Nido

They used to be the best Mexican food in Oakland when it comes to not-​taqueria class of restaurants. I love authentic Mexican food including taquerias of course, but Nido used to be the place to go for nice, a bit more costly Mexican food.
Things changed — the last time we went to Nido around winter of 2016, everything was off. Chips were stale, and we had to request fresh ones. Guacamole was very bland, and cebiche (ceviche) was completely off — really sour. And mole tasted burned. We asked the server and he said «the chef agreed» but the improved version of the dish still wasn’t good.
We decided not to come back here anymore.
This is only the rumor I heard, but the chef moved onto another place in Oakland, «Aztecali» here:
and guess what, we felt that the level of the food went significantly down at Nido. And guess what, Aztecali, although we went only once so far, was great. It’s too bad, Nido was the place to go when we feel like nice drinks with food in a nice atmosphere modern Mexican cuisine. Not anymore. It was for a very short time.

Brunch is great here. And reasonably priced. Dinner is also great but the portions are minuscule and cost way too much for what you get. Not dissing the quality, but on a scale from one to ridiculous, this is pretty ridiculously overpriced. One app and one main with 2 drinks cost 80 bucks after gratuity and the service was average. I’ve paid less at Chez Panisse.

A server and hostess were extremely rude. A group of my friends and I tried to grab some drinks and then the hostess shooed me away from the bar despite telling me that It was open seating just seconds after I was trying to take a look at the drink menu. Since it was pretty busy inside, we elected to sit outside but politely asked a server who was on her break at those tables if we could consolidate seats in order to seat our party together. She looked my girlfriend in the eye and said, «Can’t you see we’re hanging out?!» Then stormed off still mad and muttering upset comments as she made her way back inside. My friends and I were so disturbed by the service we just left without ordering anything. Unbelievable!

Awesome food and drinks!
My friend recommended this place and boy I’m glad visited! I was visiting from San Diego and my boyfriend and I happened to be in the neighborhood so we decided to have lunch there.
I ordered the ceviche and my BF the pozole both were amazingly flavorful! Drinks were on point and the service was excellent. Can’t wait to go back next time I’m in OAK.

DELICIOUS!!! Welcoming atmosphere with a charismatic view in every corner. The food was fantastic. It was light, yet you leave full. It was wonderfully placed on the plate and was filled with colors and flavor. I would recommend this place to anyone who is interested in an artistic view and delectable food.

I’ve been back a few times since my first review and my views have changed on this place. The brunch is great here. The chips they make are fantastic and are great in the Chilaquiles. I kind of tend to lean towards the Chilaquiles for brunch because why not? I have also had the Ollita de Pobre (Pot with Mexican rice, pinto beans, avocado, casera salsa & choice of meat or veggies), which was very satisfying. I came by for dinner last night and finally tried their cocktails. I had the Tres Rojas margarita (Mina Real Mezcal, blood orange liqueur,
pomegranate/​hibiscus/​tempranillo, lime, orange) and A La Luna (Don Amado Rustico Mezcal, Lillet Rouge, Amaro Montenegro).
Nido has been growing on me and I plan to come here more.

Decent but overpriced. Had the albondiga de res en caldillo de chile chipotle — I must admit the stew hit the spot, but I would have trouble justifying going back and paying $ 18 for another helping.
Plus points for listing out all the restaurant employees and listing them on the menu as priceless.

Hole in the wall Mexican restaurants are some of my favorite places to eat, but the upscale places intrigue me for the fact that they make their food from their own region which is pretty cool in their own right, but I don’t know if I can ever justify the price. At the small Nido, I enjoyed the food and the rustic feel, but considering what we ordered were small plates, they were more regular plate prices.
We met some friends here for dinner who had been wanting to come here since they had high reviews and were known for their in house corn tortillas. Their take on the Moscow Mule was very good, served in the copper mug, and the lime had some spice on it, so it added a kick. I would order this again for sure! We shared the guacamole and salsa with chips, which tasted good and had a nice presentation. My friend had the albondiga soup and it had a small corn tortilla rolled up on the side. He didn’t see the tortilla right away, but when he did, his face lit up and he almost didn’t want to share with his wife. His wife had the chicken mole which looked good and was a not a huge plate, but she was satisfied. I had the fish empanada which was a small plate but it was a really big dish. Crispy but flaky on the outside, lots of fish and goodies on the inside. My wife had the crispy pork belly tacos which were really tasty, slightly bigger than street taco size but simple. We also shared the chicken mole quesadilla which was good, but nothing really stood out to me.
My friends said their brunch is what they heard was the best, so I’m looking to coming back to Jack London square for those corn tortillas, Moscow Mules, and brunch.

