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Category: Mexican
461 El Camino RealWe can prepare enough food for 200 people in three hours! We just need to know your budget and party size.Call (650) 589-1163 for details!
Tue-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Chili's® Grill & Bar is as bold and flavorful as the food it serves. The energetic, fun atmosphere makes it the perfect spot for a... more »
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Can Mexican food get any better? No.
Can service get any friendlier and more attentive? No.
My friend took me here last weekend for lunch and she said 'let's ask if they have the special Niman Ranch filet mignon tacos". And they did.
I was just drooling all over the table after biting in that taco of deliciousness!
Starter was a perfect guacamole and dessert was a delicious mango flan. Why? Cause we deserved it.
I've been meaning to try this place for a while now. We finally did over the weekend before having to pick someone up from the airport. I really wish we haven't waited so long to try it.
The menu is quite extensive and with lots of seafood options. After speaking to the server, I decided on the fish tacos w/ a side of guac and hubby got the carnitas. I thoroughly enjoyed the tacos. First, there is bacon in the crust. How can you not love that? Second, the fish was cooked just perfect. Third, the portion was huge! There is a large fillet in each taco and there are 2 to an order! Fourth, it comes with this really refreshing and delicious relish of cucumber, orange and onion. The accompanying rice and bean was just average. I didn't care about that though with all the great items on the plate. Hubby's carnitas was homey and yummy. It comes with rice, beans, guac and tortillas of your choice. The portion is big enough to share.
Service was very friendly and efficient. Prices are a little higher than your regular Mexican joint, but well worth it. Between the lot next to the restaurant and the streets, parking is plentiful.
We will definitely come back to try other items. I have my eyes on the Surf & Surf: Mango barbecue seabass served with tomatillo lime sauce prawns. Can't wait!
Don Pico's, you are so good! The BEST thing here is the ceviche sampler. You can get half an order or a whole order to share amongst yourselves. It comes with shrimp, crab, and a rotating variation of white fish. Just thinking about it makes me drool! If you want just a taste, the half order is the way to go (even though it's waaay more than "a taste"). My sister and I have mini-dates here to share the ceviche, and we always order an extra appetizer like nachos or quesadillas. WHY DO WE DO IT?! WE KNOW WE CAN'T FINISH IT ALL because the ceviche is hefty large! (...and we devour the whole basket of delicious chips and salsa before anything comes out. haha!) We should really just stick to the sampler and that's it.
The chicken tortilla soup is nice on a balmy San Bruno night. It is incredibly filling considering it's just soup. The bowl comes brimming with chicken, cheese, TONS of tortilla strips, and avocado slices. They have a variety of different soups that sound so good!
I'd say the one pitfall of Don Pico's is that it's a little more expensive than what you'd expect from a Mexican restaurant, but it's very very much worth it. Trust me! The staff is friendly and the food is delicious-o! (like my lame attempt at Spanish???)
Come here on the weekends to enjoy some live (loud!) music and drink drinks with the most amazing ice in the world. No joke, the ice is the best. It turns your soda into a nice slushy! Theeeee best! They also have strrrrroooong sangria in a glass or by the pitcher. Red only, they tried to do white, but apparently, people demanded the red!
I can't give this place less than five stars no matter how hard I try. I know in yelps world, you're a loser if you give a five star review. I know the golden rule of thumb is to give four stars no matter how good the food and service was. I just can't do that. Anyway, I don't always give five star reviews. There are a lot of places I had given one to four stars .
Back to my point, the service @ Don Pico's is always good. The people are extremely nice and I can tell they care about keeping the customer happy.
I ordered the chicken taquitos to go yesterday. When I got home, I realized there was no chicken in them. I called one of the owners and explained the situation to her. She told me to come back and she will replace them. I told her I wouldn't be able to make it in until the next day because I live in SF, but work in Burlingame. She said to come in any time. I also let her know I took pictures of the taquitos with my phone in case she needed some proof. She told me she will replace them at no extra cost next time I go there. I went in the next day (today) and I believe the guy I spoke with was one of the owners. He was very nice and apologetic about the whole situation and told me he doesn't need to see the pictures. I really like how they are trustworthy and decent people in general. There's no way I could stop going there. I really dig the chicken taquitos and the chicken fajita.
