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Chavo's Mexican Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Mexican Mexican [Edit]
595 Bryant St(between 4th St & Zoe St)
San Francisco, CA 94107
Neighborhood: SOMA
(415) 495-5822
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Serving authentic Mexican food and only 100% blue agave tequilas. We also cater and have a weekly happy hour!
145 reviews for Chavo's Mexican Restaurant
Review Highlights
"I am addicted to the Chile Verde."
(in 11 reviews)
"Chavo's has the best burritos in the SoMa."
(in 34 reviews)
"Steady Supply of Freshly Grilled Carne Asada."
(in 16 reviews)
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145 reviews in English
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Review from Jas S.
San Francisco, CA
1/16/2012
2.5 Stars - 2 for the food, 3 for service / location
Like others, had a chicken burrito for lunch. Almost tasteless but very filling. Next time I will go for hot salsa, skip the mild. Added the table salsa, it was better. Chips were over fried. Saw the taco plate after I sat down, should have order that instead. Seems like everything is hand made with care, just not very flavorful nor gourmet. Since it's a block away from where I live, will probably go back. Free wifi, but didn't try it. -
Review from Cherylynn N.
San Francisco, CA
WORST. DRUNK. FOOD. EVER.
YEUP, there's such a thing as BAD drunk food and Chavo's takes the cake on this one.
Stumbling out of The Grand this weekend, belligerently drunk, I said, "I WANT A SALAD". Who the f*ck eats a salad at 2 AM? *raises hand* I DO! I know, I know but my Yelp addiction has made me fat so I'm trying to eat "healthier" ok?
Seeing a glowing sign across the street, I remember my friend telling me he had a burrito there several weeks back and said it was decent. After having a taste of Chavo's, I'm now seriously questioning our friendship. (o_O) Obviously, they didn't have any salad options so I went for the next best thing...
ME: "Do you have wheat tortilla?"
LADY: "Yes..."
ME: "Yay, I'll have a lengua burrito on wheat with no rice and no beans..."
LADY: "We don't have lengua."
ME: *drunkingly looks at menu* and only sees "eyrgfjkshsgsm asjhasdghgad khjuwtqdsghdkf"
LADY: *grunt* *eye roll* *grunt*
ME: "Ok, I'll have super shrimp burrito on wheat with no rice, no beans, and no sour cream" (Damn you, menu for playing letter tag on me.)
LADY: "$13 please."
ME: *thinking* WHAT THE F*CK? *hands over $20*
SO, what did I get for $13 (with a can of coconut juice)?
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Inside a stale, cold wheat tortilla, my DISGUSTurrito had wilted brown edged lettuce, dry shriveled up shrimp, cold cheese, and a runny mystery sauce Chavo's calls "guacamole". Trying to sober up, I dreaded each bite with a sour puss face. My (drunk but more sober) friend ordered the carne asada burrito and he had to ask the lady to microwave it for him because it was just as cold.
You've got to be f*ckin kidding me right? Dumpster diving outside your local Fresh Choice or Sizzler's is more palatable and it's FREE!
Ohh and don't get me started on the "salsa bar" which consisted of ONE small plastic jar of salsa rojo on each table. http://www.yelp.com/bi... So lonely. :(
In the midst of disgruntlingly eating my DISGUSTurrito, I hear "MmMm, this is good." I look over to see a drunktard looking as if he was making love to his burrito. *picks up drunktard Hercules style and throws him into The Mission".
OTHER NOTES:
*Ample indoor and outdoor seating
*Closes at 3 AM.
*CC's accepted -
Review from Aaron S.
San Francisco, CA
1/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
There are not a ton of taqueria options in this stretch of SOMA, so it's a shame Chavo's is not better. I have been here a couple times, and have been disappointed. For lunch recently, I stopped by and tried the steak burrito. I got it without rice and with guacamole and salsa--my standby.
