food was fantastic. even went a second time the following night to try more. the ladies are so nice inside as well and they stay open a little later than most places which i appreciate! read more

AMAZING!!!! super good food great people and the ambience is GREAT! music taste is literally top notch for this little hidden gem makes you feel so comfy and chill. would recommend to everyone but ima keep it to myself and be here all the time!! read more

the hype around this spot was big, as all my friends and acquaintances had recommended Grullo i ordered mojarra combo, a fried fish served with rice and beans. the recommendations were well deserved, and i enjoyed this meal! read more

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Had one of the best menudo I've had for lunch. The staff were super sweet! I was enjoying my meal, and the lady who brought out my food insisted i have it with tortillas and spicy salsa. She was right, it was perfect! read more

Taqueria El Grullo - Menudo. Amazing!! They used small tripe, so everything was so silky and bite size. - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

I arrived right when they opened, my food was great, fresh and the service was kind and fast they even received me with a cafesito I highly recommend their tacos and menudo read more

My first time at this spot, the space is nice and cozy, a few tables in there for dining in. The ladies who work there are pretty nice, and they speak minimal English, but you could get by with ordering. I got the Al Pastor super burrito $16 and a grande horchata $4. The burrito was huge! Came with sides of lime, radish, and jalapeño. The burrito itself was decent taste wise, I didn't really care for the lettuce that was in there, tasted odd to me, but otherwise good as I think SF has the best tasting burritos . I would rate a 3.5/5, and the horchata was nice and sweet, not chalky or grainy like other places, a 4/5. I'd probably won't be back for the burrito, but will try the tacos. If you're in the area give it a try. read more

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This is my go to spot for Mexican food, the food is great and the kitchen ladies they're so nice. I always order the shredded chicken burrito, their Mexican rice is top tier, and their horchata is solid 10/10 read more

This place is so good!! I randomly stopped by and ordered some tacos. The price is good, and each taco has lots of meat inside. People here are super nice too. Its a very small place, and might be hard to find a parking. They had 4-5 tables inside. Their hot sauce is very very spicy, so be aware! Cash Only* read more

Taqueria El Grullo - menus on the wall - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

The food is amazing! Service is great the ladies are a delight! The prices were a little steep for what we ordered but food was worth it! Ambiance needed attention but they were pretty busy on a Saturday! read more

Such a good hidden gem!! Quaint little spot on the corner fixing authentic Mexican food. The menu covers the whole wall, took a while to settle on what to order! They were so nice too and it didn't take too long of a wait. We got chicken enchiladas, verde and rojo, horchatas, and steak tacos. Just drooling from the thought of it all!! Omg it smelled so good I wanted to eat in the parking lot right there. And plenty of spots to park outside in the lot or the street, it wasn't very busy. People are missing out on something special! Everything was phenomenal. I can't wait to try the rest of the menu. So flavorful, great large portions, and delicious cooking. I'd go back again and again if I didn't worry about not fitting into my yoga pants haha. Highly recommend this spot for some delicious food! read more

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Great food and service. Quality of meat is same as El Paisa but much closer (for me at least). read more

Taqueria El Grullo - Tripas, Al pastor, cabeza - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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Best Mexican food in Oakland. Service is fast and the environment is great. Love it! Definitely a must if you stop by Oakland. read more

Taqueria El Grullo - Flautas de Pollo - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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I've drove by this place a million times in my life and never knew this existed. Definitely a "Hood Spot", but it was so good. I got three tacos: steak, al pastor and carnitas. All three were good. What I noticed tho the huge portions of meats given. Way more than any other taco spots. The Spanish rice was tasty. I'm planning to return to try their burritos and Pozole. Also added bonus: they have a parking lot. read more