One last thing....for yelp to be a site that deals with a lot of food reviews, why isn't taquitos in it's dictionary? Am I spelling it wrong?
Whooopie doo! My aunt personally knows the owners and she's the one who introduced my family to Don Picos, great place. I've been coming here for years, actually it's everytime I'm in the bay area (my sister lives in Frisco). We're always greeted immediately, there's usually a guy singing spanish songs near the door and he also like having conversations with the guest. Friendly, funny yet a cheesy guy.
The only downfall of this place is if you're a walk -in during dinner time because you might have to wait up to an hour. Usually I call in advance to make reservations but even then the waiting period is approx. 10 minutes.
Luckily, I've never paid for my dinner but from what I've been told by my brother and father is that the plate portions are worth the price! The quality of the food is also good, not great. Probably, because my mom's cooking is known to be the best... lol, kudos to my mom and to Don Picos!
3 Stars for Service
1.5 Stars for Food
We were looking for a place to eat tonight while driving around and I looked up "mexican restaurant" on my G-1's "Where" application. Don Pico's came up as having a 4.5 star rating. Sounded like a great idea...
As we walked in, we were cordially greeted and some latin music was playing. It all pretty much went downhill from there.
I requested a booth seat, and got one where the entire seat was covered in tape. The decor is incohesive and a pretty much an eyesore. The interior needs to get out of 60's diner mode and into the 21st century. Not to mention, advertisements on paper placemats is not something you'd see at a real bistro.
The menu consists more of a poor attempt at mexican-american fusion cooking - with very few of the combinations actually making any culinary sense. The waiter was cordial and helpful, albeit not quite knowledgeable about the ingredients. Oh, and they're sporadically bring everybody's entrees to the table - and don't see you until it's time to pay the bill.
I ordered fish fajitas (sea bass, which they claim is fresh Chilean sea bass). The fish was coated in a soggy breading of sorts. The pinto beans, rice, fish, and guacamole all lacked seasoning. My dining companion ordered a plate with a thin, overcooked and unseasoned strip of carne asada, and an overcooked enchilada flooded with a canned salsa verde. The tortillas were burnt, but the flour ones tasted fresh, whereas the one corn tortilla tasted like a store-bought Guerrero brand. The tortilla chips were stale, and the salsa was so-so, with minimal spice and a liquid consistency that is unattractive. The plating was awful, too, but I could've overlooked that if the food was edible.
I was hungry (didn't eat anything all day) when I went into this restaurant. Now I'm not hungry, but I barely ate anything. I don't want to eat now because I have this terrible aftertaste that has ruined my appetite.
I will not return to this restaurant. Maybe it appeals to the locals, who seem to not be so widely traveled or experienced in palate... The service, again, is very friendly. But this is NOT THE PLACE TO GO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR REAL MEXICAN FOOD.
P.S. - About 40 minutes after leaving this place, I honestly feel like I'm going to throw up. Lowering 2 star rating down to 1 for nausea factor.
This is hands down one of the best Mexican restaurants I've been to. With every visit I've made to Don Pico's, I've always been happy with my food, and I've tried many different things on their menu from their chicken tortilla soup, their burritos, and even their paella. The chicken tortilla soup is the best I've ever had. It's loaded with marinated chicken, cheese, and of course tortillas. The paella is definitely their star attraction as they're known to have great seafood. It was a colorful dish loaded with shrimp, scallops, mussels, rice, everything else that makes up a great paella. I ordered it one time and all I remember is after I ordered it, everyone else ordered one too! I must make stuff look good.
The place is a little pricey ($12-35), but this isn't your typical taqueria. A lot of the food is prepared gourmet style and they give you big portions. And service here is great, the waiters here are very helpful. I'm always looking forward to my next visit here.
