Tons of food for the cost, which is a nice change in these times. It was wholesome and clean tasting, but it didn't totally blow my mind and I don't think I'd be interested in returning, which guides my decision to go down or up a star with rating. read more

Venezuelan dishes are killer and you didn't know how much you like mezcal until you visit El Patio.

I really wanted to like this place. They said that they have a lot of tequilas/mezcals - 300. My husband wanted that. I ordered a drink, probably a cider. But the food was ok. I got the duck fat fries and they were not crispy like I expected. But they were super oily potatoes and were limp. I also ordered the arepa al pastor and my stepson ordered the arepa with shredded chicken. Again, they were OK. I don't remember what my husband ordered, but again, it was OK. Now, we got there pretty late and made our orders before the kitchen closed. The couple making the food were nice and I'm sure they meant well, but those duck fat fries were unacceptable. And the arepa was OK and I've had some good arepas. One of the problems is that a wedding party came in. The groom and some friends were getting quite drunk at the bar. And the stream of family members and other wedding guests coming through the bar towards the back. It seemed that all of the attention was going to them because they had money. Unfortunately, our drinks and meal arrived before this so, that isn't an excuse. But I have to say that they have signage that looked impressive because it stopped my husband in his tracks as we were on our way to La Marcha. But now, instead of talking about our great time here, we can only reminisce about those lackluster fries. And the fact that 300 tequila/mezcals won't bring us back either. read more

Great food, you can just show up and wait for a table, however it's better to make reservations due to covid seating is limited. I had arepas, and a pabellón plate everything was delicious read more

See all

Came here on a night out with some co-workers (a local restaurant, we all work at) the place is cute! Loved it....fun atmosphere Food: so good!!! Love it... Bartender: she was so sweet & lovely Kitchen staff: all said "HI" walking by them hustling food orders out The patio was great! Had so much fun...even though some drunk guy was annoying and making nasty comments to the girls, but security (bartender/kitchen guy) kicked him out. read more

Love this place! Tasty, reasonably priced tacos and arepas stuffed with shredded chicken topped off with a respectably hot homemade hot sauce. Always have sports on the big screen and probably top 5 in the bay area for obscure tequila and mezcal selections as well. Super friendly staff! read more

Al pastor tacos here are top tier! So many places ruin Al Pastor, but this spot has got them down. Flavorful, juicy, and stacked with meat! Gabachos beware: there is a lot of flavor here. read more

El Patio - 3 Tacos al pastor - Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

I called ahead on a Monday night and the gentleman who answered the phone was SO nice and inviting. I asked if they did anything for birthdays and he said they absolutely do and told me to come on down. The restaurant is limited service; you order food at the bar and a runner brings it out to you and picks up plates but you get your own plates, silverware and water. Street parking is pretty easy, after 6 the meters are free. Outside dining is available in the patio of el patio. It is well lit, well spaced and there are heaters. Food: Elote Riblets - tasty but a little difficult to eat. Presented well with lots of colors and flavors. Tacos - good flavor, comes in an order of three and you can mix and match. We got two chicken and one beef and liked them equally. Empanadas - the cheese empanada was super good. Definitely among the better empanadas I've had. Tejadas (plantains) - super good. Perfectly friend with the right about of softness inside to crunchiness outside without being rubbery. Tequenos (fried cheese sticks) - these were very good, a fun twist on mozzarella sticks; larger and better I'd say. They came with a good dipping sauce also. A little on the heavy side but worth it. Quesadilla (special off menu order for picky eater) - my nephew is picky and wanted a chicken and cheese quesadilla and el patio was kind enough to accommodate him. The quesadilla was huge and yummy, he ate his leftovers as soon as he got home! Margaritas - very tasty, strong. Birthday - for my sisters birthday they clapped and helped us sing. They were totally fine with us bringing our own cake and let us use their matches for our candles. They also brought out a bottle and poured a birthday shot in her mouth which was super fun and festive! Definitely made it an exciting and special experience. Staff - the folks at the bar and the food runners were all VERY nice. They were helpful and accommodating and made us feel very much at home. We will absolutely return here to have more food and drinks at el patio! Thank you!! read more

See all

The food was amazing. We loved it here. So much flavor. We ordered a little of everything read more