With the first bite, I knew something was way too salty. I think it was the meat, but I am not totally certain. They could definitely ease up on the shaker though. The burrito was wobbly from the start and about a third of the way through it fell apart, which is a violation of a law of taqueria physics--a burrito should retain its shape until eaten. I was hungry so I ate a bit more and tossed the rest.
They give you chips here on the plate, but I didn't see any salsa offered and ended up using them to scoop up some of my burrito innards once the thing fell apart. All in all a disappointing experience.
The one thing this place has going for it is outdoor seating. -
Review from Zain D.
San Francisco, CA
12/16/2011
Disgusting. The tortillas were undercooked. The enchilada sauce was watery and bland. The cheese tasted spoiled. The rice and beans were flavorless. The salsa was the blandest I ever had.
AVOID. -
Review from Sebastian M.
San Francisco, CA
2/1/2012
I was a little intimidated by the negative reviews for Chavos, but I tried it regardless and was pleasantly surprised. I went for a green chile pork burrito - it was saucy, filling, and delicious. It was good value for money, too. They have a little patio where you can bring your dog if you're so inclined. I will definitely come back.
-
Review from Saida A.
San Francisco, CA
11/30/2011
Ok, so if you give this place anything less than 3 stars, you dont get the point of their existence.
This is a FONDA. It's supposed to be mediocre though very edible food in large quantities, open late, aimed to serve the overflow from Hotel Utah in a friendly, but "i'm minding my own business" kind of way.
The staff is ALWAYS friendly, the outdoor chairs are great on a warm day for people watching, having a beer and having a nice conversation. I take away one star because it could be cleaner, and because it's open to walkers-by to sit randomly there and ask to finish your plate (same thing happened at the creamery, down the block, btw).
NOT the place to go if you're looking for gourmet mexican. TOTALLY the place to go if you just want a warm meal and a beer in an unpretentious setting that wont break the bank at 2AM. -
Review from M C.
San Francisco, CA
10/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is the only Mexican restaurant that I had ever been into other than Taco Bell that has staff that doesn't speak any Spanish.
The food tasted much like Taco Bell expect the portions are bigger and they have beer. -
Review from Shirlynn C.
Inner Sunset, San Francisco, CA
12/7/2011
It's an okay place. I got a chicken super burrito. The rice has an interesting taste. I don't really like the taste of their burritos. It's okay. Nothing to rave about.
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Review from Joe M.
When I'm in SOMA it's pretty much a given that HRD is on the lunch menu. However, my girlfriend wanted to try something new for lunch so we walked down the block to Chavo's, a really popular Mexican joint, for a super burrito.
I ordered the carne asada super burrito which didn't even come with a couple chips (that I could see). There wasn't a salsa bar either. The burrito itself had pretty good flavor but I got a few pieces of meat that still had the hard cartilage stuck to them. The price is reasonable for SOMA but I wasn't overly impressed.
This is a popular place for local startup folks to enjoy lunch and a beer at, but there are better choice, namely HRD. They've got a sunny patio outside that welcomes your dog, though I saw a big greyhound coming into the restaurant too. Maybe it was a service dog? I had no problem with the beautiful animal in the shop, though there were a few people giving the person the stink eye.
Food: 7/10
Service: 6/10
Price: $
Atmosphere: 6/10 -
Review from Ida C.
Mountain View, CA
5/30/2011
I liken Chavo's to that mediocre, oftentimes lame and somewhat shitty excuse of a boyfriend some of us kept around during college b/c we didn't know any better. His hours are unpredictable, he doesn't always answer the phone, he's boring on most days, he's cheap, he's at his best after you've had a few too many drinks, and yet when you're weak and your defenses are down, it always seems like he's waiting for and beckoning to you from around the corner. He whispers "Come sit down, relax, have more sauce and beer, isn't this just exactly what you want... right now?" and surprisingly, he'll leave you somewhat satiated for the night.
In the morning you wake up feeling like crap about yourself after remembering you inhaled an entire, rather average chile verde super burrito the night before. With chips. And a Corona.