Don Pico's is an institution in several Bay Area minds. This was evident the night we dined here as many were celebrating their birthdays. After scanning the bustling crowded restaurant, we were anticipating a savory Mexican feast but I'm afraid we left a bit disappointed. Both pitchers of margaritas were sorely missing tequila and were overly sugary tasting. Everything else, the guac, entrees, etc needed a strong shot of flavor. The food was a bit bland and we all used the salsa to accentuate our individual entrees. That's not the norm in other Mexican restaurants I've been in. Service was also less than stellar. We had to request water several times and there were lag times in when they would bring the entrees, glassware, etc. However our server was very pleasant. Anyways I won't be ringing in any birthdays here anytime soon!
P.S. I concur that the parking blows.
While visiting Tabor's I finally gave in to my curiosity to the Mexican place in the same lot Called Don Pico's. Always looked good from the outside. Not the "bowtie" kind of good, the" eat your comfort food here" kind of good. Since I was going back to work afterward I figured now was as good time as any to refuel.
When you walk in the first thing you will notice on the inside is a quirky kind of place. Like a cross between a old mid to upper scale Mexican dining room from early last century and a local bar from the '70s Not a surprise since the owners started the place in the mid '70's with the idea to make it look like it was established even longer. The quirkiness is a good thing.
Since this was my first time at Don Pico's I kept it basic to see how well they would do. The basic build a foundation for a later visit,,, if they good basics that is.
Be sure to check in for seating when you walk in. I forgot to do this! A waiter had me guided to a table pretty quick anyway. Even at 6 PM! Thanks for noticing guys! I was so thankful that I decide to give the to other patient people behind me my table and sit at the bar instead. Try the bar when you go as it's not too high and the stools are pretty comfortable for a bar stool.
I had my order in quickly. Sammy the bartender is good. No delays on my drink and appetizer either. Here's what I had to eat.
Salsa and chips
3-way Combo Plate with Beef tamale, Cheese Enchilada, and Chili Rellenos
Tamarindo Flan.
and a Tecate beer.
The Salsa was pretty good. Not tame, but not overly spicy either. good chips too. I had so much I was seating a little by the time the combo plate arrived.
All items on the combo 3-way Combo Plate covered the basic quite well. The Chili Rellenos were great. So was the rice for that matter. And while I like port tamales better I found my Beef Tamale to be something I will order again on another visit. The rest of the items on the plate were good as well. No surprises either.
Tamarindo Flan. Sorry about the lack of flan pictures. I forgot and attacked it too fast for the camera to see! It was good as far as flan goes with a dollop of whipped cream on the side. All on a nice plate.
As I ate I noticed a vary efficient crew on the floor and in the kitchen. They seemed happy as well. Every one working together to ensure the orders flowed smoothly to the tables. Other employees were not afraid to lend a hand for all tables. No waiters toes ever seemed stepped on. I guess the owner and manager has the crew and tip harmony well in hand after all these years.
Sammy at the bar was flowing in his element. Even on a very busy Thursday evening. it was fun to sit and watch how he worked with the others. He was fluidly moving from one task to the next while making a game of the job. I wish I could have that much fun in my job!
Also at Don Pico's was an older singer name Margarita. Supposedly she's also there on Wednesday too. Margarita still has a nice voice and her rendition of The Girl from Ipanema was good. Buy Margarita's CD on the way out but keep you head down as her album cover is definitely from a different period in her life.
Another sideways endorsement for Don Pico's came from a person I sat next to at the bar. That traveling Texan said he had been coming to Don Pico's for a while when out here on business trips to the Bay Area. Avery good endorsement as far as I am concerned since I prefer more of a Tex-Mex style of cooking too.
Don Pico's has now provided me with another "joint" I am going to bring my wife back to. Don Pico's is another win for San Bruno. I recommend you go for a visit or two as well.
(p.s.: if someone can send me a positive slang word or phrase for food or bar joint en Español I will update my review.
I won't ever go back to Don Pico's based on the fact that the owner is rude and has an inflated sense of how funny and charming he thinks he is. One night a group of friends and family dropped over $500 and shortly after settling the bill the owner asked us to leave in not so many words. He didn't have enough tact to personally ask us, instead, he announced it over a loud speaker to a crowded restaurant. Bottom line the food isn't to die for, the menu is over priced, and obviously the service is sub par.
