1544 Webster St Alameda, CA 94501 It's Dec 2024, and Canasta Kitchen rebranded itself as "Taco Patrol." I was told it's the same restaurant, same food, just with a fresh new name. I was there on Dec 19th, and the interior looks the same. I ordered to-go: Baja Fish Tacos (2 per order), includes rice. beans, chips, and sauces/ salsa. Price $17.50. The Baja Fish Tacos were very filling. Not too spicy, and not salty. Very much the same as what I ordered before. So I guess the menu is exactly the same. So if you liked Canasta Kitchen, you will like Taco Patrol. read more

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WALK ON BY (1/5 stars) Keep on scrolling on Yelp or walk past this place. Two blocks away is Calafia Taqueria that serves amazing food, great customer service and a lot of food for the price you pay. This place scams you for your money, over charges you and stands by the price of their food. Customer service lacks alot and when they tell you 10 mins, they mean 30. Their costs are tripled & Wait time is tripped. Never going back here read more

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Was confused trying to find this spot. We walked past the entrance a couple times and just ended up going in to Taco Patrol which after reading here is just their new branding. It was early ish and we ordered breakfast burritos. They brought out chips and salsa while we waited; the salsa selection was nice but the chips were very stale. Burritos were good. May come back to try other things since people seem to like it read more

I came here yesterday with my husband around lunch. We walked by it a few times on accident and finally found the restaurant. The food is really good and the portions are pretty big. My husband got the burrito and I got the birria quesadilla. Super delicious. As you can see in the photo, it was a huge portion so we took half of it home. I would definitely come back. read more

Canasta Kitchen - Quesabirrias Flour tortilla - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

This rating is for the order I received from the Too Good To Go app. It was a small serving of refried beans, topped with some shredded beef and cheese. I wanted to try the app to get a sampling of their food to see if I would return to try their main menu items. Not sure if I would. The refried beans were fine, yet the beef was overly salty, dry, and oily. Compared to the multitude of mexican and mexicali venues in the area and around the east bay, unfortunately it didn't stand out as much. read more

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I've been coming here for over two years, sometimes multiple times a week because their food always satisfies my cravings. Everytime I come here I'll get their Enchiladas, Burro no Mamadas or the best thing on the menu: Quesabirrias. Its just SOOO unbelievably good. Sometimes I spend the morning of studying thinking about getting lunch here - and its rewarding everytime. Within minutes of ordering that piping hot quesabirrias is mine!! shredded beef stew wrapped within the melty oaxaca cheese - its nothing short of food heaven. Dip that into their consomme and oh my goddd its AMAZING. Its so good I could burn my fingers and mouth eating it so fresh! I also treat myself to one of their yummy horchatas now and then. The service here is always immaculate and I love both getting take out and dining in. Its also conveniently got indoor and outdoor seating. I highly recommend this place because the food is to die for!! Seriously, just thinking about the crispy tortilla holding in all of that melty cheese and savory birria, dipped in the consomme is making my mouth water.. read more

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Birria tacos, quesabirria and tacos are all great here! Happy Hour deal for Tacos on Tuesday! read more

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Service - 5/5 Food -5/5 Ambiance - 3/5 Love this place for a local bite! Abigail has been my server twice now and she is so funny and sweet. Always offering delicious suggestions and great service. My go-to are the canastaco fish tacos read more

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First time visiting here after some time at the Pinball museum. The place is airy and clean with qr codes to view the menu. I'm going to say right up front that my middle rating is because they said my check in Yelp discount of 10% was only for to go orders. I didn't see anywhere that said that. Our food orders:. Baja fish tacos, carnitas fajitas and chili relleno. When the waitress came over, the first thing we were asked is if we wanted guac. Suspecting that this would cost extra, we passed. Then she asked about chips and we said no but then she said, "are you sure?". My recommendation is to have the wait staff be clear. Chips and salsa are complimentary and guac is $x. The fajitas came first and a few minutes later, the fish tacos. 5 minutes later came the relleno. The fajitas looked fine, served with a bowl of beans, scoop of rice and a side of flour tortillas. My friend asked for salad in place of the beans and rice or if she couldn't do that, just bring it all A little salad came with the beans and rice. My fish tacos were a nice portion of fish served on arugula a bit of cheese under the fish and a dollap of guac topped with what tastes like ranch dressing versus jalapeno crema. I enjoyed the tacos but quite difficult to hold due to the size of the fish and the wetness of the toppings. Fish is fresh. The beans are good as the are typical refried beans which are more mixed up. The rice is nothing special. The chili relleno is not the typical fried item. A pepper filled with veggies, meat wrapped in an egg omelet. Different. Friend are it all. I'd come back to try other items definitely. Street parking is available. read more

