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Place is. Lean and nice. The patio out back is a nice respite from the street. Ordered a beer and three tacos. The shells were filled with generous portions. Taste was good; found the asada and El Pastor a bit less tender than o was expecting. Almost a crunchy-ness to them. Service was friendly (order at the counter).
My wife and I stopped by for an early dinner on a Tuesday evening and there weren't many people in the restaurant -- only two other parties ahead of us waiting to place their order. However, after placing our order at the counter, it took around 30 minutes before food arrived at our table. The wait times must be upwards of an hour if the place gets busy, so definitely don't come here hungry or else you're going to easily get hangry. The food itself here is quite good. We shared a super burrito with carne asada, a fried chicken arepa, and a side of the corn ribs. The corn ribs were sweet, not overcooked, smothered with elote, tajin, and served with a large wedge of lime. The chicken arepa was a lot -- so much guac mixed in with the chicken! At first glance, the arepa doesn't look like much next to a super burrito. However, once you make it through a few bites, you know this thing is going to put you into a food coma. Last but not least, the super burrito is well-balanced with its ratio of meat to non-meat ingredients. I wish the burrito was on the grill for a few minutes longer and wrapped more tightly, as the whole thing fell apart as we were eating it. For the food we ordered above, our meal came out to about $50. Certainly not as cheap as a food truck, but the food was tasty.
My daughters and I went to try out the food as the ratings were very complimentary. We are sure glad we did! The food was amazing . Top quality ingredients are used. Everything is cooked up fresh and is flavorful and yummy. . We got the steak burrito the hand cut fries, homemade tortilla chips with a homemade guacamole, all some of the best food that we have had for a long while. It's beautiful inside and has great vibes I highly recommend this place . Bon appétit
El Patio's their namesake and yes you can find a plant filled patio but so much more! This is a trendy spot dishing up Latin American cuisine with a pleasurable flare. My companion took me here since it's close to home. I wouldn't have discovered if he hadn't suggested it. It seems like a popular spot for people around our age--Gen Z and Millenial Cal students and Berkeley dwellers. The atmosphere is loud and happening! Colorful Latin American decor dances around the room adding a pop of color to the dimly lit interior. Seating is ample and spacious inside and outside making it perfect for small groups. We chose to snag a cozy corner spot inside which is much louder than the airy patio. Food will be brought to your table after ordering but drinks need to be fetched on their own. Found service to be okay but not as efficient. Ordering is done at the register up front so can take a bit, food is on the slower end to come out, but the workers are friendly. Now for the food, plenty of it ranging from appetizers, entrees, and arepas! We'd never heard of an arepa before and chose to share the Reina Pepiada. They're made fresh so take more time. The arepa was mild in flavor with the cornmeal slightly crisp but also dense and soft. Inside was jam packed with a creamy avocado forward filling with shredded chicken. It was rich yet light but we wish it was more seasoned. I'd come back to try another arepa or something else. For those living in Berkeley, El Patio is a casual but hip spot to check out for food and drinks. The restaurant is easy to pass by off San Pablo Ave. but plenty of street parking around and a lot in the back. Customers were having a great time, food and drinks were good, and service was decent--what more can you expect. Honestly surprised I hadn't known of it before, but I'm happy we came.
I had this place saved on my list for quite some time and finally had the time to stop by. I wanted to get an arepa since I never really get them and the reina pepiada looked really unique. Even though I ordered one to go, it held up well until I got home. There is a lot of filling relative to the size of the arepa, so it is definitely a good value. The arepa was toasted well and there's definitely plenty of avocado. I would say I was a little disappointed by it overall though. The chicken was dry and for me, it was a bit bland. I ended up adding hot sauce after a couple bites, but it was still off. I'm not sure if it had too much mayo/mustard or maybe just needed more bread/less sauce? The menu had other items that looked appealing so I think I would come back for those if I had the chance (duck fat fries and pabellon plate). But I probably wouldn't get the reina pepiada arepa again.