I was really looking forward to eating here based on the reviews. But I'm very sad at what I saw. This place was not authentic at all. The only thing Mexican about this place was the workers. They served me green French fries and claimed that they were a special potato from the farmers market. I researched green potatoes only to find what I already knew. Green potatoes are toxic. And also, everything that was served was very greasy!! I'm very disapointed and will never return to this place and advice that you don't eat there either. For your own health and safety!
The. Most. Delicious. Cookies.
EVERRRRRRRRRHHhhHhHHHhhhH!!!!!!
Alfajores is the name, straight crack is the game. These just taste so homemade. After eating about 6 a-whores as I like to call them, It looked like I did up an 8 ball because the cookies are covered in this fine powdered sugar that was just all over my mouth and nostrilage. http://static.px.yelp....
The a-whore is just so flaky, but not brittle like filo dough on baklava. With a smooth, rich, velvety dulce de leche layer in the middle eating it is just so balanced. Real Dulce de leche, not the el cheapo caramel you find in a snickers bar or in a rolo where the caramel sticks to your teef. http://static.px.yelp....
Easily the a-whore would be the cookie entry for my "100 things to eat before you die list"
Why the only the 3 - star rating? We catered a bunch of stuff in for lunch at my work and I didn't really like their burritos and taquitos. Overcooked, dry, skimpy fillings - you knot typical catered food. The a-whore cookie was the star of the show.
Live music is always a plus!
A little pricey for Mexican food. Friend had a deal using a coupon. Still turned out pricey.
Food was okies, but had better.
Parking is not a friendly matter. Tiny Tiny Lot.
I have been here several times now. I must admit we have never been disappointed by the food. It is so great to be able to have such high quality meats on the menu. The menu offers lots of choices and they all see to be good ones. My whole family are fans, and that doesn't happen often. Only one thing, we are not fans of the mariachi music so much. If it was a ittle less noisy, we might tolerate it better.
After years of coming to this great restuarant I finally decided to give it a review.I always seem to enjoy this place...the food always on point...fresh ...served hot...and good portion size...I have tried most of there fish dishes...I think they are known for there seafood...i'ts family operated and you can tell the employees have worked there as long as my family have been coming in...nice to see... this place is 5 star rated for there food...on the down side parking can be a problem and at times there can be a long wait...i guess that happens when your food is this good
This is one of these "hole in the wall" restaurants that sneaks up on you in a very good way. The venue is humble and looks like something out of the early 1960's. It is humble and warm. The Margaritas look average when first served. They taste average at first. Then they surprise you with an incredible "kick." The food looks normal when served. However when you start to eat, it is magic. There were 4 or 5 ladies constantly at our table making sure all was well and we had everything that we requested. The dessert was good in a humble way. This restaurant gets hit for being "pricey." We were pleasantly surprised with our bill. The overall dining experience is like going to the home of some wonderful Mexican friends for a warm and wonderful Saturday evening dinner. !Lo mejor!
Awesome food. Live music nearly every time I've been. I especially love the "Carnitas Yucatan" -- best carnitas I've ever had.
The parking situation is completely awful, however. Don't bother trying to park next to the restaurant, just go for the street or around the corner. Across the street off of Jenevein there is plenty of parking.
Pleasantly surprised.
First off I don't get to San Bruno too often. I hate that damn town. No offense to anyone who lives there, I'm just not a fan, i think its a dump. Anyway with that said along El Camino there is a little hole in the wall place, its been there for ever and a day. I'd heard of it but never even considered going. My girlfriend suggested it so off we went!
From the moment we walked in the door I could tell the place was full of character and had a great atmosphere. The hostess greeted us with a big smile and said it was really busy. she suggested we sit at the counter where we would get much faster service so we went for it. Sitting at the bar we were greeted by a guy that kept us laughing the entire time. great sense of humor and clearly enjoyed his job! We got chips and salsa and our drinks right way. As we waited for our food off to our left was a guy setting up to entertain us. A cool guy from Cuba who was basically a one man band. He played his own music and was very very good. outstanding voice. I was really impressed.
