El Califas Tacos was absolutely worth the drive! I'm very picky when it comes to tacos, and these were some of the best I've had. The homemade flour tortillas were incredible and made every taco even better. The customer service was just as impressive. I'm not sure if the gentleman who helped us was the owner, but he was so welcoming and even offered my husband and me a chicharrón taco to try. As someone who doesn't usually eat much pork, I was surprised by how amazing it was it was flavorful , and quickly became one of my favorites. We live in Pittsburg, and we'll definitely be making the drive back again. Great food, great service, and an overall fantastic experience. Highly recommend! read more

I'm obsessed with the burritos here! My go-to order is the carne asada super burrito. It's HUGE, so I usually cut it in half and share it because it's more than enough to fill me up. The Spanish rice is always super flavorful and perfectly cooked, and as someone who loves tomatoes, I especially enjoy the tomato flavor throughout the rice. I always get the salsa roja (red sauce), which is mild and absolutely delicious. I also love the convenience of ordering online for pickup, and the staff are always so friendly and welcoming. Definitely a proud regular, and I always look forward to my weekly burrito fix from here! read more

El Califas Tacos - Califas Asada tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Ramon, California

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I was solo and looking for a quick Mexican place. I saw the very favorable reviews and ordered 2-taco Califas with pollo asado and beans. They were the best tacos I've ever had, and that is quite a statement. They were more than ample and came with melted cheese between the corn tortillas, sauce, onions, radishes, and cilantro. Outstanding!! Beans were good and nondescript. At $4.30 each, about the same price as an in-and-out burger, I will definitely be back with the family. The restaurant is very clean and the server/cashier was very friendly and suggested I get the hot sauce on the side-great advice! read more

El Califas is tucked away in a corner of the Marketplace plaza in San Ramon near Trader Joe's! Since they share a lot, parking wasn't hard to find. For how much I love tacos, enchiladas, burritos, you name it, I don't know why I don't try more small businesses serving Mexican cuisine! Barbacoa Taco ($3.80): Packed a punch! The meat was so tender and I could've easily devoured two or three more. It came with two sauces at different spice levels and I loved both! Staff was very friendly and service was fast. It's a smaller shop so seating is limited inside (high chairs against the wall), but I didn't mind. I'll be back to try a burrito! read more

El Califas Tacos - Tacos! - Mexican Near Me - San Ramon, California

These were hefty tacos which I'm happy about given the price is a bit steeper, but that's also due to me ordering it with Sonora flour tortilla. The calisonora with cheese was fantastic but not necessarily needed. Liked the smokey taste of carne asada. Didn't feel the al pastor had too much flavor on it so I think I'd try a different meat next time. Overall decent! read more

El Califas Tacos - CaliSonora taco with carne asada and a Sonora with al pastor - Mexican Near Me - San Ramon, California

This place is soo good! Their tacos are packed with flavor and they never miss with any meats we get! My favorite meats are definitely Al pastor, Barbacoa, and the asada. The spicy salsa is also delicious. Service is always fast and quick, there's also an ample amount of seats for people to eat there. read more

El Califas Tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Ramon, California

My barber recommended them and it definitely reminded me of San Jose. Great place to get tacos! A bit on the pricier side but definitely one of the best tacos I had so far around San Ramon. I'm use to getting an abundance of good taco spots when I was at SJSU so this really hit the spot. I got 2 kinds of meat, carne asada and al pastor. Got the califa style tacos which is basically a quesadilla taco. All the flavors were there and definitely got to try their burrito next time. Service was friendly and found out they opened recently this year. The seat situation is pretty limited but luckily there are some public seatings outside. read more

El Califas Tacos - 2 carne asada 2 al pastor - Mexican Near Me - San Ramon, California

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June 2026 - new taco place in San Ramon - hella yes :) Menu is nice and concise We got the Al pastor and chorizo tacos Tasty and their salsas are legit, the spicy salsa is muy bueno ! Guacamole and chips were fresh too ! We will be back to try the other menu items read more

