What a yummy find near UC Berkeley! After the eggster egg hunt on campus, El Talpense was the perfect lunch spot as it was vegan friendly and just across the street. Such a vibrant interior with lots of colors and personality with friendly service. Menu had a ton of items, even a vegan section. I got a surf and turf California burrito and the hubz got a vegan ceviche tostada salad. Complimentary chips arrived and they were tasty. The menu was a bit pricier but the portions matched- my burrito was HUGE and full of shrimp, carne asada, fries, guacamole, sour cream, salsa and delicious! I was able to take home half for another meal. My hubz also enjoyed his fresh tostada salad, there was also homemade hot sauce offered. Highly recommend this spot- I'm sure it gets super busy with the college crowd so plan your visit accordingly! read more

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Great restaurant with lots of space including some large tables for very big parties. The service was good getting all our orders and refilling water, chips, and salsa. Though having been here years ago I can't help feel it's just Celia's again; it looks exactly how I remember. The chicken mole was good, and the portion sizes are huge. Especially the burrito. Definitely a lot of food for the price. read more

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First time here and we really enjoyed it. The chips/salsa were good. I wish my taquitos weren't drenched or sitting in salsa (I like them crispy) but aside from that they were pretty tasty. The others I was with enjoyed their food too. I'd definitely go back. read more

Great, affordable, and quick Mexican spot conveniently close to The Greek! Came here before a show to grab dinner and drinks. Being within walking distance made it a great find. Service was very attentive and friendly. HUGE (literally size-of-your-head) margaritas and a large menu to choose from. They also have a happy hour. The Strawberrynada was delicious. You're started off with complimentary chips and salsa. We also ordered the queso fundido and split the fajitas supremas. The fajitas were pretty basic, nothing special.... but the queso fundido was soooo good with an amazing cheese pull. Wouldn't go out of my way to come here, but will definitely be back for my next show at The Greek. read more

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First time here. Craving Cevice and El Talpense was close by. I ordered the Ceviche and a El pastor street taco. Was surprised with the generous portion of the Cevice. Simple and tasty. I added more salt and lime to my taste. It was ok! The taco was very good. Very impressed. Will come back for their El Pastor tacos for sure! Service was awesome. It was mid day on a Monday and quiet by the University. Duper nice staff. read more

El Talpense Mexican Restaurant - Cevice! Large portion! - Mexican Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Came here for Cinqo de Mayo for the good food and the good vibes. We came a little earlier ahead of the happy hour rush and got seated quickly. The staff was super friendly and nice, attentive too as our waters were refilled often. I love the colorful decor and family vibe. The food was fantastic! I don't normally like beans but I loved how creamy the beans are here. My fish tacos were fried lightly (not batter-heavy) and to perfection. The michelada was also massive and not too tart. Overall a great spot near the campus. read more

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Absolutely delicious. I ordered a California burrito and a ground beef hard shell taco for lunch. The food is in the pricier size, but the portions are absolutely massive. One burrito would've definitely been enough. Nothing to say about the taste. The starter chips and salsa are also excellent read more

Salt galore in a nicely decorated restaurant. We got the #9 Traditional Combo, the Carnitas House Special, and the A Large Combo. Decent flavors and large portions. However, the salt levels were quite elevated in the combos and out of control in the Carnitas. It was borderline inedible read more

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This restaurant used to be my favorite but the service wasn't great the recent time we went. It was very busy and the chips are no longer refillable. Can't remember exactly how much the refills would be, but just unfortunate! Mangonadas have also been a hit or miss recently, depending on who makes it. It seems like overall the service and food is a hit or miss depending on how packed they are / who is making it. The recent few times we've visited, we've tried their burritos. The portions are massive but the meat quality (carne) was quite cheap/tough. Flavor was decent though, and I can definitely only eat half. Also, it is very hot in there as there's no AC, and the ceiling fans don't really do anything. If it's packed in there, I wouldn't recommend coming. read more

El Talpense Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Great Mexican food in Berkeley, I keep forgetting to write them up. Been here a few times over the years when in the area. Food is very fresh and possibly one of the best places in the area. Better for lunch than dinner because of the crowds and yeah it does get crowded in here - especially with the college crowd. It's right across the street from campus and it's very popular with the students (good sign, right?). I have been here when it's too crowded - but outside that, great food. read more