Chavo's isn't the best but I suppose it could be worse. At least it doesn't make you sick in your stomach. Let it be the burrito version of your Mr/Ms. Right-Now. -
Review from Plaid B.
San Francisco, CA
10/24/2011
I'm not sure how times this place has screwed up my burrito order but the food is still just okay enough to keep going back. I prefer Victor's around the corner on Townsend but my husband likes this place. Meh.
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Review from Jenn S.
San Francisco, CA
8/25/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The food here is nothing over 2 stars, but I gave an extra star for opening late.
I usually order the nachos and it's yummy for a late night snack attack, but in reality it's Burnt chips with microwave melted cheese. Over cooked cropped to pieces of meat, mushy beans with no flavor. The guac taste like its a mix from a jar or something. What saves the dish is sour cream.
The folks that make or serve the food are never nice, but I don't expect them to be because I only come here around 2am. So I'm pretty sure all they deal with is annoying drunk people. But the lady at the register is always pretty friendly. -
Review from Ziyan C.
6/30/2011
Really large portions for a very fair price.
I liked the texture of my tacos.. you get 2 tortillas, and they're soft, not too thick, and overall solid.
Also liked that the sour cream & guac were legitimately cold and i got that awesome interplay of hot & cold on my tacos, even to the last bite!
However the quality of the meat just isn't that great. The carne asada is overcooked and rubbery, and the carnitas dry. My tacos came with rice and beans on the side - the rice was pretty mushy, and the beans a little undercooked. -
Review from Brian G.
Palo Alto, CA
11/7/2011
I tried the chile verde plate here today and it was delicious. Good salsa, good guacamole, and nice tender meat. Only one chunk of pork was a bit gristly, but I'm picky.
I have a sneaking suspicion that a lot of the restaurant critics Yelping here think they're experts because they've had a few burritos in San Francisco and think they know what Mexican food is. It also could be that Chavo's is a bit variable in quality. The staff were certainly friendly, and actually Mexican (not that this determines the food quality), when I visited. -
Review from Christopher W.
Danville, CA
2/6/2011
One of the pulls for making the drive out to SF the second night in the row was the fact that we planned to get tacos after! A little disappointed by my experience. Have to say they did a good job of moving the line when a group of 15 or so of us showed up for food after going out. And both ladies behind the counter had no problem speaking Spanish with me when I started ordering. However, the lady behind the counter (apparently the owner) either 1. blatantly ignored the fact that I was speaking Spanish, 2. couldn't hear over the loud noise and was concentrating on her job or 3. doesn't speak Spanish at all. Not sure what the situation was, but if it was #1, then bleh. If #2 or #3, then no big deal. I was just trying to make friendly conversation and ask if normally lots of people came at the hour we were there.
In any case, the food was subpar. I finally realized why OTHER places give two tortillas for your tacos. The sauce of these ones made the tortilla rip before I could lift it off he plate. Big fail. Secondly, I didn't notice much flavor. The nachos seemed ok, but nothing special. I personally prefer the thicker tortilla chips.
All this aside it was hilarious to see this guy waiting outside the bathroom for a good 10 minutes and then see his friend come buy, turn the handle and the door opened. Also, they were playing Nick at Nite and we got into a huge (friendly) argument about Family Matters or Full House being superior.
I shall put this in line with Taquería Cancún. No voy a volver. -
Review from Veasna H.
San Francisco, CA
2/16/2011
Mexican food, like Chinese food, is a difficult genre to rate appropriately. You have many different levels of quality, with each one having different tastes and complexities. Here's the thing though, you always know when it's good.
And yes my friends, Chavo's is GOOD!
This one is definitely whole in the wall taqueria good! It's not fancy, and there are no gimmicks. It's just unapologetically good Mexican food. The carne asada burrito hits the spot, and has everything you would expect for a good steak burrito. Right behind it is the carnitas...better yet, get a Chavo's burrito and put both in! Delicious! There is no pretense about being healthy here...other than the fact that they have black beans!!! The food is flavorful and put together well. I had the quesadilla once (courtesy of Colleen), and it blew me away.
