I wrote an English and Brazilian Portuguese version of this review!…read more Wow! Where do I begin? Food five stars! Staff five stars! Venue five stars! It's been a long time since I have personally been around a room full of Brazilians outside of Brazil and felt so happy to be there! My wife and I were looking for a place to watch the Brazil versus Haiti, World Cup game and call a place where I took my first Portuguese lessons 17 years ago called Bossa Nova Brazil. A nice lady on the Phone recommended Brazil bistro and I'm sure glad she did! Outside of my mother-in-law (and my wife) this was one of the best sitdown, traditional Brazilian meals I've had in my life! I didn't catch his name, but I will on Wednesday when we go back to watch the Brazil v Scotland game. Kudos to the chef! He came out several times and was very nice and mingle with everyone and complimented me on my Flamengo jersey The zoo was so fresh and well seasoned. They cooked picanha steak to perfection The Feijão tropeiro, coxinhas, pastel de queijo and much more was so good! I didn't get a chance honestly to try the pastel, but the table next to us had two of them! If this place was closer to where I live, I probably would eat here every other day Outside of going to Brazil this was the best experience I've had in a long time sitting down, enjoying the food, people and the culture and futebol I wish I could give this place 10 If you've never been to Brazil, but want a little taste of it and you're in the El Cerrito California area it's definitely worth stopping by! Brazilian Portuguese: Uau, por onde eu começo? Comida: cinco estrelas! Atendimento: cinco estrelas! Ambiente: cinco estrelas! Fazia muito tempo que eu não estava pessoalmente em um lugar cheio de brasileiros fora do Brasil e me sentia tão feliz por estar ali! Minha esposa e eu estávamos procurando um lugar para assistir ao jogo Brasil x Haiti da Copa do Mundo, então liguei para um lugar onde fiz minhas primeiras aulas de português há 17 anos, chamado Bossa Nova Brazil. Uma moça muito simpática ao telefone recomendou o Brazil Bistro, e ainda bem que ela recomendou! Tirando a comida da minha sogra -- e da minha esposa -- essa foi uma das melhores refeições brasileiras tradicionais, em restaurante, que eu já tive na vida! Eu não peguei o nome dele, mas vou perguntar na quarta-feira quando voltarmos para assistir ao jogo Brasil x Escócia. Parabéns ao chef! Ele saiu da cozinha várias vezes, foi muito simpático, conversou com todo mundo e até elogiou minha camisa do Flamengo. O suco estava muito fresco e bem preparado. Eles fizeram a picanha no ponto perfeito. O feijão tropeiro, as rosquinhas, o pastel de queijo e muitas outras coisas estavam muito bons! Sinceramente, eu nem tive a chance de provar o pastel, mas a mesa ao nosso lado pediu dois! Se esse lugar fosse mais perto de onde eu moro, eu provavelmente comeria aqui dia sim, dia não. Tirando uma viagem ao Brasil, essa foi a melhor experiência que eu tive em muito tempo: sentar, aproveitar a comida, as pessoas, a cultura e o futebol. Eu queria poder dar 10 estrelas para esse lugar! Se você nunca foi ao Brasil, mas quer sentir um pouquinho do sabor do país, e está na região de El Cerrito, Califórnia, definitivamente vale a pena passar por aqui!

I ordered a food from Brasil Bistro via DoorDash, I regretted so much…read more The Picanha was terrible, the beans? My goodness what kind of beans is that? Terrible! The carrot cake? Nast, the thing was supposed to be chocolate, is not. Please people do better.

Absolutely love places like this! Feels like a little piece of Mexico. The food is fantastic! Tacos…read moredorados with carnitas and potatoes dressed up in lettuce, sour cream and cheese. My lady enjoyed the chicken mole. Now the carnitas are the star of the show with the handmade blue tortillas. The carnitas pack a lot of flavor and very tender. Edwin was a gracious host and the ambiance is perfect. Great little spot with lots of flavor. Also the green salsa packed some heat. Must try if you are a fan of carnitas.

Such amazing food, the moment you take a bite you'll fall in love. Their quesadilla de chicharron…read moreprensado is to die for. The pork is flavorful and it's got just the right amount of crispiness to it. Their salsa verde is the best to go with the quesadilla. I'm bummed this place is just so far from where I live, but the next time I'm in Richmond this is the place to visit.

Come try this delicious Nicaraguan food 10/10 The flavors,…read morevariety, portions are on point for the price. Friendly staff as well; Linda is helpful and funny. Walkirea too.

Ordered the lomo saltado first time here, it was great knowing it is not a Peruvian food spot! Wish…read morethey had the green salsa that goes with this traditional Peruvian plate but I wasnt upset. The cook was friendly and the lady cashier was kind as well! I plan to be back soon with my family to try the Nicaragüense plates! All tables were clean but maybe it was just a slow day. Who knows! Be back soon! Thank you!

I really enjoyed eating dinner at El Sol. Excellent food and soup. Excellent friendly chef and…read moreserver named Esmerelda. Everything on the menu looks delicious and is very reasonably priced. Very nice ambiance. I will be returning.

Grabbed dinner at El Sol before our play at Masquers Playhouse next door and it was great! We had…read morethe 2 taco plate and the enchiladas plate with horchatas. Everything was tasty and fresh. The dining area was clean, and our table had a cool sun and moon backdrop that made for a fun photo spot. Staff were friendly and quick. Perfect stop before a show!