One of my favorite places to go for margarita pitchers and a great deal on a taco Tuesday. They have taco Tuesday and Thursday deals from 4 to 10 PM. The food is pretty solid, but for me the main attraction has to be the pitchers and towers of margaritas they have. The service is always quick and efficient. And the staff is always patient even when the college students can get a bit rowdy. My favorite has to be the strawberry mango margaritas. And celebrating birthdays here he's always a great time. read more

El Talpense Mexican Restaurant - Strawberry mango frozen margarita - Mexican Near Me - Berkeley, California

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The burritos were solid and the carnitas was well executed. 2 super burritos and two a la carte street tacos came out to $48 and change to go after tax. Got chips and salsa included in the togo order. The salsas are spicy! I still ate them, but they packed a pretty good punch when eaten with the chips. When mixed with the burrito, they provided a less spicy flavor. Dine in with table service is available. To go service was professional and courteous, something worth noting in this day and age. Not sure what else to say. Definitely a solid option for a super burrito if you are in the area. read more

My favorite lunch spot or happy hour place. This is a great place for either. The service is so wonderful whether you're there for a quick lunch or a happy hour catch up. Reasonable prices and healthy portions. Strong and delicious margaritas. Literally across the street from campus which is so convenient. read more

Para bailar La Bamba Se necesita una poca de gracia... Service was great! We had a reservation set up as it was right after the UC Berkeley graduation. They had a table set up as we took up a big table. The servers were very attentive even with a large group and little ones. Ordered El Tio combination plate that came with a chicken flauta, shredded beef hard shell taco, chile relleno, carne asada, enchilada, salad, beans and rice. Yes food coma... Guacamole was just avocado, wish they would have thrown in some diced onions, cilantro and jalapeño just to add a little flavor. The windows were open so the interior felt fresh. Nothing like a sunny day in the Bay Area. The lights had a cover that looked like a piñata. If you're in the area and want to listen to La Bamba or other good songs while you eat give it a try it's right by the university. Street parking available just pay at a nearby kiosk or on the app. read more

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Spacious Mexican restaurant right next to the Berkeley campus with a large variety of options. Came in for weekday lunch/dinner and it was pretty empty. I ordered the avocado tostada because I wasn't too hungry. It hit the spot though omg. The beef was so yummy, crispy tortilla, loaded with lettuce and plenty of avocado. The free chips and salsa were also really good. Overall simple yummy Mexican spot. I imagine it would get busy with students during peak hours, but was very chill when I went. read more

El Talpense Mexican Restaurant - Avocado Tostada - Mexican Near Me - Berkeley, California

I had a great time here! Great food, drinks, and service. I ordered 3 Quesabirria combo and added consome too. Our table also ordered 2 Strawberry Mango House Margarita Pitchers. Prices were reasonable for the portions. Delicious quesabirrias. I wish I ordered a veggie dish to balance the richness of the quesabirrias. The margaritas were also good. I'll definitely be back to try more items on the menu. read more

El Talpense Mexican Restaurant - Quesa Birria - Mexican Near Me - Berkeley, California

Anyone looking for a GOOD Menudo ?? This is the place My husband couldn't stop eating and talking at the same time how tasty the flavor of the caldito was... My son had a bisteq combo & added eggs on top of his stake. It looked soo good & said it was delicious I had huevos rancheros with some tortillas echas a mano, best homemade tortillas I've ever had... I was enjoying my breakfast like no the time, with a nice black coffee. To top it off, the attention of the servers was amazing, and the place is so clean I really recommend this place ! Very, very satisfied read more

It wasn't packed with Cal students this time, so we decided to try it on Taco Tuesday. We were seated in a booth and given two menus. These weren't my favorite tacos, and I don't think I would return for Taco Tuesday because I feel these are dumbed-down versions for this specific day. I also think the tacos served between Wednesday and Monday are probably a little more hearty; that's just one man's opinion. I did see some tasty-looking dishes on my way to the restroom, so I wouldn't mind returning and trying some other dishes from their menu. BB read more

Beware! Credit card fraud! The service was terrible, but we were a small group and had to pay mandatory 18% gratuity. I always full out all the lines in the receipt, but found out later that the waiter added an additional tip for himself. I called the restaurant later and it turned out he's a manager there so can't complain to him about this illegal behavior. read more

