Everything was so good! Our server was extremely knowledgeable and I had a lot of questions. I got…read morethere right as it opened, but it quickly filled up by the time I left. Must be a popular spot, and I can see why. The vibes are casual and fun- would love to have events here in the future. My coffee was rich and perfectly sweet. It was honestly a challenge to slowly sip it. The chilaquiles verdes were perfect, and the black beans are incredible.

On the taco trail today for Friday Funday with the man. We stopped by this place because it has…read morebeen on my "To Try" list for several months. We are in search of a Baja fish taco that is satisfying since both of the places we loved either closed or stopped serving the baja style. We went to Mersea earlier for the views and to check out TI and it was uninspiring so we rambled back to the east bay and decided to try Mercado. Reviews looked good (thanks y'all, I appreciate you) and despite a few misses on the baja taco (according to some reviews) we decided to take a run at it. The man was feeling jaded after the am stop and wasn't going for the fish, I stayed neutral...no one wants their little taco loving heart broken twice in one day...ultimately, he decided to try the fish taco plate with 1 baja and one grilled. I had the poblano mole tacos w/chicken. We shared the guacamole with chips. I had cafe de olla (it is called something else here) and he had the mocktail with the ginger beer. The ordering at the counter wasn't my favorite but the spot was pretty quiet for a Friday midday and the service was still exceptional. They were attentive and responsive. I would definitely go back at the same time cuz I don't like crowds. On to the food. Dayum! Everything was good. Well seasoned, beautifully plated, and sufficient serving size. I pigged out. For real...I waddled out of that joint. Brought every drop of the leftovers home so I could have the chocolate custard (DAYUM) for dessert with the remnants of my coffee. Him: he preferred the baja style to the grilled fish. As some others have said, it can fall apart (really stuffed with goodness) but he didn't want his fixins on the side. VERDICT: he'll be back for that taco. Me: I enjoyed the mole but the chicken in chunks didn't work for me. I would have preferred it shredded. I'll try something else next time and there will be a next time. Oh, and the black beans and green rice were flavorful as well. Standing order: guacamole and chips Cafe Chocolate custard... What? No pics? Come on now. I wasn't thinking 'bout y'all when my food came. Go take your own pics.

this place is phenomenal. funny enough i went to uc berkeley and i had no idea that such an…read moreincredible mexican restaurant was in berkeley. at this place my sister and i went. she got the chilaquiles and i got the chicken enchiladas. both dishes were phenomenal. the chilaquiles were crispy and flavorful and they really hit the spot for delicious brunch. the enchiladas were crispy with plenty of salsa. the salsa's tart and it's salty but it's not too tart or salty. it's very well balanced. i also enjoyed this additional salsa that they had available. it's like a red salsa and inside it's a gorgeous restaurant. there's also just a bunch of pastries that you can get if you want. my sister and i opted for coffee to enjoy with our brunch and the food is not necessarily cheap. however i think for the experience of sitting in such a beautiful cafe and having really delicious food, it is worth going out once in a while to la mission. service was awesome, staff was really friendly. the ambience was really really gorgeous for brunch. lots of families sitting around and enjoying delicious mexican food under the berkeley sun.

I had high hopes for La Mission based on the amazing reviews…read more.. The location is cute with a nice shaded outdoor area. The servers are personable. My party ordered the verde enchiladas, vegetarian burrito, platanos, and flan. Enchiladas - filled with chicken and the sauce was spicy. However, it wasn't very flavorful, just hot. The rice and beans were very disappointing. Bland and the cheese on the beans was cold, stiff, and clumped. Vegetarian burrito - Delicious! No complaints. Platanos - Served over refried beans with a super unappetizing sauce splashed on top. The taste was just okay but I've had better. Flan - definitely a different texture than the average flan. Overall, it wasn't something to drive home about but it was cool. Overall, the lunch wasn't bad but it wasn't great nor was ti worth almost $80. I may come back to try the tacos, which seem to be a top seller, but I'll hold off on anything else.

