Popular spot with fantastic tacos. They have tacos made with Impossible meat that are absolutely delicious!! I got one of those, a crispy shrimp taco and an order of pozole during my visit. I wish I had ordered two impossible tacos instead of the shrimp one which was a little greasy and not as flavorful. The pozole was tasty, full of meat, hominy, cabbage and onions. It needs a few squeezes of lime to make it really great. Clearly the spot for lunch as at one point the line started to go out the door while I waited but there's plenty on seating once you get you food so it's great for meet ups, etc. Definitely will be back on my next visit to Oakland. read more

20 stars for your chips and guacamole. Our whole office likes the chips and guacamole! They used to serve carne asada tacos once a week, but last time I went they had no carne asada option at all. I actually asked the cashier what kind of taqueria doesn't have that as an option ? She didn't know but she said that was just how it was, just wasn't on the menu. Not sure if it's changed now? Hope so cause it's a good place but u gotta serve the meat it's a taqueria read more

Great prices for downtown Oakland area (by Uptown and the 19th Street Oakland BART). Had the breakfast burrito--not bad, though a bit spicy (jalapeno peppers). A large indoor seating area is available, but it fills up during the lunch hour, so I would try to plan to come early or bring your food back to the office. This is a location where the kitchen and staff are right next to the dining area, and I personally appreciate being able to see the food being made. It's a little bit of entertainment, and it helps to be able to see how the magic happens. Proportions are good, and I would definitely recommend this location if you're in the area. Parking isn't as bad as San Francisco, and this location is just a block away from the 19th Street Oakland BART station too. read more

Here's my story with this place; I love tacos and I love live music. Xolo is directly across from the Fox Theater. It works. It gets an extra star solely for convenience of taco location to potential music jams. Is it the best taqueria I've ever been to? No. Is it the most authentic? No again. But it's good. Not great, but worthy of repeats. I don't honestly know how many times I've eaten here, at least half a dozen. The surf and turf burrito is good, great chips that are thick and crunchy. Tacos are good. I've never had anything I don't like but I've also never had anything so amazing I crave it. Price point is median for grabbing a bite while on the town. Even though it's Mexican food, I'd compare the hipster/trendy aspect more to another dining spot and rather than comparing to a taqueria. It's seat yourself service after you order, so no frills here. They have fresh Fresca to choose each day, horchata, some beers, no cocktails. It's fine but with the bustling food scene in the area they probably should step up their game. read more

New favorite taqueria in downtown Oakland area. The chips and guac were great, and same goes for the tacos. Next time I hope to try the churros. The orders came out super fast, we hardly had to wait even though there was a bit of a line while we waited to order. I also appreciated how spacious the dining area is, and they have a quaint outdoor area. Will definitely be back when I'm in the area. Good for a quick quality bite to eat. read more

Xolo - Gus camole & Chips - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

This place is not the typical sit-down restaurant with waiter service. When you come in the front, you get in line and order at the cash register. You'll get a number and someone brings your food to the table. There's a good number of tables and they have an upstairs area too. The churros here are super good. For some reason, you get a bunch of different sized churros on a plate. Not sure if they are purposely doing that or if someone has trouble with measuring dough. The churros here are very soft and doughy, not the hard and crunchy kind that you find elsewhere. For my meal, I had the surf and turf burrito. The shrimp and meat was flavorful. The ingredients weren't very well mixed inside however. It was an okay burrito, not anywhere close to being the best surf and turf burrito I've had. read more

I go here a few times a week. Their burritos are good. Not the best I've ever had, but pretty damn good. What really impresses me about xolo is how fast they make their orders. I've literally ordered something and before I could sit down it'd be out and done. Idk how they do it, but their service is FAST. Even when a large concert or show has let out next door, they're still quite quick. Less than 5 minutes always. Anyways a great place with great food. And open till 10 on weekdays! So if you're out late it's a good late night bite read more

Note: they dont pick up phone when they have customer in line at lunch time, wow! the manager told me that...in other words no phone orders they do not answer phone when they have a line! phone customers dont count at this time! read more

The great thing about Xolo is the abundance of seating and their high ceilings. You come in and order at the register, grab a number, and seat yourself. I ordered the signature burrito (steak + shrimp) and it was a very-ok burrito. I requested to exclude beans but the size is still smaller than your typical order. This isn't a huge issue for me but might be for some. The real complaint I have is the shrimp -- it was tough and you could tell it was frozen for awhile prior to being cooked. The entire burrito was pretty dry and not as flavorful as I had hoped. There are better lunch options in the area IMO but I might come back to try their tacos if I'm craving Mexican food. read more