Anyway, our food came fairly quickly considering how busy it was and it was frickin delicious! I had a combination plate with Chicken Enchilada and Chile Relleno. To be honest I wasn't expecting much which made the food and the whole experience that much better. I really enjoyed this place and it made me think OK, maybe San Bruno isn't so bad.
Cheers!
Went here for dinner last week. Parking was convenient as they have their own parking lot right off El Camino. When we arrived it was busy as there were people waiting inside and outside. Even so the hostess said it would only be a 20 minute wait.
15 minutes later she called out our name and we were promptly seated. Our waiter brought out our chips and salsa right away and asked if we would like guacamole as well. The salsa was very tasty and had a nice spicy kick to it. But the guacamole was OK, it was fresh but was bland compared to the salsa.
Right away I felt relaxed as everyone (staff & patrons) seemed to be in a good mood. It might've been the margaritas or live performer they had for entertainment.
The decor itself was entertaining as well since they have a diverse collection of art and furniture. They have been opened since 1975 and it seems like they have collected these items over the years. It ranges from a marlin statue mounted on the wall between antique sombreros, a large asian elephant painting, and antique crystal chandelier. These items would seem strange grouped together anywhere but oddly enough it seems to work here.
After taking a look at the menu I ordered the Nieman Ranch Carne Asada and Horchata (mexican rice drink). Initially I was thirsting for a beer but I saw a large party nearby and the whole table was having horchata from an elderly couple to their grandchildren. I was glad I did as the horchata was sweet and refreshing.
The carne asada came out in a large plate covered with fries.(http://static.px.yelp....) The steak was very tender and flavorful. It was served with guacamole, beans, rice, and salsa fresca. All the items were fresh and flavorful especially the rice. The only item that was disappointing was the fries as they were limp and lukewarm. It was also the only thing I did not finish on my plate.
Overall this restaurant has a great vibe, upbeat service, and tasty food. Will be back.
love it!!! always a good lunch or dinner place. i can order anything thing on the menu and always be happy, full and satisfied. I am never disappointed here. its a great place for a girl's night or even to celebrate your birthday here.
i think this is better than the Mexican restaurants in downtown south city because the wait staff is attentive and its always has people coming and going.
you can't go wrong here. the seafood is delicious. i've had the seabass and the crab cakes. Both were very BIG portions and very tasty. i always have a hard time choosing what i want to eat when i go.
just trust me that this is a good place and the prices are so reasonable. =).
I love Don Pico's. I dream about Don Pico's. I had lunch on my birthday at Don Pico's. Don Pico's can eradicate even the worst case of the workday Mondays.
A Mexican restaurant in the Bay Area doesn't last 34 years if it isn't authentic and delicious and that's exactly what Don Pico's is. Sure the dining room looks frozen in 1975 and it's located next to a gun store, but that's part of it's CHARM. Enchilada single combo, I love you. In fact, I'm getting a Don Pico's craving right now.... just in time for lunch. And if anyone from Don Pico's is reading this, keep up the great work!
My husband and I went to Don Picos yesterday for the first time. It was his birthday and we were really looking forward to having a great meal after hearing so many good reviews. I ordered the spinach enchiladas (fresh spinach and goat cheese wrapped in corn tortillas and smothered with tomatillo-lime sauce) and my husband ordered the mexican jambalaya (mix of seafood with beans and rices). The spinach was fresh and perfectly cooked and the tomatillo-lime sauce was amazing. The beans served on the side was cooked just right and flavorful. To my disappointment there was no goat cheese in the enchiladas and the rice was not properly cooked (it had a distinct bite). Even my husband commented on the uncooked rice and to be honest, the rice in a highly rated mexican restaurant should be perfectly cooked. The dishes we order were missing the ta-da we were looking for but overall the we enjoyed the meal. The chips and salsa that were served prior to the meal were very good. The salsa was perfectly balanced and bit on the spicy side, which is what I would expect at an original mexican joint. Also, we ordered a pitcher of sangria but it was not as fruity and didn't have the punch that I was hoping for. The waiters were friendly and prompt. The restaurant was swarming with locals. Also, there were a few kids in the restaurant and the staff seemed to take care of them well, so I would consider bringing my 2 yr old twins here. Our tab came out to $62 + tip. All and all it was a nice meal. I was expecting more and hence was somewhat disappointed. We would go back but wouldn't go back with very high expectations.
