Belen's - Oakdale

This family-owned restaurant has several locations, and Javi's in Oakdale is our top choice for Mexican cuisine and drinks. The bar area is beautifully decorated in a sports bar style, featuring TVs in every direction and serving delicious micheladas, mules, and, of course, margaritas. I appreciate that they offer locally brewed beers from American companies. Some of our favorites include the fajitas (with a variety of options), street tacos, and steak Ala Mexicana. Service is consistently excellent, largely due to the management of a charming young man who comes from a family of restaurateurs. The dining area is adorned with aquariums and artwork, creating a vibrant atmosphere. The complimentary chips, salsa, cabbage, and bean dip are all quite tasty as well.

The portions are tiny and the prices are inflated! We ordered two cheese enchilada dinners along with chips and salsa to-go, and it ended up costing over $50. The food is just average at best. We haven't visited Javi's in about 8-10 years because we were unimpressed then, but we decided to give it another shot. We certainly won't be returning.

On our drive back to the Bay Area from Yosemite, we were on the hunt for a delicious breakfast burrito. We found fresh, homemade flour tortillas filled with chorizo cooked to order. My wife chose a ham and egg burrito. Each order comes with two burritos, which are slightly smaller than those at some other places. One order could have easily fed both of us, but I was glad to have two to myself because they were so tasty. The service was excellent, and the restaurant was very clean and welcoming.

We discovered this restaurant while returning from the national park, and we were pleasantly surprised. The sports bar atmosphere was fantastic, and the food was delicious! I absolutely loved their beef fajitas, and I was thrilled that the food was served piping hot! They also have amazing cocktails that are reasonably priced. The flavors are very authentic, and the service was exceptional!

The food was quite good, and I attended a company event there. They can definitely accommodate large groups, so you won't leave feeling hungry!