Like many of us, I am a big fan of brunch. I tend to go towards the traditional southern style brunches (Brown Sugar Kitchen, Aunt Mary’s Café, etc.) and I decided to try Nido today to shake things up.
We got the huaraches and shrimp enchiladas. Both were delicious! I swapped the scrambled eggs for poached on my huaraches (because brunch is incomplete without a runny yolk, in my opinion) and I was bummed to see that the egg came out poached hard. I politely asked the server if I could have another one, and a perfectly poached egg was sent out to my table within two minutes. Impressive! Five stars for the food and five stars for the service.
I highly recommend this place for brunch if you’re looking for something different.

Unassuming Mexican restaurant with one foot in downtown Oakland, and the other in Jack London District.
Instead of hunkering down in a café or coffee shop, came here for an off-​site work meeting. Nido offers guests free wi-​fi. Love that.
We both ordered the Tostadas de Pollo en Tinga. Braised chicken on home made tortillas, fried black beans, cabbage, avocado, onion, cilantro, crema fresca, and queso cotija. Perfectly spicy, packed with flavor, with a side of your standard rice and beans.
Excellent dish– highly recommend.
Ordered a Tres Rojas margarita. Wasn’t in love with it. The smoky, bitter taste was probably too mature for me. Maybe it’s an acquired taste, but it ruined the sweetness I was hoping for from the blood orange liqueur + pomegranate.
Really impressed by the cocktail menu dedicated to Women’s History Month. Purchasing a drink (named after a female activist) from the specific part of the menu leads to $ 1 of the proceeds going to Mujeres Unidas Y Activas (MUA).
Sadly, I didn’t want any drinks from that menu, and asked if $ 1 could be taken from the two margaritas I had already ordered. The sweet, friendly waitress checked with her manager, but the answer was no. I couldn’t even donate an extra dollar or two from my bill to benefit the organization. That was pretty disappointing.
Service was friendly. Food came out quickly. Found street parking easily and enjoyed the convenience of wi-​fi availability. I would definitely return to check out Nido’s brunch and happy hour.

Most definitely a gem to dine at in Oakland. Nido has really solid selection all across the board and have a very unique menu. I always go for guac and chips here and their horchata is real yummy.
I recommend their tacos all across the board, may it be their chicken, carne asada, or carnitas, you have to try them all.
Really cool vibe and décor and the service is super friendly too.

I love this place. The décor is so unique and definitely my style. The food that I have ordered thus far has not disappointed. I got the tacos, enomatadas, and green chilaquiles with chicken. Their food portions are just right. I didn’t feel over stuffed after eating there like other places when you just over do it. Their drinks are also realllly good. This last time I got their agua fresca of the day which was mango kiwi. Refills are only $ 1 too. There’s one big screen TV on the back side of the bar that you’ll only have a view of if you’re sitting towards the back of the restaurant. All the staff were really cool & attentive. Definitely coming back again. Can’t wait!

Drink options here are great with a large variety of selections, particularly in tequila and mezcal. I was very fond of the drink menu and the sangrita verde that is served along side the tequila shots.
I came here on a Friday night with two of my cousins and we were greeted at the door and seated immediately. There is a hipster-​y, yet friendly vibe in the place. The décor and lighting are really nice.
The service here is awesome and they seem to be genuinely concerned with customer satisfaction.
While the drink menu and Service are great, overall I would have to say that the three-​star rating is due to the fact that the food is not great enough to justify the high prices. The portion sizes are also far too small. I was also disappointed that chips and salsa are not served along with the meal, given the fact that it is a Mexican restaurant after all.
I will likely return to the restaurant however that will probably be for drinks and appetizers, only.

