This restaurant has gotten full of itself. We stopped in right after the AVHS Parent night this past week and waited from about 8:50 until 9:00 p.m. by the front door and reception desk. At 9:00 pm on the dot(according both to my watch AND the t.v. monitor on the wall right in front of both of us), the hostess came over to tell us that they close at 9:00 and we weren't welcome. When we got in our car to go elsewhere to eat it was still just turning 9:01.

"Best of" tacos maybe, but not customer service or hospitality - not when the hostess cares more about getting the kitchen staff clocked out then serving someone a bowl of soup and a burrito after a school event.

We'll be sure to keep that in mind for all of the upcoming school and sports events where we used to bring large parties.

Thats too bad to hear. It's easy to hate on Alberto's, but maybe they will change a few things up??? I really think they can do a lot better, but are probably surviving on the fact that they are the main Mexican restaurant on Main St and most Pleasantonians dont know what Mexican food is or tried the other places and found it too authentic and wanted bad food & bad service like living with your Aunt who really doesnt want you there! Just a thought. There is one good thing about it-its located next to Mahalo, which rocks!

Thats too bad to hear. It's easy to hate on Alberto's, but maybe they will change a few things up??? I really think they can do a lot better, but are probably surviving on the fact that they are the main Mexican restaurant on Main St and most Pleasantonians dont know what Mexican food is or tried the other places and found it too authentic and wanted bad food & bad service like living with your Aunt who really doesnt want you there! Just a thought. There is one good thing about it-its located next to Mahalo, which rocks!

Disappointed by Albertos Service,

You probably would have been better off picking up tacos from Taco Bell.

Seriously, this is barely Mexican food. Pretty terrible.

Alberto's is a sorry excuse for Mexican food. It's too bad the rents are too high in Downtown Pleasanton for actual authentic Mexican food to exist here. Add bad service to the experience and it's a wonder why they are voted the "best". Who is voting?

yeah Alberto's isn't as good as people make it out to be anyways. There are many more better restraunts around. I'd even say Fernando's is better than Alberto's, much better service, and there chimichonga's are awesome. I'd even rather go to Fiesta Taco for some good burito's or probably really the best taco's in town, without the frustration of Alberto's

The bar rocks but the food blows!

Seriously don't know what you all are talking about ... Alberto's rocks... and seriously good margaritas... its El Blazo that's horrible or that whole in the wall near the fairgrounds. If you really want authentic mexican i suggest going to La Guadalajara in San Leandro... awesome food...

I went there once and will never go back, the food was so blah and the service lacking. It makes me wonder who is doing all the voting for this restaurant?!

The best Mexican in the Tri-Valley is Fiesta Taco. Hands down.

The food does NOT rock. We are talking about FOOD not about the drinks. Geesh! The food stinks! Put El Balazo and Mexico Lindo in there too; they all stink. But I digress, we are talking about Alberto's because it was voted Best Mexican food in Pleasanton. There are many places that have mucho mejor Mexican food (in San Leandro, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose) but lets remember that we are talking about Mexican food in PLEASANTON and a bunch of people voted for Alberto's. Next year, I can only encourage people to vote for their best and maybe, just maybe, the best will win.

Someone who knows Mexican food!,

So who do you think has the best Mexican food in Pleasanton?

I think Fiest Taco is the best place to get mexican food. I won't even step foot in Chevy's cuz that's not even mexican food to me. Alberto's isn't great and isn't horibble. It's just kinda of blah- I've never had burnt food or had it served cold. It just tastes like any other mexican restaurant that is blah. I do like Casa Orozco though. One thing about Alberto's that does suck is the service! It took 35 mins to get food, then an extra 20 for the people in my party that ordered dessert, then another 10 or 15 for the bill to get picked up and change returned. The bar does look nice, but the people get out of control there. I saw some lady with her blow up balloons from the guy that goes around- she had him make breasts and then she somehow stuck cherry tomatoes as nipples. That kind of bothered me, seeing that many families do go there anytime of the evening. I wonder if anybody that works there has read these posts'?

In my personal experience, Fiesta Taco has had the best Mexican restaurant service / quality / price for Pleasanton.

None of this matters anyways, it comes in a distant second to Casa Orozco in Dublin (and Livermore).

I guess I must be one of those stupid people that doesn't know Mexican food when I eat it. I have been to Alberto's more than 50 time over the 15 year we have lived in Pleasanton. I always thought the food was good. The service has always been good (but we do tend to get there early). On the other hand, I have eaten at the Casa Orozco in Livermore 3 times and haven't found a meal that I like there yet. We ate at the Fiesta Taco within the first month that they opened and thought it was horrible and have never returned.

So, there are many views. I know what I like and I thought it was Mexican food, but I guess I must be mistaken.

I cannot disagree more, Albertos atmosphere is good, but the food is not good at all!

For the supporters of Albertos I ask one question. Have you ever been to Mexico or Southern California and had 'Mexican' food? There is a difference between authentic Mexican and Albertos (Pleasanton Mecican). We live in California, it's not like Mexico is that far away! Someone please find a hole in the wall Mexican restaurant that has food which fits the type of restaurant. I feel like the comments are from Pleasantonian transplants from the East Coast or something, where Mexican food does not exist outside of Chevys' (good point Rob). Point- Alberto's is not good Mexican, plus service is sub par. And I agree with Rob again, no need for boob balloons! Go to Dave & Busters for that!

Yes, Ty-Town, I have spent several weeks in Mexico, including Mexico City, Taxco, Cuernavacas, Cancun, and the border towns next to Texas. I also lived a year in South America. I still like Albertos.

What makes you a Mexican food expert?

If you want to try good mexican, visit Los Vacaros in Livermore off Vasco and 580.
As for the "Best of Pleasanton" voting, It needs to go back to it's roots and stop the madness of having to vote for everything practically down to "the best lawn to let your dog relieve himself on".

Alberto's is a joke. First and foremost, the food is disappointing. Second, the service is terrible. And last, Pleasanton could and should find something better for that prime locale.

Well...hmmm...for burritos and tacos...I would choose Rancho Grande Taqueria on Hopyard or Fiesta Taco. I have not tried Emilio's so I cannot say good Mexican food does not exist here. I have to put them on my list to try. I am basing my critique of Alberto's on my experience at Alberto's. Alberto's food is blah. My family owns a Mexican restaurant outside of the Tri-Valley, we choose to eat at Casa Orozco (seriously,try the barbacoa) when Mom doesn't feel like cooking and driving to Oakland is out of the question. Oh ya, I also like the Camarones a la Diabla (way spicy and full of flavor)from Blue Agave.

alberto's...again? thats like having michael savage being voted the best talkshow host on all radio...according to KNEW radio.

Haven't visited all of the Mexican restaurants in the area as we've just moved here, but discovered a place in Livermore called Los Ancestros in Livermore that was quite good- and the service at the counter was excellent. Best enchiladas I've ever had so far...

fiesta is definately good. albertos blows big time. i recently went to anita's on 1st st, livermore. i have to say, " wow" i was really impressed. the chimichonga i ordered, was the best i have ever had. i couldn't even finish the thing too. it was definately an awsome dinning experience. if i were you i'd check it out

Albeto's food is pretty bad.

We had a seafood enchilada plate that was dreadful.
It smelled of week old fish....rotten fish that is.
Then, we had to wait an eternity for the waiter to bring our check so we get the
hell out of there.

Like zombies in a trance, we will all shuffle downtown to pay outrageous prices for sub-standard food. Then we will complain until we forget how bad it is then repeat the process. The downtown restuarants know this and they are thriving.