You want delicious Mexican food? You want a wide variety of dishes to choose from? You want All You Can Eat? That's what El Portal has to offer in San Leandro. While during the week they serve Ala carte entrees, on Saturday and Sunday from 9-5pm is the Mexican Buffet. What do the have: Meats: Carne Asada, Carnitas, Birria, links, chicken wings, nuggets, etc Seafood: multiple shrimp dishes like shrimp cocktail, shrimp with mussels and calamari, shrimp with vegetables. Soups: Pozole and Menudo Other items like salad, fruits, eggs & chorizo, rice & beans, concha, rice pudding and really too many more items to mention. Staff are incredible and keep the food flowing. There's both indoor and outdoor seating. Nice music playing in the background. Along with the incredible food, it's definitely worth eating here again and again. read more

It pains me to leave anything but 5 stars as this place is a staple in our food list of eating out. It's always amazing! However this is not commenting on the quality and f food but the service and really the lack there of. Tonight the place was busy but what day isn't here. It was like pulling teeth to get water, tortillas, salsa, and refills. Even when it was time to go we waited for someone to bring us a check and a box nothing so I put on a timer. 12 minutes till I I saw another patron get up to pay at register so I did to. Our server finally acknowledged our existence and when I asked him for a box and the check he brought a box then proceeded to do anything else but bring us our check. Over all I would love to say how disappointing this was but the food was soo good it's stopping me from just giving one star. I will be back and I pray that it's not as miserable as today was. read more

Came during happy hour on a Thursday night. Got 38 oysters for $1 each, half cooked, half raw. Not the best quality oysters, felt unwell afterwards Enjoyed the mango/cucumbers on top, asked for extra for an additional charge, no problem. However, I the extra toppings never happened and it was extremely difficult to get assistance to even mention it. Service is horrible. They don't acknowledge you when you come in, they just have you waiting. Other customers were frustrated during our dine in experience. Was craving potatoe tacos, but these did not stand out. Drinks were fine. My friend raves about the mole tho. Worth a try but maybe skip the low quality seafood read more

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Service is horrible! Not offered water! Sat 30min b4 I could asks for water. Then 15 more b4 water came. But someone wanted $1 so I waited patiently. The other party complained. Get oyster she hated them! Well! Lesson learned! read more

El Portal Restaurant - 4/3/2026 - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

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First time here, food was good but a whole piece of plastic cooked into my quesadilla is disappointing. read more

El Portal Restaurant - Plastic in food - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

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The place was packed which was first a good a sign. Everyone was very attentive the place was clean. They had chorizo with eggs and eggs with nopales. They had it all. There was a lady making hand made tortillas!! The staff were so friendly and attentive. We are from Nevada and the food and service was so worth the drive!! read more

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Their Weekend Buffet.. drool Its about 20 minutes from us depending on traffic but we find ourselves driving over every few months to get our fix. They have everything from traditional mexican breakfast, menudo, posole, birria and even kid friendly options. Don't forget to end everything off with a delicious cup of hot chocolate and some pan dulce (sweet bread) read more

El Portal Restaurant - Beans, rice, cheese enchilada, chorizo & eggs, carne asada and mexican macaroni salad - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

Our experience here was unfortunately very disappointing. The front-of-house lacks organization regarding seating and basic table service. After ordering, we waited over 40 minutes for our food, only for three of the orders to arrive incorrectly. I would strongly advise against sitting outside, as it seems the staff frequently neglects outdoor guests. Sadly, I wouldn't recommend this spot. read more