Canasta Kitchen - Late lunch - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

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First time here Check in on Yelp and get 10% off Venue is clean There is indoor and outdoor seating Our waiter/server was friendly and efficient Prices are reasonable Food quality is decent I had one taco of Lengua $2.50 They have a sign that says EVERY DAY IS TACO TUESDAY All tacos are $2.50 every day I had 2 margaritas...... They were ok.... Could have been a bit stronger Parking is hard to find, no private parking lot Street parking only. A light over our table kept flickering that was kinda annoying Door to the restaurant stays open and it was kinda cold inside Would I come back here again..... sure why not read more

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Absolutely filthy dining area. Probably violating health codes. The food here is darn good. If I were only rating the food it would definitely be a five star dining experience. I had the chicken enchiladas and they were perfect. The chips and salsa also exceeded expectations. But oh my god, why would any restaurant operator pile garbage up at the host stand? There is a gray bin overflowing with filthy dishes and piles of organic garbage. On the bar there are multiple stacks of filthy glasses containing everything from backwash to spit. Just to the left of the pile of dirty dishes is a filthy green garbage bin. Then there's a tip jar and the host stand. Sandwiched between the garbage and a couple of igloo coolers are the baby high chairs. And they are absolutely filthy too. If conditions behind the scenes are as filthy as they are at the host stand, I'm surprised there aren't cases of food poisoning. A restaurant only gets one chance to not gross out the customers as they're walking in the front door. read more

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The food is ok nothing wow about it same or similar to other Mexican food. The price was a bit high but this days almost everything when up their service was decent their portions were a bit small compared to the price. read more

Food Delivery Review: I was craving some fish tacos, but thought I'd take a break from my Cholita Linda, which serves the best fish tacos. So we decided to give Canasta Kitchen a try, and unfortunately, they fell short. Some of the food might have suffered from long delivery time, and the food would probably be better at their restaurant. Overall, the food was greasy, soggy, and stiff. What we ordered: + Street tacos - we had a combination of carne asada and chorizo street tacos. They are a fairly nice size. The chorizo was very greasy though, and filled my plate with grease drippings. + Canastaco 2 Fish Tacos - these were just ok. The description read that they were served on soft tortillas, but they griddle the tortillas, and by the time I got them, they were stiff and hard. The fish was good and flakey though. However, the avocado and cabbage were cut into large chunks. It made the entire taco more like a small tostada. + Quesabirrias - this arrived really soggy. There's a pool of sauce at the bottom of the container (see pic). I thought it was too salty, but hubby really enjoyed it. + Chips & Gauc - they give you a lot of gauc. It was pretty good. I believe most of the issues I had with the food was a result of the long delivery time. read more

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I wish I could give a more well rounded Yelp review for Canasta Kitchen, but my first trip here was just a quick to-go order. Visually, the restaurant is nice with an outdoor dining option with heated lamps. Indoors provided enough room for social distancing for patrons to eat comfortably. But I didn't experience any of that because I had to get home to my cats, so I ordered: Birria & Asada Burro no Mamadas: these are double sized super burritos. I thought all the ingredients made for a solid burrito. The Birria was tender and had good flavor. The steak was satisfactory as well. Overall a burrito worth the price both in quantity and quality. My food took about ten minutes to prepare. My one big knock on them is they offer 10% discount upon check-in and didn't honor it. I don't really care about the money but don't put offers on Yelp and renege. As the scriptures say: "It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it." But I also believe in forgiveness and the offense is small, so I'll be back to eat here soon. read more

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The people were nice. The drinks were great. I can't say I was super impressed by the food. The birria was the best part. It wasn't bad food by any means, but I probably wouldn't visit again. read more

