El Sazón Oakland
Mexican · Oakland
About El Sazón Oakland
El Sazón Oakland brings flavorful dining to Oakland, offering a variety of options for lunch and dinner. With a 4.6-star rating based on 20 reviews, we strive to provide a satisfying experience whether you choose delivery, takeout, or dine-in. Our menu features comfort food alongside healthy and veg...
El Sazón Oakland brings flavorful dining to Oakland, offering a variety of options for lunch and dinner. With a 4.6-star rating based on 20 reviews, we strive to provide a satisfying experience whether you choose delivery, takeout, or dine-in. Our menu features comfort food alongside healthy and vegetarian options, perfect for a quick bite or a more leisurely meal. We are also wheelchair accessible and welcome solo diners. We're open select days; please check our hours: Sunday (11AM-7:30PM), Tuesday (4:30-8PM), Wednesday (11AM-2:30PM), Friday (11AM-8PM), and Saturday (11AM-8PM). We are closed on Mondays and Thursdays.
What Customers Say About El Sazón Oakland
El Sazón Oakland is a vegan Mexican restaurant located inside Public Market. Customers rave about the flavorful and fresh food, especially the tacos, elote, and mushroom carnitas. Many highlight the friendly staff and the love put into the food.
Popular Dishes
Best For
Tip: Try the taco sampler to experience a variety of distinct flavors. Be aware that portion sizes may be small for the price.
Features
What to see nearby
Data from Wikidata
Frequently asked questions about El Sazón Oakland
El Sazón Oakland Oakland Reviews
I ALMOST missed this place wandering through the food hall. I actually bought food elsewhere and then spotted this place so bought a second lunch because I’m vegan and I love supporting vegan spots. Anyway, let me preface this review by saying I’ve tried plenty of vegan Mexican food in the Bay, Mexico City, and the Riviera Maya/Cancun areas of Mexico. That being said, this place is top notch! I was pleasantly surprised by how fresh everything was, how not greasy it was, and how authentic the flavors were. I ordered the Jamaica tostada which was flavor and fresh with loads of crispy lettuce. What I appreciated most was that the hibiscus wasn’t mushy which I find at restaurants that use it as a meat substitute. This was cooked long enough to give it a nice meaty chew. My favorite, though, was the tofu al pastor taco that was a perfect balance of savory and sweet with fresh pineapple. The tofu was cooked perfectly and held its form. It was extra delicious topped with habanero salsa. I normally only dine at this food hall when I’m passing through but would consider driving from Oakland just for this place!
I wholeheartedly recommend Alma y Sazon for both catering and personal dining experiences! They provided a worthwhile and delicious vegan catering experience for my leadership event, as well as, provided a delicious solo dining experience. Their taco flight and agua frescas are pretty much life-changing with how delicious they are. Definitely worth a trip to Public Market to visit them!
Update: wow!! went back to try the tacos, flautas and sopesitos. Is this my new favorite place???!! Everything is so fresh and yummy. No flour tortillas. Corn only. It’s legit! I can’t wait to go back and bring friends. This time service was much faster, too. Prev review: I only tried the torta (with tofu) and it was great. Good blend of different ingredients. I’m looking forward to going back to try other things.
Alma y Sazón is truly one of my favorite spots here in the bay! My favorite is the torta Mexicana and I really do enjoy the taco de mar as well! What makes them so unique is that the whole menu is vegan/vegetarian friendly. And I truly believe you don't need to be vegan or vegetarian to enjoy and eat here, yall need to try this place! Service is great and there is plenty of seating in the public market + parking is easy and free!
Tried a few things on the menu and all were delicious! Cleared the tray because everything was so fresh and tasted authentically Mexican. Can’t wait to go back.
Delicious vegan tacos and snacks. Mushroom chicharrónes and elote were awesome. Inside the Emeryville Public Market.
The elote was incredible!!
I ALMOST missed this place wandering through the food hall. I actually bought food elsewhere and then spotted this place so bought a second lunch because I’m vegan and I love supporting vegan spots. Anyway, let me preface this review by saying I’ve tried plenty of vegan Mexican food in the Bay, Mexico City, and the Riviera Maya/Cancun areas of Mexico. That being said, this place is top notch! I was pleasantly surprised by how fresh everything was, how not greasy it was, and how authentic the flavors were. I ordered the Jamaica tostada which was flavor and fresh with loads of crispy lettuce. What I appreciated most was that the hibiscus wasn’t mushy which I find at restaurants that use it as a meat substitute. This was cooked long enough to give it a nice meaty chew. My favorite, though, was the tofu al pastor taco that was a perfect balance of savory and sweet with fresh pineapple. The tofu was cooked perfectly and held its form. It was extra delicious topped with habanero salsa. I normally only dine at this food hall when I’m passing through but would consider driving from Oakland just for this place!
