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El Metate
Category: Restaurants Mexican Mexican [Edit]
2406 Bryant St(between 22nd St & 23rd St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Mission
(415) 641-7209
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
654 reviews for El Metate
Review Highlights
"Definitely cannot wait to come back for the fish tacos."
(in 118 reviews)
"I love how SF burritos feed me for 3 meals."
(in 164 reviews)
"My mom had the tamales with chile verde."
(in 26 reviews)
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654 reviews in English
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Review from Claire b.
Nob Hill, San Francisco, CA
1/7/2012
I am in LOVE with this place. There's something about the food... I usually get the fish tacos, so incredibly good and fresh tasting. My man got a carnitas burrito and the meat was incredible.
They have this chopped salsa at the salsa bar that has cucumbers and jalapenos in it and I am just OBSESSED!
Did I mention their agua fresca? All I've had is the strawberry but it's so good and fresh and not too sweet with strawberry bits in it. Perfect hangover cure!
Also the owner is extremely friendly. -
Review from Caroline L.
San Francisco, CA
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here for lunch. When I got there, there was plenty of seating inside and outside, although it filled up really quickly right when I got my food. Phew, beat the lunch rush! :)
I had the carne asada quesadilla. It was delicious, perfectly crispy on the outside and the right ratio of cheese and meat..aka a lot of meat and just enough cheese so it wasn't too greasy. I was a fan, for sure. The meat was really tender and flavorful, too. And you could tell it was at least decent quality because there weren't any fatty pieces that are awkward to chew. :P
I definitely should have tried the salsas. I don't know what I was thinking when I skipped over that! After reading my fellow yelpers' reviews, I feel like I missed out!
As everyone has mentioned, the guy taking orders is so friendly. I felt very welcomed as a first-time customer, and I'm sure he'd be the kind of person to remember you after you'd been there a few times.
The only negative was their guac. It was kinda watery, not nice and thick the way I like it. And too many big tomato chunks. I could barely taste the delicious avocado! :(
I will be back to try other things on the menu, and definitely the salsa bar! -
Review from Andy J.
San Francisco, CA
12/23/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Cheap, fast, simple, and delicious. Everything I've gotten from El Metate has been superb. Fish tacos, chicken burritos, mole burritos, quesadillas: the list goes on. I normally order my meal to go, but if you decide to eat-in, I've never had issues with getting seating.
I probably go here once a week, and don't see that habit changing anytime soon. -
Review from erich s.
Petaluma, CA
2/3/2012
These guys work really hard to provide some great food at a great price. The owner puts a lot of effort into running a solid business, and I'm always happy when I go there. Gets busy sometimes, but they have a large dining area with great decorations and character. Getttt at it!
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Review from Lisa T.
1/25/2012 1 photo
I love me some good gringo Mexican food and this place hits the spot. Especially notable are the chips ... mixed in with the tasty corn tortilla chips are some red, white and green flour tortilla chips.
Kid-friendly too :-) -
Review from Nazneen A.
San Francisco, CA
1/31/2012
My favorite taqueria in the Mission to sit down and eat at. Sure there may me other taquerias with better food in the Mission, but do you really want to hang out there and eat your meal? Most hole in the wall places in the Mission are just better for take-out. El Metate is clean and festive. I go there for the colorful ambiance and the chicken nachos! The staff is friendly and the food is tasty.
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Review from Randy N.
San Francisco, CA
1/15/2012 4 Check-ins Here
Great fish tacos. Didn't really believe the hype, even my first couple of times there, I tried other things. But just like crack, after your first taste, you have to consume more. I ordered two fish tacos, drove home, ate the first one, drove back, ordered an embarrassing number of fish tacos, drove home, ate myself into a filthy fish taco slumber. End of story. It's easy what to take from this story, first off go to El Metate, secondly, order the fish taco.
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Review from Julian V.
11/29/2011
This place is awesome. It's in the mission, but it's not on any sort of main stretch, so it does have a slight off-the-beaten-path/neighborhood vibe. Staff were friendly, and the burrito was crazy delicious. Not as big as the super-sized burritos at chipotle, but trust me it's a good thing. Pretty affordable, with a veritable variety of meat options.