See all

This is one of our regular "TGIF" spots. Always welcoming and friendly, with a great bar and margaritas that hit the spot. I regularly crave their arepas, especially the Reina Pepiada version with chicken and avocado. The back patio is a great place to hang out, and there is off-street parking on the block behind, which they share with the laundromat. read more

This is a lovely restaurant with a good amount of seating and a nice patio out back. The service was really fast and the quantity of food you get is large (check out the size of the chips and guac in my photo). My friend ordered a burrito, which was huge as well. I tried the vegetarian Arepa Soy Vey - it can be made vegan if you ask for it without cheese. It was delicious. This is a good place for small to medium size groups since there is counter service. read more

El Patio - Guac, chips and salsa plate - Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

I had never been here before getting a gift certificate. I am very glad I discovered this spot! The drinks were great and I enjoyed the food. The outdoor patio was very cool. The folks working here were really nice and there was just nice, low-key feel to the whole place I really liked. read more

Came here to visit Berkeley Marina as well as the hiking trail way up above UC berkeley. It's pretty dim here and the least happening mexican restaurant on the strip which tells u something. My friend wanted to come here bc he said he had been before and it was good. Ordered carne asada tacos and it was very salty. The margaritas were okay. The service was subpar. Would not come back. read more

El Patio - Carne asada tacos... on the salty side - Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

I've been hearing about this vegan-friendly gem for a while, and finally made it out on a Sunday evening. It was smaller and darker than I expected, but their back patio has some iron tables and strong heaters (once you get them started) to help keep you warm. You order at the counter. I tried the Cadillac margarita ($12), which was alright but not the best I've had. You could taste the syrup, which is always a strike in my book. However, the Soy Vey arepa made up for it! The thick corn exterior melts in your mouth, and it came with a healthy loading of black beans and sweet plantains. I would have liked a little more avocado, but I'll have to go for the creamy Reina Pepiada (avo + shredded chicken) next time. read more

El Patio - Arepa Soy Vey - Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

Venezuelan food establishment. Take-out order review. First time trying Arepa. 4th order last week. Arepa Reina Pepiada: shredded chicken, avocado, mayo, mustard- bun has a crispy outer shell, moist fluffy &silky on the inside, & texture of bun combined with meat, creamy chicken is almost heaven in your mouth. Almost mochi-like consistency. Comes with dipping sauce. Must Try. Arepa Al Pastor: Pork, chz, Cilantro, onion- Same bun texture as the Reina pepiada, pork moist and tender, good portion, absolutely Bomb Dot Com, except this order comes with No sauce. Still Must try. Elote Riblets: Corned cut in quarters and dabbed in pesto like marinade. SatisfactioN. Must try. House made chips & salsa- are very fresh, you can taste & smell the deep fry tortilla made to order. The salsa is mild and invigorating. Michelada's- To-Go is a Plus+++ Shout-out to the guy who took my order via phone & hand me my order once arrived. Was Superfragilistic Alidociously friendly, helpful and took customer service to a level un-compromised. Sorry I forgot your name but you kept me smilin' all week looooong. read more

El Patio - 10.4.21- Micheladas to-go. (Left to right) Chix taco, carne asada tacos, 2 orders of Elote riblets - Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

Came in pregnant, hangry, hirritable, and hexhausted. Left well/nourished and in excellent humor (pregnancy status unchanged). The food is excellent and the portions are generous! Ate like a linebacker and still had leftovers. Good prices for the amount of food and quality. Patio is very comfy. Will definitely be back! read more

The beef nachos were tasty and filling. Food was fresh and hot albeit took quite a while to get out. The restaurant is nicely decorated and clean with a dog friendly patio and friendly staff. I would order the arepas and the nachos again (and skip the taco trio). read more

See all

Best cocktail in town--the Tepa. The arepas are also amazing! Great patio in back with friendly people and happy dogs. read more

A rare night out with the husband. Everything we had was delicious! The margarita, the crispiest duck fat fries, tasty elote niblets, sweet and savory arepa, and the biggest grande burrito--easily could feed two smaller appetites. Pleasant patio experience as well tucked behind the busyiness of San Pablo. Never been there before but welcomed in with a smile + friendly service. 10/10 would go again, bring friends. read more

