A Esquinita

Sheila S

Met a few friends at the pink palace; we always love to try new places. We all made takeout orders. The cashier was in training. There is a menu on the wall, but there is also a paper menu if you asked for it or look like you’re straining to read. I enjoyed the mushroom 🍄 and the Carmelo special tacos that I got. I had to borrow my friends fork because the tacos are overflowing with stuffing and very messy. She automatically got a fork spoon and knife with her quesadilla but that was not messy and she did not need it. You will need a lot of napkins. I was a fan of the blue corn tortilla on the Mushroom Taco, but not really the flour tortilla as it was soft and had soaked through on one side by the time I had got into it. Another friend liked his Lengua and crispy beef tacos, but he was not into the chicken because he’s not into chipotle sauce. Another friend was not that enthusiastic about her Carne Asada. We all took our takeout boxes to the bar to eat as there’s more space plus we had dogs with us. There are a few outdoor seats here, but they are against the sidewalk. You get a number after you order and they bring out the food to you. Hopefully they will have compostable or use paper bags to go instead of plastic bags next time. You have to ask for salsa special if you want it. They gave me a little container of a red and a green salsa. Neither of them were spicy, but they were sour. I would’ve preferred more spice, but I do enjoy sour food. Good first experience for me, and we were looking for another place that people can take to go to a McNally’s Bar down the street. I was full after two tacos. One unisex restroom is in the back.

Molly Rebel

Very chill and delicious spot for any day. Tacos are piled high with well seasoned fillings, plantains are cut like fries for easy eats, and the horchata is delish. And outdoor seating for nice days 🔆

Emma Donnelly

Best homemade chorizo tacos in the bay! What would make them even better is a handmade tortilla. I tried one crispy beef taco and a chorizo taco. Every bite was incredible. So was their green salsa. I will come back and try more. Love the ambiance and culture of this spot! Friendly and helpful staff as well. A must try.

Jesus Moran

Super chill corner spot with amazing food! The red chilaquiles were flavorful and crispy, one of the best in the area!

A L

Tried this place for the first time since it opened, can't wait to try it again. Would absolutely recommend it! Their tacos are great and the tortillas are next level! I can definitely see this being one of our regular go-to spots

Brad Hubbard

Rediculous delicious tacos. Get the mushroom and goat cheese and the chorizo vampiro. You won't be sad.

Jamie Roche

Great new taqueria! Tried several dishes including the Caramelo, poblanos tacos and house made corn nuts. All were exceptional.

Hella good breakfast burritos 🌯 I recommend the chorizo burrito! The staff are so nice and it's such a great location to walk around after.

Love this place, the food is fantastic, very much a taqueria. The Cameron’s taco are fantastic. Everyone that works there are really friendly, you can tell they like it there because it is the same faces. They moved in and painted the place bright pink. They replaced another favorite that was not able to survive COVID. Love the food and the people. The food is exceptional, has some authentic elements. Think the owner studied under Diana Kennedy the preemptive authority on Mexican cuisine, and it shows in the flavor notes of everything they cook here. Really like their guacamole, thei sopa de Lima, their Camaron taco, breakfast burrito and their red enchiladas. Worth the price. Also the people have been there now for some years, show that the owner and manager are kind spirits, and that the employees who are kind and gracious are happy to be there. If you get take out, check you got your chips, they love to leave those out of your bag.

I’ve been eating here at least once a week since I discovered it almost a year ago and it’s just sooooo good! The veggie yam taco is a sleeper hit — a satisfying delicious taco that does not suffer without meat. Also the soups are beyond, maybe the best kept secret on the menu: sopa de lima is so flavorful, tart salty meaty, and the pozole specials are exceptional. I hope they bring back the quesabirria soon, best taco yet.

The al pastor burrito was the best burrito I’ve had in a long time. Will definitely be back! The tacos looked good too. Really well flavored. This is my new burrito place.

THIS FOOD IS BOMB!!!! One of the owners offered to cater for our team bonding event and it was the HIGHLIGHT of our night! Genuinely so grateful and satisfied with the food. We got some tacos de al pastor and asada, as well as some suizas! It was all so amazing and flavorful! The salsas beautifully complimented the food, adding an amazing touch. Everything was fresh, including the onion and cilantro. Our whole team will definitely be back for more! Thank you again!

Giulale Ramos

THIS FOOD IS BOMB!!!! One of the owners offered to cater for our team bonding event and it was the HIGHLIGHT of our night! Genuinely so grateful and satisfied with the food. We got some tacos de al pastor and asada, as well as some suizas! It was all so amazing and flavorful! The salsas beautifully complimented the food, adding an amazing touch. Everything was fresh, including the onion and cilantro. Our whole team will definitely be back for more! Thank you again!

Paul

This restaurant finds ways to differentiate itself. The Morita salsa included with the Caramelo has some real zest! I haven't found a Vampiro taco since I was in CDMX! The portions aren't that big, but it's certainly tasty.