My husband is a big foodie, so whenever we're in Berkeley, we always look for a place to stop and…read moreenjoy something delicious. This time, I stopped in to pick up some pan dulce, and I had such a wonderful experience. As soon as I walked in, I was warmly greeted by the cashier. I don't remember her name, but she told me she was from Nicaragua. Her kindness, friendliness, and genuine smile immediately made me feel welcome. It may seem like a small gesture, but great customer service makes such a big difference. We all get so busy and distracted these days that sometimes we forget how meaningful a warm greeting can be. She truly brightened my day, and I wanted to take a moment to thank her for making me feel so welcome. The pan dulce was delicious, and the outstanding customer service made the experience even better. I'll definitely be back!

Gone a bit downhill while prices going up. Bakery smells delicious though. Hope they can improve…read morefrom here.

I've had burritos from here before and never thought they were anything special. This time, though,…read moreI got tacos. Very good decision! I got 2 pastor tacos and 1 carne asada. Both were excellent and paired very well with their salsa. Carne asada was cooked and cut perfectly, and tasted much better than when I had it in burritos in the past. Al pastor is very authentic and tastes better than most you can find in the area. Generous amount of onions (and some pineapple for the pastor). I really really enjoyed this, and I'm happy to have this option here in my neighborhood. Only negative is that their tortillas seem to collapse under the general sauciness. I usually prefer to have my salsa on the side, so maybe that's on me. Came out to about $15 for the three tacos which is pretty pricey. However, you do get some chips and salsa for free, and the quality of the food is pretty high. I'm reasonably happy to pay this price to support a nice establishment in my community. The place is clean and recently renovated, with a fairly friendly staff willing to accommodate customizations and requests. I will probably start coming here a lot more regularly after this most recent visit!

I REALLY wanted to like this place, but there's no flavor in anything we ate or drank. We ordered 2…read moredifferent burritos, chips & salsa, horchata, and agua fresca pina. I ate just enough so that I wasn't starving and left the rest. The other thing is that we waited 1 hour for 2 burritos. While there are 7-8 tables of people, I don't know why it takes 1 hour. They seem to have plenty of staff, but it takes a really long time.

Loved this place! The vibe is fantastic, and the masks and artwork on the walls give it such a…read morebeautiful, authentic feel. We came during off-peak hours, so it was calm and relaxed -- perfect for really taking it all in. The staff were incredible, attentive without being overbearing, and just made the whole experience even better. I tried the super burrito, and while it wasn't the best I've ever had, it was still solid and definitely worth ordering. Highly recommend if you're looking for great atmosphere and great service.

Used to go here regularly when I lived nearby. So it's been years since I've visited, but it still…read moreis great. I love the improvements to the dining area- it is much more open and light than previously. The loaded nachos are amazing. The bar has a ton of great options, and the pork tamales were lovely. Looking forward to returning!

I think this might be my new favorite obsession on Solano…read more Their food is freshly made and absolutely yummy. I have ordered several items on their menu over the last year or so enchiladas are great, crunchy tacos are fantastic. I'm especially in love with their refried beans, they are so good and so flavorful. Staff is always nice and everything is orderly and clean inside.

Our absolute, hands-down favorite Mexican restaurant in the whole bay!…read more My wife and I were raised on home-cooked Mexican food in Los Angeles, so when we moved to the bay area, we tried as many places as we could find (mostly all decent, it's still California after all) but this place tastes like home! They have menudo and pozole, rich and flavorful but not too greasy, high-quality without getting too fancy. Generous portions, fresh tortilla chips, lots of yummy salsas, and plenty of Mexican sodas. Great taco Tuesday prices too! The entire place is covered in tiles and bright colors, the service is great, and they can accommodate custom orders like no dairy or crispy tortillas (if you ask nicely). Can't recommend Talavera's enough and we'll be back soon!

Nice, clean spot. Cool location, friendly staff and great food…read moreIt's all there! Excellent cheese enchiladas, beans, guacamole, sour cream, rice - off the charts as good as it gets! Yikes, my mouth is doing backflips! This is the best Mexican food that I know of currently in the Bay Area. I mean I have a lot of places I like but every time I come here I'm delighted beyond expectations. Great presentation nice flavors. Nice portion off the hook. Next time you're craving Mexican food this where you need to go.