The staff here is excellent. No, they might not speak English well, but does that really matter. It's ordering food, people! They are always friendly, even at 3 in the morning with a line out the door. The owner will be there every now and then, and has been very helpful. I live right around the corner and I go here a lot, I think they are starting to recognize me, and have become even friendlier!
Hours...strange...I think I'm starting to figure it out. Late nights on Friday and Saturday til 3 am, and 3-9 on weekdays (possibly open for lunch). However, like we always say, it's open when you need It most (except for that one night KA and I really wanted a burrito for Sunday movie night, and it was closed cause they are closed every sunday and we had to result to the hot sandwich from safeway that ended being a really good meal for a great night, but thats another story)!
Eat at Chavos! -
Review from pointman n.
South San Francisco, CA
Updated - 9/14/2011
Free wifi! Good food! Near the freeway! Near AT&T Park!!!
1 Previous Review:
-
8/19/2011
Their Carne asada and carnitas mixed buritto is bomb!
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Review from marianne w.
San Francisco, CA
8/26/2010 2 photos
I visited Chavo's on a Saturday night and was so happy and surprised that they were still open. Happy because I was STARVING (didnt even eat dinner that night..sigh) and surprised because it was past 2AM.
I was supporting a friend who hosted a party at a club nearby. Coming out of the club I was intoxicated, hungry and cold. My eyes lit up when we walked by Chavo's and we ended up ordering and sharing a burrito with my BF. I went home and I swear it was the best burrito i've ever eaten in my life. I'm surprised to see so many negative reviews. Maybe i'll try again when i'm actually sober.
When you're intoxicated anything and everything tastes good. -
Review from Colleen C.
San Francisco, CA
4/19/2011
Love this place !
Good for LATE NIGHTS after partying and I always get the ever-so-satisfying CHICKEN NACHOS !
Share it !
You won't be disappointed. -
Review from Professor H.
Oakland, CA
7/31/2010
I work near here and only brave its lame food when I've been working hours on end and then realize that I need food immediately.
Nobody cares about the food and that is why it is the ultimate in mediocre. It's owned by a Korean businessman who also owns the sleazebag nightclub across the street. I think he chose to have a Mexican restaurant because he thought it would be popular, not because he has any interest in the cuisine. So he hired a couple from Central America to run the restaurant. Thus we are served mediocre mounds of meat and beans. Grub made without passion. Mass-produced vats of meat that you pay an arm and a leg for.
The Worst: Quesadillas. Imagine a mess of cheese and all kinds of condiments (the guac is usually past its prime) loosely folded in a flour tortilla. Like a slovenly burrito. Blechh.
The Best: Aguas Frescas. Very refreshing. Home-made. The woman who makes these takes pride in her technique. Not too sweet and taste like fresh fruit.
I give two stars because it's usually not rotten and because the wife is a nice person. The husband however is a grinning skinflint. The Korean owner is no food-lover. We who eat here out of last-minute necessity are schmucks. -
Review from Amy A.
San Francisco, CA
8/2/2010
Chavos is a solid taqueria and their carnitas are great. Service is always quick and the prices are what you'd expect - $6.50 for a super burrito. I don't love the chips and salsa, though. In fact, I often toss them (and I typically LOVE chips and salsa).
Frankly, I think the meat is a little better than Victor's although there's no Burrito Lady to bark at you to "Hurry up, Guapa!" I think like Chavos because the meat is juicier.
Would I drive out of my way to go here? Probably not --but that's true of nearly every taqueria in town. Few of them have much differentiation. three stars seems like the appropriate rating here. -
Review from Scott C.