My family and I love mexican food. LOVE IT. Our favorite place on the peninsula used to be La Pinata in Burlingame and when they closed we cried.
And let me introduce Don Pico's. Seriously, I crave their chimichangas. Excellent food. I love this place so much. Great atmosphere - definitely check out their daily specials because those are usually good. and you can never go wrong with tacos or enchiladas or their carnitas. Damn I'm making myself hungry now.
Plus their flan brings me to my knees. SO. SO. GOOD.
Thanks for putting some amazing mexican food back into my life!
pricey for mexican food but it is done well, chips are hard and can hold up any topping, guac, sour cream, meat, ceviche of all kinds.
live band on most nites 1 or 2 people bands people haha it is small and easily gets crowded.
when full no air conditioning can be felt, groups tend to be loud but that goes with the folks speaking over the music.
combo plates are the way to go u get to try a lil of everything if you have a big group.. look for the specials sometimes they offer goat tacos haha.
chile relenos and carne asada always made rite, ceviche sampler is really good, they got crab, sea bass, calamari all really good.
food ****
price $$ kinda pricey for mexican food
service **** they always smiling haha
This place is right down the street from my house so it's very convenient when craving some authentic Mexican food near the San Bruno area. Best thing on the menu for me, the Fresh Crab Enchiladas... so good and cheesy! I also enjoy their strawberry margaritas but found out that they make it with wine, pretty different but still good. The only negative is sometimes the service is slow and mildy inattentive since they have gotten my drink wrong twice now, all good though. Also, they're parking lot is pretty tiny. But, I'll still eat here when in need of a Mexican fix!
4.5 stars for some of the "entertainment."
If you want delicious Americanized Mexican food standards like tacos, chili relleno and the like, this place will deliver. If you want some frou frou added, your saffron spiced dish, or macadamia crusted fish etc. awaits you. The tortilla soup always works. I love the tapequeno [sic?] - skirt steak served over fries with an enchilada. Random, but delicious. My least favorite was actually the crab enchiladas.
I could care less about the dumpy old booths. More like old shoes to me - kind of comfortable.
But seriously, they need to rethink some of the live crooning. I really just want to eat. And that one woman who does karaoke does not go well with my chips and salsa. I feel terrible for saying it because she seems like a perfectly nice woman, but it annoys me.
Weird lounge act aside, highly recommended.
The food is great. love their flan, guacamole and that there are so many choices on their menu. haven't seen many mexican restaurants with soups on the menu.
The servers are attentive and treat you like family esp. Ramon and Florencia!
And best of all, Tuesday nights are when Yanill Nario Arner plays. He has the most magnificent voice and gets the whole restaurant jumping with his music! The restaurant gets 5 stars for their TUESDAY NIGHT ENTERTAINER.
BF and I originally wanted to go to Celias up a block for lunch, but left ASAP when we felt creepy that we were the only ones in the restaurant. So we decided to drive back and head over to Don Picos. When we walked in, I was a bit iffy since the decor was a bit Tijuana meets Mrs. Roper, but oh well..we arent eating the walls, now are we!
We were greeted by our server who was ever sooo pleasant and nice. She showed us the Specials of the day board and walked us over to our booth and munched on our yummy chips and salsa. Salsa looks watery, but very yummy and a bit on the spicy side..but ever so delish! I also loved the way the salsa was served in a dressing "pour" bowl.
After looking over the menu for a while, we both finally decided. I chose, what else, but the "Hungry Appetite?" three items combo. I got the carne asada burrito, shredded beef enchillada and taco. BF got the Nieman Ranch Carne Asada, medium rare. We also shared a blended strawberry margarita.
