El Gusano

Carnitas tostada and the chicken veggie tacos were all amazing!
I had this delivered for a large group at work and they were exactly on time and everything was delicious.
¹⁰⁄₁₀ would recommend!

I had the carne with rice and beans. They gave me a lot of meat but it was chopped in to real tiny pieces. I also tried one of their tamales and that was awesome! Over all it was great tasting and I would come back next time I am in the area.

I went here because everyone at my new job kept raving about this place. It was okay. I got a burrito which was about normal size from other Mexican places I’ve been too. It had an odd sweet taste and I thought it was weird that there was lettuce in there that would normally be used for a salad. Actually thought it was weird that it was in there in general. There are probably better places around. The chips are fine but you can see how the bottom of the bag is soaked with grease. Won’t be back.

I’m not often in Oakland these days but when I am I make a point of stopping by this great Mexican spot. 2 Super Tacos, one chile verde (tender and spicy), one al pastor (super flavorful!) and a pina aqua fresca. Tacos were delicious, chips extra thin and crispy (more orange salsa please!) and pineapple agua fresca is one of the best I’ve ever had. This place never disappoints.

No more dinner? Lunch hours during the week only? Well boo. Guess I have to go to Tropisueño in the city then.

I have been a fan of this place since I started working in downtown Oakland. It is close to where I work, the food is decent, the chips are great, and the service has been friendly. However, yesterday after I got extreme food poisoning from the lunch I got here, I am no longer a fan. I got a chicken quesadilla, with extra sour cream and guacamole. (note: they charged me $ 3 for a small container of guacamole and instead of sour cream on the side like I asked, they put it on top of my food.) Wow! That is a lot to charge when I asked for it on the side, and didn’t really get what I asked for. At any rate, by the time I got home, I was vomiting and had horrible stomach cramps. I was sick all night. Needless to say, I do not plan on eating here anymore. Please make sure your food is fresh! And that your employees are practicing safe food handling!
On another note, after telling a co-​worker, he told me his story about this place: went in for a late lunch to go… while back at work, eating his burrito, he found a toenail in it. Yes, you heard me right. Wow. This place needs to be shut down! NEVER going back!!!

A decent place for Mexican-​inspired food on the western edge of Old Oakland and downtown. When combined with their sauces, the huaraches had a serious kick to them. Besides the kick, however, there wasn’t much else memorable about the food. Drinks like the mango and sandia (watermelon) margaritas were satisfying though. Perfectly OK overall.

El Gusano was recently closed for approximately 20 days because it did not pass a health inspection. Curious as to why a new restaurant wouldn’t pass a health inspection, I researched the report at
The results were disturbing to say the least.
Apparently the facility was NOT, «kept free of vermin including rodents (rat, mice), cockroaches, flies.» That was one of the MANY violations that El Gusano’s health inspection uncovered.
Despite the fact that the restaurant has apparently re-​opened and has since cleaned up, I will not be returning due to these disturbing discoveries. I suggest going elsewhere for Mexican food in Oakland like Cosecha or the many other selections Oakland has to offer.
Check the report out for yourself at
and then selecting the city (i.e., Oakland) and then the restaurant name (i.e., El Gusano).

I usually like this place. The orange sauce alone is worth coming, there’s just one problem, it was closed today! Then I found out why…
(type in «el gusano»)…seriously, do it
«Each food facility shall be kept free of vermin: rodents (rats, mice), cockroaches, flies…»
«No employees shall eat, drink, or smoke in any work area.»
Well, that’ll do it I guess.
I thought it was weird that I needed to be within a reasonable walking distance of a toilet for the next 12 hours last time I got a burrito here! I’m telling you though, the orange sauce is still the bomb and maybe even worth having a cockroach in your taco. Personally, for now on I’ll still be picking up a couple containers of orange sauce here, and just getting my actual food somewhere else.