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There is a debate amongst my contemporaries of what the meaning of Grullo is. Some say it's a certain colored horse. Others believe it's the sound your stomach makes when you are hungry. The Urban Dictionary defines it as a derogatory term, example: "That guy Daniel is a real grullo." That being said, Taqueria El Grullo is still open for take out during this awful lockdown. I ordered three burritos because my goal after we get out of quarantine is to apply to be on My 600 Pound Life. Each super burrito costs $11. I ordered one Al Pastor and two Steak. How were the burritos? Good. The combination of flavors, portion size, ingredients were tasty. My only question was why one burrito received lettuce and the other two didn't. I actually preferred the burrito without so I'm glad they didn't add lettuce to all the burritos. The ladies working here are very friendly. The burritos were ready in a reasonable amount of time. I'll probably call my order in next time if possible. A solid Taqueria on Foothill and 27th. read more

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By far the best tacos in the East Bay in my opinion. Wet, messy, good-sized, generous in ingredients, and flavorful. The venue exterior gives absolutely no hint to the prior statement and passing by you might think to move on, but you would be missing out on some of the best Mexican food around. Only one complaint, they are very slow, around 20+ minutes for even a couple of tacos. However, if you are a little patient the wait is well worth it. read more

Taqueria El Grullo - a sign for a mexican restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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The pastor has lots of flavor, and it most definitely isn't bland. I liked it more than Sinaloa's pastor. Their burritos will fill you up. Definitely worth giving a shot. read more

La comida estaba pero delicioso. Ya voy años y años comiendo aquí. Gracias a todo el equipo que me servio una comida deliciosa. Le agradezco por un buen servicio y dejando me salir con una panza llena y feliz. read more

I'm so selfish. I didn't want long lines here once people find out - Best Menudo I've found in Bay Area, maybe earth. But you should know, it's the best menudo spot and I've eaten plenty around the Bay Area. Also very good, Tripa Taco. Ive also only every seen ladies in the kitchen, such a great, sweet staff! read more

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Last Sunday I pulled up and got a super burrito with steak and shrimp. The ladies were back there working really hard, so I stayed patient. 35 minutes ... no burrito. After a 45 minute wait for one burrito, it finally came. It was decent! But for $20 (no exaggeration, mine came out to $21) I'll probably go to Sinaloa because it's a little better and quicker. read more

Best authentic Mexican food/ taqueria in town! Staff are incredibly nice. They check up on on you. This has been my go to Mexican taqueria ever since I was a little girl read more

Taqueria El Grullo - Quesadillas - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

The hunt for magnifico menudo takes me back to Oakland yet again, this time East Oakland where the 'hood becomes more rough-'n-tumble. This is Oaktown, baby, where my homies is. OK, maybe not my homies but maybe my homies once removed since I spent close to 17 years living in Oakland. Sure, it's a bit sketch with all the bars on the windows, but the owners tried to enliven it with a tropical scene painted on their outer brick walls (photo: http://bit.ly/1dKsg1H) and a festive vibe inside amid the five baby blue formica booths that make up the main seating area (photo: http://bit.ly/1bKt2Nw). The hand-scribed whiteboard menu has plenty of bargain-priced eats (photo: http://bit.ly/1jPWLqM). But of course, it's the Menudo I was after, and at $7, it was quite a bowl of tripe and tendons piled high in the red chili-spiced broth (photo: http://bit.ly/1msoS1b) It wasn't quite transcendent in flavor, but it was pretty close and most definitely abundant in ingredients. With the tortilla container and all the fixings, you'd think I'd be all set for a satisfying late lunch, but no, for some reason, I just had to try the $5 Hamburguesa con Papas...yep, a cheeseburger and fries (photo: http://bit.ly/1nMlklK). It was surprisingly tasty yet on the small side with shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes and thankfully since I had to come to terms that I ordered two meals at once. The fries were the thick, krinkle kind, and the menudo actually made a better dipping sauce than the ketchup. The chips and salsa, however, were rather on the generic side (photo: http://bit.ly/1gggoCR). Service was very attentive, and the ladies were very pleasant to me. The other customers not so much as I'm sure they were wondering what I was doing in their 'hood. Before I took my roll-away linoleum flooring out to perform my specialty breakdance, I simply kept to myself slurping my menudo quietly as groups of young people would walk in, order their burritos (no vegetables, por favor) and wolf them down in front of me like they were at home or something. Si, don't mind me. Anyway, now that I know the drill, I may come back for the $5 burger-and-fries combo. That's cheaper than a happy meal, isn't it? FOOD - 4 stars...pretty darn good menudo, abundant with innards, but the hamburguesa may actually be the drawing card here AMBIANCE - 2.5 stars...the window bars are a bit daunting, and the booths a bit hard on the butt SERVICE - 4 stars...give it up for the ladies TOTAL - 4 stars...you can eat cheap and good in East Oakland, just be watchful read more