$1.50 for agua frescos is ridiculous considering how good they are. I came back later that day for a second agua fresca. I think it's even cheaper than getting a Jarritos, and they taste way better. -
Review from Cass R.
San Francisco, CA
1/30/2012
My most reliable filling dinner plan :). Consistently delicious.
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Review from Diane N.
1/9/2012
El Metate has good food, genuine service, and comfortable seating. The Super Burrito is not the type of "super" that one would normally expect because it is skinnier, however, it is extremely tasty and worthwhile. The enchiladas were decent but the green sauce I ordered was too salty. Thus far, I'm more a fan of their carne asada than their pollo. My favorite part of El Metate is the salsa bar, which has real star power. There is an array of different heat levels and fruit salsas--which go great with the complimentary chips.
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Review from Michael S.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 1/21/2012
This place is still going strong and continues to be a favorite of the neighborhood and the hospital (SFGH) which is only a few blocks away. El Metate never disappoints.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/18/2010
A little gem in the Inner Mission and close to my home so it makes it even more wonderful! GREAT… Read more »
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Review from Rose A.
11/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Thanks to ScoutMob, we got a free chicken burrito. Although my husband said the burrito was good, I wasn't too crazy about the fish taco as it lacked flavor. The chips also had a weird taste, as if they reused the frying oil too long.
Not my favorite Mexican restaurant...sorry. -
Review from Korrena B.
San Francisco, CA
11/9/2011
Most reviews below discuss the merits of the fish tacos, or the burritos, or the quesadillas...where are the reviews of the tortas, I ask! The fish torta from El Metate is what I fantasize about when I'm hauling my not-inconsiderable butt up a wall at Mission Cliffs - it's a wonderful blend of fresh chewy bread, their house sauce, generous portions of their breaded, flaky fish, salad and perfectly ripe avocado. Oh, and did I mention that you also get a side serving of soup with it?
Bonus points for the cuteness and cleanliness of the restaurant and for being delightfully family-friendly. -
Review from Emmy G.
Concord, CA
11/16/2011
Today was my first time here. I grabbed a chicken burrito (free with scoutmob coupon) for lunch. Wow! I was pleasantly surprised how good the food was! Definitely cannot wait to come back for the fish tacos.
The only reason I'm giving 4 stars is because I wasn't a big fan of the salsa that came with the chips. -
Review from Christine B.
Berkeley, CA
11/21/2011
Came here for a free chicken burrito and that is what I got. Well, that and steak nachos and a fish taco. I NEVER order chicken but since that's what I had to get for the scoutmob coupon, I hesitantly got the chicken burrito and it was... MOIST! I was quite pleasantly surprised.
I really like the fruit salsa & the crunchity goodness of the chips that they give you. The steak nachos were probably the star of the night. This place kind of reminds me of Senor Fish in LA (not really, but it made me nostalgic for it). The exterior is super cute and I will definitely be coming back here. -
Review from Jane A.
11/20/2011
EXCELLENT BURRITO, perhaps my favorite!!!
(4.25 stars)
Came here to receive my free chicken burrito. You've been SCOUTMOB'd -- 100% deal to this place!!!! And was very glad I did not pass up the opportunity.
- Food, delicious
- Prices, affordable
- Service, great and fast
- Ambiance, as if i was in mexico
Upon my arrival, I was expecting a long line and nowhere to sit. Arrived with a very small line and seating available outside and inside. Assuming majority of the crowd was here for the scoutmob deal but many customers before me seem to not be and were ordering as if it just a regular day. On top of that, great first impressions. Saw the zagat and yelp stickers on the door window and on the wall - always a good sign when judging the place at first glance. Staff, mexican/mexican american, check!!! Food, legit, check!!! Decor definately made me feel like I had walked into a small mexican restaurant IN MEXICO. The bright colors and the decor, especially the mexican sculls in the window had me expecting a good feeling about the food I was about to eat.
HEFFER-STYLE STATUS.
