I love, love, love this place. Five Tacos and Beer has quickly become one of my favorite casual spots in Berkeley. The whole vibe is super laid-back and welcoming. One of the best parts is the outdoor patio, which is perfect when the weather is nice--and it's dog-friendly, so you can bring your pup along. When it's really nice out, they open up the big bar windows, which makes the whole place feel open and lively. As the name suggests, they also have an amazing beer menu. If you like having a lot of good options to choose from, you'll be happy here. Something I think is really cool is that you can order tacos for the table--like 5 tacos, 10 tacos, etc. I haven't tried that option yet, but it seems like a great idea if you're coming with a group and want to try a bunch of different things. We sat at the bar. I ordered a carne asada taco and a carnitas taco, while my wife got the chicken flautas (which are made with corn tortillas). We also shared an order of chips, salsa, and guacamole. The guac tasted super fresh and had just the right amount of spice. My tacos came with tortillas that were obviously house-made, which makes such a difference. Both were delicious and packed with flavor. The chicken flautas were also a big hit--crispy, flavorful, and really satisfying. If you're looking for a casual place with great drinks and really good Mexican food, this is definitely a spot to check out. We'll absolutely be back. read more

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We came here on a Monday evening and the restaraunt was relatively empty. It is a cozy, dimly lit space, good for a romantic yet casual dinner. We started off with the chips & guac, and although the guac was fresh and the chips were warm and crunchy, it definitely was not worth a whole $13. The entire menu is pretty overpriced. Others at my table got tacos, I got the ceviche, which did not impress me- the shrimp were on the mushier side, and overall the dish was average at best. Food is average, prices are high. You're probably better off picking somewhere else to eat. read more

5 Tacos and Beers Berkeley - Chips & Guac - Tacos Near Me - Berkeley, California

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My bride & I ate dinner here last night. It was wonderful! The food was not good, it was GREAT! We had freshly made chips, 2 to-die-for fresh salsas, prawn ceviche, a broiled chicken protein bowl, white beans cooked w garlic & salt, and red Mexican rice. Ohhhhh, baby!!! And the margaritas? Perfecto! The service was exceptional and the ambiance could not have been better! That the tables were largely filled with people for an early dinner "spoke volumes" about the high quality food. I'll be back for more! read more

Street parking, toke me a while, walked 2 blocks Simple and beautiful decorations to show the culture and spacious enough for family to sit and enjoy a meal Looks more bar and hangout spot though Service was great no compliant Tried their cocktail and then it got super busy so got the food Togo, toke a while and end up ordering more drinks, but delicious though Food was still good even cold, Asada all the way read more

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Great first visit on a taco Tuesday! $5 for tacos and it was all so yummy!! Defff my fav #1 is shrimp taco!! Margarita was good and citrusy let's not forget the churros so good I craved for it for a whole 2 months haha read more

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Okay, so I don't mind a slower service when restaurants are busy but when they're not busy and customer has to asks 2 separate wait staff 3 separate times for a glass of water is poor management. Al the while, 3 service staff are all conglomerated at the bar talking with the people seated at the bar. It's quite annoying. Management at this particular location need to re-train their service staff in hospitality and basic food service. read more

We absolutely loved the vibe at 5 Tacos and Beer in Berkeley! From the moment we walked in, we were impressed with the atmosphere and the wide variety of menu options--so much to choose from. We ordered the chilaquiles, chips with guac and salsa, and four tacos--two chicken and two carne asada. Every bite was packed with flavor! The chilaquiles were next level, and the beans on the side were so yummy--creamy and comforting. The homemade tortillas really made a difference, and the salsas were hitting the spot with just the right amount of kick. To drink, we had a Paloma and a Chismosa cocktail--both were fresh, tasty, and perfectly balanced. The chips had that perfect crunch we all love, and honestly, we were just in awe of the whole experience. So happy we found this place online--it was open later than 2:00 pm, unlike a lot of other spots we looked at. That alone makes it a gem, but the food sealed the deal. We'll definitely be back! read more

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Pozole (pork with red sauce) $18. I wanted to love this but broth lacked flavor and wished it wasn't so oily. Also pro tip: Don't come here if you want to have a conversation with the ppl you're dining with. The acoustics is so bad (or non existent) that you're literally YELLING at each other (and everyone else in the entire restaurant). read more

5 Tacos and Beers Berkeley - Pozole (pork with red sauce) $18. I wanted to love this but broth lacked flavor and wished it wasn't so oily. - Tacos Near Me - Berkeley, California

Great place for authentic tacos in Berkeley. To be honest, as a vegetarian I was unable to taste their tacos, but my family did and assured me they were great! I loved how friendly and funny the owner was. It makes a huge difference when an effort is made to brighten your meal with genuine kindness. read more

