Closed. Probably due to Oakland gentrification by its hipster clientele. It wouldn't surprise me to see this location replaced by a Chipotle. Don't you just love the bay area?
Candace C.
Drove 100 miles to bid goodbye to part of my sweetest childhood memories. You don't get to live in Oakland, and not know about Mexicali Rose. This family owned restaurant sits across from the city jail in West Oakland, long regarded as one of the worst parts of town. Every race, age, and socioeconomic status dined at Mexicali, that's part of what made it so special. Mexican food is my favorite cuisine, I developed that love from Mexicali Rose, before I was 10 years old. My parents would bring us to the restaurant (we lived just a couple miles away) so often I can't begin to recall how many times I've eaten here. When I heard they were closing I mourned, it felt like loosing a family member! The day after we trekked to my hometown of Oakland to have one last half chicken taco combination dinner. The tacos are stuffed within an inch of their lives with shredded chicken breast, lettuce and salsa on top, with melted cheese. Nobody makes a taco like Mexicali! The sweetest thing? Food tastes the exact same, every single time. I figured there would be a wait but the restaurant was sardine packed; all tables, the bar, the waiting area, crowd outside, it was crazy! They weren't even taking reservations, first come first served if you were willing to wait, and folks waited! We were in town for business as well, and opted for take out, although I wanted to dine in. The other sweet spot about Mexicali, is you could never visit and not run into old friends. In fact people were in line with their children and grandchildren, sharing their Mexicali Rose stories, this place was literally part of people's lives. Back to the line...2 hour wait, we ordered take out and had a 1 hour wait. Food was piping hot, large portions, and the aroma took me back to a bubble eyed 5 year old that was happy we were having Mexicali Rose for dinner. I've gotten the same plate for more than 4 decades, just the adult version the past three decades lol. I missed the overly hard, overcooked tortilla chips, as they ran out before we ordered dinner. The chips were the perfect "shovel" to eat the burning hot, gooey, yummy refried beans. I was devastated! Who uses a fork to eat Mexicali Rose refried beans?! But since Mexicali Rose is like family, I moved past the devastation, before the beans began to cool. Today is the last day folks, a part of Oakland is locking the door for the final time. I sure hope the family decides to do a food truck or pop up shops. The end of a good era. So long Mexicali Rose, you'll forever be a sweet memory in our hearts (queue the tears).
Robi G.
Oh no.... Just found out this morning (5:30 AM channel 2 news), that Mexicali Rose is closing its doors for good today. Wish I would have found out sooner so I could have enjoyed the great authentic taste of the wonderfully made red sauce on their enchiladas or wet burrito. This place (in my opinion) is one of the best Mexican restaurants in Oakland! I have so many awesome memories there... not only that, but their service was great and their drinks were bomb! This restaurant will truly be missed. Thank you guys for all the splendid memories and it's been a pleasure frequenting your establishment.
Angelina G.
Tried twice this week to say goodbye to this Oakland cornerstone. Two days ago the line of people waiting to get inside was the length of the building so we decided to go to another closing establishment for lunch. Today (6/29/18), their last day, the line was at least twice as long extending much further down the block. We waited rough 2.5 hours before deciding to ditch the effort. At least the staff provided space for patrons with disabilities to sit inside, free bottled water to ward off heat stroke and dehydration, and we got pacified with a bowl of tortilla chips. The bar was steady with patrons and despite the wait people were fairly jovial. When we left right before 3:30, the line was already cutoff for the evening. One family told me they'd been waiting in line since 10:30am. I'm sorry but it just ain't that serious. By the way many tables were empty but apparently there wasn't enough cook staff to accommodate the robust crowd waiting and thus no way to get food to go either. Good bye to a 91 year old piece of Oakland history.
Debbie D.
Boo-Hoo for sure, sad week. We just found out yesterday that they are closing the doors tomorrow, Friday June29th. We went to have our last meal there Wednesday June 27th and found over 200 people standing outside waiting to get in, this was at 6pm, they close at 8pm, so no chance at all. Sad, Sad. This was the best Mexican restaurant we had ever been too, going for over 40 years. We were just there last month and no indication at all they were closing. Our only wish is that someone would buy the place and the recipes and re-open, please, someone, re-open with the same recipes. Since we didn't get a chance to say our goodbyes to the people we have known all these years, best wishes to all of you and happy retirement. Thank you
Mike D.
Well, tomorrow is their last day open..... What will I do when it's time for a delicious taco or three? I have no idea. Enjoyed my last taco meal there today along with a couple of Cadillac Margaritas, damn I'll miss this place!!!!
Toni M.