CHICKEN BURRITO - watched how they were making the burritos. simple, legit, and fast. My burrito was perfectly wrapped in it's foil and was literally the length of my forearm (i measured it). used my scoutmob deal and received the burrito for free and in addition came with chips and dip. the burrito itself was excellent. refried beans, lots of delicious tender chicken, rice, cheese, and pico de galla -- how awesome, no lettuce. i was glad it wasn't stuffed with lettuce; makes it a 'legit' burrito for me. the size of the burrito was big enough to be split between two people. i only ate half and saved the other half for a later time. the chips was good, different then other places. may have used a different tortilla to fry and loved how it was kind of over-fried because it gave it a tastier after tasted which went well with the pico de galla dip.
They place had it ready for the few thousand who copped themself a scoutmob deal. Very organized and prepared - fast service and great staff.
Will I be back? HELL YAH!!!!
JABA APPROVED... Until the next review.... -
Review from Jessica t.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 10/28/2011
It's been awhile El Metate, but you are still a bright beacon on Bryant street.
I love that feeling of returning to a place that holds a special place in your heart and being relieved to see that nothing has really changed. It's still full of warmth. The food's still on point. Their menu looks the same. And it just feels right.
I popped in here to grab some food for some others before an event and for six tacos (a mixture of chicken and steak) and a big serving of guacamole the total came out to about sixteen dollars. Not bad, not bad at all.
El Metate - keeping it real in the Mission.
Trust.Listed in: Places and Businesses that I…, Businesses that Make San…, The Mission, Good Places with Some Quality…, Cheap Lunch Spots around Town.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/14/2005
El Metate oozes goodness. The moment I step inside, my butt starts to shake with the great music… Read more »
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Review from Dan L.
San Francisco, CA
11/14/2011
We were going to eat at Taqueria Vallarta with Living Social coupon but closed Monday. Not to fear daughter recommends El Metate and the three of us ventured a few blocks away to 22nd and Bryant. El Metate has a cute interior - brightly colored Mexican tiles and curios line the wall. Normally would be suspicious of a Mexican restaurant filled with gringos -)
. But the food here was really tasty. Had the Taco Plate for $7.95 and two tacos of carnitas and carne asada, with avocado, pinto beans, queso, salad, and chips. Great presentation with large ceramic plates. The food was good but warm interior design was great. Also had flan and it was tasty and reasonable at only $2.50. Only drawback - no cervezas. But who can complain with a meal for three for a little over $20. Will return -
Review from Katy A.
11/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
For years, this has been continually a great spot for anything yum! I trust my tummy here more than I trust those burrito joints on 24th that keep getting shut down by the health department. This place is clean and always delicious - typical Mission flavors, but they serve Black beans as well, and that is always a plus.
It's a bit more expensive than those other places down on 24th... but it's well worth the extra buck to know that you're getting quality food.
I love how SF burritos feed me for 3 meals...because when it comes to El Matate, that means I get the taste of The Mission without having to leave my Richmond hood to brave the commute over.
Quick Tip from my best pal: she asks for half the rice... which means you get more of the other yummies thrown in. Just sayin' - she knows where it's AT. -
Review from Kim L.
San Francisco, CA
1/6/2012
Burritos are cheap and fast, but a little on the skinny side. I got a carnitas super burrito and it was good, but I wasn't too impressed. The "super" part was supposed to be guac, sour cream and cheese, but mine just had a pinch of each. They have a ton of other things on their menu, so I wouldn't be opposed to coming back and trying something else, but probably not the burrito again. The people working there seemed really friendly and nice.
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Review from Grace S.
Palo Alto, CA
1/12/2012
Been there a ton of times. In fact, when they just opened the owner bought some stuff at our garage sale and paid us in burritos (not all at once, fortunately).
It's a cut above the average burrito place, but so not far above to lose it legitimacy. I definitely recommend it if you're constantly in search of the next best burrito! -
Review from Matthew L.
San Francisco, CA
OMG FRUIT SALSA, FISH TACO, CARNITAS TACO!!!!! To die for.
Of course, I came here at the recommendation of my buddy, Gloria C, and got everything she recommended. It was a Mexican lover's dream come true. Fish taco was crispy, carnitas taco was flavorful, and fruit salsa was uniquely sweet and salty. I loved everything I got there... and I'm actually craving it all as I write this review. The portions are big, so it's going to leave you stuffed way past your normal dinner time. For example, I had my tacos at 12PM, and I was still stuffed at 8PM.
