Talavera Cocina Mexicana — Restaurant in Berkeley

I really hate to leave bad reviews. Especially after only one visit. But, I hope that my criticisms can be used as an opportunity towards making improvements.

I ordered the simple burrito, vegan style, add sauteed peppers and onions, plus wet (covered in enchilada sauce).

For starters, when you pay with credit card, your only options are for how much of a percent to tip. They do have a little button for "other". But, you have to manually type in $0, and it's a bit uncomfortable when the cashier is right there in front of you. I think that instead they could have a "no tip" button option. Or even better, it should automatically assume no tip, and you should have to go out of your way to add a tip (especially, since this is for picking up your own order).

My personal opinion on the flavor was that it was poor. Out of 5 stars I give the refried beans 2 stars. The rice 2 stars, bcuz it seemed to be a bit undercooked (crunchy) and not fluffy or flavorful. Probably half of the sauteed onions and peppers seemed almost fully raw, and were just giant chunks thrown in that looked so unappealing and unprofessional.

I'm a burrito lover. I eat burritos multiple times per week from all over the bay area. When I find a place that makes really good burritos, I make that restaurant my regular "go to" in that area. The crazy thing is, that when the cook's or employees are being lazy and sloppy on just one order, that's all it takes to lose a potential lifelong customer with years of regular business. I understand that the cooks are making lots of orders, day in and out, but if you don't prepare every dish with a standard of integrity, you'll be communicating that as your business ethic to unsatisfied customers, (which can translate to the customer as: "we don't have standards", "you're unimportant to us" and, "we dont really care").

With this being said, I do want to make clear that this was my only time ordering from this restaurant. I chose this restaurant bcuz of it's stellar customer reviews. Maybe my experience was a rare doozy. But, unfortunately, for me it was unsatisfactory enough to not want to give them a second shot.

I do wish...

So, the burritos are actually really good. But the customer service is definitely off/odd. It's a bummer, too, as I'm sure everyone WANTS to like this place. They just need a manager that treats the place as a restaurant. Or, they can keep on doing what they're doing and get weird responses from customers. On two separate occasions, they just weren't ready to take our order. At the counter. Of a QSR (quick service restaurant). That's like regular restaurant stuff. When my wife asked if her meal came with avocado, they said no. And that it was $3 extra. I could bring in an avocado and feel better about that. $3 for an avocado side is absurd. They also have a sign up that prohibits people from using their water cups for salsas. Yet, they put no salsa cups out. They have around 7 people working in the back, yet it troubles them to have to have someone up front who knows a) how to work their POS system and b) how to provide customer service. It is truly baffling. Yet, their burritos are tasty. It cost $25 for lunch with no drinks, btw. That makes me sad. There's probably more to share, but I'm too exhausted from the experience. Which also makes me sad. I wanted this place to be a five-star experience, but they just don't have it in...

Taqueria Talavera serves great authentic Mexi(Cali) food, along with equally good Mexican food. Their burritos are delicious, especially their chicken which is fresh and seasoned perfectly. Their guacamole is chunky and zesty, everything guacamole should be (although it's been quite expensive recently, just as it has all across California due to the avocado shortage.) Their burritos are huge, which should at least provide a meal and a half for most people, if not two meals. Their chips are seasoned well although they tend to be oily, but they don't matter as much to my final decision. Talavera is decorated beautifully, with cool tiles, posters, and flags out front. Their menu is large yet easy to understand, and highly customizable. Pricing is decent. One burrito is $13 which is reasonable given the portion size. Their horchata is rich and flavorful, which I recommend trying if you don't mind spending an extra $5. The staff are chill and helpful, and their Covid protocols are excellent. Great experience every time...