I've been to a lot of Mexican restaurants in my lifetime--plenty where the food just doesn't taste the same. It's usually the small nuances that separate an okay spot from a good one, and a good one from a great one. I'd place Island somewhere between okay and good. What I've noticed is that "good" restaurants often become local favorites, places people have been going to their whole lives. Because of that, the line between good and great can get a little blurred for them. Since I'm not from the neighborhood, I don't have that built-in loyalty. I judge strictly on taste, quality, and service--and for me, this place lands right in the middle of ok and good. BB read more

I'm giving this place a solid 4 stars. 4.5 to the cook and lady at the register. Solid place. I recently moved here looking for a taqueria that I don't have to leave the island for. I tried some places and they were mid AF. Damn near trash. I'm a firm believer of quality over quantity, just because it's made big doesn't mean it's good. I love a local mom and pop restaurant it's got a lot of authenticity. I'll definitely be back. This gem didn't disappoint carnitas just the way I like it bits of crunchy deep fried pork, salsa, light rice and beans. Add cheese when I'm feeling good about myself. Flavorful you can taste the carnitas and it wasn't over powering the ratio from meat to everything in it was perfect. A little bit of this and that. read more

Island Taqueria - Bare hands. One side was pouring goodness - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

Came here for dinner. The food was average but did the job. Ambiance is casual and easy to find seating. Would probably just come here once in a while. read more

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Pretty decent but not anything to write home about. I got grilled chicken in my burrito and I felt like the seasoning was just a little too strong for my preference. Service was super fast and portions are pretty big here! read more

Island Taqueria - Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

Ordering was easy and quick at noon. The chips came with red and green salsa. I had a grilled soft taco and a carnitas soft taco...delicious! The watermelon juice was a huge amount and very refreshing. read more

Island Taqueria - Two soft tacos: one grilled chicken and one carnitas. - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

Island Taqueria gets a 5-star rating from me! This was my first visit back since circa 2021-2022. An old friend introduced me to this place maybe 8 years ago, back when we were still in college. It still tastes just as good to me. The folks working there have always been kind as well. It was not too busy, around an hour before closing. We ended up finishing our food very quickly anyway. The restaurant is pretty casual - you order from the kiosk in back, then grab your utensils + water yourself. The workers will bring the food out to you. This was one of my favorite places to get quesadillas and burritos, especially because of the big portions. This still rings true today. The chips were good, pretty standard. It was my partner's first time here, they got the Crispy Taco with Carne Asada and I got a Quesadilla with Carne Asada. There was a generous amount of meat in both items! We shared a refreshing Pineapple Agua Fresca and Tamarind Jarritos. We really enjoyed our dinner! Thank you for a good experience. read more

Island Taqueria - Chips and salsa! - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

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I had a craving for Mexican food and wasn't familiar with the food scene on Park ave. side of Alameda. I went on my instincts and walked around and saw a small taqueria. I had ordered a Carnitas burrito, Chicken burrito, and a Chicken Quesadilla. I got everything to go and the food was good. It was quick grab and go andI will definitely go there if I'm the area again. read more

Lets start with the positive, they gave way more then enough meat on each taco. Like 3 times more then other places. Other then that I wasn't blown away by anything. I had the beef enchilada plate and one carnasada taco and everything was just ok not super delicious, nothing to write home about. I personally wouldn't go back because there are too many good Mexican food places to eat at but my mom likes to order from there so go figure, everyone has their own taste haha. I didnt hate it but I wasn't crazy about it either. That's just my opinion. read more

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Came in for a quick dinner with my family and ordered a Chile Relleno plate and two regular burritos - one carnitas and one Chile verde. Sadly, we were disappointed to find that the burritos were filled abundantly with rice and beans and hardly any meat. We were hoping that maybe all the meat was rolled into one side, so we dissected the burritos only to discover it was scattered scantily with a few pieces throughout. We love Mexican food and we were hoping for the best, but if we wanted just a rice and bean burrito we would've ordered just that. The Chile Relleno plate was fine enough - presented nicely but the sauce a bit runny. read more

Island Taqueria - Chile Relleno Plate - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

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I'm a fan of Chili Colorado This is the best I've found so far outside of So Cal. Great flavor and large portions read more

Our 19th hole was here yesterday. It was plan B as plan A across the street appeared boarded up. How to order - the order counter is in the back. Read the menu posted above and place your order & pay. We got comp tortilla chips with a green and a red dip. Also went with water that we dispensed ourselves. Our orders were walked over to our table. Flatware is get it yourself. Hubby and I both had the carne asada taco salad. There was ample amount of carne asada with a good balance of guacamole, salsa, beans, sour cream, cheese, chopped lettuce in a crispy shell. Our other friends ordered burritos. Food prices have gone up everywhere so we weren't surprised - our taco salad was $16. The super burrito was $17. Service was quick. read more