Cute spot located in Berkeley that serves up some bomb ass duck fries, great chicken arepas and elote riblets that are straight fire. El Patio also has a cute, you guessed it, patio in the back to hang out. They also have a full bar and a huge tequila selection. Definitely worth checking out.
Cool restaurants with a full bar in Berkeley Not sure why I kept passing it .... But I finally found it!! Street parking only/no garage This place has a photo booth inside !! Cute idea Love the decor ..... especially the statue of Jesus in the corner of the bar over the liquor Super vibe LOL Prices are very reasonable Staff is friendly Venue is clean Bar is well stocked Store sells their own merchandise I order a margarita..... margaritas was good I also had a beef empanada Empanada was made fresh Food was ok .... Menu has the trendy birria ramen I definitely want to come back and try it !!
Cool place, great vibe, good food made with love. fresh & good drinks. We sat out on the patio that's nice & shady. Very casual bougie & fun. Our server was really nice & friendly. Parking can be challenging but that's to be expected in Berkeley.. they have a photo booth but it was out of order.
Super tasty food and kind, relaxed staff. Was recommended to us by a local business owner down the road and we're glad she shared this spot. Laid-back vibe and cute decor, too. There's a Photo Booth in the back that's super fun. I think the corn riblets were our favorite! Super flavorful. Good vegetarian options too, for both appetizers and entrees.
We really enjoyed El Patio! I loved my arepa, it was delicious and had great flavor. The chips and guacamole were also really good, but as you can see the portion of guac was not super generous. The salsa was pretty mid, but the chips were good and crisp. The vibes were fun at El Patio, would recommend checking it out!
Some of the best times are unplanned date nights! Hubby texted me, "Berkeley?" and I said "Say no more, we're going to El Patio!" We ordered 3 arepas! I'm not sure if I had arepas before but they are like pocket tacos to me and are absolutely delicious. 1. Reina Pepiada Arepa = shredded chicken, avocado, mayo, and mustard This one is jam packed! It was good but I felt like it was missing something... maybe needed some hot sauce to kick it up a notch. 2. Al Pastor Arepa= pork, cheese, cilantro, onion This one was both of our favs because it was so flavorful. Everything complemented each other so well. 3. Pabellon Arepa = shredded beef, black beans, plantains, and cotija cheese This one was tasty! I'm a sucker for sweet + savory mixed food. The plantains were so good. I also got a Michelada with a tamarind straw. One of the best I've ever had!! Love the vibes of the outdoor patio. I'm happy I got to eat good food and spend intentional time with my hubby. Shoutout to Megan H. (@sayimafoodie) for introducing me to this place!!
Can't say enough about this spot as it was our first time after getting settled in the Bay. Lots of places we had in mind closed early (pandemic & staffing) but thanx to all my Yelpers out there, we found this Latin Fusion place. The front counter /bar area was lively with people and the bartender was engaging. Great welcome and we initially sat inside. With menus on deck, we ordered at the bar and grabbed some cocktails. It was loud when we first walked in but then learned they had a patio area towards the back. The hallway has lots of cool decor & the patio was a big surprise. Luckily we were able to secure a table with ease. For food, the Super Burrito was on deck, and man that joker is SUPER... Duck Fat Fries, Chips & Guac, a mix of Empanada's & Patacones. All of the food was good. We did wait a bit but I like how everything came out when ready. Ideal spot if you're looking to change up your vibe whether it's for happy hour with old (and new) friends or dinner.
Had the 3 Tacos, a Pabellon Arepa and an Al Pastor Super Burrito. The meat for all was on the dry side. The flavors were different from the Mexican style, which was a interesting change of pace, seemingly absent of picante sauce. But this Venezuelan alternative take was not superior by any means. What made the experience distasteful was the attitude of the waitress/bartender. She seemed friendly enough at first, but seemed to get irritated simply because we wanted to relocate away from the open door and chilly air. And then she got flustered when I gently pointed out a mis-charge for an item and asked that it be changed. After she corrected it, she actually slammed down the receipt in front of my face! True, it wasn't a big upcharge, but it's the principle. And, obviously, I'm not cheap because we had paid her a 25% tip. (You gotta pay first before you see the receipt). Really, I wanted to demand the tip back, but just let it go.
