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Portales Taqueria

Castro Valley

Serving Best Mexican Food in Castro Valley

Mexican Food in Heart of the City

Portales Taqueria, the Mexican restaurant in Castro valley is here to set a trend for authentic Mexican food. From crispy tacos and juicy California burritos to mouth-watering quesadillas and flavorful fajitas; our menu is bursting with flavors from Mexico. We offer a varied selection of the best Mexican food at an affordable price. Plus we have delicious seafood delicacies including Camarones Rancheros, Cocktail de Camarones, Fish Tacos and more. We are open 7 days a week from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. With 100% Mexican cuisine, we serve you the taste and culture that is celebrated around the dinner table with friends and family. The family recipes and creatively evolving dishes bring joy and flavor to your life. We passionately put them out at your table just as they are so when you leave, you leave with a content heart. Our family-friendly staff serves up delicious and traditional Mexican grill to make you feel right at home. The enchiladas are some of the best you'll ever have, and you won’t be able to resist the temptation of the homemade flour tortillas.

Flavors that have been created for you

If you're looking for a traditional Mexican dining experience, Portales Taqueria is a great option. We offer a wide variety of Mexican breakfast burritos, all of which are cooked to perfection. We also specialize in fusion cuisine, combining Mexican flavors with those of other Latin American countries. For something a bit more modern, check out our entire menu. Whether you're looking for a quick lunch or a leisurely dinner, Portales Taqueria is the perfect place where we are committed to serving you all some authentic Mexican food. Come experience the taste of Mexico through our unique recipes at our restaurant. We welcome you to try our made-from-scratch dishes made with ingredients of the highest quality that are fresh and locally sourced.

The promise of serving the best

From the freshly prepared quesadillas to breakfast burritos, salsa and seafood, we serve you everything with confidence no matter what time of the day you come. By always keeping the fun in the atmosphere and freshness in the food, we make sure you can unwind with your go-to Mexican food at our place.

Customer Reviews

Carrie P.

Google

They do Birria every Friday-Sunday and it is delicious! I always enjoy their food and the owners are so friendly. Great neighborhood spot.

David V.

Google

I've been working in the general area now for a few months and ventured off to what seemed to me was downtown Castro Valley. Initially, I saw a deli and figured to give it a try but once I walked in they were slammed (which is a good thing) but I had a small window to grab lunch so I stumbled upon this place. They to were fairly busy but I managed to walk in with no one in line. The lady that greeted me at the counter was extremely nice promptly taking my order, about 5 min later she walked my food over to me and I started to indulge and ended up finishing the whole thing which for means it was really good. When you put good service together with good food you'll almost never go wrong. I highly suggest to give this place a shot cause i know I'll be visiting again soon!!

Cara W.

Google

A Mexican restaurant with a truly vegetarian burrito!! It's rare to find a place whose rice is vegetarian (they're often made with chicken stock). Add on great service by a super kind woman taking orders and a different special each week? Definitely the top Mexican restaurant in Castro Valley.

Michele M.

Google

This is a great neighborhood mom and pop option with the tasty Mexican offerings most taquerias have, plus daily specials. Very friendly and reasonable prices, too.

Jeff M.

Google

Always a good Mexican spot right in the middle of Castro Valley you can't go wrong. the lady up front is always so nice good spot never fails

Heather S.

Google

We love the street tacos! Can't go wrong with any of the meats! The nachos are also pretty tasty!

Rose M.

Google

Food is delicious, generous portions , authentic Mexican cuisine! very pleasant service! clean place!, nice outside dining!

Ethan W.

Google

Best service, we had a large party today and the service was amazing. They gave us special things for a birthday. The food is kind of small, especially the tacos but is amazing. There's tons of meat and fish options. The family meal comes with rice and beans.

Elaine W.

Google

The ground beef Moyahua ("Moe-Yah-Wah) is my new fav. Crispy outside with yummy soft meaty cheesy inside. It's kind of a combination of quesadillas and burrito.

