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    Taqueria El Cruzero

    3.6 (177 reviews)
    InexpensiveMexican
    Open 8:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Taqueria El Cruzero Photos

    Business Info

    TAQUERIA EL CRUZERO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Divey
    Casual
    Good for kids

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    A piece of plastic in my steak fries

    Horrible service. I called and the woman said the wrong price and hung up on us right when we ordered. They are also very stingy with simple necessities like forks and charge extra for them. Once we were about to start eating the food, we noticed that there were no toppings at all. On top that, we saw a piece of plastic in our food. Don't support this service.

    Deena D.

    I walked here to grab some lunch while waiting for someone to finish with their surgery at the nearby hospital. The inside of the restaurant is small but colorful and full of life. The staff were very kind. I ordered the enchilada plate and it was very tasty. I wish I had a bit more beans but other than that it was good. I would come again!

    Interesting decorations
    Ernest M.

    I would recommend this place. They have a decent variety of choices--beyond the typical burritos, tacos, and quesadillas, they also offer cheeseburgers, steak fries, and full plates. Impressively, they have 13 types of meat, including options like cabeza and lengua. So far, I've only tried their super burrito with steak. It was very large and cost about $15, though that included an extra $2 for both avocado and cheese/sour cream. It was super filling. They did skimp a bit on the salsa and radishes, but probably you could ask for more if needed. Prices are overall okay for the portion sizes. The ambiance is... interesting. Definitely a bit of a hole-in-the-wall vibe with unique decoration. Portions were generous, the food was tasty, and it didn't feel too heavy. Salt levels were just right. I'd definitely come again to try out their other options.

    Menu
    Jim D.

    I have decided to check out this Taqueria. Very pleasant customer service and quick. Fish tacos on a hard shell will probably some of the best taco. I've had here in the bay area. Lingua and Cabeza. We're delicious as well. 10 out of 10.

    Carne Asada Fries
    Nae M.

    I can not tell you how I've discovered this place but I've known about it since middle school... (don't calculate my age..) and I have been obsessed with them since. They are the ONLY location I know that seasons their carne asada and seasons their fries. They are not stingy with not a single topping. You want extra cilantro? Add cilantro. Tomatoes- yaaaasss. Sour cream? Add more drizzle drizzle. But most importantly they are not afraid of flavor. If you're a big fan of those meats that just have salt and pepper? This ain't for you. They have a full seasoning cabinet and the main ingredient is not salt! Listen.... Listen... this is the itis "I'm eating because I deserve it" and do not tell your personal trainer vibes. This is that food. Cilantro freshly cut Now other items on the menu. Burrito is amazing - get the salsa... add it on to every bite and just know you will be in love. If you have an addictive personality? Then you will be good for business. But heads up- this is not a late night hype- they do close early. I respect their hours and plan accordingly. Enjoy!

    Super burrito!
    Jessica U.

    We've come here around 4 times already, and every time we've grabbed a burrito it's been bomb. I always grab a super burrito de asada and al pasto and my husband of asada. There horchata is good too. It's small shop but flavor is there. We grab it on our way home since it's right off the freeway and quick to pick up and hop back on the freeway to get home. I'll call 5 mins before I get there and our burritos are done right as I walk up. Give it a shot you'll enjoy it. The red salsa is bomb.

    My favorite pic in the place.
    Larry D.

    Place is old school "bomb!" Hella delicious. Smells scrumptious. Personally, I only get either the cheese burgers (with them tasty fries and a canned pepsi) or the steak nachos. Just cause. That's all I eat. Also, the decor is dope. From the classic pictures of the Latino homies to the little bull horns. Hit'em up, yo.

    shrimp tacos
    Aleanna S.

    Long time running business. I used to pass by this establishment all the time until my boyfriend suggested it and has been a customer since middle school. Very cute, nice staff, delicious food, and decent prices. The steak fries are so yummy. Nacho cheese on it is the game changer. The shrimp tacos were really good too. They cut up the shrimp so you're not getting big 'ol chunks. I would've asked for double tortillas on the tacos because they got soggy and broke on me but I had some chips helped. I'll be coming here more often.

    Steak Cheese Fries

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    1 year ago

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    4 months ago

    Been a couple of times for steak burrito and carnitas. Carnitas is my favorite. The service is great and I have never had a complaint!

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    1 year ago

    The very best in the entire bay area i highly recommend this place! Price is right food is even better!

