I guess I've been coming here for 25 years.... located in Montecito Plaza, San Rafael by the high school. A new tenant, "CHIPOTLE" appeared a few years ago a couple of doors down. I'm always puzzled that anybody would venture in there, all things considered. (Akin to dining at McDonald's in Paris.) Or, taking a bath with your socks on. It's my substitute for "Gordo".... But, since there is not one in Marin, I am here frequently. It's the closest thing to "Gordo". It took me this long to realize that the owner of this joint used to work for "Gordo" before he opened up this place. So, I guess that my comparison was spot on. There's something about the simplicity of the menu and the "tight wrap" that makes it work so well. You can choose from at least four tortillas, green, red, white, and whole wheat. For me it's whole pinto beans and cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo, and a little green hot sauce. In lieu of the guacamole I prefer sliced avocado, but that's more labor intensive for them so I don't often ask. Done, I inhale it. Really satisfying. It's one of those items that I crave sometimes and the anticipation from the first thought that enters my brain to the drive here is very tough. It's my crack. There used to be a time when the owners, Bobby Hernandez along with his wife and there two sons worked here regularly, but now I rarely see the owner and his wife, but one of the sons is still very involved and the other left years ago to do construction work, I believe. The one who remains is a nice, friendly young man with a great personality and good energy. I guess he's the partner. So cool to see him still working it-you know, from a 12-year-old to a grown man. I come here at varying times and different days. But truthfully, it's just about my favorite burrito joint. In fact, it might be becoming my number one. Check it out, go to "Trader Joe's" and grab some groceries and come over here for lunch or dinner. They sell side orders of rice and beans and guac, etc. so you can throw a party! Have some cash to tip, cause they don't have a tip accommodation on their charge card slips! Una comida deliciosa y constante!!! read more

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Awesome family owned authentic Mexican restaurant. Service and staff is excellent. My special angel and I highly recommend this restaurant.

New furnishings, same wonderful freshly cooked food, always delicious! Thanks. I have enjoyed the food here, been coming for decades. The place is clean, the employees are amazing and the food is excellent. Worried about the extra calories in a burrito, just ask for the ingredients to be put in a bowl...super accommodating. Eat inside or out as they have some cafe tables and chairs set up outside. Keep up the good work. read more

I ordered the super deluxe burrito and the super nacho. both were decent. service was friendly and prompt and atmosphere nice. looking at what others were eating I think I would like to try the tacos next time. read more

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The set up is like chipotle, but authentic Mexican food. I had the steak taco $4.40 each The green salsa has some heat to it - so yummy My partner had the Mole taco which tasted like chili Colorado to me - still good I gave it a four because I'm comparing it to my preference in other taco shops - California and Arizona read more

Puentez Taqueria - Receipt - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

Fast friendly classic tasty good prices. No frills decor. popular with locals. Special experience when my daughter fell from a seizure and dropped our order of corn quesadillas and horchata. Instantly with minimum fuss customers and cashier helped my daughter to a seat while she recovered. Our order was replaced no charge and brought to our table. The mess was swiftly cleaned up and everything proceeded smoothly. Grateful and impressed. Good guys. read more

This is a great little Mexican takeout place. The food is authentic and delicious. The prices are very reasonable. The service is both polite and fast. We stumbled across it, and it was great for a fast tasty meal. There are a dozen or so tables with umbrellas out front. I was really pleasantly surprised at how tasty and fresh and healthy the food was. Highly recommended. read more

Hadn't been in 10 years, remembered it being good so thought I would try it again. Ordered a super burrito with grilled chicken as my protein. Didn't realize when watching it being made he threw in pork instead of grilled chicken. Sad to say the rice and beans were mushy and bland. :( Everything just tasted like salt and black pepper . Hoping it was just an off visit. Love supporting local family owned places. read more

First visit, the single tacos were generously portioned, large tacos, the carnitas was mild not salty, the ingredients seem very fresh but sadly lacked flavor I typically crave in any carnitas dish. For just under $4 each they are priced very fairly. The staff, I believe to be family run are very nice and they have enough seating to be comfortable. They had a steady stream of customers after the 1pm time of arrival. While I would probably not go out of my way to return, I still believe it's a healthy, affordable option for a meal. read more

Puentez Taqueria - Carnitas Tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

Service is fast & attentive. Food is tasty (good chile verde!) Prices are chill. You can get in and out pretty quick... For what it is, a nice little convenient spot. Don't expect fancy and you'll be all good. Both times I've been, I have run into people that I know who have been going for a long time, if you haven't, worth a shot read more

Enjoyed the brand and cheese burrito. Nice friendly service. Fast making food. Will be back to try the breakfast burrito. read more

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Puentez definitely has the best burritos in town! You can't go wrong with a super or deluxe burrito. Personally, I like it with their pollo asado or carne asada burritos. It has become our go-to spot in the area whenever we're craving burritos. read more

Puentez Taqueria - Super Burrito - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

We order takeout every week with this family owned eatery. They've been a staple for the neighborhood for many, many years! We always get Super Burritos with Guacamole - mine with hot sauce! Lovely people, and service is always excellent. read more

