La Esmeralda

Hands down the best cheese steak fries I’ve had. Make sure to ask for everything on it when you order, like cilantro, onion, sour cream and avocado (extra $ 1 charge).
They have $ 1.50 tacos, cheapest in the bay area so far I think. Get their el pastor taco, meat is very tender and flavorful :)

Definitely good for food if you get hungry while doing laundry. Don’t be surprised by how good their cheeseburger and fries are. The Boss’s Style Cheeseburger has everything plus mustard and grilled onion. The regular fries are well seasoned. Get extra ketchup.

I sometimes come over here when I’m doing Laundry
When my clothes is drying or being wash I walk across the street to get me a burrito
This is the only place I would go to for Mexican food they’re tacos and burritos are very good.

Their nachos & steak fries are the bomb!

**** It’s in El Ranchito Market Parking Lot! 23^rd Ave & Foothill Blvd. ****
The food here is really good, not great. What gives this place 5 stars is variety and location. They are located in the parking lot of one of the best Mexican Markets in Oakland.
They set themselves apart by offering, along with the usual, tacos, burritos, super burritos and quesadillas; but also, nachos, sopes, enchiladas, hamburgers and fries, chilly cheese steak sandwiches, fried and grilled chicken combo plates with refried beans and salad. It is rare indeed to find a taco truck that has good super burritos, sopes, or hamburgers, but enchiladas, nachos, fried and grilled chicken and salad are almost unheard of. It’s like taking several fast food restaurants and cramming them all in one truck. Perfect for a group of hungry people who can’t decide on a common food type. This truck has something for everyone, quick service and reasonable prices.
Another 5 star feature of this venue is convenience. El Ranchito Market is renowned for two attractions, very reasonable, local grown produce, and a phenomenal meat department. The meat department has the best Arrachera Steak and Queso Fresco cheese around this side of the border. (Arrachera – thinly sliced– makes exquisite Barbeque Meat for tacos; and Queso Fresco cheese – cube sliced – makes an incredible appetizer to go with beer.) You can park your car in the lot, order a quick meal from the truck, take care of your weekly shopping, and pick up your meal on the way back to your vehicle. Now that’s multitasking!
This venue also features beautiful murals on the store wall, a community bulletin board on one side, a brand new laundromat across the street, and a huge bus stop area on the other side of the street – recently renovated by the City with ample clean and comfortable seating around cement planter circles.
The area is well lit and relatively safe – as long as you don’t wander off on foot in any of the four possible directions except up Foothill along the side of the bus stop and Garfield Elementary School and baseball field.
Although both the La Esmeralda taco truck and meat market are run by Mexicans, don’t be discouraged by the Arabs running El Ranchito Market. They’re a very friendly family who know how to do Mexican Groceries right. (Mexican Markets run by Arabs is common in Oakland. Go figure! Don’t laugh! We are also proud to have a Chinese Food Restaurant called «Comida China» that is run by Mexicans, and a Mexican Food Restaurant called «Las Palmas» that is run by Chinese! Ironically, they too are excellent venues that provide outstanding ethnic food; and, are some examples of what can happen as a result of diversity, tolerance and a desire to serve others. Only in Oakland!!)
Indeed, we are truly proud of our diverse Cultural Heritage and embrace it every way we can from all directions. Oakland is living proof that it is not only healthy to respect and learn other cultures, but also profitable and delicious.
If you crave the ultimate in ethnic variety, and need to do some grocery shopping and/​or laundry at the same time this is the venue for you.
Chow

**** It’s in El Ranchito Market Parking Lot! 23^rd Ave & 16^th St ****
The listing address is what’s on the side of the truck, but it’s mis-​leading and 11 blocks away from the actual location. I drove up 23^rd past 27^th St going home and didn’t see another truck. .. at least today.
The usual taco truck fare with $ 1.25 tacos. $ 2 sopes, $ 4 regular burritos, $ 9 (!!) super burritos (
(that better be a monster burrito)) as well as tortas, enchiladas (verde o roja), burgers, and «The Best Steak Cheese & Fries»
Grabbed 3 tacos. Al Pastor, Carnitas, and Lengua (tongue). The order comes with a baggie of radishes, and pickled jalepenos /​carrots (
) as well as cilantro, even though it was ordered without (
)
The tortillas needed some more time on the grill. Except for the pastor taco, they were having issues handling the moisture of the meats and salsa.
Carnitas: Pale white and looked like shredded chicken. Super bland, even with the salsa — 2.5 stars
Lengua: Not bad. Much better than the carnitas — 3.5 stars
Pastor: hard, overcooked bits of meat. Not getting the demand so sitting around too long? — 1 star
From the other reviews, higher volume meats like Carne Asada are the way to go here.

My friends Esther R. and Joey L. took me here to grab a quick dinner instead of Sinaloa, where the rest of our group went. Sinaloa has many more reviews, so it was nice to check out the underdog and give it a chance. Since I have not yet been to Sinaloa, I don’t have a comparison for you, but La Esmeralda was great, and I’m surprised more people don’t know about it! Sinaloa is on a busier street corner though, so that might explain some of it.
You can phone in your orders, which is what we did, so we didn’t have to wait very long once we got there. I came out with 3 deliiiiiish carne asada tacos and on a whim, decided to get the $ 1 horchata. $ 4.75 for everything, a pretty good deal! Granted, you can get 3 tacos for $ 1 in Tijuana… but that’s TJ.
The horchata was really good as well. Since I’ll probably be hitting up Alameda more often, and this is on the way, I’ll be back again! I’ll try Sinaloa too so I can make a comparison. =) Thanks Esther & Joey for taking me here!

I was curious to see if this taco truck had a Unilocal profile, and it does! But I was sad to see how that they’re aren’t more reviews…
I really like this Taco Truck! The first time I came here, I saw on their menu «Best steak cheese fries» so I thought — «well, I guess I have to try the best steak cheese fries then!»
And I’ve been hooked ever since :)
The food is really good here — I’ve also gotten carne asada and chicken tacos here too, but the steak cheese fries are my favorite. The service is quick and the people are friendly. You can even call in your order and they’ll have it ready for you in less than 10 minutes. Prices are good. Ambiance isn’t really a factor… it’s a taco truck, so you just order and take your food wherever you need to go. But if that’s what you’re looking for — good Mexican food for low prices in a quick manner to take with you wherever you need to go, then this is definitely the taco truck to visit. Check it out sometime!

this taco truck is parked in the parking lot of el ranchito, a mexican grocery. the 2^nd address is the one listed on the taco truck. 2 guys working this truck. not busy when i went.
sampling:
–al pastor burrito (4)s: regular, meat doesn’t taste marinated, a little gristled. burrito medium sized, didn’t seem totally fresh.
–horchata (1):seem too cheap to be true, passed.
frijoles refritos:
–parking lot difficult to park in
–other parking difficult.
–fast, friendly service