Steffani B.

Google

Rosa and her family are the absolute best! We eat here at least once a week and the food is always delicious, affordable, and served with love. Of all the Mexican restaurants in Castro Valley. This is the one that I will go to on a regular basis. Do yourself a favor and check them out and support this amazing family.

Alex R.

Google

Food is amazing it takes you back to abuelitas house their food is so full of flavor. The authentic menu selection they are guaranteed to have something for everyone in your family. I highly recommend las enchiladas and you can never go wrong with a Carne Asada burrito.

Reya S.

Google

Food always hot, I only get the chicken taco plate with rice and beans!!! I wish they gave more chips because I've been to places where they supply plenty of chips but it's all good. The owner I believe is a sweet lady very humble and they are so sweet! A true gem. Glad they're still open.

Andrea N.

Google

My kids insisted on writing a five star review because the whole family loves their food. In addition the owner and all the staff are always so friendly and helpful.

Mags W.

Google

If you know anything about me, you will know that I absolutely love love love tacos. When I found out that Portales serves Birria tacos on the weekends, I had to stop by and give it a try. I was not very hungry, but there is nothing wrong with ordering an al a cart taco and enjoying a meal with friends. My Hubs ordered the Birria taco platter and he cleaned his plate. The platter came with rice and beans and there are chips available to munch on while you wait for your meal. The salsa was fresh and the customer service was so personable and you could definitely taste the love and care put into making the food. My brother and sister in law swear by this place and will rarely eat Mexican food anywhere else. I would agree with them that this truly is a Castro Valley Gem to be explored. See you soon Portales.

Vanessa B.

Google

Portales is the best Mexican food in Castro valley! My daughters love the tortas & enchiladas. My husband is a fan of the pozole & I like the bean and cheese burritos! The pastor tacos are also delish. Shrimp cocktail is another fam fav! Rosa the owner is such a sweetheart, always very welcoming & inviting. Support this local family owner business! :-)

Ruk G.

Google

I came with mission to try out the fish tacos. I order three fish tacos and one shrimp tacos to satisfy my curiosity and my cravings. The fish tacos were not what I expected. I was expected tilapia fish shredded meat with some hot spicy salsa and sauce with lime wedges. It came as deep fried fish with lettuce, tomatoes, and sauce. The sauce was kicking my tongue pretty good. It went very well with the fish itself. My first fish taco bite had warm tortilla but second and third ones were cold like it just came out from refrigerator. That was my only complaint. The service was always great. Here are pics for your curiosity as well.

Clem A.

Google

Great place it's a mom and pop restaurant clean restaurant love the chili verde wet burrito

Gwen D.

Google

Stopped by after my son's music lesson. I had the vegetarian taco -- which was delicious. Loved the guacamole. And they gave us free chips and salsa for our first order. Recommend!

LoLo L.

Google

This is one of my favorite local places to go and it's not just because it's within walking distance from my house! It's because their food is delicious, well their chicken taco salad is, it's my favorite! They are always very nice and their prices are reasonable.

Stephanie S.

Google

Best burritos, best service and great prices!! My fiancé and I absolutely love this place!! Rosa is the sweetest and you can tell how much she loves her restaurant! Give them a try, u won't be disappointed!!

Qaseem Q.

Google

I had the carne asada burrito with light rice and it was really good. Taco truck style burrito

Xjcreeper ..

Google

This is a really nice little mexican cafe right on Castro Valley Blvd. The have on the boulevard outdoor seating situated on a really wide sidewalk. The food is excellent! The hospitality is very nice! My wife and I frequently go there to relax when we enjoy CV downtown shops. Highly recommended!

Celia G.

Google

This is a great unassuming restaurant with very friendly owner. We ordered two wet burritos, one veggie and one carne asada and they were both delicious. Came with chips and salsa. We brought our baby and sat outside, it was such a nice experience!

Alex R.

