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

No salsa. It's literally a taqueria am I crazy for wanting a little salsa? I'm sorry for doing this after years of service, but I offered to go back there and make it for you and you declined. read more

Picante is 5 stars hands down. I've been coming to this restaurant since I was a kid literally 10-12 when I lived across the street. I am 34 and I stopped in today for a super burrito and when I tell you the food was SOOOOO GOOOD!!!! The meat was so juicy and marinated. Just a reminder why they've been around for so long. Definitely come to Picante if you're in the area hands down best Taqueria in Marin. Service is great! Ambiance warming and comforting as well. Yum! read more

Picante Taqueria - Outside - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

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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. read more

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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. read more

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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! read more

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The food was great, but unfortunately the customer service was terrible. The lady who assisted me was rude, shook her head at me when asking for more salsa, and gave me a very unwelcoming attitude throughout the interaction. That kind of behavior is completely inappropriate when working in a customer-facing restaurant. I really wish I had gotten her name because the experience left a very negative impression. The food was good, but unfortunately the customer service took away from the overall experience. read more

The food is exceptional. I had the greatest Veggie burrito of all time. It was so big- it took 2 & 1/2 meals to eat it. Honestly, I'm not usually the biggest fan of Mexican food, but this spot customized everything about that burrito so that it had all the things I love in Mexican cuisine and none of the things I try to avoid. If you eat in, I'd recommend asking for something to take your leftovers home in. Great place! read more

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! read more

Picante Taqueria - Asada taco on the left. Al pastor taco on the right. - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

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. read more

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A taqueria tucked near the water at the outer edge of the Canal neighborhood with a spacious, airy interior, great food at decent prices, and high quality ingredients. Compared to many of its nearby contemporaries, the freshness of Picante's food really shines through (especially the superlative fish, which is often a barometer for Mexican restaurants), and the sides are also of notably high-quality. The only minor quibble is that the pico de gallo salsa, while incredibly refreshing, often seems too mild for my palette, not as flavorful as I would expect for the chunkiness and burst of color. But this is a small matter, and I still enjoy it greatly. Plus, the tortilla chips are thick and well-done, unlike some nearby spots that use comparatively dry, mealy chips clearly bought from a supermarket. Great spot, especially if you live or work near the east San Rafael industrial and office block district. Check out Picante. read more

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! read more

Picante Taqueria - El Pastor Flour Tostada - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

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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. read more

Picante Taqueria - Chips with tasteless salsa - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

Called in for two Super Burritos (1 with no sour cream & 1 with extra sour cream). When we went to go pick them up we realized you don't get any chips or salsa with your order like they used to do. We got home and immediately noticed that both of the burritos had sour cream and were extremely greasy. The meat in the burrito was almost like ground beef (we got carne asada) I would not recommend or come back to this place the burritos flavor was not very good either. read more

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

Picante Taqueria - Supposed to be quesadillas - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

This place rocks! Fast clean and reasonably priced. I've gotten a few burritos from here and the have all been excellent. Will go back when I can. read more

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. read more

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

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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! read more

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I ordered a super pastor burrito with no beans. There is supposed to be sour cream and cheese in the burrito. There was so much grease that I couldn't even eat my food. Paying $13.50 for a burrito that is basically inedible is ridiculous. I won't be coming back. read more

Picante Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

The best fish tacos, bar none in this area! Reminded me of the great tacos in Los Barrellis, Mexico where we used to visit often. Great. Sauce, generous pieces of fish, freshly cooked and delivered with a smile. This local hangout for the Latino community is a real cultural treasure for Marin! A bit out of the way but worth the effort to find! Another reason why living in the wonderful diverse community is so special! read more

Terrible carne asada. Full of gristle. And the cook was rude. I asked him for a little more refried beans, and he flat refused. The mean was like eating an old shoe. Don't eat here. read more

After a day walking all over SF, time to grab some substance. So always like trying out a New Mexican place because I love Mexican food. So I ordered an all meat carne asada burrito. The people at the place were friendly and nice. The place was busy even at 9:00 PM, which is a good sign. The place was clean and nicely decorated. The atmosphere was lively but not crazy loud - a good sign that nobody was drunk. The burrito was awesome. The meat was very tasty and had a great beef flavor with a touch of spices. Also the carne asada was tender and way too easy to devour. I'd say my only complaint was -I would have like the red salsa to have more of a kick. It was very full in floor and tasty but it was mild to me - next time I'll ask if they can throw some jalapenos to kick up the heat. However I highly recommend this place. The burrito was awesome and looking forward to my next visit. read more

Picante has been a favorite for the entire family for years and years! The food is delicious and fresh, the decor is fun and welcoming, and the people are kind. read more

Would I eat here again? No. Am I glad I tried it? Yes. The good: -fish tacos; grilled nicely and tasty. -pico de gallo; fresh. -plenty of space to eat, and the seats were comfortable. The not so good: -super carne asada burrito; rubbery tortilla, tough chewy meat parts, no guac included so not worth the price for cheese and sour cream only. -shrimp tacos; fishy smell, tasted off somehow read more