Love the fresh homemade tortillas!! I have been to another 5 tacos location and love trying the different types of tacos! Service here is great and have variety of items to try! read more

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I've been a few time with my kiddo and their friends and parents as it's near my son's school and it's great for that. The place is large and well designed with Mexican decor. It's usually fairly empty so getting a table for 6-8 is no problem. The food is solid. The tacos are fresh and delicious. I opted for a grilled fish taco with homemade tortilla and it was well done. My son enjoyed the brunch pancakes. Chips and guac and salsa always has been fine. While nothing has stood out yet as a must have, I'll be back to enjoy a marg and some light bites with friends. Not cheap, but for a sit down spot in Elmwood, it totally works. A nice long bar to post up at with multiple televisions, to boot, if that's your thing! read more

The food was great! I really recommend the quesabirria tacos, which had a chicken option too! I haven't seen a chicken option near this area yet. Waiters were kind and checked in to make sure we were okay throughout the night. Coming back! read more

5 Tacos and Beers Berkeley - Quesabirria, Tacos De Mar (Cod) - Tacos Near Me - Berkeley, California

Tacos weren't good. Service wasn't good. Beer selection was good. Won't return for food.

Love this place. They opened one in WC but whenever I am in Berkely I come Here. Pair it with beer and the perfect mix. I always get the 5 taco plate and the fried fish one is amazing. read more

5 Tacos and Beers Berkeley - 5 taco plate - Tacos Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Amazing food! A memorably delicious experience. We went with a large group of 9 and ordered just about everything. The vegetarian section had lots of options (definitely recommend the flautas) and the salad were elaborate and elevated. The guac and chip to start were chef's kiss! Perfection. So fresh and high quality!!! read more

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I've been to this 5 Tacos and Beers like 4 times and every time I come I am disappointed that they don't rearrange the menu to be a bit more forth coming about why the business is names "5 Tacos and Beers" ....So they have a 5 taco special thats about $30 and yet they bury it on the bottom right hand side of the menu. The staff also makes ZERO effort to tell you about this, so you end up missing out on a pretty decent deal if you don't see it yourself! There are a few tacos that do not qualify for the 5 taco special (quesabirria is one of them) and unless you ask, they will surely just charge you a la carte which I think is pretty messed up and then in the end you miss out on the 5 tacos special! Why not list the 5 tacos special (they also have a 10 taco special too) and under it list the tacos that qualify for the deal! Then list the others as an up charge to the special or if they will just be a la carte. I personally just feel its a bit messed up for a business that is run pretty well for the most part (although the waitstaff will disappear on you and are REALLY slow about bringing the check) not live up to its name and make a point of featuring the "5 Tacos" special with some clarity! Other than this, the food is consistently pretty good. The chips and guac are a fav for sure and they refill your chips at no extra charge so thats pretty damn good especially if you go with a group. I've had almost all the tacos: steak, pork, chicken, fish, octopus, mushroom, quesabirria and the rice and beans and they have all been pretty tasty and a really good size portion!! I would recommend coming here especially if you have a large group. Its a pretty big space and so they have been really accommodating even for a party of 10! I would advise making a reservation to ensure theres space as it can get pretty busy in evening and a large party can end up waiting a long time! read more

Just a quick little update! 5 Tacos And Beers, Never disappoints! Every time we come here the food is always on point. The staff are so welcoming, hospitality at its finest. I did a recap for my husbands birthday. The restaurants team came out with a flan surprise. So nice ! The whole team at 5 Tacos And Beers are top notch at its finest. Yeimith is the best bartender! Hibiscus martini !! yummy. The whole Staff team, from Roman , Yesenia, Yeimith and others such great customer service. read more

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My cousin and I stopped into this place for a bite after a hike and was greeted by friendly staff and service. Hands down some of the best tacos we've had up in the Bay Area and would highly recommend this place if you find yourself in the Berkeley area. With great beer, tacos, and vibes all around, we'll definitely be back! read more

5 Tacos and Beers Berkeley - Delicious tacos, fresh guacamole and chips - Tacos Near Me - Berkeley, California

Well, normally I don't write negative. I just pretend I never ate there, but this time I'm going off: First, chips and salsa are traditionally complimentary. For $7.00 the basket was slim & the so-so salsas were tiny. Second thank god I went on Taco Tuesday or it might have been 1 star - had 3 tacos: First: Carne Asada was utterly devoid of flavor - other than the lime juice I heroically milked out of the tiny dry lime wedge I got w/it Second: "pork belly" taco - hello... I guess 5 Tacos takes it that their patrons are all from Maine or Minnesota... who don't know one end of a pig from the other. Clearly they don't think their patrons can discern Carnitas from pork belly??!?. Seriously - totally insulting! If they just said carnitas, they were sort or ok, but no kind of pork belly - no way Third: the Al pastor was good... no problem. (didn't try the chicken fajita) On "Taco Tuesday" after chips, a beer & 3 tacos... $40!!! SCREW 5 TACOS!!! read more