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Second time here. Placed my order online tonight to pick up on the way home from work via their website and you can pay with Apple pay and Google pay which is pretty cool to not have to enter card info. Haven't tried the burritos, but the Califas tacos are yummy scrumptious. Lengua and barbacoa are tasty and flavorful and you must choose the green salsa as the topper. red is good too but green is spicier. The quesadilla shell makes even just two tacos quite filling. Stick with the tacos and don't get the nachos. They just weren't good. Never had flavorless nachos. How they were so flavorless with all the ingredients was actually quite astounding. The queso sauce was legit flavorless. There was supposedly salsa on it too, but couldn't taste that either. ok - of course the meat had flavor, but it was like eating flavorful meat with a bunch of textures of nothingness. So, stick with the tacos! Guy at the register was super nice and smiley too. wanted to pinch his cheeks because he so happy smiley like he really enjoyed serving customers. read more

El Califas Tacos - Barbacoa Nachos , Lengua califas taco - Mexican Near Me - San Ramon, California

I heard about this place so thought I'd try it after work one night this week. Kind of small inside... couple of tables & counter seating. I ordered the Californiana Quesadilla with carne asada and green hot sauce. Cheesy, piping hot, spicy with a right amount of kick. However, many of the pieces of steak had fat and bristle in them. Super chewy, inedible & frankly kind of gross if you ask me. Metro Taquero in San Leandro makes a way better carne asada quesadilla for a much cheaper price in comparison. I also ordered an al pastor Super burrito also with the spicy salsa verde. This was pretty good and I had enough left over for lunch the next day. I order chips & guacamole on the side for $4.95. That is a huge negative red flag for me a) No Salsa Bar b) Chips taste like they were store bought from Trader Jose's c) Guacamole had too many chopped tomatoes in it. Chipotle's daily homemade guacamole is better. Finally ordered a Medio Litro bottle of Mexican Coke. Cost me $43.08. Compared to other Mexican food in San Ramon and also in Castro Valley & especially my favorite taqueria in San Leandro, this would probably be a hard pass and I would not recommend. Very pricey! Plus the shopping center has a very creepy vibe. Cold Stone is out of business and other businesses are closed so they can build future apartments. Not sure how long El Califas will even be here. read more

Solid spot. Not a huge menu, but has a good variety of meats. Wife got the nachos and I got a burrito bowl. Food came out quick as well. It's kind of a no frills spot, no free chips/salsa for example, but it tasted good. read more

El Califas Tacos - Burrito bowl - Mexican Near Me - San Ramon, California

El Califas Tacos is a relatively new place in the San Ramon Marketplace. They started as a food truck in the San Jose area and then expanded out to San Ramon. So, think "food truck" with great food when you visit. They have managed to have a kitchen and a small eating area inside that seats about 12 people. Wow. This was our first time. The staff wondered the room and asked customers how they were doing which is a nice touch. To my surprise, when we visited Saturday 2PM the place was busy. We found the last table for 4 and gladly volunteered part of the table to a family waiting for their food. Seeing a busy business several months after opening is a pleasure. The chicken street tacos were excellently prepared. They asked about spice level at ordering and we selected mild. As expected, the tacos had great flavor without heavy heat. Next time we will order a bunch to go for dinner. Give El Califas Tacos a try. read more

El Califas Tacos - Popular taco place largely takeout. Seating for about 12. - Mexican Near Me - San Ramon, California

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I've been back to El Califa Tacos several times now, and it keeps delivering. Their chicharrón is a standout hot, packed with flavor. The lengua tacos are excellent too, tender and well-seasoned. This is a small, family-owned spot, and you can tell how much pride they take in their food. Everything feels made with care. The staff are consistently friendly and go out of their way to make sure you're taken care of. Highly recommend if you're looking for authentic, high-quality tacos with real hospitality behind them. read more