Loved this spot! We stumbled upon it on our roadtrip and were incredibly impressed. It is family owned and when you enter their restaurant you feel the openness and warmth they have for the food they serve. There are pictures of their family and their history which we LOVED. The staff id kind, patient and generous with their portions! Watching the man behind the counter making our food was an experience in itself because you could tell he had it down to a science after years of prepping the food. As for the food and its taste, it did not disappoint! Salsa was pleasingly spicy and meat was tender! I highly recommend their jumbo deluxe burrito with carnitas - it comes with chips too. Give them a try! read more

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Solid but hidden Mexican spot! I went probably 15 years ago in high school and it's still just as good as I remembered. We had family visiting and I placed a large order over the phone. Note that the menu on their website is not up to date. A family member wanted enchiladas because we saw it on their website, but when I called, they told me they didn't have enchiladas on their menu, so beware the online menu is not up to date! Pick up was seamless. The order was ready when we got there and the staff was very nice both over the phone and for pick up. I love burritos that have everything inside so you are not constantly putting guacamole, salsa, and sour cream on top so I ordered the mini deluxe chicken burrito and it was perfectly seasoned and had all of my add ins. The family members that ordered tacos were very impressed and pleased with the portion size. And did I mention reasonably priced?? I'll be back for more burritos next time I am in town. read more

Love this place! Clean, efficient and the food is always great. It's been our spot for years and years!

I love your food even though it's Americanized I still love it and it's become a little more expensive but I understand what I don't understand is the neglect of your dining area. Half of the benches are covered in duct tape the actual security camera looks like it was installed in the 1980s the amount of dust on it is horrendous the ceiling is needing replacing the tiles... This place needs a very deep clean read more

Our favorite in the Bay Area. Family run, clean and tidy, nestled in a corner of the Trader Joe's shopping center in San Rafael. Be prepared to stand in line. It is popular with all classed of Latino and with we gringos, too. Portions are gut busting and they will wrap your orders in tight aluminum so you can carry out. Many times run there for dinner and drive back with the yummies. We, and our California son's family continue to be regulars. And the Puentez family are nice people. read more

If you're looking for really good Mexican food there's no better place in Marin County maybe even the Bay Area the food here is always good the service is always friendly and the prices are reasonable even in this day and age. It's a great location centrally located in a shopping mall across from San Rafael High School keep in mind the kids eat here during lunch break so try to avoid that time if you're in a hurry. You can sit outside or sit inside there's lots of options if feels like a family ran business because it is a family ran business. I've been going here for over 20 years and I'll never stop going here and I live in Sonoma now. Be sure to check it out! read more

The place is great. The line is slow but the food and customer service is great. I ordered super deluxe burrito. read more

Puentez Taqueria - two people standing at the counter - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

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If you are looking for a freshly cooked taco or burrito, this is not your place. Everything is dolloped out of pre-cooked containers. Servings are generous, taste is OK. It's a very popular place, just not if you're looking for something fresh. read more

Best burritos in the bay area! Have been coming here for years and it never disappoints! Actually strongly prefer Puentez over Gordos- the red sauce at Puentez is so much better! read more

One of the best burritos they made for me in every bite having the flavors of sauces and bean, sour cream +... high 5 you leave happy good service by the cook open kitchen and clean ... i recommend this Mexican Kitchen to everyone... I will be back read more

Puentez Taqueria - Veggie supper spicy Burrito - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

Best burrito I've had in the area so far! The grilled chicken deluxe burrito has SO much flavor without being salty, and the guac and cream are fresh and delicious. The bag of tortilla chips it came with was also super fresh. Horchata was authentic... ALL SO GOOD like I can't believe I passed by this place every weekend. Only caveat is that the service/line is super slow, which doesn't bother me but if you're in a rush it may not be the best choice. I could tell the staff were trying their best. read more

Great tacos... fantastic tacos... Amazing tacos, actually! And the sauces... Sorry for the lack of photos and detail to this review, but I highly recommend. read more

Simply the best taqueria in the Bay Area. Always fresh, always delicious and always a great price. The family is amazing and their passion for their work is evident. They make everything from scratch. The original 'mission style wet burrito'. You can't go wrong at Puentez!!! read more

The place itself was very cool, loved the decorations. But that was expensive, I got 2 tacos for 8 dollars- 4 dollar tacos is crazy! Plus they only had 1 kind of aguas Fresca. The service was nice, but carne asada is more like steak than carne asada. Mid taco. 3/10 read more

My son eats their chicken deluxe burritos twice a week. It does not look any special but it tastes great. It's NOT salty.