What I will say, is that I will always try local businesses. In my opinion some are better than others. This place wasn't my favorite but I will go back because it's local. The tacos didn't have that much flavor on this day and lunch was a bit pricey for 2 people. Hey.... It's Da Bay. I originally ordered the chicken tacos. I asked the server if they used chicken breast and she was emphatic in saying "YES". Well when they came out, instantly I could see that the tacos were made with dark thigh meat. The chef confirmed when he brought out to the server. I sent back and got carne asada..... not that much better. read more

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I understand what are trying to do, but the place is overpriced for what they are providing, and the service is terrible. Unbelievable wait time for food, and we had to remind them that we needed to pay the bill. read more

I agree with the other recent reviews -- the worst service I've experienced and expensive, bland tacos that hardly justify even their discounted taco Tuesday prices. Would overall recommend you pass. read more

Roman was the best!! Food is a 10 - go go go. We all loved our dishes and the drinks were delish. read more

5 Tacos and Beers Berkeley - Chips and Salsa - Tacos Near Me - Berkeley, California

Went for happy hour. Tacos were pretty good. Service was horrible, servers disappeared, then they were just talking amongst themselves. They only gave us one napkin each and we ordered 5tacos. The guy only came around to give us the check, motivated by a tip he didn't earn. They should train the employees better. read more

10/10 experience second time here and customer service and food are amazing Kaitlyn, Roman and Nacho are all wonderful. read more

5 Tacos and Beers Berkeley - Tacos Near Me - Berkeley, California

My new favorite brunch place! Great service and bottomless iced teas. The food was beautiful *and* delicious. The consommé for my hot crispy quesobirrias was not especially concentrated or flavorful but everything else was *perfect.* read more

5 Tacos and Beers Berkeley - Quesabirrias! - Tacos Near Me - Berkeley, California

It's rare to find a place that serves ceviche that is not too spicy for my kids! The pulpo is my favorite by far; I don't know why octopus is such a difficult food to find in tacos around here. I'm grateful they have it! The shrimp is a close second. There are lots of options for pescetarians, vegans, and vegetarians! It isn't too hard to get seated and service is prompt and friendly. Everything is clean and lovely and wheelchair-friendly. read more

Great place for tacos, drinks and a nice relaxing time. Tacos were amazing, we tried the quesabirria beef, pork al pastor, pescado asado, pollo al pastor and the guacamole chips and salsa was fire! Great service, friendly and helpful staff, full tequila bar with local craft beer, and an extensive menu of delicious traditional Mexican cuisine with vegetarian options too. Highly recommended and will always go back. Wish I lived closer to one of their three Bay Area locations. 5 Stars! read more

5 Tacos and Beers Berkeley - Full tequila bar at hour service. - Tacos Near Me - Berkeley, California

If you're looking for authentic Mexican food, 5 tacos & beers is the spot! Amazing service and food. Every time I come the experience is better than the last one. 10/10 recommend!! Also, if you want amazing tequila, try out Don lito, very smooth and delicious! read more

5 Tacos and Beers Berkeley - Don Lito Tequila - Tacos Near Me - Berkeley, California

My buddy comes down from Truckee every couple weeks for work, and last night we hit up 5 Tacos & Beers on College Ave (Elmwood) for Taco Tuesday. Everything was excellent. Warm chips and homemade salsa to start. Then we dove into the tacos: grilled rock cod, shrimp, octopus, and the Costilla De Res (short rib) - all on fresh corn tortillas. The presentation matched the flavors - colorful and inviting. It's family-owned and you can feel it. Great service, a welcoming vibe, really high quality food. Planning my next rainy day visit for a bowl of their homemade Pozole. Highly recommend. read more

This is my 3rd time coming here. Amazing food, service, drinks and ambiance. They accommodated changing to Latin music

It's so hard to be honest and positive at the same time, right? I want to support small, independent businesses, especially when the restaurant industry is so brutal. So let me try some ground rules (for everyone) to avoid getting in the way of your own success: 1. At a Mexican-style sit-down restaurant, endless chips & salsa should always be included at no extra charge. 2. Rice & beans should always be included with any plated entree. A la carte can have a section of the menu, but it shouldn't be the whole menu. 3. The universal appeal of this type of menu is offering yummy, familiar flavors along with good value. One "street" taco should not cost $6 -- even if it's the best taco ever. 4. Recognize your customer base. Competition is high, rent is even higher, and most of your audience is feeling the same financial pressure. Volume & repeat business is key. If you give us good food for a good price, we will stay longer, order more, spread the word and come back. I must point out that the vibe and service were on point, which is are huge positives that are missing from a lot of other restaurants. With some strategic, realistic adjustments this place could be a winner... read more