Google

Staff is very kind and the burritos hit the spot. They also give you sweet chips. will come again

Dan D.

Google

I had 2 of The best Shredded Beef Enchiladas W/ Rice & refried Beans. It came with Chips & Salsa. The owner is very sweet.

Tim Butterfield

Yelp

Dave Thomas

Yelp

Love the tacos - pollo asada !

Themis Abdelnour

Yelp

Salvador “Chava” Cabrera

Yelp

Buen sabor y atención rápida

Elson

Yelp

Portales Taqueria is a charming mom-and-pop shop that brings authentic Mexican flavors to the local scene. The restaurant has a cozy, welcoming vibe, and there's the added convenience of parking in the back. I ordered the taco plate, which comes with three tacos, beans, and rice. The food was absolutely delicious—served hot and packed with flavor. Plus, they throw in chips and salsa, which was a nice touch. The best part? The whole meal was very affordable at just $15, including tax. If you're looking for great Mexican food at a reasonable price, Portales Taqueria is definitely worth a visit!

monkageman33

Yelp

Delicious and nostalgic food! Amazing

Karina Martinez

Yelp

Just moved to the area and decided to try this place. It's so good. They have a taco plate that comes with 3 tacos rice and beans for about 14$. It's really good definitely recommend this place.

Jess

Yelp

Anastasia H

Yelp

Mikey, Marvin and Edgar were top tier! Best trio ever, best service and food in a long time! Thank you!!!

Cynthia Farren

Yelp

Great taqueria (and the guys I was feeding are from various areas in Mexico and thought it tasted very authentic). The owner is so nice and makes every guest feel appreciated.

anna tocchni

Yelp

My absolute favorite place!!! I could eat their tacos everyday! Amazing family who treat you like family!!! ❤️❤️

Forrest Spellman

Yelp

Wet burrito- fantastic, had with al pastor and the smoky savoriness of the meat paired well with the mild red sauce and various toppings all across. Was craving a wet burrito for so long and it really satisfied that need. Maybe a bit too much rice though for me. Quesabirria- on weekends. Really fantastic, oily, brothy, stuffed with meat and served with some pickles. These were crazy good!!! Pozoloe- wow just like a home cooked meal. So refreshing, with a nice mild flavor and a great amount of hominy and pork in the broth. Pair well with the cabbage/ tomato mix and tortillas served with it. I really liked how colorful this restaurant is, and the staff here is really sweet and made us feel right at home. Loved the food and will definitely come back because there is a ton of stuff on the menu I wanted to try.

Sparky Chambers

Yelp

Delicious take-out: tamales, cheese enchiladas, rice, beans

Amy Lara

Yelp

Reeve Battle

Yelp

Dale

Yelp

Doug Brockmeier

Yelp

Melissa L

Yelp

Very chill. Cashier was nice but not overly chatty. Burrito was DELICIOUS! I had the birria which is my go-to. Even the chips were good!

Mike K

Yelp

My new favorite Mexican restaurant where I love to stop by before going home to San Ramon to get burritos, enchiladas and tacos for the family. The food is great and with a welcoming service. Highly recommend this place.

Renee Jameson (Renee)

Yelp

Excellent food! Tasty

Rosalie Weatherhead

Yelp

Ordered chips and queso dip but didn't know that chips and salsa were complimentary. Queso dip was in a 2 Oz plastic cup, and chips came in a bag. Then we got individual servings of chips and salsa. Food came quickly and was tasty.

Tara Mae (Peanut Butter)

Yelp

Wonderful place my grandfather before his passing loved it here. The whole staff is amazing and very nice. The food is perfect we love having tacos and churros when we are next door at Deja blue ❤️

Erik Joelsson

Yelp

Love this little Mexican place in CV

Tomie Craig

Yelp

This place is so good. The staff are lovely people who take a lot of pride in their food and service. Best Mexican food in the Hayward Area.

Michael Collins

Yelp