So disappointed. We went to Picante and the food was really terrible. My grilled chicken was barely warm and obviously had been cooked hours before. Rice and beans; also barely hot.
Pam S.
Ordered enchiladas for the first time. Delicious chicken enchiladas in green spicy sauce. Very very tasty. Beans and rice fresh, salsa delicious and order was ready right on time. Yay for picante!!
S Marshall P.
The remodeling has been very well done. Food continues to be amazing, even when hosting out of towers with small children.
Ben
Fantastic food, great atmosphere, nice employees
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
E. Y. G.
Newly remodeled space is clean, airy, and spacious. Location has always been in an odd space next to a mill and still order at the counter. Tried a few of their many selection of tacos but unfortunately all of them were lacking seasoning and too mild in flavor. (Insert sad face) No salt on the tables. No free chips and salsa. Sides such as rice and beans are charged separately. One positive, tortillas appeared to be fresh and home made.
Robert Stout
They've remodeled with a more upscale dining room. You still order at the register. Food is some of the best Mexican food in the East Bay. They also offer call ahead for curbside pickupParking: Parking can be dicey on busy nights. They have two lots, plus the street.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Verde, Individual Tacos, Tortillas, Burritos, Guacamole and Chips, Rice and Beans
A.E. B.
It's a cool spot. Changes have been made since the pandemic so now you wait in line and oder at the counter instead of waiting to be seated.They still bus your table. The food is good. There is a full bar. Large doors for the patio bringing the outside in. Nice staff and very clean.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Burritos
Laura F.
This rating is based entirely on food. Picante has been our weekly (Sunday lunch) go to for close to 20 years. We were regulars through COVID and the lengthy remodel eating in the outdoor tent year-round in the heat and rain. We were devoted customers and always got the same thing, chicken tostada salad. We could always count on picante for consistency and quality. Recently we were shocked to find our salad has recently shrunk to 1/4 of the size. We asked if it was a mistake and we're told the recipes as changed once the remodel was finished. Interesting the ingredients were the same and was the cost. We will never go back. So sad.
Guy Horcasitas
Cool, little Mexican restaurant. They did a great job designing this place. The food was pretty good and it wasn't that busy. It looked like they had a full bar, but quote me on that. Found this place because traffic was pretty bad.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
or I could just not
This used to be my favorite restaurant! My parents started going here when it first opened so I've been going here my entire life. I loved the food and the atmosphere was absolutely amazing, I even started making papel picado because of how much I loved their decor! Imagine my suprize when my parents and I decided to go there only to find the place completely changed. What was once bright and colorful is now dark and drab.I decided to go back today for takeout because you don't need the decor to be good for takeout! For both visits I ordered the same thing, a bean & cheese burrito with guacamole & crema, hold the salsa Fresca, BOTH TIMES they didn't give me any crema and they added salsa Fresca! While I can handle it, I don't like spice and salsa Fresca is spicy! The spice completely sucks any enjoyment out of eating it for me.I'm going to give them one more chance in account of them being my favorite restaurant for 18 years, but if they mess my order up again I'm never going back! Now I'm going to force myself to eat this burrito because it's literally the only food I have in my house. I would be angry, but I just got back from a 3 hour drive so I only have the energy to be sad.Tldr: they used to be my favorite restaurant, but they messed up my order 2 times in a row so now I'm sad.Kid-friendliness: This place used to be super kid friendly but since they redecorated the atmosphere is horrible for children. Not only that but, as someone who grew up going here, I have very fond memories of watching the tortilla lady make tortillas. Sometimes she would even give you one; now every part of the kitchen is completely closed off and there is almost nothing for kids to focus on. At least the kids menus are still fun.
The dining room in picante is back, and much more open and with more natural light than before. The food is excellent as usual and the tortilla chips are the best out there. Still the standard for excellent Mexican food.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Individual Tacos, Super Nachos, Tortillas, Burritos, Guacamole and Chips
kanupriya agrawal
Great vegetarian and vegan selection, I got the zucchini and potato enchiladas and it was delicious. Highly recommend. It was raining so we sat inside, the vibe was kind of meh. But the food was great!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Sonia P.
i miss the old picante it used to have so much personlaity and they would give away free tortillas; now all the prices have gone up and the food isnt as good. Also they used to have a beautiful garden with a wonderful fountain, my kids would have so much fun.
Lori M.
The much anticipated remodel is a complete flop. All the rich wall colors and the fresh tortilla making station are gone. In its place is a stark white walled restaurant that no longer stands out. The food has always been passable and consistent but nothing to write home about. I'm very disappointed.
Aaron V.
This used to be my special place, while ordering from other places on DoorDash on the go we always went to Picante for a special time, extra good for or to show the out of towners how Berkeley does food. All of what we ordered, five things, were dreadful. Sizes smaller, prices higher, better food at Taco Bell. I'm not joking. Pescado burrito was really bad, rice and beans bowl didn't even fill bottom of the plate, tamales a third the size, masa casing tough and dry and just awful. Buh bye!