If I could give them 1000/10, I would. This was by far the best Mexican food I've ever had--right up there with my own mother's cooking. I had been here once before and had their pozole, which I loved, but we live a bit far so I hadn't come back. I wanted all-you-can-eat Mexican food for my birthday brunch/lunch and thought El Torito would be a great option. My mom let me know the price at El Torito ($50 per person) and recommended El Portal instead. BEST recommendation ever! We got there around 11:40 a.m. and waited about 30-35 minutes to be seated for a party of 7, which is not bad at all for a Saturday lunch rush with a large group. Once we were seated, we wanted to see the menu in case not everyone wanted to do the all-you-can-eat buffet. 6 out of 7 of us found the buffet to be worth it. Kids eat for $14.99--and for a momma with two growing boys (ages 10 and 6), this was a steal. Adults eat for $31.99 with a two-hour maximum, which again, is a great deal considering all the options available. I started with a tostada de aguachile, chicharrones en salsa verde, rice, rice beans, costillas en salsa roja, huevos con nopales, papas fritas, and carne asada. Don't judge me--I fasted the day before partly to prepare for this day. Most of the items on my plate were amazing. The only things that were just okay were the shrimp and the asada. The asada was a bit dry, and the shrimp were sweet, which I don't like. But the rest of the items were absolutely delicious. I'm telling you--if my mother hadn't been sitting in front of me, I would've gone looking in their kitchen for her. I also had their pozole (two bowls)--it was delicious! Not oily, and they're not stingy with the meat and grains. My kids both ate as many chicken nuggets and rice and bean tostadas as their little hearts desired. They made the chicken nuggets sound so good, I had to try them too. My 6-year-old is already asking that we take him back for his birthday just for the conchas he ate at the end. My husband, a picky eater, also had plenty of choices. They have BBQ ribs, chicken wings, and fries for the American palate. Service, I would give a 2/5. My mom ordered a salad (not from the buffet), and it took forever to come out. After the drinks were delivered, the server didn't check on us again. I had to leave plates on the table next to us so someone would notice and pick them up. We still had to pay an 18% tip since we were a party of six, so that's nice for him. I would still come back--but maybe in a smaller group to avoid the mandatory tip, which I don't believe they earned. read more

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Highly recommend I always eat here definitely a go to spot and they catered to a friends party 100/100 thanks to the staff for being professional definitely will be returning and booking for party's !! read more

I am a business owner in San Leandro as well. I've ordered from their menu and have been charged a different price every time. Usually within $6 each tim but less than $35. I go on the other day and was charged $55 from the owner. When I disputed the charge, in fairness, she showed me the price on the menu. I explained to her that her night staff had been charging me the price I quoted her. I was amazed to hear her say..." You are a LIAR!" I was in shock and asked her on 5 occasions did she just call me a liar? She said she did not and then after 4 times she said that she did call me a liar! Here's the thing. I had just left the bank and I pulled out $1000 in cash in $100 bills and asked her, so you think I would come in another San Leandro business and lie for $20? I showed her that money and all she kept saying is, " are you going to pay for the food?" I walked out on her. I was so disappointed and still am. I'll never support that establishment again. I am a black man and felt like she called me a liar because she stereotyped me and felt like she could assume that all blacks are trying to scam her. Pathetic customer service. read more

We came here for a dinner before an event at Oracle. We were quickly seated and served drinks while we waited for our party. Appetizers were great - we had the nachos and shrimp empanadas. Main dishes were great too. Good size tacos with well seasoned meat and delicious salsa. read more

La comida estaba rica ! Lo recomiendo. Solo tienes que esperar un buen tiempo porque se Llena. Por una family de 6 pagamos $299 dolares. 4 adultos y dos niños Incluyendo bebidas y el tip mandatorio que cobran. El restaurante esta limpio y muy bonito. Lo dificil es saber por donde empezar porque hay mucha comida. Lo recomiendo mucho The food was delicious! I highly recommend it. We did have to wait a while since it's popular. We paid $299 for 4 adults and 2 kids. This included drinks and a mandatory tip they charge. The place is very clean and the environment can be overwhelming with so much food, you don't know where to start. I highly recommend it enjoy read more

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They Raised their prices with smaller portions. $25.00 for a wet burrito! I no longer go there. I find them else where even for as low as $18.99. read more

Mother's Day on May 10, 2026 was horribly organized! We did not have reservations, which we understand was our issue BUT we were hopeful that getting there early, we would be able to get on the waiting list and wait 30 min to an hour. Well we were told the wait list was 2 hours. So we decided okay we drove 1 hour to come here, so let's wait. If you were going to have a wait list then it should have been used, in my opinion. 2 hours plus pass and we were never called. I understand a reservation was needed today but if wait lists were not going to be called at all, why bother having them? We waited over 2 hours and never got called. I think honesty is better than having people wait for hours. I would have appreciated that at least but no. El Torito kept taking people in and outing them on the wait lists and never calling anyone. Next year, please just say RESERVATIONS ONLY and NO WAITLIST day off for Mother's Day brunch. It would save everyone time, especially on a day like Mother's Day. Never in my life have experienced such a bad experience here or any restaurant before. Once again, honesty would have been appreciated, so customers can make a decision on whether to wait or leave. Honesty sometimes is hard but it's better than keeping customers hopeful for nothing. Our party of 6 with 2 moms left truly disappointed and we hope you do better for next year for everyone's sake. read more

