This is a great Taco place, but I saw some black female customers calling a latino woman a "zero" with the hatred in her eyes. I was out of the blue and didn't know what has happening??? Later, when I chatted with a latino man, he told me that the latino woman cut the black lady line, and the black female get so angry. Sigh, what's going on in this world??? By the way, the taco tastes so well, I enjoyed it !!!
Subba R.
We tried deep fried elote, fish tacos, pork belly tacos and chicken plate. I loved deep fried elote. Combination of fried corn and cream cheese was delicious.Pork belly tacos were delicious as pork belly pieces were grilled to perfection. Fish tacos were okay.We had to go and pick up food once buzzer rings. Food prep time was quick. Ambiance was decent as it is inside a sports bar with loud music. I wasn't in a mood for loud music that day. Overall good experience and I would go again for deep fried elote and pork belly tacos.
Mimi L.
D E L I C I O U S. Found this hidden gem for a quick bite after work and was not disappointed. Tried out their fish tacos and pork belly bowl and I wish we would have gotten more! There was a really long wait for the food to be made, but I didn't mind bc it's a good place to just catch up with friends-- they even have a pool table. Definitely will come back and looking to try their other taco options as well as the burrito! The hand fried tortilla chips and fresh salsa were the cherry on top.
Roblee V.
This restaurant is actually located inside the bar & grill. The food is a bit pricey but it's a big portion size and it's actually very filling. I could've easily been full off of 1 taco. For mexican street tacos, i usually need to eat at least 2. The ambiance was great and the staff at ABVE and the bar were very friendly. The elote was my favorite dish. I'd definitely come back again for lunch.
Rick H.
WOW! Hidden gem in Stevie's Bar and Grill. Took a while to get the order but when it came out the food was amazing! The Steak Tacos are next level flavorful and 2 is plenty! Be sure to grab a beverage for the wait. I'll be back again and update with photos. Amazing Job!
Thomas M.
My wife and I used to be huge fans of the surf and turf burrito when ABVE was located downtown. The combination of flavors was a great experience, and we couldn't get enough of it! However, our recent visit to their most recent location left us super disappointed.The surf and turf burrito we ordered might as well have been renamed the "rice burrito" because there was almost no meat and shrimp inside. This was a complete 180 from the quality we had experienced during our previous visits when the burrito was generously packed with meat and shrimp, with just the right amount of rice.We hope that this was just an off day for ABVE because we really miss the delicious surf and turf burrito that we used to enjoy downtown. Maybe we will give it another try.
Sarah A.
My boyfriend and I were in the area and were craving something quick and filling, and we were lucky enough to find ABVE The Basics through a quick Yelp search. Finding the place can be a little confusing for first timers since it's located in the same building as Stevie's Bar & Grill. To order food, walk straight in pass the bar and there will be a small window. My bf ordered 2 shrimp tacos, and 2 fish tacos. He said that he really liked it, and that it was flavorful. I ordered the surf and turf burrito, and I really enjoyed it as well. The meat and shrimp didn't taste dried out, and there was so much flavor in it. The portion was pretty large for me, so I only had half the burrito for lunch and saved the other half for dinner. Also, to order drinks (even nonalcoholic) you would need to go to the bar. Lastly, the service was great as well. When ordering, they helped with answering questions and even gave recommendations based on our cravings. Also, when my bf and I were chatting, one of the servers was attentive and even offered to grab me a box with out having me to call him over. He was also really friendly and enjoyed checking in with other tables around us. Will definitely come back again!
Alicia W.
Ambiance: located in a bar, so casual. There are tables to eat at though and there are pool tables. Food: soo good!! Everything we ordered was really good with great flavor and good portions. We got the carne asada fries, deep fried elote which was really different, surf and turf wrap, chips and guac. The carne asada was cooked amazing & juicy! Shrimp was fresh. The chipotle sauce had a small kick so if you don't eat spicy food, maybe get it on the side. Service: you order and pay at the window before sitting down. Unfortunately, the food takes awhile (30-45 mins) which is why i took off 1 star. They are understaffed so the person taking orders was also helping out in the kitchen. Ordering and receiving the food both took awhile. I actually had to go to the window and ask if we could get our guac and chips first before waiting for the rest of the food to be ready after about 35 mins of sitting there. I've ordered take out and also dined in and had to wait awhile for both. If you're ok waiting awhile, it's definitely worth a try!