Came here for brunch on a Saturday afternoon… and boy was I pleasantly surprised! I kept reading this place described as «hipster Mexican food» the only hipster thing about the food was the price. Cause the flavors are pretty close to what I eat at home (I’m the offspring of Mexican parents… the old school kind… the kind that didn’t have electricity until they came up North in the 70s) So of course I feel like I KNOW what Mexican food should taste like.
The bf & I shared 3 items:
Small bowl of Pozole $ 8– The taste was definitely there! I like the purple hominy touch. I haven’t had purple hominy in years. It had the perfect amount of spice and chile flavor. They don’t hold back on the chicken either… soooo tasty! I read a review complaining about there being a lack of beef in the pozole. I’ll tell you right now, proper pozole should be made with either Chicken or Pork. If you want beef in your soup go eat some stew.
Chilaquiles Verdes $ 14 — ok so these are made a bit differently than what i’m used to. However, they know what they are doing with the green sauce. Just the right mix of tangy and spicy.
Memela $ 16– Holy Sh*t. This is the stuff (my) dreams are made of. Delicious spicy chorizo and potato on thick homemade tortilla covered with cheese and cream. I love that this place doesn’t hold back on the heat, I was definitely taking big gulps of the Amazing Guava-​Pineapple agua fresca.
We then proceeded to take a café negro $ 5 (horchata with a shot of espresso) to go. It is probably my new favorite coffee drink. I will definitely stop here again and again just for that. For all my paisanos out there, this stuff tastes like café de olla… the stuff grandma used to make in those sweet clay pots.
The only reason I didn’t give 5 stars is the price. Really $ 16 for the memela seemed excessive. I guess I have to remember I’m in the bay area… but still ouch!
Anywho, we left this place with a full belly & a full heart (that sounds better in spanish).

An authentic eatery that showcases how much more there is to Mexican cuisine than the tacos and burritos most folks are used to. Items like the sopes and the tasajo asado, for example, were hearty and satisfying, without being overwhelming or gut-​busting.
The interior is cozy, with panels from metal shipping containers possibly paying homage to the nearby rail lines and Port of Oakland. There’s also a small bar area from where you can watch sports games. Service is also friendly and genuine, with Ayana being an example of a great server. Prices are actually quite reasonable, given the size and relative quality of the servings.
All in all, a neighborhood gem that’s now drawing visitors from all over thanks to Michael Bauer’s inclusion of Nido in his annual Bay Area Top 100 lists.

On the 2015 SF Gate 100 Best Restaurants List
3.5 stars for the food, but rounding down since the service definitely needs improvement. We came in right before noon on a Saturday, and stood there for a few minutes before finally being acknowledged. Once someone finally noticed we were there, we were sat right away, but it also took a while for our server to come back to take our order. We tried:
–Huarache de Carne Asada Con Chorizo (Saddle Shaped Corn Masa, Beef Steak, Chorizo, Black Bean, Scrambled Egg, Queso Fresco, Avocado-​Tomatillo Salsa, $ 16,
): Yum! This dish was really flavorful, and they give you a sizable portion. I loved how fluffy the scrambled eggs were– recommended!
–Tacos (Chili Pork & Chargrilled Chicken Tacos, Served w/​Mexican Rice & Pinto Beans, $ 12,
): Just ok– I’m not a big fan of corn tortillas, and think this dish would have been much better with they gave you an option for flour tortillas. I liked the pork more than the chicken since it was more flavorful, but both proteins were a little overcooked. The rice and beans were also good, but I don’t think I would order this dish again.
Although it took a while for someone to greet us and to take our order, the food came out very quickly. I wish I had come for dinner at Nido versus brunch since the menus are so different, but I’ll have to try to make it back to Oakland one of these nights. There isn’t much parking directly in front of the restaurant but plenty of street parking on nearby streets.

