My chili verde burrito was only wrapped in some light paper and was unable to maintain it's cylindrical form, devolving in to verde the hut. That being said verde the hut required utensils and still tasted great. Perhaps a tad too salty but chili verde almost always is. I also like the rice which was particularly fluffy. read more

I had the fish tacos, and they were excellent! I really dug the pickled onions. Also the free chips and salsa were delicious. The service was really friendly too. Prices are a tiny bit high, but since the food is tasty and plentiful I'm not complaining. read more

The boyfriend wanted to bring me here before, but theyy were closed for the night the first time we walked past. Upon a recent craving for some authentic mexican food, we decided to give this place a second try...and it was open. Upon entering this place, you get the sense that this isn't your traditional taqueria...it's a little classier. The menu is pretty broad and encompassing with appetizers and all. I went in for tamales, since I was in a tamale. boyfriend had a burrito with chorizo and papas in it. The tamales were covered in chipotle sauce (plus) and already husked. Boyfriend's burrito was pretty good and spicy. Slightly a little too runny for my taste, but the flavor was there. All in all a decent, and decently dinner experience. read more

A strong 3.5 stars. We were in Solano for the "Solano Stroll" and decided to stop by Talavera for a quick bite. It really did exceed our expectations. We ordered a chicken tostada and the flauta covered in mole appetizer. Both were scrumptious, cheap, and also very flavorful. I thought the mole sauce on our flautas was very food. it's hard to get mole right, truly. And the grilled chicken on the tostada, was also very moist. The portions were quite generous, much to m y surprise. We got these two dishes, a large aguas fresca, and some chips and salsa and came in at around $20, which is right about right. I'll definitely come back, but when I got home...man, the food coma definitely set in. That meal led to a scrumptious 2 hour nap - not a great thing considering all the work I have to do tonight...Minus 1 star for that. But overall, well done! I'm glad they closed down the "bakery" and reopened this taqueria, which provides many more food items. read more

I am SOO happy that this taqueria is here, it is very important to have a staple mexican spot near home. Their fish tacos are outstanding and they do not skimp on the fish, the burrito was great as well. i am new to the area so will be returning soon to try more items. i can not wait to come back and get my fix! read more

I came by today and ordered two grilled fish tacos. I was WOWED. I wish I took a photo of them! These are not your typical "street tacos". They were huge and full of goodness. The grilled fish was delicious. The tacos were packed with black beans, peppers, onions and sliced avocados on top. They were so good! They are doing takeout during Covid and I was able to eat my tacos outside on their tables. While I was there, many others got their takeout and ate outside as well. read more

I've been working on Solano for about 1.5 years now, and Talavera is my go-to lunch spot! I usually order the burrito which is packed with rice, beans, and meat + homemade chips on the side. This is 2 meals worth of food for me, and on they also have a good selection of salsas and pickled vegetables. My personal favorite is the avocado salsa!! The wait can get longer during the lunch rush but they're always friendly, well-staffed, and you can tell they've got down the process for turning around orders quickly. A must try on Solano! read more

Vegetarian options on the menu, is always a plus in my book. I had a cactus burrito and next want to try their chilaquiles! The only thing that really bummed me out was how small and limited the indoor seating was. read more

I've been looking for a place that offers Chimichangas on their menus, and Taqueria Talavera was just on Solano waiting to be discovered. Excitedly, I came here the very next day after I first discovered it on Yelp. Cute interiors, and the Chimichanga was HUGE. A little pricey though - I wish they offer smaller portions for a lower price. Would be good to share with a friend, as I ended up taking leftovers home (which I try to avoid. I like finishing everything off!) Parking is relatively easy to find. :) read more

This place is delicious steak cooked perfectly very fresh ingredients from meat to salsa to chilies. This is my new favorite. It's very authentic I can't wait to try other items on the menu. I ordered the steak burrito and it was worth it about $13.50 with cheese and guacamole, large enough for 2 meals. Very good place. Also it's on a lovely strip of Solano Ave. read more

A solid taqueria with a big menu and lots of big windows to observe your big plate of chilaquilles, enchiladas, tacos, or something else that's tasty. I had the breakfast burrito with chorizo (sans covered in salsa roja), and it was amazing. Everything was made fresh, the tortilla was crispy, and overall a great way to have a big breakfast. read more

