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    El Palenque Grill

    3.8 (73 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    El Palenque Grill Photos

    EL PALENQUE GRILL ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - El Palenque Grill

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    The place to eat really good Mexican food.  Better than Chevy's..
    Trenia W.

    The food was on point sorry hubby and I both ate it before the pics but will be able to show you my left overs tomorrow.. I took all of it for my lunch.. it was that good tonight. This chef was on point.!!! Al the way to the beans (frijoles) to where we had ordered an extra side to go.. the service not much English but did very well considering.. she spoke better English then we did in Spanish . She was great wish I got her name. The setting was loud tonight because of Karaoke but we sat outdoors and it was perfect. Thank you again and we'll definitely be back soon.. thank you for your service and going above and beyo

    Carna asada tacos
    Shiyla M.

    Great place for tacos i come here almost everyday for my lunch break!! friendly staff def recommend. Tortillas are homemade also!

    Montage of images from El Palenque Grill
    Ed U.

    I knew I should have picked Spanish instead of French for my high school foreign language elective. Now a century later, I ain't ordering Crepes Suzette and only have primitive hand movements to communicate with the young server here. Yep, no English is spoken here, and while that would have riled Trump, it just added to the ambiance of this pleasant little restaurant in Richmond. Besides, the menu was in English and had plenty of pictures, so it wasn't like I was starving. I started with the $3 Shrimp Taco, their priciest one by a dollar. It was nice and crunchy with the shrimp nestled in cabbage drizzled in an aioli that tasted like 1,000-island dressing on a grilled corn tortilla (photo: http://bit.ly/2uTU2GL). I followed it up with the $12 Primavera Salad which tasted a bit more Californian than Mexican with mixed greens, beets, walnuts, queso fresco, and at least eight grilled shrimp (photo: http://bit.ly/2uTgEr1). A delicious and unexpected dish of freshness at what I was worried would be a standard taqueria. Definitely worth looking for if you're in the area. FOOD - 4 stars...nice crunch to the taco but the primavera salad was a scene stealer AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...pretty spacious with a solid salsa bar (photo: http://bit.ly/2OXFDCO) SERVICE - 4 stars...nice, who needs a common language? TOTAL - 4 stars...practice your Spanish in the heart of San Pablo RELATED - Looking for places to eat in San Pablo or Richmond? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2VyCP18

    Asada & Pastor Tacos
    Joseph R.

    I found myself in the area on a business trip and I figured I'd do my best to hunt down a good meal and trust me, this spot will not disappoint! For starters their chips and salsa are outstanding but let's focus on what you really want to know... The tacos! As the plate approached my table I could see the chopped up pieces of steak and pork just glistening almost like meat diamonds... These gorgeous jewels of protein were embraced by handmade corn tortillas that had a fluff to them that is almost impossible to describe. The meat was ridiculously tender, juicy and the food was so good I was tempted to keep devouring more of it even though my stomach had reached its limits. I'm telling you, check this place out, bring your appetite and I promise you, if you enjoy a good taco this spot is definitely a place to visit!

    Chips & Salsa
    Rachel Macie H.

    Browsing through all that's in an area that's totally new to me can often be kinda like rolling the dice on finding something good or not as it's usually hit or miss but here was like wow that was good! Coming here I wasn't to sure what to expect but as soon as I walked in I was greeted with smiles as I took my seat it wasn't a few minutes later that my server came over to give me some chips and salsa as well as a menu and from then on it was all food as it should be! Honestly it was soo all about the Yelp Check-In here as I received a few corn jalapeño cheese balls that were just oh so scrumptious like that is just what I needed to start off with just oh so good! Of the menu I totally went with the enchiladas that came with rice and beans what a good choice that was it came out kinda quick but wow they were good some of the best enchiladas I've found at a random spot in quite some time I ordered one chicken and one cheese both were delicious like perfect in the way they should be so much so I wish I had ordered another one to take home like they were seriously that good! My whole plate was scrumptious the service was awesome and the whole experience was just downright yummy for a new place like this I definitely see them doing well in the future! Overall yummy food awesome free check-in offer and just all around good hopefully I'll get to come back to this spot again sometime as it's worth it just for so many reasons!

    The jalapeno cheese balls are delicious.
    Terry T.

