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    ABVE The Basics

    4.4 (394 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 7:30 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Order ABVE The Basics Takeout or Delivery

    Services - ABVE The Basics

    Allergy-friendly catering

    Catering

    Gluten-free catering

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    Halal catering

    Vegan catering

    Vegetarian catering

    ABVE The Basics Photos

    ABVE THE BASICS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials

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    Reviews With Photos

    Tostada
    Elizabeth M.

    Came here for the first time. Wasn't really sure where the location was since this spot is located inside the bar. Glad I found the spot. After carefully viewing the menu/pictures on yelp we decided to order. what we ordered: - deep fried oreos: 2/5, Oreos were ok, and they tasted like churro. If ordered eat them on the spot. we made that mistake taking them home and is just not the same reheating them. - cali burrito:2/5. Burrito was descent, and large. Meat was good just had too much seasoning for my like. - tostada 3/5. the tostada was good and big. had great taste. probably the best dish here. overall, was a fun experience. played some music in the juke box. customer service was ok. Expensive for what it is!

    Cali Style Surf N Turf Burrito
    Lena S.

    Was a bit skeptical about stopping in for lunch because some reviewers mentioned it's in a bar. Wasn't sure what the crowd was like. But lunch time it's chill. They have music going but it's not loud. It was a nice day so they had the doors open. They also have pool tables if you want to play while waiting for your food. They do have seating inside. They have self service water or you can order a drink or soda at the bar. Food was delicious. Surf and turf burrito was so good. But the shrimp taco was the clear winner. So flavorful, seasoned so well. They also provide chips with your meal! The salsa wasn't hot, mild maybe?--goes well with the chips. I'd skip the Mexican garlic fries. Good but not worth it. The steak taco was also good. Honestly, no real complaints here. We came from out of town and we'd probably stop in here again if we're ever in San Jose. That memorable, that good. Highly recommend.

    Deep fried oreos 7pc
    Rachelle J.

    Stopped by for lunch on a Friday and tried the Bay Area Surf n Turf burrito ($19) and the 7-piece fried Oreos ($11). The steak in the burrito was chopped really fine instead of cubed like in the photos, and the tortilla was a bit burnt. Not a huge deal though -- after peeling off some of the burnt parts, it was still really tasty and full of flavor. Unfortunately, the Oreos were a letdown. The batter was bland, hard, and chewy, and the Oreo inside tasted stale -- the whole thing was like biting into a hockey puck. I'd definitely give the burrito another shot, but I'll skip the Oreos next time. Edit: Added pics of my burrito vs. the menu photo. Still tasty--simply pointing out the difference. I'd also suggest chopping the shrimp (at least in half) for a better filling ratio. Lastly, as someone who eats a lot of fried food, I opened the plastic container right away in the car to avoid sogginess from condensation--but the Oreos were already hard and stale. Appreciate the response though!

    Bay Area surf and Cali Style Surf N Turf Burrito
    Ilana V.

    Happened upon ABVE the basics for lunch one day and am so excited to know of it! Service was pretty quick and friendly. The menu is extensive and food tasted flavorful and fresh. We tried the surf n turf burrito as well as the pork belly street bowl and were very happy (and very full) from their delicious plates and large portions. Feels like they use good quality ingredients and everything is made from scratch. Will definitely be cooking to try more things; also enjoy that's they're inside of a bar; nice way to get a great casual lunch and drink!

    Chris D.

    Was craving mexican and saw this saucy looking tacos on yelp so had to stop by. Fried Elote: This was really delicious. Corn was individually fried and were extremely crispy. All the sauce along with cheese and chili made each bite really flavor packed. However the oil that it was fried in might be old bc I could taste it in the elote. A little lime on yhe side would be nice to help cut the creaminess by a little to balance the elote. Overall still delicious. 4.5/5 Cali Pork Belly/Fish Tacos: Super flavorful and saucy. Fish was fried to perfection and pork belly was grilled to where you could taste the char but meat was still juicy. I will say that I was misled from the yelp photos since it seemed like their shell was crusted with cheese. 4.5/5 Surf and Turf Taco: Not bad but compared to the other ones we had, this one was lacking. I didn't like that there was rice in this one and the overall flavor was lacking. Didn't see any sauce. Meat portion was small compared to the shrimp that was given. 2/5 Mexican Garlic Fries: The portion was HUGE. We were expecting like a medium order of fries but there was a lot of fries. Fries were a little undercooked and not crispy. They doused the fries in garlic and cotija cheese but it honestly just felt like too much. The seasoning didn't really stick to the fries and overall just a mess. 1/5 Despite the minor things, the food here was really good and I see myself coming back. Definitely recommend their Fried Elote and Cali Fish/Pork Belly tacos.

