We stepped out today for Indian, but when we got there, the restaurant was closed. After wandering a bit, we decided on the taqueria we had seen on a side street while parking the car. Besides, we're still on our quest for the perfect taco. This place was a good choice. Tucked on a side street off of Main, and right across from a parking lot, Cocina Mexico is a delightful find. With a walk up counter for ordering, a small indoor seating section, and a naturally shaded outdoor patio, this place is a lovely lunchtime stop. Even with the 90 degree Pleasanton heat, we were comfortable under the large trees. Add to the ambiance some playful music (not your typical mariachi here), and it was a fun, uplifting vibe. Now for the food. My husband and I were split on our decision. He said it was a basic taco spot, not bad, not exceptional. I disagreed. We both ordered the two taco meal ($10 for two tacos, rice and beans with chips and salsa). I had the chili verde and the carnitas, with black beans and he had the Al Pastor and Chili Verde. We both agreed that the Chili Verde was nice. At first, it was a tiny bit bland (like it needed to stew in the sauce just a touch longer), but it was tender and there was a nice spicy finish (bordering on hot, but not out of control spicy). The carnitas, was, in my humble opinion, one of the best carnitas tacos I've had in a good long while. Packed with juicy flavor, tinged with little bits of crisp meat, it was satisfying and elicited my normal vocalizations of pleasure. I could have been better with the option to squeeze lime or the standard taco bar jalapenos/radishes/carrots. The beans were good, mildly seasoned, and just enough for a tasty side. (You can choose between pinto, refried, and black beans). The rice was also good, not at all mushy and with a nice flavor. Chips were perfectly crispy, not greasy and the salsa was ok. Our horchatas were delicious, not too sweet and made in-house. (Yay!) They have the usual Mexican sodas in a cooler and fountain drinks available. The food was served quickly, and was piping hot when it arrived. In all, we'll round back to try the other menu items... enchiladas and flautas for sure, along with the fish and shrimp tacos. Together we give this a 3.5 (him a 3, me a 4). Worth the stop. read more

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I'm a relatively new resident to the town of Pleasanton and yesterday, my boyfriend and I had our first craving for local Mexican cuisine since my move. Thanks to Yelp (of course) which always comes in clutch, we decided to give Cocina Mexico a try. The restaurant itself is located on a more quiet location off the main downtown strip of Main Street, so I feel it can possibly get overlooked. I'm glad we gave them a try. Interior: Relatively small, but adequate seating can be found inside the colorfully decorated main dining area. There is a television that happened to have Sunday football on, so that was a plus. Very clean inside, walk-up order type of venue, so if that's not your thing, this isn't the place for you. Exterior: Several umbrella covered seating areas as well as uncovered seating available for your choosing either in the sun soaking up some Vitamin D as well as under nice, large trees. Restrooms are available outside the main dining room area, granted, with a key you can aquire upon inquiry. I liked the outside area, as did the bf. Service: I will say, the lovely young lady who appeared to be High School age (perhaps related to the staff or owner?) was very sweet & knowledgeable over their menu as she very efficiently handled the register and answered a couple of my questions I had with a smile. Great girl! She gets an A+! Menu / Selection: Relatively simple. Not a ton of selections, really, but all the usual go-to type items you'd expect to see in a taqueria. Big plus to their selection of salsa! Their salsa roja delivered the heat I crave and in addition, we also tried the salsa verde as well as the only available on Sunday avocado-jalapeno salsa which was de-LISH! Myself being a vegetarian am a bit leery over refried beans, so I wanted to be sure I ordered something that was veg-friendly, without question. I went for the Ensalada Fresca which was tasty and very fresh, indeed. Nothing spectacular, but again, veg-friendly, so no complaints. My only critique was with the raw chopped zucchini that is used in the salad. I felt perhaps a better pairing would've been diced cucumber instead. Just my humble opinion, but hey, I know for next time. The bf chose a burrito which he said was exactly what he was craving and it most definitely hit the spot. Nachos: We decided to split the nachos for an appetizer and made it Jeanie friendly by requesting to have the meat served in a separate container on the side. What was brought out to us looked just "ok" - and the side of meat that you typically see piled high on top of the nacho entree no matter where you go was severely lacking in presence. It actually was served in a tiny container and was almost laughable to both the bf and myself. Hey, I could care less because meat is not my thing - felt a bit bad for my boyfriend, however. Verdict: The service was great, we definitely dug the outdoor seating area as well as salsa options. We'll be back, but you can bet we probably won't be ordering the nachos and I'll most likely opt for something other than the salad. Kudos to them, however, for including a healthy & veg friendly item on the menu! Us vegetarians as well as vegans are an ever growing population! Salud! read more

