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Taqueria Latina
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 8 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
101 reviews for Taqueria Latina
Review Highlights
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101 reviews in English
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Review from Eugene L.
I was Working an OT gig and was craving some Mexican food. So I jumped into my Kenworth Whip and rolled to TL. I was able to park right in front.
TL is a Hole in the wall joint. Its a a Family run operation. I ordered Billistec Milanese, Pork Tamale , Menu-do and Rice and Beans. I paid by Visa,
I grabbed a table and started watching the Saints game on their Flat screen TV. While I waited for my food. The Waitress brought the Menu-do first . It was Favorable and Spicy. Then the rest of my food came. The Billistec Milanese was Tender and Filling as was the Tamale. The Rice and Beans I mixed together and ate with my Tortillas.
Food was good and fresh . Ill be back.Listed in: Cheap Eats, Mexican Joints
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Review from Heather violet B.
Sunnyvale, CA
This place is a little hole-in-the-wall, a gem, a DIAMOND in the rough if you will. Heck, Aladdin has nothing on this place!!
But seriously folks, this place kicks ass. Walking up to the front door after looking for a parking place thinking you've just entered the trashy twilight zone from hell... location has MUCH to be desired.
But once you peruse the menu (typical taqueria menu), place your order and receive it; high tail it out of that waste land and actually taste the food....I'm telling you - your tastebuds will be singing Hosanna! for days to come!
This place is so good, I love their little veggie tacos (small double wrapped corn tortilla, spanish rice, pinto beans, monterey jack cheese, diced onions and tomatos (or pico de gallo) , thier spicy salsa, tiny shreds of cabbage and quacamole) ,,they are a little over a dollar each taco. Sour cream is included on the veggie tacos, but, IMO, the sour cream is more sour than cream, so I now ask them to hold it. I don't even miss it. I've also had their flautas and enchiladas, as well as their breakfast burritos filled with eggs, potatoes, cheese, chile peppers, bacon and chorizo. Add the orange sauce from La Victoria Taqueria in dwntwn San Jo and you have the perfect meal! But that's also another review! lol
My fiance gets the carne asada tacos and loves them. Same idea, small double wrapped corn tortillas filled with carne asada and pico de gallo and their spicy salsa. Sometimes if you're lucky you'll get a bonus jalapeno pepper garnashing your dish. Also, I love a taqueria that uses corn tortillas for tacos..personally, for ME, a taco is not a real taco unless it's out of a corn tortilla...just my opinion!! :)
Overall, this place deserves alot of stars and accolades. And now that they take credit cards in addition to straight cash, it's just that much better. It is one of my most favorite taquerias in the bay area! -
Review from Natasha S.
Union City, CA
BEST NACHOS EVER ... THE END!!
their super burritos are always yummy and meat is always moist
tacos are the best nibbler food (make sure you order more than one or something else to eat
best hangover spot especially when you have to function at work!
OVERALL: duh going back agaaaain and again and again -
Review from Clementine P.
Sunnyvale, CA
I think one of the best ways to test different taquerias, to see if they're to your liking, is to try their burritos.
Here, I had a hella salty carne asada burrito. Very tasty though. Got the super with green salsa (their mild) but "sin crema." They add a cabbage mix and it's a nice touch. The cabbage reminds me of what you get with pupusas. You can taste lots of lime. . .not sure if that's from the salsa or the cabbage mix.
Ate half the burrito cold for lunch. Wow! It made me thirsty but it was worth it. I think it's the cheese they use that's really salty. I'm guessing one other pro about the super saltiness is that this burrito can sit out at room temp for a while and still be consumed safely.
p.s.
There's not only Christmas lights around Jesus' head, there's also the Virgin de Guadalupe surrounded by blinky lights too. It's art. -
Review from Peter T.
Cupertino, CA
This is a real authentic cuisine from the Michoacan area of Mexico. The family that runs the restaurant are very nice people and they put a lot of love into their food. I tried the chicken burrito with all the ingredients and it was just perfect. Just the right amount of spice, rice and beans, guacamole and tender chicken.