    Fish Tacos in front, Steak Quesadilla in the back
    Kalkidan A.

    I decided to try this place again today. I went on a Saturday morning. It's located inside Stevie's Bar & Grill still. I got the Carnitas Street Taco, Fish Street Taco, and 4 churros. The carnitas were crispy but there were burnt pieces in there. After I was done eating it, it left a burnt taste in my mouth. Fish was crispy as well and a bit salty, but overall flavor was okay. Churros were okay as well. All in all okay place.

    Carnitas Street Bowl - white rice instead of cilantro rice.
    Angie A.

    4/10 Review - came back for more and the star review still holds. The fish taco is exactly what a fish taco should be. Fresh fish, grilled to perfection, spicy, crunchy cabbage, fresh thick corn tortillas that hold together perfectly. The surf & turf tacos were exceptional. The shrimp taco is delicious and fresh, also holding together like a champ! The veggie tacos are super flavorful with a nice smoky flavor. The taco has a kick to it and it's perfect. The smashburger was good but the Mexican food is really the star of the show. Worthy of continued visits for more! Don't be in a hurry because it takes time to make delicious food.

    Quesadilla and Cali fries
    Kristin P.

    Possibly the best quesadilla that I have EVER had. They cook the cheese down so it's somewhat crispy throughout and it's LIFE-CHANGING! This spot is located in a bar, but during a weekday dinner the place was chill and absolutely worth going to!

    Quyen H.

    Food was pretty good but would I crave it, probably not. I think it's on the pricier end but it had good flavors. It's also nestled in a restaurant that serves a wide selection of beer. So good food option to pair with your drinks. Not pictured is the churros I orders. I was not very impressed with it but still not bad. It just didn't satisfy the churro cravings for me. Maybe needed to be more crispy? It had a lot of sugar coating though. Overall not a bad place to chill and grab some food.

    Cali Fish Tacos & Cali Shrimp Tacos
    Tina A.

    We saw Abve the Basics mentioned in the San Francisco Chronicle as one of the best places to get fish tacos & so we knew we had to check this place out! Turns out it is in a plaza that we have been frequenting for years and we did not even know it was there! It is tucked inside of Stevies Bar & Grill so if you are not specifically looking for this restaurant, it may be easy to miss. Abve the Basics is definitely worth the hype! We started with the Deep Fried Elote that we read rave reviews about & it was outstanding! Great textures from the crispy corn & the creamy dressing & so flavorful. The only complaint I have is that it is not a larger serving! For mains I ordered the Cali Fish Tacos and Cali Shrimp Tacos and they were amazing! Everything was perfectly seasoned & the crema & chipotle garlic aioli were so flavorful. My husband ordered the Cali Carnitas and Cali Steak - also both excellent choices. Can't wait to return to try some of their other dishes!

    Priscilla D.

    *First and last time ordering* I ordered as soon as they opened today (11:30am). I kept seeing their ads on DoorDash and looked them up on Yelp prior to ordering. I ordered a Mexican pizza, elote and churros. Mexican pizza: about 3 oz of meat in total, pinto beans (whole) and onions. The problem? Barely any meat, the listing says refried beans but I got whole beans and they added onions which wasn't listed. A few onions is awesome but this thing was primarily cheese, whole beans and onions that wasn't on the listing. Big sloppy $17.50 mess that is going in the trash. Elote - this is fried. And when it says fried, believe them. It's essentially pockets of oil. They deep fry each individual kernel. Kernels are tiny therefore it ends up being little pockets of grease. This was my bad having wishful thinking-- I wish they had a fresh option. Churros - $8 for 1 churro. It's cut up into 8 pieces to look like a better value but just go to your local Mexican place and get a churro for $1.40 Wasted $43 on today's lunch.

    Carnitas and pork belly

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    Page 1 of 10

    Ask the Community - ABVE The Basics

    Hi Gabriel! First come, first serve? No reservations in advance?

    Hello! Yes first come first serve. Usually isn’t busy until 7 8

    Wait, I thought they were in a bar. Are they back to food trucks now?

    We left about 4 months ago and just opened our food truck!

    Are the new hours semi-permanent? Or can we expect to see it open on new days? (Walked in on Sunday just to realize it was closed 🙁)

    Hi Andrew! We’re currently doing pop ups 2 days a week at our commissary kitchen until our food truck is ready in about 2-3 weeks. We’re scheduling Plenty of pop ups for this month as well doing catering.

    I was there a month ago and got a bowl. Are those still there?

    Hello! Yes they are!

