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Guaymas

3.5 star rating
based on 209 reviews

Category: Mexican

5 Main St
Belvedere Tiburon, CA 94920
(415) 435-6300
Hours:

Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Attire:
Casual
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Price Range:
$$
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
Yes
Takes Reservations:
Yes
Delivery:
No
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
Yes
Good for:
Lunch, Dinner
Alcohol:
Full Bar

209 reviews for Guaymas

Review Highlights   

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"…Nogada (Two large poblano chiles stuffed with chicken and raisins, topped…" (in 4 reviews)
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"Nancy had Chile Poblano en Nogada, two large poblano chiles stuffed with…" (in 5 reviews)
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"I had the Camarones al Chipotle--fresh shrimp sauteed in chipotle sauce…" (in 6 reviews)
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Photo of Art V.

 

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1

Art V.

Belvedere, CA

3 star rating
11/22/2009

The View is the highlight. Outside is best.
Parking in Tiburon is difficult & expensive.
In a striking exhibition of paranoia, the Town of Tiburon is about to install cameras to photograph every car going into and out of Tiburon.

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Photo of Bill T.

 

2

27

Bill T.

Kailua, HI

5 star rating
11/4/2009

This is not your typical American Mexican restaurant.  It doesn't serve Mexican food, it serves Mexican Cuisine.
I've been going here since 1993.  When I moved to the Bay Area, my friend John brought me here.  He found it while looking for a place to match the Cottonwood Cafe in Boston.  Guyamas wins.

Eat outside on the deck if you can.  They close the deck during the winter, so spring through late fall is your best bet (call).  They have those big hot tiki lamps to keep you warm at night (and during the day if needed, the fog you know).  Yes, the dock for the commuter boats right next to the deck, but it's really not a problem.  Yes, there are pigeons.  Don't feed them and watch your food, and you'll be fine.
You are in Tiburon, on the beautiful San Francisco Bay, right next to Angel Island and overlooking San Francisco in the distance.  At night, the city is lit up and almost floats over the blackness of the bay.

The food:
Wonderful.  Instead of chips and salsa before your meal, they serve stacks of warm, fresh tortillas and three kinds of salsa, a mole, a green and a red salsa.  Their Margaritas are wonderful, but they also have a small but decent wine list, a very nice selection of flavorful beers, a large selection of Tequilas and more.

I have always found the service here to be wonderful.  They are attentive and very friendly.  I have had good conversations with most of my waiters and waitresses here, and have even had some of them remember me a full year after I saw them last.  I think anyone who complains about the service here got the really rare bad night.  It happens to the best of us.   (Or maybe people just don't like you).

One of my favorite dishes here is the Huachinango Entomatado (Red snapper with mushrooms, tomatoes, chilis, garlic, onions...).  It's fantastic.
Their Fajitas are also really good, but since you're here, you should go with something you can't get at other Mexican restaurants in the US.  There are many good choices.  The Chile Poblano En Nogada is way too sweet for me, but some people love it.

You dessert fans will love the Flan and the 'Chocolate Sin'.

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Photo of Jessica S.

 

12

8

Jessica S.

Larkspur, CA

3 star rating
10/28/2009

Ay Guamas, que pasó? This was without a doubt my favorite restaurant in the '90s. I could eat here every day of the week and never tire of the menu and smiley-faced servers that would greet me by name. How times have changed. I've eaten there twice in the past year and both times have been sadly disappointed in the changes I've experienced.

Although the menu has barely changed in over a decade, the quality of that menu has. The presentation is sloppier and the taste less flavorful. It was apparent that the plates were thrown together in haste. This brings me to the service: not enough servers and not one with a smiley face, but rightfully so as they're overworked and stressed out.

Luckily, Guaymas has one very, very important thing on its side that won't change: location, location, location. Smack on the Bay fronting views of San Francisco and Treasure Island, with the SF ferry dock just feet away, Guaymas hands down has one of the best outdoor restaurant patios in town. Since they can't afford to continually fall back on only this, I think that a revamped menu and some changes with management could easily make this restaurant what it was in the past. I'm rooting for them!

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1

42

kierstan g.

Marin, CA

4 star rating
10/30/2009

I do like this place...mostly because of the view.  I try to think if I would love this place the way I do if it was in a strip mall.  Probably not.  But that being said the view really can't be beat.  It is right there where the ferry comes in.  And the patio has heat lamps but dress warm...much warmer than you think you need to.

Their kabob things are soooo yummy.  You can get either chicken, beef or swordfish.  I always get the swordfish.  It feels so healthy and fresh for a Mexican restaurant.  

What prevents me from giving this place a 5,? I'll tell you.  The service.  One time I had to wait for my table at the bar.  So I ordered from the bar menu a Castaway Cosmo.  Yummmmy.  If you like cosmos you will love the castaway one.  When I got to my table and needed another drink, because believe me you never want to leave when you have that view, the waiter never heard of a castaway and brought me a regualr one and tried to convince me that it was what I had just drank.  Simple mistake... Fast forward a month and I went back.  Different waiter, same problem.  Never heard of the castaway and tried to give me a mango one.  I had to go in and get him the bar menu.  Its not the mistake that is the problem as the heavy persuasion efforts.