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If you from the dubs or not, this is the got to taqueria. Yeah it's a hole in the corner but it's the best. The food is delicious and prices are very reasonable. Customer service is always good. You can also order over the phone or thru the window okayyyy . Before I forget they have some good ass horchata y carnitas read more

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5 star al pastor? I had to try it. El Grullo has your typical taqueria menu with tacos, burritos, quesidillas, and plates (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/KpTbjIYuiWGg9wT9SpZImQ?select=kJ3B4RQ319Swls2HebqiUw) There's also tortas and a couple of other items on their picture menu that aren't on this menu. Tacos are currently $1.50 and burritos are $5. I ordered a small horchata ($1.25) and four tacos. 2 al pastor, 1 carnitas, and 1 carne asada. Some chips and salsa verde (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/KpTbjIYuiWGg9wT9SpZImQ?select=NrwXvdgLCEvcGXUYyX1LXA) were delivered while I waited. The salsa verde was mildly spicy and very tasty. Taco plate came with a pile of pickled carrots & jalepenos, sliced radishes and 2 juicy lime wedges. All the tacos had the same reddish-orange salsa (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/KpTbjIYuiWGg9wT9SpZImQ?select=DbG5wRl0W1Kd3oe9LpFVUA). Pros: - Lot's of meat in the tacos. Almost overflowing when picked up - Carnitas were great! Juicy and flavorful. A few crispy edges which I like adding both texture and flavor. - Horchata was delicious. Not a trace of grittiness that you usually find. Cons: - Both the asada and al pastor were in this almost dehydrated / jerky-like state (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/KpTbjIYuiWGg9wT9SpZImQ?select=rnigC1ZF39f11xznNnFkgA). Actually tasted OK though not like asada or al pastor. Wasn't dry and tough, but not anything close to the texture and taste of freshly grilled or roasted meats. Weird. Carnitas - 5 stars Carne Asada - 2 stars Al Pastor - 2 stars Horchata - 4.5 stars They do have a parking lot next to the building. read more

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CASH ONLY. Tried out El Grullo Taqueria in East Oakland for lunch Sun 11/3/13. It's a small place maybe 5 tables only. FREE chips & salsa. I didn't try any. We got 4 different tacos: lengua, tripe, cabeza, carnitas. All very good. Two tiny corn tortillas each with lots of meat & onions, cilantro. Try them! Menudo- we shared a big bowl (had to ask for 2nd bowl). Very tasty. Side of onions, radish, some chile sauce, lime. Put in the soup & eat it all. Friend said Horchata was too sweet. I didn't try it. read more

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Small quiet place not much going on inside ...workers are nice as well not much seating inside but you could order outside as well read more

Taqueria El Grullo - Chicken nachos despite the look it's actually bomb af - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

My new favorite Mexican place! Love their specials (posoles, birria, etc.) Folks are super friendly with lovely smiles. CASH ONLY. Their hot salsa is amazing! read more

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love the chorizo and egg burrito. My favorite breakfast burrito spot. Service is great, ambiance is perfect. Love this place.

Tacos are delicious! Especially the chorizo, tripas and pastor. Beautiful senoritas there do it perfect everytime!