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Review from Sandy T.
San Jose, CA
I adore this family owned & operated restaurant! This is a hole in the wall, with a small shared parking lot - but oh my! - their food is beyond amazing!
I come here for lunch often, and it does get busy with the working crowd crowding the place. I frequently order either a burrito (generous portion!) or the enchiladas verdes with chicken (with the green sauce). For the verdes, I always ask for no lettuce and extra sour cream, which they do happily and with no complaints. It's about $8 for four enchiladas and it's worth it! The sauce has a kick to it, but what makes it so delicious is the meat they use. It's so tender, flavorful and seriously falls/melts apart in my mouth! - YUM.
The service is usually quick (quick as it can be when dealing with a huge lunch rush) and friendly.
Plus, they have really good chips and salsa. Salsa is a little spicy, but full of goodies, and the chips are big and thick. -
Review from Cattie P.
San Jose, CA
The chicken-and-potato flautas were delicious! Covered in sour cream, cabbage, and a pleasantly-spicy guacamole, and still crispy and great. I traded one of my chicken ones for one of my boyfriend's beef ones - also yum. And the rice and beans were good, too. Last but not least, $6 and change for lunch is pretty darned good.
The decor is the awesome kind of tacky. :) Blinking Christmas lights forming the halo around Jesus' head? YES. -
Review from Tim B.
Cupertino, CA
As others have said, a gem. A family run, bare bones place with REAL authentic Mexican food. Not the Tex-Mex we're all used to. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
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Review from George I.
Very casual place. Authentic mexican food. A little bit on the expensive side for the ambiance. However, the food was tasty. I've got the chicken fajitas, which was a good pick. Their homemade watermelon juice is very refreshing on a hot day.
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Review from Emily Z.
San Jose, CA
My friends call this place "the dirty burrito place".
Dirty or not, this place is YUM-O!
It looks family owned and def a hole in the wall.
I got the super burrito with chicken for lunch today. Everything was really fresh and i was very surprise to find the chicken meat super moist and well flavored.
I could however do WITHOUT the cheese and soggy tortilla (could be the result of me getting my 'mild' sauce in the burrito and not on the side).
Overall, good first experience. Cost me $5.42 which isn't too bad.
They even give you side of chips and salsa.
Probably going to try their $1 tacos next time. -
Review from Diana L.
Milpitas, CA
Craving tacos at lunch so decided to give this taqueria a try based on previous reviews.
Friendly service & hella cheap tacos..although you'll need 3 min cause they're tiny.
I'm giving this spot 2 stars for dry carne asada, slow service, no pico de gallo -
Review from Raj R.
Mountain View, CA
Love this place !! Fish tacos are mouth watering.
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Review from Deryk D.
Pleasanton, CA
I've driven past this place for the past 5 years or so and never once thought of stepping inside. One day a friend took me out to lunch here, and I must say, I'm glad she did.
The burritos are savage at this place. Supremely sized and packed with meat, I dared ask the cashier how much even more meat would cost. "Listen amigo," he said, "you tell me how much you are willing to pay, and we'll give you as much extra." 3 dollars later and I'm happy to report my burrito was bursting at the seams with carnitas chunks.
The dollar tacos are excellent as well. And the more exotic fillings, such as tripa, are well worth the extra 50 cents. A quick tip though- I recommend doing away with the second tortilla for the tacos. With the amount of meat you get, it just works better so you appreciate the flavor more.
All in all, this is a great place to eat. The ambiance of the place works well with the food served. Most definitely having a "hole in the wall" vibe, you can just sit back and chill over great Mexican food right here.
Knocking off one star because they don't have carnitas regularly, which is my favorite filling. -
Review from schelly y.
Santa Clara, CA
We tried the carne asada tacos, al pastor tacos, and the pozole. Everything was just average for me. I was actually a bit disappointed with the pozole. There was barely any pork and I saw quite a few chunks of pork fat. I felt like I was just eating a big bowl of only hominy.
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Review from chris m.