Mexicali Rose is closing June 29. The owners are retiring. I met three friends here for lunch today to pay our respects. Linda has been coming here for 47 years and feels like it's her second home. I don't know how long Tracy and Bob have been eating here. It was my first time. I've driven by many times on my way to somewhere else. I've been to La Borenqueí±a next door a few times. We agreed to meet at 11:00. When I arrived a little before 11:00 the last space in their lot was being taken, so I pulled out, drove around the corner and found a spot on Clay. Linda was already in a line that was stretching down the block. People kept coming up and joining friends in line, as I did and as did Tracy and Bob a while later. A woman came out periodically and announced that they were not doing any takeout orders. Some people left in disappointment, but not many. When the doors opened a large bolus of people was seated and the rest of us waited. I think the wait was about 45 minutes total before we were let in and then seated at a booth. We looked over the menus. Linda ordered a salad, a tostada, fries to share, a burrito for her husband, a diet Coke, a virgin strawberry margarita and water. I ordered a chile relleno dinner, Tracy ordered a couple of enchiladas, one chicken and one beef and I forget what Bob ordered. The three of us had water to drink. We were brought a basket of chips and some salsa. The salsa was a bit spicy for me, but good, and the chips were thick and crunchy. Our food came soon. The rellenos were good, though not the best I've had. The rice and beans were a little salty, so I took a taste and left them. Service was friendly, albeit a bit scattered, although in fairness, they were totally slammed. The lines will get longer as the day goes on. The walls are covered w/ art, framed and frescoes. Linda took me to the back room to show me the frescoes there and they were beautiful. Other people also ordered everything they wanted and many left w/ takeout boxes containing what they couldn't finish. It's a shame that an Oakland institution is closing after 91 years. Here's hoping someone wants to take it on and keep it alive.
Marc J.
Me and my family have gone here for years, Mexicali Rose will forever be my favorite restaurant. Always had a great experience and best food i've ever had.
Big D.
Mexicali Rose is closing next Friday June 29, 2018 for retirement. Will miss this restaurant.
Robin B.
My daughter just told me Mexicali Rose is closing Friday June 29 2018...I moved away from my hometown recently, however I feel as though I'm losing an old friend! I first went there with my parents when I was a small child. I continued going there often throughout my life. So many memories! It was always my favorite Mexican Restaurant for so many reasons! The food, service, atmosphere, and take out. The last time I visited the place had changed quite a bit. So many places in Oakland have! I want to wish the family all the best after serving the community for 91 years! Thank you all for making my life happier with your excellent food & warrm & friendly staff!
We went for my daughter's 30th birthday on Cinco de Mayo. We had excellent service and the food was great. My ex-husband went up to pay the bill and since I left the tip ($30 on $100 tab) in cash on the table - he zeroed out the tip when he paid the bill via credit card. The man at the register started berating him for not tipping. He did not understand what he was getting yelled at for and came back to the table confused. When we got home my daughter explained why her dad was harassed. I felt so bad for him as here he was doing a wonderful thing for his daughter and including me. I was going to call the Manager but my daughter thinks the man at the register was the Manager. You know it's bad when an ex-wife feels her ex-husband has been treated unfairly.
Gregory Stelts
60's style Dennys interior, serving up overpriced Costco style Mexican standards. Not good... i guess the locals like the bar???
Kim L.
I came here the other day for the first time and I can't wait to go back. Whenever I go for Mexican food, I always order enchiladas. I ordered a dinner plate at lunch time and it was enough for my lunch AND dinner that day. Their portions of refried beans and rice is super generous. I ordered red enchiladas, one chicken and one beef. The chicken was shredded, lean and the beef was ground and both were very tasty. You seat yourself when you go in. You get a basket of freshly made tortilla chips with their homemade salsa. Service is fantastic. I'm sure I'll be back here very soon, so good!
Michelle T.
The low review is more for the service than the food. I think this restaurant is one of Oakland's classics. You can definitely find better Mexican food in other places, but I grew up coming here so it was always a favorite of mine. My family and I came in on a Saturday night at 9pm. We were told that they could not seat us because they did not have enough servers. I explained to the person who presented himself as the manager that we understood the service might be slower than usual, but would still like to sit down to eat. He said no. I offered to split up my party if that was helpful. He still said no. I explained to him that it didn't make sense that he refused to seat us when the restaurant was an hour from closing. He was not very interested in doing anything to try to make it work, which is unfortunate considering that I'm a regular of this place. I asked if he was the manager and he said yes. I then asked his name which he refused to give to me. I asked for no personal information, so cannot understand why he refused. He said I didn't need his name and was very rude. The whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth and I will not be returning. Like a said, even though it's a staple of Oakland, you can definitely find better Mexican food in better places. I'll spend my money somewhere it's valued.
