Cafe La Taza

4.0 star rating
101 reviews Rating Details

Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches

4230 18th St
(between Collingwood St & Diamond St)
San Francisco, CA 94114
Neighborhood: Castro
(415) 525-4921
Price Range:
$
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Outdoor Seating:
No
Wi-Fi:
Free
Has TV:
No
Wheelchair Accessible:
No

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101 reviews in English

  • Review from Omnivore H.

    • 0 friends
    • 1 review

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    5/23/2012 1 photo

    AMAZING Latin-fusion dinner entrees!

    I've been to La Taza for dinner at least 6 times now, and continue to be surprised by the culinary feats that they consistently serve up. Cloth napkins, a pretty substantial wine list, nice atmosphere - I honestly don't know how they do it for the price. The PDF menus on their website reveal they are drawing on some hefty chef experience somewhere. And every dish has come to the table piping hot, a big plus in my book.

    The pork loin stuffed with mushrooms (Chanchito Relleno, $14) is juicy even without the wonderful reduction sauce on top. And the brilliant green spinach-mashed-potatoes that accompany it are not to be missed. (They needed a little salt, to compliment the flavors, but that's better than having too much.)

    Their slow-roasted half chicken (Pollo al Romero, $13) with rosemary and lemon on a bed of baby spinach is one of the best chicken dishes I've ever had.

    Tonight the rotisseried chicken (Pollo en Mole' $14) proved to be another great meal. Also a half chicken (not that shredded stuff at burrito shacks), the breast was tender and juicy. This has a truly deep-flavored dark mole sauce that must have taken some time to work up. The server says it has both roasted chilis and chocolate, but neither of them competes to stand out. The result is a slightly smoky rich sauce that is perfectly subtle, creamy not spicy, and not too sweet.

    Nice portions too. I often take some home, or leave La Taza completely stuffed, which is easy to do when the food is this good.

  • Review from Bartholomew F.

    • 0 friends
    • 10 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    5/18/2012

    Nice place. Tasty food, friendly staff, good prices.

    Recommended

  • Review from Matt Y.

    • 2 friends
    • 20 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    Updated - 4/19/2012

    Stopped by for lunch with a friend.

    We both had a wrap: his Southwestern steak wrap is huge that he had to take the other half to go. He said it was delicious and the steak tender. I have my usual balsamic veggi wrap with spinach tortilla. I find that their portion for this particular wrap has gone smaller. It's still a good healthy choice for lunch.

    Enjoy sitting at the sun room on the top floor.

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    1 Previous Review: Show all »

    • 3.0 star rating
      4/9/2012

      Always a good place to stop by for a quick meal. I usually have the ahi tuna wrap or the vegetarian… Read more »

  • Review from Mick A.

    • 88 friends
    • 116 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    5/11/2012

    Had a wonderful dinner here, and thanks to servers Gerardo and Dulce for helping the evening go smoothly. Delicious Ceviche starters, and both the Robledo Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. A delicious find in the Castro.

  • Review from Philip C.

    • 30 friends
    • 113 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    Updated - 4/9/2012 4 photos

    My husband and I went to Cafe La Taza for breakfast after Easter services as a treat.  It was great.
    We sat upstairs on the top floor  and were promptly greeted and served - decaf for me and hot chocolate for my husband.
    I ordered the chorizo scramble while my husband ordered an omlette with sausage and cheddar cheese.  Both were served within minutes.
    I found the scramble to be very tasty although I would have preferred it a little more spicy (hot).  My husband enjoyed his omelette and hot chocolate.
    We were very satisfied.

    Listed in: My Neighborhood

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    1 Previous Review: Show all »

    • 4.0 star rating
      4/18/2010

      My husband and I had our first meal here today after I had been by for beverages.  What a wonderful… Read more »

  • Review from Rachelle P.