Xolo - Signature burrito (no beans) - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Tasty, healthy, and authentic Mexican food! What more can you ask for?! Great ambiance, location, and lots of options! Come check it out next time you're in the area. read more

Xolo - Upstairs seating area overlooking Telegraph Ave and the Fox Theater! - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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I won't say this place is horrible because it's not but what i will say.. it's ehh (ok) I guess.. first thing it's over priced..second..meat felt as if I was chewing on beef jerky and lastly the chips that they give you..if they give you even any!..Are stale!! Maybe this place would be a 5 star "IF I WAS DRUNK"! read more

Excellent tacos for the West coast. It's hard to find a taco place that has variety around these parts that does authentic as well as Tex-mex style tacos, but this place hits the spot. The guac is also fantastic. read more

I came here with my friends after 3 stops at the bars while bar hopping in Oakland. We came to this location and I wanted chips and guac then looked at the menu and damn, chips and guac were pricey!! I think it was 8 bucks, I did a pass, but got some shrimp tacos instead that were $3.25. My friends ordered the veggie and the beef one, and they got it right away. I think those were premade while the shrimp ones I got were fried then and there which took longer. Really enjoyed the tacos, would say they are a 4/5, wished there was more sauce and the tortilla for the taco was hot. My friend's tacos were warm, but not hot. My bf got a burrito and devoured it, and said it was okay. This place makes good food when you are bar hopping at night and the restaurants stop serving food. read more

Xolo - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

I was not a fan of Xolo at first. I'm a taco snob who grew up eating 2 for $1 tacos from local food trucks in LA. However, after a few dinners with friends, I now have cravings for the vampiro and (fried) camarones tacos. The fried cheese is a nice touch to the vampiro taco. Also, you can't go wrong with fried shrimp! Xolo has a great menu, and I can't wait to try the other food items, especially the breakfast burritos. This place is great for lunch and dinner. Casual and located close to BART. read more

Just stopped here after work and grabbed the carnitas tacos. I had these before and they weren't bad though not up to my LA standards. Today the carnitas were absolutely horrible! Dry, bland and well just bad. Did I say dry already? I don't plan to eat here again and if you do don't get the carnitas. read more

Tacos was tiny and greasy! I ordered grilled chicken taco ! Friendly but food look like it was left over from this week! Cant come back because grease make me sick and is not good for me! Re heat chicken w no oil $4.69 not feeling good after eating this read more

I want to like this place, but they always do annoying things. For instance, they will let you order a "Breakfast" burrito on their main menu at any time, but won't let you order off their "breakfast burrito" menu past 11am and never on Sundays (whyyyy),and if you try to make substitutions they look at you like you are crazy. Update: Tried to substitute out the chorizo on a breakfast burrito for "literally anything else" and the lady at the cashier told me that would be impossible. Whoever is running the rules at this place runs a tight ship. Will not be returning... read more

Amazingly good food quickly served for cheap. I frequently walk to the shop during my lunch break, and occasionally get tacos delivered at home. The flavorful marinated meats are well complimented with house made garnish like limey shredded cabbage or salsa. read more

Food was delicious! My test for authentic Mexican food is the Chile rellenos. This place had fresh Chiles perfectly toasted; the first bite provided a slight crunch on the outside and oooey gooey creamy cheese on the inside. The Mexican rice was a perfect amount of cumin and garlic but was a rad too wet. I definitely recommend this place and can't wait to Come back for brunch. read more

this place is great! i just wish they did carnitas and not just a chile verde pork. my current favorite is the chile relleno burrito - not sure why some reviewers say the burritos are small - if anything, i'd say it's just the right size...like the size of my forearm. update: 11/2/2019 OMG - the beef crunchy tacos are soooo BOMB!!! i literally can't stop craving them! i love this place! read more

Xolo - Chile Relleno burrito - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Love going to this place for the chicken tacos! The pickled onions, cilantro and lime are what make it! I will usually order a side of chips. The chips are homemade and so good. They come with a couple different salsas, usually a green salsa and some sort of pick de Gallo. If you want a good taco, it is the place! read more

Xolo - Two chicken tacos - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

We popped in here before a show, not sure what to expect. The selection was as defined, creative for certain. Options are written on a chalkboard behind the two person register. Very casual and the drink cabinet displays refrigerated choices next to the aqua fresca. I had the blood orange fresca and my the pineapple. We both ordered tacos vampiro based on the order takers recommendation. The place is a two story galley with big screen TV's glowing here and there. There were some cardboard boxes on the ground but the place was clean, staff was nice. Bathroom worked and food was delicious and for $4.50 we were satisfied! Close to the Paramount, and easy stroll and the Fox Theater is practically visible from the table. read more