Annabelle R.
Tried the shrimp quesadilla at the Panana Night Market in downtown SJ (mini night market to be exact). Ordering from the food truck was quick and easy, about a 10 minute wait for my order, and the quesadilla was massive, and overflowing with melted cheese and grilled shrimp with a nice marinade that wasn't overpowering. It came with chips and salsa on the side, the sauce slightly spicy, but the quesadilla was already too much food, so the chips were totally unnecessary. Good experience overall.
Tiffany A.
The food is delicious. Tacos are super good. Definitely a hipster taco if that's your vibe. No doubt, it's delicious. The taco has a layer of fried cheese, soooo good. My fist taco also wasn't stingy on the avocado. Fish portion was great as well. Gabriel, the owner came out and checked in on us and even threw in some churros for us to try. The service was great. Gabriel was so nice and we were super inspired by his story. Making a difference through his passion for food. Thank you! Go visits this dope spot y'all. It's currently a pop up at Stevie's Bar & Grill in SJ
I recently tried Above the Basics taco truck and I have to say, I was blown away! As someone who loves tacos, I'm always on the lookout for the best ones, and I think I've found them here. The flavors were amazing and the ingredients tasted fresh and high-quality. I tried several different tacos and each one was better than the last.What really sets Above the Basics apart, though, is the service. The staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming, and they go out of their way to make sure you have a great experience. Their team really know how to run a taco truck!Overall, I would highly recommend Above the Basics to anyone looking for delicious, authentic tacos and a great atmosphere. I'm giving them a solid 5 stars and can't wait to come back for more. Thanks for an amazing meal!
Natalie S.
There is outside seating in tents and the inside is sort or like a bar. I got the cali steak fries here. The fries are actually curly fries instead of regular french fires. That was a nice touch as they were super crispy. There was a lot of meat and toppings. The ratio of toppings to fries was good. I thoroughly enjoyed the food. It was loaded with guac, pico, sour cream, and was extremely flavorful. Will be coming back to try the other menu items in the near future.
Thrisha S.
So so so awesome!! I loved the vibe of the room and the service! It was good food! We got 4 different tacos, the steak fries, and deep fried Oreos! Everything was so yummy and flavorful and just hit the spot! Highly recommend if you are in the area and want a good time with friends!
Lisa N.
I've been dying to try their food ever since I've seen pics on Instagram! Food looks fireee. They have a location in DTSJ. * I came here for Cultural Night Market at Oakridge Mall*My friend and I each ordered a taco. She got the Cali shrimp taco ($7) and I got the Cali fish tacos ($7). They mistakenly gave me steak tacos but were nice enough to make me a new taco. However, when I got my fish taco there wasn't any salsa to my chips (which was included in the price). My friend said she got 3 shrimps and didn't think it was worth the price.. Overall, I'd say the taco was good, it was just too messy and fell apart too easily. Not sure if it's worth the price tbh. Kinda small. I also got the cherry limeade ($5) which the color reminded me of Pepto Bismol lol. It was on the sour lemon-y sweet side. I'm not saying it's bad but I'm willing to give it another try in the future. Perhaps try something else. Overall it's a 3.5 for me.
Jenny T.
My friend and I came here early on a Friday evening. It is located inside Rec Room. Since we got here early, it wasn't busy at all. We sat at the bar to order our food.Food:I ordered the cali vegetarian tacos. These tacos were so good. I initially ordered only one since I wasn't too hungry, but I had to have a second one because they were so good. My friend and I also ordered deep fried elote to share. This was also amazing, and I think about it often. My friend and I finished one order and decided to order a second once our third friend showed up.My friend ordered the pork belly tacos. She also initially ordered only one but had to have a second. Service:Because it was definitely before the night time scene, it wasn't busy at all. We ordered at the bar with the bartender. They were always only a few steps away when we needed anything. Our food came out pretty quickly as well. TL;DR - Delicious Californian Mexican food, located upstairs in Rec Room.