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My gosh, this place is so good! We eat here almost every Saturday during the Farmers Market. Very authentic, quick, inexpensive, and super good food! We love the taco plates, Super Burritos with Al Pastor, and the Carnitas Bowl! The chips are even great! They make their own pico de gallo - perfect! Very friendly service. Nothing fancy - just great Mexican food! Lovely sitting out on the side patio, enjoying the weather and sites of downtown Pleasanton. read more

This is my absolute favorite Mexican food place! I got the veggie burrito, and it tasted really fresh. The staff is also so so nice and helpful read more

We love this place for a quick lunch or grab and go dinner. Their burrito bowls are amazing, they have great shrimp tacos and they don't skimp on the ingredients. They have chips and a variety of salsa and sauces at the bar for grabs too. Just a great Mexican option in downtown P'ton. read more

I really like the chicken and vegetable soup and pozole and salad with shrimp. Generous portions especially on main st. I'll be honest I wouldn't go out out of my way to come here if it weren't so close to work but it is a really good place for soup. read more

I walked in to make a carryout order for a party of ten. I ordered an assortment of burritos, quesadillas, tacos, and a crunchy wrap. Service was friendly and efficient. On a side of the restaurant near the cash register is a tub of homemade deep-fried chips and a few options of salsa and pico de gallo. They're free with any order and I was offered a few paper bags to fill up chips to take to-go! Their salsas are offered mild, medium, hot, and extremely hot. All items in the takeout bags were correct, which I find impressive given that the majority of the time something is wrong when I make large orders at other restaurants. Bravo! I had a crunchy wrap with carne asada. The crunchy wrap is a grilled/lightly pan-fried flour tortilla that has meat, beans, refried rice, sour cream, cheese, pico de gallo, and a corn tortilla sandwiched in between it all. It was tasty and filling, but the corn tortilla gets soggy in the middle quite fast, so next time I will opt for a burrito (all the same ingredients, just no corn tortilla). Everybody in my group enjoyed their food and the chips and salsa. One thing to note is that the quesadillas are very small, they seem kid-sized, so if you're hungry you may want to order two of them. Overall, the food was fresh and filling, do give it a try! read more

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Found this gem after spending the day at the fair and was pleasantly surprised! Service was so quick, food was fresh and yummy, workers were very nice. Overall everything you can want in a taqueria and all for an excellent price. When passing through I will definitely dine again for a quick and delicious meal. We don't have any pictures because we were hungry at the time but I'd definitely recommend the ensalada fresca (order without cheese and sub limes for salad dressing for a vegan option) and it was so refreshing on a hot day. read more

Horrible super burrito! It had huge thick chunks of cheese pieces in the burrito. The chicken had no flavor or seasoning on it. I will not be purchasing food from this location again. read more

I know this sounds crazy, but we've eaten at Cocina Mexico a couple hundred times, and I just tried the carnitas tacos for the first time today. OMG! These are unbelievably good! My typical go-to is the super burrito with al pastor, with refried beans and added guacamole - which is amazing. And the fish tacos are my number two. But these carnitas tacos are giving them a run for the money! read more

Cocina Mexico - Sunday late lunch - carnitas tacos! - Mexican Near Me - Pleasanton, California

We ordered fish tacos and chicken enchiladas. Both were very bland, the chicken was dry and flavorless and the fish had no seasoning. The sauce for the enchiladas was dry and didn't add much flavor, I had to douse it with my hot sauce I had at home. Even the black beans lacked flavor. I was craving for comfort Mexican food and was very disappointed. read more

This place is still our go-to for Mexican food! Very recently I tried the keto tacos and they were amazing! I wish there was an option in DoorDash to get the tacos by themselves (like with regular ones)! The food is always consistent, the service is always amazing! I can't recommend Cocina Mexico enough! read more

Really the blandest Mexican food we have ever tasted. Nice staff, fast service, good outside seating, but the food is just mediocre at best.