So disappointed. We went to Picante and the food was really terrible. My grilled chicken was barely warm and obviously had been cooked hours before. Rice and beans; also barely hot.
Ordered enchiladas for the first time. Delicious chicken enchiladas in green spicy sauce. Very very tasty. Beans and rice fresh, salsa delicious and order was ready right on time. Yay for picante!!
The remodeling has been very well done. Food continues to be amazing, even when hosting out of towers with small children.
Fantastic food, great atmosphere, nice employees
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Newly remodeled space is clean, airy, and spacious. Location has always been in an odd space next to a mill and still order at the counter. Tried a few of their many selection of tacos but unfortunately all of them were lacking seasoning and too mild in flavor. (Insert sad face) No salt on the tables. No free chips and salsa. Sides such as rice and beans are charged separately. One positive, tortillas appeared to be fresh and home made.
They've remodeled with a more upscale dining room. You still order at the register. Food is some of the best Mexican food in the East Bay. They also offer call ahead for curbside pickupParking: Parking can be dicey on busy nights. They have two lots, plus the street.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Verde, Individual Tacos, Tortillas, Burritos, Guacamole and Chips, Rice and Beans
It's a cool spot. Changes have been made since the pandemic so now you wait in line and oder at the counter instead of waiting to be seated.They still bus your table. The food is good. There is a full bar. Large doors for the patio bringing the outside in. Nice staff and very clean.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Burritos
This rating is based entirely on food. Picante has been our weekly (Sunday lunch) go to for close to 20 years. We were regulars through COVID and the lengthy remodel eating in the outdoor tent year-round in the heat and rain. We were devoted customers and always got the same thing, chicken tostada salad. We could always count on picante for consistency and quality. Recently we were shocked to find our salad has recently shrunk to 1/4 of the size. We asked if it was a mistake and we're told the recipes as changed once the remodel was finished. Interesting the ingredients were the same and was the cost. We will never go back. So sad.
Cool, little Mexican restaurant. They did a great job designing this place. The food was pretty good and it wasn't that busy. It looked like they had a full bar, but quote me on that. Found this place because traffic was pretty bad.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This used to be my favorite restaurant! My parents started going here when it first opened so I've been going here my entire life. I loved the food and the atmosphere was absolutely amazing, I even started making papel picado because of how much I loved their decor! Imagine my suprize when my parents and I decided to go there only to find the place completely changed. What was once bright and colorful is now dark and drab.I decided to go back today for takeout because you don't need the decor to be good for takeout! For both visits I ordered the same thing, a bean & cheese burrito with guacamole & crema, hold the salsa Fresca, BOTH TIMES they didn't give me any crema and they added salsa Fresca! While I can handle it, I don't like spice and salsa Fresca is spicy! The spice completely sucks any enjoyment out of eating it for me.I'm going to give them one more chance in account of them being my favorite restaurant for 18 years, but if they mess my order up again I'm never going back! Now I'm going to force myself to eat this burrito because it's literally the only food I have in my house. I would be angry, but I just got back from a 3 hour drive so I only have the energy to be sad.Tldr: they used to be my favorite restaurant, but they messed up my order 2 times in a row so now I'm sad.Kid-friendliness: This place used to be super kid friendly but since they redecorated the atmosphere is horrible for children. Not only that but, as someone who grew up going here, I have very fond memories of watching the tortilla lady make tortillas. Sometimes she would even give you one; now every part of the kitchen is completely closed off and there is almost nothing for kids to focus on. At least the kids menus are still fun.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
The dining room in picante is back, and much more open and with more natural light than before. The food is excellent as usual and the tortilla chips are the best out there. Still the standard for excellent Mexican food.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Individual Tacos, Super Nachos, Tortillas, Burritos, Guacamole and Chips
Great vegetarian and vegan selection, I got the zucchini and potato enchiladas and it was delicious. Highly recommend. It was raining so we sat inside, the vibe was kind of meh. But the food was great!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
i miss the old picante it used to have so much personlaity and they would give away free tortillas; now all the prices have gone up and the food isnt as good. Also they used to have a beautiful garden with a wonderful fountain, my kids would have so much fun.
The much anticipated remodel is a complete flop. All the rich wall colors and the fresh tortilla making station are gone. In its place is a stark white walled restaurant that no longer stands out. The food has always been passable and consistent but nothing to write home about. I'm very disappointed.
This used to be my special place, while ordering from other places on DoorDash on the go we always went to Picante for a special time, extra good for or to show the out of towners how Berkeley does food. All of what we ordered, five things, were dreadful. Sizes smaller, prices higher, better food at Taco Bell. I'm not joking. Pescado burrito was really bad, rice and beans bowl didn't even fill bottom of the plate, tamales a third the size, masa casing tough and dry and just awful. Buh bye!