    • 20 friends
    • 7 reviews

    Berkeley, CA

    5.0 star rating
    4/25/2012

    Just had a lovely and unexpected dinner here. Don't let the downstairs coffee shop vibe fool you, there's a great full-service Latin fusion restaurant hiding on the third floor! I had the vegetarian chile relleno- tender grilled vegetables, a touch of cheese, and flavorful, creamy fresh corn sauce, served with a side of traditional black bean puree. Delicious! The menu is thoughtful and creative, the food beautifully presented, and the prices reasonable. I can't wait to go back to try the Atun (ahi entree) and all of the ceviches. The service is friendly and attentive, and the salsa music complements the warm vibe. And how many restaurants in the city have a view along with windows that open to the fresh air?! Give it a try! You won't be disappointed.

  • Review from Ezequiel R.

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here

    Got a recommendation for this place from a friend so I decdied to check it out.
    OMG so good!

    There wasn't a line which made things nice. The ladies that were working were very friendly and patient (I could tell they were very busy). I ordered the breakfast burrito. It was sooo great! I sat right in front of the front window people watching. (If you've read my views before this is my favorite thing to do.) The atmosphere was nice and it was cool because there is 3 floors of sitting!

    The only issue I had was I waited a really long time for my burrito. It wasn't a big deal for me because I had no daily plans but I could tell how that could be annoying.

  • Review from EC N.

    • 0 friends
    • 42 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    3/18/2012

    If only been in for breakfast, and the service and food have been outstanding.  Good strong coffee to.  Planing on heading back for dinner soon.

  • Review from Noel C.

    • 5 friends
    • 6 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    1.0 star rating
    9/5/2011

    Castro - if you are going to open a restaurant in the Castro - please don't staff it with homophobic waiters.

    On a recent visit, the waiter leaned over me to speak to my table mate (which was rude to begin with but necessitated by the incredibly cramped quarters upstairs) He asked him "would you prefer green or black tea" and both of us started laughing. Now it would be very difficult to explain why that was funny to us as it goes back to another incident from our past as friends.

    While I understand that the waiter was probably confused by us laughing, his reaction was to turn to me and accuse of looking at his butt and having a lecherous laugh at his expense. I was pretty mortified as the people at the next table start looking over at me like I'm some sort of rapist.

    If you are so paranoid about being around gay people that  you are going to intrepret two people laughing as some kind of attempted rape, then really you do not belong as a waiter in the Castro.

    Tired of people coming into out neighborhood to make money off the gays and then treating us like garbage. Not cool, not ok.

    I still love La Taza in the Mission, but the one in the Castro is sub-standard and I won't be back.

  • Review from Gev M.

    San Francisco, CA

    3.0 star rating
    10/11/2011

    Recently brunched here with a group of friends, and although the food was tasty and the service good, it lacked that certain "umph" that makes brunch special - and my favorite meal!

    We did not have to wait too long (5-10 minutes) for a table for 4, and were seated on the 3rd floor, which is full service only.  The cafe offers diners the option to order, pay for, and pic up their food on the first floor, and take it to the first or second fllors (more communal and smaller in size).  

    I had the fruit and granola with yogurt which i must say was better than most places.  However, the portion was really tiny.  Brownie points for the papaya though - an unexcpected surpirse.  I also "sampled" (much to someone's dismay) the veggie breakfast burritto, which was good, but average (a la Grove).  The side potatoes were really delicious though, and they had the option of wheat, flour or spinach tortilla.  Iced latte was OK.  

    La Taza is not my first choice, but still a solid (and relatively inexpensive) place to have brunch in the Castro,

  • Review from Elaine W.

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    9/10/2011

    Mighty impressive first visit. I know only of the Cafe La Taza downtown where I've gone in for some breakfast pastries and coffee, but nothing else, and tonight I had dinner at this location. I have to say, one of the most delicious meals I've had in San Francisco and it was made even sweeter by the wonderful service - I don't ever remember having such pleasant waitstaff before...they treated us like family. A big thank you to Gerardo who checked on us often to refill our beverages and to make sure everything was going well - and also just to chat with us about some of the most popular dishes and the best times to come to the restaurant. Sunday brunch will be next on our list!

    Our meal consisted of fried calamari (really interesting crunchy batter - cornmeal? - with pieces of thin sliced lemon, jalapenos, and green beans intermixed with the calamari pieces), then a burger and sweet potato fries (oh my goodness, I'd order a basket of these alone on my next visit) served with two dipping sauces and I had the roast pork relleno - pork loin stuffed with mushrooms and cheese served over potatoes and steamed mixed veggies. Both dishes were hearty portions. We were so stuffed that we didn't have any room for dessert. We did have wine, and iced tea to drink and coffees to finish.