Omg this place is amazing! Just started working around the block and was lucky to find this spot. The burritos here are so good I’ve been coming every day this week. I jVe a feeling this place just found a new regular.
The salsa is my favorite thing. Especially the green salsa so Amazing I pouring it all my burrito. The burrito is fresh and juicy. Chips are free of you seat and eat at table. The staff is very friendly and move quickly. At noon it’s packed I wait about 5 min and by the time I pay, get my salsa and water my food is ready. They move so quickly I’m always shocked ! Usually I waste half my time waiting in long lines and then wait for my food. Not here. The way they have it structured everyone moves even with huge line out the door they will get you in and out.
Price is great too. For food This good I would normally be charged $ 12 here super burrito free chips and salsa $ 10.25 that’s good considering it’s located next to all high end expensive restaurants. They could easily charge more and people would pay. Luckily they have kept prices normal. So shoot I found Thai place.

So I had to knock down El Gusano a star because now they are only opened for lunch M-​F. They are no longer open for happy hour, which is a bummer because I like their margaritas and I can’t necessarily have a drink during lunch time. I hope they change their hours soon.

Delivery came timely as promised, the food was inconsistent, but there were some bright points in the meal, if you’re vegetarian.
The meat is pretty bad here. I would skip.
Good:
–chips, nice and thin, but they forgot the salsa
–tofu and potatoes entrée, nice heat, not sure how authentic, but I really enjoyed
–veggie enchilada, perfect
–gringo taco salad, the taco was delicious, so flaky! The cucumbers, cheese, pico de gallo and beans were light and refreshing
–loved all the black beans throughout, not sure if there is lard mixed in, there was a fatty film that could have come from the cotija
Ok:
–Ceviche tostada
Bordering on bad:
–tacos, just don’t do them here, the tortillas are hard and dry, meat seasoning off
Misses, these all landed in my trash:
–pork tamale, so dry and couldn’t find the piggy
–vegetarian pambazo, no idea what on earth this is, but it should be banned from any menu, it’s a soggy mess, disgusting
–sopa de pollo, wow, tasted like canned soup and the shredded CANNED chicken
Not many choices for delivery Mexican food, so this isn’t horrible, but they have running deals on Travelzoo, which should raise a red flag for all.

Best Mexican food I’ve had since moving here.
Service was very nice. You order at the bar and take a number to your table. I don’t know if there was a sign stating that. I didn’t see one.
Restaurant was very clean! and quaint! And whatever music they were playing had me bouncing! I loved it.
Great chips and salsa. My tacos were kind of small… for the price… but. I would DEFINITELY go here again if I’m craving Mexican. It was so good I scarfed it down too fast and had nothing else to eat! I wonder if they have some kind of Taco Tuesday night.
Give it a shot. Best spot for parking I saw was near the park on the next block.

I think a fresh salsa bar at any Mexican establishment automatically gives the restaurant 3 stars. The other star definitely goes to the quality of ingredients and food. I work 3 steps away from La Salsa and 1 block away and I will be coming the Gusano’s more often!
I love their salsa bar, especially the deep orange one that is super spicy. I usually get the tacos or quesadilla with little to no cheese… My friends think I’m a little weird. but i like don’t love cheese that much so I’ll only get really little to glue the tortilla to the meat. Their guac is pretty delicious as well! The lines do get a little long during the lunch hour, so I recommend coming at 11:00am when they are open, or a little after the 1200-​130 block.
I hear great things about the burrito, maybe I can it next time without the rice and beans. Prices are quite average $ 8 – 11. Their drinks are really good. I love the aqua de sandilla. SO GUD!