This is a great Taco place, but I saw some black female customers calling a latino woman a "zero" with the hatred in her eyes. I was out of the blue and didn't know what has happening??? Later, when I chatted with a latino man, he told me that the latino woman cut the black lady line, and the black female get so angry. Sigh, what's going on in this world??? By the way, the taco tastes so well, I enjoyed it !!!
We tried deep fried elote, fish tacos, pork belly tacos and chicken plate. I loved deep fried elote. Combination of fried corn and cream cheese was delicious.Pork belly tacos were delicious as pork belly pieces were grilled to perfection. Fish tacos were okay.We had to go and pick up food once buzzer rings. Food prep time was quick. Ambiance was decent as it is inside a sports bar with loud music. I wasn't in a mood for loud music that day. Overall good experience and I would go again for deep fried elote and pork belly tacos.
D E L I C I O U S. Found this hidden gem for a quick bite after work and was not disappointed. Tried out their fish tacos and pork belly bowl and I wish we would have gotten more! There was a really long wait for the food to be made, but I didn't mind bc it's a good place to just catch up with friends-- they even have a pool table. Definitely will come back and looking to try their other taco options as well as the burrito! The hand fried tortilla chips and fresh salsa were the cherry on top.
This restaurant is actually located inside the bar & grill. The food is a bit pricey but it's a big portion size and it's actually very filling. I could've easily been full off of 1 taco. For mexican street tacos, i usually need to eat at least 2. The ambiance was great and the staff at ABVE and the bar were very friendly. The elote was my favorite dish. I'd definitely come back again for lunch.
WOW! Hidden gem in Stevie's Bar and Grill. Took a while to get the order but when it came out the food was amazing! The Steak Tacos are next level flavorful and 2 is plenty! Be sure to grab a beverage for the wait. I'll be back again and update with photos. Amazing Job!
My wife and I used to be huge fans of the surf and turf burrito when ABVE was located downtown. The combination of flavors was a great experience, and we couldn't get enough of it! However, our recent visit to their most recent location left us super disappointed.The surf and turf burrito we ordered might as well have been renamed the "rice burrito" because there was almost no meat and shrimp inside. This was a complete 180 from the quality we had experienced during our previous visits when the burrito was generously packed with meat and shrimp, with just the right amount of rice.We hope that this was just an off day for ABVE because we really miss the delicious surf and turf burrito that we used to enjoy downtown. Maybe we will give it another try.
My boyfriend and I were in the area and were craving something quick and filling, and we were lucky enough to find ABVE The Basics through a quick Yelp search. Finding the place can be a little confusing for first timers since it's located in the same building as Stevie's Bar & Grill. To order food, walk straight in pass the bar and there will be a small window. My bf ordered 2 shrimp tacos, and 2 fish tacos. He said that he really liked it, and that it was flavorful. I ordered the surf and turf burrito, and I really enjoyed it as well. The meat and shrimp didn't taste dried out, and there was so much flavor in it. The portion was pretty large for me, so I only had half the burrito for lunch and saved the other half for dinner. Also, to order drinks (even nonalcoholic) you would need to go to the bar. Lastly, the service was great as well. When ordering, they helped with answering questions and even gave recommendations based on our cravings. Also, when my bf and I were chatting, one of the servers was attentive and even offered to grab me a box with out having me to call him over. He was also really friendly and enjoyed checking in with other tables around us. Will definitely come back again!
Ambiance: located in a bar, so casual. There are tables to eat at though and there are pool tables. Food: soo good!! Everything we ordered was really good with great flavor and good portions. We got the carne asada fries, deep fried elote which was really different, surf and turf wrap, chips and guac. The carne asada was cooked amazing & juicy! Shrimp was fresh. The chipotle sauce had a small kick so if you don't eat spicy food, maybe get it on the side. Service: you order and pay at the window before sitting down. Unfortunately, the food takes awhile (30-45 mins) which is why i took off 1 star. They are understaffed so the person taking orders was also helping out in the kitchen. Ordering and receiving the food both took awhile. I actually had to go to the window and ask if we could get our guac and chips first before waiting for the rest of the food to be ready after about 35 mins of sitting there. I've ordered take out and also dined in and had to wait awhile for both. If you're ok waiting awhile, it's definitely worth a try!