Gilad Gray

I’ve been eating here at least once a week since I discovered it almost a year ago and it’s just sooooo good! The veggie yam taco is a sleeper hit — a satisfying delicious taco that does not suffer without meat. Also the soups are beyond, maybe the best kept secret on the menu: sopa de lima is so flavorful, tart salty meaty, and the pozole specials are exceptional. I hope they bring back the quesabirria soon, best taco yet.

phoenix logan

The al pastor burrito was the best burrito I’ve had in a long time. Will definitely be back! The tacos looked good too. Really well flavored. This is my new burrito place.

William Card

Love this place, the food is fantastic, very much a taqueria. The Cameron’s taco are fantastic. Everyone that works there are really friendly, you can tell they like it there because it is the same faces. They moved in and painted the place bright pink. They replaced another favorite that was not able to survive COVID. Love the food and the people. The food is exceptional, has some authentic elements. Think the owner studied under Diana Kennedy the preemptive authority on Mexican cuisine, and it shows in the flavor notes of everything they cook here. Really like their guacamole, thei sopa de Lima, their Camaron taco, breakfast burrito and their red enchiladas. Worth the price. Also the people have been there now for some years, show that the owner and manager are kind spirits, and that the employees who are kind and gracious are happy to be there. If you get take out, check you got your chips, they love to leave those out of your bag.

Off the bat I was impressed by the presentation and flavor of everything I ordered. You can't expect table service from a place whose name can losely equate to "hole-in-wall". There are tons of places like this in Mexico that are tiny, dark, with bad music, but food has to hit right. Today it did. I had not read any reviews before entering. My friend and I were walking by and simply walked in. The meat selection is limited, but I tried two of which to judge the place: Asada and chorizo. If you can't do either justice you may as well be Taco Bell. I also tried the camote (sweet potato) taco. The camote taco gets most of its flavor from the frijoles molidos, which were tasty, very filling if you're on the veggie tip. The asada by itself had lots of flavor and good texture, not too chewy. The chorizo on the menu is presented as a Vampiro, but really what I got was a queso-taco. The vampiro stands out because the tortilla is toasted and crispy (not fried), and a layer of skirt cheese is the base for the meat. Take away the toasted tortilla and... I already told what that makes. It was delicious nonetheless and enough for me to come back for more. The jamaica was refreshing and not too sweet. It seems La Esquinita has been evolving and anyone who hasn't been in months should give them another shot. One note I have is for them to add a salsa bar with roasted chiles.

Allan

Off the bat I was impressed by the presentation and flavor of everything I ordered. You can't expect table service from a place whose name can losely equate to "hole-in-wall". There are tons of places like this in Mexico that are tiny, dark, with bad music, but food has to hit right. Today it did. I had not read any reviews before entering. My friend and I were walking by and simply walked in. The meat selection is limited, but I tried two of which to judge the place: Asada and chorizo. If you can't do either justice you may as well be Taco Bell. I also tried the camote (sweet potato) taco. The camote taco gets most of its flavor from the frijoles molidos, which were tasty, very filling if you're on the veggie tip. The asada by itself had lots of flavor and good texture, not too chewy. The chorizo on the menu is presented as a Vampiro, but really what I got was a queso-taco. The vampiro stands out because the tortilla is toasted and crispy (not fried), and a layer of skirt cheese is the base for the meat. Take away the toasted tortilla and... I already told what that makes. It was delicious nonetheless and enough for me to come back for more. The jamaica was refreshing and not too sweet. It seems La Esquinita has been evolving and anyone who hasn't been in months should give them another shot. One note I have is for them to add a salsa bar with roasted chiles.

I've probably eaten here a dozen times since they opened. I always order a chicken burrito and side of guacamole. The last 3 times, the chicken in my burrito has been cold. Fully cooked, but not recently cooked that's for sure. When I was eating in person, I told them and they graciously made me a new one. But the other two times it was for takeout and when I got home I just had to microwave it. Otherwise, the cheese inside wasn't even melted. Disappointing because this is one of my go-to spots. Hopefully just a fluke or a new chef who has decided to pre-cook chicken and serve it cold (ew!).

I’ve eaten in and ordered from here a few times now. Unfortunately the food is quite mid. The theme through out the tacos, burritos, and even guacamole is bland. Everything lacks spices, herbs, and acid. I usually douse everything I get from here with lime, salsa, or hot sauce just to get more flavor out of the meal. Maybe the answer is their wet burritos for extra flavor, but you’d assume the meat would be where the flavor is at as it’s the key ingredient in every dish and easy to marinate. Also, I’d stick to pork or chicken as the carne asada was mostly minced up undesirable cuts of unchewable grizzle. The interior can be cold in the winter and leaves much to be desired. But the service is kind and quick with togo orders. Tip: they have more menu options than listed on the online ordering site and everything is cheaper if you order over the phone.