If you're craving some delicious tacos or burritos....LOOK NO FURTHER! This place is goooooood. Like, really really good. I had this place bookmarked for awhile due to its high reviews. And one weekend when we were driving down to LA in the morning, BF wanted to grab a burrito (weird...I know. Who wants a burrito at 8am but whatever). This was the only place opened that early so we stopped here! I got a carnitas burrito and he ordered the breakfast burrito with eggs and chorizo. These were HUGE! We had enough for the entire trip to LA and weren't hungry until way later. But not only were the portions large, they were drool worthy. Fluffy and seasoned rice and beans, delicious meat, and all the fixings. YUMMM. So we decided to try it out a second time. I ordered 2 tacos (carnitas and pollo) and BF got the asada burrito. We decided to dine in. They gave us a big bowl of chips and their house salsa along with cups of water while we waited. The tacos were loaded and the meat was just as how I remembered...super flavorful! BF loved his burrito. We got a cup of horchata to go. I'm usually not a fan but theirs isn't too sweet so I enjoyed it! Service was really friendly!!! Loved the food and you can't beat the prices! CASH ONLY. read more

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Hella good especially since it's less than 100yrds from my apartment and it's really nice to have good hot food so close. The tortas are amazing and everything else there is always on point so check it out if your in the hood here and I guarantee you won't be disappointed! read more

We LOVED coming to this taco truck. We would drive from Hayward just to get a burrito. Today we were disappointed and will NEVER BE COMING BACK!!!! I found a ROCK IN MY BURRITO. Okay, bugs are nasty. Butttt I can MAYBE understand how a bug may possibly sneak onto a taco. BUT A ROCK!! Cmon! That just shows how unsanitary they are! I will be reporting them to the health board. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE read more

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Stopped by after checking out a small garden nursery nearby, and this place is fantastic, probably my new favorite place. I got a carnitas burrito, my wife got the shrimp quesadilla. Both were enormous and enough for 2 meals each. They come with a lot of pickled jalapeños, radishes, and limes, and ample salsas. My wife never likes salsa verde but loved theirs. Will definitely be back, too bad is a little out of they way for us. read more

Daring Foodies, Tacos El Grullo is the high-calibre hole-in-the wall seasoned with a dash of East Oakland sketchiness that you didn't know you've been seeking! Truly a Ghetto Supastar! "Ghetto Supastar, that is what you are... Tacos from above, Tripas that you'll love... Come in from the storm, this Pozole's warm... And they've got Hamburguesa con papas!" (90s HipHop anyone?) 4 S T A R S * TACOS: SABOR ESPECTACULAR :::: Tacos Tripas -- Rich Perfection! BEST in Town! :::: Tacos Carnitas -- Moist, & tender MEXTACY! :::: Tacos Cabeza -- AWESOME decadence! :::: Tacos Al Pastor -- Tangy, Smoky Satisfaction! :::: Tacos Asada -- Decent, average for Oakland. * CALDORIFFIC SOUPS :::: Pozole -- Rich and Comforting. Make sure to add the spicy sauce! :::: Caldo de Pollo -- Home-cooked remedy for the sick-in-bed blues. My wife can attest! * WELCOMING, HOME-COOKED FLAVOR Did the ladies in the kitchen know I was coming? The fixins were lovingly flavored as if to welcome me home! Madres y Abuelas -- my grateful soul and satisfied tummy thank you! :::: Huevos Con Jamón Breakfast -- Delicious home-cookin!! Unassuming ingredients come together beautifully like your Mom prepared it just for you. Beans and rice are divine! :::: Enchiladas Verdes w/ chicken -- GREAT RECIPE! Shredded breast meat, richly flavored throughout. Gorgeous with the superior beans and rice. :::: Hamburguesa con Papas -- Simple and scrumptious! Sloppy cheeseburger and crinkle fries with lousy presentation, but goddamnit if the flavor doesn't impress you! Thanks to Ed U. for the recommendation on the burger. * 4 WALLS, A ROOF, & A PARKING LOT Oakland's 27th and Foothill looks like a rough little corner, and at times it actually is. But the vast majority of its nearby residents are decent folks that hate crime as much as you do and love good Mexican food. Tacos El Grullo is their cozy, little neighborhood treasure. Its snug, green-painted interior with cute and kitschy ornamentation quickly suspends fears of mostly imagined boogie-men outside. So do as the locals do: park in the lot, hide your valuables, order your grub, grab a booth, and enjoy your Horchata until the food arrives! 1 M I N U S - UNINSPIRING & SLOPPY DETAILS While the flavors are phenomenal, Tacos El Grullo falls short when you pay attention to the small details. Grocery store ham in the scramble. Chips from a bag. Uninspired iceberg lettuce and tomato for a whatevs-side-salad. They've been a neighborhood staple for at least 12 years, so perhaps the monotony of the hood has long ago dulled their drive to visually impress. read more