Los Altos, CA
This place is certainly a family run hole in the wall, and with this comes good food, happy employees, and a solid overall experience. The restaurant is clean and has a great ambiance.
I have had 5 carne asada tacos the last few times Ive been, and they are great to try if youve never been.
This place beats any restaurant chain for authenticity, and the care that goes into the food is phenomenal. -
Review from priya j.
Mountain View, CA
+n on the "Hole in the wall", "Diamond in the rough" reviews. I even dig the decor for its one of kind instant transport 2 mehico:)
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Review from Ivory H.
San Jose, CA
BEST TAQUERIA PLACE EVER!!!!!!!!!
I have been going here for years ... probably more than 10 years. I have introduced this place to many colleagues and friends and they, too, have fallen in love with this place. If you arrive at 12, get ready to stand in a long line. This is a hole in the wall, so be prepared to go there early and to find a place to sit. But as soon as you place your order, it doesn't take long to for them to call your number.
Ever since I was a kid, my dad has always taken me to taqueria restaurants and this place, by far, is overall, the BEST place. This place is legit!
I am a huge fan of carne asada tacos with onions, cilantro and hot sauce. Some places either have soggy or dry meat with very little flavor. This place does it right. Their super nachos are awesome!! You must also try their fish tacos. Everything here is amazing. My friends have tried other items on their menu and I hear nothing but great reviews. You won't regret it ... I promise!!! -
Review from Dan B.
My first review for Taqueria Latina was so confusing that I couldn't understand it myself months later. Time for a rewrite.
Summary - A great-looking taqueria with above-average food and average prices, but very small portions and a dysfunctional menu. It enjoys a local following, which results in long lines on some days; parking sucks.
The food here is pretty good, though based on several lunches, my impression is that small portion sizes means their food only *appears* inexpensive (I have to spend upwards of $8-9 to fill up). For instance tacos are only $1 but are uber-tiny and with little meat. Burritos follow the same pattern. Chips are now provided but are store-bought and forgetful.
Menu problems: No carnitas. At all; No taco plate, so you have to build your own for more dinero than it seems worth; One $8 enchilada special was just enchiladas - no beans, rice or salad on the side. wtf?
Service is average to below average. On some trips, they've been friendly and helpful; on one trip they messed up my order so badly I couldn't eat half my meal.
Dan's Taqueria checklist for Taqueria Latina:
x Food? - Pretty good; 3.5
Prices? - appear low, but so is overall bang-for-buck
Portions? - Lilliputian
Light crowds - No
Standout items? - Desebrada, but they rarely have it
x Chips + salsa included? - Store-boughtListed in: The Taqueria Epicenter of the…, Olé for Mole !
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/6/2009
Initial impression - one of the nicest and most appealing taqueria interiors I've ever seen, with… Read more »
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5/6/2009
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Review from Hal O.
Dublin, CA
The best carne asada super burrito in Santa Clara. While I go there once (sometimes two) a week and consider myself a regular, it seems they never remember (or tried to at least) how I take my burrito. Top-notch customer service is the reason for the missing 5th star.
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Review from kim n.
My favorite taqueria in the south bay. It's still a hole in the wall but not like it once was. Anyone remember the time it was half the size (before they took over the appliance store next door), no signage, no paint and if you didn't speak Spanish, you were screwed? I was "chaperoned" my first time here by my friend Carlos and was introduced to the best asada and tripitas tacos around.
I quit working one month during the World Cup and ate here practically every day because I knew they would show the games. World Cup Soccer and insanely good tacos for $1 a piece! And those prices haven't changed. As they got larger so did the menu and it seems like every time I visit they post a new random special on the menu. So you maybe in for a different treat each time you show up. Try the Birria de Chivo, the Menudos, or the Gamba Diablo if you're adventurous. Tack on a large Horchata or Tamarindo and you should be good to go.Listed in: Taqueria Madness
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Review from Patrick G.
Redwood City, CA
Good taste. Lighter/healthier burrito. CHEAP!