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    1 year ago

    when my mom went to go get me steak fries with shrimp the guy was so rude to her he decides to give me food poisoning in revenge

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    2 years ago

    Great food quality, generous portions and very friendly staff. Ordered numerous times from this place and never got disappointed.

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    2 years ago

    Terrible customer service. Did not understand what I ordered and charged me for an item I never received. The food was trash.

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Taqueria El Cruzero

    Review Highlights - Taqueria El Cruzero

    I usually get the carnitas tacos or the carne asada ones (I don't recommend the fish though, sorry).

    $11 Carne Asada Plate

    Read more highlights

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    Doña

    3.9
    (616 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    One of the best Mexican places in The Town - and it's a fiercely competitive landscape too! We've…read morebeen coming for a while now and this place never disappoints. The menu does change up seasonally. I've had countless mouth watering chile rellenos with their ever changing sauce and filling. And my to go to nowadays to ensure I get plenty of protein is ordering one of their bowls, usually with pescado frito (fried fish) with black beans. My husband enjoys their barbacoa shredded meat. The bowls are filling, nutritious and flavor bombs. I also love indulging in their agua frescas. Our personal favorites are the strawberry horchata (a MUST if it's available) and their coconut ice coffee. Refreshing beverages to help soothe your tongue because the sliced fresh chiles on fried fish bowl are indeed lethal. Overall consistently delicious. It does get packed but if you come early around 4-5pm you will beat the crowd.

    Double dated with my friend and her partner. It was my partner's and my first time visiting Dona…read more Ambiance coming in was welcoming and well decorated. They welcomed dogs on their patio, loved seeing all of the pups. Service was friendly and knowledgeable. Food promptly came out and was delicious. We'd definitely come back in the future! We got the nachos and french toast....delicious

    Photos
    Outside. Dona is located in a two-story building with a cool outdoor deck. Restrooms are located upstairs (code required).
    Outside. Dona is located in a two-story building with a cool outdoor deck. Restrooms are located upstairs (code required).
    Pescado Frito Bowl. The cod was perfectly fried and tasty!b
    Pescado Frito Bowl. The cod was perfectly fried and tasty!b
    Margaritas for 2. This one is their passion fruit one. It's tasty!

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    Margaritas for 2. This one is their passion fruit one. It's tasty!
    Taqueria El Paisa

    Taqueria El Paisa

    4.4
    (559 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $$

    Came here for lunch on a Tuesday around noon and it was pretty busy. We finally lucked out and got…read morea parking spot in the parking lot. We tried coming here on a Sunday and couldn't find parking for 15+ minutes so we ended up leaving. There is some street parking but we prefer to park in the lot. Once you get inside you order at the counter. If you're getting tacos they're all the same price so the cashier will write the number of tacos you bought and you take that receipt and get in the line. Once you get called up you put your receipt in the basket that the worker hands you and tell them what kind of meat you want in your tacos. Today I tried the asada, carnitas, Al pastor, and tripa. They all were delicious, my favorite was the tripa. Portions are good ($4.50/taco) and they have a variety of salsas, jalapeños, limes, etc in the seating area once you exit. I also got a hibiscus (Jamaica) agua fresca that was good. They do accept credit card but they'll charge a $1 fee so try to bring cash if you can. Definitely recommend, this is now one of my top taco spots in Oakland.

    This is certainly one of the best Mexican restaurants I've ever been to. Each taco is $4.50 and…read morethey load each up with meat. The meats are all juicy and cooked perfectly. The pina colada drink was perfect to balance out the salty/savory flavor of the tacos. You self serve cucumbers, carrots, and radishes which is always cool. Finally, there's live Mexican music playing and the overall vibes are fantastic. 4.9/5

    Photos
    Taqueria El Paisa
    Torta de asada!
    Torta de asada!
    Tacos de Cabeza y Campechana (Carne Asada y Chorizo)

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    Tacos de Cabeza y Campechana (Carne Asada y Chorizo)
    Agave Uptown