Nice addition to Northside. This family took over the old Mexican restaurant ( Consuela's I believe) that was a well loved neighborhood spot. I've had the burrito ( to go) on a number of occasions and found them delicious. Nice staff. I look forward to seating down and getting a house speciality soon. read more

Came just for the margaritas and they do not disappoint. Thank you to the staff and business owners for being hospitable. I would recommend the margarita pitcher to celebrate with friends or family. We were able to get six glasses out of the pitcher (but you might get more out of it if you're lucky!) Plenty of seating and great service. read more

El Talpense Mexican Restaurant - Margarita Pitcher - Mexican Near Me - Berkeley, California

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We've been to this restaurant maybe 5 times over the past couple years. Right off the Cal campus. Closed Sundays. I live in San Diego and it's the best Mexican food I've ever had. My favorite dish is Chile Relleno and theirs is head and shoulders above any others I've ever had. Beans? Amazing. Salsa? Amazing. If you request it, they will bring out about 5 different hot sauces so you can tailor your dish to your tastes. Service is amazing. They have a collection of large tables, small tables, and booths to suit your party. I will continue to go there until my daughter graduates. Amazing! read more

Good service, excellent salsas & chips, larger than typical menu and largest vegan menu I've ever seen at a Mexican restaurant. read more

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This has become our favorite Mexican restaurant in the area. The food is good as are the Margaritas. We've tried the flautas, enchiladas and chile verde. The service is quite good with friendly wait staff. Went one Sunday and it was closed. Not sure what that was about and if it's closed every Sunday. read more

Street Tacos!!! El Talpense replaces Celia's on Euclid on the north side of the UC Berkeley campus. I am always on the look-out for affordable, yummy street tacos and I have found my place in Berkeley! The tortillas are solid and the taste of these tacos are worth coming back for. My favorite is the chicken since it's tasty and juicy. Be sure to ask for salsa to compliment it! I also normally order their horchata which hits the spot with any of the Mexican food I've ordered there. Definitely go and support this local spot!! read more

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We came here on taco Tuesday and the tacos very yummy and affordable! Their tortillas are some of the best I've ever had, and I love how tender and juicy their carne asada was. Their tortilla chips were also the best I've ever had and I got too full from eating all of it. My friends got their fajitas and it was very smoky and had super juicy chicken. The veggies were perfectly caramelized, and the side of beans and rice and guacamole complimented it perfectly. On top of everything, the service was also very attentive even on a busy day like taco Tuesday. The food took a little while to come out, but their chips were always instantaneously refilled even without finishing it! Everything was amazing with the salsas and I'm excited to come back here again. I think this is the best Mexican place in Berkeley! read more

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This spot Hits. Every. Single. Time. A family favorite Mexican joint. Any full plate with rice-and-beans is as close to TexMex as it gets this side of the Bay Bridge. read more

The California burrito was huge and I was able to split it and still be full. Delicious and filled with fries read more

El Talpense Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Berkeley, California

We came here looking for vegan choices before a football game. I got the vegan fajitas that came out on a sizzling plate with side plate of rice and choice of beans and guacamole. The vegetable choice was nice BUT they were all too large. I am putting them in a tortilla to eat and the veggies should be the side you can actually eat and these were too big. The salsas and chips were yummy which is my go to threshold for good Mexican. read more

El Talpense Mexican Restaurant - Veggie fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Berkeley, California

A great spot for taco Tuesday deals! I had heard this mentioned as another good spot to get your street tacos and margaritas deals, so I figured I would check it out. I thought the restaurant would be really small since that's what it looked like from the pictures, but it's actually huge inside! Tons of seating, and we got a booth near the back of the restaurant. I ordered a classic margarita on rocks along with the al pastor and mango carnitas tacos. They also gave us complementary chips and salsa which were really good! The margarita was $6.50 and was HUGE. The size of the cup was bigger than I've seen before and it was also decently strong. The tacos were good as well, with the delicious but super spicy green sauce. I really enjoyed both and would have a tough time picking a favorite of the two. I did find it interesting that they only use one tortilla instead of two for the tacos though, since they nearly broke a couple of times. Service was friendly though a little slow, but nothing too extreme. I had a great time here and love the ambiance of the restaurant. I'd highly recommend trying this spot and would definitely come back to try more of their tacos and margaritas! read more

