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    Cenaduria Elvira

    4.4 (71 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Cenaduria Elvira Photos

    CENADURIA ELVIRA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Crispy taco with beef and pork
    Camie K.

    Super stoked for this newcomer Jalisco style Mexican joint. We enjoyed their: - crispy taco with beef/pork - enchilada with cheese - sopes with poblano peppers- excellent crust Their horchata and jamaica (hibiscus) drinks were very fresh too. Prompt and friendly service but they forgot to give us a menu and chips after seating us. Oh well! Prices were decent. I can see why this is a busy bustling spot! Will be back to try the raspadas and pozoles!

    La Original Tostada Raspada w/ shredded pork, beans, cabbage, queso, salsa ($19)
    Cherylynn N.

    4.25 STARS If sloppy was a person.... *Raises hand* If you're coming for Cenaduria Elvira's specialty: tostadas raspadas and you're sloppy like me... Come prepared with a hair clip, gloves, and bib...crab boil attire. Cuz it gets messy with enough bewbie crumbs for a snack later. A pandemic baby, Cenaduria Elvira started in the owner's parents' backyard before opening her first brick and mortar in February 2026. Walk-ins only, no rezzies. On Sunday, we arrived a little before 11 am opening and was promptly seated. By 12 pm noon, it was packed with a wait. M E N U Jalisco Cuisine with hearty stews, torta ahogada, enchiladas, tacos dorado, sopes, pozole, and their specialty: tostadas raspadas. Beer and sangria available. 3% CC surcharge. F O O D * Trompa en Salsa: Pig Snout in tomato sauce ($14): https://tinyurl.com/bddbf7ab Ok, before you yuck someone's yum, you can't let anything go to waste in this economy! Plus, pig snout is not as uncommon as people think, making appearances in nose-to-tail cooking and haute cuisine. Shoot, celebrity chef Chris Cosentino used to serve an entire pig's head at his SF resto that often sold out. The pig snout was slowly cooked and chopped into rich, meltingly soft gelatinous pieces. Satisfyingly delicious, homey, and collagen-rich, put it on top of the broken pieces of tostada "chips" and dress it with pickled onions and their smoky, spicy salsa macha. Bomb. * La Original Tostada Raspada w/ shredded pork, beans. cabbage, queso ($19): https://tinyurl.com/4rjujyad THE dish that landed Cenaduria Elvira in the NYT for "One of the Best Dishes" in 2023, a paper thin corn tortilla is sundried then freshly fried before serving. Shatteringly crispy with rough edges, it low key reminds me of flat unsalted bugles. It's topped with watery refried beans, shredded pork, queso fresco, lettuce, and a mild salsa. It's quite plain and the pork was dry so you gotta dress it with pickled onions, crema, hot sauce, and a squeeze of lime. It gets soggy fast and is messy to eat. * BYO Pozole (Large-$17): https://tinyurl.com/8mez3p86 - Add pata: pig's feet ($4) - Meltingly tender with a chewy gelatinous chew. - Add lengua: pork tongue ($4) - Soft, tender slices. * BYO Pozole (Large-$17) - Add espinazo: spine ($4) - Rich, meaty flavor but you only get two bones so not the best value. - Add oreja: pig ears ($4) - Soft and chewy with a slight crunch from the cartilage. The broth is mild and savory with chewy, bloomed hominy. Doctor it to your liking with diced/pickled onions, squeeze of lime and salsa macha. The finely shredded cabbage and sliced radish provided a welcome fresh crunch. They accidentally brought a pozole which we thought had the offal we ordered underneath. It turned out to be the pozole con carne (boneless pork), the same pork from the la original tostada raspada - very lean and dry so don't recommend this. Fyi, large size seemed more like medium and the small size is smaaaalll. S E R V I C E Warm, friendly service. It feels like the team is still finding its footing as they transition from a small home-based operation to a full-scale resto. Our order took a while and we received the wrong order but the mistakes were quickly fixed. The staff seemed stretched thin so we had to ask a few times for certain items (i.e. water). A M B I A N C E Modern, airy dining room with woven bamboo pendant lighting, greenery, and an open kitchen. There's about 10-12 tables inside and seven tables in the front patio with umbrellas. P A R K I N G Street parking, no lot. Overall, I came for the tostadas raspadas but what really shined was their homestyle stewed offal. Gotta eat my collagen to keep them ostrich tracks at bay!