Canasta Kitchen - Taco salad - looked better than it tasted - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

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Date: 11/26/2021 Time: 1:20 PM 62° Sunny My birthday lunch was supposed to be at another restaurant on Webster Street. However, they were closed, which meant a quick search on yelp for another venue close to home. Result: Canasta Kitchens. Perfect! I always wanted to dine here. Today is my birthday and my oldest sister is treating me to lunch. My husband and my younger sister are also here to celebrate the occasion. First time here, and I have to thank my fellow yelpers, Steve D and Emma W, for their reviews. There is a sign on the front door that vaccination cards are required to dine in. However, outdoor seating in front of the restaurant is available and vaccination cards are not required. Our waitress was quite patient with us, as we could not decide what we wanted to order. Their menu is mounted on the wall and the description of their entrees seemed yummy good. She was also courteous and pleasant. Eats: Two orders of Canastaco fish tacos with rice and beans for husband and me. Wow, both my husband and I were impressed with our meal. Everything was on point. My two sisters enjoyed their quesadillas. We all agreed the beans were excellent - not mushy nor undercooked. Seating capacity indoor: at most 35 people. Outdoor patio dining: guesstimate 20 people. Definitely my husband and I will return in the future to order their taco salad, quesabirrias and agua fresca (hibiscus). Rating: 4 stars, not 3 stars. read more

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Officially my favorite place. Upon our return, we were greeted by one of the staff to inform us that she had OUR BABIES LOST SHOE. I WAS SO HAPPY. This is in our regular rotation for dine in restaurants. Everything was still delicious, but we felt like family this time around. We even brought family from out of town and they absolutely enjoyed it, and took delight in watching me destroy the MAMADO read more

Canasta Kitchen - The family on my birthday - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

I like the food and it is close to everything. I like going after a work out at the gym down the street. Also the beach and basketball courts at washington park are only like 10 mins away. Ive lived in the area for like 10 years now. This one is the best bang for your buck. read more

I came here with my friend and they did not disappoint. I ordered a steak burrito and it was good. The only problem was the burrito was really greasy. Grease was dripping heavily out of my burrito but other than that my burrito was fine. They have indoor and outdoor seating with a bar next door so you can definitely grab a drink and food to sit outside. read more

Thank you for a great (late) lunch!! Swung by during the power outage today after learning the hard way that the east end of Alameda was out of power. Came in around 3pm and while you could tell they were busier than anticipated for this time of day, the staff was definitely trying their best. The food was so yummy and it's a clean & casual spot. We got the super burrito and some tacos - both very good!! Also the margaritas are very good and they have lots of flavor options. We will definitely be back! Thanks for feeding our hangry booties. read more

First off, WRITE DOWN our orders so you don't mess it up. Each of the tables around us, including our table got the wrong order. The table next to us got the the wrong drink. We got the wrong tacos and the wrong drink. The table behind us got the wrong chips when they ordered nachos...everything was a disaster. Also one star for not following cleanliness protocols. The woman next to us ordered a drink and they gave her Jamaica instead and she touched it and touched the straw and yet they gave it to the guy who ordered it to go rather than throw it away. The quesabirras was super plain with super salty broth on the side. We just did not understand the hype. They give you plenty of this dry flavorless beef but why bother when no one wants to eat it. My friends who got the tacos with the birras also didn't like it. Super dysfunctional service and super slow. 10 stars for the Horchata. Really good horchata and good guacamole but that's about it. read more

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Really good food, but a bit overpriced. Solid 4 stars. For the quality of food, it's hard to go wrong at Canasta Kitchen. The food is yummy and the quantity is good, but the price is a bit steep. Plus, I'm always a little disappointed when a restaurant upcharges to use a service like GrubHub. We didn't get it delivered but used it to pre-order take out and the charges were higher than if we ordered in person. Don't understand that at all. Ordering in advance saves me time which makes me happier which makes it more likely for me to come back. But instead I get charged nickel and dime for ordering online? Not cool. Still the food is so good, I'm sure to come back. FOOD: Delicious! I ordered the queso fundido which was EXCELLENT. Would have been better had it been served in a more appropriate container but it was so yummy. If you don't know, queso fundido is a cheese dip/sauce with meat and onions (in this case asada) and boy was it good. I also ordered the Canastaco fish tacos. Good helping of fish, but a bit too much cabbage. Still the flavor profile was amazing. Not too much sauce, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, all done just right. And a good portion of rice and beans packaged perfectly. SERVICE: Very easy to order and easy to pick up. Now with pick up parking on Webster, it was finally easier to find a spot and grab my food. The staff was super nice. Only gripe would be the packaging of the queso fundido. Otherwise great! COST: A bit pricey for what you get. And like I said, I did not appreciate the upcharge on GrubHub. Still, it was so good! I will likely be back - soon. read more

