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    Picante Taqueria

    4.1 (440 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Open 8:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Picante Taqueria Photos

    PICANTE TAQUERIA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Picante Taqueria

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    Tacos
    Greg C.

    Local spot busy because of the taste and quality. Clean with enough on side parking or the street in front extras like a massive jar of pickled jalapeños and house made salsa in addition to the bottled ones on the table. All of the normal favorites are on the menu.

    My receipt
    Camela S.

    I had a disappointing experience with my order. I ordered 3 burritos; 2 bean, rice and cheese burritos and 1 regular Chile Verde burrito without beans. (Their regular burritos include rice, whole beans, salsa and choice of meat.) When I arrived at home and bit my burrito it was full of beans, Chile Verde and salsa. Maybe someone misread the order as no rice all beans. I'm unsure what happened but since this was the second time this has happened maybe I shouldn't keep going back.

    Kevin G.

    The food is decent - typical taqueria food but not anything special - the tile work throughout gives it some ambiance. It's my sister's favorite Mexican food dive bar so it has a following!

    Asada taco on the left. Al pastor taco on the right.
    Ambar C.

    Picante Taqueria is a go-to spot for my family, and my kids especially love it. It's super family-friendly, with quick service, great food, and unbeatable value. The best deal by far is the $25 family dinner, which easily feeds 3 to 4 people. It comes with tortillas, beans, rice, pico de gallo, and your choice of meat--perfect for a quick and delicious meal to go. Pretty much everything on the menu is solid, but I'm a big fan of their al pastor, while the rest of my family swears by the carnitas. Their salsas are amazing, and I love that they have a to-go fridge stocked with different varieties to suit your taste. I do wish chips were included instead of extra, but that's just how things are these days. The restaurant has plenty of indoor seating, ample parking, and a convenient location right off the freeway. The jukebox playing Mexican and Latino hits adds to the lively atmosphere. Overall, we love this place and will keep coming back!

    Pastor tacos
    James A.

    service and ambiance were very nice, liked the different hot sauce options and diversity of the menu. the food was average though and a bit expensive when considering portion size and taste. Its not that is horrible it just wasn't really good.

    Supposed to be quesadillas

    What is this? Looks like a burrito # supposed to be a quesadilla flavor was not there

    El Pastor Flour Tostada
    Drea U.

    Good food & huge portions! I go to this place during my work lunch and they're always so fast with the orders. I usually get my food in less than 10 mins. I've tried their burritos, tostadas, and nachos. All really good and they're very generous with the amount of food you get. Their prices are really great too compared to other places. There's a lot of places to sit inside and outside, & it's usually very clean. They also have a self serve area to get sauces, water, onions/peppers, etc. 10/10 recommend!

    Chips with tasteless salsa
    Yuriy C.

    No salsa bar! If you pay extra for chips, they will give you the whole bunch of chips with barely any salsa. What is the point of giving so much chips with no salsa going along with? Salsa is pretty much tasteless. I wouldn't get it again. Super Carne Asada burrito is ok. I don't think I would visit this place again though.

    House salad
    Barry B.

    Fast service and large menu. My go-to are the salad options, either the picante or house salad. I wish the salads had the lettuce advertised on their menu- romaine- but I've always had them served with iceberg. I love the homemade salsas for their homemade chips.

    Camerones/ shrimp taco
    Rimi S.

    Fast service Delicious food . Free pickled jalapeño and carrots sides. Plenty of parking. I'd def come again

    Sophie C.

    WOW. Was not expecting to find some of the best Mexican food in my life here in San Rafael. Huge flavors, generous and fresh plates, and CHEAP prices here (especially compared to other restaurants around the area!). Ample indoor and outdoor seating here, with beautiful tile murals covering the walls. Everyone who worked here was so kind and helpful! My family came here two nights in a row, and if we lived closer we'd be here all the time. Their seafood is the way to go! Unbelievable prices - $10.75 for a shrimp and fish burrito, $7 for 2 shrimp tacos, and $13 for a huge shrimp salad (that includes avocado!). Seemed almost too good to be true, but it is!!! The shrimp was consistent each time. So succulent and perfectly charred, and they don't skimp here. The fish was also fresh and flavorful, the flavors were perfect. The flour tostada was amazing as well, freshly fried tortilla with fresh cabbage, radish, pickled carrots, and a mound of meat. Seriously, they pile on the protein. Check out the family meal here - only $25 and they give you big portions of rice, beans, meat, salsa, tortillas, enough to comfortably feed at least 3 people. A steal! Everything here is so worth it. Wonderful ambiance (with a cute community gardens behind the restaurant), fresh and flavorful dishes, amazing prices, and kind staff. I already can't wait to come back to Picante!