This place is conveniently located near SFGH -- so for those of you that are seeing a doctor or visiting family at SFGH, go there! They also accept credit cards, and there's plenty of seating. Best to go there before 12PM when the lunchtime crowd usually eat. I would suggest ~11:30AM!
I'm not always in the SFGH area, but when I am, for sure I WILL GO to El Metate. Viva la comida mexicana!!! Arriba!!! -
Review from Chris G.
San Francisco, CA
1/6/2012
One of my favorites. Love the chile colorado burrito with steak and potatoes!
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Review from Carson J.
San Francisco, CA
12/3/2011
Best Mexican food I've had in San Francisco. If there is anywhere better please let me know. All you 4 star reviewers hit me up.
I'm vegetarian, so I go with the veggie burrito, but when I'm naughty I go with chicken or carne asada... bomb!!! ... and they serve Guayaki drinks!!! -
Review from Viet N.
Pico Rivera, CA
1/25/2012
good, not LA good but good enough to satisfy my taco craving. tacos are much bigger here tho. 2 would suffice.
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Review from Pepe C.
San Francisco, CA
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Fish burrito, oooooof! I feel so good!
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Review from Eve C.
8/28/2011
For our last meal before getting on the redeye back to the Sunshine State, we knew we had to have some more delicious Mexican. Lucky for us, El Metate was within walking distance from our friend's house!
I'm slightly obsessed with fish tacos, so that was a no-brainer for me. I think my obsession might have run off on my friends, because out of the 6 tacos ordered amongst the 3 of us, 5 were fish, with a carnitas thrown in for good measure.
The taco plates come with rice and beans and 2 tacos of your choosing for about $8 - not the cheapest, but definitely do-able. Add in a huge agua fresca in the fruit of your choice, and you have a super-filling meal for about $10. Not too shabby.
The tacos were tasty, the rice and beans were plentiful, and the agua fresca was delish! I'll definitely be hitting up El Metate on future visits to SF.Listed in: California Love
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Review from Lillian K.
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA
12/10/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Tortilla chips are like none I've ever tasted. Hence, nachos were an A+. Also, the salsa bar is great. Fruit salsa! Who would've thunk?
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Review from Kevin J.
San Francisco, CA
8/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
El Metate is alright with me. The outside decor is pretty cool and inviting, knowing that all of the "damage" done to the building is just a facade. The inside is a bit confusing with three doors and not very well written out directions on where to go. I figured it out though and I'm so glad I did. The menu items although rather extensive seem simple enough. The grilled chicken burrito was super flavorful and the regular size was plenty enough for me. Free chips and salsa? I'm in! The chips were probably some of the crispiest, non-bagged tortillas I've ever experienced and made for great dipping instruments in one of their several flavors of salsa. Who else do you know that serves cucumber pico de gallo?
I'll be back Metate - just you wait. -
Review from Rachel R.
8/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a great find in the Mission. Food is tasty, the portions are large and the prices are very reasonable.
My burrito was 2 thumbs up. Their condiments/salsa bar was also pretty rad, lots of interesting items to choose from there. -
Review from Lindsey S.
San Francisco, CA
1/17/2012
You shouldn't go to El Metate - it's so good I don't wanna share! But come on, seriously unreal good green chile verde puerco, crispy on the outside and soft ont the inside. Pozole? Oh man, better than any I've had so far in the city. Salsa bar? Homemade tortillas? OH YAH. The al pastor reminded me of the al pastor we ate in Mexico.
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Review from Jenny N.
San Francisco, CA
12/13/2011
El Metate has the BEST MEXICAN FOOD EVER. I had a burrito with steak, potatoes, rice and beans. Wayyyy too much carbs, but it was good. They also give you chips which is a plus because their salsa is also very good. I tried horchata for the first time here and I loved it! I was too full to finish everything on the spot because there was so much given. The price is really worth it. Especially for the quality of the food and also great atmosphere and workers are really friendly. They offer inside and outside seating and we chose to sit outside which was really relaxing. The alfajores are also the best! If you want good Mexican food, this is the place to go. Also great pricing.
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Review from F. P.