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Finally came here after seeing it on a few trips to the Bay Area. I had the Mole Guajillo with pork. Damn good stuff. The mole was very rich and flavorful, with the wonderful tastes of clove and nutmeg. The trimmings were a bit on the plain side, though. Rather boring rice, and a handful of greens whose only flavor was the from the few slices of pickled jalapeno on top. Good salsas, good chile en escabeche. But sodas in a can? Really? Anyway - good food, decent price, and the restaurant has a fun vibe. Glad I finally came. read more

I need to try this place again. My little chicken covered masa whatevers were delicious. And the chips were the most gloriously greasy tortilla chips that I have ever stuffed in my gloriously handsome face. That being said, the rice and beans fell way short. Watery, underseasoned refried beans, and soggy rice. If those are good, that meal is a quick 5 stars. Why oh why couldn't the rice and beans have been good? read more

I really like Talvera. Almost a decade since I first reviewed this unassuming spot, and it still delivers. The service is always friendly, the portions are satisfying, and the food is FULL of flavor. From the middle of this afternoon, I knew that nothing would satisfy me like a plate of the Chicken Mole Guijillo. It was exactly what I needed to start off the weekend. read more

It can be tough to find a Mexican restaurant that puts effort in to distinguishing itself! When I first moved to the Bay Area 10 years ago, I raved over Juan's on 9th St. in Berkeley. Now I can't stomach the food. Talavera is head and shoulders above the competition; torso and legs above a dying spot like Juan's. (Sorry Juan) Each salsa is crafted in such a way that the best possible flavors are produced. The chips, which are refilled upon request, are made in house and are light and crisp. My carnitas burrito was delicious. The BEST PART of the meal was the MOLE (I ordered the non-sweet one) Incredible - and I almost balked at the $2.75 cost for a small side. So glad I didn't. Come here and enjoy Mexican food again. read more

Can't say I'll ever be eating here again. I went with my boyfriend and his dad and my guy and I got a burrito and his dad got tacos el pastore with a side of rice and beans. So we get our burritos and the side of rice with beans, but no tacos. A few minutes go by until we finally say something and the girl that took our order at the register informed us that she made a mistake and forgot to enter his full order into the computer. So, being that she fully admitted that it was her fault for not entering it into the computer one would only assume that she'd comp it right...? NOPE. She straight up tried to make us pay for HER mistake. Thankfully though, the extremely hard working cook overheard the entire conversation and just gave us the tacos. Needless to say, customer service wise they have some work to do. Also, we then realized that we spend $32 on two burritos, three drinks, and rice and beans. LOL. Yup, think I'll stick to my hole in the wall taqueria by my house read more

I have eaten at over 200 Mexican restaurants/taquerias/taco trucks all over the bay area. I hate wasting my money on a taste-less worthless burrito. I am now on a personal mission to review as many different Mexican restaurants/taquerias/taco trucks as possible so people know where they can get delicious burritos and not waste their money. i am not here to bash or slam places, just give a simple helpful review from a burrito connoisseur. If you are a restaurant/taqueria/taco truck owner and don't agree with my review, then invite me back for a 2nd chance... With that being said: The burrito was good sized and under $8 The steak was good and had a nice non marinated true carne asada flavor. The rice was good authentic tasting Mexican rice and not too overpowering in the burritos flavor. The beans tasted very homemade and complemented the burrito nicely. There was an good amount of cheese that melted nicely, and an above average amount of steak, average amount of beans, and a slightly average amount of rice. When all the flavors came together it made for one tasty burrito. I eat here about once a week and LOVE it read more

A solid taqueria! Came here after losing a few bucks at Golden Gate Fields and it was well worth it. Great al pastor tacos and the salsas were bomb! Sometimes salsas taste flavorless or just don't seem like anything special. Talavera's salsas tasted fresh and vibrant. They had that special oomph and really I'd like to just be there now stuffing my face with salsa verde. And what a gorgeous interior! Really looked unique and cozy inside, which is a nice change over TVs blasting cheesy Univision soap operas. read more

I've only had their grilled veggie burrito (which was really tasty!!) and their watermelon fresca(LOVE). I love their fresca because of the bits and pieces of watermelon that you sip up--so good on a warm day :) I definitely would come back as it's a good choice for Mexican good if you're on Solano! Service and staff is on point and they're all super nice! read more

Casual. Clean. Tasty. Casually I walk into "Talavera", a few people chatting way past lunch time, simple order aisle, accessible salsa bar. If I work in the area, I would come here everyday if I'm in the mood for the best horchatta in town. I am not sketched out by their kitchen area. It is clean, I like cafe-style restaurants clean. Tasty! I like their home-made chips and guacamole. The guacamole is creamy and yummy! I highly recommend this place for a stroll down Solano Ave. read more

