NIDO Kitchen + Bar, a cute and vibrant restaurant near downtown Oakland, serves up Mexican classics with a Californian twist.

The menu has all sorts of Mexican favorites such as quesadillas, taquitos, and tamales, as well as dishes I’ve never had before. They have a great range of protein dishes (pork, beef, chicken, fish) and vegetarian options too.

Chips with Guacamole and Salsa (7/10).

We started off with the tortilla chips with guacamole and salsa which were pretty solid.

Tacos de Chilorio: Pulled Pork with Ancho Chile Sauce, Queso Cotija, and Arugula (8/10).

The pulled pork tacos were one of my favorite dishes of the meal. Super tasty tender pork dressed in a rich ancho chile sauce topped with peppery arugula, cilantro, cooling guacamole, and a splash of chile de arbol hot sauce.

Quesadilla de Bruselas y Acelgas: Corn Tortilla with Queso Fresco, Brussels Sprouts, Kale, and Fried Shallot (6.5/10).

The vegetable quesadilla needed a lot more flavor and seasoning to bring all the ingredients together.

Pollo a la Naranja con Mole Negro: Grilled Chicken with Butternut Squash Tamal, Fennel, and Oaxacan Black Mole Sauce (6.5-7/10).

While the grilled orange chicken was cooked nicely (tender and juicy), the mole negro lacked the rich deep flavor that a typical mole should have.

Tasajo Asado y Chorizo Oaxaqueño: Grilled Thinly Sliced Beef Steak with Oaxaca Style Chorizo, Fried Black Beans, Guacamole, Queso Fresco, and Chile Pasilla Salsa (6.5/10).

The beef steak was slightly overcooked, making it a little tough but I liked the chorizo and accompanying components.

Tamal Corunda de Pollo: Chicken Tamal with Poblano Pepper, Delicata Squash, and Crema Fresca (8/10).

Another favorite of mine was the chicken tamal with a delicious sweet yet spicy sauce and refreshing crema fresca.

Churros with Mexican Chocolate and Caramel Sauce (8/10).

Chocolate Mousse with Bourbon Whipped Cream and Cookies (7/10).

I really enjoyed both the desserts; the churros were yummy and even better with the two dipping sauces and the chocolate mousse was creamy and light.

NIDO Kitchen + Bar has potential to be a great restaurant. Many of the dishes we ordered were tasty but a few lacked necessary seasoning. However, NIDO Kitchen + Bar is worth trying for items you wouldn’t typically find at your local taco stand so my rating is a 7/10.