    With everything we ate - portion size and also that the iced tea and coffees had refills, I fully expected our bill to be around $70. But when we got the check, it was $49 and some change! It's so awesome to enjoy a meal so much and not get charged an arm and a leg for it too.

    Delicious meal + courteous and genuinely warm service + wonderful ambiance (I recommend climbing up to the third floor especially if on a dinner date...the lighting is softer and more romantic!)  = worthy of 10 stars and definite repeat visits!

  • Review from Rebekah T.

    San Francisco, CA

    3.0 star rating
    7/18/2011 2 photos 3 Check-ins Here

    Nice little cafe in the Castro. I've come here a few times before getting my hair done across the street. There isn't anything like a grumpy and hungry beks, so I do my best to make sure I'm fed before sitting in a chair for hours.

    I've had their lattes, sandwiches and soups. Always something simple and light, so they really never served me anything I didn't like. Good location and good food.

  • Review from Elli S.

    • 0 friends
    • 2 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    5/14/2012

    best impromptu breakfast sandwich ever!!! egg, sausage, avocado, and more. what else could you ask for. and the best service.

  • Review from Susan S.

    San Francisco, CA

    3.0 star rating
    7/22/2011

    I don't like to complain about service, I really don't. My one summer (before I quit) working at an ice cream shop showed me what a thankless job serving is. But in this case, the surliness of the woman working the cash register made Cafe La Taza a place I won't return to. Our orders came back to us with a number of small errors and partially incomplete. We also realized after leaving that we were overcharged. Given how annoyed the cashier seemed with having to take the order in the first place, I'm going to guess that's where the fault lay. The waitress was nice. The sandwiches were fine, I guess.

    On the plus side, the space is cute and there's free wireless.

  • Review from Simon L.

    • 9 friends
    • 10 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    2.0 star rating
    9/21/2011 1 Check-in Here

    I use to like this place.  In fact, I would go here once a week.  However, that all changed when I noticed mold on their baked goods on two, yes TWO separate visits.  

    The first visit, my boyfriend and I ordered two separate baked goods - the triple chocoloate cake (or something like that) and the baked bread pudding.  When one of the cashiers was slicing up a piece, she noticed that the bread pudding appeared to have some mold on it.  I thought to myself, "gross, but shit happens and things are left out a little longer than they should be".  Plus it was nice that she took the liberty of pointing it out and removing it from their selection.  However, upon closer inspection, even the chocolate cake was covered in mold.  It was disgusting.  They were nice enough to offer us an alternative and I can't remember exactly what it was.  It wasn't very good.  Anyway, this was strike one for me.  I've consistently gone here before and never really noticed mold in the past.  Perhaps it was there and I never noticed?  Who knows.  

    The second visit, we ordered the bread pudding again!  Of course, you would think I would learn from my first experience.  What can I say?  Old habits die hard.  I thought Cafe La Taza would learn as well!  Lo and behold, there was MOLD again!  This time I didn't notice it until I got home.  It was sooo disappointing and disgusting.  Strike two for me.

    Will I come back?  I don't know.  Maybe once my sweet tooth craving kicks in again, I just might pay them a visit.  If I see another mold covered baked good, that's going to be the last, for sure.

  • Review from Carlos P.

    • 15 friends
    • 13 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    2/11/2012

    This place is a nice alternative in the Castro neighborhood.  It's clean and their salads are fresh.  I had the fried calamari and I liked that is had some other stuff in it, such as sliced jalepeno, lemon slices, and green beans; it also came with two dipping sauces.  I also ordered the 18th street salad with chicken.  It was delightful.  I look forward to returning for another meal.

  • Review from Matthew H.

    • 56 friends
    • 55 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    7/27/2011

    Only had the pleasure of eating here once and it was a decent experience. Was the only person on the upper level with table service. Obviously a quiet later afternoon time for them. The guy serving me was over attentive, but I assume it was because I was the only person there.

    Ordered the cheeseburger and fries. Burger was great, but those fries were addicting. Combination of the right seasoning and cooking, I couldn't restrain myself!