Tacos and Beers, two of my favorite things at the same place! This is one of their newer locations so I decided to give it a try with a friend. The atmosphere and environment is really nice where it feels like a full on restaurant experience instead of a casual grab & go. They have a simple menu (which has a brunch edition that I might want to try one day) with classic offerings. I ended up getting the quesabirria taco (~$7.50) and cochinita pibil (pork, ~$5.50). While the flavor and presentation was definitely there, the portion was a bit average for its price point. For sure experienced the quality and I'm sure they have Taco Tuesday specials, so maybe I'll give them another chance. Also got $5 chips & salsa which tasted fresh and warm, but was a little shocked that chips with both salsa and guacamole was $12. Also missed out on their beers, but maybe a future brunch visit will let me see their other offerings. read more

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The Quesabirria was exactly what I didn't know I was craving! The desserts are fun with great flavor. I loved their renditions of them. read more

5 Tacos and Beers Berkeley - Tacos Near Me - Berkeley, California

The food is well prepared and tasty but when I went to the restaurant in the Elmwood Distrct there were serious problems with the service. I was initially served someone else's meal before I got what I had ordered. When I went up to the front counter to pay, no one was there to accept and processs my payment. I could have easily walked out. The food was great; the service had serious problems. It wasn't that busy; I don't know what was going on. read more

Yum yum. Tucked in the streets of Berkeley. Parking can be a little rough but it can be found! My brother suggested we go there. I went with the family and it was hard to just get a few things. So many choices for vegan tasty items. The corn, potato tacos, and beverages were my favorites. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Very chill feel and welcoming. There is a large bar that is surrounded by tables. read more

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Delicious chismosa beer and quesabirrias! I'm not a beer drinker, so I'm impressed that I was able to finish & relish the chismosa beer.

I've been meaning to post a review for a while, having eaten here maybe 30 times now. My partner and I come here for lunch on the regular. I was honestly surprised to see that it wasn't 5 stars, but digging into the reviews I think maybe some folks aren't sure what to do with this place. Is it inexpensive? No. Are there endless chips and salsa. No. Is the food all at an extremely high level of quality? Yes. This isn't a strip mall taqueria (though the genre is so near and dear to my heart). This is a higher end Mexican restaurant with super quality ingredients, really spot on flavors and spice levels, and excellent beers and cocktails. I've had most of the menu, including the breakfast items, and literally everything I've had was spot-on. read more

Visually appealing, but ultimately flavorless food, make this place not worth revisiting. This is the Bay Area, with millions of awesome places to get tacos. This place just doesn't happen to be one of them. My partner and I stepped in here on Valentine's Day. We loved the fun, casual ambiance that makes you want to hang out with a group of friends and catch up with each other. The drinks menu is creative and diverse, with awesome names: ciders called "Cherry Seinfeld," beers called "Dark Sarcasm", even non-alcoholic drinks with Seedlip alcohol-free spirits like the "Brujeria." Service was good. We ordered the mixto ceviche, and one each of the following tacos: carne asada, carnitas, fish, and "vegetarian quesabirria with cashew cheese." We loved our drinks, but found the food bizarrely flavorless. I have no idea what made the vegetarian item a "quesabirria" beyond the name. This arrived tasting like undercooked vegetables devoid of flavor in a corn tortilla with cashew cheese that tasted very much like dairy cheese. While the fish and carnitas tacos weren't completely terrible, they were very bland, and the carne asada was also devoid of flavor. The ceviche, while beautiful looking, colorful, and fresh was also almost devoid of any flavor of all. They serve your tacos with a side hot sauce, which was also underwhelming. No fresh salsas or pico de gallo or anything else is offered to give the tacos a lift. All very weird. I'm weirded out by it really... how can anyone serve a taco and hot sauce, or a ceviche, so devoid of flavor?? We loved our drinks though: I had an Ojitos Lindos, and he had a Blood Moon. As a Mexican-American who loves Mexican food, I really wanted to love this place, especially when they have such great sounding and great looking vegan offerings and alcohol-free drinks for the people in my life in recovery or just trying to be healthier. But we were disappointed. If you have to come here, stick to the drinks, avoid the food. read more

5 Tacos and Beers Berkeley - Tacos Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I was happy with my meal. The Quesabirria was the highlight. But I also enjoyed my Taco de pescado. We also got a chips and Guacamole as a starter - it was a healthy portion of guacamole. The two items plus the starter was enough food for being medium hungry. They had a decent beer selection - had to go with the Berryessa cause I don't see it very often! Also got a white sangria, and it was a little less like sangria in my mind and a little more cocktail like - I guess I generally like my sangria on the winey side. Large open space, with lots of big windows, and ample seating. read more

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