    Agave Uptown

    3.9
    (786 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    We went to Agave Uptown for a dinner before seeing Poppy at the Fox Theater. When we arrived, we…read morewere pleasantly greeted by the host and sat at a table for two. Very quickly someone came to give us water. We looked over the menu and were able to decide what we wanted pretty quickly so with in a couple minutes our server came to take our drink order. Since we were decided, we ordered everything at that time since we were on a schedule for the concert. My wife ordered the Chef Salad and I ordered the two tacos plate. We also ordered shrimp ceviche to share. With in a few minutes, our server brought our drinks to us. A couple minutes later, the ceviche was brought to the table and it was absolutely delicious. Just about the time we finished off the ceviche, our meals were brought out. They visually looked stunning and smelled wonderful. The first bite of a taco was so good. The chicken seasoned perfectly, the ratio of onion with cilantro was spot on and the salsa was delicious. The plate included Mexican rice and black beans, both of which were excellent pairings with the tacos. My wife's chef salad was outstanding as well. We determined that if ever in Oakland, this is our go to place to grab a meal

    Update: I came here about twice after last time and thought "Okay, even the lady who was hostile…read morelast time is now cloyingly sweet, even if just to mock me, but its still good food and a nice time, I'll update the review" and enjoyed myself here on a date recently.... Until tonight. I came tonight with my autistic friend for their birthday and the staff kept giving me mocking eyes, as if he thought I was on another date, (and of course mere seconds after approaching me, talks of "puta" and overtly derogatory slutshaming terms all while still glancing at me with a smirk as he talked to his friend at the bar was quite irritating,) and the evening continued with a pretty heavy tone of dude giving me a mocking look, as if barely able to hold onto his laughter seeing me with a more poindexter looking openly autistic looking friend of mine, assuming I was just some hoe having hella dates, I get it, I was here a few days ago for an actual date. God forbid I think "What a pleasant spot, and I like their agua frescas, let me take my autistic friend who doesn't drink for a little bite since it's their first night in Oakland after an hour long drive, after a nice outing today, and to end an evening on a high note." And the mockery didn't help set a tone for a fun evening at all, we left pretty fast from the discomfort and bro triggered my migraines with the passive aggressiveness. Delicious food, and the woman server was pleasant, the guy? Not exactly. And its a shame, I liked the pork loin and agua frescas here a lot, not the ableism and weird commentary and vibes.

    Photos
    Bar Area
    Bar Area
    Tostadita de chile ajo - potato tostada
    Tostadita de chile ajo - potato tostada
    Molotes|Masa|papas
choriso|Epazote
black bean paste|cabbage|queso|
tomatillo salsa

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    Molotes|Masa|papas choriso|Epazote black bean paste|cabbage|queso| tomatillo salsa
    Mesa Maguey

    Mesa Maguey

    4.5
    (212 reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    My wife and I tried Mesa Maguey for lunch last Sunday. We walked in...it wasn't crowded on a…read moreSunday. We loved the decor. Very comfortable tables/seating. Friendly staff. We ordered rose sangria and 3 plates to share: ceviche, flautas, and empanadas. We didn't wait long for the drinks and food. The ceviche was excellent. The flautas and empanadas were good (we've had better elsewhere) so we'll likely try other dishes when we go here again. Good quality food at reasonable prices. Again, friendly, attentive staff. We enjoyed our lunch and visit to this restaurant. Looking forward to returning. Definitely going to try their mole.

    Came here for dinner and a comedy show Monday night. First impression, it's a really cute spot. I…read morelove the decor, the colors, the ambiance, and the artwork in the back where the comedy show was held. Even the bathroom is so cute!! And that is saying something because I never take pictures of bathrooms for reviews lol. The food is just as pretty as the decor. Every plate we ordered came out looking beautiful. The 4 stars is really because although the food looks pretty, I would say everything tastes okay, nothing really stood out particularly in taste. If this review was based on food tastes alone, and not looks, vibes, and the great show, it would've been 3 stars. The flautas were a bit too hard for me. Ive had way better flautas at El Torito's in San Leandro. Although there were only like 6 of us total in the audience for the show, it was still really enjoyable. The host, Tony Parker has great energy, and a lot of the comics (I think were like 5 or 6) had us laughing throughout. No one was safe lol. All in all, a really cute place for date night and comedy show. Apparently they have them Sunday-Thursday nights, and they're free!

