Best Tacos in the Bay Area: Six Spots from San Leandro to San Francisco

The Bay Area has an extraordinary taco culture — shaped by the Mission District's decades-long Mexican culinary tradition, by Oakland's diverse immigrant communities, and by a generation of chefs who have taken the taco's fundamental logic (protein, fat, acid, heat, tortilla) and extended it in every possible direction. From a Michelin-recognized spot in a Hayward strip mall to a shipping container in Oakland with a courtyard full of string lights, here are six Bay Area tacos worth going out of your way for.

Porque No? Tacos

Porque No? Tacos started as a pop-up restaurant in Oakland. They now have a brick and mortar location inside Frank's Bar in San Leandro. The portions are hearty and they offer a full bar. So, if you are craving great tacos, and want to have a drink while watching a game, this is your go to spot.

Warm, refried bean dip with cotija cheese, jalapeños and tortilla chips.

Super taco de carne asada

This carne asada taco with sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo and cheese was excellent. I especially liked the slight crispy and slightly soft tortilla that the tender, medium rare steak was wrapped in.

Tacos Oscar

Tacos Oscar operates entirely from a brightly colored shipping container in Oakland. Out back, there is a charming courtyard with hanging lights and heat lamps. The taco menu is ever-changing, so you can come back again and again and have a completely different experience.

Mushroom Mole Coloradito Taco

Oyster, portobello and crimini mushrooms in mole coloradito, hoja santa, dukkah and onion.

Taco de Camaron

Camarones al mojo de ajo, cherry tomatoes, habanero salsa, shredded cabbage.

Chili Con Carne Taco and Asparagus Taco

Chili Con Carne: ground beef chili with cheddar cheese, onions and cilantro.

Asparagus: Charred asparagus with fermented habanero salsa, cabbage and edible flowers.

La Taqueria

Courtesy La Taqueria

La Taqueria is located in San Francisco's, Mission District. Miguel Jara opened the restaurant in 1973 and has operated it since. The meat at La Taqueria is high quality and the other taco and burrito accompaniments are fresh. This cash-only, no frills, restaurant is an enormous hit with locals, so be prepared to wait in line.

Super Carne Asada Taco

Carne asada, pinto beans, cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream.

This is my favorite taco in the Bay Area. I want to be specific about why: the carne asada is high quality and cooked correctly — not overworked, not chewy, with a char that adds rather than dominates. The beans are properly seasoned pinto beans, not refried, which keeps the tortilla from getting soggy. The guacamole is made fresh. The pico is bright. And the tortilla is griddled to order with a slight crisp on the exterior that holds the entire construction together through the last bite. Miguel Jara has been doing this since 1973 and the muscle memory of fifty years shows in every taco. Cash only. Line out the door. Worth both.

Los Carnalitos

Los Carnalitos serves up a taste on Mexico City in Hayward, California. The business was started by owners Alfredo Santos and Luis Alberto as a food truck in 2015. In 2018, they opened this brick and mortar location that may be tucked away in a strip mall, but hidden, it is not.

Everyone is talking about Los Carnalitos. Everyone from the San Francisco Chronicle, to Michelin, which recognized it as a Bib Gourmand restaurant in 2021.

Carne Asada Taco and Panucho

The food here is excellent and really did remind me of the food in Mexico City. The carne asada taco came on a homemade, corn tortilla, with tender beef, onion, cilantro and salsa. The panucho was made using a small, handmade tostada stuffed with beans and topped with cochinita pibil, red onions, habanero, and mandarin segments. The mandarin is not decoration — it cuts the richness of the slow-cooked pork with a brightness that the dish needs and earns. This is the kind of detail that distinguishes a Michelin Bib Gourmand from a good taqueria.

Que Onda! Taco Bar

Que Honda Taco Bar, located in Walnut Creek, is family owned and operated. This restaurant allows you to choose your meat and then load up your taco with items from their bar which include, roasted chilis, various salsas, lettuce, onions, cilantro and so much more.

Tortilla Press

The tortillas are so fresh at Que Honda, that you can literally watch yours being made.

Birria Taco and Taco De Costra

Birria: Slow cooked beef taco topped with onions, hot sauce and cilantro.

Taco De Costra: corn tortilla layered with cheese, then flipped over and left to crisp and caramelize, topped with carnitas.

Rico Rico

Rico Rico is located in Oakland, California. This spot is small, lively and conveniently located near Lake Merritt. Grab some tacos and enjoy them in the dining room, or get them to go and have a picnic at the lake.

Pescado Taco

Crispy fried fish, chipotle crema, pico de gallo, cabbage and pickled onions.

Camaron Taco

Sautéed shrimp, pico de gallo, chipotle crema, salsa.

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Like Que Honda Taco Bar, at Rico Rico, you can watch as your fresh, corn tortillas are prepared.

The Bay Area's taco scene rewards both loyalty and exploration. La Taqueria for the Mission classic that has earned its legendary status one carne asada taco at a time. Tacos Oscar for the creative, ever-changing menu that makes every visit different. Los Carnalitos for Michelin-recognized Mexico City flavors in a Hayward strip mall that proves destination dining does not require a zip code with a reputation. For tacos in Los Angeles  and San Diego, see the linked posts.