San Francisco, CA
10/5/2011
Unlike other SF taquerias that no doubt have great burritos and tacos for takeout, El Metate clearly has put some effort into making it a welcoming place to dine-in with brightly colored walls and friendly service.
Of course, if you like the takeout option (which I did this time around), there's a separate entrance next door where you can place your order.
Their beef enchiladas are good and served with either red or green chili (or both) - I prefer the green chili) - and also sour cream, pico de gallo and guacamole.
But the highlight for me was the al pastor burrito. The marinated pork was grilled perfectly to give that a little bit of pleasant charring but was still quite flavorful. To top it off, the burritos here are rather skinny because they don't overfill with rice and beans (definite plus). Don't worry though because you will be full by the time you polish off that meal.
Note: it's in a random location on Bryant at 22nd, which is predominantly residential and makes it rather difficult to find parking. -
Review from Karen T.
MMM... I've seen this place and would have never gone there only because it's in the middle of no where. Because of Scoutmob I got a FREE Chicekn burrito here and it was good! I guess I'm used to the gigantic Mission Street burritos, don't expect that from here, it's the skinniest burrito I've ever seen BUT the ingredients made up for it, it was good! Tortilla chips and salsa was even real good! One failure the canteloupe agua fresca, I actually bought, took 2 sips and it was pure SUGAR! I couldn't drink anymore it was too sweet!! Left it for a homeless person if they want it. I would go back and eat again.
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Review from Tasha A.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 8/13/2011
This place used to be great.
The salsa was SO bland and the tomatoes had no flavor.
I had the enchiladas just now and they were bland too, the rice had no flavor and it made me literally sick. :(
I was so surprised, this place used to be in my top 5 for Mexican food in the city.
Dont think I'll be coming back here again.1 Previous Review:
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10/27/2009
So good, I love the tacos! Super cheap and nice location
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Review from Vanessa K.
San Francisco, CA
Great Scoutmob deal :) The chicken burrito was fresh, and the chicken was moist and tender. Good flavors. I added, cheese, sour cream and guac for an extra $1.00. Totally worth it. I have to agree with everyone else that the salsa bar sucked, thus the three star instead of four.
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Review from rachelle p.
San Francisco, CA
8/27/2011
I was hoping to be "wow-ed" but left "satisfied."
Ze Cons:
The carnitas were flavorful but still had some big fat chunks, and that's an awkward moment when you want to die because you are eating solid pieces of fat but don't want to spit it out and look like a snob.
The salsa was kind of poopy. I had to mix two of them together to get a nice thing goin'.
On the flip side homies:
They actually use crema. Not plain sour cream. And that's how it should be, for all Mexican restaurants, always.
Cheap! Cheap ass quesadilla! And it was huge! If I was broke as a mofo I would eat here all the time. -
Review from Tammy C.
6/24/2011 1 photo
(See pic)
Super sunny facing with outside seating and very colorful tables and a few umbrellas, you'd think you were somewhere south.
Super long line starts around 12:30pm when nearby SFGH people start coming by for lunch but the line does move okay. Definitely go earlier if you want to grab one of the nice outside tables.
Fish tacos were fairly delicious and my friend had the tostada that looked excellent. Definitely to try it next time. This place has lots of choices, something to look forward next time! -
Review from Joy X.
San Francisco, CA
11/29/2011
the pozole (pork stew with those giant corn kernels) is filling and delicious. They were nice and agreed to substitute rice for nachos.
Don't let the small entrance/ordering area deceive you. There's plenty of seating indoors. -
Review from Gloria C.
6/23/2011 4 Check-ins Here
El Metate, I'd like to publicly declare my love for you.
I've been in love with you for years and am surprised it took me this long to verbalize it.
I love your cripsy fish tacos, carnitas, chips and mango spicy salsa. I am bewitched by your amazingly refreshing horchata. My heart beats fast when I walk down Potrero and you never fail to leave me with a warm fuzzy feeling of happiness.
Since I'm so generous, I can share you with others, hence this review.
If you are reading this, you'd be a fool not to try this place if you're ever in the Mission area! It's a great place, The very nicely decorated and there is seating aplenty. Perfect place for lunch on a sunny afternoon!Listed in: SFGH Lunch Hotspots
