I tried the pineapple mint agua fresca when I saw them vending at the Prescott / West Oakland night market. The agua fresca was very mint heavy, I couldn't really taste the pineapple and overall the flavor profile reminded me more of a green smoothie. I was bummed that it didn't have a much stronger fruity flavor, which is what I am looking for in agua fresca so I wouldn't recommend this particular drink. read more

COOL!NARIA - Pineapple mint agua fresca - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

I stopped by the truck at an expo. The staff was really nice. I wanted to love this place but honestly I didn't . I ordered the baja tacos. If the tortilla and shrimp were hot it probably wouldve tasted better. The cabbage and sauce on the taco were good. The agua fresca was okay. read more

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Stopped by the truck at the lake Merritt farmers market after hearing that another vendor said their carnitas were amazing. AND THEY WERE RIGHT. I got the torta with carnitas and this has been the best sandwich I've eaten all year! The bread was nicely toasted with a beautiful crunch. The carnitas were perfectly savory and not very greasy. The kale and carrot slaw was a perfect tart to balance the savory and crunchy. All in all an excellent sandwich to eat in the sun while drinking an agua Fresca which was also delicious. If you want a tasty and balanced meal come try their food. read more

COOL!NARIA - Torta - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

We went to enjoy the day at Lake Merritt on a beautiful, sunny Sunday recently and decided to have lunch with Cool!naria. My boyfriend had the Tecolote sandwich with red chilaquiles, two fried eggs, kale slaw, sour cream, cotija and avocado. This is a sandwich to be reckoned with for sure! Huge and delicious with a great combination of flavors and textures. I had the street tacos which were the perfect size to try a few offerings. Chicken pibil, baja shrimp, and pork carnitas. Each taco had a generous amount of filling and was topped with fresh, crunchy kale slaw. They were all so tasty it would be hard to pick a favorite. I enjoyed each one. We spent a little time talking with the owners also and they are the nicest people. Fast service too. Keep an eye out for their truck and pay them a visit. You'll love it! read more

I encountered them while visiting the area and they had a truck at the Saturday Oakland farmers market. So of course this jersey girl had to experience as many tacos as she could while on the West Coast. These were just OK. I wasn't wowed, the tortilla was dry, it was very little filling and the flavor was just mediocre. I can't say that I highly recommend this. Also, the Agua Fresca was not sweet or flavorful. It's definitely a different taco experience but not to my liking. read more

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I saw them because they were at the Off the Grid at OMCA. And they had tacos. I ordered and expected to not like them because they had cabbage and kale. But I ordered and they were ok. For my trouble, I received three of the tiniest tacos ever. I ordered the carnitas tacos. They were quite tasty, but I finished each one in two - three bites. Not quite the meal I was expecting. My husband had the carne asada. Again, they were tiny and tasty. However, understandably, we were still hungry, so we went to dinner elsewhere. That should not have happened. So, I still describe them as having the tiniest, tastiest little models, but the price for the three tacos is too much. Especially when you have to go out to eat after eating dinner. read more

I had the opportunity to try this place tonight because they were a part of the Oakland Turkey Trot 2021 bib pick up event. I have to say I did not expect much and did not expect to be impressed. I was completely blown away! The salsa was spicy just the way I like it. The shrimp was cooked to perfection and very plump the meat was great. Everything was a little bit smaller than what I'm used to for tacos with this may have been due to this event. I will definitely come back here and try to find this location just because of those shrimp tacos. read more

COOL!NARIA - Chicken Pibil Taco, Pork Carnitas Taco and 3 Pieces Shrimp Costra tacos. - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

I've been eyeing this Elote taco trunk by lake merritt for a while. I finally stopped by to order some Mexican corn elotes. The food truck is mask and social distance enforced. I went on a Friday afternoon, it wasn't busy at all. Their menu is right on the truck. It was easy to order, service was great, price is a bit pricy considering it is a bougie taco truck by the lake, the food was delicious overall. I ordered Mexican corn, and it was ready within 5min. The order process was simple, and the truck takes Apple Pay, credit card over $5. read more