    I'm sure other items on the menu are worth a try. I'll be back to see how their brunch is sometime!

  • Review from Matthew E.

    • 41 friends
    • 6 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    3.0 star rating
    4/4/2011

    Three words:  Classic breakfast burrito

    I've ordered the classic breakfast burrito on a number of occasions and have never been disappointed.  Every bite is filled with bits of sweet and savory (noms!)--it's just delicious.  As an aside, though, they frequently do not remove bay leaves from their ranchero sauce, so watch out for bits of prickly too.  I cannot say that their other breakfast/brunch entrees are as good, as I've always been disappointed when I stray from the burrito.

    Service is better earlier in the morning, especially on the weekends.  It becomes a zoo around 11-11:30.  I have found if I go after 11 on a Saturday I'm really disappointed with the service (i.e., you can forget refills or seeing your server from the time someone drops off the food until you're ready for your check).

    I've never been offered a drink menu there, although I noticed one when I was leaving on a Sunday (bottomless mimosas for $10, etc).  I wonder if that's something new or is it something one has to ask for?

    In general, I like Cafe La Taza.   The breakfast burrito is killer.  The service can be good when you're one of a few tables there.  However, I'd recommend to find a favorite and stick with it, and eat early!

  • Review from Jake B.

    • 84 friends
    • 18 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    2.0 star rating
    3/17/2012

    Honestly, one of the worst cappuccino's I've ever had. 2 stars instead of one because the folks that work at the counter are SUPER friendly. Maybe the food is good, didn't try it, but won't be back for a coffee drink.

  • Review from Dao H.

    • 28 friends
    • 10 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    7/10/2011 1 Check-in Here

    Get a bagel here if you're in the neighborhood and craving a little lox on it.

    Avoid Posh Bagel - overpriced snippets of lox on a below - par bagel.

    The chorizo scramble could be spicier.

    I love the salads and wraps here!

  • Review from Andrew S.

    Santa Clara, CA

    4.0 star rating
    5/16/2011 3 Check-ins Here

    One of the best Mexican Mochas I've had is at Cafe La Taza. Just blocks away from Castro Street, this cute 3 level Cafe serves both as a cafe and restaurant.

    I absolutely love coming here to relax and meet with friends or even get some serious work done for work/school. The Cafe is equipped with free WiFi and it's not hard at all to find a table compared to other cafe's in the area. Great location, great service, great drinks and food...I'm definitely a fan!

  • Review from ibis t.

    • 8 friends
    • 18 reviews

    Sausalito, CA

    5.0 star rating
    3/20/2011

    I love this place!

    Delicious calamari, handmade veggie burger, wonderful staff, and always a great, healthy meal are the reasons this is one of my favorite places to eat.

    I recommend anything they have, but my favorites are:
    Calamari with fried  jalapeños and lemons
    Warm banana pancakes with fresh fruit

    And the best part is that everything is avaliable for Take-Out!

  • Review from Danny T.

    • 19 friends
    • 16 reviews

    Oakland, CA

    5.0 star rating
    1/20/2011

    For a small cafe/ eatery, this place's food is surprisingly good.  The foods my group ordered were all well flavored, with slight tasty twists to the norm of food orders.

    The food takes about 8 minutes to come out (about right).

    For the food, the price is just right.  The location is very convenient too, just off of Union Square.  If you are looking for some affordable, tasty food, this is the place.  I have been to many places to eat around the area, and no place has met this place's level of quality, taste, and price.

    Just a forewarning, they charge 20 cents for your credit/debit card.

  • Review from Ann I.

    • 0 friends
    • 2 reviews

    Redwood City, CA

    4.0 star rating
    12/11/2011

    Recently there for the first time and loved it.  Service was great, staff was friendly and had a great breakfast with my childhood friend and you can't beat the bottomless mimosa's.  I'll definitely go back!

  • Review from Stephanie F.

    • 8 friends
    • 17 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    5/24/2011

    Great neighborhood place for breakfast on the weekends or lunch anytime.  The 18th st. salad is really good.  Also the french fries rock. But when it comes to french fries it is hard to go wrong.