Xolo - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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Woke up early Sunday morning craving a bfast burrito and this place was open. Ordered the steak and eggs bfast burrito and it was bland AF. No flavor and the burrito was small in size. Maybe I should of customized it but it can be better. read more

Amazing tacos, amazing chips and guac, Xolo is an excellent spot! We usually like coming here to eat in person before a show or going out in the area but we have recently also ordered takeout during the pandemic and the food to-go was also great! read more

We came after Michael Che's comedy show at the Fox Theater. Line was organized. They were quick to offer other options when we requested the machaca burrito and it was sold out. Service is always great here and their spicy salsa/sauce (ask for it) has a tasty, spicy kick to it. read more

So I decided to try Color because it's across from the Fox. I was greatly pleased by the ambiance, the food and the location. I had the Chile Verde burrito, chips and salsa and the GF had the vegetarian burrito. My only ding is half a star off because the bathroom smelled awful and the tea tasted old. Probably because it's the end of the day....That won't keep me away. Definitely plan return visit soon read more

Xolo - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

I've come here several times for lunch and always get the green burrito. There's only a few options for vegetarians; for burritos there's the green and red burritos and also the chile relleno. The burrito is very skinny and it is basically just rice, beans, and cheese. It's fine but my main gripe is that the tomatillo salsa is lacking a little in flavour. I think it's just a little monotonous and for it to be a better veggie burrito it would have to have some - well - veggies. I've also had their chips and salsa and guacamole and it wasn't mind blowing. Just ok salsa and ok guacamole and ok chips. I have also had a bit of the chile relleno burrito which is enormous. I don't think I could ever order this and still be productive in the afternoon. Xolo just doesn't do enough good vegetarian food to be my personal go to burrito spot in the area. read more

This place sucks!!! The quality is bad nasty food and the worst part is the high price... I literally just bought two tiny-ti bean and cheese tacos for $8.00!!! read more

Xolo - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

I got the Big Ranch burrito. The burrito itself was very good and I enjoy every of it. Especially, the al pastor has a good spice to it. Overall on the menu, I will say the burritos have unique ingredients in them. However, the burritos; or at least the Big Ranch are much much smaller than I expected. Don't get me wrong I've been to other burrito places that have same size as this one, but I also had a fair share of bigger burritos too. I'm a big guy, though taste and quality of the burrito is a major factor, however, size of the burrito plays a role in my rating. I do recommend to check this place out read more

Xolo - Feels like a cultural household - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Decided to spot here before meeting with friends for drinks at a near by bar. It was a Saturday night and wasn't that busy, we ordered at the counter and found a spot to sit. I had two tacos, the food came out quick, and wasn't hot, just warm...overall they the food was okay, nothing special. read more

Xolo - Vampiro Taco & Beef Taco - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

The cook was using her cell phone then was handling and cooking food. She tried hiding her phone under tin foil. She didn't wash her hands or put in gloves after using her cell phone. read more

Are you a fan of burritos? Well you must be if you clicked on this business and are checking out the reviews. When you are in uptown be sure to check out Xolo. They have great burritos that come with a special flare that represents the culture of uptown. Ask the staff for suggestions and be sure to get your burritos spicy! It will not disappoint. read more

I had lunch here on the 4th with my friend Nicole (I'm getting so old that I had trouble remembering if it was the 3rd or the 4th- I almost forgot that I had to write this review too). Her detailed review has actually convinced me to give this place 3 stars (I have mixed feelings, and will try to go here again later). I was not impressed at first. I felt a bit rushed by the people behind us (there's not a lot of room by the register). Our cashier was also out of it. She thought that Nicole owed her an additional $.73. No. That was the change Nicole was due. The woman couldn't hear me well either (she gave me a puzzled look right after I ordered, as if I was speaking in Klingon- I only would if I was auditioning for "The Big Bang Theory"). The menu is big and easy to read (there are over 20 selections, all of them in English). There are also a fair number of drinks to choose from. I wanted to order carnitas tacos, but I don't believe carnitas are served here. The employees we saw were friendly and worked hard. We received our food in just a few minutes. This place is quite spacious. The seating capacity is over 80, and there's even seating upstairs (some people were stomping around like elephants). I believe there's some seating outside too. The ambiance is nice. There's some cool wall art, and the place has a rustic look to it. 12 oz. sodas: $1.75. This is pricy, but normal for Oakland eateries. Beef Tacos ($2.95 each): 8/10. A bit pricy, but bigger than other tacos I've had. I asked for meat and cheese only, but there was salsa on top (I wasn't quite listened to). Like Nicole, I like that the tacos are crispy (the shells are good and sturdy). My meat and cheese were tasty, but the latter could have been melted more. Danger Dog ("bacon wrapped hot dog, mayonnaise, mustard, pinto beans, cheese, pickled jalapeños, avocado on a bolillo roll"): $6.50. I want to try one next time even though Nicole feels that they're just "okay." I like this place. It just didn't wow me. Hopefully, if I'm not too senile, though, I'll remember to return here so that I can try some other items. read more