COOL!NARIA - Oct 2020 menu - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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Like a taco truck 2.0. Fancier presentation, more nuanced ingredients, smaller portions and a steeper price tag. It was fun to try, but I may just hit up a Tacos San Buena truck next time I get the lunchtime craving. Blue Corn Huarache w/ Beef Tinga: First things first, there was a lot of great taste going on. The beef tinga was tender and nicely spiced. Tons of thinly sliced veggies and herbs to add some great texture and flavor contrasts. And like three types of sauces. The actual huarache itself was bit of a letdown, kinda like the texture of a store bought tortilla. They might have made it fresh on the griddle, but it didn't come across that way. Also, this seemed pricey at $14. Definitely higher priced than a meal from other Mexican food trucks around town. Fresh Mango Agua Fresca: Was a tad disappointed. I'm used to agua frescas being real sweet, either by virtue of lots of fruit juice or lots of sugar to make up for the lack thereof. This was quite watery, almost as if La Croix got into the business of selling agua frescas. Also, they served it in an awkward plastic bag as an homage to Mexico City or something. Could have really benefited from some ice in the bag since it was bordering on room temperature. read more

COOL!NARIA - Blue Corn Huarache w/ Beef Tinga - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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Incredibly friendly staff working at the truck during Pridefest! Those Baja shrimp tacos with the spicy salsa were absolutely incredible! Spicy, flavorful, juicy, tangy, and fresh! read more

COOL!NARIA - Baja Shrimp tacos with spicy salsa - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

The food truck was parked outside the Walt Disney Family Museum so we decided to try it. We purchased the Chicken and Pulled Pork Sandwich, but if I had to choose, the sandwich is more filling. The Chicken is the healthier option and it came with potato and beans on the side but whichever you choose, it's one of the few places to eat at this site. My only reason for giving 4 stars instead of 5 is the price. Although the pulled pork sandwich is flavorful and has an abundance of meat, it is high in price. read more

COOL!NARIA - Chicken and pork sandwich - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Had the carnitas torta at the grand lake farmers market the other week and thought it was really pretty good. Good bread, moist pork, great mix of sauces and veggies for some textural variety. I've seen this truck forever and glad I finally got to try it. Next time I'll get some tacos. read more

Being vegetarian, I opted for the Veggie Tacos 3 for $14). They're more like quesadilla format - flattened and crisped on the griddle - minus the cheese. The filling was purple mashed potatoes, and was exactly how it sounds. I wish they had some flavor like surely the meat options do. Fortunately the toppings of mild sauce, sour cream, and cotija cheese were great, as was the little side of kale, carrots, and onions. The Agua Fresca wasn't how I'd describe an Agua Fresca, which is generally fruit forward, sweet, sometimes chunky from bits of fruit. I had the lemonade with chia seeds, and the few chia seeds floating on top were pretty disappointing, as was the flavor which was somewhere in between bland and bitter. Definitely a pass, especially for $5. I will say the ceviche looked pretty cute, as it was served in a coconut shell. read more

¡DELICIOSO! I enjoyed everything about the experience. From the cool rustic truck, to the wonderful customer service to the promising menu. This duo is passionate about what they do, and it shows. We got to enjoy our meal while social distancing at Lake Merritt and it was truly the highlight of our week. The shrimp was juicy and plump, the carnitas were perfectly crispy. You can't go wrong checking them out! read more

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Cool!naria is the greyish black food truck with the smiling skull on the cab door. menu is nearby. locale: Otg: the lot (11/1) offerings: usual mexican eats, various tacos, huaraches, tortas eats: 3 shrimp taco/$10.00 -3 mini tacos with 2 ez peeled shrimp on the bottom, red onion, cilantro, schredded dark green veggie on top, some lime squeezes, a light touch of hot sauce. flavored by escabeche and mexican pesto. -not a lot of taste, shrimp crunchy, lightly boiled to remove iciness. -better than breaded shrimp at least. crumbs: -not a lot of taste for a ten spot + tax -no salsas available to add to tacos, foods. -service not slow since only 2 in line. -fresh, but not a good value, 2.5 stars. read more

I tried their "gringas" pastor tacos they were super tasty/delicious; highly recommended for sure. They're usually located off Grand Ave near the Pergola @ Lake Merritt in Oakland, CA read more