    Tacos dorados
    Martha G.

    An amazing find and gem! This place tastes so authentic and is exactly the flavor and type of meals you'd get a a small mom and pop cenaduria in Mexico. We tried a variety of things and none of the dishes disappointed. We ordered a half order of chicken enchiladas (6), half order of picadillo sopes (6), half order of chicken tacos dorados (6), pozole, and a tostada raspada. All of these dishes were so delicious but if I had to rank them, it would be enchiladas, tacos dorados, sopes, pozole, and lastly the raspada. We also tried the horchata and the jericalla, which if you've never had it before is kind of reminiscent of flan but more aromatic. There's outdoor and indoor seating and the servers are so kind, welcoming and attentive. The food comes out quickly and I really liked the vibe. We left just as the rush started around 6pm so if you can come early you don't have to wait. By the time we left around 6pm there was a wait time (I'd say it's definitely worth it to wait if you have to). This place is great for family and friends.

    Chicken tostada (across the table)  1/2 dozen tacos (bean, potato, poblano pepper)
    Kim B.

    Delicious place to try, esp if you like pork. I'm vegetarian so I took advantage of the crispy vegetarian taco options. I got the bean, potato and poblano pepper tacos. So delicious. I also got the Michelada and it was pretty decent, too. W I went with a friend around 7:30 which turned out to be perfect because a line was forming around 8 and up until we left.

    Tostada raspado
    Elaysha J.

    We went Friday night with our toddler, it was busy but we got a table relatively quickly! I love that the family is all hands on deck here, such a cute spot with delicious food. We got a table around 8:30 and they had already sold out of lots of the meats and pork parts (I didn't mind because I don't eat beef or pork). The food! My son's quesadillas were so flavorful, the tacos dorados and tostada raspado were delightfully crispy with excellent portion sizes. My only qualm is it was freezing outside and they were so busy that it seems we were a bit overlooked and at one point we were asked if we'd received all the food we ordered. Still, service was warm, friendly, welcoming and attentive. I cannot wait to get around to trying more of the menu.

    6 sopes and one raspada de pollo
    Francina L.

    Walked in around 6pm on a Saturday, there was a wait for 2 for about 25 mins but we were text in 11 mins that our table was ready. They are every efficient so serve is good and fast. We were asked if we wanted chips and beans (thinking it was on the house- it is not) but was asked in a way where it was interpreted that way so just fyi. It was tostada and beans which were good. We also ordered one raspada de pollo and 6 sopes to share. Everything was really good and flavorful. Next time I would pick and choose different sopes and tacos dorados to get more variety. Everything takes super fresh and homey. I saw other people eating tortas so I would want to try that and their pozole next time as well.

    Entrance to dining room with cute decor
    Kendra W.

    This is definitely a new spot to check out! The food is not only good but massive! I mean the chicken tostada alone was big enough to feed 3 whole people 4 if you just wanna taste! I almost ordered two thinking it was going to be your normal tostada size. The tacos and enchiladas are normal size so fee free to order extras! We orders the cheeses enchilada, tacos de papa, pollo and also the carne which is shredded pork! All were delicious! Honestly my only con is that I didn't order more tacos! All the tacos we ordered were dorado which means deep golden fried and laid to the side if you know then you know! Let's just say they were Fire and leave it at that! This place is so cute and a great little hidden gem in jack london! So excited to come back and get more yumminess!

    Hillari A.

    A fresh and tasty take on tostadas respadas. Friend and I went and had their tacos and enchiladas because we both have small appetites. Although my friend said her enchilada was cold, she ate it and said it was tasty. And our tacos were as well. Nice, thin tortilla shells with tender crunch. They were delicious.

    Table decor
    Monica B.

    Here goes... THE TOSTADAS RASPADAS ORIGINAL absolutely delicious!!! Tostada had a wonderful toasted flavor (imported from Jalisco), the beans were good, cheese was rich & not too salty, cabbage added a nice texture & crunch, & the toppings provided--pickles red onion (literally ate them before food came), sliced radishes, lime wedges, diced onion were all great additions to tostada. The chile de aceite/salsa macha was perfectly spicy. They also bring you salsa & sour cream. And finally the shredded pork was really flavorful! When you see it it looks massive & you'd think you can't finish it...you can. We also ordered a couple tacos dorados and yes, they were good but very small. Ordered the Jericalla--it was ok. Trust me: Stick to the tostada raspada. Service was great! We signed up & were told 30-45 min but were seated much sooner. It's not a place you sit & eat for a few hours, it's a quick meal kind of place. How long does it take you to eat a tostada? Friend & I did sit a while but only because we like the chisme with our beer. Ambiance: Decor is simple & the lighting is really what makes a statement. Later in our meal they turned on some classic Mexican music which really added to the vibe--loved.