Tried the shrimp quesadilla at the Panana Night Market in downtown SJ (mini night market to be exact). Ordering from the food truck was quick and easy, about a 10 minute wait for my order, and the quesadilla was massive, and overflowing with melted cheese and grilled shrimp with a nice marinade that wasn't overpowering. It came with chips and salsa on the side, the sauce slightly spicy, but the quesadilla was already too much food, so the chips were totally unnecessary. Good experience overall.
The food is delicious. Tacos are super good. Definitely a hipster taco if that's your vibe. No doubt, it's delicious. The taco has a layer of fried cheese, soooo good. My fist taco also wasn't stingy on the avocado. Fish portion was great as well. Gabriel, the owner came out and checked in on us and even threw in some churros for us to try. The service was great. Gabriel was so nice and we were super inspired by his story. Making a difference through his passion for food. Thank you! Go visits this dope spot y'all. It's currently a pop up at Stevie's Bar & Grill in SJ
Restaurantji Recommends
I recently tried Above the Basics taco truck and I have to say, I was blown away! As someone who loves tacos, I'm always on the lookout for the best ones, and I think I've found them here. The flavors were amazing and the ingredients tasted fresh and high-quality. I tried several different tacos and each one was better than the last.What really sets Above the Basics apart, though, is the service. The staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming, and they go out of their way to make sure you have a great experience. Their team really know how to run a taco truck!Overall, I would highly recommend Above the Basics to anyone looking for delicious, authentic tacos and a great atmosphere. I'm giving them a solid 5 stars and can't wait to come back for more. Thanks for an amazing meal!
There is outside seating in tents and the inside is sort or like a bar. I got the cali steak fries here. The fries are actually curly fries instead of regular french fires. That was a nice touch as they were super crispy. There was a lot of meat and toppings. The ratio of toppings to fries was good. I thoroughly enjoyed the food. It was loaded with guac, pico, sour cream, and was extremely flavorful. Will be coming back to try the other menu items in the near future.
So so so awesome!! I loved the vibe of the room and the service! It was good food! We got 4 different tacos, the steak fries, and deep fried Oreos! Everything was so yummy and flavorful and just hit the spot! Highly recommend if you are in the area and want a good time with friends!
I've been dying to try their food ever since I've seen pics on Instagram! Food looks fireee. They have a location in DTSJ. * I came here for Cultural Night Market at Oakridge Mall*My friend and I each ordered a taco. She got the Cali shrimp taco ($7) and I got the Cali fish tacos ($7). They mistakenly gave me steak tacos but were nice enough to make me a new taco. However, when I got my fish taco there wasn't any salsa to my chips (which was included in the price). My friend said she got 3 shrimps and didn't think it was worth the price.. Overall, I'd say the taco was good, it was just too messy and fell apart too easily. Not sure if it's worth the price tbh. Kinda small. I also got the cherry limeade ($5) which the color reminded me of Pepto Bismol lol. It was on the sour lemon-y sweet side. I'm not saying it's bad but I'm willing to give it another try in the future. Perhaps try something else. Overall it's a 3.5 for me.
My friend and I came here early on a Friday evening. It is located inside Rec Room. Since we got here early, it wasn't busy at all. We sat at the bar to order our food.Food:I ordered the cali vegetarian tacos. These tacos were so good. I initially ordered only one since I wasn't too hungry, but I had to have a second one because they were so good. My friend and I also ordered deep fried elote to share. This was also amazing, and I think about it often. My friend and I finished one order and decided to order a second once our third friend showed up.My friend ordered the pork belly tacos. She also initially ordered only one but had to have a second. Service:Because it was definitely before the night time scene, it wasn't busy at all. We ordered at the bar with the bartender. They were always only a few steps away when we needed anything. Our food came out pretty quickly as well. TL;DR - Delicious Californian Mexican food, located upstairs in Rec Room.