Aztecali

Great addition to the neighborhood! Everything I have tried is delicious; my favorites are the chicken tinga tostada, barbacoa taco, and highwire horchata. Even the vegetarian tostada is super tasty.
Last Sunday we *almost* missed out on the once-​a-​month posole. They were so kind to give us a portion they had reserved. The green broth is chock full of flavor and the best hominy I have ever had!
Service is good (friendly & fast). Parking can be a bit tricky, so be prepared to walk a few blocks.

Just had my first meal here and the food was fantastic. Flavorful and interesting dishes that were satisfying but not too filling. The horchata was great also.

I am a sucker for horchata coffee drinks so funnily enough, that was probably the single biggest draw for me here. I can appreciate that Aztecali is using Highwire to support local coffee brewers. That’s game recognizing game.
The dishes in its entirety are subpar at best – tried the chilaquiles and the tacos with each of the meats. It left me craving something MORE – more umph, bite, kick, substance. However the meat quality and flavor is decent. Chicken is probably the last thing I would think to order at Mexican places but was really impressed with the tinga. Barbacoa is savory and smoky. And next time (if there is a next time), I would swap the tinga in my chilquiles for the carnitas – the carnitas would be a better, fatty addition to the sauce in the dish.

Super small but tidy and cute café located in Oakland. Came here for brunch with the boyfriend to check out the neighborhood.
I ordered two tacos and he got chilaquiles (I think?). Comes with an egg. You can get meat for an extra $ 3 or so.
The braised chicken (tinga) taco is actually really good. Super juicy and flavorful. Tacos are pretty stacked so don’t forget to grab a fork. Carnitas was also good but not my favorite. Also, they were sold out of the barbacoa so I couldn’t try it.
We also got the hibiscus agua fresca and the famous horchata coffee. My thoughts — the hibiscus agua fresca is cooler than it sounds. It is super tart but super refreshing on a hot day in the bay. Horchata coffee is also good, but the horchata flavor is much more mild than I was expecting/​hoping it to be. Also, only have one of these two beverages at a time because they def do not mix well and paletes are not compatible

Absolutely loved this place. Very great customer service and feels like a part of Mexico. Menu choices are yummy. Tacos are delicious and they have great tender meat choices.
For brunch, the chilaquiles are bomb. Loved there hibiscus drink aka Jamaica.

I have gone once and really enjoyed everything I had, including stolen bites from my sister and husband. I had a carnitas torta and it was huge, stuffed with plenty of meat and I can’t even recall what else was in there, but it was good. I give it my Mexican stamp of approval.
The horchata and iced coffee was yummy too, I’d order that again for sure. Next time, I’m ordering the tinga tostadas, I had a taste of my husband’s and was jealous of his plate.
I read other reviews of people saying «the coffee wasn’t even espresso»; «the food was tasteless» — DAYUM. Ya’ll are hard to please, but entitled to your opinion, of course. I recommend this place, they get an extra star for being family owned and super friendly.

This is a very unique place that does a wonderful job maintaining a very unique feel.
The prices are pretty good as well. Their Tortas are a little expensive ($ 12.50).
Burritos, breakfast burritos, tacos are amazing! And the price is amazing as well.
The burritos are huge! They’re like the size of a small football, and they taste great. I also respect the fact that they make everything right there in front of you, none of that preheated old nonsense.
The coffee is pretty on point. It’s Highwire, a great local brand.
The strongest driving force of this great little new local spot is the sisters who own it, or manage it. They are so friendly and engaging! And a big portion of that stems from the pride in their restaurant. Definitely worth checking out if you happen to be in the area!

Very friendly staff and delicious tacos. We had the Tinga, Barbacoa and Carnitas. All three were lean healthy portions of well seasoned meats. The two sauces were very tasty and just enough spice to combine with the rich flavors.
Will be coming back soon to try the tostadas and more. It’s great to have another choice for food in this area! Considering the small menu, this is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Well worth supporting this friendly good food business.

Unpopular opinion, but Aztecali doesn’t get any more than 2.5 stars in my book.
The location of this place is super convenient for those living nearby. The atmosphere of the place is very cute and homey. Service is also fairly efficient and friendly. However, the food here is very lackluster.
First off, the forks on our table had leftover food crusted on them, which is extremely unappetizing. Secondly, the food is salty, but lacks flavor. Everything was a bit on the bland side in terms of seasoning. Portions were fairly average — I was able to finish a burrito on my own (which mostly had beans and rice).
The horchata with iced coffee was also forgettable. They used plain iced coffee here, not cold brew or espresso. The flavor of the horchata definitely overpowered the coffee. Iced coffee was also on the acidic side.
Overall: cute place with a lot of potential, but the food is very forgettable. Based on the amount of restaurants in the east bay, I would not return.