Canasta Kitchen - Queso Fundido - not packaged well but it sure tasted good! With asada - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

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So... Canasta kitchen. I've been meaning to try this place forever. It was hit and miss for me. I thought the food was good - the salsa slayed. There were three kinds they gave us, tomatillo, a regular red salsa, and a creamy hot salsa. They didn't give us much of any of them though, so we had to ask for extra. I had the taco salad and it was flat out delicious. The shrimp for perfectly cooked and there were a lot of them, with a lemon dressing that was very light, a lot of cilantro and pico de gallo with shredded lettuce. Healthy and light. Total thumbs up. Altho the shell was funky but who eats that. Husband had the empanadas which were dry but of course he asked for no cheese - so - I would discount his opinion. The drink thing is confusing. I asked for a Mojito and my husband had a beer - pretty straightforward. The menu is super unclear as to what they're doing on the drinks. It rambles about how they use some random combination of sake and something else but then it says the mojitos are made of rum, so I don't know what the hell they're doing. I said can I have a Mojito with light sugar and I got a Mojito full of sugar. The main issue... The ambience was awful. I don't understand why restaurants can't get their stuff together. They have a bar, which is basically a storage unit. They store a lot of stuff at the back, which you can see right below the window to the kitchen. Some delivery guy came in and brought a bunch of toilet paper, and just threw it in the front near the bar. This is all extraordinarily unpleasant. What they need to do is spend a few bucks and put booths in there, set up the bar like a real bar. They will make a ton more money, and it would be great, because the food is pretty good. Like so many restaurants, they are woefully understaffed. It was dinner time on a Thursday and there were literally two people working in there. The lady was running around, trying her best but it took us half an hour just to get the check. It was a little frustrating. We sat there and looked at other people's piled up food plates all around us. Oy. Unless they decide to step up their game on the interior, I won't be back, but I might order takeout. read more

It's April 1 - April Fools Day and I'm a Fool because I'm happy to be Alive!!!! The Covid almost Killed me for good!!! Thank God it Didn't!!! So in 2021 I'm on a Search for the Killer Super Burrito!!! Big Portions, Flavorful and Quality ingredients!!!! So I rolled to Canasta Kitchen in Alameda to try their Super Burrito Carne Asada!!! They have a nice Sidewalk Dining Area's in front of their Restaurant! My Waiter brought me a Nacho Appetizer and a Glass of Water. I ordered a Carne Asada Super Burrito!!! Fifteen minutes later I was Presented with a Nice looking Burrito!!! It had Awesome Girth and Length!!! But the Biggest Surprise was the Flavors Packed in the Burrito!!! Let me say Tons of Flavors!!! Sublime!!! Each Bite was a Treat and a Party in my Mouth!!!! I enjoyed every Morsel of that well crafted Burrito!!! I paid by Credit Card and rolled out. That has got to be the Best Super Burrito I've had in Alameda in ages!!!! For this reason Canasta Kitchen is a Baller On a Budget Approved Establishment!!!! read more