Xolo - A business card. - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

The hot sauce is bomb. Ask for it. The carnitas were soooo yummy. The vampire tacos are tasty too! We got chips and guacamole and everything is freshly made. I kid you not, we got our order before we got our number stuck. They are so efficient with their kitchen and registers. but, good luck on finding a spot to sit down. read more

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I ate here for lunch with my friend and it's quite the colorful scene. Decor is full of photos, posters, and painted walls. The menu is posted behind the register and very reasonably priced. Tacos are $3.25 and burritos are little less than $10. I went with the surf and turf burrito because why not? Steak and shrimp under $10...yes please. Rice. Onions. Steak. Shrimp. Jalapeño slices. My friend had a taco and refried black beans. The beans were decent. It was quite a lot of beans but for $3, I would hope so. I didn't try her shredded beef taco so I can't comment on it. The surf and turf was good. It wasn't exactly evenly spaced with food, it was almost like my Chipotle burrito with the rice at the bottom. There was flavor and I was satisfied. More grease than I would like but that's the breaks. The girl working the register was sweet and the food was cooked quickly. It was fresh, hot, and served with a smile. Not bad but not the best Mexican food. I'll be keeping my options open still. read more

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XOLO, Pleeease! I feel so Violated. Was totally Ripped OFF at this FAKE (FALSO) Downtown Oakland, Tragic Excuse for a "Taqueria". This "Chile Verde" Pork Taco See Photo; (BTW: I have very tiny hands) was $3.00 Bucks (X2: $6-Bucks+ $5-Bucks for 1 Modelo Especial Beer: Total $11 + $2-Tip) Also, NO COMPLIMENTARY Chips! Cheap, Sons-of-BATS!!! The waitress gave me a Really Snide Reply When I made a request... She uttered something in a self-righteous tone, about how they "make" the chips in-house. WOW! Really. This is supposed to impress me? As if this really changes the fact that they make big $$$bank on their Booze/ Liquor markup. Serves me right for being stupid and eating Mexican Food outside Fruitvale. Also, las tortillas (pathetic and paltry 3-inch in diameter wide tortillas) were steamed cooked, (the lazy man's way), not warmed up on an Cast Iron comal, as is the true way! Oh yeah, the joint is packed with rude and drunk nordic-hipsters, who think rules and good manners don't apply to them. Awful and Tacky place; just picture Tijuana, circa 1981. BASIC Plot SUMMARY: Awful and unjustifiably expensive, bland, LAZY Cooked Food. Flaccid Service. I was slapped with a lengthy and wordy tirade, about why (they believe) they're justified in charging people for Tortilla Chips. (seriously, who cares that you make your chips in-house!) They're just freakin' tortilla chips... and the more you give away, the more booze and drinks you'll sell! Don't you know anything? FYI: Corn Chips are the cheapest and lowest species of food, on the dietary rung, after Chinese Fortune Cookies. There's no rational reason, to charge for chips, unless you're topping them off with delectable caviar. Also, OMG! it's so lazy to steam your tortillas-- For Crying Out loud, just break down and spend $75 bucks on a good cast iron comal, and you'll see just how delicious those tortillas could taste... just some advice. P.S Tell your Hipster patrons, to keep the monkey business down to a decent tempo, and mind their manners... this is Downtown Oakland, not Baja, on Spring Break. NOTE TO YELP: 1) Why Can't I include a Photo here? I wanted to show my friends here, a photo that I took of the teeny-tiny-eedie-bitty taco, that I was charged an arm and a leg for at Xolo. 2) I gave this place $$$ because it would take about $31-bucks/person (not including drinks) to buy enough (micro sized tacos and burritos), to make a medium/petite size woman feel nutritionally satisfied. read more