This location gets pretty busy. The parking lot can be pretty full we walked in on a Saturday no reservations needed. They were having their buffet. We decided to order from the menu. The staff is professional and accommodating. We ordered the guacamole and the house-made flour chips, didn't care for the chips, they fell apart when you touched them but I loved the guacamole, three way combo with a tamale,enchilada and a crispy Carnitas taco very dry un edible the red sauce made it super soggy, the tamale was drenched in sauce which made the masa very soggy. The rice was very dry, the beans were unflavored. I'll just say this we tried them twice before and we're underwhelmed decided to give them a third chance and that'll do it for me. I may not be back. read more

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The place smelled like bad seafood. Then I ordered the oysters and they were terrible. The staff was really nice, but the oysters just weren't it. :/ read more

El Portal Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

Buena experiencia Staff amable Lo unico Que no me gusto fue el chorizo con huevo estaba muy sazonado. read more

Man I've been coming back every Friday for the burrito omg is it fat and delicious it's crazy it's four finger large haha. This place is good they are always busy and should be because everyone is nice I don't think I've ever seen it empty. Everyone is nice and the people are my people haha jk really been addicted to this place read more

El Portal Restaurant - Fat burrito he'll yea - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

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Nice clean and bright interior. The family service is friendly and good all the way around. Lots of locals come here which is great. They have a pretty extensive menu with all the Mexican standards to choose from. Our dishes were all good and well prepared. They give you chips and salsa but be sure to ask for the extra hot salsa for your chips and you won't be disappointed! read more

El Portal Restaurant - Combo plate with beef tongue enchilada and a relleno - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

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My staff told me about this place and I managed to finally get there. Im not a Mexican food fanatic so when I get the hankering for one I want the family feel. Ever since Acapulcos in Alameda was closed and rebuilt it just hasn't been the same. Came during lunch hour but service was fast. I had an idea what I wanted so ordered the wet Super burrito, cane asada w/black beans. I also ordered a fresh juice, orange and carrot. I heard the juice machine so it was made to order. Whike waiting for the customary free salsa a chips. No canned or jarred salsa here. There were chunks of fresh chopped tomatoes and a nice bite of jalapeno. My burrito came out and it was humongous. It was topped with red sauce l, guacamole on top of one side and sour cream on top of other. Sadly it had pinto beans.. disappointed but hungry so didn't make a big deal. Later on as I asked for box the waitress who took my order apologized. Didn't fault her, a different server brought out my order. The taste of this reminded me of homemade food and I will definitely be coming back to try other items. Great service and excellent food. read more

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The service was good. Host and waitress were kind and attentive. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating available as well as a shared parking lot with the shopping center so there is plenty of parking. The food was very good. I had a wet chicken burrito with everything on it (guacamole and sour cream). I rate that a 10/10. The horchata agua fresca was on the sweeter side and I needed to wait for the ice to melt a bit so it was not as sweet. They do offer fresh orange jiuce as well as other juices. read more

El Portal Restaurant - Bathroom is shared with the shopping center - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

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I really wanted to love this place more than I did. I had seen tbis pop up on my social media feed so was excited to stop by and try their buffet. While I understand that it can be hard to have vegetarian options in an unlimited buffet, I was really disappointed when I couldn't find a single dish (Besides a green salad and fruit) that made the buffet worth it. Instead I ordered the chilaquiles, which were tasty. The chips were crispy and the sauce was flavorful. Also we came in on a super busy weekend, it was mother's day weekend, so we expected it to be busy. The buffet line did get long, but we expected it and it didnt move tooo slow. Even though it was a busy weekend, we arrived a few minutes before it opened and we're seated fairly quickly. Now the buffet itself. While there were options to choose from, the consensus from the group was that the food felt like it was a buffet. Some things were overcooked, some were tough. I would come back to try it again, just not for the buffet. read more

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This is a community hotspot. We noticed several regulars coming and going. The service and decor were good. - The crispy potato tacos were just okay. Not really flavorful. - The tacos had a generous portion of meat, the chicken was well seasoned. - The shrimp Burrito was primarily beans and rice. - The drinks were too sweet. We drove out to this location. And unfortunately I wouldn't make my way the second time around. read more