Our food was served very fast and was sooo hot and looked so darn delicious!! I couldnt wait to dig in. The servings were enormous and neither one of us thought we can conquer the plates. My plate came with a mini salad, rice and beans. BFs plate came with french fries, rice, beans, salsa and fresh guacamole. Everything on my plate was really good, but the meats were a bit on the salty side and kinda chewy, but overall really delicious. BFs beans and rice were a bit salty and the plate could of been just as yummy without the french fries, which were a bit much, but a nice add on. The steak was so tender, marinated/seasoned very well. It was a nice size too.
This is definitely the best Mexican Restaurant we have been to. Huge servings of delicious food, great service, and very clean.
We will be back to try the chicharrones, which they didnt have available today.
Two meals and a strawberry margarita came up to be $46 including tip!
Good Mexican food in the Bay Area... Who knew!?
Oh yea, and they have clean bathrooms! YES!
So I came here for dinner and it was PACKED!!! We didn't have to wait long for a table and the service was on point! The food was even yummier than the first time i was there.
There was even a cook singing and playing the guitar during his break! AWESOME! I'm definitely coming back here :)
I came here for lunch with my co-worker. We've passed by it a few times and thought it looked fun so… Read more »
I was looking for a place near the airport because I was picking up my wife and 9 year old and 6 year old from a family visit overseas. From the Yelp reviews Don Pico's sounded good and it is very close to SFO in San Bruno.
I have several complaints. This was on a Wednesday in the early evening and the live guitar playing was amped up way loud for what is essentially a small place. The food was mediocre and expensive. The crab cakes were nothing special. The small dish of guacamole was served in a big white platter like it was the guac of the gods. not.
My wife actually asked the waiter if perhaps the music could be a little softer and he said sure and walked away and nothing happened. I don't know who they think they have to blast the music for. Its a restaurant not a club.
The high prices, the only OK food and the really loud music did not endear Don Pico's Original Mexican Restaurant to us.
3 or 3.5 stars. My friends and I made reservations for 8pm, but due to some confusion, we weren't seated until at least 8:30 or so. Granted, the place was packed, with one exceptionally large graduation party that eventually lead to more annoyance on my part.
Staff was very friendly, but service was very slow. We ordered before the large party of 15+, but they got their food first. NOT happy. They had live music at the restaurant, which was cool and could be totally fun if you're knocking back margaritas one after another. It was difficult to hear / talk with friends though.
Ok, on to the food. I ordered the carnitas jucatan. Delicious flavored pork that was perhaps ever so slightly on the too-crispy side. However, full of flavor, and tasted great with the hot tortillas. I tried the tamales too, and they were pretty good. The flautas, unfortunately, a bit too dry and crispy to fully enjoy. Portions are large as well; i now have lunch and dinner for the next 2 days! score. We ordered sangria - too much icy slush in it to actually drink the concoction. Try for larger ice cubes!!
I've been here twice with coworkers and I've loved it each time. When it comes to Mexican food I don't stray to far from my staple of cheese enchiladas and filling up quickly on the chips and salsa.
The salsa is a bit spicy, just how I like it, and the chips are the right amount of salty. I think I ate about a whole basket. Their sodas come with this great crushed ice that you never see anywhere! The agua frescas are really good and they usually a good variety to choose from. Once we ordered, the food did not take long to arrive at the table. The rice was amazing; it melts in your mouth. I've never tasted Mexican rice like that before and it may have been my favorite thing on my plate.
The service has always been quick and I have never encountered a wait during lunch hours. We get in and are seated right away. The restaurant is kind of small but again, it has never been overly crowded. There isn't a lot of parking but you can also park along the street and this has never been a problem.
The only problem that we encountered was the bill at the end of our meal. We thought the bill was a little low but we weren't going to argue. When we thought we had divided the bill accordingly amongst our party of five, the owner stated that he had added incorrectly. Well, we then tried splitting the bill with our 5 credit cards due to cash shortage, there would be a charge for each split. To make things easier, the owner came over, realized we were short on time, and asked the table how much cash we had. He took the amount we had and said the rest was on him and told us to have a great weekend. We were all a little speechless, but it was great service considering the mistake of the bill.