Even though my husband and I loved the restaurant before this one moved in, we were excited to try this place. When we got there we received samples of their chicharrones taco which was fresh and tasty. The employees were nice and answered our questions and gave us their best recommendations. My husband got the burrito with Al pastor and chicharrones. I got the Califas tacos (had melted cheese) with chicharrones, Al pastor, shrimp and soy chorizo, and carne asada. Although the chicharrones sample was delicious it tasted different in my taco. All the meats I got tasted bland except the shrimp and soy chorizo which was the best one. They also drenched the tacos with the salsa which probably overpowered the taste.. We also got their mango horchata which had fresh mango chunks and was good but barely could taste the horchata. Overall this place was ok, I probably would come back just for the shrimp and soy chorizo. I wish they had a chips and salsa bar like most taquerias though since their prices are a bit steep for what you get (in my opinion). read more

El Califas Tacos - Mango horchata - Mexican Near Me - San Ramon, California

Wa Wa wi wa!! That was a ridiculously delicious al pastor super burrito w/ spicy salsa! Would definitely return here often if I lived in the area. Do your tastebuds a favor and visit this wonderful taquerias! The service was friendly and quick. read more

El Califas Tacos - The wrapper from my ridiculously delicious al pastor super burrito w/ spicy salsa! - Mexican Near Me - San Ramon, California

I treated a good friend of mine to lunch. El Califas is one of two Taquerias that opened not too long ago so I tried both. The restaurant is on the smaller side but luckily most people ordered take-out so we were able to grab a couple of seats on the wall counter. I ordered three tacos (Al Pastor, Chicharron, Carne Asada) and my buddy ordered two (Chicharron, Al Pastor). We ordered a soda. For the 5 street size tacos and two sodas it was almost $28, so a bit on the higher priced Taqueria. The tacos are street taco size, lots of sauce so the flavor of the meat is harder to discern. I found taste a little of the carne asada, it has a nice grilled flavor. I prefer straight up street tacos that have either no sauce or a little sauce so you can taste the flavor of the meats. I plan to go back and try the tacos again and ask did the sauce on the side so I can taste the tacos without sauce or a splash of sauce. read more

El Califas Tacos - Tacos Chicharon, Al Pastor - Mexican Near Me - San Ramon, California

Just tried this little spot beside SR Trader Joe. They are so sweet, when we asked them about which meat option is the popular she suggested Al Pastor or Chicharron. She even gave us a little sample. I ended up ordering super burrito with chicharron and salsa verde. The tortilla is soft, the chicharron she asked if I want it mild or spicy and I picked spicy. It has a little heat, I enjoyed it very much. Everything in the burrito tasted great. I also tried for the first time the Horchata Agua Fresca. It is yummy, a bit too sweet for me because I'm not used to it. But I like the taste. There are about 5 bar height counter seating and 1 small table by the window. They do charge $1 extra for credit card charges just fyi. read more

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The people here are very nice, but unfortunately I wasn't impressed with the food. The portion sizes were average, the flavors were nothing special. read more

Absolutely loved this taco spot. We ordered 4 regular and 4 Sonora tacos--chicharrón, barbacoa, carne asada, and lengua--and every single one was incredibly flavorful. The meat was moist and tender, and the salsa added the perfect kick that really brought everything together. The service was also so kind and courteous. I think we just found our new go-to taco place in San Ramon! read more

Fantastic! Nice location near the Trader Joe's. It's not the biggest location, but street tacos lend themselves easily to take out. I honestly went in on a whim. I was hungry and didn't want to go grocery shopping hungry, so I checked the menu online and saw very reasonable prices. The prices and convenient location got me in the door, but wow the food is going to get me coming back! The Califas style tacos are definitely the way to go. It's two tortillas with a layer of melted cheese in the middle. There's zero downside there! The one thing that I want to preface is that they're a little messy. They LOADED those tacos up, so every bite a little bit of meat fell off. There was so much flavor in every taco. I will definitely be coming back. It's just a matter of when. read more

Found this place on Yelp and it didn't disappoint. We tried the chicken super burrito which was very good. It's filled with rice, pinto beans, choice of salsa, cheese, sour cream and guacamole. Inside has minimal seating but there is outside seating in the plaza read more

El Califas Tacos - Chicken super burrito - Mexican Near Me - San Ramon, California

Back to back nights!!! Yup! I was in town visiting one of my sons and friends....stuck my head inside and was greeted warmly...so I stepped inside...pondered the menu and decided on the chicken quesadilla. That chicken quesadilla was so good, came back next late afternoon for another to go. Great staff, friendly and each night there was a line of people. That's always a good sign. This restaurant will be around for a long time. 5 stars. read more