El Portal Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

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Huge menu, big portions and hand-made tortillas. I've been several times and every time it felt like maybe I didn't order the right thing. But this time I got the flautas and REQUESTED shredded chicken and black beans and THAT is the right thing. The handmade tortillas crisp up perfectly, light and airy and also flavorful. They come with guac, beans, rice and a small salad. The salad was a nice surprise, really loved the dressing. Husband ordered the mole and it was good, just FYI, it isn't mole but a very good guisado, creamy, spicy and rich. Although I guess mole just means sauce, so if we go by semantics, it is mole afterall. I took a little offense at shredded cheese on the flautas, instead of queso fresco, and the cheese over the beans. But I think many people like that, so I know it's just my preference as someone who grew up in central Mexico. This time I ordered the cazuelita, with tequila and orange and lime juice. It's super cute but it was not for me. The tequila was overpowering and not of decent quality and I could literally not stomach it. Like, my body refused to drink it, which was a bummer since it was $16. I forced myself to drink it, since I ordered it, and then later paid the price--Sal de uvas to the rescue. Nevertheless, I think for someone younger, looking for a buzz, it could be an ok drink. My husband's margarita was better but not good per se - flat and overpowering. So next time we will stick to agua fresca or soda. read more

El Portal Restaurant - Cazuelita - not for me! But maybe for you? - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

We visited location for the first time to try the mexican buffet they have posted on Facebook. I was extremely disappointed with not only the wait time, the seat, the service but the food. Wait time: They have a sign in notepad outside which we added our names but no one came out. After waiting for a while, the person ahead of us went inside to ask if someone was coming out as we could see empty seats from the window. Seat: Seated in a booth with a lot of food under the table which my 12yr old kept talking about getting on her shoes and ours. The restaurant was HOT with no AC or ventilation. Food: The food was not very appealing but I tried the cheese enchiladas, rice, beans and mayo pasta. The enchiladas tasted like corn quesadillas with red salsa poured on them. The mayo pasta had a sour pea taste and the rice was not bad but could have had more flavor. I also tried the Pozole which I stopped eating because it had so many bones I almost broke a tooth. My daughter had a plate of rice and beans and my husband played it safe with carnitas and a side salad next to his carnitas. I was looking forward to the pan dulcet they promoted on their video but they didn't have any. Service: The server brought us our drinks and we never saw her again until we went to the counter to pay. We had empty glasses and plates on the table that were never removed nor did she check in on us to see we needed refills. The cashier looked like she was having a bad day. She charged us without looking up, asking us how our experience was or say thank you. If I could give a zero star, I would. read more

We like specific items from this Taqueria-style restaurant. For the most part the staff are friendly and accommodating But the "back of the house" gets "backed up" and overwhelmed at times when there's a surge in orders. Example, they recently added "Raw Oysters" to their menu at $1 per; if you have ever shucked an oyster you know it takes time...imagine if a table orders 2 dozen or more? One cook in the back is "lost" off of the hot line because these need to get shucked ASAP. I commend their tenacity! read more

El Portal has been a regular weeknight dinner spot for my family since they moved to Oakland. We appreciate the indoor/outdoor seating, especially during covid, and the food is always solid. It's pretty special to see them making fresh tortillas as soon as you walk in. The staff are always very warm and friendly, but we've had some times when service has been good and others when it was quite slow. But we still keep coming back for the food - flavorful and filling without being greasy or heavy. We usually order the sope, chile relleno and enchilada combos. read more

El Portal Restaurant - Carnitas sope plate - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

Came back to try different items on their menu and it didn't disappoint. 2 Tacos - 1 Asada & 1 Carnitas, the asada was well seasoned tender steak with salsa verde and cilantro taste, very good. I don't like carnitas or pulled pork's because I haven't had one where all of the meat were flavored, but the carnitas here is the best I ever had, well seasoned. The quesabirria tacos with consomé is so flavorful and the meat was very tender. One of the best. Drinks here are always and service too!! read more

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The parking is always packed so arrive early. The check in process is very confusing. If you wait for someone you will wait forever. YOU have to write your name in a list. We sat in the back back different building. They do a great job in cleaning while you are in and out of the buffet table. I would rate this a 5/10 the food selection was minimal. Pozole and birria was not flavorful it had a smell. My husband got a molcajete and it was also missing a sazon! For buffet its not worth the wait. I'll definitely return for regular menu. read more

Is this becoming a thing? We came on a Friday evening. They were a lot of people, but after we ordered our food. We waited and waited. I wish I would have started a timer, but it could have been maybe 30 minutes. I was starving and the chips were not helping. Then the food finally came. The carnitas plate was delicious! But does it really take that long to serve? Do they need to hire more help? read more