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This is a truly artisan food truck! You can taste the fresh ingredients and practiced care that goes into their creations. I was blown away by both of their variations on the shrimp tacos, and returned to try the carnitas, al pastor and tinga tacos. What a mouth party! I am looking forward to trying their house made mole on my next visit. They are often parked on lake Merritt on Grand Avenue. Do yourself a favor and check then out read more

COOL!NARIA - Shrimp tacos two ways - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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Coolinaria brought their beautiful truck to our ranch-style wedding and served up the classiest food for cocktail hour: ceviche in gorgeous coconut shells, three types of tacos (including delicious vegan tacos - purple potato with a kale slaw), guacamole/chips and they were thoughtful enough to think of making cheese quesadillas for the kids! Everyone was in love with the food and Beth and Beto are so easy to work with and just very kind, warm people. We met with them a couple times at their pop-up spot at Federation Brewery and they always took the time to sit down with us and talk through details and ideas. I feel like there aren't many high-end options for mexican food trucks, so Coolinaria is who you want for a stylish event. You get restaurant quality food with the fun atmosphere of having a truck. I can't recommend them highly enough! read more

COOL!NARIA - Gorgeous ceviche in coconut shells for my wedding cocktail hour at Reinstein Ranch in Livermore, CA. - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Food is attractive and toppings are good, but carnitas were crazy soggy with a poor flavor. I tried the Carnitas Torta. It could have been OK, but the soggy carnitas really ruined it. The bottom of the roll was just sopping and falling apart. The carnitas also had a bit more barnyard taste than I'd like. If they threw the carnitas on the grill to crisp them up a bit, this could be a good sandwich. As it stands, I'm not sure I'll be going back. It was reasonably tasty overall, but given the quality of tortas and tacos you can get from trucks in the bay area, I'll probably stick to my old favs. read more

This isn't your normal Taqueria down the street. If that is what you're looking for, then this isn't the place for you. Cool!naria is an elevated taste of Mexico. I'm from the south of Mexico, and I can tell you this is as close as I have gotten when it comes to food. Not only is the food deliciously authentic, it's also beautiful! The chef takes great pride in the art behind cooking. Eating at Coolinaria is eating beautiful Mexican food! Everyone there is always extremely friendly. I recommend this place to anyone looking for a unique type of Mexican food. Ps. Ask about their vegan options read more

I was at the Thursday Livermore Farmers' Market during dinner time. I wandered the food trucks on J St. This food truck caught my eye. It advertised organic, fresh ingredients. I ate yummy 3 Baja style tacos which had good-sized shrimp. It had a pesto drizzle & very fresh veggies. read more

Had a vegan torta today for lunch, and it sucked. Let me start off with the fact that hibiscus flower as a "meat" substitute sucks! It's so damn bitter, hard to chew on, and the flavor is just not great. I feel like they should have just used jackfruit instead and seasoned it differently. Hibiscus on a torta is honestly not tasty at all. Don't waste your money on this, it's not worth it. The torta was also very dried and it was supposed to come with black beans and avocado, but they forgot to add that to mine! The hibiscus is just not a great idea so I imagine that even the vegan tacos would suck. Also this review is coming from a vegan, I enjoy vegan food so so much, but this, it just wasn't good. read more

This place is a must! We make a point to go there for the tacos - get them spicy! The proportions are amazing and there is so much flavor. read more

COOL!NARIA - Bring a blanket, enjoy your meal on the grass by the lake! - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Got tacos & costra at the Oakland Roots game, and when I asked what they recommended, they said "we recommend you don't walk too far away because you'll want to come right back" and YES SIR THEY WERE RIGHT. Delicious, high quality, organic /local/sustainable street food that was a JOY to eat. read more

The flavors are fantastic however the portions are sooooo small - especially for the prices. I spent $18 on one taco and a huarache - (Escabeche, black beans foam, sour cream, avocado puree, cotija cheese, grilled cactus) and I was still hungry. I guess if you aren't that hungry and don't mind spending a ton for tacos, it's not bad. -S read more

I just love this food truck. Fresh clean flavorful seafood. Choice meat cuts. Great combination of flavors. Some may compare it to dining in Mexico City or on a costal town in Mexico. Very good. The owners are amazing and are very discretionary about the ingredients they use. My favorites are the guacamole and chips, shrimp costra tacos, and when they have it the steak costra. read more

Wow! Amazing ceviche today at the presidio picnic. Very fresh with balanced, layered flavors. I ended up ordering two they were so delicious. To boot, it's served in a coconut shell bowl. Love this ceviche! read more

One of the most authentic Mexican food trucks in the Bay Area. The food is a work of art and it's taste reminds me of Pujol in Mexico City.