    I have two small children but have been wanting to try this place. Are they allowed to sit on the patio?

    Hello, We are child friendly for inside and outside. We don’t have high chairs or booster seats… Read more

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    Tacos Los Tres Reyes

    3.9
    (458 reviews)
    7.8 mi
    $

    Went on a hike with friends and all I could think about was my post-hike taco order. I was so glad…read moremy friends decided on Tacos Los Tres Reyes. So delicious every single time and this time was no different. There's limited parking and you can either order inside or at the taco truck. There are areas to sit and wait for your order and tables to eat at. I ordered three al pastor tacos. There was a bit of a wait but it was worth it. So good as always. I literally scarfed my tacos down with salsa and grilled onions. My friend ordered a carne asada burrito which he said was super filling and the perfect amount of food. While I'm in town, I'll be here whenever I crave tacos.

    A great taco spot for dinner. The opened dining area is…read moregreat for groups and gathering. I ordered from the truck, then went into the store to collect my drink, and then came back out to sit in the dining area, where I also collected any sauces I wanted. Definitely need to work for your meal and get your steps in. The condiments and sauces are in a cart with plastic cups with lids provided. There weren't that many options of sauces when I ate here but it was fine. The birrias and lengua tacos were so good. All the tacos came with two small tortillas to hold in the heaping amount of meat. The horchata here is had more cream than I'm used to. Like more milk was added or something, not enough spices or flavors added in IMO. Ordering was easy, I felt rushed, but it was the waiting to hear my number that was difficult. Listening for the number in the dining area while the music was blasting was difficult, so it's better to wait by the truck. Parking is limited but there are always cars coming and going so if you can wait a little, a spot will open up.

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    Salsa bar
    Salsa bar
    Tacos Los Tres Reyes
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    Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen

    Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen

    4.0
    (1.1k reviews)
    5.3 mi
    $$

    This place is one of the few places that deserve 6 stars in my book. Cali Spartan Mexican Kitchen…read moreis the definition of comfort food at a fair price. I've been coming here for 2 years and I have never once had a bad experience with the food. The service is pretty great with servers being extremely efficient with any needs. This location also features a Salsa bar which has onions, cilantro, limes, and a few other items. During this meal, I ordered the: -Chips and Salsa -Steak Fajitas -Cali Burrito with Asada (MY FAVORITE) -Crispy Tacos 3x with Asada -32oz Horchata The seasonings for their meat is extremely noticeable and doesn't overpower the flavor. The same can be said for the seasoning on the chips; it's extremely delicious. My biggest positive for this place is the portion sizes; they don't skimp out on the proteins! Their horchata tastes better than the ones I personally had in Mexico. When comparing this place to establishments like Chipotle, this place easily wins in terms of food quality/freshness and pricing. Overall, I do recommend coming in after the lunch rush just because parking is a minor issue here. But overall, this is possibly the best Mexican restaurant in Silicon Valley. I'm a regular here so I'll be coming back again!

    The food here was affordable and delicious as a staple of SJSU! tacos were nicely seasoned and came…read moreout quick when we ordered. Service was nice and fast as well. Al Pastor is one of my favorite proteins in Mexican cuisine and this Al Pastor really hit the spot. Sauces were fun to experiment with as well! Fries were crispy and fluffy. The music was catchy and vibey but LOUD, luckily they turned it down after a while. Overall great value, bring cash, and have a drink alongside your food!

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    Inside
    Inside
    Nachos and guac
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    Tacos panchito

    Tacos panchito

    4.1
    (59 reviews)
    4.8 mi

    Overall Rating 4/5…read more (They've done me well in the past, so although this visit wasn't the best I return because of my past experiences) Burrito Suadero burrito 6/10 - the burrito was okay, today was a miss for the burrito as it lacked a lot of flavor and they filled it up with 75% rice this time. This is the only time I didn't finish the burrito and usually it has a lot more flavor but unfortunately this time I was disappointed in the quality to the point I didn't finish it. Tacos suadero 8/10 cabeza con el vapor 9.5/10 lengua con el vapor 6/10 carne asada 6/10 al pastor 8.5/10 The tacos were the star of the show tonight with the their Al Pastor Tacos and Cabeza con el vapor! Those had the best flavor profile The green and orange sauces were okay, not extremely flavorful and receive a sauce rating of 2.5/5; it's good for the first couple bites then the flavor fatigue gets real. Next time only cabeza and al pastor in taco form. Panchito is a nice taco truck located next to the tire shop. They have extremely nice staff that really make you feel at home. I usually come here whenever I am craving Mexican food and sometimes it is hit or miss. They have tables outside but sometimes it's too cold at night so I Togo the food home, but they always play some great music there!