    More tacos
    Theresa L.

    The Teen and I decided to stop for dinner before heading back through that tunnel to avoid the dreaded traffic and it worked! We both ordered 3 tacos and a adobo beans with pedacera to share since they don't serve chips and salsa. She: three chicken tacos . Me: a bean taco, chicken taco and a potato taco. Wow, everything tasted good, I just wish there was more inside the taco shell without having to pay for extra, stuffings and I could've used a couple more chip thingy's to finish off the bean dip. Service was good we were greeted upon entering the door and seated immediately. Even with other staff being trained things went well. Ambience was chill on a First Friday in Jack London, but that's because I believe we beat the crowd. I would definitely go back and check out the outside seating so I could people watch a little more and because there's a few more things I like to taste from the menu. I'm giving this place 3 yumms up and I see you next time.

    Cute Mexican ceramic dishes.
    Atiteca S.

    We thought this place was OK. I tried the tostada raspada, a new thing i've never seen, even in Mexico. It was really big, huge, enough to have leftovers for days. That's good. The price is also reasonable for the amount of food. The flavor? Well, it was OK. They bring out really cute round Mexican ceramic dishes full of radishes, onions, purple onion, etc., a very Mexican touch you don't usaully get at local Mexican joints. That was good. Unfortunately our server neglected to give us a spoon to scoop it up so we had to ask for it. The main problem was being neglected, or worse, kicked off the waiting list. You give the host your cell phone # so they can text you when they're ready to seat you. We did, then went to wait in the car, as it was too freezing to stand out there in the cold. I looked over and saw no one was waiting anymore, and we'd been waiting half an hour, so i went to ask the host. We noticed we had been kicked off (removed) from the wait list. Yes indeed, they had free tables, but had simply kicked us off the list without bothering to ask. We had wasted valuable time, when we could have been seated. Also i asked the host if i could take the menu to the car to look at it. He said, no, can't do that. It turns out it's just a paper menu, the kind restaurants use so you'll take them home to use Door Dash or whatever they call it and order food. They lost one star for that. Our server was very nice, big smile and friendly attitude. They get good review on that aspect of service. Agua fresca was pretty good. It wasn't too watery, as it usually is. We thought it was OK but due to the problems, we won't be back.

    veggie raspada
    Eri S.

    Delish "tostada" (what the waiter said when they brought my order) but will overwrite what you think of tostadas. choice of meat toppings on top of a craggy landscape of fried shatteringly crisp corn-y goodness. the whole ones get made into the raspadas and the broken ones are served like chips for appetizers with various pork parts. there's a vegan version without cheese, just a smear of tasty beans, thin shredded cabbage, and mild thin tomato salsa. vegetarian version adds sprinkles of crumbled cotija cheese. def add the diced white onion, sliced radishes, pickled onions, and squeezes of lime from the ceramic bowls. and also add some of the thin but tasty vinegar based salsa from the squeeze bottle. big but i managed to finish one. barely. by adding the smokey chili oil. dang that is good. everything house made including jamaica sweet but not overly. bil had a very rich pozole, "small" was pretty sizeable. nibling had the 2 quesadillas and enjoyed the cheese pulls and dips in the same tasty beans on the side. will come again and already rec'd to others. also, the folks there are lovely. busy but helpful and caring. we got the tip that if you like pozole thick, you should come later in the day when the corn grains have really popped. and how the family has ingredients sourced from Jalisco still. so can taste the care put into the food here.

    A frame menu
    Chris F.

    This was our first visit to the Cenaduria Elvira Restaurant in Oakland and looking forward to returning again to try more menu offerings. During our lunch visit today, we enjoyed staring off with a couple beers, tostada chips & beans, followed by a variety of crispy tacos and a torta ahogada. Everything arrived to the table fast and was delicious! Our Server and wait staff were very friendly, engaging, and helpful answering our menu questions. The restaurant had both indoor and outdoor patio seating. The restaurant was nicely decorated and loved the feel with the open kitchen. We will be back soon!

