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    ABVE the Basics

    4.4 (397 reviews)
    Open • Open 24 hours
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Services - ABVE the Basics

    Allergy-friendly catering

    Gluten-free catering

    Halal catering

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    Recommended Reviews - ABVE the Basics

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    Reviews With Photos

    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
    Jenny T.

    These are definitely the best fish tacos in San Jose. You don't need to go anywhere else! After a disappointing meal of ceviche and fish tacos from another restaurant, ABVE The Basics showed up on Yelp. For tacos, we ordered - pork belly (similar to adobada and contains pineapple), fish, steak, and carnitas. I wouldn't trust any other restaurant for fish tacos as someone who lives in LA. They are located inside Stevie's Bar and Grill, so it's perfect for good grub and a cold beverage. The tacos were LOADED and I felt full after two of them. Their golden tortillas were handmade and grilled to order and you can definitely tell how fresh the food is! The same person who took our order was also working in the kitchen and served us. I didn't get his name, but he was very accommodating and followed up with us after the meal. I'm super glad we stopped by since my faith in finding good fish tacos and solid tacos in the San Jose area has been restored.

    Chips and guac

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    Gabriel V.

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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… 

    View All 6 Questions

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    Golden Harvest Catering - BBQ menu ... pork ribs, chicken, burgers, Caesar salad, potato salad, watermelon and honeydew fruit bowl.

    BBQ menu ... pork ribs, chicken, burgers, Caesar salad, potato salad, watermelon and honeydew fruit bowl.

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    Golden Harvest Catering - Salads & Fruit were fresh and tasty

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