Xolo - Miserable, 3-inch in diameter, lazily prepared tortilla (was steamed, not heated on a cast iron comal) I have tiny hands! - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

I would like to give this place 4 stars, but I just can't. Way over-priced. Xolo is really good, but certainly not great. I've been here many times. I do have a few favorites that keep me coming back. The watermelon fresca (3.50) and the Mexican brownie (2.50). My husband loves the shrimp tacos with light cabbage and cheese. If not for these 3 items though, XOLO would totally be off our radar. I think we have tried most things on the menu. The burritos are over-priced and when it comes to flavor they are totally forgettable. My favorite burrito is actually the tiny red bean and cheese burrito with ranchera salsa (4.50). The pintos and cheese with ranchera salsa (3.95) is basically this burrito without the tortilla. They have a problem with serving this dish hot or even warm. Cold pintos and cheese just ain't good. The tacos (2.95) are ok. The top two in my opinion are the crispy beef tacos and the shrimp. The beef tacos are actually super good and probably one of the few items that fits the price. They are a good size, but are really greasy, super greasy. The shrimp tacos aren't that skimpy, either. Definitely worth a try. As far as the soups (7.75) that I've tried - the pozole which is a vegan soup with red chile broth, crimini mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, carrots, hominy, cabbage, cilantro, lime is bland and totally tasteless. Actually, I might go as far as to say it's not good. BUT, the sopa de lima is super yummy! It's a tortilla soup with chicken, lime, tomato, onion, cilantro, garlic and serrano chile. The only down side to this soup is the portion size and the price, of course. The danger dog (6.50) - bacon wrapped hot dog, mayonnaise, mustard, pinto beans, cheese, pickled jalapeños, avocado on a bolillo roll - is interesting. I wasn't sure how to even take a bite outta this thing. The bun is so huge that not even my big mouth could wrap around it. Cut it in half and go for it. It's good, but I can't really say it's worth the $6.50 The salad - mixed greens, red cabbage, carrots, red onion, avocado, lemon vinaigrette, roasted pumpkin seeds - well, I can't comment on that cause I would never pay $7.75 for some greens with pumpkin seeds. Keep your 3 bucks in your pocket and always pass on the chips and salsa. **Side note: Their unisex restroom doesn't have seat covers. I just don't understand this. XOLO, why are you forcing me to do the squat over? read more

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Xolo is a Mexican hairless dog. It's also a Taqueria near the 19th St. BART Station in Oakland. There is actually a good amount of seating inside now, and even a section outside. Cuisine is upscale Mexican, along with upscale prices. Don't expect crazy low prices like your local hole-in-the-wall authentic place! We ordered at the counter and I picked up a free glass of water. We sat in the lower floor, which is clean, but kind of noisy. Tables are set close to each other. I got a pollo (chicken) taco, which was nicely seasoned, but a little dry. My other taco was batter dipped shrimp with spicy aioli and cabbage. All ingredients were fresh. There was a good amount of shrimp in each taco. The aioli was pretty darn spicy, so keep that in mind when ordering! I loved the corn tortillas. They weren't gummy. The texture was more dry like flour tortillas. The chips were the thick, greasy kind. Crunchy, fresh, and oh-so-bad for you. Salsa fresca was tasty, but tomatoes were a bit mushy. The tomatillo green salsa was surprisingly good. A bit gelatinous with a hint of sweetness, it complemented the salty/crunchy chips nicely. We wished they included a regular salsa. BF got watermelon aqua fresca, which tasted like real watermelon juice. It wasn't "fake" or syrupy and didn't seem to have added sugar. Pricey at $3.50, but worth it. He also got the birria (goat stew). The goat meat was tender and tasted like beef. No gaminess at all. It was like slow-cooked beef stew. There was a tangy component that rounded out the flavors - I'm guessing lime. Although the base is made of chiles, it is not spicy. This was served with tortillas and achiote rice. Give it a try, birria is considered an aphrodisiac. :) Total was about $22. Not too shabby. There isn't a whole lot of parking in this area - take the BART if you can. read more

Pretty good food - just don't order it thru Postmates! TWICE now our order came without a burrito we paid for or it subbed for something else. You guys should contact Postmates to make the menu more clear so it doesn't just read "Pollo" so you know what to make.... Pollo taco or Pollo burrito ya know... I like the food but will only do pickup ever again with this place. read more

Xolo seems to have added a dining room. they also have Happy Hour now, m-f: 2 tacos + beer = 7.95 didn't read the fine print, if any, worth checking out when one is in the area. read more