El Portal Restaurant - Carnitas plate. Very delicious! - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

I really like El Portal. I was on a quest to find Mexican similar to the southwest style that I prefer. After searching Yelp, I saw photos of some really good looking food at El Portal. It's tucked away in a little shopping center. While parking can sometimes be an issue, it worth the trip. The decor is upbeat and the restaurant is clean. Our severs were friendly and responsive. The Menu is comprehensive with a lot to choose from. I have noticed the deep red enchilada sauce in an online photo, so decided on a Taco, Enchilada combo. My son had the Taco, Chile Relleno combo. The Enchilada did not disappoint! The sauce was excellent and surely as good as they come. The did have ground beef for the Taco, which is what I prefer. It was really good and not overloaded with Taco seasoning. Although I prefer Hatch Chili, the Relleno was covered in red sauce just the way I like it. I can't imagine ever being disappointment with El Portal. The restaurant is comfortable, the service is great and the food is tops! read more

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Been sitting here for an hour. Everyone in our party of five got their food 20 minutes ago, except me. I canceled the order. No apology or anything from the staff. The others in my party say the mole is too salty and the shrimp in the aguachile was not pealed. The Caldo de Cameron was just so-so. Terrible service. Mediocre overpriced food. I don't recommend El Portal. read more

Mexican food is my favorite and El Portal was a win all around. It was recommended to me by a friend and I wanted to try it for myself. It wasn't very busy (I went on a weekday), but I've heard about their weekend brunch which is supposed to be pretty popular. I had their crispy tacos and devoured the entire thing. The shells were very crunchy, didn't break apart, and weren't soggy. I also had a blueberry daiquiri that was very good. The ambiance was pretty chill but I can see it being more lively on a busier day. Overall really enjoyed the food and can't wait for my next visit. read more

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Came here for the first time and it will definitely be the last.. got seated right away and chose to get the buffet. It seemed a lot more appealing on social media then it was in person. Very disappointing with a total of $80 for 2 people I think their buffet was $32 coffee not included I guess.. not worth my money that's all read more

Great ambiance Excellent food Extensive seafood menu list Menudo was rich and very tasty! Salsa Fresca was unforgettable :-) with complimentary corn chips. Yumm! Waiters were very attentive and ensured we were attended to. Overall excellent. Would love to come back and have their menudo as a regular. Also to try their under $15 tortas. We were really tempted to try out more seafood items they are known for but we were so stuffed. Saving our appetite for our future visits! read more

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Ok so the food was good for being a buffet it tasted delicious but it probably was due to being really hungry we came for Sunday lunch and when we got there and saw the groups of people waiting and understood a decent wait time was to be expected but waiting for around 2 hours was not it. Yes we could've left but my family felt we were already in too deep for the wait so decided to wait it out and we had to actually find a server to acknowledge our group and he saw that we have been waiting a while and sat us 5 minutes later. You have to write your name in a list and for some reason they would skip over our name because it was the only one still not scribbled out and other names infront of ours scribbled out when they were seated. They would call out a family around every 30 minutes and we would see big parties go in earlier than us. We were a group of 6 but bigger parties that would come in to wait after us would somehow make it in earlier. It was a fun experience having our favorite foods in buffet form but the wait time wasn't valid. read more

El Portal Restaurant - Buffet plate - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

An absolutely superb restaurant with even better food. And we found this place accidentally. Meaning, I have seen there TikTok videos telling my wife i wanted to try there buffet. My wife had chicken mole and I had beef enchilada and beef taco. My wife is in love with there chicken mole. She found the dish very flavorful. And I had zero complaints with my enchilada and taco. First time in a long time I devoured my entire plate. I left feeling over full and had there been more....eeeeek. And the salsa was a perfect appetizer and topper for my taco. Try this place. You will not be disappointed. read more

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Another one of my childhood favorites. I remember summers where I would come down to El Portal with some friends and order what I could with my allowance money. I'm glad to see that the restaurant has not changed and the food is still delicious like always. I ordered the chicken fajitas and it came with three corn tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, rice, beans, and some lettuce. It was smokey and seasoned really well, my only gripe is that it was really salty. The horchata I ordered really helped with that. The horchata was creamy and sweet. The birria tacos were delicious, the meat was tender and really juicy. I loved the consume that came with it. It is lacking in the spice department, I wish it had more oomf to it. read more

El Portal Restaurant - birria tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

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Delicious food!! Great service! It's always ready for me when I go in to pick it up!