La Oaxaqueña

La Oaxaqueña Bakery & Restaurant

Home to gigantic burritos, tamales the size of your face, and grasshopper tacos, La Oaxaqueña brings unique cooking to the Mission district. Right off of 17th street, this hole-in-the-wall serves up legit Mexican cooking you’ve got to try while roaming these streets. Whether you’re looking for a cheap lunch spot or late-night nibbles, La Oaxaqueña has something for everyone. This is the place I go to when I want something besides my cravings for quick burritos. Their large menu lets me enjoy dishes I can’t find at trucks or Chipotle. I come here for hearty Mexican flavors.

I’m a huge fan of their taco selection. They serve up the traditional stuff like chorizo, pastor, and carne asada. And for the brave-hearted they’ve got quite a few meats that could make you cringe. Stuff like ostrich, grasshopper, cabeza(beef head), and even tarantula. Yes, tarantula. It’s seasonal of course. I’m in love with their lengua tacos, or tongue tacos. It’s always cooked perfectly making it soft, a little fatty, and full flavor. Another great thing is that all the tacos are served with a few grilled onions and jalapeños on the side. This is perfect for those who can’t handle the heat and for those of us that love that kick. The tamales are also a must-try! I got the chicken tamales with Oaxacan mole. This stuff is seriously amazing. It’s huge as well. Definitely too much for less than three bucks! Another dish I recommend trying is the Huaraches. It’s large, fried masa dough topped with beans, shredded lettuce, your choise of meat, finished with queso cheese. The order comes with two huaraches which is definitely more than enough. My boyfriend got this and I was constantly sneaking bites off his plate.

La Oaxaqueña is that place for ultimate Mexican flavors in it’s scruffy neck of the woods. They’ve got lunch plates starting at $4.95 and serve bacon-wrapped hot dogs they grill outside until 2am (which become your best friend after a rough night). If you aren’t looking for a whole hearty meal, grab a traditional pastry because they have a bakery as well! And if you do, be sure to accompany your sweets with their house hot chocolate made with chocolate imported from Oaxaca. It is a must!