El Talpense Mexican Restaurant - Complementary chips and salsa - Mexican Near Me - Berkeley, California

I'm not often on the northside of the UC campus at lunchtime, but I'd like to record that the last time I was, I wound up here. Clean spacious restaurant; I was able to get a lunch combo plate with a tamale in it, which is what I like. Service a little odd - I thought the guy I approached at the front desk would take me to a table or at least hand me off to someone who would, but he didn't - but decent enough food. read more

I was super excited when I found out this restaurant had a vegan menu! The enchiladas and the street taco were delicious, the service was excellent too, they very friendly, I'm going to keep coming back, I have to try the other options in the menu read more

El Talpense Mexican Restaurant - 2 vegan enchiladas and one street taco - Mexican Near Me - Berkeley, California

Got a quesadilla to go and had the privilege of seeing the insane marg tower (photos not attached). The quesadilla tower was so cheesy and so great as comfort food as it had lettuce, guac, and sour cream, that it filled and perked me right up! The tortilla is cooked to perfection and the cheese is very savory and tasty, which is amazing. Overall, highly recommend ordering on Snackpass especially. read more

El Talpense Mexican Restaurant - a burrito in a plastic container - Mexican Near Me - Berkeley, California

So we needed to eat and run and we didn't have much time. The waiter told us the fastest to cook was chicken and he wasn't wrong. All the stuff came out quickly. I had the super burrito and it was really good. Tasty food. It wasn't completely packed. +1.5 for the service +1.5 for the speed +1 for the tasty food need to try the rest. +1 for ambiance read more

Cozy nice little place on the north side of campus. It's good for groups, couples, or even alone if that's your thing. Tables were clean and the setup was there already with fresh water and silverware. The menu is extensive somewhat confusing but then one realises that it's more or less categories. Didn't see much tacos like the ones from the street or trucks but give yourself a nice treat at this place. Service very prompt and attentive. My group was about 16 of us and they did great, at least in my eyes. The Burrito de Camarón was okay to good. The sauce seems very tangy and somewhat acidic. Overall it's good. Very good flavour. I ordered mine with black beans. The burritos seem to be very lightly loose therefore creating a mess as I witnessed everyone else's crumble. I would come back and try the vast menu of flavours. read more

El Talpense Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Berkeley, California

carnitas super burrito was packed with tender meat and the salsa roja had a nice smoky heat. the lady at the counter was so sweet, gave us extra chips while we waited. no frills spot with a few tables. read more

On our ongoing quest to support "Family owned" restaurants, we found El Talpense. What a nice surprise. Bright and festive atmosphere. Service with a smile. For a brief moment, we felt like we were back in Cabo. And we were the lucky few tourists to find a gold mine. My husband & I both craved for some authentic Birria. He ordered combo platter & I ordered the tacos a La carte. We couldn't stop raving about how good these were, juicy, flavorful & good portions for the price. Our only complaint, was that the restaurant didn't have AC on during a hot summer day and that the margaritas seemed a little weak. Typically, on an empty stomach I would feel a slight buzz after a couple of gulps & I didn't in this scenario. Next time, we'll order beer which will go very nicely with the meal. We'll be back to check out other items. Enjoy! read more

I came across El Talpense when looking for a Taco Tuesday place in Berkeley. The large crowd awaiting to enter the restaurant says it all: it is a great spot for Taco Tuesday. They offer complimentary chips and salsa at every table. Their tacos are very solid and their margaritas are very strong. Each pitcher equates to about 6 cups. The service is also very attentive and on point, even on busy Taco Tuesdays. They always come by to refill chips and salsa and checked in on our waters. I definitely recommend stopping by El Talpense for Mexican food in Berkeley. read more

Amazing service right from the moment I walked in, to when I sat down, even when I walked out the door. The food was absolutely fantastic; well seasoned steak, chicken was great, and the ceviche was awesome. The ambiance is very bright, and a very cool spot next to Cal. 100% recommending this place. read more

Excellent food, service and happy hour margarita pitcher - ask for Roman! So good! We'll be back read more