Okay so since my last review, the Chef has changed! No need for concern, in my opinion the food is even better now! The new Chef is creative and amazing! If you've had a hard time finding Mexican food that you love in Berkeley, look no further, this is the spot! The super burrito is HUGE and ridiculously affordable. Definitely try the al pastor if you eat meat. I don't regularly eat pork but I was impressed! The empanadas here are also to die for. They're like fluffy fried blessings. There is currently an elote appetizer. I'd never seen elote riblets but besides being extremely delicious, they are super fun to eat. They specialize in arepas, which I cannot wait to try but have been hung up on the burrito. I have thought about them nonstop since I tried them. Bonus- they have a bar and delicious mescal flights. I have fallen head over heels in love with the micheladas here. Super addicting. Beware. They come with the candy straw :D To top all of that off, everyone who works here is so sweet and accommodating. Very home away from home vibes. read more

See all

Excellent cocktails and drinks! Great arepas and breakfast options. The tres leches pancakes were incredible. read more

It was nice place to sit outside and enjoy some good food! We got the chicken tacos and the el pastor arepas, which we decided was our favorite. The meat had lots of flavor and everything was at a great price. You had to go order up at the bar and then they would bring you your food at the table and then at the end of meal you'd bus your plate. read more

See all

Stopped by here for late night vegan eats and was NOT disappointed at all! I got the mango margarita ($10) it was good not great needed more mango and margarita flavor. The tequila was strong I will admit so that was nice! Nopales tacos trio and the Nopales burrito: Sooooooo good!!!! Like delicious times 10. To make it vegan make sure you: -Ask for it to be vegan and can emphasize it to be dairy free and not cooked in butter on the grill when the tortillas are being prepared. The nopales were PERFECT juicy chunks and great flavor all around. Would bring all my friends here for drinks with vegan options for late night meet ups! Perfect for groups with their gorgeous back patio too! read more

El Patio - Taco; nopales - Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

My wife and a couple friends were looking for outdoor dining and decided to try this place for diner. It happened to be especially nice weather out on the patio this evening. The Tepa cocktail was excellent. My wife and I shared an Arepas Soy Vey and a Nopales Flacco bowl. Both were great. The bartender severs were all really friendly and nice. We have found a new favorite Latin food place in Berkeley. read more

Everything was delicious. The service was even more amazing than the food and just a super cool spot. There was a reserved party in the back open area, so clearly this place is a fave for many, considering we were there on a Saturday afternoon after lunch hour and before dinner. Drinks were yummy too! An awesome find on our way home to Tri-City area after a morning and early afternoon of soccer games in Pinole and San Pablo with our boys. read more

See all

El Patio has a nice vibe and good food. I had a Pabellon plate and my husband had the Al pastor arepa. We had the oyster mushroom ceviche as an appetizer. The food was quite good. There is a dog friendly patio in back. Service was friendly and professional. read more

@Sparky J...you are such a piece of . You make people who love food sick. Go to the gym and lose some weight from that meal you not only ENTIRELY ate, but you actually licked off your fat fingers. Then give your gym a 1 star review because you're still a fat piece of . I've been going to El Patio for many years. They have done so much to make the neighborhood a great place to hang, eat and enjoy Mezcal. Best place for meeting up with friends, just enjoying drinks or bringing the family for some tasty food. You won't be disappointed! F you Sparky J. read more

El patio is a cute casual Latin fusion spot. Arrive through the front door and order your arepas at the front counter. Grab a number and while you wait for your food to be brought over to you, walk through the colorful hallway into their cute patio. The arepas are made to order, they are served warm and completely stuffed with whatever you choose. My friend enjoyed her arepa soyvey and I had the arepa al pastor. Both looked and tasted great! This is not the type of restaurant you receive full service, however, the meal was very much worth the stop. Thanks el patio! read more

El Patio - Arepa Soy Vey - Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

Wow. Just wow!!! Ive been craving good food for a while and found this place. The drinks are great, the food is fast and filling, and the service is amazing! I loved the bar tender she was super sweet and cute! Definitely recommend coming back here. The place has an intimate vibe but its clean and nice. Like a mix between a bar and a hole in the wall restaurant. The music was a vibe, the place was decorated beautifully. As a latina i felt this place was a celebration of our culture. 10/10, will be returning!! I parked on the street and it wasnt bad parking was free after 6pm read more

El Patio - Inclusive restrooms - Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

I recently went to El patio with some friends. The food is OK but nothing to write home about, I did like the french fries and the burrito was big.There is only street parking and the back patio is nice, but nothing outstanding about it. read more