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    10 days ago

    Service was good, food was great. Light, not heavy, portions are small ,but sufficient. We will return.

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    1 month ago

    Good food and excellent service. The place is pretty small but nicely decorated. Went in for brunch and left feeling full!

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    At the soft opening they had a selection of beers (draft/bottle; mostly Mexican brands) and wines, as well as a michelada option. I'm not sure whether that selection has expanded since the grand opening.

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    Molcajete Cocina Mexicana

    3.8(758 reviews)
    0.8 miUptown
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    I'm honestly annoyed I spent money here. Molcajete Cocina Mexicana was a huge letdown from start to…read morefinish. The menudo was completely bland and tasted like it came straight out of a can definitely not fresh and absolutely not worth ordering. The chips and guacamole were just "okay," but even that's being generous since the chips were clearly old and stale. The steak nachos were the final straw. They were straight-up gross. I ordered steak nachos and somehow got nachos covered in rice, barely any meat (if any at all), and a laughably small portion for the price. On top of that, they were made with the same stale chips. For what they charge, this level of food quality is unacceptable. I won't be coming back. The server was rude and short didn't care to answer any questions. Sinceramente me molesta haber gastado dinero aquí. Molcajete Cocina Mexicana fue una gran decepción de principio a fin. El menudo estaba totalmente desabrido y sabía como si saliera directo de una lata, nada fresco y definitivamente no valía la pena. Las papas fritas con el guacamole estaban "más o menos", y eso siendo generoso, porque las totopos estaban viejas y rancias. Los nachos de carne fueron la gota que colmó el vaso. Estaban horribles. Pedí nachos de asada y me los sirvieron llenos de arroz, casi sin carne (si es que tenía algo), y con una porción ridículamente pequeña para el precio. Para colmo, los hicieron con los mismos totopos viejos. Por lo que cobran, la calidad de la comida es inaceptable. No regresaré.

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    4.4(552 reviews)
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    This is certainly one of the best Mexican restaurants I've ever been to. Each taco is $4.50 and…read morethey load each up with meat. The meats are all juicy and cooked perfectly. The pina colada drink was perfect to balance out the salty/savory flavor of the tacos. You self serve cucumbers, carrots, and radishes which is always cool. Finally, there's live Mexican music playing and the overall vibes are fantastic. 4.9/5

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    Agave Uptown - Chile Relleno

    Agave Uptown

    3.9(775 reviews)
    1.1 miUptown
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    I was here for a business lunch with 4 colleagues. We shared a guacamole appetizer with 2 salsas &…read morechips. Plenty to share and simply excellent, with fresh ingredients, hand made green & red salsas. I had the chicken mole. Nice portion, surprisingly crispy enough, juicy, with a delicate, slightly sweet chocolate sauce. Great rice & beans, made with thought & skill, not just a vanilla addition. 2 colleagues had vegetarian Chile Relleno, while 1 had meat enchiladas. Everybody very much liked what they ate. Yes, I asked...because I like to review! :) I think this is great food, service, ambiance, & value for what you get. Good portions. I'll be back if I'm in Oakland.

    Came here on a double date. We were immediately seated due to having reservations…read more Our waiter immediately came and took orders when we were ready. He provided drink reccomendations upon being requested. I ordered the 2 tacos entree (Salmon and shrimp), my wife ordered the steak entrees. She ordered a beer and I ordered the watermelon type of drink. My tacos were so dry and the waiter forgot to bring me avocado salsa. However, even after he brought it, it was still so very dry and not very flavorful. It's like the just added the seafood on it without seasoning it. Also, I specifically told him no onions. However, there was onions on both my tacos. The rice was hard on some of the parts. The only thing great was the beans. My wife stated that get steak was bland as well. She nor I was pleased. I didn't bother to complain because we were with other people and I just wanted to have a great night. My drink came out watery with no flavor. I had to ask for additional watermelon stuff to put in it. He didn't even give me a straw, although he posted straws to everyone else. The waiter only came over once to check in on us and that was it. When the bill came, I gave the waiter $20 to make change for me. He made the change and handed it back to my friend. He was not even paying attention to us the entire time and now this. I felt such a way.