Really delicious food and great service. This is my husband and mine's local go-to for Mexican food. We've brought friends and family here a few times. We often order pick-up and it's always fast even when the restaurant is busy. Love their barbacoa, their fish tacos, and all the salsas they have at the self-serve station. Oh their chips and guac are bomb too! read more

I'm a bit of a burrito snob -- there are a LOT of places in Berkeley, but they all seem to lack something. I'm a fan of Picante for a lot of things, and Tacubaya for a lot of others -- but both of them fail miserably in the burrito department (ok, Tacubaya doesn't serve them at all). I've tried Gordo, Cactus, Cancun, High Tech (Chrome Burrito please!), that awful awful place near Caesar -- and there's nothing even close to Farolito in the Mission. Imagine my surprise to find a really delicious burrito joint in the middle of Solano. I liked the tile decor, and thought "well, it can't be worse that the others, can it?". First thing that caught my attention was the menu -- they offer multiple mole burritos, multiple vegetarian options, and a great mix of pork, chicken, and beef. The burritos are full cabeza size, meaning you can make two meals of them if you would like to. I've tried the Pollo Asado and the Guajillo Mole and both are delicious. Their house salsas are also great -- although I could use more heat in their chipotle hot sauce. The service is okay, but there's rarely anyone there. Try the Guajillo Mole and I guarantee you you'll be back. Let's do these people a favor and help out the best burrito place I've found in the East Bay (sorry Picante). read more

I cannot get over how much I love this place! Even their beans are always perfect and flavorful. Our family's favorites, Chile verde, super carne assada burrito, mole flautas (my serious fave!), and I can't forget the plantains! I have to get them ever time. They have kid sized items, like quesadillas a bonus for families. Salsa Bar, additional seating upstairs, warm clean attractive decor. I think the biggest thing is that the way they prepare their dishes happens to be just the way I like it. Everything always tastes fresh and flavorful. read more

This place is surprisingly addicting. My partner and I have come here at least a dozen times all the way from Richmond. The quality of the meat and salsas is consistently very good. I have a hard time finding a mexican joint that doesn't occasionally have QC issues with their meats, and Talavera has solved this. I guess that's why I don't mind paying the higher prices they have compared to other taquerias. The only gripe I have is how they not only charge for chips and salsa ($2.50 for a 'large') but don't even offer refills on the chips?? Never seen a bay area taqueria so stingy on chips! lol read more

I just moved to be Berkley area and after a very long hard day of Moving stopped in for a quick dinner and much needed margarita! What a great welcome to the area and awesome food! Staff is very friendly and welcoming! Food was fabulous & margaritas were some of the best I have ever had! I will for sure be back!! read more

I have ordered food to go here about 6 times, and though everything looks great here from the tostadas to the taquitos, I can't resist getting the chicken guajillo mole burrito EVERY time. The sauce is SO good- not chocolaty tasting like other moles, but still rich & soooo tasty. All I can say is you have to try it!! ...One of these days I'll order a different type of burrito- there are other really great sounding ones on the menu (but it might take ordering 2 burritos for 1 very small girl- 1 guajillo mole & 1 other one). Oh and how could I forget their salsa bar- immaculate. Their green/avocado salsa is the best I've had! read more

I have to say, the chili Colorado is authentic. I am 100% Mexican so I know what I'm talking about. I can't wait to try the chili verde next time. I'm used to trying Mexican restaurants and getting a American spin on the food. This place is the real deal. Yum! Ps flautas were good. Beans and rice were great. read more

Reviewing this place mostly on the basis of the breakfasts. The burritos are great, huge, loaded with meat and potatoes. I usually get the machaca but you can't go wrong with the chorizo. Depending on my mood I'll either go topped with mole or just plain. The mole is greally good, loaded with flavor, but sometimes it can be a little too much and drown out the burritos. The chilaquiles are also really good, but the portion is almost too big for me and I kind of regret eating them later in the day. I love all the salsas from the salsa bar, I go in for takeout and end up with an assortment to take back home with me. I also dig the horchata, but the jamaica usually runs a little too sweet for me. Really though, the breakfast burritos are worth a stop all by themselves. read more

By far me and my partner's favorite Mexican restaurant in the Bay Area! The food is absolutely phenomenal. We've never tried something we didn't love. You get a lot of food the price, too. It's quick and convenient - you order up front, grab a number, and the food shows up right after we get back from the salsa bar. Chips (freshly made chips, so good) and guac will not disappoint! Our fav is the chicken chimichanga. Great service too! Everyone is very friendly and very hospitable. Seriously go. No seriously, stop reading this review and go! read more