Very casual, but great food with fast and friendly service. Chips and salsa are included. I appreciated that the food was on the healthier side, not greasy or over-fried. read more

Right off the main strip of downtown we almost walked past it. Small front but there are some outdoor tables. A few more tables inside. You order from the counter and when you are finished you bring your dishes and cups to the trash area. Restrooms are accessed from the outside and you get the key from the counter Good selection of salsas and good chips My husband has the fish plate with rice and beans. The fish had been grilled on the flat top and had good flavor I had the veggie burrito bowl and I liked it except the spices on the veggies was a little too spicy. Comes with rice, beans, lettuce, cheese, salsa and sour cream. Good choices that you can mix and match. read more

Our daughter and her friends love Cocina Mexico, so we decided to have them cater her graduation/going away party. We had 75 people and all of them loved the food and left full! The food was delicious! It was on time, hot, fresh, and included all of the sides, utensils, and serving tongs and spoons! Excellent experience and I would highly recommend either dining at or catering from Cocina Mexico!!! read more

Found Cocina last minute on yelp and trusted the reviews since my caterer backed out. I did a 25 pp tacos party catered 2 days before Halloween with 3 types of meats and all the sides for roughy 250. Anthony knocked it out of the ball park. He reassured me order will be all ready and just trusted him. He made it seamless and super easy for me. The entire order was organized and packed perfectly. Pickup time was exact and all I had to do was pick up and easily unpack. The steak, chicken and carnitas were excellent, not dry or salted like other places. Huge portions of beans, chips, salsa, tortillas and enough to feed at least 25 adults with tons of leftovers. This is the 3rd Mexican restaurant I catered and Cocina so far was the best one. Million thanks to Anthony and I will be back for sure. Excellent food and service. Easy parking off of Main Street in Pleasanton. read more

We were looking for a place for a quick bite in Pleasanton, and stumbled upon Cocina Mexico. A real find. Excellent food, affordable prices, excellent, friendly service, and even free chips and salsa. What more can you ask for. read more

We've eaten there since it opened. We have tried many of the menu items and have never been disappointed. My husband's go-to is a taco salad and I like their Baja Fish Taco Plate. Their chips and salsa are great too! They have a smaller menu than a lot of the Mexican restaurants in the area, but they do everything really well. It seems that most of their food is made in house and not out of a can. It is always fresh tasting. The people at the register (where you place your order) are friendly and welcoming. The prices are reasonable as well. Definitely a great place to grab lunch or a quick dinner. read more

Repeated The Baja Fish Taco plate and its is awesome! read more

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The food here is amazing if your looking for that Mexican style taste! The prices are fair in accordance with the portions and the service is great and quick. We received our order within five minutes of ordering and the food was fresh and delicious. Would definitely recommend if your looking for a place just to sit down and eat some tacos. They also have an outdoor patio for sit and dine in and a beautiful set up. read more

I got the super carne asada with black beans and my husband got the fish taco plate. It came with chips and salsa. I liked how the burrito came with black beans because a lot of places only has refried. Each bite, I can taste the rice, sour cream, meat, melted cheese, salsa, and beans. The meat was not chewy like some places either or contain a lot of fat. The red salsa they gave us complimented the burrito very well. Only downside were the chips, which were a little stale. I'll be back to try the pastor. read more

Cocina Mexico - Half of a carne asada burrito - Mexican Near Me - Pleasanton, California

A hidden gem. They have a small menu but they make everything well and with love. I always order the shrimp tacos and the fish tacos. This time, I ordered the shrimp taco meal. Generous & quality pieces of shrimps. The tortilla was perfectly made. It comes with a side of beans and cheese and spanish rice. They also offer various salsas with chips. All worth trying! Upon request, they will grill jalepeños for you... Also try their store made horchata. The best horchata i've had... I'll be back again and again when the mood for authentic mexican food strikes... read more

Cocina Mexico - Mexican Near Me - Pleasanton, California

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Great food - friendly staff - well priced. In an area covered by great Mexican food, Cocina Mexico competes. I recommend the shrimp tacos; wash them down with a beer. Located in Downtown Pleasanton - charming atmosphere. read more

Never disappointed with the freshness of the food here. Always a courteous service. Have been a customer for 15 years.