We stopped here to order food to go and were very pleased. We came during happy hour so the street tacos were discounted.
We ordered the following and were hungry for more!
Pescado taco — homemade corn tortilla, fresh herb marinated fish with guacamole and salsa and crunch strips of potato strings. This was my favorite. Perfectly flaky grilled fish balances well with the potato string crunch and the creaminess of the guacamole.
Barbacoa taco — braised pork in poblano sauce. Tasty and flavorful!
pork taco — stewed pork in ancho chile and chocolate sauce with Serrano chile and guacamole. Spicy and tasty!
Would go back again to try other items on the menu.
Not my favorite location near Jack London since parking is lacking.

Right off the freeway in Oakland, this cool little spot has some lovely, hipster succulent and wood filled designs serving up some homey Mexican food. I’m in love with the vibe, but the experience is just… okay.
I’ve been looking for some nice spots in the East Bay for local eateries and was drawn to Nido’s nice décor and positive reviews on their dishes. I came in on a late Friday night, with lots of crowds in at the bar and dining. The lady had put me on the wait list for about 15 minutes, which gave me ample time to scour the overwhelming menu of intricate eats – I wanted to choose the right thing!
I shared an order of the tortilla chips with salsa and guac, and also split the slow-​braised pork dish (ollita de pobre), served with rice, beans, pico de gallo and avocado. The dish itself was pretty simple and served in a cute little pot with two small tortillas, and it was mad filling! It was definitely lovely and comforting to eat and filled my appetite up… a little too much so even when sharing with my mom. But, the dish didn’t really win me over. It was yummy and delicious and cooked well, though not sure I could eat it often. Rice beans and meat is just heavy overall – thank goodness I split the $ 15 dish.
The ambiance is awesome. It’s a casual eatery. VERY dark and dimly lit at night. I feel like it’d be a great brunch spot. I also tried one of their cocktails since I’ve only heard great things, and settled on the Earl Grey-​tea infused gin (Moseley Tea Service), which was lovingly light and tasted hints of tea with pea flower, egg white and lemon (topped with some spice, definitely got a kick of the alchy halfway).
This place serves some awesome unique eats, but the service can be a little questionable – some workers seemed to try a little too hard to be polite, others seemed a little distracted. It’s a great place with some nice eats, but I feel like I’d always be taking a gamble with my visit.

Another winner in Oakland. Been passing by this neon green building for years as I get on 880S, finally made it in for brunch.
Love how they have fresh juices of the day. Saturday it was OJ. Also do veggie juices, mainly as cocktails. I prefer to drink after the sun goes down, so I asked for just a green juice, but due to the limited quantities that morning, they were unable to do so.
Call ahead if you want specifics on the menu. There was cammarone dish I had my eye on, but changed it up to a vermacelli dish. We ordered and it was good, very unique brunch dish, more like lunch/​dinner. Very nice touch how they offer complimentary handmade corn tortillas, each order contains two delicate gorgeous petite circles.
Check out the horchata and the high wire coffee. Both executed nicely.
My entomatada con heuvo estrellado was a good size dish of: refried black beans, two eggs over easy, corn tortillas filled with cotija and topped with a spicy tomato sauce. An improvement could have been some texture, fresh veggie/​herb and a tad less salt, as the cheese has enough sodium.
Knowledgeable staff, slightly aloof. Very good eats and gets busy around 11AM. No reservations.

A little piece of authentic Mexico in Oakland. Let’s start with the margaritas… One of the best that I have in the area. At the right amount of tequila, not to strong and not to sweet, just perfect.
I ordered two tacos, one pork and one beef. Both were delicious but my favorite was the beef one. The rice and beans were good too.
In general, it’s a great option for mexican food.

realmente excelente cosina regional. No abeto esos idiotas que piensan de cocina mexicana es nachos y margaritas. que no conservar nada de sabor el camino hay muchos lugares para complacer a la gente blanca. el seleciion de mezcal y tequila es fantasttico!
This is one of the best if not the best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area. It’s not cheap, there is lots of racist ideas that Mexican food is supposed to be cheap. if you want nachos and margaritas go elsewhere