I cannot tell you how glad I am that this place opened up two blocks from my condo. Aside from convincing me that property values will continue to rise, this place also turns out solid Mexican food. The tostada is particularly good. I will no doubt patronize this place many, many times for it’s convenience and amiable feel.
So, why no fourth star? I generally feel that the meats (the tinga and the barbacoa) are a bit underseasoned. The tacos and tostadas are better than the burritos, in my opinions. The burrito I received had an uneven rice & beans to meat and fixings ratio (way too much rice and beans). And I’d like to see them provide chips with purchase and perhaps an array of additional sauces.
That said, if you live in the neighborhood and need a quick, filling bite without walking down to Lakeshore/​Grand, I would recommend Aztecali.

Walking in on a really hot spring day this place appeared cool and welcoming. However, maybe the A/​C wasn’t working or because we were sitting by the door, but the restaurant was on the warmer side. It’s a cozy restaurant with 5 tables inside and two tables outside.
Breaking it down:
— Wait time: 20 minutes
— Service: Ok, minimal smiles and welcoming faces
— Size: small
— Taste: nothing special (I got the three tacos with one of each meat). Though the portions were good, meat including the chicken was very moist, and ingredients were fresh, the flavor was lacking.
— Cost: average for this area
Overall, I wasn’t impressed and probably wouldn’t go back again unless my friends really want to come back. Oh and I will never go back on a warm day like today (it’s 76 degrees today) unless I feel like I need a good sweat.

After eating here several times, I can say that I am a true fan of Aztecali. It’s awesome to see a women-​of-​color owned and operated business thrive in Oakland!
The Highwire Iced Coffee with homemade Horchata is my personal favorite from the drinks menu. They also make their own Agua Fresca from scratch, and the tamarind water is a true labor of love. My favorite meats are the barbacoa and the chicken tinga. The Tinga Tostada is a perfect lunch when paired with a small side of rice and beans. The rice is exceptional, light and fluffy with a delicate garlic flavor. I will come back here as often as possible, for the food and for the sense of community that I feel when hanging out at Aztecali.

Woow.
I am from Mexico city and can say this restaurant is great; everything is fresh made.
The agua frescas are execelent !
Congratulations Aztecali.

Aztecali Oakland is a fairly new dive in the Lower Hills that is just the perfect amount of home and good tasting food. If you want some Mexican flare that is worth a walk, come through! The menu is pretty straightforward, offering a finite amount of 5 – 10 options of specialty food and drink for that one friend who «just can’t decide».
I chose the hibiscus agua Fresca since it was particularly hot today and the 3 corn tacos with each meat sample of barbacoa, tinga, and carnitas for $ 13. The portions were more like tapas, and I enjoyed them more as a satisfying appetizer than a meal. The food was savory and seasoned, but not impactful to where I’d go back just for that. The drink was tart (as hibiscus is) and refreshing– a definite must have.
All in all, I live around the way and definitely consider this a local spot I’ll hit up often. The people are pleasant and that’s what matters most to me.

Found this local gem on Unilocal… apparently so has everyone else!
I came here after doing the Oakland Running Festival’s half marathon, so I needed something both filling and tasty for celebratory purposes. The carnitas burrito answered that call. Rice, beans, tortilla, avocado… sized like a Chipotle burrito but all of it FRESH! The meat was tender and had this slightly sweet, even cinnamony flavor to it. Maybe someone can try it and tell me what that deliciousness is?
MOST IMPORTANTLY: pozole, every third Sunday. They only do this once a month because of the hours of preparation it requires. If you are fortunate enough to come on pozole day, order it. It’s their specialty.
Note: the items I’ve ordered are not spicy at all. This made me a little sad, but they have salsa verde at the counter to add that (for me, all-​important) kick.
This place is tiny and already too small for its own fame, at least at busy hours. Very happy for the sweet people running it! I’ll be back regularly :)

OH YEAH! New Mexican joint three blocks from my house! This is where you will be finding me from now on.
I tried the taco trio. They are street taco style with the small double tortillas, however the fillings are bit more high end. All of their tacos come with stewed meats, black beans and a little cabbage and some pickled onions. I got a tinga, a barbacoa and a carnitas taco. All were tasty. The barbacoa was my favorite. All three of them were $ 9 and were rather filling… they don’t skimp on the meat.
One thing the tacos were lacking a little bit was texture. Between the stewed meats and the beans, all kind of read as a little one note. Some more cabbage or the option of crispy tacos would alleviate this.
Definitely plan on trying the tortas and the burritos next.

This place is where it’s AT, as evidenced by the fact that about an hour before close on Saturday they were running out of things left and right! Normally I’d be disappointed about that, but in this case it seems to be the hallmark of a thriving young business, and I’m sure they’ll work any supply issues out as they become better able to predict the demands of this tiny neighborhood spot.
Snag a table, get a Mexican coke (or a highwire horchata — I wistfully watched them sell the last one before I stepped up to the counter), and get a taco or three. They have a bangin tostada de papa for you veggies out there and I heard no complaints about any of the taco meats. The guy next to me said the barbacoa was the best and it looked so pretty I snagged a picture!
I’m rooting for this neighborhood spot — the chef is hustling and making magic in the kitchen!

