We tried this place at lunchtime - it was not crowded at all (perhaps because of the location away from the city center?) but it did have a pretty constant flow of customers. I'd been jonesing for some good Mexican eats, AND a decent margarita. These guys did pretty well on both counts.
Along with that salt-rimmed beverage, I opted for a "cochinita pibil" tostada and an "al pastor" taco. My wife got the enchiladas, and of course we shared with each other - more flavors! I found the tostada a bit hard to cut through with my knife, but the cochinita pibil was just right. Mouth watering, savory goodness in every bite. The taco, on the other hand, was okay. I don't use that word lightly; okay means it was, well, okay. I would have it again, but I wouldn't be lusting after it. (After some of the taco trucks in Oakland, it's hard to find "al pastor" that's better than just okay.) Okay? Oh, and my wife's enchiladas? It seems someone in the kitchen may have grabbed the oregano instead of the... whatever they meant to put on there. They definitely had more of an Italian vibe than they should have, IMHO.
The wait staff was downstairs, and we were upstairs. There was a bluetooth device at the table that could let them know you were either ready to order, in need of something else, or ready for the bill. A nice touch for us, and I'm SURE the wait staff appreciates not having to go up the stairs needlessly!
The place was easy on the eyes, not a garish explosion of color. I appreciated that. The TV at the end of the room was on, but not so loud as to be annoying. The prices were reasonable, especially with the service we were given. I'll be glad to give this place another try.
Oh, and what could have been a bit of a trek up the hill to get there was ameliorated by a sidewalk escalator. A nice touch. Thanks, taxpayers! read more