    If you don't like salsa music you might not want to stay here very long. It is always playing in the background.  

    Oh and a really selling point - they have free wifi!!

  • Review from James V.

    • 67 friends
    • 237 reviews

    San Jose, CA

    5.0 star rating
    9/30/2011 1 Check-in Here

    Great coffee - full of caffeine crazyness but still tasted amazing.  The bagel with cream cheese I enjoyed was also pretty swell.

  • Review from Nikki C.

    East Bay, CA

    4.0 star rating
    11/4/2010

    Most definitely a new fan of Cafe La Taza.  My fiancé and I were in the neighborhood for a wedding appointment and stumbled upon Cafe La Taza.  You have the option to order from the counter or sit on the top floor for full service dining. We opted for full service dining.

    To start off, the man who showed us to our table was very friendly and cheerful.  My fiancé asked him for to change his $5 bill so we could feed the parking meter.  Instead, the man offered to feed the meter for us.  From their balcony, my fiancé pointed out his car and the man took care of our parking. Talk about customer service!

    Their breakfast and lunch options are inexpensive but delicious!  I started with a glass of Sangria and ordered the Huevos Rancheros which was served w/fresh fruit. My fiancé had a Steak Wrap served w/french fries.  The fries were seasoned and tasted similar to curly fries. Yummy!  

    Our waiter was extremely attentive but also gave us our space.  An enjoyable experience overall.

    Service = 5 stars
    Food = 4 stars
    Value = 4 stars

    TIP: street parking only

  • Review from Nathan M.

    San Francisco, CA

    2.0 star rating
    1/17/2011 1 photo 1 Check-in Here

    Top floor review. The layout is odd, because there is a cafe on ground level, then a second partial level with with tables, and then a completely different place on the top floor.
    The food was acceptable, nothing fancy, and pricey, but eating in the Castro is expensive wherever you go. In English i ordered a lemon white fish dish with sliced almonds on top. The fish was cooked with skin still attached, and was slightly dry, the almonds were dried, and probably from a Costco bag. There was rice (1/2 a cup) which was mixed with corn, and bell peppers, but only tasted like peppers, lastly there was only 6 steamed carrots on my plate which were covered with parsley.
    This place should be used like a simple cafe, a cookie, a coffee which should be simple, quick, and hard to mess up.

  • Review from Julie S.

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    10/4/2010 1 Check-in Here

    **NOTE: This review is for dinner at the cafe's top floor restaurant**

    I am torn between my selfish desire to keep this little gem to myself and my civic duty to help this amazing little restaurant out.  A good friend and I stumbled onto Cafe La Taza last week when we were looking for a good place to get dinner and to catch up.  We walked up to what appeared to be an unassuming little coffee shop and discovered that there was a full-service restaurant upstairs!  The next few hours were straight out of this little fatty's dreams...

    The food at Cafe La Taza is DELICIOUS and the prices are almost unreasonably low.  I would give it a few months (this place just opened) before the owner discovers that, given the spectacular quality of the food, he/she can charge a LOT more and still have people lined up outside the door.

    Anyway, on to the important stuff:

    First, don't be fooled by the coffee shop on the ground floor.  The upstairs is REALLY nice and would be a great spot for date night.  We were able to sit on the covered balcony area (it's not really a balcony, but clearly use to be one), so we had a nice little view of 18th street.  The restaurant is dimly lit and candles abound.  My friend said she would be bringing her boyfriend in really soon for a romantic evening.

    The menu is fairly extensive, so we took awhile to hone in on what we felt like. In the end, we decided on the salad with pears, blue cheese and almonds (sorry, they don't have the menu online and I can't remember the name) to share, the macadamia-crusted mahi mahi for me, and the rotisserie chicken with a side of mashed garlic potatoes for her.

    I can't speak for her dish (though I had a bite of both the chicken and the potatoes and found them to be quite tasty!) but I would give both the salad and the macadamia-crusted mahi mahi 5/5 stars!  They were both packed with flavor!  The mahi was perfectly flaky and the macadamia crust infused the fish with deliciousness!

    I can't remember what the total bill came out to, but both our entrees were under $12 (I think the chicken was $10.50 and my mahi mahi was $11.75) and the salad was $5 for the smaller size.  Seriously, it was a STEAL!  This meal was MUCH better than similar meals I've had at fancier restaurants in the city and it cost us a fraction of the price!