Closed. Probably due to Oakland gentrification by its hipster clientele. It wouldn't surprise me to see this location replaced by a Chipotle. Don't you just love the bay area?
Drove 100 miles to bid goodbye to part of my sweetest childhood memories. You don't get to live in Oakland, and not know about Mexicali Rose. This family owned restaurant sits across from the city jail in West Oakland, long regarded as one of the worst parts of town. Every race, age, and socioeconomic status dined at Mexicali, that's part of what made it so special. Mexican food is my favorite cuisine, I developed that love from Mexicali Rose, before I was 10 years old. My parents would bring us to the restaurant (we lived just a couple miles away) so often I can't begin to recall how many times I've eaten here. When I heard they were closing I mourned, it felt like loosing a family member! The day after we trekked to my hometown of Oakland to have one last half chicken taco combination dinner. The tacos are stuffed within an inch of their lives with shredded chicken breast, lettuce and salsa on top, with melted cheese. Nobody makes a taco like Mexicali! The sweetest thing? Food tastes the exact same, every single time. I figured there would be a wait but the restaurant was sardine packed; all tables, the bar, the waiting area, crowd outside, it was crazy! They weren't even taking reservations, first come first served if you were willing to wait, and folks waited! We were in town for business as well, and opted for take out, although I wanted to dine in. The other sweet spot about Mexicali, is you could never visit and not run into old friends. In fact people were in line with their children and grandchildren, sharing their Mexicali Rose stories, this place was literally part of people's lives. Back to the line...2 hour wait, we ordered take out and had a 1 hour wait. Food was piping hot, large portions, and the aroma took me back to a bubble eyed 5 year old that was happy we were having Mexicali Rose for dinner. I've gotten the same plate for more than 4 decades, just the adult version the past three decades lol. I missed the overly hard, overcooked tortilla chips, as they ran out before we ordered dinner. The chips were the perfect "shovel" to eat the burning hot, gooey, yummy refried beans. I was devastated! Who uses a fork to eat Mexicali Rose refried beans?! But since Mexicali Rose is like family, I moved past the devastation, before the beans began to cool. Today is the last day folks, a part of Oakland is locking the door for the final time. I sure hope the family decides to do a food truck or pop up shops. The end of a good era. So long Mexicali Rose, you'll forever be a sweet memory in our hearts (queue the tears).
Oh no.... Just found out this morning (5:30 AM channel 2 news), that Mexicali Rose is closing its doors for good today. Wish I would have found out sooner so I could have enjoyed the great authentic taste of the wonderfully made red sauce on their enchiladas or wet burrito. This place (in my opinion) is one of the best Mexican restaurants in Oakland! I have so many awesome memories there... not only that, but their service was great and their drinks were bomb! This restaurant will truly be missed. Thank you guys for all the splendid memories and it's been a pleasure frequenting your establishment.
Tried twice this week to say goodbye to this Oakland cornerstone. Two days ago the line of people waiting to get inside was the length of the building so we decided to go to another closing establishment for lunch. Today (6/29/18), their last day, the line was at least twice as long extending much further down the block. We waited rough 2.5 hours before deciding to ditch the effort. At least the staff provided space for patrons with disabilities to sit inside, free bottled water to ward off heat stroke and dehydration, and we got pacified with a bowl of tortilla chips. The bar was steady with patrons and despite the wait people were fairly jovial. When we left right before 3:30, the line was already cutoff for the evening. One family told me they'd been waiting in line since 10:30am. I'm sorry but it just ain't that serious. By the way many tables were empty but apparently there wasn't enough cook staff to accommodate the robust crowd waiting and thus no way to get food to go either. Good bye to a 91 year old piece of Oakland history.
Boo-Hoo for sure, sad week. We just found out yesterday that they are closing the doors tomorrow, Friday June29th. We went to have our last meal there Wednesday June 27th and found over 200 people standing outside waiting to get in, this was at 6pm, they close at 8pm, so no chance at all. Sad, Sad. This was the best Mexican restaurant we had ever been too, going for over 40 years. We were just there last month and no indication at all they were closing. Our only wish is that someone would buy the place and the recipes and re-open, please, someone, re-open with the same recipes. Since we didn't get a chance to say our goodbyes to the people we have known all these years, best wishes to all of you and happy retirement. Thank you
Well, tomorrow is their last day open..... What will I do when it's time for a delicious taco or three? I have no idea. Enjoyed my last taco meal there today along with a couple of Cadillac Margaritas, damn I'll miss this place!!!!