Solid spot for tacos in San Ramon. It's a casual counter-order setup with minimal seating, so it's best for a quick grab or takeout. I went with the al pastor and carne asada, and both hit the mark -- well-seasoned meat, good portions, no frills. Just solid tacos done right. Would definitely come back when the craving strikes. read more

El Califas Tacos - REGULAR TACOS PLATE 3x CARNE ASADA 3x AL PASTOR - Mexican Near Me - San Ramon, California

This place is a counter service taco place that is really exceptional. They keep the place clean and bright. I have been here 4-5 times and the menus is growing a little but what is here is great. They move reasonably quickly and the tacos are the best around here. I especially liked the el Califa tacos. I will certainly keep returning. read more

3.25 stars, conflicted but giving 3 stars for now with caveats. Good quality ingredients. Can taste the freshness but there is also a faint musty aftertaste. Some of the dried herbs and spices must be stale contributing to that aftertaste. Liked the addition of burrito bowls to the menu. Easier, less messy to eat at work. First visit, got 4 tacos with 4 different fillings. Quantity of filling different for each taco. One of the tacos I purchased had the same amount of filling as the sample taco. Got to watch portion control. Consistency is key. Also wish they had the more unusual meats like lengua or cabeza. The most exotic meat offered was chicharron. Still lots of potential. Will return after things have settled down. read more

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First time here and was looking forward to seeing it open. Menu is simple but I think that's good for their business and it makes the decision making easier on my part! We ordered a carne asada burrito and burrito bowl. I decided to get my bowl on the spicy side and whew - caliente! On the plus side, I like my heat, but I also like to have flavor. Honestly, it was better the next day. I'll definitely try it again. If you are looking for indoor seating, this is a take out only place. If the weather is good, you can always sit outside. I tried to pick up a to-go order last night but they were closed after 5pm on New Years Eve. read more

El Califas Tacos - Menu board - Mexican Near Me - San Ramon, California

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I'm always on the hunt for a good taco and El Califas Tacos in San Ramon just came in clutch for me today! With a quesadilla taco called the Califas taco it made my day and my son loved the burrito bowl. When in San Ramon or coming up or down the 680 it's worth a visit! #NoManchesQueRico #TacoVibes read more

First timer here- so so so excited to finally have a taqueria in San Ramon! Omg the food was delicious! I ordered a carne asada super burrito mild and got a side of the spicy salsa on the side so I could put it as needed. They have their flavors nailed down!! I also got an horchata which was great! It was a little grainy for my liking, but that's also what makes it authentic. I'll definitely be back to try the tacos!! read more

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Being new to the area, I was so excited to see a legit tacos spot nearby. They do Mexico City style traditional tacos so don't come asking for crispy! They also started doing Sonora style tacos (flour tortilla based). I've come a few times now and have loved their carne asada burrito and barbacoa tacos. Their meats are delicious and very juicy. The quality of their tortillas is A+. They even have great agua frescas! It can get quite busy during dinner time and the lunch rush, but the takeout feels like you're eating inside and were just served straight from the grill. read more

I had to try this place. After being a San Diego transplant I've been craving a taco shop w/ great flavors. I was greeted by a young lady with great energy. She had a huge smile and was welcoming. Good start. I ordered 3 tacos just to get a feel for the place. 2 carne asada and 1 al pastor. My tacos were larger than I suspected, I couldn't tell if the corn tortillas were handmade or not (good problem to have) both meats were cut larger than a normal taco shop, had good flavor and were fresh. The cilantro and salsa were awesome. The horchata was the star of the show. It was absolutely fresh with only real and top quality ingredients. I was blown away by the taste and nutrition value. It was delicious. The employee star of the show was a man who caught me outside while I was also carrying my Trader Joe bags. "Hey boss, please let me help you. Make sure to hold your tacos like this, I want you to have the best experience and I care" Blown away. For me, food can be good but it's the service that brings me back. In this case, both will bring me back, can't wait to try a burrito! Come here for great service and great Mexican taco shop food. read more

