El Talpense Mexican - Berkeley

So far the best Tacos al pastor in the area. They do Taco Tuesday and the tacos and margaritas are totally worth it. It can get crowded, that is the best signal to have an idea of how good is this place.

6/25/22 Today I had the Surf&Turf Burrito wet with salsa verde, this burrito is HUGE! Delicious and filling, don't eat too many chips or you might not finish it? 6/11/22 I tried the Camerones A La Plancha for lunch today, lots of delicious pan fried shrimp, rice and beans, salad and shredded lettuce. 6/4/22 We went there for dinner for the first time. I had the Chile Verde dinner, tender pork and lots of good food! 5/21/22 The Abondigas Soup is really good and tasty with 4 delicious meatballs. 5/8/22 The Birria really hit the spot on a cool spring day! This is a big, filling bowl of beef soup, lots of beef and with the delicious hand made tortillas no room for dessert! 4/24/22 The Super Tacos are just that and even better on Sundays when you can get them with the home made tortillas, they only make the tortillas on Sundays. Just to let every know this is a new restaurant that opened 10-11 months ago. Any reviews older than that seem to reflect the previous restaurant. 4/3/22 I had the street tacos, 4 different fillings, very good! Next time I'll try Super Tacos made with their own tortillas! The owner said that they could make the strret tacos with their own tortillas. 3/20/22 I tried the Carne En Su Jugo, a special dish from the owner's home state of Jalisco and it was delicious! It's a Beef Stew with Bacon, beans and some diced onions and avocado. It also came with some fresh tortillas. They showed me how they made them to order in the kitchen. See the pictures of the process that I took today. 3/13/22 I believe this is a new business that recently opened in place of another Mexican restaurant that closed during the pandemic? So any older reviews shouldn't reflect on El Tapense. 3/13/22 We like the place so much last Sunday that we came back to try some more items that caught our eye on their Menu! First up today was the Vegan Sopa Aztecs, wow, this is creamy and rich soup, more like a stew. Next up was the Abondigas Soup, perfect for a cool and cloudy day. I would order it again when I have had a chance to try other items from their Menu. Last but not least, making a return to the table was the Two Vegan Enchiladas! We can't wait to return next Sunday to try something else from the Menu and we might get to try some fresh house made tortillas! 3/6/22 Our first time eating here at El Talpense. We got there as they opened Sunday. We were drawn to trying out the food since their Menu was 7-8 pages total and included a page of Vegan items, plus everything you would hope to see on a menu for this Mexican restaurant! Single Tacos, Burritos, Huevos Rancheros to entrees and big Combo plates. I had the Chorizo Con Huevo, Al Pastor Taco, chips and guacamole. We have to go back next week to try more items from that big menu. I asked the owner if they are going to have a Vegan version of the Chorizo Con Huevo? They are working on it to get the results same as the one I had today!

Large and varied vegan menu! The vegan refried beans were delicious- I would have to say much tastier than most nonvegan versions. So happy to be able to have vegan enchiladas. I highly recommend the vegan fajita quesadilla- crispy on the outside, creamy and cheesy on the inside with carmelized onions, bell peppers and mushrooms. The vegan Aztec soup is bright, creamy, tangy and filling. Very gracious owners, clean and cheerful, spacious, fun decor. This new restaurant is one of few that are truly family owned and the care shows. Nice area of Berkeley near campus with coffee and frozen yogurt shops nearby. We love it.

Delicious tacos!! Not to mention they hook it up with mouth watering grilled onions that are so perfectly caramelized, I'm getting sweaty just thinking of them! The salsas are equally amazing -I'd recommed the verde which has some decent ? spice ?. The Northside establishments have really been hit hard by the pandemic and most foot traffic is focused on Southside, so if you can make the trip and want to support a local business, you won't be dissapointed. The staff are wonderfully attentive and the food is top notch, El Talpense has my SoCal endorsement!

This place is the best! I go here all the time, it is my go to Mexican spot. It is great comfort food, and all of their salsas are truly exceptional. My favorite is the enchilada with red sauce. Wonderful vegan and gluten free options as well!