    Some places just get it right every single time and this taco truck is one of them…read more I've ordered through DoorDash and picked up directly from the truck, and the experience is identical either way: fresh, correct, and consistent without fail. That kind of reliability is more rare than it should be, and it's worth calling out. The tacos themselves are the main event. The Carne Asada, Suadero, and Al Pastor are all standouts, but the Al Pastor especially earns its spot. They serve it with pineapple, which is the way it's meant to be done and a detail that tells you they actually care about getting it right. These are easily some of the best tacos in San Jose, and I don't say that lightly given how much competition there is in the South Bay. But the drinks alone might be worth the trip. Their Horchata and Agua Fresca are genuinely among the best I've had anywhere in the Bay Area and that's a real statement in a region with no shortage of excellent options. The salsa bar is a nice bonus: a self-serve setup where you scoop what you want into containers, and they send you off with baggies of fresh cilantro and onion so you can finish the tacos exactly how you like them. They actively encourage you to take plenty, which tells you a lot about the kind of place this is. The staff is warm and welcoming on top of everything else. Truly one of the best taco trucks around. Don't sleep on it!!

    Photos
    Self serve salsa bar
    Self serve salsa bar
    Burrito with Pastor and everything in it.
    Burrito with Pastor and everything in it.
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    Cali-Spartan Mexican Kitchen

    Cali-Spartan Mexican Kitchen

    3.8
    (605 reviews)
    3.9 mi
    $$

    This place is so good. I'm glad to have tried it. I used to eat a lot of Mexican food when I went…read moreto school in SoCal, which is where I encountered Carne Asada Fries, so I make it a habit to get it at any restaurant that has it. CaliSparkles (what SJSU people call this restaurant), has it. SERVICE We came here on Saturday June 6th around noon. Quick to seat, took a bit to get our orders, but the waitress forgot that we asked for the check and to go boxes when we were done and didn't give us everything we asked for when we reminded her. In fact, all the servers vanished at the same time, and came back at the same time. FOOD Tacos are well priced ($3.50 for 1, $9 for 3 tacos), and I haven't seen that good of a deal in a long time. This is what they're known for and what most of my cousins ordered. Otherwise, one ordered a Super Burrito, and I ordered the Cali Fries with steak. It was soooo good. I loved that all the tacos and the fries came with avocado, some type of sauce, and tomatoes (I believe). Will def be back if I'm ever in the area.

    By far the worst service ever . I asked for a cup of ice…read morewhen the server came to give us the food, and we waited over 30 mins. I was almost done eating my food and still no cup of ice with water , I look up to see if I could get my servers attention and all 4 servers are at the bar chatting , laughing , gossiping and NO attention to the tables at all. There's about 10 tables right now being served. Food was OKAY, nothing special. I won't come back here again. No one came to check up on us after they served us with our food . We needed re-fills that we never got on our drinks .

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    You can watch your favorite sport!
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    3 crispy tacos
    3 crispy tacos
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    El Halal Amigos

    El Halal Amigos

    4.2
    (623 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$
    Halal
    Vegetarian friendly

    I've been a regular customer at El Halal Amigos for quite some time and have tried many different…read moreitems on the menu. Today, I decided to order the Chicken Fajitas, and it completely exceeded my expectations. Without a doubt, it was the most delicious fajitas dish I have ever had. The chicken was perfectly seasoned, the vegetables were cooked just right, and all the flavors came together beautifully. Everything was cooked to perfection. The portion size was very generous, and the sides were fantastic. The guacamole, sour cream, Spanish rice, and black beans were all fresh, flavorful, and complemented the meal perfectly. I've always enjoyed the food here, but from now on the Chicken Fajitas will definitely be my regular order. Well-deserved 5 stars. Thank you, El Halal Amigos!

    Got to try this place at a Yelp tasting event in 2025 and the brisket taco was DELICOUS. Been…read moremeaning to come try the restaurant, but I couldn't justify spending $5+ on one taco. However, I recently learned they do taco tuesday deals! The deal is only for the al pastor chicken tacos and it was actually good! I did not have high expectations because I don't like chicken tacos, but El Halal Amigos know what they're doing. My boyfriend also tried the brisket taco and he said it was worth the $5. The only thing I didn't like were the salsas-- I thought it was okay. Salsas were on the watery side and it didn't have much flavor. Service was nice & timely. We sat outside and we had someone check on us a couple times. They also give free chips & salsa.

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    Quesadillas are FIRE
    Quesadillas are FIRE
    Birria ONLY on Wednesdays!
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    ABVE The Basics - newmexican - Updated July 2026

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