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

$18 for a super carne Asada burrito was... meh... the Beef itself was really fatty (of which I had to spit out more than a couple of pieces along almost losing a tooth to a big chunk of bone). The flavors were not great.... That's a lot for a $18 burrito!!! Plus I thought this was somehow connected to the picantes in Berkeley - it's not. I ordered take out, but there seemed to be a lot of people eating on a Saturday afternoon at 2... read more

This place is solid. Fresh ingredients, nice atmosphere great salads. Try the butternut squash burrito, which is excellent. The combo plates are excellent also and I really enjoy the tostadas which are special. read more

My family had the worst experience ever. Came here all excited to try this place but the lady at the reception ruined everything. When we got out food, my husbands meat was way over cooked, supper dry that you can't even chew. My dog wouldn't eat this garbage meat either. The next meal was chicken tacos, we didn't even receive the chicken in the taco. They're slacking on making your meal. I don't recommend this place. read more

Very friendly staff, big space and good food. Great for dynamic / larger groups. I had their chicken burrito due to diet restrictions. It tasted great and was perfect for my diet needs. Also had an unsweetened ice tea. read more

Yum! I vote this the best breakfast spot in town. The prices are right, the service is quick, and the food is always so good. Simply walk up to the counter, order, and pay. Don't lose your recipes because your order number is printed on it. Listen for your number to be called and get your plate. For around $7, you get a big dish. Their coffee is good too and you get decent size mug. No small cups over here. I was refueled and ready for a long hike. If you like salsa, there a small refrigerator with at least four choices. There are cups you can pour your salsa into. Don't forget the pickled carrots, onions, and jalapeños to round out your meal. read more

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I'm recommending this place, but I cannot speak on the service given the fact that I grabbed the food for take out. I enjoyed the burrito, but it was a bit messy. I mean, there were parts of the the content inside of the burrito on the outside, but as far as I am concerned, the taste was on point so I'm going with a 4 star rating for now. read more

Picante Taqueria - Servers - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Always quality food, quick and friendly service. Our favorites are the veggie burrito and fish or shrimp tacos. Beer is cold. Plus the homemade sauces are yummy. Parking is usually easily available. Give them a try! read more

Horchata is really good (5/5) highly recommend! Co-worker got the pepita salad and said it was good Another co-worker had the chicken super burrito, complaints I had 4 tacos: 2 chicharron, 1 Al pastor, and 1 carne asada. Chicharron was good, carne asada was good, I'll pass on the Al pastor (my local taco trucks have fresh Al pastor that they cut right off the spit, so I'm spoiled and my expectations are higher for Al Pastor) Chips and salsa was also a pass. The "salsa" had zero flavor and I ended up dipping the chips in the hot sauces. Orange hot sauce had my mouth on fire and green salsa was really good too. It gets really busy at lunchtime and parking is limited and kinda tight. Worth a try if you're in the area read more

Picante Taqueria - Chips and salsa. Salsa was meh - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

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This restaurant is always top notch for fresh classic Mexican food. I've loved everything I've eaten here, and there are dozens of many stand outs here/ too many to list. Part of the magic here is that the food ingredients are so fresh! The place is clean, casual and ALWAYS great. Courteous friendly staff, who care about the food they make and serve. read more

I was a bit disappointed with this place, seeing how highly rated it was. I got 2 orders of the carne asada tacos and took out the pico. Their tacos can only be ordered in sets of 2. (Later found out that you can order single tacos). When I got my order, it was completely bare with just tortilla and steak. No lime, cilantro, or salsa to top it off, which I thought was the norm for tacos at any taqueria. I had to request for cilantro to be added. I had their green salsa and drenched it in my tacos because it was dry but I didn't really taste it. The tacos were also small and pricey for its size. We also got a super burrito which I thought tasted way better than the tacos. Chips were not included and were $2.50 for a large. They were hard and had lots of stale chips. There are better taquerias in San Rafael. read more

Picante Taqueria - $2.50 large chips - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Another successful meal at Picante. The food is delicious - had the veggie fajita burrito - OMG, spankin' good. It had a variety of fresh veggies delicately cooked and put into a fresh, flour tortilla along with beans and salsa. Delicious, with a capital D, very flavorful. Hubby had super chicken burrito. It was ok, unfortunately it didn't compare to my veggie burrito. He ate every bite tho, so much for my opinion :-) Lastly, I've never seen a better run restaurant. Every employee never rested the whole time we were here. The place is clean and well stocked. We'll done Picante. read more

Picante Taqueria - Menu Dec 10, 2021 - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

Was in the area and stopped by to pick-up a phone order to go. Only took 10 minutes (but likely less, based on past experience) and I was quickly in and out! Got the veggie tostada on a flour tortilla. Still a great value, and healthy! This time the dressing (like a vinaigrette) was on the side in a small container, and I added another container of the brown salsa. I like the dressing on the side, as it didn't sog the tortilla and I could add to my taste - will have to remember to ask for on side next time, too. Delicious!! read more

good taqueria for Marin County. Plenty of excellent house made jalapenos ,all you can eat with your order, plus the yellow habanero salsa is dyn-o-mite ! house made tortilla chips very good, but you have to pay extra. read more

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