I order a super burrito of carnitas or chicken and I add potatoes with chile verde!!! Wow. Let me tell you! This is a protein packed burrito that is tasty and fresh! Love this place because the food is fresh and prepared every morning. Everything on their menu is good and traditional. The family that owns this place is very nice as well and respectful. I've been coming here since high school back in 09 GO DAWGS! Make sure you come before the lunch rush because it does get packed but worth the wait. read more

Puentez Taqueria - Super Burrito de Carnitas with potato - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Been going here for years. My favorites are the carnitas and grilled chicken burritos. Can't go wrong with either. Bonus, I've never had a "runny" burrito like at Chipotle. And, they don't trip out about mask wearing. Freedom lives at Puentez! read more

Puentez Taqueria - Buy in bulk... - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

Consistently delicious and an excellent value. Kids menu is perfect. I always look forward to a stop here after weekly grocery shopping with my toddler. read more

The food here is outstanding, Delicious with a capital D. We had the deluxe veggie burrito and the super cactus burrito. The chips that come with a deluxe burrito are so fresh, yummmm. I cannot give more than 1 star tho because I have never, ever been in a less efficiently run place. They take and cook and charge one customer at a time!!!!! I'm guessing they are making many to-go orders to justify the single order at a time. Wait - no, doesn't seem to be the case. The women at the counter now ordered something they ran out of. So they are making this ingredient before helping anyone else in line. Arrrgh We will never come back, it's tortuous watching all the staff stand around watching each person fulfill their part of an order. Bummer cuz the food is quite good. read more

We have been trying to find our go to Mexican place in Marin since moving to San Rafael a couple years ago. After a few tries, this place has been hit or miss. I tried a few burritos and all had a good flavor but the last time I was there I watched the guy making my burrito pour excess bean juice onto the floor behind the counter instead of just waiting an extra second to let the beans drain while scooping them before finishing the final fold. One of those things you just can't unsee. The overall professionalism of the staff isn't great either including counter workers who don't speak much English. It's also a bit dingy and dirty inside. It makes me question the overall food safety and cleanliness. The search continues! read more

Had a super burrito to go, carnitas, delete beans, added steam vegetables. Al pastor is my fave meat choice but was not listed. Mine was hot, fresh, decent size, had plenty of meat and vegetables but hardly any cheese which I requested. overall rating of 3.5 stars. My burro was FLAT sorry to say tho Service was Excellent and Friendly. Bahia and San Jose taquerias of San Rafael continue to be my go to stops. read more

I have a feeling this could be the best Mexican restaurant in Marin. First, it's a classic little hole in the wall over in the far corner of a strip mall. Its outward presentation looks like all other small Mexican family operations: totally individual. And there's nothing understated about the logo and claims like "best in town..." because everywhere inside and outside the place you see those bright and ever-optimistic colors of Latin America. The menu also has a few telling things that extend well past the usual tacqueria charts: cactus, tamale, menudo 3 nights a week, mole, grilled chicken. OK all I had was a regular chili verde burrito, but just this gave me enough encouragement to come back for the mole, and then if that's good I'll show up for the menudo. When I walked in I felt like I was back in Hidalgo. Then I realized WHY I felt like I was back in Hidalgo: nobody was wearing masks, and even worse the prep person wasn't wearing gloves. Come on folks, you've got a lot going for you and this is a minor inconvenience that's part of doing the food business here. We're in a mandatory mask time here so it's kind of inexcusable not to be aware of that. But to me, bare hands playing pat-a-cake with my burrito loses my vote it's so basic in passing a board of health inspection. I've had more than my share of campylobacter plus a few run ins with salmonella south of the border, so I'm hoping my antibodies still remember what to do if worse comes to worse. As for covid, well I'm hoping it's like the science says: airborne viruses are not easily transmitted by food. I'll repost if this turns out wrong. If all-ok I'll go back for the mole next month or so. Oh, but of course I ate the burrito anyway. read more

Puentez Taqueria - What's wrong with this picture (hint: something about the guy's left hand) - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

The chicken burrito I ordered was great; would certainly recommend. However, the wait is pretty long since they only have 2 or 3 people working the whole kitchen. I ordered a veggie burrito for my wife, which she liked...but she also didn't see how it was made. Basically the veggies looked like they came out of a Bird's Eye frozen food sack and thawed (broccoli, cauliflower, etc.). She said she liked it though, so I guess it's not a total knock. I would definitely order ahead and pick up later than they say it's ready. read more

Consistently fresh, tasty food. Staff is very friendly and very efficient. This place is often busy but they managed to serve everyone with a smile. read more

Best burritos, tacos, quesadillas in the county. I love their hot sauce and the food is full of flavor and taste fantastic read more

Puentez Taqueria - Beef quesadilla and shrimp taco - Mexican Near Me - San Rafael, California

Sorry but the only thing good about this place is the American flag on the wall. Just got two burritos for $28. Horrible. Idiots standing in line for this place have no clue what is good or bad. This place wouldn't last a day in Southern Cal. read more

Ok let's talk about supporting local family own business during this current pandemic. Well one that has the absolute best tasting burritos and I challenge anyone that makes a better pork tamale. When you walk into this small family own establishment you see pictures of children that are now adults now working in the kitchen. It's a good feeling you get with good energy. Did I mention how freaking delicious the pork tamales are? Again I challenge anyone to beat this taste. Hands down the best ever. ENOUGH SAID read more