2 years ago
5 years ago
Meh...don't know how to rate this. 2.5 stars is probably more appropriate. Arrepas: beef and chicken arrepas had almost no meat. Insanely overpriced for the amount of food. With beef you are essentially paying $14 for arrepa loaded with black beans and plantains. Maybe one bite of beef. Chicken is forgettable 3 tacos: actually taste good wiith very good tortilla but again extremely small with very little meat. $55 later I'm hungry. Went to get Boba and sliver pizza. $70 day in bay area. Insane.... Next time I'll get groceries in Costco read more
5 years ago
An unpretentious, nice spot for a low key evening of margaritas and good food in their spacious outdoor patio. A solid 3 star rating is not a bad rating, folks. On balance it was a good meal and positive experience. I'm glad we tried the food at El Patio, but it didn't blow my mind. Would I come back? Sure! Here are the two things I'd change next time: 1. I'd find a way to balance the richness of the Venezuelan dishes with some acidity. We ordered guac & chips to start - it was fine, it's not brain surgery. For mains we had the Pabellon plate, Pabellon arepa, and chicken tacos. After watching Samin Nosrat's "Salt, Acid, Fat, Heat" the balance of these four elements is all I can focus on. Kick back, I'm not pretending to be a food critic, but Samin is right on. I'm Mexican, so naturally a large repertoire of my favorite dishes are Mexican, but you know why I have a soft spot for Salvadorean pupusas? Because they know how to balance salt & fat with acid. The curtido cuts through the richness of the salt/fat. The Pabellon was all salt/fat and I while I enjoyed the richness of the first bite, halfway through it was too much. The Pabellon wasn't served with a salsa or anything acidic to balance it out. The food was adequate, it wasn't amazing. 2. The guy behind the bar (restaurant manger? restaurant owner?) taking our order oozed charm. Super nice, super friendly. I almost asked him to come join us at our table. I told him our friend was already seated, had already ordered and had an order number. I asked if they would add a couple tacos to his order. Yes, all good. Then I asked for a separate order number for my husband and me. He said he would add our food to the same number - 41 - and just write our initials next to our food. Fast forward, our friend kept ordering food and I assumed the wait staff was tracking where it went. At the end of the night we were charged for some of our friend's items but didn't realize it until we got home. So now we found ourselves in the uncomfortable position of appearing petty and asking our friend to Venmo us, or just letting it go. We let it go, but c'mon man. Getting the bill right is the second most important thing, second only to preparing the food. Happy to come back and try other items on the menu and update my review. Until then, a solid 3 stars. Worth stopping by and checking them out but if I were you I'd save the FOMO for a different restaurant. read more
This is our go-to spot when things feel crowded and crazy in Berkeley. This place has some of the nicest staff and great prices on their food!! The burrito bowl is delicious and costs $9. The mezcal cocktails are phenomenal, especially the horchata one. They also have screens in convenient places all over to watch sports during games! However, the screens don't feel overwhelming or make it feel like a "sports bar" necessarily, which I like. This place is doing it right. read more
8 years ago
Great sangria! The food is good too. They had a DJ here on a Sunday once which was hella fun. They also have a sweet patio in back if you're not into soccer on the tv. read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
Casual place with good atmosphere. Lots of seats in the back patio where with lots of people chatting. The food is good but a little overpriced in my opinion hence the 3 stars. read more
6 years ago
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7 years ago
The shrimp tacos here are fantastic but if you ask nicely when they're not busy they will make nachos for you. Their mezcals and tequilas are definitely top-notch. Honestly this one time I just ate all the rice and beans because it was so yummy for a moment in my life carbs did not matter. The Al Pastor tacos are pretty bomb as well super flavorful not white washed. read more
7 years ago