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WHEN: Friday @11:45am I'm honestly motivated to try this place out because Cookiebar Scoop Shop has a special offer where if you purchase $30+ from Canatsta, you will get a Cookiebar pint for free! Besides, it's been awhile since I had Mexican food, and I've been wanting to try Birria tacos! I ordered via caviar, and although it will give you an estimate on when it would be ready, it will not text you when it's actually ready. I was able to beat the lunch rush! When I got there at 11:45am it was already there for me to take home! Not sure how long its been sitting there though. As for parking, I was able to find residential parking around the corner instead of on Webster (that would be impossible to find a spot). Here's what was ordered online: BIRRIA TACOS COMBO (3) - $16 3 tacos, the traditional Mexican beef stew. 1 soup Included. Luckily I had my air fryer to reheat this since it took me 15 min to get home. Overall it was bland. I should have added cheese which I did on my own. I appreciate that it was jam packed with lots of tender beef stew. But both the soup and tacos lacked flavor. I liked the amount of onion and cilantro though! SUPER BURRITO - $12.50 Flour tortilla, your choice of meat, rice, beans melted Jack cheese, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, salsa, and sour cream. I chose the chicken as choice of meat to be balance off the beef in the barrio tacos. This was a big disappointment. I don't think I've ever had such a dry burrito--I barely see any sour cream and salsa. Also, I don think I've every had a burrito with lettuce in it? Maybe I chose the wrong choice of meat...I should have chosen the pork where it may ooze some orange goodness from it. GUACAMOLE & CHIPS - $9.00 Fresh guacamole with pico, cotija and tortilla chips. This was the favorite out of everything ordered. At first I didn't understand why it's so expensive for guac and chips, but when I opened it I can see why: its topped with pico and cotija. It was so refreshing and delicious! Oh I appreciated the complimentary chips! The sauces too! This was my first Mexican restaurant experience in Alameda. Sadly not a great impression. Oh I appreciated the complimentary chips! The sauces too! This was my first Mexican restaurant experience in Alameda. Sadly not a great impression. read more

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Quesabirria is my favorite food trend of all time. This place does it right! They have both classic quesabirrias tacos and a unique menu item called the quesabirrias quesadilla. The quesadilla is definitely their standout item and one of the driving forces that keeps me coming back over and over again. The portion size is very generous and the rich, umami flavor is so savory! It is absolutely delicious. I prefer this quesadilla to the tacos, but both are incredible. The service for outdoor dining is really good. They have the nicest waiters I've ever had in the Bay Area. Every time I go they are SO nice. On my last visit for lunch with my mom, the staff didn't know about the 10% off Yelp check-in offer. Our waiter ended up giving us a 15% discount instead! Again, nicest servers ever! I am consistently blown away by their excellent customer service. They definitely give you your space when you sit outside, which I like. However, this can make dining here take a little longer, so be mindful of the time you need to allot here. Quesabirria doesn't keep very well as to-go, so I would recommend stopping in for outdoor dining. I think most of the more negative reviews were based off to-go experiences. I have never tried their takeout, but I think I'll stick to their outdoor dining. I was hopeful about reheating my leftover quesabirrias in the air fryer, but I'm sorry to report even that can't successfully revive them. I recommend eating their quesabirrias IMMEDIATELY and in-person to get the best experience. Overall, this is a great place for a relaxed patio environment, incredibly kind service, and fantastic quesabirrias. read more

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Horrible customer service and did not get what I paid for. Their super burrito is tiny! Terrible!

I have mixed feelings on this one. Great customer service, so nice and patient while we stared down the huge menu. Place looks nice inside and you can dine outside, they have heat lamps for the cold and it's covered too. However, it's way overpriced for the taste, quality and SIZE. These street tacos were so tiny. Got shrimp, beef, chicken and chorizo. Only one that tasted amazing to me was the shrimp. The others were unfortunately dry. Probably why they included so many salsas (those were fire though). The side of plain tortilla chips were honestly better than most of these tacos. Oh and the horchatas were good too. Sigh. Either up your cooking or lower the prices. Y'all will do so much better in finding a random taco truck for a BOMB ASS MEAL than come to this restaurant. read more

Canasta Kitchen - Street Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

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One of the Alameda best kept secrets. The food is affordable and the quality is phenomenal. They also have a variety of margaritas... DELICIOUS! Truly amazing experience, Abby was an amazing host and made our visit extremely pleasant by being friendly and very attentive throughout the night. Normally, I don't write reviews, but this place deserves an A+ for the amazing service and food! read more