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I had been driving by this place for about 14 years. Never went in, i looked them up on Yelp and they have great reviews with an emphasis on how nice the employees are, sounded perfect to me. I went about 6 times in three weeks. The food is good but i didn't notice any smiles or welcoming energy. I'm used to people acting odd so i let it go, I'm tall black and tattooed. I went about a week ago after work around 2:45 pm, the place was empty and i ordered chicken enchiladas with red sauce plate, paid and they said 15 minutes. I came back in 15 not ready, came back in 25 not ready, but what was ready was the family's multi plate meal that came in while i was waiting outside. I went in sat down for a minute and they bring hella plates out and served them and gave me a cold shoulder vibe. I went back to my car and 10 minutes later i got my food. I felt extremely dissed and felt it was for ethnic reasons, specifically my race and for not speaking Spanish. This business prefers Latin patrons, they are discriminatory and will make you wait while others are served. The food is good, the people there are not! read more

Since I don't make my own menudo, I'm always on the lookout for restaurants that do! I was hoping this place was going to be my spot but it just didn't compare to my family's recipe. This traditional dish usually consist of honeycomb tripe and hominy in a deliciously seasoned broth. You garnish the bowl with oregano, onion, chile flakes, and eat with bread or a corn tortilla. The menudo served here was flavorful. No doubt about it, the menudo is seasoned just right, served with a side of all the items listed above and a side of corn tortillas. Unfortunately, that's were the satisfaction tapered... My menudo was all tripe, and not the quality honeycomb tripe either. No sign of hominy anywhere! Oh well, that's just how menudo is served in Oakland. They did redeem themselves with their lengua tacos - OMG, were they delicious! The meat was cooked to perfection. I'll be back for those! As for the menudo, I guess I'll just make my own. read more

Taqueria El Grullo - Great flavor but lacked substance. - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Best mexican restaurant in Fruitvale, maybe all of Oakland. Loveliest ladies run the joint, and it's as good to take away as it is dining-in. Burritos, sopas, pastor, and carnitas absolutely bomb here. Dont forget to show your love and tip. read more

I woke up starving and was craving a burrito ... was a long night. Don't ask. I'm a very picky "Mexican food"connoisseur. They did nothing less than deliver. Was exceptionally flavored and fresh and oh so deeeelicious!!! I've lived in the Bay Area my whole life and never knew this little piece of heaven existed. Check them out! You will thank me for it read more

The best carnitas I have had anywhere, the purest, most beautiful expression of pork I have had. Anywhere, any cuisine. No place comes close. Anyone rating this place less than 5 stars just didn't order the right thing, or is not a reliable source. Carnitas burrito con todo. Life affirming food, as far as I'm concerned this is one of the best restaurants in the country. read more

Tacos El Grullo is always my go-to spot for picking up a super burrito to bring to the A's game. It's as routine as wearing my lucky green and gold underwear (yes, they are naturally colored green and gold, not organically green and gold, how would you do that anyways?) The food here is awesome, always fresh and made to order. I'm never surprised that when I order, there's a huge backlog of orders that the kitchen is churning out. The cashier is always apologetic about the wait and I keep telling her that's the reason I always come back; the food's so good, it's only natural to be so busy. They even have a separate convenient to-go order window; don't let the security window bars deter you though. A regular burrito sets you back $5.00 and a super burrito, $6.50 - a small price to pay to get insanely full during an A's game. Get the Carnitas or Carne Asada, you can't go wrong. read more

Taqueria El Grullo - Storefront Photo - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Wait time is short, which I love. I ordered the enchiladas rojas which weren't all that, but that's because I prefer enchiladas de mole. I ended up eating everything though, it was good. My mom had the mojarra frita which was bomb, I even helped her eat part of it. When we get take-out, we usually get the caldo de res which is inexpensive, delicious, and one order is enough for two people. With that, they give you some chile, cilantro, cebolla and tortillas. It's usually what we get here. read more

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