Haven't tried their food yet, but ordered at their truck at the Coliseum and this may be the longest I've ever waited to get my order from a food truck. *** The quality of the food is usually the most important part of a review for me, so let me update. The three tacos I got ( two steak, one carnitas) were good. However the wait was insane. We missed about three innings of the game. If the wait continues to be an issue, I wouldn't be able to recommend this truck, nor are the tacos so good that I would be willing to wait that long again. read more

Their tacos are sooooo good! The carnitas are my personal fave but I've never had a taco I didn't like from them. They even grill up the cheese which is next level taco science. I wish I could eat these tacos every day! read more

Best tacos in Oakland highly recommended. Flavorful and excellent quality, super friendly staff.

This is my favorite food truck in the Bay area. It's from a truck, but it is NOT a typical taqueria food truck. This is restaurant quality food - really good restaurant. Other reviews complain about price and wait, and if you want a few quick bean/ground beef tacos for $5 don't eat here. If you want high quality, creative dishes prepared by a chef, you'll love this place. read more

Came across this food truck in the San Francisco Premium Outlets (in Livermore) and glad I did because the food was delicious. I had the tecolote, which is a chilaqueles-type sandwich with fried eggs & tortilla chips, which is a great vegetarian option. My friend ordered three tacos. They were also really nice and let him select three different types of tacos (shrimp, pork, beef) for one order. We ordered spicy and it just had a little kick; perfect for me & a little mild for my friend. It did end up being $25 for the two of us but I don't expect anything different from bay area specialty food trucks. All in all, definitely recommend their food and hope to find this truck again soon! read more

We waited over an hour in line. They were at the how weird festival and they had ONE person cooking. The other problem was that one person was moving with ZERO sense of urgency. Wasted my day and really ruined the vibe for us. The tacos were sub par. They charged 5 dollars for a taco I could literally finish with one or two bites. It was pathetic. Pat read more

My first and last time at this establishment. Three soggy shrimp tacos, totaling 6 shrimp in all. No lettuce, tomato, just shrimp and soggy cheese. Plus chips and a small scoop of guacamole, that'll set you back $18. Pretentious staff don't even offer you a bag for takeaway. Overall: don't go here unless everything else is closed and you're desperate. You could just go across the street and get a great meal at Jong Ga for less money, at least when these guys are operating on Grand. read more

Great authentic Mexican food in the bay area!!! We loved the carnitas and the tinga! Thanks for the friendly service! Highly recommended!

I ordered the 3 beef tinga tacos for $12. They tasted great, but they were so small! $12 for 3 tiny two-bite tacos is too pricey for me. Also, I would have loved to try the carnitas taco and the veggie potato taco as well, but they only allow you to order 3 of the same taco :( read more

Rather awesome Mexican street food in an haute cuisine style. Their food truck was parked in front of Room 389 on Grand Ave. Oakland. Had the huaraches with beef tinga (Shredded tender beef), black beans, puréed avocado, scrumptious pickled veges and cotija cheese. Gotta go back and try something else as good as that! read more

The Cool!naria food truck gets a solid "fine" rating. The service was fine (friendly person taking my order and ready to answer any of my questions). My food came up fairly quickly (probably helped by the fact that there was no line and I just ordered tacos). I got the 3 Beef Tinga tacos (w/mild salsa) for $11. They were *tiny* -I'll probably have to reach for one of the snacks I keep in my cubicle in an hour or so. Tastewise they were just okay. The beef really wasn't very flavorful, unfortunately, and the salsa was just okay. Would I try them again? Maybe. I definitely wouldn't order the same dish and I wouldn't go out of my way or stand in a long line for them. Again, the best word to describe the experience was "fine" (along with a non-committal shrug). read more

The tacos are tasty, but they're 5 bucks a piece and you only get 1 corn tortilla. They take a long time to prepare.