I recently discovered this spot about 6 months ago. Been here probably 10x since! This is the best casual mexi-food ive ever had! Standouts: super quesadilla & burrito also, their side veg of grilled onion and jalapeño is sooooo amazing. I love this place! protip: ask for tony's homemade hot sauce, its incredible! read more
3 years ago
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8 years ago
Stopped in for lunch today, and the food was great! Very fresh, and the customer service was excellent. Also the owner/chef came to our table to greet us and asked how we enjoyed our food, that was a plus. Very friendly welcoming place that knows how to treat their customers. I ordered pabellon along with a limeade drink, both were tasty. I will definitely be back to eat again! I dined inside, but I'm looking forward to dining outside on the patio once the weather is nicer. Great find! read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
Love this place! I often come here alone because it's that good. Would definitely recommend the Arepas (not pictured) paired with obviously a Mezcal Paloma! Salud! read more
6 years ago
4 years ago
5 years ago
4 years ago
Tacos are delicious and hearty as are the duck fat fries. But the Food took 80 minutes from the order to arrive for 3 tacos I ordered on yelp. If this were steak or lobster I would think it was ok but the wait is unacceptable for tacos read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
5 years ago
My absolute favorite spot in Berkeley! The drinks are always amazing and the Food is excellent as well. The elote and pozole are my go-tos. On top of excellent food and drinks, the customer service has always been outstanding. Gion always has the warmest welcome, on top of his excellent drinking making skills. The owner, Hamie is always a pleasure to interact with and has shown great knowledge in his mezcal collection. If you want to grab food and drinks, I highly recommend El Patio! read more
6 years ago
I had a great Sunday afternoon at El Patio. I came with some friends and sat on the back patio. There was social distancing with small tables spread out. The music was fun and gave foundation to the atmosphere. It's very chill and low key...small metal tables spread out on a patio in the back. The waitress was very friendly and the chef came to check on us frequently (he was very friendly and funny). One group had their dog with them and the waitress even gave her water in a dog bowl. The food was okay. The portion sizes for the burrito and quesadilla were huge! Prices are reasonable, especially since my quesadilla will be my lunch and dinner. read more
4 years ago
6 years ago
Housemade salsas warm atmosphere. Tony's salsa adds flavor and kick to every thing.. 10 splashes of Tony's sauce over the top of the flaco bowl and mixed it all food was great but Tony's sauce def made it a little better! One to remember and I will be back for more sauce and food! One of my favorite spots in the Bay Area for sure! read more
4 years ago
4 years ago
4 years ago
Empanada beef plate with black beans and rice. The breading in the empanada was dough like and a hit sweet. I am use to a thin crispy flaky crust so this was a pleasant surprise. Beef was mild in flavor. read more
6 years ago
El Patio in person is one of my favorite spots in Berkeley and I sure do miss being able to come hang out w the amazing staff in their super cute spot (and not to mention getting my favorite boozey drink, the award winning Tepa!), but it was awesome being able to get it to go during this shelter in place. Their take out has blown us away!! We got the al pastor taco and Camarones a la Diabla with guacamole! yummmm!! read more
3 years ago
More info about El Patio
2056 San Pablo Ave
Berkeley, CA 94702
West Berkeley
Directions
(510) 548-2222
Call Now
Visit Website
https://elpatio510.com
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Ask the Community - El Patio
Do you have happy hour?
How do I figure out who owns this place?
You can email on their website to get in contact with someone.
Do you provide catering service?
Yes we do! You can call us or email us from our website Www.elpatio510.com
Is the patio seating in the back available during sheltering in place conditions?
Yes it is. Temperature check upon entering and sanitation mat at entrance. Mask on when walking a
Is this the same place as Cafe V?
Yes! You'll still see the V atop our restaurant front :) Just rebranded to showcase that we do…
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