Adorable little hole in the wall place. Friendly staff, wonderful food! Nothing fancy, just good food for a good price! read more

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We've been here several times, and everything we've tried has been delicious so far...especially the barbacoa, which is packed with flavor. My daughter loves the chicharrón tacos too! The customer service is always friendly and accommodating. One time, a chicken bowl was missing from our pickup order. Had to drive back to get it and they sincerely apologized and even gave us a free taco for the inconvenience, which was a very thoughtful and unexpected gesture. We'll definitely be back! read more

I'm so happy to see this place open so close to my house! It's a simple menu but it's done well. We've been here twice nice & each time the food was delicious! It is a small place but I'm fine with takeout so that doesn't bother me. The customer service is great as well. They gave us taco samples & my kids got free drinks. It was a sweet gesture. We will be returning. read more

El Califas Tacos has a well-deserved 4.5 rating, and it's easy to see why people keep coming back. My go-to order is the nachos with salsa verde. The house-made cheese sauce is tasty, the portions are great, prices are fair, and the overall quality is solid. If I have to nitpick, the tortilla chips can be too hard at times, and the chicken can lean on the salty side, but these are minor, easy fixes for an otherwise great meal. To top it off, Ana (at the register) is incredibly nice, welcoming, and always get my order perfect. Easy recommendation read more

Food was great, prices were reasonable, and staff were so friendly. I got three tacos, carne asada, barbacoa, and chicharon. All with mild salsa. The carne asada and chicharon were my favorite. The salsa was very flavorful. I also got the mango passionfruit agua fresco, which was refreshing and not too sweet. Love that it's made and bottled in-house. By BF got the super burrito, it was on the small side, but he got no meat. Still he really enjoyed it. We will definitely be back. read more

This was so good! Been trying to find a good taqueria in the area and this is it. I got the super burrito with chicken (minus cheese.) will definitely be back. read more

El Califas Tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Ramon, California

A little under 2 weeks ago, myself, my brother and his wife stopped by this location in San Ramon in the marketplace similar to the spot where the old El Balazo used to be (if memory serves me correctly). I was disheartened to see the very simplest of menu options and no seating. They offered tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos and taquitos. Most authentic mexican places i have frequented have everything from soups (caldos), enchiladas, breakfast (desayuno) items such as chilaquiles, nopales, etc. This establishment had none of that. We still placed an order of 2 tacos and a burrito. The customer service was kind enough. While I appreciate that, Im ultimately there for the food. My brother felt it was just ok, my sister in law did not like it all. I, however, since its MY review did not like it either. I felt they were overpriced for what they were and they didnt even offer anything I wanted, ultimately. If youre going for nice customer service, I recommend visiting them. If youre going for an authentic experience with a more diverse menu, I suggest going elsewhere. It was just too minimal for my preference. read more

One of the tastiest Mexican foods in San Ramon! Try their pork tacos they r mind blowing. Staff is super friendly. Small pick up place with very little side high chair seating. All the menu items are the best!! We normally pick up food from this place. Also dont miss their side orange sauce, spicy and tasty, goes well with tacos read more

El Califas did not disappoint! We ordered the carne asada burrito bowl, carne asada tacos, barbacoa, and the Califas taco with chicharrón and cheese melted in between the tortilla -- and wow... everything was SO good. The flavors were fresh, perfectly seasoned, and you can tell they don't skimp on quality. The chicharrón taco with the melted cheese in between the tortilla was next level. Everything came out super fast, and they even surprised us with free taco samples to try -- such a nice touch! Definitely coming back. read more

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I really, really wanted to like this place! We need a good taco/burrito shop here in San Ramon! People are fantastic! Tacos looked good, full of meat. I tried the super burrito, it comes with 2 meats. I didn't want to mix the meats, so I just ordered pollo asado. I figured that they would put a decent amount of chicken in it since it came with 2 meats! Well I would love to tell you that their chicken tastes great! BUT there was so much rice and beans that I couldn't taste the chicken?? YEP another "where's the meat" burrito! OH WELL it is a taco shop, next time TACOS! read more

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