Regardless of the great customer service, I would have gladly returned to this restaurant anyway, but I couldn't let outstanding service like this go unnoticed. The owner realized we were crunched for time and made a good proprietary act by stepping in with the bill. I would be happy to frequent this place more often because of the exceptional service and not to mention amazing authentic Mexican food.
This place is very cute. I walked in to the tiny little bistro to live music! The booths are older and some of the chairs had ducktape on them but I thought it added to the charm. When I sat down, I was greeted with a nice 2 tier'd dish of guac, salsa and chips. DELISH! The waiter who took care of my table was very polite and friendly. I ordered a taco and enchilada combo and man o man... TASTY!!! My friend ordered a couple of margaritas and enchiladas. I kinda hoped he would order something else just so I could steal some of his food.. hee hee..
The dishes were very large and everything was fresh and divine.
I was so full but my friend wanted to order dessert so we ordered the plain flan. Normally I'm not a huge fan of Flan but ooooh man it was so velvety. It was very good. It was served on a dark plate with a scoop of whip cream and sliced strawberries on the side. The presentation was simple yet elegant.
The bill came and with 2 full meals, 2 margaritas and dessert, we got out of there at about $40. I say that meal was definitely well worth it! I will definitely come back here and try some of their other dishes.
It's okay. I had the Carnitas Yukatan (spelling). I just wasn't feeling the food. BUT PLEASE, understand I am not a good person to be rating Latin food. The Sangria was good tho! And the chips that they give you with salsa are good too lol. Just not the main dish.
Service was friendly and fast. Thats always an extra star!
3.5 stars? The food was okay, but certainly not worth the price. $14+ for lukewarm spinach in corn tortillas with sour cream? That would cost like a dollar to make at home. (What's funny is that I had ordered it with no sour cream, and the waiter had repeated that request back to me.) The chips were ok, but only lukewarm. Everything did get served pretty fast, though.
The bathroom was clean.
I really enjoyed my Surf and Surf (sea bass and prawns) and the chips and salsa they bring out in the beginning has the perfect texture and a spicy kick. I'd give this restaurant four stars just for the Surf and Surf, buy I had my issues:
I didn't like that a larger graduation got served before us even though we ordered first and had a smaller table! pshaw!
The sangria had way too much ice and not enough wine. I felt like I was having a Welch's grape slushy.
Terrific food and service. The fish is fresh and most of the dishes take a bistro slant on traditional Mexican. Our group loved: Fish of the day (it was bass) veracruzano; camerones in green sauce; chilaquiles. The mango flan was delicious. We tied the 3 seviche sampler and while crab was bad, the shrim and white fish were terrific. We'll be back.
I'm from S.F. and Don Pico's is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants. It's well worth the short drive.
I usually get the mole chicken or one of the combo dishes. I tried the sopas de res (beef soup) but didn't care too much for it. I've had better. The nachos and guacamole are served in a tiered carrier, kinda unique. I love the mango or guava flan for dessert. They do have other flavors and other desserts to choose from. But sometimes they're out of certain ones.
The first time I ate here was about 20 years ago. I think the food was better back then. It's a family-owned and run business and not a chain. On a sunny day, you can eat out back outside. I think they still have a live guitar player/singer on Friday and/or Saturday nights. Best to make reservations for evenings. You can wait outside on the bench or inside front seating while waitng for a table.
I'll be back!!
This place I would say is ok. My husband ordered a burrito and taco plate. I ordered the chicken enchiladas suiza. We shared a queso appetizer. The queso was really good. It wasnt what I was expecting and it was different. I would order it again. We noticed a lot of people were ordering the guacamole and we probably should have tried that.
I really liked the green chile sauce on my enchiladas. My husband says he likes chipotle burritos better. The rice was ok, but both of our refried beans tasted strongly burnt. My husband says he wouldnt eat here again. I would give it another try to see if other items are better than what we had.
Millbrae, CA
Category: Mexican
Burlingame, CA
Category: Mexican
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Category: Mexican
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Category: Restaurants
Millbrae, CA
Category: Mexican
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