To preface this review, I am generally not a big fan of Mexican food — mostly because I don’t like cheese, beans and tortillas, which comprises of 90% of Mexican food. Which was why El Gusano was such a pleasant surprise.
I ordered
1. Salad + (Add on: Shrimp and avocado)
I absolutely loved my salad. The shrimp was succulent and flavored to perfection. All the vegetables were crisp and fresh, and they were so good I didn’t even need to pour on any of the dressing which is a first! Also, the portions were incredibly generous, and I got to keep half of my salad for dinner, by whichtime it tasted even more amazing. LOVED this, would definitely get it again.
2. Baja Fish Taco
I really enjoyed the taco — the fish was tender and piled high with sour cream and guacamole. It was such a tasty little dish, and the toppings were so generous I couldn’t even wrap the taco around it properly. I would say I wasn’t a fan of the tortilla though which had a strong taste that masked the taste of the fish.
3. Ceviche Tostada
Not my favorite dish — the avocados were fantastic but the ceviche was a little too sour for me, it tasted like pure lime juice. I’m sure some would enjoy that, but I was hoping for a deeper flavor and to be able to taste the fish more. Would probably not get this again.
4. CHIPS AND SALSA
The meal came with a generous portion of chips and 3 kinds of salsa. They were all amazing but I especially loved the creamy spicy salsa. UNF I brought the entire container home and polished it off.
All in all, thank you El Gusana for teaching me to love Mexican food. It was amazing and I would not hesitate to come back again!

I like Tropisueno in San Francisco so was interested to hear they were opening a spot in Oakland. Took awhile for me to try it out and was a little disappointed.
I got three tacos with Carne Asada, Al Pastor, and Carnitas with no cilantro (
). Chips are complimentary if you eat there and they have a good salsa bar to use on both the chips and your other food.
— Asada — Big chunks of meat (
). A little overcooked and dry. 3.5 stars
— Al pastor — I don’t think it’s spit roasted here? Lot’s of grilled pineapple (
). Strong grilled flavor on the meat, but didn’t taste like there was much, if any marinade. 3 stars
— Carnitas — Juicy, but really, really clovey (
). I couldn’t finish it. 1 star

Thanks to an acquaintance’s recommendation, I have now gotten a couple of my coworkers obsessed with this place for lunch. I like to believe in «Taco Tuesdays» as an excuse to get well, tacos, but I believe that any day is worthy of these tacos… which seems to have become the case.
Because I have no self-​control when it comes to amazing food options on a menu, I typically get all three taco options for a late lunch and end up not eating dinner. That ends up about $ 12 — not bad at all as each taco is really generous with the meat and fresh toppings, and you get a bag full of chips and a full salsa bar with every type of dip you could want.
You choose your meat — my favorites are their pork and chicken. The pork is so juicy, tender, and marinated. The chicken isn’t dry and is also very tasty. Coworker had gotten steak once though, and it was good quality meat but dry she said, so she has since gotten pork and chicken. Their fish tacos (battered fish) are also tasty! Nicely crisp on the outside and flaky and juicy on the inside. Lots of colorful vegetables as well that really complement all the flavors.
The chips are very, very greasy (your bag will be drenched in oil and especially the next day), but delicious and addicting…
The workers might seem a bit reserved, but are really organized and thoughtful. They really listen to your order to make sure they got it right, and organize the bags really neatly so that’s appreciated!