Update: wow!! went back to try the tacos, flautas and sopesitos. Is this my new favorite place???!! Everything is so fresh and yummy. No flour tortillas. Corn only. It’s legit! I can’t wait to go back and bring friends. This time service was much faster, too. Prev review: I only tried the torta (with tofu) and it was great. Good blend of different ingredients. I’m looking forward to going back to try other things.
Alma y Sazón is truly one of my favorite spots here in the bay! My favorite is the torta Mexicana and I really do enjoy the taco de mar as well! What makes them so unique is that the whole menu is vegan/vegetarian friendly. And I truly believe you don't need to be vegan or vegetarian to enjoy and eat here, yall need to try this place! Service is great and there is plenty of seating in the public market + parking is easy and free!
Tried a few things on the menu and all were delicious! Cleared the tray because everything was so fresh and tasted authentically Mexican. Can’t wait to go back.
Delicious vegan tacos and snacks. Mushroom chicharrónes and elote were awesome. Inside the Emeryville Public Market.
The elote was incredible!!
I wholeheartedly recommend Alma y Sazon for both catering and personal dining experiences! They provided a worthwhile and delicious vegan catering experience for my leadership event, as well as, provided a delicious solo dining experience. Their taco flight and agua frescas are pretty much life-changing with how delicious they are. Definitely worth a trip to Public Market to visit them!
Wow. Holy moly. I'm impressed. I've walked past this place at least a dozen times and never ordered. Today I took the leap and could not have been happier. The vegetarian, mushroom carnitas were amazing. The del Mar mushroom tacos were also fantastic. Chips and salsa exceeded expectations. Service was fantastic and the atmosphere at the public market is the public market. It's very noisy on a Tuesday with trivia, but there's always a comfortable clean place to sit and eat.
Fresh and full of flavor! I tried their taco sampler as I couldn’t make up my mind from the menu. Wasn’t disappointed. Each one carried a distinct flavor with freshness and spice. Still couldn’t decide which one I liked the best as each one was distinct. Will definately try again.
We were so interested in the menu that we ordered almost everything! Standouts were the del mar taco (battered and fried oyster mushroom) and the elote. Normally elote is way too heavy for me, but the vegan mayo was light and the corn was perfectly grilled. We thought a couple items could have used more salt, but we finished absolutely everything we ordered and were very satisfied.
Really delicious food served by wonderful people!! I love that they have so many gluten free options in addition to being vegan! The taco del mar is my favorite, and they make a tasty agua fresca too :) highly recommend for lunch and dinner!!
I love that this place is strictly vegan so I don’t need to worry about cross contamination with animal products. The food was tasty and the staff is super friendly and knowledgeable. Thanks ! I’ll be back to try the taco trio!
This little restaurant of perfection is located inside Public Market. I got the taquitos and taco Al pastor. Both were delicious. I can’t wait to come back with a bigger appetite!
So delicious!! You can feel the love put into the food! Definitely coming back!
Tried the jackfruit flautas, the mushroom carnitas tacos and the jackfruit al pastor tacos last night and I’m still thinking of them 24 hours later! Can’t wait to go back.
Delicious vegan Mexican food. Tastes like your Abuelita cooked it! Super delicious!!
So delicious!! You can feel the love put into the food! Definitely coming back!
Fresh and full of flavor! I tried their taco sampler as I couldn’t make up my mind from the menu. Wasn’t disappointed. Each one carried a distinct flavor with freshness and spice. Still couldn’t decide which one I liked the best as each one was distinct. Will definately try again.
Wow. Holy moly. I'm impressed. I've walked past this place at least a dozen times and never ordered. Today I took the leap and could not have been happier. The vegetarian, mushroom carnitas were amazing. The del Mar mushroom tacos were also fantastic. Chips and salsa exceeded expectations. Service was fantastic and the atmosphere at the public market is the public market. It's very noisy on a Tuesday with trivia, but there's always a comfortable clean place to sit and eat.
Really delicious food served by wonderful people!! I love that they have so many gluten free options in addition to being vegan! The taco del mar is my favorite, and they make a tasty agua fresca too :) highly recommend for lunch and dinner!!
We were so interested in the menu that we ordered almost everything! Standouts were the del mar taco (battered and fried oyster mushroom) and the elote. Normally elote is way too heavy for me, but the vegan mayo was light and the corn was perfectly grilled. We thought a couple items could have used more salt, but we finished absolutely everything we ordered and were very satisfied.
