Let me start off by saying, whenever possible I do my best to patronize mom and pop family-owned businesses. By doing so I've found the food and service to be of a much higher quality. With that being said, El Portal has popped up on my feed a couple times the last couple weeks. Prompting me to save it as a potential future visit. So glad I did! Because I was NOT disappointed! Most small businesses that attempt a buffet only put out a few items, use tiny plates and charge a high price for a few low-cost items. Honestly that is not the case here, El Portal does not disappoint. The variety of dishes blew me away from fruit, salad, rice, beans, ceviche, 2 egg dishes, veggies and shrimp, veggies and fries, barbacoa, French fries and nuggets for the kids, Enchiladas, Menudo and so much more... I could go on about how great the food was. But let me just back up a bit. When I arrived at the strip mall at the foot of Lewelling Blvd., the lot was packed. Once I found a parking place, I made my way to the restaurant. It was around noonish when I got there. There was a short line at the door and a note pad on the server's kiosk. When the server came out, he called out a name off the note pad and escorted the party to their table. When he returned, he asked those in line to write down their name and number of people in the party. (Definitely do not forget to put your man on the note pad!) When my name was called, I was given the choice of patio or inside dining. I chose the Patio and was promptly shown my table. I probably could have ordered one of the awesome looking Aqua Fresca's, but decided on plain water. Wow was I surprised when the waiter brought over what appeared to be a 36 once frosty cold mug of ice water, definitely not some little cup with a couple ice cubes and warm tap water. When I walked into the restaurant, I was overwhelmed by the verity and quantity of food choices. I looked around for a stack of small plates, when I didn't see any, I asked a severer where the plates were, she pointed to a stack of Platters. Wow! They were huge, they looked like 16" platters to me. I wanted to try as many different items as possible, I soon realized just how small my big platter was. At the end of the buffet line, I went to open the container marked tortillas, and standing there was a lovely lady holding a tray of hot fresh tortillas right off the grill (how awesome is that?). If you're wondering, yes! I had to return to the buffet at least one more time. The Staff... What can I say? They were absolutely AWESOME! They were friendly, helpful and had smiles on their faces, they attended to the customers needs in a timely manner. The staff definitely deserve a full 5 stars for the job they do. I would also like to say thank you to the family that was behind me in line, they offered suggestions on items to try, which I definitely tried and enjoyed. Thank you so much for being so kind and taking time to chat. One of the things that sold me on El Portal was the flavors of the dishes especially the rice and beans. They brought back childhood memories of my favorite Mexican restaurant in Alameda (If you know, you know!) that unfortunately closed after the family sold the business. Sadly, the current incarnation just doesn't compare. I'm definitely going back in the near future to attempt yet another Big Back attack on the buffet, hope to see y'all there. read more

See all

We have been coming here since my last review, they food is still good but the service has gotten a little slow. Not sure what it is, been here when they are busy and when they are slow, but taking a lot longer to get your food, no matter what you order. Been like this for over a year now. It's very disappointing, so we dont go as much as we use to. read more

See all

We love the happy hour they have ! Every M-F 3-5pm or so, they'll have $1 oysters available. The ousters are humongous and come out quickly. We had 12 raw and 6 grilled oysters. The grilled oysters were decent and the raw ones are where it's at. The raw oysters were so delicious and I like the little mangos they add to the plate. read more

El Portal Restaurant - happy hour oysters! - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

Friendly service, quick seating, plenty of delicious menu options. This place is a must try for Mexican food / seafood lovers. I keep coming back and trying new foods and have not been disappointed. The spicy level can get hot on some of the dishes, be warned. There is so much seafood to enjoy. read more

See all

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

See all

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

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

See all

Too crowded, the buffet didn't have a lot of options, we were sat in the middle so people who were standing in line kept bumping into us while we were eating. Being that it was a buffet especially for Father's Day we expected dessert & there was none, I mean there was but you had to pay extra, separately. Never been to a buffet without dessert... Other than that food wasn't too bad. Posole was good. read more

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

The restaurant itself is nicely sized, you can choose indoor or outdoor seating that's covered and in the shade. Wanted to try the dollar oysters during HH and was pretty disappointed. We went midweek during HH and it wasn't too busy but the service was a little bit chaotic. We sat down and didn't get serviced for about 10 minutes and the servers kept forgetting to check in or forget some of the items that we wanted. We finally got our food but the oysters were questionable. They weren't served on ice so the raw oysters were kind of warm. They also didn't do the best at shucking them so there were some shells in the oysters.... The grilled oysters were better but honestly I don't think this is the best place for dollar oysters. The tacos on the other hand were very good! They were nicely seasoned and loved the picked peppers that came with it. read more