Rob and I popped out for a burrito on a 100 degree day in Sunnyvale. Bad idea in general. We did not have a destination in mind, but ran into this place while driving around in the heat.
The place has an authentic atmosphere: murals of Our Lady of Guadalupe and of the owner's hometown in Mexico. Plus, there was a soccer (futbol?) match blasting on the TV in the back.
I got the chicken super burrito without sour cream. It was 4.50 or so. It came out within 5 minutes, was warm, had no sour cream, and was tasty. It was slightly unusual (good) in that it has a fair amount of crunchy veggies (cabbage I think).
All in all, solid place. Good burrito. Definitely cheap. I might come back.Listed in: Irish burrito lover...
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Review from Adam S.
Altadena, CA
Salt of the earth ambiance and friendly service frame the excellent Mexican fare. This small place is in what seems to me to be very out of the way and mostly residential district.
Great tacos that rival the best that Los Angeles has to offer and their tortas are even better.
Top pick: Any of the outstanding Tortas.
This family run establishment is on my "must visit" list for the south bay. -
Review from Caroline L.
Sunnyvale, CA
Good little hole in the wall. Nothing to write home about, but I enjoyed my carne asada and chicken tacos. The chicken was surprisingly tender and the horchata was refreshing. The mild salsa is not mild! I swear it was super hot! Ack!
Only downside is while walking to the bathroom you see large plastic tubs (like the kind people us to bus tables) of raw meat with rubber gloves and the gang graffiti in the bathroom. The raw meat thing was kinda icky, but I'm sure that's what other places look like.
With that said, this place is close to me, so I'll be back for some more dollar tacos, it's an additional .75cents for guacamole on 3 tacos. Hehe.
edit: After thinking about the raw meat in large plastic buckets and the rubber gloves, it's pretty gross and dirty. Won't be coming back... -
Review from Danny C.
San Francisco, CA
Otherwise known as "Bleeding Jesus" for the scary murals on the walls.
Good, fast, authentic Mexican food. Of course, these are a dime a dozen around here, so I can be a little picky. -
Review from Eugene F.
Campbell, CA
Yay! Finally a place near work that are only $1-$1.50 per taco. They are 4" tortillas, so be prepared for some tiny tacos. I got three asada tacos, and it was only $3.25 for the three of them. They come with onions, cilantro, and a little green salsa.
Prices are fairly low, too, and may be worth another visit some time.
There is a huge mural of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the wall outlined with some Christmas lights. Class act, yo!Listed in: Burrito and Taco-licious, Places I've seen the Virgin…
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Review from Adrienne P.
Newark, CA
Grab some loose change and head over to this little secret! We were all set to go to Baja Fresh for lunch the other day but one of my friends said, "No!! If you want Mexican, I know of a great taqueria." Boy was he right.
I would never have stopped at this place on my own, but sure am glad that my friend suggested it!
Two of the other people that I was with spoke Spanish fluently and so they placed their orders in Spanish. I figured I would give it a shot too. Unfortunately, the guy barely understood me and then switched to all English. Oh well. I like to tell myself that he simply wasn't expecting me to speak Spanish.
Anyhow, I had the Quesadilla - chica con queso y carne (pollo for me). It was cheap and small but it tasted great and filled me up completely. My order came with a complimentary side of green tomatillo sauce. Definitely authentic!
The other cool thing was that my friend had left her purse at the table by accident. One of our Spanish-speaking friends went ahead and called the restaurant. The employees were good enough to go and get the purse and keep it behind the counter until we returned to claim it.Listed in: When I'm missing Mexico...
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Review from Alan B.
San Francisco, CA
Pretty much everything I look for in a taqueria. Handwritten menu board, giant painting of Jesus on the wall, friendly guys behind the counter who can't speak English very well, and delicious cheap eats.
Only been there once, but so far, so good.
Anti-Scurvy rating: 0
Bread rating: 0 -
Review from David G.
