Golondrinas Mexican Grill — Restaurant in Oakland

I ordered the Chile relleno plate (refried beans + flour tortillas), 1 of each the pupusas they offer (beans & cheese & pork and cheese), and 1 grilled fish taco.. 3x cans of Squirt soda.

First off.. all of the above cost about $48... and i ordered it for just me. I thought man, I know im going to need a take home box for sure!...

Ill tell you what, these portions are absolutely child sized! How to i eat nearly $50 of whats supposed to be considered relatively cheap foods and feel like I haven't had hardly a thing?

I actually had to return the "grilled fish" taco because there was like 2 flakes of fish swimming in a sea of grilled garbage... its a FISH taco!?? I was very upset. The waitress initially took it back bc the she looked as though she agreed with me she didnt even call it the right thing setting it down she was looking at it she paused she said... "shrimp taco?".. lol thats your sign when the waitress cant even see what protein is in it... but after she took it back to the cook, she returned saying there is pieces of fish in there that supposedly amounts to 3 oz of fish she said the other junk in it make it like a fajita... i dont recall ordering a fish fajita taco, i wanted just a simple grilled fish taco... I said NO way dude.. not for the price you make us pay there isn't 3 oz of fish in there.. im thinking the contents of EVERYTHING including the fajita fillings may have been a generous 3 oz. But ZERO way there was any more than 1 oz of actual fish. I demanded a refund.. and I dont usually ever want to be that person, but considering how the rest of the stuff I ordered and how I felt like I barely ate anything, I dont want their fake flake of a fish taco anyway. I've worked in the food industry for 16+ years, there was no way there was 3 oz of fish on that taco... I wish I snapped a picture before she took it away, but I really (thought) they were going to agree that there wasnt much fish on it and just add a little more or re make it. Im genuinely not trying to get one over... i feel like i was being gaslit seriously, and they were so stubborn about it they rather refund than comprehend this.

Now the only good things I have to say is, the flavor for the Chile relleno was great, & if you're going to order this i highly reccomend getting it as a la carte, because tacking on an extra $7+ to the dish for 2 tablespoons each of rice & beans its crazy work. I would have been far more content paying for 2 a la carte Chile rellenos .

The papusas i could.have left off entirely.. entirely unimpressed with both the 2 kinds they had, in fact couldn't tell them apart with the lack of filling in them too.

Its also wild that for the outrageously small portion sizes of this place, they dont offer free chips and salsa & salsa bar that most Mexican restaurants do.. that's a special note to the owner, because the lack of portions you give in your actual plate meals, can be compensated for with chips and salsa.. we can MAKE ourselves satisfied.. just an easy win for you to add that here.

So in short.. I will def not be returning. WAY too expensive and im leaving still hungry.

I can pay less & get an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet, or all-you-can-eat steak & seafood Korean BBQ just...

A fellow yelper suggested I dine here since there weren't too many reviews by an All Star Elite 25 yelper.

Golondrinas is in the Laurel district of Oakland. The restaurant is one of casual and comfy. There is indoor and outdoor dining available to its customers.

My sister and I decided to have lunch here. It was a challenge to get to the restaurant using public transportation. Buses were running on holiday schedule since it was Juneteenth.

Eats: I had the huevos rancheros with whole pinto beans and potatoes with warm flour tortillas. Absolutely delicious. Beverage choices were horchata, sandia, sangria and Jamaica. Jamaica is my drink at most Mexican restaurants. I had some Jamaica that had an artificial taste. Golondrinas' Jamaica was flavorful and refreshing. My sister had the chicken enchiladas. She said it was okay.

Future visit? Yes or si for the pozole and...

Golondrinas has quickly become our go-to neighborhood spot in the Laurel. It's consistently good, like, reliably delicious, with fresh, flavorful food every time. The chilequiles are my absolute favorite for breakfast, and I keep coming back for the taquitos at lunch.

The kitchen is consistently serving up authentic Mexican dishes with care, and it shows. The space is clean, welcoming, and has an outdoor seating area that makes it easy to settle in and enjoy your meal.

The service is always friendly, and it's such a bonus that it's just a short walk from home. Between the quality, vibe, and location, Golondrinas has officially earned a spot as our new...