Island Taqueria - Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

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We stop by Island Taqueria a few times a month for lunch or dinner. It's a small taco shop with tables and chairs for eating in or you can call ahead and get your order to-go. Their food is good. I usually order the nachos with shredded chicken, or nachos with no meat. I also order their chicken flautas with refried pinto beans and rice often. My fam also orders their chicken burritos with everything on it, hold the pico de gallo. The staff is friendly and they remember us when we come in! read more

First time here, the food is fine. It's hard to screw up a burrito bowl. And theirs was the ok-est bowl I've had all day. The portions were fine, a little above average. The low rating is because the burrito bowl was $28 after a modest tip. I probably should have looked at the price before ordering. My mistake. But a simple burrito bowl from a taqueria for lunch should not be the price of a steak from Moxie across the street. read more

Island Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

I should have checked my prior review. The carne asada is bland. The Carne Asada Super Burrito cost me over $18 and is definitely not worth the price. The meat is griddled but has no taste. I liked it as Alameda Taqueria and definitely do not like the Island Taqueria version - unchanged in 11 years. Bland carne asada is a shame. read more

Island Taqueria - Menu - October 2024 - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

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Totally authentic, homemade, handmade, fresh, tasty, plentiful, clean, friendly, homey. I loved the carnitas enchilada with green sauce!!! read more

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Their quesadillas and super burritos are some of the best around especially the tasty carne asada. Great friendly family vibe. Fast deliveries and delicious food! read more

East bay burrito #57 Initial taste - 4/7 Meat - 6/7 Beans - 5/7 Cheese 4/7 Rice 3/7 Tortilla 4/7 Salsa - 3/7 Overall 4/7 Some improvements would be less rice or a better textured rice and the salsa wasn't adding anything. More a salsa for chips than burrito. Carne asada was good. read more

Huge portion and really tasty but the super burrito is like $17-18 bucks which is kinda steep. My boyfriend has gone back and ordered the non-super (no guacamole or sour cream) and it came out to like $13 which is more reasonable. Even though it's pretty big I don't think the super is worth the price. read more

Island Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

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The menu has the usual burritos, enchiladas, etc. I opted for 2 enchiladas, very tasty but a little spicy for my palette. Nice workers. read more

Island Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

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Great location, nice decor, and excellent service. I ordered a Carne Asada Burrito and it was delicious. The meat and beans were perfectly cooked. Coming here was a very quick, last minute decision and I had a great experience. I'll definitely return. read more

Island Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

I've been going to Island Taqueria since 1985 when it was called Alameda Taqueria. My work takes me all over the entire Bay Area. My favorite has always been the Super Steak Burrito and I've had many burrito and in the 40 years. None come even close to Island Taqueria. To me, the best steak burrito is 2nd to none! Try it you will agree with me. Also their green hot sauce is outstanding with it. read more

Excellent authentic quality Mexican food. I had lunch there or take out about 3 times a week. Usually I ordered the Super Burrito with choice of various well prepared meats. read more

Still coming, food STILL good, customer service STILL amazing!! Thank you Island Taqueria :) read more

Island Taqueria - Burrito Mojado - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

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Best Mexican food in Alameda. We go every Tuesday. The service is always happy, and it is a great place to meet up with friends. Try the carnitas super quesadilla and the burrito mojado! read more

One of our regular spots. Good food, reasonable prices, accommodating staff (weird requests for the little ones sometimes), and quick service. read more

Any Mexican restaurant worth its mettle is going to have good rice and beans when you eat it alone, and this place passes that standard. I have had all of the meats here and the chile relleno several times as I have been going here for years. My go to is the #3 Enchilada with cheese and a horchata. Their chips and salsa are top-tier and fresh. The cooks and the cashier are always friendly and speak to me in Spanish, making me feel very welcome there even though I don't speak Spanish fluently. It is always very clean here even while the tornado of teens are eating and making a big mess. I even get food DoorDashed from here and it is always perfect. This is the only place I go to for enchiladas. I love this taqueria and am happy to spend my money here. read more

The burrito in this place are great. I love how late they open. So I can get my burrito fix late at night when other Mexicans restaurants closed. The price is fair for its value. read more

Island Taqueria - The front desk - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

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We ordered a couple of items through Doordash and were pleasantly surprised how good everything was. Everything was still warm and the cheese was still melty. Their chips come with the best salsa verde I've tasted. What we ordered: + Super burrito with chile colorado - they aren't kidding when they say "super". This thing is about 2 Chipotle burritos. Chile colorado is beef stewed in a tomato-y sauce, which makes the burrito kinda wet, but not soggy. It's really good. + Quesadillo suiza with carnitas - this is pretty large as well. I wasn't able to finish the whole thing, even though it was so yummy. The cheese was still melty when I got it and the tortilla was warm and soft-crispy. + Chips & salsa - order it for the salsa verde. Yum. read more