See all

Came here because my IG algorithm has flooded me with this place and their $1 oyster specials. They have a cute patio area. The HH specials was 4 entrees priced at about 20 and the $1 oysters. We got 1/2 dozen, raw and they came out with lots of garnishes and they were huge! However, next time, with these types of oysters, we'll go for the grilled version instead. They have a pretty big menu. I got the mole enchilada that was on the HH special. It was pretty good! large portion of rice and beans with it too. Would come back again. Service was actually pretty decent. Tequila shots are about $13~ the food definitely was on the more pricey end. read more

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

I have een to this restaurant many times and they never disappoint but I need to give a special shout out to the man who makes my bloody mary when I go, its a Friday afternoon treat for me and I swear its the best bloody mary I've had in this area! read more

El Portal Restaurant - Best Bloody Mary around! - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

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

See all

I only stopped in for a drink, the servers stopped by only to check in to see if i wanted to order BEFORE i ordered. I ordered a drink, and i was no longer attended to. Another group that came in after received all of the attention. The difference is they ordered food, and a larger group. The difference is that i didn't order food and i don't speak Spanish. I'm not sure if chips and salsa is given or ordered, bc i didn't see that as an option on the menu, but i didn't get any, but they did. I've been wanting to come for a while to experience. But based on just this experience at the end of the night, I'm not sure i willl be returning. read more

My husband and I visited this restaurant for the first time and unfortunately did not have a positive experience. As soon as we walked in, several people stared at us, which made us feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. The overall atmosphere felt off from the start. We also noticed that several tables had not been cleaned. When we looked at the buffet, the food appeared old and unappetizing, as if it had been sitting out for quite some time. We were also concerned to see workers cutting meat outside the restaurant, which did not appear sanitary. After standing for a while, someone finally told us to choose a table. We sat down and waited to be served, but by that point our concerns about cleanliness, food quality, and customer service had already left a poor impression. Ultimately, we decided to leave without eating. Based on this experience, we will not be returning. read more

Buffet is an absolute no go. A total waste of money. This restaurant is too pricey for it's food and location. And DON'T get stuck in the back building without any windows! The chips and salsa are ehh. The beef tacos are good. But overall I much rather have Mama Lupes in The Manor! 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

See all

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

See all

Food was very dry and no flavor. Service was bad and all over the place honestly it was a waste of money for me

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

I have dined at this restaurant before and found the food to be mediocre, but my most recent experience was even more disappointing. I ordered the grilled chicken, and it was dry, overcooked, and slightly burnt, with virtually no seasoning or flavor. The beans also tasted as though they had been sitting for a long time and did not seem freshly prepared. Considering the prices, I expected much better quality. Unfortunately, the food was overpriced, below average, and not worth the cost. Based on my experience, I would not return and cannot recommend this restaurant. Dine at your own risk. 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

See all

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

Way to expensive!! Had buffet 2 adults one child only 2 drinks and bill came over a 100 bucks!!! I mean food its all right but nothing to die for! Honestly in and out is tastier and price big difference 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

We had reservations on the patio for our party of 12 for a surprise birthday brunch. Most in our had been there before, but it was my first time. Service was great; terrific selection of food for their buffet brunch, but would have been even more enjoyable if things were hot instead of barely warm. Personally, I would have appreciated if it's were labeled too so you knew what you were getting. I'll definitely try it again! read more

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

See all

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

See all

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

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

See all

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

See all

1. No one greeted me and my wife. 2. Me and my wife felt like the vibe was very like "Why do u wanna eat here" 3. I'm African American & my wife is Filipino.. We felt uncomfortable as soon as we walked into this place. 4. We got up and went down the street were the vibe was better La Pinata.... 5. They were cutting meat outside. read more

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

See all

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

See all

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

See all

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

Let me start off by saying the food here is fantastic. The place is clean and family friendly. The waitress who served us was an older lady who treated us well and professional about her duties. Unfortunately I rated this place a 1 due to the dishonesty of a younger waitress who rang up my bill. We had the buffet for Sunday Brunch and she charged me for a 3rd person. I noticed it immediately and thought she would correct herself, but she didn't. She was a younger waitress who I believe is running this extra charge scam. I hope the owners read this review and corrects it. I let it go because if you need money that bad then take my extra $32, but lose my business forever. read more

The service at this restaurant is horrible. When I walked in everyone in the restaurant just stares at you. It gives you bad vibes like they don't want you there. But I thought I'd give it a shot anyway. When I walked up to the register, there was a woman in her mid-50's counting her register. She never looked up to acknowledge me. After waiting patiently for 5 minutes, another male employee walked behind the counter to input someone else's order that was dining in. Once the woman finished counting her register, she turned around and started taking food orders to customers who were dining in. Never looked at me or acknowledged me. I finally asked if someone was going to take my order, that's when the gentleman apologized and said he thought the lady already took my order. Although he was apologetic, I won't be dining here again. You can feel the racial tension as soon as you walk in the door. That's too bad because they have good pozole. 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

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

See all