My husband, who can be particular about his food, ordered the camarones a la diablo and loved it. For me the gem of this place is the cocktails. I had the Tepe and Ranchero. I found them both to be one of a kind drinks that you are not going to find somewhere else. Overall good quality. read more

I really wish I could've given more stars but... I ordered the arepa de pabellón, guac and chips and salsa, and a Paloma. The arepa had about 55% plantain, 20% beef, and 25% black beans. I hated it. Too much plantain when what I'm here for is the beef. Why stuff the arepa top and bottom with plantain and give a splash of meat?! I was super disappointed because the little meat that it did have was tasty and I would've loved to have tasted it throughout the meal. Will not be ordering this again, I don't recommend you do either unless you ask for more meat or if you don't like a proportionate amount of ingredients in your arepa. Get the plate option instead (like I should have). The salsa was too watery and not much of a flavor. The guac was okay, kinda felt like it was missing something. The Paloma was nothing to write home about. I gave this place 3 stars because I want to give it another chance, as they have other dishes on their menu I would like to try, but they were wrong for that meatless arepa and I wanted to warn everyone about it! I hate when restaurants try to get one over on a customer by skimping on protein ingredients. Try if you like, but you won't be missing too much if you don't. read more

Food was great, service with a smile and fast. Only thing I would say is it was so loud we couldn't hear each other.

This venue needs to make the world a better place and close its doors for good. The food is SO flavorless I couldn't believe it, especially for the price. Traditional ingredients like ketchup and mustard adorn the plantains. This whole experience was shockingly bad. read more

See all

Don't miss out on this gem Been coming here since 2016 when my bestfriend first took me here to eat for my birthday and its one of my go to spots . Kinda sad that they stopped serving tequeños but it's all good cus the pabellón and yuca frita along with their menu of arepas really make up for it this place is perfect for every occasion you can think of and the drinks are fucking awesome *chefs kiss* . This is now me and my man's favorite spot together and it's actually the first place I took him on a date . Krista is my favorite person there she really knows how to make you feel at home every time I visit . Also the Photo Booth is my favorite part while waiting for food anybody has anything negative to say about this place definitely doesn't have a great taste pallet. Its always the ones that only leave shitty reviews but never give credit where it's due when they visit and get to try amazing food @sparky j . Anyways ----with that being said this place makes very great Venezuelan dishes so if you're looking for something close to home come by and get you some arepas and try their pabellón read more

El Patio - Round of drinks - Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

Casual place with a nice patio out back to relax and chill with family or friends. The food is delicious! The Arepa Reina Pepiada was a giant pile of shredded chicken in avocado goodness, wrapped in a fresh, handmade arepa, which tasted a bit like pita or a pancake made from corn. My first time trying it, and so good! The burritos were a hit and massive enough to fill our teenage son. Great cocktail and beer selection including a half dozen beers on tap. Friendly staff too. We'll be coming back! read more

El Patio - Reina Pepiada Arepa - Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

El Patio was a pleasant discovery to my sudden craving for Mexican food on a Sunday night after doing laundry. I got the Reina Pepiada Arepas and Steak Flaco Bowl, which both tasted pretty solid and held well in to go containers. The shredded chicken, avocado, and mayo combo in the arepas definitely hit the spot, but I found the portion a little small for how much it costed ($11). The flaco bowl had a standard assortment of items (beans, cream, rice, avocado, cheese, and steak), and I enjoyed eating some as leftover the next day. Bonus point to this place for letting me pay with Apple Pay when I ordered online. read more

El Patio - steak flaco bowl - Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

I like El Patio, because they have other food from Latin America (like arepas and empanadas) besides Mexican food. If you want to try something different, I recommend the arepas or the patacones. The patacones are fried green plantains with an odd mix and oddly delicious mix of toppings: pork, shredded cheese, aioli, and coleslaw. That said, there are plenty of Mexican options, including the super burrito. It's a little skinnier than some super burritos, but it's length makes up foe the girth! Finally, I also like their creative cocktails, and that's usually why I keep going back for to go orders. I will say though, they seem to have gotten weaker, but I get it- gotta save $ during the pandemic! read more

El Patio - Patacones - Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

A great place to grab drinks and food after work. Food is fast and I love that it is dog friendly. The outside has heaters. Good vegetarian options. I likes the yucca fries and the soy vey read more

Still delicioso! Complete comfort food. I'll keep coming back for shredded beef and drinkers. Bonus: Got baklava from market next door to have with my night cap read more

See all