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    ABVE The Basics

    4.4 (395 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 7:00 PM
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Order ABVE The Basics Takeout or Delivery

    ABVE The Basics Photos

    ABVE THE BASICS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - ABVE The Basics

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    Fried elote: both crispy and juicy
    Kelly N.

    It was tasty! Located inside a bar, they have darts, TVs, pool tables, 2 bathrooms. Definitely divey vibes and dark. Service was friendly, and fried fish taco was flavorful. Salsas were tasted authentic (like those from my local taco spots in SoCal). Fried elote was both crisy and soft at the same time: it was weird but also tasty and a generous portion, so would recommend sharing. Plenty of parking in the plaza. A decent spot on the way from the airport to Santa Cruz/Monterey, but probably would not go out of my way to eat here.

    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!

    Carnitas and pork belly

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    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… 

    View All 6 Questions

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    (60 reviews)
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    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!!

    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!

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    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
    (612 reviews)
    3.9 mi
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    I've visited the downtown location so brought the gang here for lunch…read more We were seated and we all placed our orders. The salsa is self serve as well as all the other toppings like onion, radish, cilantro. I've enjoyed everything I've ordered. The sopes and gorditas are crispy and flavorful. The orange salsa is my favorite. During lunch time there's scattered tables full of people. The noise level is average for a place like this. The staff takes your order and brings out the food as it's ready. Service is fine. Water cups on a table for self serve. Very little interaction with the servers once your food is served. Pay up at front if they don't come with the check. Great lunch spot!

    I've been to Cali Spartan a few times now, and it never disappoints! This visit we ordered 12 tacos…read moretotal (al pastor and carne asada), along with two sides of rice and beans, avocado, and aguas frescas. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and came out hot. The tacos were generously filled, the tortillas were delicious, and the aguas frescas were refreshing. There was a small mix-up with our order at first. Our waitress accidentally thought we had only ordered six tacos instead of twelve, so we initially received six tacos, one side of rice and beans, and were still waiting on our drinks. When she came by and noticed one of us wasn't eating, she asked if we were waiting on anything. We explained that we were still supposed to receive six more tacos, another side of rice and beans, and our drinks. She apologized, brought our drinks over right away, and the rest of our food came out quickly. Even with the mix-up, everything was handled professionally, and we appreciated how quickly she fixed it. We originally sat outside, but decided to move inside because of the bugs. The inside of the restaurant was clean, comfortable, and had a welcoming atmosphere. Since it was the Fourth of July, it wasn't busy, which made for a relaxed dining experience. The salsa bar was being prepped, but our waitress gladly brought us fresh limes when we asked. Overall, the food was delicious, the service was friendly, and even though there was a small mistake with our order, it was corrected quickly without any issues. We'll definitely be back! Highly recommend Cali Spartan if you're looking for delicious tacos and great customer service.

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    El Halal Amigos

    El Halal Amigos

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

    This was my very first visit to El Halal Mexican Restaurant in the heart of downtown Willow Glen,…read moreand I've been wanting to stop by for a while. I finally decided to give it a try after hearing about the restaurant from food reviewer Dave fiore text. As someone who absolutely loves tacos and is always on the hunt for great local taco spots, I was excited to see how this place compared to some of my favorites. I ordered four different tacos, and overall, they were pretty good. They weren't bad by any means, but they also didn't quite blow me away. The meat was cooked well, the tortillas were fresh, and the tacos had good flavor. The salsa was decent too, although I personally prefer something with a little more kick. Everyone has different tastes, so this is just my opinion. One thing I really appreciated was how clean and organized the restaurant was. You can tell they take pride in keeping the dining area nice and welcoming. The staff was friendly, and my food came out quickly. It's always a good sign when a restaurant pays attention to both cleanliness and customer service. I've eaten at a lot of taco places throughout the Bay Area, so I naturally compare every new place to some of my favorites. While El Halal Mexican Restaurant didn't make the top of my list, I still had a good experience and I'm glad I finally gave it a shot. Not every restaurant has to be your favorite to be worth visiting. I also like supporting family-owned businesses because I know how much hard work goes into running a local restaurant. They deserve credit for creating a clean, welcoming place and serving quality food. Will I come back? Maybe. If I do, I'd probably try something different on the menu instead of the tacos. Sometimes a restaurant's best dish isn't the first thing you order, and I'd be interested in seeing what else they have to offer. Overall, I'd give El Halal Mexican Restaurant a solid 4 out of 5 stars. It was a good experience, I'm happy I finally got to try it, and if you're in the Willow Glen area, it's worth stopping by and deciding for yourself.

    This is a nice taco spot in the Willow Glen area. The inside is very cute and they show off their…read moresupport from Guy Fieri. I like that there is a halal Mexican restaurant here! The food was good. They have a sweet potato and kale option for those that don't eat meat. This is a great alternative compared to places that just do regular potatoes. I liked their agua frescas because they're not super sweet. It is on the pricier side for tacos but I think more places are pricing it like that nowadays. It's a great spot if you're in the area!

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

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