Sunnyvale, CA
This is a great Taqueria. I usually get tacos or sopes. Today I walked in to find out that they are now offering hand made corn tortilla tacos for $2.25. That may sound like a bit much for a taco, but the hand made ones are much bigger (and tastier). Two is enough for me. Of the meats I've tried (asada, carnitas, pastor), I think the carnitas are best executed - tender AND most importantly crispy on the outside. Nothing bothers be more when I order carnitas and I get essentially slow cooked pork. Carnitas MUST be crispy on the outside.
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Review from Chris G.
Belmont, CA
Best carne asada and best hot sauce on the peninsula...cheap, fast & so so good
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Review from i. o.
San Francisco, CA
Again the most unexceptionally ordinary locations turn up the most massively tasty grub. Taqueria Latina is kinda random side street strip in Sunnyvale. Seating inside is spacious and quirkily decorated, large murals or Jesus and Mary adorn one wall while a bright red telephone for phoning $$ to your relatives hangs on the opposite wall.
The super burrito Al Pastor is just remarkably, lip-smackingly good!! Get that and a Tamarind drink for under $6. Score!! -
Review from Tara S.
Campbell, CA
I am a true burrito connoisseur, but you don't have to be one to know how to tell a place that has GOOD, authentic Mexican food. When you walk into the place and the only language being spoken around you is Spanish...don't WORRY...ORDER! I'm a vegetarian until I come to this place.
I drove past about 10 taquerias to get to this place. I got the carne asada super burrito...again, sin arroz. Price with tax was $5.46. It was HUGE! The asada was nice and salty and seasoned perfectly, the guac is the kind of homemade authentic that you can taste. There was the perfect amount of shredded cabbage to add a little crunch and structure (important for cutting down on a bib-worthy mess), and the mild salsa was perfect (not too onion-y). Just spicy enough without disturbing my gringa stomach.
The menu at this place SHAMES the other taquerias in this area known as "The Burrito Triangle". EVERYTHING on the menu looks TDF (to die for). I keep saying that I'm going to get something besides the carne asada super burrito, but I'm seriously convinced that they put a sprinkle of magic in it just for me!
It used to be cash only, but it looks like they now take cards. I didn't ask (and I automatically bring cash), but they now have the Visa/Mastercard stickers on the door.
Don't drive past it! It's next to the Sushi joint. Oh...by the way...it takes some pretty seriously good food to make me drive past a sushi joint.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/27/2008
I get the super burrito with carne asada...I've never ordered anything else because my burrito is… Read more »
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2/27/2008
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Review from deb n.
Palo Alto, CA
Went on Tuesday around 11:45, no customers so walked right in. There is a parking lot in the back, limited street parking out front. Ordered two carnitas tacos, 1 carne asada and beans and rice. Came out to $5.65, pretty good deal, the tacos are small but tasty, I liked the carnitas tacos better then the asada. Comes with onions and salsa. The hot salsa is spicy. Can have medium salsa as an option. Rice was good, fluffy, the beans were ok, refried and a bit on the runny side. The staff was friendly, taking away a star since there were no chips and salsa offered and their to go plates are paper plates wrapped in foil.
My co-worker loves goat, have to tell him that they serve goat stew here. They share their parking lot with Seto Deli. http://www.yelp.com/bi... -
Review from Rob S.
Sunnyvale, CA
I give 5 stars to Yelp. I joined yesterday after years of referencing this site for new places to try. I joined just to give props to a taco joint (Little MIchoacan) on Fair Oaks that I love and began to wonder if there was anything that compares.
I found Taqueria Latina. I wanted to try their tacos, but there were so many reviews for their burritos, I decided to try that as well. I got an asada super burrito and 2 taco - one al pastor and one chile verde.
OMG, as Leo B. mentions, this is absolutely the best al pastor I've tried, period. The tacos here are just as good as Little Michoacan. However, the burrito is far the best I've had in the bay area. It's all that Mexican cheese they put in it, which makes it stand out.
I'm now torn between two loves. I went back to Latina today to get another fix. I think I'm Mexican'd out for the next week now.