    Photos
    Got mezcal?
    Got mezcal?
    Chicken Mole
    Chicken Mole
    Flautas

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    Flautas
    Tacos Oscar

    Tacos Oscar

    4.4
    (312 reviews)
    2.4 mi

    Ohhh baby we got a winner!!!…read more I had high expectations when I saw the Michilin Bib hanging over the kitchen, and boy did it live up to it. Not only was the food great but it also has a very cozy and unique vibe inside (well I guess technically it's outside.) there was no line and we got our food quick, I can't think of one thing to complain about. I got three tacos, all costing a mere 5$; Pork: absolutely blew me away. The first taco I started with and set the bar very high. I tried the first bite with all my friends and we instantly locked eyes because we knew we found something special 9.7/10 Pollo: nearly on the same level as the pork. The red onions on top gave it great texture and a unique flavor profile 9.2/10 Barbacoa: on its own it was solid! But when compared to its counterparts it wasn't quite as jaw dropping. 8.1/10 Overall: 9.4/10

    Incredible. Amazing. Fantastic. Wow…read more These tacos are some of the best tacos I have ever had. The flavors are incredible and the ambiance makes it even more special. They serve the tacos out of a storage container with outdoor and covered patio seating on either side. The place was lovely, with many groups of people enjoying food drink and good vibes. I went with a few buddies and got the chile verde pork, barbacoa, and chicken tacos. I would rank them in that order respectively. Absolutely incredible tacos with a burst of flavor in each bite. The tortillas were the best street taco tortilla I've ever had with a stable but also soft and fluffy texture. I can see why this has a Michelin bib and would recommend for anyone who wants some amazing street tacos. It's quick and easy, seat yourself and enjoy a chat with friends. 10/10 would give it more than 5 stars if u were able to.

    Photos
    Side seating entrance
    Side seating entrance
    Don't be like me. provide your tostada with a strong support system
    Don't be like me. provide your tostada with a strong support system
    Outdoor seating

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    Outdoor seating
    Bombera

    Bombera

    4.1
    (547 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$$

    Upscale Mexican-by-way-of-California restaurant with rich and inventive flavors. There are three…read morelegs that hold up the stool here; the masa, the mole, and the celebration of each dish's main ingredient. We ordered the duck carnitas, summer tamales, and kids' quesadilla, along with the roasted beats and a strawberry agua fresca and horchata. I cannot enumerate all of the amazing elements and flavors in this meal, but I can say that the crispy outside of the duck and the ease with which it fell apart drew a connection between duck confit and carnitas that changed the way I will think about both. The hearty masa in the tamales had a the texture of hand ground corn and was substantial enough to warrant chewing though. The beet -- tender and flavorful in itself -- was paired with a nutty, spicy mole like a thick paste, bright with its herbs. The agua fresca was a summertime blast of fruit. Yes, yes. All of the food is delicious and amazing. But what takes the restaurant over the top is that the food is comforting and familiar in equal measure to its inventiveness and flawless execution. This is not just food for the tongue and stomach but food for the soul.

    Arrived to no host so another worker had to assist and kept looking around for the hostess. We made…read morea reservation a month prior, the table wasn't ready, but we managed to get seated at a table with other diners. The woman who brought water was very welcoming. The prices on the menu are $5-10 more than the menu on their website. It's a nice dining room, but very loud and the piped-in music makes it worse: I couldn't hear what my date was saying across the table. We started with the smoked trout tostadas. This is kind of ceviche style, and they were delicious. These are "street taco" sized tostadas by the way. The portion was OK but for $20 it could've been a bit more substantial. The duck mole: the duck was nicely unctuous and cooked amazingly, but very salty. The mole had the consistency and taste of hummus. Needless to say it was thick, gloopy and tasted only of cumin. The little salad on the plate was plastered in it. The grilled swordfish Valencia style was just an overly sour salsa verde with a couple chopped green olives with the fish sitting in the watery liquid. The salsa had a kick, but tasted mostly of lime, it was also cold. The swordfish however was grilled perfectly and the portion was great--for $35 I'm glad it was. Beans and rice seemed an overly salty afterthought, and if you don't want beans, too bad, it's served in the same bowl as the rice. The service was almost non-existent--no one checked in on us or asked how things were; there seemed to be only one person taking orders in the dining room and three-four people running around. Our appetizer plates sat in front of us for 15 mins, so when the entrees arrived the runner had a hard time clearing the table and simultaneously putting down the entrees. We didn't see our server again until the end when she gave us the check. Suddenly the charm came on when the tip came up. I appreciate what they're doing, but for that price point there are far better options.

    Photos
    Inside main room
    Inside main room
    Carnitas: tender flavorful, added spicy carrots secret sauce made it even better
    Carnitas: tender flavorful, added spicy carrots secret sauce made it even better
    Interior looking out

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    Interior looking out

    Taqueria El Cruzero - mexican - Updated August 2026

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