Today, I ordered 3-​item plate (chicken & beef enchilada and Chile Verde taco) and Chile Verde entrée via OrderAhead app on my android phone at 3:55pm. The confirmation said it will be ready at 4:18pm. Street parking only. Paid parking at the meter until 4:27pm. That should give me plenty of time. I arrived at the restaurant at 4:06pm. Ok, so I’m early. I waited in the waiting area at the front entrance.
4:18pm comes and went to the cashier. She saw me. But counted cash in front of me and then either made a call or picked up a call in front of me. Hello!!! At least acknowledge me! I was the only person in line… standing in front of her and looking at her. She finished talking on the phone without looking at me. Still counting the cash. I spoke up and told her if I can «check if my order was ready. If not, I need to feed my meter.» She said hold on. And looked at the second person in line and helped them as they pay for their bill. ERRR! Frustrated. Really? I was first in line and told me to hold?! All they have to do is check and say if it was ready or not. BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE. She said something in Spanish to one of the male chef. He then looked at a monitor and said my name aloud. I raised my hand thinking it was ready.
NOPE! They just finally noticed my order. It was on their screen the whole time. It wasn’t even ready nor prepared. Wow. Really? After all this time, they didn’t even care to look if there were orders waiting. Very UNORGANIZED. I asked again… will it be ready in 4 minutes because that’s all I had left on my parking meter. They said, yes. They had ran out of beef for my beef enchilada. Again, Really? You ran out of beef around 4pm??? Smh. She asked if I wanted another chicken enchilada. I chose pork instead. I saw them rushing my order. It was ready right at 4:28pm. One minute after my parking meter expires.
I ran to my parked car… a block away. Whew. No parking ticket. Just to be sure my orders were correct, i opened my take out containers and noticed the Chile Verde did not have any green salsa. Just pork. It tasted dry. Ugh! I put more money in the meter again and ran back to the restaurant. Told the same lady cashier, there is no green chile salsa. I showed her my food and a picture on Unilocal of how it should look like. She said, you want more salsa. Smh. There was barely any green Chile salsa at all. How can you say I want more?! Not only that… on OrderAhead app, the order details said it should come with warm tortillas. There were no tortillas anywhere. However, they did give me a bag of chips. Those chips alone, were very good.
Went home and ate. It definitely tasted better with the green Chile salsa. No guacamole per order details. Just a slice of avocado. The enchiladas did not have any red sauce at all. Like the pictures. Just some cheese sprinkled over it and a dash of red sauce. The only food that tasted good is the chips alone. It shouldn’t be like that. This was my first time here and was a bad experience. I wished I could’ve came when this place first opened. Based on the newer reviews, this place is now converted to a taquiera. No wonder the food looks different from the food pictures on Unilocal.At these prices for a taquiera, it’s pricey. I wouldn’t come back again. Service was rude and bad.

You know you’ve walked into a legit Mexican joint when there are kids’ drawings of human skulls with colorful flowers drawn in. Honestly, I’ve had some good burritos since I’ve been here… Korean burritos… Mexican burritos… Punjabi burritos… more Mexican burritos.
And then there was this burrito. It was awesome. The right amount of meat and beans. The wrap itself was fried or something. It was it was. It was wow.
The chips were thin enough and crispy enough to remind me that they were fresh.
To think that we just found this place on Unilocal,randomly, is great.
Overall, on a scale of Atheism and Westboro Baptist Church, this place is
God Damn.

It was group lunch day for the seven of us and I got to choose the restaurant. Since I haven’t been there, I decided on El Gusano. During lunch, El Gusano operates tacqueria style during lunch and then offers full service for dinner.
Upon entering, pick up a menu and check their extensive offerings before heading up to the counter to place your order. Remember to Check-​in on Unilocal for a free taco, a $ 2.55 value.
After placing your order, you’re given a number for the delivery of your order. Upon paying, you’re given a basket of chips and there is a salsa bar with about six types of salsa. Grab a seat and wait for your food to be brought out. Luckily, we were able to secure a table for large group.
My order:
Regular barbacoa burrito, which comes with choice of beans, and cheese. You can make it super for an extra $ 1.50, which adds sour cream and guacamole. The burrito was fairly large for a regular and it was delicious. I love barbacoa and this was so tasty. They put a large amount of meat into the burrito. (
)
Selected a beef taco for my check-​in bonus. It consisted of steak, onion, cilantro and salsa. Tacos are not my favorite, but this was pretty good. (
)
Overall, it was great to finally check out El Gusano. Will definitely be back.

El otro dia estaba caminando por este restaurante y me llamo la atencion. La comida esta muy rica, los tacos y el puerco esta sabrosoooo! Espero regresar pronto.
Buena suerte!