Amate Mexican Cuisine

I don’t know how to get this changed on Unilocal,but the restaurant changed ownership and is now Southwest Grill.
The chips were fresh out of the fryer but were not seasoned with salt so as soon as they got to our table, I added some table salt to it. They were good after that, but the salsa was not. They offered four different salsas (corn, fresca, red & tomatillo) which were all bland. I tasted lime zest, but other than that, nothing.
Justyn and I both ordered the blue corn chicken enchiladas that came with black beans, some kind of rice (not Spanish), sour cream and guacamole. I knew I tasted something wrong with the enchiladas when I had my first bite. It was the sauce. It wasn’t enchilada sauce. Instead, it was tomato sauce. Yes, the kind you put on spaghetti. That really put me off. The only part of the dish I liked were the beans.
Man, what a disappointment.

I like going here — it’s almost always empty (which worried us at first), but it has nice mexican décor and we get our food fresh and pretty quickly. The chicken mole is really tasty with spices. The fish tacos, chicken sopa, and chicken tinga are all pretty good. The salsa wakes you up! And the woman managing the rest. is nice once you get to talking. Try it out w/​a Corona — the low cost makes it worth it!

I so wanted to like this place, it is so close to work but it was just ok. Order the tomatillo 3 enchilada with beans and rice. Called in the order at 11:30 and picked it up in 10 minutes, no one was in the restaurant. My order was ready and I was given a small bag of chips and two salsas. $ 9+.
The enchiladas were a little on the bland side. The beans were runny. The salsa for the chips did have a bite to it but was a little sweet.
I love the conveniency of the place but the quality and quantity are just so so.

i love their food. good quality and cheap. i go there for lunch at least once a week. my favorites are the tortilla soup and the chipotle chicken tinga! very friendly staff! it’s getting more crowded too, which is a good sign.

i was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food here. i had a craving for mexican food and amate is just down the street from where i live. i thought i’d just grab a quick mediocre dish to satisfy the craving. i certainly wasn’t expecting the amazing flavors i discovered in my veggie enchilada! i’ve never had a veggie enchilada with peas and potatoes — what a fantastic idea! and the red sauce was honestly one of the most flavorful i have ever had. the chips and salsa were great too — the salsa had a bit of a zing, which is always appreciated :)

We went to Amate when they first opened and were disappointed. However, we went back last week and changed our minds. The food is good — very fresh, not greasy. The service is good as well and, as others mentioned, willing to accommodate special requests. We tried the fajitas — both chicken and veggie and both were quite tasty. We’ll definitely go back.

Mom’s kitchen away from home…
I grew up eating my mom’s authentic mexican food. I would eat mexican food for every meal if it weren’t for the fact that it’s typically too greasy, cheesy or straight up americanized. Amate is none of the above.
I live about three blocks from Amate and eat there at least three times a week. It’s that good. Fresh, healthy, tasty but not overpowering — hands down the best I’ve had in the Bay Area.
It’s also clean, friendly, fast and cheap. You will not be disappointed.
As an added plus there are lots of free WiFi spots near Amate. You can sit and check email while you wait or after you’re done and just having a beer.

I lunched there today. The food was fresh and very flavorful. I liked the salsa and the guacamole that came with the enchiladas. There are lots of vegetarian choices as well which is always a plus in my book. and for a basic, order at the counter restaurant in a very crummy strip mall, the place is clean and tastefully done up and the staff is friendly.
I think its still undiscovered– it was deserted at 1ish on a friday afternoon which is a pity.

Two big thumbs up for this place! Several restaurants have opened and closed at this location recently but I’m hoping this one finally sticks. My wife and I love their enchiladas. We’ve also tried their chicken flautas which rock! Their chips and salsa are delicious as well. I have yet to try their carnitas but that’s next on the list, either that or maybe the chilaquiles for breakfast. Very friendly and attentive owner and staff!

I am a big fan of this place! The owner is always there, and very nice about special orders. Service is fast, and friendly, and the food is great, not to mention pretty cheap. I love their grilled tacos, and even their chips are way above average. This is a relatively new place, I hope people give it a chance!

We’ve been a few times so far (and in fact we’re going there for breakfast after finishing this review). Their food is very flavorful and their portions are great. I love the fact that they use fresh ingredients. As opposed to Chuck, I thought that the carnitas were the perfect combination of crunchy and tender… and they had a lot of flavor (and I’m a carnitas snob). I would highly recommend their chilaquiles for breakfast! I’d also like to say that the owner is very nice, and personally came by to talk to me and my wife.

Too bad they closed, the owner was a nice lady.
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I’ve been several times and it’s a really good place. The mole poblano is excellent. Their chicken and fish tacos are well made and very tasty. My only complaint is that the carnitas are average at best. Not very flavorful or tender. Also the owner is a very nice woman able to accommodate special requests.
My GF is a big fan of their salsa, which is flavorful but not too spicy. And the chips, especially when warm, are quite nice.
They are now serving beer.