    I will DEFINITELY be back!  Probably this week!

  • Review from Sara D.

    • 149 friends
    • 44 reviews

    San Gabriel, CA

    4.0 star rating
    10/3/2011 1 Check-in Here

    Lovely place to go get brunch :)

  • Review from Christine C.

    • 4 friends
    • 8 reviews

    Arcata, CA

    2.0 star rating
    10/17/2011

    Coffee good. Macaroon very good. Fancy chocolate mint truffle rooibos tea yummy. Girl behind counter a total bi-atch.  Sorry, that kinda ruins the experience.

  • Review from Alan H.

    • 38 friends
    • 111 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    3.0 star rating
    10/16/2010

    Let me clear up some confusion about Cafe La Taza.  This is a cafe... not a coffee shop.  I would put in the same category as Due Drop Cafe, Dolores Park Cafe, and Dubose Park Cafe.  This is not a coffee shop like Philz, Starbucks, or Church Street Cafe.

    The ground floor consists of an espresso bar with drinks and pastries.  The ground floor also has 2 tables and some seating outside (which is quite nice).  The second (what they call the first floor) is a half level with the kitchen and and a few tables.  The top (second) floor, is a Full Service only section.  It clearly states that unless you want to be served, you cant just take your coffee and laptop up there and sit (aka. they want you to order food and tip).

    I didnt eat food here so I cant comment on that, but the pastries they had at the espresso bar looked pretty good, and they had a nice variety.  They do have a huge food menu with options for lunch and also full dinner plates.  The latte I had was not great.  She pulled the shots before steaming the milk, so the shots were dark and burnt.  Thats what I get for going to a 'cafe' for a quality latte.

    I would only recommend this place if you want to get lunch or dinner.  Dont expect to find a seat here to do work or sit with your laptop!

  • Review from Terry A.

    • 0 friends
    • 7 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    2/11/2012

    This is the best-hidden secret in the Castro -- it looks like a coffee shop, but they serve an awesome and inexpensive dinner with sit-down service on their 3rd floor.  I've tried most of the items on the dinner menu and every one has been delicious.  It's by far our favorite neighborhood restaurant.  And the lunch/brunch menu is good too.   The service is outstanding as well.  Highly recommend!!

  • Review from Maria C.

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    8/5/2011

    When I moved to this neighborhood,  a friend recommended La Taza and I'm glad I finally got around to stopping by - yummy coffee,  free wifi!  I haven't actually hung around for food, but soon, I promise!

  • Review from Thomas L.

    • 23 friends
    • 349 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    8/23/2010

    This seems like a friendly, family run type of business. I came in on a late afternoon and was able to order breakfast. I got the Castro breakfast burrito, which had chicken, onions, eggs and choice of wrap. I ordered the spinach wrap. i wish it had more flavor, in fact, maybe chorizo would have tasted much better, but this aint the Mission so I get it. I just added tabasco sauce and it was much tastier. Also had the sip of my friends iced caramel coffee drink and it was really good. The small order was so big it almost filled 2 glasses.

    Service is also pretty friendly, and personable since they thank you on your way out, I like details like that... Don't forget about the free WIFI!!

  • Review from Alyssa G.

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    3/16/2010

    Cafe La Taza was very close to getting 5 stars. I can tend to be a harsh reviewer, and for their customer service, I'd say they deserve 4 stars. Otherwise, my experience was flawless.

    I have to admit I came here for breakfast this morning, thinking it was more "ethnic" and less "American," (if that makes sense). I tend to trust yelp categories for the most part so typing "ethnic breakfast" in the search bar yielded various options. I chose to research more on Cafe La Taza after it came out as one of the options. After looking at their website (admittedly I only skimmed the menu), it seemed "ethnic enough." Again, don't really know what that means.

    I was able to get there around 8:20am, so parking was phenomenally easy. Street cleaning on that block is 6-8 am, and metered parking doesn't start until 9am....ergo free parking!