San Francisco, CA
3/4/2011
the place looks kind of dirty which is a good sign in my book for good hole in the wall mexican food. I was so disappointed. The chips were factory made with no flavor. The carnitas was dry. The beans were fine and the tortilla toasty, but the filling left much to be desired. Such a shame, but with so much good mexican food around, it is hard to justify stopping at this place.
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Review from Theo R.
San Francisco, CA
7/3/2008
This place rocks, with huge servings and well prepared guacamole.
You can get a wide variety of bottled sodas indigenous to Mexico as well as beer.
Their dining area is very large and they have an easy buffet style ordering line.
The service is used to dealing with dumb ass white people, so most of you yelpers will be put at ease. (I'm one too - don't hate who you are)
Parking is tricky, but the portions are so huge - I love that - well priced too.
Here's the thing that I really like about this place: I've eaten here quite a few times now and have never "gotten sick" afterwards, if you know what I mean - ".... cha, cha, cha" :)
THAT means a lot to me, there isn't another mexican food place in the city that hasn't at one time or another resulted in drastically increased consumption of tissue paper for me.
Ahem, sorry, I felt it necessary. -
Review from Jason B.
10/5/2009
I was always intrigued by this spot. Could be a sit down restaurant. Good sized patio. Always looks a bit empty. Today I decided get some answers.
Chavo's is definitely more taqueria than restaurant. The meat options are heavy on pork, with a chicken stew being the only poultry option. It wasn't bad, and I appreciated the nice lady scooping out the meat pieces to minimize the questionable broth.
Not a fan of the only tortilla option being flour and the only black bean option being refried, but I am a fan of the $5 price and free lettuce. -
Review from Lester W.
12/21/2008
I have only gone to this place after a long night of clubbing or drinking and unfortunately, even in a drunk state of mind....the food is only "meh".
I have ordered the "super steak burrito" and the "super steak nachos". I've definitely had better for both at other restaurants. The food is not horrible...but its not great either. I'm not a big fan of using a microwave to melt the cheese on the nachos.
The best things about this restaurant are the friendly staff and the late, late hours. Even though I rate them 2 stars, I probably will continue to come back because they are open late and are in a convenient location. -
Review from Dan W.
San Francisco, CA
11/30/2007
Average mexican food but the people are cool. I like that they bake the tacos for a bit to melt the cheese. Thats some good shit. I have to reiterate what many are saying. Go for the tortilla bowl if you are hungry.
My co-worker Patrick , who is mildly disturbed like "the rest of us" , had a great commentary about the tortilla bowl that we all participated in over a lunch at Chavos. It boils down to, edible bowls are awesome. You could imagine every piece of dishwear becoming edible. You know, finish your plate, and then literally fucking finish your plate. No more dishes, just fat asses. I love it. I want flavored dishes. I want bacon flavored plates for my breakfast. Fuck yeah!
Anyway, Chavos.. decent if you are over here. Otherwise, go to the Mission. -
Review from Angela P.
2/3/2009
This place hands down has the WORST BURRITO in San Francisco. The food here is awful. I had been here once and hoped the terrible food I had was a fluke, but no. After giving it another go, the food is horrible.
Pros: Great location, friendly staff
Cons: The Food.
$4.50 for a burrito with only rice, beans, and really old lettuce? No cheese, no salsa, nothing. Come on!!!
The rice. I always feel a Mexican place should be judged in part by the rice. If they can't even get the rice right, there then is no hope. I ordered a side of rice and it tastes about a week old. How does this place stay in business? -
Review from Gregory R.
Somerville, MA
6/19/2007
Chavo's is not, and does not try to be, Mission-style (thank god). I'm giving it 5 stars because 1) it is delicious and 2) I need to offset that guy that subtracted points because they are not open when he is drunk.
Dude: they close at 3:00 pm, you either need to reevaluate your scoring system or get your drink on earlier.
Really, Chavo's is good stuff. I eat a lot of Mexican food (about 50% of my diet) and have sampled the Mexican cuisine from the southern Mexican border through Canada and from the East to West (Best) Coast. Chavo's is not the crema de la crema, but the slapped together stuff in the Mission isn't all that either.