Tried the jackfruit flautas, the mushroom carnitas tacos and the jackfruit al pastor tacos last night and I’m still thinking of them 24 hours later! Can’t wait to go back.
Delicious vegan Mexican food. Tastes like your Abuelita cooked it! Super delicious!!
I love that this place is strictly vegan so I don’t need to worry about cross contamination with animal products. The food was tasty and the staff is super friendly and knowledgeable. Thanks ! I’ll be back to try the taco trio!
This little restaurant of perfection is located inside Public Market. I got the taquitos and taco Al pastor. Both were delicious. I can’t wait to come back with a bigger appetite!
Soo delicious!!! … sorry ate it so fast i forgot to take a picture… i’ll come back again and again and again
Food was decent but the portion sizes were small for the price. You need to order multiple entre's to satisfy your hunger. The food didn't come with any side salsa, sauces etc., They don't have a self serve salsa option either. The choice in the menu is limited, perhaps becausr they are still setting up 🤔
Food was decent but the portion sizes were small for the price. You need to order multiple entre's to satisfy your hunger. The food didn't come with any side salsa, sauces etc., They don't have a self serve salsa option either. The choice in the menu is limited, perhaps becausr they are still setting up 🤔
Food hall is great, staff are super kind, but food was in my opinion very under-seasoned and over oily.
Food hall is great, staff are super kind, but food was in my opinion very under-seasoned and over oily.
Food was ok, nothing special. Green salsa was sweet, chunky (in a bad way), not flavorful. The torta was very small, think of a kid size meal. You'd think for $15 (no sides included) there would be a thick, even layer of "meat" or filling, but no. There was almost no filling nor toppings, just very very light. You'd think for having a smaller menu they'd focus better on their few entrees. I was wrong. I usually don't complain about service, but the front counter guy had a terrible attitude. He stood there and didn't care asking about my order. The whole interaction was awkward and lacking basic service. After I placed my order and paid, he didn't thank me or say anything, just walks Overall, food was not impressive, small quantities, and just overall a bad experience. There are other Mexican food places that are 50x better with the same pricing.
Worst Veggie Taco I have ever had in my life. First of all, the cashier was handling money and went to make the taco without washing her hands and none of us could even finish eating the tasteless taco, dry, and very spicy. I never give any bad reviews because I know how hard it is to run a restaurant but couldn’t help it this time.
Worst Veggie Taco I have ever had in my life. First of all, the cashier was handling money and went to make the taco without washing her hands and none of us could even finish eating the tasteless taco, dry, and very spicy. I never give any bad reviews because I know how hard it is to run a restaurant but couldn’t help it this time.
Sign in to leave a review
Sign inRemove ads and manage your menu
Explore Your Area
Kyu 2 Sushi
Black Bear Diner
Chai Thai Noodles
Wondrous Brewing Company
Oaks Corner Sports Bar
Delphi
Togo's
Koja Kitchen
Cafe Colucci
Los Cantaros Taquería
3 Photos
Explore El Sazón Oakland's photos
About El Sazón Oakland
How to get there
5959 Shellmound St, Emeryville, CA 94608
Oakland, CA 94608
Highlights
Services
Dining Options
Restaurant Info
Amenities
The Neighborhood
Location
📍 Explore the Neighborhood
Upcoming Events
The Last Dinner Party - From the Pyre Tour
27 May 2026, 20:00
Fox Theater - Oakland
Kranium - A Slight Delay Tour - Live in Oakland
28 May 2026, 19:00
Crybaby
GEMS: The 2000's Party Edition w/ Lexapeel + Jr. the DJ + Travis Bobbito & Global Bass Patio by Shino Smoke
29 May 2026, 22:00
Crybaby
OAXACA OPEN
29 May 2026, 22:00
Crybaby
midden in the United States
Gaming
🎮 Earn Points While You Explore!
Play Find Me and redeem points for discounts at El Sazón Oakland and other restaurants
Earn Points at El Sazón Oakland!
Play Find Me and redeem rewards here
Earn extra points and redeem them for rewards at El Sazón Oakland
🏆 Rewards at El Sazón Oakland
10% Discount
At El Sazón Oakland
Free Appetizer
On your next visit
VIP Table
Premium experience
to redeem rewards and earn points
📋 How Do Rewards Work?
Play Find Me
Every 100 score points = 1 reward point
Collect Points
Workers earn 2x points per game
Redeem Rewards
Discounts, free food and VIP experiences
Is it yours? Claim it FREE!
Remove ads and manage your menu