Aztecali has a limited menu as well as limited seating. (2 or 3 tables?). for whatever reason, decided to eat in. didn’t regret it.
meats: tinga, barbocoa, carnitas
serving vessels: plates, burritos, tortas, soft tacos
eats: carnitas plate (9)
–carnitas-​braised pork shoulder, tender,
nice salsa provided, subtle flavored white rice, fresh black beans not canned, 3 soft tacos.
brew: highwire coffee (2.5)
–medium roast, not silky nor bold, smooth
refills automatic
dining in:
–claudia, the server, knows the menu, gave excellent recommendations.
–tender, nonobtrusive service. knowledgable about coffee too.
–repeatable except for the parking situatiton.
–limited menu
4.5 stars

Time: 2:17pm/56°F cloudy
Purpose: Just left Piedmont ave (Fenton’s). Not sure whether client on Harrison is available yet. Scan of notes reveal Mame’s Café is gone, but new owners are in. Well, lets see…
Ambiance: Aztecali took over with some minor changes, but seating capacity is still fourteen. Ten inside and four outside. Gone are the Ethiopian design of Mame’s day including red leather lounge chair and slinky bistro table. Walls are painted pastel blue with yellow trimming. A two-​tone hand-​painted Aztecali Oakland logo dead center of dining area. In place are Mexican and similar décor. Menu is written on brown butcher paper plaster on wall. Utensil cart all self help is all you need. Counter area with grinder and drip coffee maker. No espresso machine seen. A range hood along with stainless steel equipment is basically it. There’s no entertainment of any kind just soft mild Mexican music with CCTV looking on.
Staff: Its a mother/​daughter duo here. Young latina does cashier assembling orders, while mama does kitchen work like prep and cook. Didn’t talk to mama as much, just daughter. Both really friendly with unpretentious can do attitude. She explained how recipe is inherited from family. The more she tells me, the more I was craving. Went ahead place order sat and waited.
Cleanliness: Grade A, passing grade with posted health inspection card on sight. Not stuffy or unpleasant even though all cooking done within ten feet away. Range hood would do wonders in summer.
Eats/​Drinks: Three soft corn tacos $ 9 or $ 3.50ea. Went with tinga, chile verde, and barbacoa just to taste all three. Consider it a teaser trio combo. These tacos are absolutely delicious, no doubt. No matter what meat came with taco, it was moist and tender perfectly seasoned to perfection. Certainly no frills strictly real Mexican offering made with fresh ingredients on site. If I had to pick a favorite, I can’t, they’re all good. However, I’ll list them in order of liking; barbacoa, chile verde, and tinga. Braised beef barbacoa with red chile was super yummy. My eyes literally roll back as far as it can go. Like I said every single one of them was delicious. Wash it down with free drip coffee on the house. Hot and bold with hints of smokey, but not burnt flavor.
Products/​Services: Burrito, soft corn taco, torta. Choice of meat-​tinga, barbacoa, chile verde, grilled veggies, made in-​house juice, coffee by Highwire (drip only), bread/​roll by ACME. Takes plastic (no minimum), dine-​in/​to go.
Punch Lines: Family run, inherited recipe, minimal seating, modest cost, minimalist place, lai back, sidewalk seating, warm service, premium coffee, pleasing flavors, better than average, drool-​worthy, well-​prepared, special bargain, limited offerings, best cheap eats around, can’t go wrong, satisfaction, residential parking, minutes from 580 freeway.
Tradeoffs: Not located in a area of Hispanic influence like International/​High Street. The reason for limited menu offerings. Can be more extensive too!
Final Thoughts: Aztecali certainly has the knowledge and know how to succeed. With a limited menu, it can be good and bad. The good is food not wasted made per order. Since its not a whole lot to oversee. Effort can be concentrated on making it even better. The bad, is not as much income due to lack of menu choices. Whatever and however they’ve decided on, I sure hope they’ll be around for a while. It’s hard to find a no frills, no BS type of place these days.

Yo conozco a Juana Ojeda Rojas mi prima poztisa desde haze 8 años atras. Vivi con ella y su comida es sabroza infinitamente. Apoyenla en este su primer negocio. Todo su experiencia en restaurantes y todo lo que aprendio en la cocina de su mama estan en cada plato que haze!
I have known Juana Ojeda Rojas my «cousin» for over 8 years blw. I lived with her and her food is infinitely delicious. Please support this her first business venture. All of her restaurant experience and time spent in her mom’s kitchen are brought to every dish she makes!
Que viva Aztecali!!!

A little Mexican inspired sandwich shop just opened up on Oakland Ave, next to the Ethiopian hair shop. I stopped by after running errands. Parking is tough. If you live nearby, definitely walk.
A limited menu handwritten on butcher paper showed a brunch torta or brunch tacos. I didn’t feel like having eggs. I guess my face said as much because the cashier said there is a steak or chicken tinga option as well.
I ordered the tinga torta to-​go and was offered a complimentary hibiscus tea while I waited. The tea was tasty! When I got home, I was glad to discover the Acme roll was super soft. But instead of chicken tinga, my sandwich had pieces of steak in it. It wasn’t what I ordered, but it was okay. It was almost had the flavor of a beef stir fry from a Chinese restaurant. The sandwich benefitted from the green salsa that came along with my to-​go bag.
Overall, happy to see a new eatery in this spot.