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    8 days ago

    Consistently wonderful food with great value--our go-to for Mexican night! Easy parking, close off the freeway.

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    6 months ago

    Modelo on tap! Fantastic! The food was great; so much flavor, and the staff was friendly and fast during a very busy lunchtime.

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    9 months ago

    Best place in the North Bay couldn't believe how fantastic the staff food is always so beautiful. Our entire vibe is perfect.

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    Ask the Community - Picante Taqueria

    Do they have vegetarian options?? I don't see them on menu but they used to have something

    Yes, not a lot but of course rice and beans with some squash options like butternut. There salads are really good too. One thing I get a lot is the tostada which is like a huge salad that you can get without meat.

    Does anyone know the ingredients to the Mexican Caesar Salad dressing? I moved away from CA about six years ago and still dream of that salad dressing.

    View All 3 Questions

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    Sabor A México

    Sabor A México

    4.6
    (339 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    Came here for a family dinner, and was surprised to find a love band "duo" playing great casual…read moremusic! An unexpected treat. We had a reservation for Father's Day and waited about 10 minutes for a table to open, as it was the busiest I have seen. The table was nice, big enough for the five of us, and the ambiance is always great here as well. We were quickly greeted by our server, Eli, who provided chips and salsas to whet our appetites, and we soon narrowed our focus to the food and drink menus. We ultimately decided on some El Jefe Tacos, a shrimp and crab enchilada, a three-item combo with two chile rellenos and a cheese enchilada with green sauce, a carne asada taco, and the volcanic Molcajete (served in a warm stone bowl with grilled steak, chicken, and prawns. Covered with a red chile, roasted tomato sauce). For libations, we went with a mojito and a new drink - for us at least - the pineapple mezcal mule! The food came in a timely manner, and the molcajete was still bubbling! Hence, the volcano nickname! The mojito was very minty and refreshing, and the pineapple mezcal mule was an acquired taste for some of the group - I enjoyed the smoky earthiness of the mezcal, but it's not your run-of-the-mill tequila, so if you are new to mezcal, be aware of the difference. The food last time was a bit spicy, but this time it was not an issue. Still spicy, but not to the point of being overpowering. Even the salsas were not as extreme. Good for some of us! All the food was delicious, and the three-item combo was great to look at as well. As we say, "the eyes eat first," and indeed my eyes were little piggies that meal! Overall, the service was great, the food great, and the entertainment a perfect background for what would have been just a noisy bunch of chatter. Overall a great Father's Day lunch.

    Quick bite & drinks…read more Margaritas were tasty and tacos had a good taste. We sat in the bar area - bartender was a bit busy, but very attentive. We had our food delivered by a nice group of staff. By the time we left - the restaurant was full. Looks like a locals place.

    Photos
    Inside - Very festive!
    Inside - Very festive!
    One of the very best Quesabirria out there.
    One of the very best Quesabirria out there.
    Sabor A México

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    Taqueria Bahia

    Taqueria Bahia

    4.1
    (267 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $

    We went here based on reviews I had read about the Birria. It did not disappoint. Phenomenal. It…read morecame with 3 tacos, a little side of onions cilantro, salsa & of course the Birria sauce. So good. It got in my hair & on my sweater & I'm not even mad. My boyfriend got the El pastor quesadillia. His was really good as well but mine? Cannot compare. Super cute place, looks like a mom & pop shop with booths inside & a counter you can sit at as well. They also had tables outside.