Best burgers ever!!! I love this place it's family owned and taste amazing. The flan as a dessert…read moreafter eating a Zamorana is a whole complete meal.

I found out about this food truck on IG. After a few trips I finally connected with them today next…read moreto other food trucks in a lot next to the Richmond bart parking lot at 1401 MacDonald Ave. This place has several different burgers and other items. I tried the La Cremosa and it was delicious and very unique. The burger had a pineapple slice ,onions,,cheese some sort of sausage, lettuce, ketchup, and avocados. The service was friendly and it was ready in about ten minutes There hours are Tuesday and Thursday from 11- 8:30 pm.

Pollos Asados is a hidden gem, I especially like their Pollo Entero - for $25 it's a great family…read moredinner takeout option; which includes a very flavorful, mesquite smoked whole chicken, a bunch of homemade tortillas, grilled serrano peppers, salsa and hearty pinto beans (cooked in some of the chicken drippings). It's a lot of bang for you buck, but worth noting that the grilled chicken is excellent. Don't order via doordash, they'll double the cost of everything - just call the restaurant directly. Also like their birria pizza - whenever we have to feed a crowd (school potluck, hosting a large party, etc) this place is a great way to go.

*3.5 stars* I just knew I had to try out Don Rafa's,…read moreMezquite Grilled Chicken plates, but I was waiting for over 30 minutes for six (6) tacos at another spot in Richmond. I opted for a Super Burrito de Pollo at Don Rafa prior to their cutoff/closing time. Their burrito did not disappoint! I loved the way it was wrapped securely and grilled to perfection. Though this spot is known for their chicken, I didn't really experience anything unique about this wrapped meal. It was delicious and tasted how it should be, but I was hoping the "star" of this meal would be their chicken. I ate my burrito immediately and it was served at a decent temp. Perhaps, I'll give Don Rafa a 2nd chance and order a half (or whole chicken). The Birria Pizza looked appetizing as well. Don Rafa is located inside of the Food Barn Market and reminds me of a Latino version of a Pacific Supermarket. The restaurant appears somewhat modern, tidy and spacious, while the rest of the market area seems outdated.

We come to Richmond and I always go to Lee's donuts. Now I have a new favorite stop at Richmond…read moreEats. Armando and his wife are an amazing duo! I was craving chilequilles or huevos rancheros and cafe con leche. After looking at their menu I chose the CASAMIENTO 2 Huevos estrellados con entomatada, queso, cream, platano y 2 tortillas / rice, beans, 2 fried eggs with tomato sauce, cheese, cream, plantain and 2 tortillas. That would have taken a bit longer to prepare as they had just opened. Instead, I ordered a quick Salvadoran breakfast to go: PLATANOS FRITOS, HUEVO PICADO, ARROZ CON MAIZ, QUESO, CREMA, PUPUSA. The absolute most delicious breakfast I've had all summer! Just go and watch the soccer game while you're there. Great place, genuinely good people and incredible food. I can't wait to try their cafe con maiz in the winter.

This is a Salvadoran and Mexican fusion restaurant. It is another excellent find. The cheese…read morepupusas are absolutely amazing. They give you a cabbage, carrot, and radish slaw to go with it that is a favorite for me, as it cuts some of the richness of the cheesy pupusas. (The pupusas are prepared fresh so you will have a bit of a wait but it will be well worth it.) The ambience: Back in the day the location was not a restaurant but a wear house/store. So, it has been converted into a restaurant. However, it still has somewhat of a wear house feel. High ceilings and cement floors. That being said, it is tastefully decorated and actually large enough to accommodate a sizable group of people. It is located directly across the street from the Richmond Bart Station Parking Garage. However, parking can sometimes be difficult but not impossible to find. However, do not let that deter you from checking it out. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food. They also serve the milky horchata drink, two ways; Salvadorian and/or Mexican style.

This place is sooo good! It's hard to find truly authentic Mexican food, but this spot absolutely…read moredelivers. The birria was perfectly marinated and incredibly flavorful. We also tried the tacos al vapor--both the lengua and cabeza--and they were delicious, but the cabeza tacos were definitely my favorite! The carne asada and al pastor tacos were amazing too, and I loved that everything was served on fresh handmade tortillas. This is definitely going to be my go-to spot for Mexican food. I can't wait to come back and try more items on the menu, especially the menudo. To top it all off, the staff was so friendly, welcoming, and attentive. Great food and great service--highly recommend!

I originally came for the birria, but I'll definitely be coming back for the tacos…read more The birria wasn't my favorite, it was a bit dry and lacked the rich flavor I was expecting. Thankfully, the lengua tacos completely made up for it. They were tender, flavorful, and easily the highlight of the meal. I'll definitely be ordering those again. The staff was friendly and provided great customer service, which made for a pleasant experience. The restaurant itself is on the smaller side, so it's better suited for individuals or small groups rather than large gatherings. Just keep in mind that they only accept cash or Zelle, so come prepared. Parking can also be a little challenging depending on the time of day, but it's worth the effort. Overall, while the birria didn't win me over, the lengua tacos absolutely did. I'll definitely be back to try more from the menu.