Canasta Kitchen - Mango Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

Delicious Mexican food in Alameda! I had ordered some tasty birria quesadillas a while back and most recently got a vegan mole super burrito for the fiancé - both were great experiences! Ordering is super easy either online or via phone. The staff is super helpful (shoutout to Victor) - he helped me order my fiancé's vegan burrito and let me know about the comprehensive options, including replacing the meat with vegan pastor (made with soy meat), vegetables, or just eliminating the meat and dairy. He also confirmed the rice was made with just water and tomatoes (no chicken broth). FYI - Yelp also offers a check in 10% off discount on your first online order - Victor generously gave me 15% off and added chips and salsa. Both times I had ordered the food was ready early and the staff was so friendly. My birria quesadillas were yummy - beef was tender, consommé was flavorful and the cheese game was strong! Fiancé is usually hard to please and he enjoyed his mole burrito and practically licked the foil it was wrapped in. I want to try their fish tacos and burritos next time! read more

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I feel bad giving a not so positive review during these COVID times however this meal was disappointing on all levels. We did get this on Uber Eats so I am not taking into account the temperature or sogginess of the chips because I always know that is a possibility when the food is delivered rather than enjoyed right away at the restaurant. We ordered: Chips and Guac -- these came in a small container with the guac on top of the chips and the chips were inedible. The guac was a bit sour which was concerning and we ended up tossing this out. Chilaquiles Rojos -- this was not what I was expecting. The container came with chips on the bottom covered with unmelted cheese, topped with a scrambled egg and sour cream. I asked for the cream on the side and it was still on it and the unmelted cheese made the texture unpleasant. The flavor wasn't terrible but the execution seems poor. Cali Burrito w/pastor -- the burrito was just ok. Given that we did not enjoy any other part of the meal this was at least the most edible. El Puerquito -- the burritos are huge which is nice if you are hungry but I was not expecting such large chunks of chorizo, some of which too chewy to eat. The meat was very smoky as well which was overwhelming. The peppers are large which is great if you like the peppers but because of the size that dominated the flavor. All in all I would not go here again, but hope that it was just a one off since the other reviews are really positive. read more

This was the first time we ate inside a restaurant since the start of Covid, and we felt better about it because we were the only party dining in. And boy did we choose a good first restaurant! To start, they serve you house made chips dressed with some pico de gallo, refried beans and cheese -- a step up from your typical chips and salsa. The quesabirria was AMAZING. I've had birria tacos before elsewhere and was a little underwhelmed considering the hype. But OMG this quesabirria was IT. My stomach is rumbling just thinking about it. First off, loved that there was cheese grilled on the outside, looked delicious. And tasted even more amazing, both the quesadilla and the consume! Will absolutely order again. The chilaquiles were also delicious! Executed well, your choice of salsa, house made chips: YUM. And service was wonderful on top of it all. Will absolutely be back! read more

Canasta Kitchen - Birriatacos Quesabirrias - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

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Canasta Kitchen is amazing! Came here for outdoor dining on the weekend and it wasn't too crowded - granted I came after regular lunch hours. I was immediately delighted when we were served loaded house chips. Canastaco Fish Tacos- I was taken aback in a good way when I saw how tall the tacos were. The fish was crunchy on the outside but sort on the inside. Tacos Mamalon - also has a lot of height, and was surprised at how big the tacos were. The meats were nice and smokey with a nice dollop of guac on top. Ceviche - they make the ceviche here with large chunks of shrimp. Extremely delicious and highly recommend. Can't wait for the next time I drop by! read more

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This restaurant was emailed as a Yelp suggestion and I was excited to try their ceviche. It really looked so good in the photos. It was ok, but not as good as I expected. Ordered guacamole - there was something off - chopped tomatoes on top had a chemical flavor - scraped off. Also not spicy and bland. Carnitas taco very good! Fried fish taco good Lingua taco good Lots of meat in all three - pretty stuffed tacos which is good for the price Chips - meh - oil they fried in tasted old Overall - they are afraid of salt. Nothing had seasoning but once added it boosted the flavor. Three stars because of the carnitas. Unfortunately will not become my New Mexican spot. read more

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Ubereats review; The food was delicious called the restaurant to make some requests for our order. The man who answered the phone was Kind and accommodating. We enjoyed every bite. Look forward to seeing the restaurant one of these days. read more