This place is great. Mexicana (which is actually called Mexicana Taqueria!!!) has great food and…read moregreat service. We discovered this place completely by accident. We were supposed to meet friends next-door at Saul's, but the line was out the door and the wait time is 25 minutes. We wandered her to block down the street and discovered this lovely hole in the wall. They have a diverse menu with every thing you could want from a Mexican joint: enchiladas, fajitas, burritos (even breakfast burritos), tacos, even plates with plentiful vegetables, rice, beans, and salsa. There are places to sit outside both around back in the garden and out front in the sun. The people who were here are super nice (and will even give you extra cheese if you ask!) A stellar find in Berkeley. 10 stars :)

The atmosphere was refreshing and the food was wonderful! I will absolutely be returning!read more

The food is exelente the music and the customer service ... 100% the best…read moreThe food really fresh, the salad crispy and nice . The place is really clean and spacious I'll definitely bring my whole family here

I've driven by here 1000 times and never gave it much consideration...until today. Decided to stop…read moreby and pick up some dinner after Pickle ball and, HOLY MOLY, my (chicken) enchiladas are off-the-charts delicious. The green sauce is tangy and delicious, the black beans are super flavorful, and the overall portion size feels fairly generous. Thinking I'll bring the family back here sometime and try eating in the restaurant. For now, I'm a huge fan!

$17+tax for the Chile Relleno. Exquisite presentation skills. Damn tasty!…read more Absolutely worth the price of entry and got me wishing I discovered this place sooner.

I was staying in downtown Berkeley for work and was looking for a place for a birthday dinner for a…read morefriend. This place came highly recommended and I can see why. It has a unique menu, delicious food, and a trendy ambiance. Because she decided on this place the day of, she couldn't get a reservation but we showed up at 6 pm on a Thursday and had a table for five inside by 6:30. We waited at the bar and had drinks including a spectacular paloma-esque and local beer on tap. I can't have dairy but the chef made modifications on the duck enchiladas rojas. Everything was a flavor bomb in the best way except the duck had bones inside the enchiladas which made me think it was chicken thigh (looked the same). The rest of the guests loved their plates but we found the sizes of the plates odd. For example, the Mexican street corn was a huge plate of about 3 ears of corn but the tamal was just one tamal (for $15!) The service was very attentive despite a busy restaurant. They automatically charge a 20% service fee regardless of size of group. I appreciated that they didn't rush us out but I didn't like that they charged us for the birthday flan.

My fiancé has had this place on his radar to try for a while because, as a chef himself, he has…read morerespect for chef Matt (owner). We had regular margaritas (they make them from a house made mix, not to order) and Al Pastor cocktail which were interesting... Drinks were just average. The food was average as well. We had chips and guacamole, white shrimp ceviche, which needed a bit of salt, tiny barbacoa tacos (I've had much better barbacoa, this was mushy and tasted a bit like pet food), and a chicken quesadilla. We had a reservation, but had to wait about 15 minutes for a table, and unfortunately, when we were sat, we were sat at the first table by the door where people congregate to wait for their tables. Also, I believe our reservation was for a patio table and that was completely ignored. My least favorite thing about this place was the fake, phony waitress (huge fake smile and forcefully loud, high pitched voice) who was too impatient to wait for our order. She asked if we were ready to order and as my fiancé started to formulate his thought, she said, "I'll give you more time!" And started to walk away. I stopped her and let her know we were ready and she got a higher, and louder pitch to her voice, and an even more fake smile, and repeated in a very impatient and robotic tone "Are you ready to order some food?" I was taken aback and just couldn't do it... We asked for a different server, and a nicer, but slightly awkward young lady served us instead. They automatically charge a 20% service fee, so we expected service to match. The problem with a place that automatically charges a 20% service fee is that the wait staff doesn't really care about the service they give because they will be tipped no matter what caliber of service they provide. As far as the ambiance, it was hard to tell since we were sat at the door... nothing like looking at butts while eating your meal. Absolutely not the experience we had hopped for after having this one our "must try" list for nearly 3 years.