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    Bar Area

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    Tacos Oscar - chips & salsa morita

    Tacos Oscar

    4.4(298 reviews)
    2.3 miTemescal, North Oakland

    Amazing creative tacos with so much flavor!…read more Tacos Oscar never misses. The vibe is super casual and cute with outdoor seating and a relaxed atmosphere, perfect for a laid-back meal. We tried a variety of tacos, and everything was fresh and full of bold flavors. The standout for me was definitely the beef options and the sauces really take everything to the next level. You can tell they put a lot of thought into every component. Even the veggie tacos are incredible, not just an afterthought. Everything feels creative but still comforting at the same time. Portions are satisfying without feeling too heavy. Service was quick and friendly, and the whole experience felt easy and enjoyable. It's the kind of place you want to keep coming back to because the menu changes and there's always something new to try. Highly recommend if you're in Oakland and craving elevated tacos done right!

    Upscale taco joint with thoughtfully crafted tacos and quick service…read more Each element of each dish elevates its street food counterpart. We ordered pork shoulder, chicken, and charred broccoli tacos, as well as a tostada with elote and an agua fresca. The braised pork pulled aprt tenderly to reveal the chiles that imparted their subtle flavor. The mayonnaise spread thinly across the tostada was equal parts spicy and tangy, and almost too intense if not for the corn and squash layered onto it. (Perhaps the veggies were slightly under-seasoned to balance the mayo? I was a bit underwhelmed by them.) The agua de melon was syrupy in texture with a smoothness you don't often find. If there is one caveat, it is the price tag. Get yourself two tacos and call it a light meal, otherwise the tab starts adding up!

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    Tacos Oscar - Side seating entrance

    Side seating entrance

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    4.1(529 reviews)
    3.4 miDimond District, Lower Hills
    $$$

    From the moment you walk into Oakland California's Bombera, you feel the magic. The owner / Chef…read moreDominica Rice-Cisneros always smiles and waves from behind the kitchen, and that simple gesture sets the tone, warm, festive, and genuinely welcoming. The whole team carries that same energy; they're always happy to receive you like you're family. Let's talk FOOD. Where the culinary ways of Mexico and California intersect. Exquisite!!!! Thoughtful!!! Beautifully presented!!! The flavors are layered, the spices are intentional, and the details in every dish keep me coming back. I honestly haven't made it past ordering the roasted chicken, the signature salad with seasonal fruit, and those carrots! Listen, you may think, "Carrots? Really?" YES. Really. These carrots come surrounded by black beans in a chili sauce, topped with toasted almonds. I've never tasted anything like it. It's one of those dishes you think about later. Perfect for everything: Girls' night (like we did this past Friday), birthdays, graduations, date nights, I've even come solo. The food and service are that good. And I have to give a huge shout-out to Estilo, one of my favorite servers! He always welcomes every guest like they're his favorite person in the room. He talked us into getting the beets, and they were ON POINT. He checked on us throughout the night, joked with us, and honestly enjoyed our table just as much as we enjoyed having him. He even said, "You all look so great, let me take a picture of you!" and captured such a sweet moment. They've got indoor and outdoor seating, great vibes all around, and THE BEST tortilla chips you will ever have. I recommend making a reservation, however, they do take walk-ins. If you're in the San Francisco Bay area, it's a must! You'll definitely thank me!

    Summary: Delicious food with explosive flavors…read more Details: I can't recall how we landed on Bombera while we were looking for anniversary dinner options, but we were sure happy it did! I'll be honest: I came in to the dinner a little skeptical at the slightly lower reviews, but seeing that most of them were chalked up as service qualms (and being used to Chinese restaurants), we opted to give it a go. And boy, the food was t.a.s.t.y! Pozole and the carrots and beans were the highlights of the meal, both coming with a super smokey and fiery chili that we absolutely adored, but everything else we had was enjoyable, and not overly seasoned, which is always the concern when we go out these days. I can see where some of the service complaints might have come from because the staff seemed pretty slammed and harried, but we actually found the service to be quite friendly. Accessibility: Outdoor seating is technically accessible, not not always comfortably so. Some tables are situated on slightly-too-steep inclines, which means you may be scrunching or bracing for the entirety of your meal.

    Photos
    Bombera - Inside main room

    Inside main room

    Bombera - Carnitas: tender flavorful, added spicy carrots secret sauce made it even better

    Carnitas: tender flavorful, added spicy carrots secret sauce made it even better

    Bombera - Interior looking out

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    Interior looking out

    Cenaduria Elvira - mexican - Updated June 2026

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