I ate here at least weekly for about five years. They have some solid chile verde (great in a burrito on in tacos) and decent tamale plates. This is no Cafe Tacuba, but hell, you're not in Mexico City....
BTW: sometimes I feel ill after cramming 2 pounds of beans in my gut as well. The problem is that you don't stop eating when you're full because it tastes so good. -
Review from Kristy M.
2/4/2008
They call it "authentic," I call it "throw up in my mouth and force myself to gulp down anything that will wash that taste out of my mouth."
Trust me on this one, pass on this place....you can thank me later. -
Review from Kevan M.
6/18/2008
OK I have a big problem with this place. They have a policy for credit card purchases that states "minimum charge $7". To add insult to injury, if you buy an item that is below $7, they charge your card the $7, PLUS TAX. This reeks of a scam because most of their items hover below $7.
So in the end I get a $6.25 bland tostada from a grungy mexican restaurant for $7.54. I won't be back. -
Review from Kathy K.
San Francisco, CA
2/22/2006
Where to begin?
I work near Chavos and it is a BAD sign when the guy who works/owns the place knows you when you walk by in the morning with sunglasses, coat, and ipod in hand with standard cup of coffee .Just goes to show that I frequent the place too much. BUT I can't help it!!
The burritos are HUGE, the people are friendly and the frescas are well.fresh :-)
Cheap and easy to get to, and decent tasting at that. -
Review from Andrea S.
San Francisco, CA
6/22/2007
I am going to Chavos tonight and will review later. But I just have to say - if your main claim to fame on being a burrito connoisseur is living in the mission you need to stop. Mission burritos, to quote another Yelper, are not all that.
Hey - you love what you love, and that's great. Mission Burritos are good. But every time people write about a mexican place on Yelp, they always preface it with, "Well I lived in the Mission for like 9 years and so bla-di bla bla bla" and go on to say why every burrito served elsewhere sucks by comparison. Tell me you lived in Mexico and then I'll be impressed.
To be fair - if you have tried Burritos from everywhere and you contend that Mission Burritos are the best, then hats off to you senor. You truly would know. But if you're experience is like, taco bell, chipotle, some shitty place in the mall, and then Mission Burritos - it's a no go.
Edit: OK I went the other night and it was delish! Yay to the quesadilla and to the carne asada nachos! -
Review from Jen T.
San Francisco, CA
3/5/2008
I lived near this place for how long now and I rarely see it open. How are they still up and running?
Although I'm originally from Southern California & picky about my Mexican food, I finally did get a late nite carne asada nacho run that hit the spot.
The chips are crunchy and salty & the staff is friendly, but for those prices I'd rather take a bus to the Mission instead of walking down the block. -
Review from Chris L.
San Jose, CA
1/20/2009
Chavo's to me is an about average mexican restaurant. I usually come to this restaurant during my lunch break, and never had any problems with the food. Just keep in mind when they ask if you want salsa to say out loud and clearly if you want "mild" or "hot" salsa, sometimes they cant understand and just give you the hot salsa - which is pretty darn spicy. Be prepared for the saltiness of their corn chips - imagine the amount of salt on the french fries at mcdonalds, well imagine that on tortillia chips - not so great huh? Anyways, I like there chile verde enchiliadas as well as their carne esada burritos.
PS when ordering a burrito, they ask if you want regular or super. However, if they ask you if you want everything in it (salsa, sour cream, guacamole) and you answer yes, the burrito becomes a super burrito. So, if you want a regular burrito, and dont want to be charged for a super burrito, stay away from the extra ingredients! -
Review from Peter S.
San Francisco, CA
6/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good, authentic Mexican food at a reasonable price.
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Review from r b.
Oakland, CA
10/9/2006
Everyone I work with warned me away from Chavo's. I can see why- it's really not the best quality burrito I've ever had. The food is fast, and it's super cheap and convenient. I only go there now when I'm in a huge hurry and I always end up wondering why I caved.
