Celia's Mexican - Berkeley

Great! We've loved this place for years. Formerly Celia's, two brothers purchased the location when they were able. The cuisine and decor are the same, minus Celia's portrait. Great folks!

Berkeley has a strange dearth of Mexican restaurants when compared to the rest of the bay area. That's what makes El Talpense invaluable. They've got it all, and it's all good food. Street tacos . Super burritos . Free chips and salsa . Quesabirria tacos . Happy hour drink deals . Enchiladas, tamales, rellenos, etc. A great spot near campus. Also low-key a great spot to go and watch sports on their TVs.

We love El Talpense, formerly Celia's. Staff is hardworking and friendly. Food is delicious! Our faves include Chile Relleno, anything with chile verde, pollo asada, or carnitas. Great house margaritas and generous portions. Pricing seems quite faur. Good variety salsas and nice fresh chips. To-go option works well for us, but we enjoy eating there with friends as well.

This place is the best! I go here all the time, it is my go to Mexican spot. It is great comfort food, and all of their salsas are truly exceptional. My favorite is the enchilada with red sauce. Wonderful vegan and gluten free options as well!

**June 25, 2022:** I had the Surf & Turf Burrito today, served wet with salsa verde, and let me tell you, this burrito is massive! It was both delicious and filling—make sure not to munch on too many chips beforehand, or you might struggle to finish it! **June 11, 2022:** For lunch, I tried the Camarones A La Plancha, which included a generous amount of pan-fried shrimp served with rice, beans, salad, and shredded lettuce. It was delightful! **June 4, 2022:** We dined here for the first time for dinner, and I ordered the Chile Verde dinner. The pork was incredibly tender, and there was plenty of tasty food on my plate! **May 21, 2022:** The Albondigas Soup was really flavorful, featuring four delicious meatballs that hit the spot. **May 8, 2022:** On a cool spring day, the Birria was just what I needed! It was a substantial bowl of beef soup, packed with flavorful beef, and with the addition of their handmade tortillas, I had no room left for dessert! **April 24, 2022:** The Super Tacos are truly super, and they're even better on Sundays when they're made with fresh homemade tortillas—those tortillas are only made on Sundays! Just a note: this restaurant opened about 10-11 months ago, so any reviews older than that likely reflect the previous establishment. **April 3, 2022:** I tried the street tacos, which came with four different fillings, and they were very good! Next time, I plan to try the Super Tacos with their homemade tortillas. The owner mentioned that they could make the street tacos using their own tortillas as well. **March 20, 2022:** I had the chance to try the Carne En Su Jugo, a special dish from the owner’s home state of Jalisco. It was delicious—a beef stew combined with bacon, beans, diced onions, and avocado. They even showed me how they prepare the tortillas fresh to order in the kitchen. I took some pictures of the process today! **March 13, 2022:** I believe this place is a new business that opened in the location of another Mexican restaurant that closed during the pandemic. Therefore, older reviews shouldn't be applied to El Tapense. We enjoyed our visit so much last Sunday that we returned to explore more items on the menu! First, we tried the Vegan Sopa Azteca. Wow, this creamy and rich soup was more like a stew. Next, the Albondigas Soup was just perfect for a cool, cloudy day. I would order it again when I have the chance to try more menu options. Lastly, we revisited the Two Vegan Enchiladas, and we can’t wait to come back next Sunday to try something new—hopefully, we’ll get to enjoy some fresh house-made tortillas! **March 6, 2022:** This was our first visit to El Talpense. We arrived just as they opened on Sunday and were drawn in by a menu that spans 7-8 pages, including a dedicated section for vegan items along with all the classic offerings you’d hope to see at a Mexican restaurant. I ordered the Chorizo Con Huevo, an Al Pastor Taco, chips, and guacamole. We definitely need to come back next week to sample more items from that extensive menu. I also asked the owner if they'll be offering a vegan version of the Chorizo Con Huevo, and they are currently working on it to achieve results similar to what I had today!