Picante

Reviews 10

SE

Sean Schluntz

Ive not been here before but my first impression is: The place is crazy, you are on your own to find a place to sit, but the staff seems to have a handle on everything that is going on and the food is outstanding! We tried a variety of foods and my wife, son, and I were happy with all of it. The chips are crazy good (just the right size, crunch, and salt), the guacamole was a good serving for three people, we tried the ceviche tostadas were out of sight, and I loved my chorizo soft tacos. My wife and son both had burritos and my sons was gone so quickly Im not really sure he tasted it, but he said it was really good. My only stress here is the noise and bustle which is why I didnt give it five stars. After a while constant level of sound became heavy and it took away from the fun I had with food and family. Im also not a fan of hovering and coveting chairs. I was lucky that I went with my mother-in-law and my sister-in-laws family so we were able to split up into hunter-gatherer parties (some ordering food, others finding places to eat). Ive spoken with the owner since then and he had a couple of great suggestions. The one Im most looking forward to is when it warms up and they have outdoor seating. Im going to be back, probably multiple times, though I think Ill try out the take-out service next time to avoid the crowd.

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TE

Ted Giraldin

Im giving this one 3 stars but it really deserves like 3.5 or so. It really is a decent restaurant, but admittedly my critique is that its trying a bit too hard and not quite hitting the mark. Its a Berkeley thing where restaurants think they have to compete on who has the most artisanal, "authentic", organic, overblown thing... The most redeeming quality about good mexican food is that it should taste like grama made it. It should be simple, yet rich. The main ingredients are of the earth; corn and beans and meat. The sauces should be complex, but in a smouldering, subtle, simmered on the stove all day kind of way. The easiest way I can explain it is that you should taste the work and the love... its one cuisine where adding creative flair can actually detract from it. Having said that, this is a good place to try... but Im still looking for that elusive mesa de abuelita.

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BE

Bean CB

The food is everything you want in a good Mexican restaurant -- both flavorful and healthy. Freshly made tortillas are served with your meal. Try the guacamole. It has chunks of avocado and is served with freshly made chips. The burritos are great but do yourself a favor and order one of their great plates. Always available are a variety of salsas from mild to really hot. On a nice day you can sit by the fountain on the patio in the back or at one of the tables in front. The artworks, masks and colorful cutout decorations enliven the dining areas. Picante is constantly making the small improvements to their service to make the dining experience even better. They now have those devices that direct your server to your table when your meal is ready so wait times for your meal are now even shorter..

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M

M S

Most of the time (90%) food is fresh & delicious. Sometimes corn chips can be stale, overly or unevenly salted. Food is pricey here but worth it when its done well. Not overly greasy at all like other places that use lard & you walk out feeling heavy, bloated & gross, like the inside of your body has been coated with grease & its seaping out the pores. Coconut lime cake slice is good, moist but for $6? Its awesome they have a fieldwork beer on tap. Itd be nice if they tried out other meats for their taquitos, instead of just chicken. Although if they were to take the chicken out for another meat, then please dont. Lol Try this place! Theyre family friendly & Ive mostly had a really good experience.

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VE

Veg Nik

We went because we were nearby at REI and heard they were veg friendly (in fact, they have a whole veg menu!). I liked the look and feel of this large-sized restaurant right away. I had the tamale plate, which included 3 tamales with butternut squash and poblano peppers, a big portion of rice and a big portion of beans. With their scrumptious salsas, this made for a very delicious, very healthy, very filling meal. The tamales were really well executed in that the corn was light and fluffy, while the innards were thick, chunky, fresh, and yummy, all complementing exceptionally well. When it swings, it swings, and these tamales swung! I look forward to returning to Picante.

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G

G Davison

Had dinner there tonight with my Sister and Nephew, food was great, service alright, the waitress didnt pour our margaritas from the pitcher, no biggie, BUT What got me was that we sat outside on the patio and after we were done eating two very large RATS ran under our table and across my sisters feet, one rodent was huge and the other was a little smaller. We informed the waitress and she ask us to convey this to the manager, when we told him, he didnt seem to concerned. I asked to have our dinner comped and his response was " I will give you a certificate for rat!" So just dont wear open toe shoes and you should be fine!

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A

A Private User

My husband and I and our two children were curious to try out this Mexican restaurant because every time we passed by, it looked pretty crowded. And so we did two days ago. The place looked nice and full of Caucasians. We ordered a burrito, a grilled steak, a fish filet in tomato sauce, and enchiladas. Everything tasted bland; the fish had a fishy taste, the chicken in the enchilada was dried, the steak had a nice brown color, but tasted bland. Overall, this is a fast food Mexican restaurant without a fast food price. For a real and homemade Mexican food, we would rather go to Juans.

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FR

frances chau

lots of parking outside the place does take out and has an area right outside their door for pick ups once you walk in you order at the counter, they give you a buzzer you take to the table, i think the buzzer has gps or something because they know where you are seating. this is a pretty big restaurant, there are seating on the side of the building, in the front, in the main area that you walk in and then also an area next to that area. the food are a good portion and delectable! service is fast and friendly the outside area are great because lots of people bring their dogs

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DE

Debbie Lee

This place is so good that it converted my parents who were meh on Mexican food into Mexican food lovers. My favorite thing to order here are their Super Nachos. A layer of beans on the plate, topped with fresh house made tortilla chips that are then covered in cheese and baked. Post-baking, its covered in salsa, guacamole, jalapenos, and sour cream. I must use their salsa verde on the side. They also make amazing margaritas that you can get pitchers of, and its nice to enjoy all of that on their front and back patios.

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RI

Richard Hintz

Update: Normally I go to Gordos, occasionally Cactus. Picante is sometimes a bit too "Berkeley" for me. Stopped by here for a lunch, though. Still pretty Berkeley, filled with aging hipsters. Burrito is better than I remembered, though significantly more expensive than, say, Gordos on Solano or College. They bring it to your table now. Anyway, Ill try it more often when in the area. Original, 2011: Foods ok, but I personally like Gordos better. Picante has better selection.

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