Jessie Young

I've probably eaten here a dozen times since they opened. I always order a chicken burrito and side of guacamole. The last 3 times, the chicken in my burrito has been cold. Fully cooked, but not recently cooked that's for sure. When I was eating in person, I told them and they graciously made me a new one. But the other two times it was for takeout and when I got home I just had to microwave it. Otherwise, the cheese inside wasn't even melted. Disappointing because this is one of my go-to spots. Hopefully just a fluke or a new chef who has decided to pre-cook chicken and serve it cold (ew!).

Kidhack

I’ve eaten in and ordered from here a few times now. Unfortunately the food is quite mid. The theme through out the tacos, burritos, and even guacamole is bland. Everything lacks spices, herbs, and acid. I usually douse everything I get from here with lime, salsa, or hot sauce just to get more flavor out of the meal. Maybe the answer is their wet burritos for extra flavor, but you’d assume the meat would be where the flavor is at as it’s the key ingredient in every dish and easy to marinate. Also, I’d stick to pork or chicken as the carne asada was mostly minced up undesirable cuts of unchewable grizzle. The interior can be cold in the winter and leaves much to be desired. But the service is kind and quick with togo orders. Tip: they have more menu options than listed on the online ordering site and everything is cheaper if you order over the phone.

Thinking we couldn’t go wrong with the rave reviews, we were utterly disappointed in the quality of our food. The only reason this didn’t get a one-star review was due to the only delicious item we had, which was the crispy beef taco. The ‘wet’ burrito was the big disappointment… quite literally drowning in a non-reduced sauce with the only flavor being “hot”. No pico, and/or guacamole/lettuce/tomato left a lot to be desired, and a drizzle of crema did little to add balance. Maybe the kitchen had an off day… but if this is the type of Mexican food that Rockridge thinks is worth a high rating… it might just be because it’s one of the only spots left in Oakland that hasn’t closed due to high crime and everything else you’ve been reading about small business closures in the city lately.

Steve Guttbinder

Thinking we couldn’t go wrong with the rave reviews, we were utterly disappointed in the quality of our food. The only reason this didn’t get a one-star review was due to the only delicious item we had, which was the crispy beef taco. The ‘wet’ burrito was the big disappointment… quite literally drowning in a non-reduced sauce with the only flavor being “hot”. No pico, and/or guacamole/lettuce/tomato left a lot to be desired, and a drizzle of crema did little to add balance. Maybe the kitchen had an off day… but if this is the type of Mexican food that Rockridge thinks is worth a high rating… it might just be because it’s one of the only spots left in Oakland that hasn’t closed due to high crime and everything else you’ve been reading about small business closures in the city lately.

4 Month Update: Still no response! I no longer eat here. I used to be a fan until I bit into my most recent burrito and chewed into what seems to be a stone that I could have easily choked on or broken a tooth on! It has been a week as of writing this and I have heard no response from them about this to my email or to my instagram DM. I must necessarily therefore give 1 Star. To not resolve an issue like this with a customer is extremely sketchy.

Sharan Gala

I used to be a fan until I bit into my most recent burrito and chewed into what seems to be a stone that I could have easily choked on or broken a tooth on! It has been a week as of writing this and I have heard no response from them about this to my email or to my instagram DM. I must necessarily therefore give 1 Star. To not resolve an issue like this with a customer is extremely sketchy.

Not too sure which Mexican restaurants.or taquerias that people who live in rock ridge get to , but folks, you gotta get out more. If you don't want to go to east Oakland, there are a bunch of good places in Hayward. This decidedly NOT one of them. I ordered three tacos. One chicken, one fried fish, one Al pastor. The only edible one was the Al.pastor, as the tortilla was steamed. The other two, especially the chicken, BLECH. The tortilla, blue corn, tasted like cardboard. My wife had a.limp and uninteresting quesadilla. There are so many good Mexican joints in Oakland....even above 580. Check out Rico Rico. It's excellent. Zamorano on east 14th is a good family business. Only good thing-salsa was tasty and fresh. Good zip to both green and red. Don't go here.

Brian VanderMey

I asked if they had carnitas because I didn’t see it on the menu. They said yes so I got a carnitas burrito. That meat must have been in the back of the fridge. It tasted slightly off but I ate it like an idiot. Food poisoning.

Bob Wright

Not too sure which Mexican restaurants.or taquerias that people who live in rock ridge get to , but folks, you gotta get out more. If you don't want to go to east Oakland, there are a bunch of good places in Hayward. This decidedly NOT one of them. I ordered three tacos. One chicken, one fried fish, one Al pastor. The only edible one was the Al.pastor, as the tortilla was steamed. The other two, especially the chicken, BLECH. The tortilla, blue corn, tasted like cardboard. My wife had a.limp and uninteresting quesadilla. There are so many good Mexican joints in Oakland....even above 580. Check out Rico Rico. It's excellent. Zamorano on east 14th is a good family business. Only good thing-salsa was tasty and fresh. Good zip to both green and red. Don't go here.