Really good. Great service and good food. Also free chips and salsa which is nice. No complaints

We love this place! Been going here for ten years nearly every weekend and it never disappoints. My absolute favorite item is the fish tacos. The rice and beans are delicious. They have a lot of GF options, but unfortunately they arent able to avoid cross contamination (our daughter has celiac), but that doesnt stop us lol. We get take out from a celiac safe restaurant for her and make our way here for ourselves. The owner is so friendly. Low key atmosphere, great food, love it! read more

This is our new favorite place to grab mexican food in Pleasanton! I am a fan of super burritos instead of fancy plates, and this place knows how to make a mean burrito! Their green sauce adds a nice bit of flare to the flavor as well! I called in an order last Friday and went to pick it up. Yes, they are still open during this pandemic! I pulled up front, called in, and they actually walked it out to my car. Now that's customer service! read more

Not a single $ restaurant, menu on yelp is outdated If you are a vegetarian their rice has chicken broth So any dish you order thinking vegetarian option will come without rice. We ordered super burrito bowl and veg enchiladas One word for both ,Disappointed !! Update Jan 9th 2023: we were told at cash register that rice has chicken broth. Owner is saying it doesnot May be you should give some training to your staff read more

I had a Dry and Wet burrito and both are very feeling and great taste. I would highly recommend this place. The customer service is outstanding very nice ppl. read more

Food is good their hours of operation are horrible!!! Must be enjoying their siesta. It would be nice to have more convenient hours for the customers. read more

As soon as you walk in you're greeted by an amazing scent of fresh food being made! The restaurant is small but clean. All the staff were friendly and customer service oriented. About 5 minutes after we ordered the food came out hot and beautiful! The presentation is great and the food delicious. This is an absolute must when it comes to good authentic Mexican food. read more

Cocina Mexico - Mexican Near Me - Pleasanton, California

Great carnitas super burrito. Was visiting wife's family and tried this place. Would definitely come back

I was craving Mexican food for lunch so my coworkers and I came here. We love how affordable and filling the food is. I ordered the steak taco plate with all rice. Once you order you can head to the mini nachos bar with some dipping sauce. It is a self seating restaurant so sit wherever you want as long as your number is visible. There are seats available outside but it can be hot sometimes. Parking can be tricky you may find parking in the lot or on the street. Get here early if you want a seat in the restaurant. I like the food, but it could be better. I will be back soon! read more

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Being new to the area, I've been on the hunt for great Mexican food and after eating at this taqueria, still have yet to find it. I chose Cocina Mexico based on their decent overall rating compared to many other Mexican restaurants and taquerias around, but I'm learning that's not always something to trust. While the food wasn't entirely inedible, it was definitely not worth the time or money spent on the experience. The shredded chicken in the flautas and enchiladas was cooked properly but I don't believe it was seasoned in the slightest. This was some of the least exciting food I've ever tasted. The rice and beans were properly cooked but weren't hot...and I have a personal preference for beans with hot, bubbly cheese on top, but that's just not how they do things here. The plates were actually made of a thin plastic, which explains why the food isn't hot because they wouldn't be able to put that material near a heat source. To each their own, I suppose. It could be that this place serves crazy good burritos or tacos but unfortunately, with the experience my boyfriend and I had here we agreed we wouldn't be returning and had to console ourselves afterward with some of the delicious soft serve from the nearby Meadowlark Dairy. read more

The food was ok, but just not nearly as good as some other places locally. We had a carnitas super burrito and shrimp super burrito, both wet, and both were good. The carne asada and cheese quesadillas were both bland. Would have been much better if they used queso quesadilla cheese instead of a basic blend of cheeses. The pastor burrito was meh. As was the guac and salsa roja that they sent. Tasted like something from a jar. And, they forgot a burrito on our order. Again, it was ok, but probably won't be back. read more

My favorite Mexican food spot in Pleasanton. They were also very kind to assist me near closing time and the food was still made with care

This is our favorite little taqueria in Pleasanton. My hubby and I stumbled upon this little gem while attending the farmers market on Saturday's. The food is very authentic and reasonably priced. Hubby got the Baja fish taco, and I got the shrimp tacos. Superb! Also, they have fresh made salsas on hand near the tortilla chips and always some fresh sliced limes to squeeze onto your yummies. A must visit read more

Cocina Mexico - Mexican Near Me - Pleasanton, California

Went for lunch after seeing the high rating but was severely disappointed. While the staff were friendly and the place clean, the food choices were limited. More importantly, the food taste was extremely average. It did not have much flavor at all. The fish tacos were fresh but almost no flavor. The kids burrito was blah....the Carne asada in the burrito bowl was fresh but the bowl itself was not very inspiring. Portion were not very big either. read more

I generally like this place and have been a customer since opening. Unfortunately, I will no longer order takeout that comes in a clam shell container. They only offer styrofoam. I'd pay the premium for a compostable version. I can always bring a container (minor hassle), or go elsewhere. read more