Island Taqueria - Quesadilla Suiza with carnitas - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

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The Island Taqueria is a long time favorite of many in the City of Alameda. I got off work early, and while driving home I got this craving for enchiladas. The great thing about getting back to the island before 9pm is that most of the restaurants are still open. BTW, for you "non-locals," the island is the City of Alameda. Central Alameda is an island. Island Taqueria has a long time reputation for good food, so I'm going in for Enchiladas to go. I order the Enchiladas Plate, and the nice lady tells me it'll be ready in 10-mins. The dining room isn't fancy. It has simple decor and you'll feel comfortable there. How was the food? Fresh, tasty and delicious. I don't usually put a lot of spicy sauces on my food, because I want to taste the flavors. My beef enchiladas were not bland. They had the deep savory flavor of freshly made food. And then topped with salsa and sour cream. Overall, a good experience If you eat slowly, it will taste better..... read more

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Excellent food all around. The folks there are just like family. Been eating their burritos for over twenty years and still look forward to eat one everytime. read more

Probably my favorite Mexican spot in alameda. I order from here all the time and it never disappoints. I'm a big fan of their burritos, especially the chili Colorado which is filled with an addicting red sauce. Today I tried a few different plates to mix things up and I was surprised everything was so good. The burrito mojado was HUGE and smothered in tasty enchilada sauce. The steak fajitas were flavorful and so were the enchiladas. Both plates came with rice and beans. I really liked the smokiness of the enchilada sauce. Chips and salsa are on point, especially the green salsa. But beware if you can't handle spicy! I can't really say much about the location because I've never been there in person, but I DoorDash quite often. Great service, always fast, dependable and arrives hot. I will keep coming back for more! read more

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Best burrito on the island! They make it exactly how I order it. The people are super kind and nice, great customer service. Authentic flavors too. I'll be back. read more

Delicious, friendly and consistent. An Alameda staple. Recommend their quesadillas and super burritos

The restaurant we were going to was temporarily closed and so we looked around Park Street for a new restaurant that we could try. Found Island Taqueria close by so decided to give it a try. We ordered the grilled chicken super burrito (super includes guacamole, sour cream and cheese) for $5 more than the regular burrito. The burrito was tasty but for $17 which included guacamole, sour cream and cheese... I could barely find any guacamole or sour cream? The burrito itself was a good size, but to pay extra for fixings that you could not find inside your super burrito is not worth paying the extra money? This place is a bit pricey! So basically it was a large burrito that was on the dry side. Not sure it would be one of my to go places. Few tables but only one table was large enough for a group of 6. The chips were fresh, crispy and provided if you asked for it and it was very good. read more

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The super nacho I just ate was absolutely delicious. The meat was moist and the quantity was good. The cheese tasty and the ratio was nice. I requested that the beans come on the side so the chips wouldn't get soft. The presentation was also very nice. read more

Island Taqueria - Refried beans on the side - Mexican Near Me - Alameda, California

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*Open for takeout* In case you haven't noticed from my Yelp yet, I love a good burrito mojado (wet burrito). Island Taqueria did not disappoint. Service and safety precautions: - Although not necessarily enforced, people keep a good distance from each other inside - All staff is wearing masks - There is a dispenser next to the register. I thought it was sanitizer, but I think it was soap - Friendly and quick staff Food: - Enjoyed the burrito - look at the photo! It's quite a hefty size, so can be eaten across multiple meals for some, or as a large meal for others - The rice and beans were a nice addition on the side - Free chips and salsa are always a nice bonus :) Parking: - Island Taqueria is on a main street, so parking is a bit limited. Very lucky to get a spot right out front both times I've been here read more

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Ordered the Super Burrito with grilled chicken and unfortunately for the extra $3 for sour cream, guacamole and cheese there was none for 90% of the burrito until I got to the bottle of it and it was all there. So basically the burrito was very dry with mostly rice and barely any chicken. I don't understand why the cooks aren't smart enough to put the extra toppings in the Middle and then roll it up so each bite has what I paid for. Why would I want a big mouthful of sour cream at the beginning or end of my meal. Major fail and never going back. For $20 with an orange soda and $1 tip I'd be better off starving or making it at home. Get your act together or you'll be outta business. read more

Always exceptional food from a place that cooks their food with a different flair and a from region other than traditional Taquerias. Consistently has quality food with fresh ingredients, friendly staff, fast service and honestly the burritos ARE the best in Alameda. Their ambiance is homey and clean..Please don't change!! read more

Been coming here for the last 20 years, the food is always good, and they have loyal workers who have been there forever ,but the prices are ridiculous. $17 for a super quesadilla?! C'mon I know I can get one easily for $12-13 somewhere else. read more

The food is great and the menu is wonderful and people are perfect if you want good Mexican food than this is your place thank nuyma and aisha read more