I'm a little embarrassed to say that I've lived in the area most of my life and just recently stumbled upon this place. In highschool, Gordos was always the go-to burrito spot in Albany so I never really tried many places. While trying to decide what to eat one day I yelped this place and was not disappointed. Located on Solano and Peralta, right by the copy place and UPS store, is a hidden gem that I was about to stumble upon. The place is small and did get packed, so luckily we beat the crowd. Prices are average... about $10 for a burrito, chips and unlimited salsa. I ordered the Chorizo burrito with potatoes. I liked that you can get a whole grain tortilla for an additional charge. Maybe I wasn't hungry that day but I walked out the place so full that i was uncomfortable. Great value for the money and quality that lives up to it's 4 star rating! read more

Super authentic and majorly delicious. Yes, you can get a burrito here, and its delicious, but why? Go for the platos - they're the real deal. read more

This is a great tasting place. Our family takes a special trip out to Berkeley from Walnut Creek just to eat here. You have to try the enchilada suiza. read more

Living in the neighborhood I've seen this Solano Ave location change flavors several times and Taqueria Talavera is the best to date, even if the prices are a bit high to be considered a classic taqueria. I'm a vegetarian and was happy to see the interesting option that they offer, I've had and enjoyed the Nopales Tiernos (grilled cactus) in a burrito and on a taco, both were good. They also make a yummy grilled mushroom quesadilla as was the vegetarian tostadas. The atmosphere is fun and lively but I was sad the hear they didn't have a high-chair for the kiddies, I'll think twice before bringing my friends with kids. What I really want to plug is their breakfast menu with is very reasonably priced and good. I've only had the breakfast burrito and the Huevos Rancheros both were yummy and I look forward to trying more of their breakfast options. Save yourself the 45 minute wait at the breakfast spot just down the street and give them a try. read more

These guys were on their A game today. They rushed to clean tables and get food to people while it was fresh, despite being very busy. Vegetarian burritos can be hit or miss, but theirs never ceases to please me. I love that they add lettuce to the burritos! I wanted a salad today, but the host encouraged me to try a vegetarian tostada. What a beautiful plate! The vegetables were cubed and appear to have been roasted and very delish! The salad dressing was lovely and the tostada had fresh avacado. For me, it far surpasses Cactus and is quickly gaining an edge on Picante (and I adore Picante). read more

My wife and I went here for our wedding anniversary, we couldn't have been more satisfied. Platinos with black beans = outstanding, would make a great dessert, but it is too good to wait, we had it as an appetizer Horchata = outstanding, best horchata I've ever had Grilled cactus taco = outstanding, tender and tasty Combo plate, chilie relleno and chicken tamale = not outstanding but very very good, I tried but there was just no more room for the last few forks full. read more

Bill seemed a bit high for what we ordered for a 3 person lunch so I asked the cashier. Noticed we were billed for a drink we didn't receive. He took off that drink but I should have looked more closely. There's still a strange jump from $31 to $35. Probably should have held back the tip it's not like they really catered to the tables other than busing it. Food was decent but I expected more for that price point. read more

What a pleasant surprise! We were walking to Tangerine and were lured into this beautiful taqueria by its bright decor. The pozole was amazing. The tamales were perfect. They even had a great avocado salsa. Soup portion was massive. The service was really great too. read more

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I had chicken mole (the sweet one) and while it was good, it wasn't anything to write home about. Something was seriously missing. There was no lovin' put into this dish. In other words, energetically it was dull. Completely lifeless. Also, I thought I'd get a nice chicken breast or thigh but instead they served shredded chicken. Shredded? Really guys?! Come on. For $12 you've got to serve us a decent piece of meat. And give us chips on the side. read more

Los tamales que hacen en navidad son increíbles! the tamales they make for Christmas are incredible. Feliz navidad!

A TAQUERIA WITH UNIQUE FLAVORS This is not your average taqueria, the flavors are unique and not bland. Chicken Burrito in Guajillo Mole It was packed with spicy flavor and for a change I broke out in a sweat. Shrimp ala Diabla One time a friend of mine ordered the Shrimp ala Diabla and it was so spicy he could barely eat it. I tasted the sauce and it was packing some serious heat. I am sure the cooks were watching to see if he could finish the dish; he did. I like the salsa bar but they are very stingy with the homemade chips. read more