Mexicali Rose is closing June 29. The owners are retiring. I met three friends here for lunch today to pay our respects. Linda has been coming here for 47 years and feels like it's her second home. I don't know how long Tracy and Bob have been eating here. It was my first time. I've driven by many times on my way to somewhere else. I've been to La Borenqueí±a next door a few times. We agreed to meet at 11:00. When I arrived a little before 11:00 the last space in their lot was being taken, so I pulled out, drove around the corner and found a spot on Clay. Linda was already in a line that was stretching down the block. People kept coming up and joining friends in line, as I did and as did Tracy and Bob a while later. A woman came out periodically and announced that they were not doing any takeout orders. Some people left in disappointment, but not many. When the doors opened a large bolus of people was seated and the rest of us waited. I think the wait was about 45 minutes total before we were let in and then seated at a booth. We looked over the menus. Linda ordered a salad, a tostada, fries to share, a burrito for her husband, a diet Coke, a virgin strawberry margarita and water. I ordered a chile relleno dinner, Tracy ordered a couple of enchiladas, one chicken and one beef and I forget what Bob ordered. The three of us had water to drink. We were brought a basket of chips and some salsa. The salsa was a bit spicy for me, but good, and the chips were thick and crunchy. Our food came soon. The rellenos were good, though not the best I've had. The rice and beans were a little salty, so I took a taste and left them. Service was friendly, albeit a bit scattered, although in fairness, they were totally slammed. The lines will get longer as the day goes on. The walls are covered w/ art, framed and frescoes. Linda took me to the back room to show me the frescoes there and they were beautiful. Other people also ordered everything they wanted and many left w/ takeout boxes containing what they couldn't finish. It's a shame that an Oakland institution is closing after 91 years. Here's hoping someone wants to take it on and keep it alive.
Me and my family have gone here for years, Mexicali Rose will forever be my favorite restaurant. Always had a great experience and best food i've ever had.
Mexicali Rose is closing next Friday June 29, 2018 for retirement. Will miss this restaurant.
My daughter just told me Mexicali Rose is closing Friday June 29 2018...I moved away from my hometown recently, however I feel as though I'm losing an old friend! I first went there with my parents when I was a small child. I continued going there often throughout my life. So many memories! It was always my favorite Mexican Restaurant for so many reasons! The food, service, atmosphere, and take out. The last time I visited the place had changed quite a bit. So many places in Oakland have! I want to wish the family all the best after serving the community for 91 years! Thank you all for making my life happier with your excellent food & warrm & friendly staff!
Restaurantji Recommends
Always a friendly place with good meal portions.
We went for my daughter's 30th birthday on Cinco de Mayo. We had excellent service and the food was great. My ex-husband went up to pay the bill and since I left the tip ($30 on $100 tab) in cash on the table - he zeroed out the tip when he paid the bill via credit card. The man at the register started berating him for not tipping. He did not understand what he was getting yelled at for and came back to the table confused. When we got home my daughter explained why her dad was harassed. I felt so bad for him as here he was doing a wonderful thing for his daughter and including me. I was going to call the Manager but my daughter thinks the man at the register was the Manager. You know it's bad when an ex-wife feels her ex-husband has been treated unfairly.
60's style Dennys interior, serving up overpriced Costco style Mexican standards. Not good... i guess the locals like the bar???
I came here the other day for the first time and I can't wait to go back. Whenever I go for Mexican food, I always order enchiladas. I ordered a dinner plate at lunch time and it was enough for my lunch AND dinner that day. Their portions of refried beans and rice is super generous. I ordered red enchiladas, one chicken and one beef. The chicken was shredded, lean and the beef was ground and both were very tasty. You seat yourself when you go in. You get a basket of freshly made tortilla chips with their homemade salsa. Service is fantastic. I'm sure I'll be back here very soon, so good!
The low review is more for the service than the food. I think this restaurant is one of Oakland's classics. You can definitely find better Mexican food in other places, but I grew up coming here so it was always a favorite of mine. My family and I came in on a Saturday night at 9pm. We were told that they could not seat us because they did not have enough servers. I explained to the person who presented himself as the manager that we understood the service might be slower than usual, but would still like to sit down to eat. He said no. I offered to split up my party if that was helpful. He still said no. I explained to him that it didn't make sense that he refused to seat us when the restaurant was an hour from closing. He was not very interested in doing anything to try to make it work, which is unfortunate considering that I'm a regular of this place. I asked if he was the manager and he said yes. I then asked his name which he refused to give to me. I asked for no personal information, so cannot understand why he refused. He said I didn't need his name and was very rude. The whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth and I will not be returning. Like a said, even though it's a staple of Oakland, you can definitely find better Mexican food in better places. I'll spend my money somewhere it's valued.