    A Facebook friend who is also a member of a monthly lunch meet-up group I belong to raved about this restaurant. They recently participated in the San Pablo's Restaurant Week; it was the ideal time to try them. The interior of this restaurant is decorated with really cool looking roosters. There is an outdoor patio. The service is prompt and friendly. It is easy to park in front. There appears to be a parking lot next door, it might belong to another business. The special restaurant week menu: steak and shrimp, along with a soda, warm tortillas, and salsa & chips. This is also a regular menu item. The salsa bar has a nice selection to choose from including cactus. I'm not sure if it was because I filled up on chips or ate all of the yelp check-in order for the wonderfully tasty jalapeño and corn cheese balls they brought a full order with fries for us to try. I could not eat the steak and I thought it was a bit tough. I did take it home and the next day cut in strips put some salsa on it and wished I had another order. On return visits I tried the tacos and a chili relleno, I like the relleno, and the taco was okay. I keep coming back for a full order of the jalapeño cheese balls with fries the menu did not mention the corn. The fries are perfectly cooked; the cheese balls are spicy with a hint of bacon with a medium-hot dipping sauce that is not on the salsa bar. I wash all this great food down with a Tamarindo Jarritos soda. Although I suppose this is not a healthy meal, it tastes so good I don't care; it is a guilty pleasure for me.

    Fajitas
    Deborah H.

    Came here on Fathers great experience much better than the last restaurant that was on this space. Great service and good. Nice Salsa bar. Food was well seasoned. Home made tortillas. We loved it. 8 months later February 2020 I have been here four times since my initial visit and the food and service are still great

    Ensalada de Nopales
    Karen R.

    I had the fried fish plate with black beans and rice and ensalada. The fish didn't come with a sauce and the rice was ok nothing fancy. My cousin had the chicken enchiladas with the green sauce. And my other cousin had the steak super nachos. His nacho were big and looked very good. We requested the complementary cheesy bites after checking in on yelp ( they were not what I expected- will not get them again) I did enjoy the salad of nopales at the salsa bar!!

    Chicken Enchiladas
    Daniel M.

    Everything was so good! We had fajitas and enchiladas here the other day. Our waitress was so nice.Good service good food. Going back today to pick up some burritos for National Burrito Day!

    Horchata agua - very refreshing. Not to sweet. Delicious!

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    8 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Excellent salsa, quick and friendly service, solid tacos, clean establishment, what else do you need? Nothing!

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Amazing and authentic food. Very welcoming environment and staff is always friendly and fast service !

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Used to be good; they are now being cheap and they don't serve the food as they should neither does the food taste like anything.

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Nothing exciting. Meat was not fresh, portions were small. Taste was bland. Service was good though

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    8 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Súper recomendado, el servicio es excelente y la comida nos encanto! Definitivamente volveremos

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    Tacos El Tucan - All of our meats

    Tacos El Tucan

    4.0(628 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    If you're looking for Tijuana style tacos with bold flavor, El Tucán is definitely a place worth…read morechecking out. The menu offers a good variety of Mexican inspired dishes, from tacos and birria ramen and burritos. Everything we tried had great flavor and was clearly made fresh. The sauces, seasoning and overall balance of the dishes were definitely the highlight of the meal. We ordered quite a few items including quesabirria, shrimp tacos, a burrito and birria ramen. The shrimp tacos were especially flavorful, topped with a creamy sauce that paired really well with the shrimp. The quesabirria tacos also had that nice crispy texture with the rich birria flavor that people look for. The restaurant itself is clean, organized and well set up, with outdoor seating available which is nice on a sunny day. It has a relaxed vibe where you can sit down with friends and enjoy your food without feeling rushed. The only thing I noticed across several of the dishes was that the portions of meat felt a little light compared to the tortilla or toppings. The flavor is absolutely there, but a slightly more generous portion of meat would make these dishes even better. Overall, solid spot with great flavor and a fun menu. With just a little more generosity on the protein portions, this place could easily be a standout taco spot.

    I'm waiting time was very quick. I ordered three grilled…read morechicken tacos, no guac. But sadly, it was Burnt chicken.

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    Taste like old guacamole and the Birria is not even good The rice is no good as well. Wish I could get a refund.

    El Agave Azul - Cheers!

    El Agave Azul

    3.9(426 reviews)
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    Locally owned & operated
    Full bar

    Excellent service and great menu. Lively night as it was their 7th anniversary!…read more We enjoyed the crowd, music, and server was outstanding!