The watermelon and candeloupe frescas are unique, too. -
Review from Foodie L.
San Jose, CA
The food, prices, and customer service are all awesome! I would come back here again! :D
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Review from DIANA R.
San Jose, CA
I work really close to this restaurant and whenever I want to eat Mexican Food, I come here (It's the best one around my job).. Tacos are only $1! and are pretty good, I really like their Pastor meat and their Quesadillas are also good.
3 star only because lately their tortillas have been cold and somewhat hard and also because I've had a lot better Mexican food!..... -
Review from Nichole S.
Santa Clara, CA
I've been going here for 10 years. Its affordable.. $1 tacos when everyone else charges $1.50 or more! Everyone I have ever taken here agrees that this place is truly a treasure.
Their red hot sauce is the bomb! It's so good, my mom insisted on buying some for home. The are good about cutting off most if not all of the fat and gristle. -
Review from Jacob F.
Sunnyvale, CA
The tacos are only $1 and they taste great! Four tacos is more than enough for anyone. They also have great tortas. I usually just go with the carne asada, but the al pastor is good too. Bring cash because they don't take anything else.
The mural of the virgin mary outlined with christmas lights gives this place the touch of class that it really deserves. -
Review from scott a.
Palo Alto, CA
I've not written a review on a Mexican joint, this will be my first. Here it goes.
Ya da da ya da da ya da da, Ya da da da da da dee. This place is freaking good, its so freaking good I'm typing a melody.
ok seriously: I don't know what melody is from a drumstick, but this place has some good tacos and other stuff - try the tacos first.
Por exemplo: my vegetarian coworker orders 6 chicken tacos every time he goes there.
My top choices:
Tacos
Meats: Al Pastor, Chile Verde (chicken)
Salsas: all good, and make sure to try the special sauce off to the side. Its often overlooked but really good. As I understand, its essentially a salsa with a base of grated chiles and peanuts.
Drinks: Freshly made Aquas Frescas, for sure.
There's nothing fancy here, just Taqueria Latina's spin on the good old Taqueria, with an occasional special (Pollo Mole I tried once). The place is inexpensive but the portions are also small. You'll need to order a half-dozen tacos if you're hungry, and the burritos are only medium sized.
Note/Warning: Burritos are served with lettuce. Why is that done up here in the Bay? Take it out and you have a fine burrito [stick with the tacos, anyway].
Warning: Try to _get_there_during __Lunch_Hour__. I've experienced the food trailing off later in the day if I'm getting a really late lunch (and also tried dinner one time). The food's best when they're really cranking out the tacos, meat, rice and salsas; sorta like Dim Sum's best served when its the most crowded in the Chinese Restaurant.
Note on Rating: I would give many a taco truck 4 stars if I found them here on Yelp (taco truck near the carwash on El Camino near Mary for example). Flavor is the primary marker for my ratings. -
Review from Alan P.
Vallejo, CA
I don't know how it is now. I haven't been here in 4 years. 10 years ago before it ever got popular with the Suits, when this place was still a hole in the wall, I would get a plate of 5 tacos al pastor and a Mexican Coke. One two, three, four in a square, the fifth in the middle of the plate. Cilantro, onions, and that's it... The flavor and spices were so good my mouth waters now as I type.
I've gone to many places in Mountain View, the Silicon valley, the City and up here in the boring Carquinez corridor.
In my mind this was the best Taqueria in the Bay Area. -
Review from Dietrich H.
Los Gatos, CA
I've been on a cheap taco hunt the past few months and so far, this is one of my top two. Tacos are a buck a pop, lots of choices, and they're DAMN good.
I personally like trying all the stranger meats, like lengue, cabeza and all that stuff. I figured I could get asada and pollo pretty much anywhere and it's not any different. Haven't tried the burritos yet, but hey, I could give a rats ass about burritos. I want tacos, and this place does them good.
*EDIT: I tried the burrito. WOW (not world of warcraft), but WOW. Al Pastor Super Burrito, it's the skittles of burritos. A rainbow of flavor bursting in every tortilla.
