Katy’s Top 5 go-to taco spots in the East Bay

When I moved to Oakland in 2016, I started hunting for the best taco in the East Bay. At first, I looked just at taco trucks and then expanded to some beer gardens and restaurants to find my fav. At this point, my list is pretty legit, in my opinion. But also, would love to know what your favs are!

In no particular order…

My Go-To Taco Spots in the East Bay

Taco Oscar tacos – photo from their website

Tacos Sinaloa: Taco Truck with multiple locations in the East Bay.

I’ve had all of their different tacos but they are known for shrimp tacos. For these, I recommend eating them right away. Every time I’ve tried to make it home with me they end up being a little too soggy.

Degrees Plato: In the Laurel neighborhood of Oakland

This beer garden has a really solid Mexican food menu which makes it a go-to spot for my friends and me when we are looking for something pretty chill on a weekend afternoon. The large outdoor seating has plenty of shade and allows dogs!

Taco Oscar: located on 40th in the Temescal neighborhood of Oakland

Taco Oscar has a compact location, with huge flavors.
Once, I got a taco with an edible flower on it and I nearly fainted because I was so damn happy. The tacos at Taco Oscar aren’t going to be as simple as your typical food truck. If you’re looking for more innovative flavors and some pizzazz in your taco, you gotta try these! 

Comal: Restaurant off University in Berkeley

Comal recently opened a to-go style off-shoot called Comal Next Door but their sit-down restaurant goes down as one of my favs. The tortillas are made fresh in their open kitchen. It’s great a place for a date night as the acoustics in the space actually adjust to help you hear each other better as the space gets more packed.

Guadalajara Taco Truck: best al pastor

While I’ll admit this taco truck is a stone’s throw from Taco’s Sinaloa, I go to them for different types of tacos. Guadalajara has the best al pastor tacos. They also have burrito’s the size of your forearm if you’re looking for a bomb ass burrito that will also be three separate meals.

We all know what salsa looks like but… here is some salsa

Now, Imma share something really special for y’all – something we don’t typically share on Broke-Ass Stuart. A recipe!

How to make my Secret Restaurant Quality Salsa Recipe:

I dated a guy back in the day whose parents owned a Mexican restaurant and the best thing I got outta the relationship was his Mom’s salsa recipe. It’s one of my friend group’s favorite things that I make. We’re all getting invited to more picnics, brunches, and outdoor potlucks heading into summer, what better time to share the recipe than now?

Salsa Ingredients:

Plop these in a Vitamix or food processor:

•  One large can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes
•  One whole bunch of cilantro (you wanna chop this up a li’l just to not overwhelm your mixer)
•  A few garlic cloves
•  One Serrano chili with seeds removed
•  One quarter of an onion
•  Pinch of Salt
•  Pepper to taste
• Squeeze of lime (I usually forget this… totally optional)

Hella Easy Directions:

Throw all the above stuff into the mixer.  Pulse this together until it’s a consistency you like. If you want it to be more roasted in flavor, roast your onion, garlic, and serrano in the oven a bit before you put it into the mixer. I usually make this for a picnic last minute so never take the time. It’s delicious all ways.