    I really wanted to like Taqueria Bahia because I genuinely want to support local businesses, and…read morethe service here is very nice. The staff was friendly and welcoming both times I visited. That said, I've been here twice and unfortunately had the same experience both times. The first visit, I ordered a regular chicken burrito, and it was pretty bland. I figured it might have just been an off day, so I gave them another try and ordered a super burrito the second time. Sadly, it was also bland--even with sour cream and guacamole, which I didn't really see or taste. Their burritos are long but not very thick, and flavor-wise they just didn't hit for me. I was hoping for something more seasoned and bold. I truly hope this is taken as constructive feedback, because I do want local spots like this to succeed. The service is good, and the people are kind--it's just the food that needs more flavor. Unfortunately, based on my experiences, I can't recommend it and probably won't be returning, but I wish them the best and hope they continue improving.

    Photos
    Menu
    Menu
    Carnitas Super Nachos
    Carnitas Super Nachos
    Regular tacos

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    Regular tacos
    Cascabel

    Cascabel

    4.3
    (172 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    Came here to try out their tequila and mezcal flights as well as their food. The ambiance is kind…read moreof dark, I was able to get the comfy sofa by the window however. This spot seems more of a tequila bar that serves food rather than a restaurant setting. For food, we ordered the fish tacos, shrimp ceviche and taquitos. Their fish tacos were good! That green salsa (avocado/chiles) that comes with it was very spicy. Shrimp ceviche on the other hand was whole pieces of cooked shrimp halved lengthwise with cut up avocado and cucumber. I have had better. The taquitos were okay, the exterior tortillas were a bit overcooked. Was impressed with the selection of tequilas however. Would recommend the anejo flight. I'm not a huge tequila expert, but discovered that I like El Tesoro Anejo, very smooth! Service was attentive and our server went out of his way to explain the difference between the various flights. I would come back to try the tequila again for sure!

    So, I have no idea who made the decision but going from eclectic antique loungecore velvet…read moreloveseats and wingback chairs to cheap dining tables was not a move I would have made. I used to love walking in here. It had the vibe of a funky SoHo lounge in the 90s. I would add it to the roster for a night out and recommend it to others based on that atmosphere. Now, it looks like every other restaurant in Marin. The drinks are still great and that green ghost pepper salsa is fire. Pixels next door is fun for tipsy gaming.

    Photos
    Cascabel
    Great decoration full bar
    Great decoration full bar
    Great bar and bar tender

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    Great bar and bar tender
    La Esperanza Pupuseria and Diner

    La Esperanza Pupuseria and Diner

    4.3
    (82 reviews)
    1.8 mi

    They make your pupusas fresh and over-sized within 10 minutes! I chose cheese, spinach, zucchini,…read moreand pork. Very tender and savory inside. The outside was grilled to perfection--well done... *not* undercooked like some pupuserias. Lively Latin music played at a nice volume where you can talk with your companions. Merengue and more. You give your order and are given a number. You pick your own seat. Signs are bilingual--mostly Latin patrons, which is my usual litmus test that usually means the food has authentic flavor, which I love and look for from ethnic dining experiences. It's very clean and looks freshly painted. I was here just before noon and there was a steady stream of patrons.

    La Esperanza Pupuseria and Diner opened 5ish years ago where El Perol Pervuian once was. Inside…read more and outside seating available. Greeted quickly, courteously upon arrival. Ordered, pay at counter. Food came within 15 minutes. Cashier not English prolific. Enough to process my order. Decor of pics, paintings. Guatemalan/El Salvador artifacts & flags. Soft music in background. Offerings (El Salvador): pupusas, breakfast, lunch, soups, entrees, best sellers. Bites: Bistec Encebollado (steaks & onions 20.69) -heated up warm corn tortillas, not freshly made in house. Commercial grade. Ok. Nothing special. -dab of fresh salad of iceberg lettuce, tomatos, cucumbers, lime squeeze. Deliz it was. -fresh fluffy rice helped soak up juices from steaks -beans smooth creamy texture. tasty. -many steak pieces: some chewy, some tender. Mostly large. Grilled tomatos and onions added sublime savoriness. 4.5 stars. Service: great! Quality: pretty good. Corn Tortillas a minor issue. Quantity: reasonable.

    Photos
    La Esperanza Pupuseria and Diner
    La Esperanza Pupuseria and Diner
    La Esperanza Pupuseria and Diner

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    Picante Taqueria - mexican - Updated July 2026

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