    I walk into the restaurant, and it seems much smaller than I was anticipating, only to learn that they have 3 floors of tables. I asked the server what their specialty was...and she responded with her personal favorite: banana walnut pancakes. Hmmm....doesn't sound very Mexican, but I decided to try them. To drink, I picked up a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice. Growing up in Guatemala, I know what it's like to squeeze my own juice for breakfast, so I tend to be very particular when it comes to fresh OJ.

    Needless to say, the meal was delicious and not expensive at all; granted, I only had a short stack. The server did not come over once to check on me or ask me anything. She didn't seem to know what the house specialty was, leading her to tell me what her personal favorite was.

  • Review from Rochelle R.

    • 1 friend
    • 3 reviews

    Agoura Hills, CA

    1.0 star rating
    10/31/2011

    I don't know where to begin. By far the WORST breakfast I have ever eaten. I needed a quick place to grab breakfast and went to this cafe as it was next to my hotel. What a mistake!!! I ordered right away and got my coffee. The coffee was the most bitter foul tasting coffee I have ever tasted. I should have known then what was to come... I waited 20 min before finally receiving my "quick breakfast". The side of potatoes were soaked in oil and mushy, my omelet was missing the olives ( they didn't have any but failed to tell me when I ordered) the onions were so raw they were crunchy and my spinach was not washed because it tasted like grit and dirt. I can not think of a single pleasant thing about this Cafe. GO ANYWHERE ELSE!! Trust me!

  • Review from Jared S.

    • 259 friends
    • 340 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    12/27/2009 1 photo

    The thing that differentiates a good cafe from a great one is when they ask me to taste my drink and let me know what I think. And that's exactly what I encountered on my first trip to Cafe La Taza.

    I briskly walked past the new cafe on my way down the hill for a quick fix at Starbucks. After going another block, I had one of those Shoulder Angel moments when my hippie Aunt Judy appeared and started saying "support your local business you schmuck!" Fine, Aunt Judy. You win again. I turned around and headed into this new addition to the 18th Street promenade of variety.

    The cafe is small when it comes to width, but it has two levels directly above the kitchen. The third floor even includes a room with windows that overlook 18th Street with some sweet views. There are lots of woods and earth tones that make it feel warm inside and the espresso machines look like they were just assembled this week. White lights hang around the balcony, adding to the cozy atmosphere.

    I ordered a medium vanilla latte for $3.25 (which is a pretty standard price around 'dese here parts), but my result was better than I expected. I prefer my lattes to be a little thicker (Peet's does this well) and that's exactly what I got.

    They have an assortment of drinks, snacks and breakfast foods that were calling my name, but I made sure to hold off due to the bottomless mimosas ALSO calling my name after I write this review.

    Make sure to check this place out! Bring a book, enjoy the free wi-fi and revel in the friendly customer service.

  • Review from Bruce R.

    • 1048 friends
    • 318 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    1/21/2010

    Stumbled up on this cafe.  Pretty much all one could ask for in services and feel.  Being so close to everything else in the Castro is a huge plus.  Def worth a hangout, though if you don't like stairs . . .

    1 star - Free Wifi: though it was acting a little wonky the day we were there.
    1 star - Plenty of room: Three floors, plenty of table and, yes, outlets.
    1 star - Great staff: really attentive, could fly up those stairs with grace and they sang a little, though not sure they knew folks could hear.
    1 star - Coffee: Coffee was good, looked like a good selection of lunch foods, though we just stopped in for a quick break.
    1 star - Vibe: Might make this a reg stop because of it's location and general feel.  

    Check it out!

  • Review from Duckee D.

    • 2 friends
    • 13 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    1/13/2011 3 photos

    This review is for the full-service RESTAURANT portion upstairs.

    Decor/Ambiance ~ Cozy, homey, friendly feel.
    Food ~ Delicious, fresh, beautifully presented
    Service ~ Friendly, attentive

    Love this place.  We've been here twice and have had a fantastic experience both times.  First time, I ordered a beet salad and added grilled salmon - just lovely.  Will post a pic.  Second time, I asked for the steak wrap served without the tortilla, just like a salad.  Home run.

    There's really not much else I have to say.  It's really a great little spot.  Thinking of it now, I gotta see who else we can bring there, just as an excuse to go.  ;)

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