tables to be available. Better to just go there with a couple of friends and save the big scenes for another venue.
My favorite: The Pork Sopes -- these are thick, handmade corn masa planks covered with refried beans, and delicious big chunks of tender pork, which has been cooked perfectly verde style. Topping it are cheese, lettuce, a huge portion of guacamole, and sour cream. It comes with a side of rice and beans, which are always delicious. You can order a half order for $6.99 or dinner order (two sopes) for $8.99. I always order the dinner, then take home the other half for lunch the next day. Don't forget to ask for a side of corn tortillas -- they are handmade there, and are like pastry, so perfect.
The service is always friendly, and you'll soon be a regular. There is a parking lot directly behind the restaurant, and always a few spots available on the street.
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I went here because I wanted to try the food at a different La Pinata. I was very disappointed. The place is way small (My bedroom is probably bigger, not kidding) the food was only so so and the service was pretty bad. The parking was weird too, kinda dangerous looking and not labeled well.
I will never be back.
Where you end up after a night o' drinking! Stays open until 3 a.m. and the food is just right for a big appetite. The Burrito Famoso is the biggest burrito I have ever had to date. NO ONE can finish it by themselves in one sitting! Great for sharing (get it with chicken!). New Mexican Enchiladas are also deliciously kick-ass here, and their rice 'n beans are good too. I am a bit of a rice snob, but I have to say they do it pretty damn good. But the servers are BITCHY. Even the guys are bitches. You only put up with it because of the food! Perfect drunk food, and this La Pinata is the best out of all of them.
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This is scrumptious Mexican food. It's not the typical take away burrito; it's a hearty sit-down-drink-a-Corona-and-eat-all-of your-chips-and-salsa-kind-of-Mexican food restaurant.
I usually get the Chicken Chimmichanga Dinner and I'm set for days... But when you order, don't forget to ask for extra tortillas, because they are delicious.
FIVE stars for quality fast tasty mexicanocity goodness. Plus it's not too expensive either. AND!!! THE BEST PART: LA PINATA IS OPEN UNTIL 3 AM!!! You'll never have to settle for that "fourth meal" from Taco Bell again.
Eat here if you want:
a) good Mexican food
b) you're starving
c) you like small colorful Mexican food restaurants with pinatas on the ceiling.
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All time favorite Mexican restaurant (outside of Mexico)!
Pros: big portions, spicy salsa, yummy chips, big cups for soda and attentive servers.
Cons: too much cheese heaped onto your food and it can get somewhat crowded.
We call it La P!
This was the late night stop in our college years. Either Alameda, San Leando or Hayward. Their super burritos always hit the spot!
I still love coming here and recently ventured out of the burrito menu. The chicken soup is delish.
Five stars for LA P!
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