Deke H.
Yelp
If you're up for a drive, do what the old Latina ladies in the East Bay do--head over to Tortilleria El Molino in Concord and pick up some carnitas, chicharrones, flour and corn tortillas, and chips. They've got some of the best carnitas around, at about $11 per pound. The meat is fall-off-the-bone juicy.
It's also a full-blown tortilla factory, making fresh corn and flour tortillas, plus their own thick-cut chips--almost like pita chips. Next-level stuff. The tortillas are so fresh they are often still warm when you buy them. And you can grab a large party size bag of freshly made chips for about $8.
Their chips, tortillas, carnitas, and bionicos are easily some of the best in the area. Burritos are very affordable, under $10 and come packed with guac, sour cream, onions, cilantro, and salsa--basically what most places would call a super burrito. If you're ordering tacos, go with the flour tortillas. You'll get noticeably bigger portions.
The chicharrones are warm, meaty, and packed with flavor. Everything else is solid, though their al pastor is the weakest of the bunch.
I haven't found anything quite like this on the Peninsula.
Pro tip: Grab a couple pounds of carnitas for your next party. Mince up some chicharrones and set up a taco bar: lay out pico de gallo, salsa verde along with El Molino's tortillas and chips, chopped cilantro, diced white onion, and lime wedges. Use a 3:1 ratio of carnitas to chicharrones, mixed just before serving. That little bit of crunch takes it over the top. Absolutely to die for. Take the San Mateo bridge, on the way, swing by the Hayward La Victoria's for a few bottles of their incredible orange sauce. It's all worth the drive.