So I get that restaurants want to branch out. This was not it. I ordered a steak wet burrito...the presentation was was on point but the flavor was lacking. I said so sour cream which I got but ok scrapped that off. The salsa verde was cool but the flavor is what did it for me. I could've gotten a wet burrito anywhere in Oakland and been satisfied. The meat to everything else ratio else was on point..it was the flavor..super bland. I also got a shrimp taco. It had a a lot of shrimp I was surprised cause I never had that except at Taco Sinola. But the shrimp was dry and not flavorful at all. Last not but not least the birria tacos..man! The beef was dry not tender but consume is want save it! Would I go back? Probably not. But I seen a lot of taco spot go to these areas where the are not used to the way Latino cuisine is supposed to be cooked and fall off. I think that's why LaPinta has always been the go to spot. I really wanted to like this place. It is a no go for me. read more

Canasta Kitchen - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

I called the order in and they requested I pre-pay because they've had people order and not pick up (WHO DOES THAT?!?). They quoted that food would be ready in 15 min and you the time I arrived, the food was packed, ready for pick-up. When I was settled at the beach and ready to eat, I was rewarded for my patience. The quesabirria was deliciously decadent. The birria was tender and when paired with the cheese...HEAVEN *chefs kiss*. The two salsas and the chips provided the crunch and acid to round out the flavors. Per my friends recommendation, I also ordered churros topped with dulce de leche, and it was the perfect ending despite the travel time and potential for sogginess. Happy customer & highly recommend! read more

Canasta Kitchen - Birriatacos Quesabirrias - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

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Canasta Kitchen takes over CK kitchen's space. this is the 2nd Brick & Mortar plus a taco truck or 2 out there. the experience is there, execution is lacking. ambiguous menu, pedesterian fare default. offerings: ceviche, appetizers, breakfast, salads, plates, tacos, burritos, antijotos mexicanos, desserts eats: enchilada (3/13.50) choose birria, mild salsa. -take out was ready when i got there. smiling amigos ready with order -fried tortilla chips commercial type, bleh, green, red salsa-pedestrian -birria meat was too chewy, moist not flavorful -pinto beans probably freshly made at one time, rice chumpy, slightly sweet. -enchilada shells fell apart easily. 5 minutes after receiving food, it was barely lukewarm. food had starchy aftertaste. 3.25 stars. canasta kitchen continues to disappoint. take outs: -service wasn't an issue, just the usual charge app, couldn't read the light print, glare or light paints used. -alameda meters wouldn't take quarter. not a good sign. read more

Canasta Kitchen - Birria enchilada(3) with rice/beans (13.90) - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

Birria quesadilla was paired with what seemed to be an old salad and it made the quesadilla really soggy. You get complimentary chips and salsa but the chips were stale . Also ordered a shrimp and steak burrito and there was no steak in it at all. Asked the waitress for chicken plate options and we really didn't get any help so we had to scan the menu and ask for alternatives . When we got the chicken plate the chicken was cut up into cubes and just looked burnt like from when you scrape the bottom or a pan. For the items we ordered and still having to pay over $60 for everything . Not worth it honestly read more

**Open for takeout and outdoor dining during shelter in place** Shelter in place guidelines: I thought Canasta Kitchen did a good job with their safety precautions. Upon reaching the doorway, you'll see a lot of signage and markings on the floor to keep your distance and wear a mask. All of the staff were wearing masks as well. Upon paying, there is not only a bottle of hand sanitizer next to the register to use after using the touchpad, but the staff encourages you to use it. Service: The staff was super friendly and accommodating. I'm not sure if one of the staff was new as it seemed like she was being trained. She did such a great job, especially considering what a crazy time it is to start a new job. Food: - Horchata: this wasn't my favorite horchata as it was lacking a bit of flavor - Super burrito: I saw some reviews on the burritos and got excited to try this, but felt disappointed after eating this. There wasn't anything spectacular about it, and the carne asada lacked flavor. - The reason for the four stars (other than the great staff) was solely because of the birria tacos. The birria was indescribably delicious. For those unfamiliar with birria (I had no idea what it was before this trip), it's a soup that is supposedly commonly made in large batches for larger gatherings. There is so much flavor to this soup, creating a very hearty dish. I can see this dish creating nostalgia of being home with family and friends. My only regret with this is that my friend ordered it and I didn't. I got a small taste and will definitely be going back for this dish. read more

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