    The mole in Oaxaco, Mexico was internationally famous. The chicken mole in Richmond's Agave Azul…read morewas even better with the addition of sesame seeds. Beyond delicious. The waiter was too funny , his joking making us laugh out loud. As we cleaned our plates entirely he joked whether we wanted to lick them. We did want to. The food was that good. On a Monday afternoon it wasn't too loud, but the Mexican music added just the right touch to the ambience and our waiter's kind encouragement of a little girl's learning Spanish felt very Mexican. My friend was delighted with her shrimp enchiladas. The vegetables were al dente and of superior quality and taste too. The rice wads fluffy with each grain discreet. The pinto beans tasted great. The chocolate cake was so fresh, rich, and decadent we almost couldn't believe it with chocolate syrup on the plate to deepen the chocolate flavor when several layers of iced cake was dragged through it. The food is not cheap and it tastes superb. Each dish deserves to be savored in its perfection. Even the water served very cold with a lemon wedge tasted extremely good. If you want a special experience of exceptionally good food, with equally exceptional service, go to Agave Azul. It's worth every penny and more.

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    Jalisco style food!

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    Bar seating available

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    El Sabor De Guadalajara - Chilaquiles

    El Sabor De Guadalajara

    4.5(119 reviews)
    1.9 mi
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    This is one of the few places in Richmond where they don't totally skimp on the amount of meat they…read moreput in their burritos. Believe me, I've been to MANY other burrito places around and most all of them just give you a beans and rice burrito with a tiny bit of meat. This place at least gives you an expected amount of meat in your burrito. The location could be considered 'hole in the wall' but that does not bother me and I like to support local small businesses. I will be back here!

    I was desperately craving a good burrito after having a couple of really disappointing ones lately,…read moreand wow... this place delivered. I grabbed a burrito here and ate it inside the movie theater with the red salsa and lemon, and it was so good I ate the entire thing. For context, I'm pretty petite and I usually can't finish a full burrito--but this one? I couldn't stop. It was that good. Super flavorful, satisfying, and just hit the spot in a way I wasn't expecting. At first, I thought it was a little pricey, but once you get the burrito, it makes sense. It's dense, filling, and honestly a big burrito--you're getting your money's worth. I've already been recommending this place to my friends, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for genuinely good food. I'm excited to come back and try more items on the menu. So good. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in the East Bay.

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    El Sabor De Guadalajara
    El Sabor De Guadalajara - Torta de Carne - Chorizo

    Torta de Carne - Chorizo

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    Mi Casa Grill - Chili Relleno

    Mi Casa Grill

    4.1(470 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    I have come to Mi Casa Grill before for brunch, but this was my first time coming for Happy Hour…read more Whatever meal you are having, the food is still delicious and the staff was attentive. Our server Chevo was running around but got everyone's order correct. The food came out hot and beautifully presented. While not a big place, they were able to accommodate a party of 10 (with reservations). You can really feel how hard this small family business is working to make your food experience pleasant. I'll be back for brunch soon!

    TDLR: My brother choked on a large piece of plastic in his meal, and they gave us 50% off the…read moresingle dish. My family came here for breakfast for Mother's Day. The place is nicely decorated and had about 1 or 2 customers already. 2 dishes came out at the same time while the other 3 came to the table a few minutes later. The food was ok. My parents got the Mi Casa Desayuno. The waitress told my dad they were out of the fruit salad, which was weird, since the place had just opened. I guess they never had fruit in the first place. My brother choked on a large piece of plastic in his Tres Leches French Toast. I told one of the male staff members there was plastic in his dish, and he just said, "Sorry, it was probably the plastic from the bread's packaging," and then walked away. A few minutes later, I saw the waitress and pulled her aside to discreetly tell her there was plastic in my brother's meal. She told me she wanted to see it ( kind of with a tone of 'I don't believe you'), and I brought her over to the dish to show her. She didn't say anything, so I said we would happily pay for the other dishes, but could my brother's meal be comped for the choking hazard? The waitress turned and went to the kitchen, to, I guess, talk to someone about it. The waitress came back out, took the dish away, probably to show whoever was in the kitchen. A while later, she came back out with the check, but did not bother to explain to us what the plan was from there. We did see a 50% markdown on my brother's dish. It was really awkward because the waitress did not have a very pleasant or inviting attitude; she stood there glaring as we reviewed the bill and figured out the payment method. There was a serious lack of communication (not due to a language barrier; we are a Spanish-speaking family) and an unnecessary, blasé and mean demeanor from the waitress on Mother's Day.

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    Inside

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    Salmon Benedict

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    El Palenque Grill - mexican - Updated May 2026

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