The burritos are huge, no doubt about it. And they are relatively cheap, all things considered. But the quality really isn't the best. For example, I've gotten bones & bits of gristle in my chicken burrito- more than once. That should be reason enough not to go. Especially in an area with so many good restaurants.
It hasn't been 100% bad, but it's never been great. I won't promise to never go back, but I couldn't really recommend it. -
Review from Denise M.
6/21/2008
Number one - do not even think about eating inside on a hot day. There is no air conditioning at all. There are tables and chairs outside that make the meal much more enjoyable - unless you like sweating through your dinner, then by all means, sit inside.
I had nachos with carne asada. Yummy! They don't skimp on the meat, which is a plus for me. Hubby got a carne asada burrito, only because they didn't have any grilled chicken available. He said it was pretty good.
Not the best in the city, but it's close and cheap. -
Review from Jeff H.
San Francisco, CA
5/16/2008
Sometimes goodness is right under your nose.
I first started working in the Fourth and Bryant area eight years ago. Recently, I came back to this hood, and it had been four months without Chavo's. I ride my bike by the place every morning, but no.
Apparently, I'm not alone. A friend who's worked nearby five years straight has still never been.
I mosied over today for a totally delightful outdoor lunch.
I wanted a tostada, but, to my embarrassment, I didn't know what it was on the menu. See, where I come from, we call those fried-tortilla-shell things "taco salad." No such thing seems to exist out here. So instead I got nachos. Carne asada nachos. I was not disappointed.
Salsa is decent, refried beans are silky and delicious, and prices are right.
In the neverending (okay, there aren't that many, so it may end) quest to find the best Mexican food in the Third/Bryant era, I have to say, Chavo's gives Mexico au Parc a run for its money. -
Review from Alex P.
Dublin, CA
4/25/2010
A friend of mine lives in the building next to Chavos... he warned me not to go, but it was late and my other friend and I had had a few beers and we were a bit "drungry" (drunk/hungry)
I ordered a carnitas burrito with refried beans. I took a few bites and thought there were twigs in my burrito. I looked down and realized what I thought were twigs were actually dried out carnitas... I proceeded to finish the whole burrito. Again like I said I was "drungry"
After letting all the dried out meats settle into my stomach I realized outside of the twig like meats the rest of the thing wasn't too bad. It was like a refried bean burrito with twigs.
Needless to say next time I'm in the area looking for a place to eat with minimal effort (as in drive, take a taxi, or walk more than 1 minute from my friend's place...) I will stick with Chavo's bean burrito. -
Review from Roy C.
San Francisco, CA
12/15/2008
Before I start, I want to make it absolutely clear that the only times I've ever had Chavo's are when I'm drunk. I've been here maybe 5 or 6 times, and all 5 or 6 times I was definitely not sober, so perhaps I have to try this place when I'm sober to actually give an accurate review.
All that said, I think Chavo's has, surprise, some damn good burritos. It is definitely the go-to spot in SOMA after a night out since it's: (1) open late on the weekends, (2) very conveniently-close to the CalTrain station, and (3) the only food joint open past midnight in the dead zone that is the 4th and King area.
I usually only get the Super Burritos here and although there's nothing special about them, I always find them extremely satisfying. Again, that may just be my intoxicated taste buds talking but whatever. What I do like is the spicy salsa that they put into the burritos -- it's more like pico de gallo than salsa (which I like) and it's actually pretty spicy. The chips, however, are not very good here -- they taste over-fried and stale.
Say what you will about Chavo's -- but when it's 1am and you're starving after a night of drinking & dancing and you live near the 4th & Bryant area, I guarantee you that if you eat -- no, inhale -- a Chavo's burrito, you'll shout out in your drunken stupor (but with all seriousness): "DAMN! That was DELICIOUS! Now I'm gonna pass out."