But I'll be back, because of the view, the food and the castaway once I finally get it!

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4

13

Rachel C.

Milpitas, CA

4 star rating
9/27/2009

The good:

Fabulous view. This place is right on the waterfront where you can see San Francisco's sky line.

Tasty margaritas. Their blended mango margaritas are awesome! Every time I've had it, it was always a good balance of just enough alcohol with sweet mangoes. Very tasty!

Free chips. The food takes forever to come, so the free chips helps ease the anticipation.

The food. I LOVE their camarones rellenos, which is 5 large shrimps stuffed with jalapeno and wrapped with bacon, served with sauteed vegetables, rice, beans, and tortillas. I don't like spicy food, but the jalapenos don't have any fire to it and you can easily pull it out (you can't order it without the jalapenos because it's prepared ahead of time that way).

The bad:

Slow service. Every time I've come here, it always took awhile for the server to take our order, food comes out after 30 minutes, and the drinks come after 10 minutes.

The pigeons.  If you sit on the patio, beware of the pigeons who scavenge. Bugs can be a problem too...

Fairly expensive. Last time I was here, my husband and I had three margaritas with two entrees--a camarones rellenos and a carnitas urapas-- and it cost around $76 with the tip.

Overall, I would recommend this place for a nice lunch and a scenic view.

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Photo of Richard P.

 

0

34

Richard P.

Castro Valley, CA

3 star rating
10/12/2009

Decent Mexican food. If I wasn't starving after riding a bike on Angel Island on a chilly afternoon, I might have been disappointed. I had the salmon and swordfish skewers, and the fish was undercooked. I like sushi and I like cooked fish, but you can't split the difference.

The spice was not memorable, and the service was just average considering the army of servers they had running along both sides of our table.

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Elite '09

254

64

Robyn H.

San Jose, CA

3 star rating
8/18/2009

I was exploring in Tiburon with my boyfriend, so Guaymas was an obvi choice for brunch.

We started with some guac and a couple drinks. The guac was good, but not anything super, super amazing. (Certainly NOT worth the $9.25 price tag.) The drinks... HOLY COW! So strong. I had a mojito (8 bucks, standard-ish) and the bf got a mango margarita. His margarita was the clear winner. The insane alcohol content was balanced nicely by the sweet mango goodness. But still... $10.75? Are you kidding? I mean. It was a regular sized glass. Not one of those split-3-ways fish bowl margaritas.

We both went the salad route for our meals. I had the ensalada Guaymas, no cheese, no dressing. A solid selection. Crispy and fresh. My bf ordered the $15 ensalada de pollo. Which might have been good, only is was more like a soup after they drowned it in some kinda of creamy dressing. He picked out the pieces of identifiable lettuce and chicken for a bit, then just gave up and shared my salad.

Our server, Andrea, was fabulous. It was a BEAUTIFUL day on the patio, so she was slammed.  Still. She was helpful, as attentive as possible, and was excited to give us info about Marin County- where to go, cool neighborhoods, what to eat for dinner, etc...

Our total tab without tip was $56. For 2 drinks, 2 salads and guac?  Not so much worth it. We chalked it up to it being Tiburon and that we were paying for the view... which is free just about 20 yards away.

So. We'd maybe go back. At happy hour. It IS a beautiful setting.

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Elite '09

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1243

Eric B.

Albany, CA

4 star rating
7/26/2009

After getting off the Angel Island Ferry this afternoon, we were all hungry and were hankering to eat along the water. Sam's outdoor deck had an hour and half wait, but upstairs at Guaymas had room and a very nice elevated view (even a few rows back). Mexican cuisine is not really Gayle's favourite cuisine, but this is no ordinary (or inexpensive) "south of the border" experience.

Our only complaint during our pleasant meal at Guaymas was that the kitchen was slow. The main consequence of that delay was eating too many of their really good chips. This was in turn exacerbated by the side of guacamole we ordered and the delicious house salsa that we mixed in to add a little spice to the warm and crispy chips.

Past that, table service was excellent. Chips were replaced and water glasses were filled quickly. Every staff person we met was friendly and helpful. My teenage son (with good taste) chose the Lomito De Puerco, while Gayle opted for the Brochetas Marisco, while I settled on the Chili Poblano En Nogada. That was all washed down with a cerveza fria (Tecate draft), a Guaymas Ultimo Margarita, and lemonade. Everything was delicious and although it was all a bit pricey (but with view), the 3 separate leftover bowls are easily good for that many lunches at work for early this week.

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Elite '09

38

107

Courtney H.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
8/8/2009

I came here for a birthday dinner over a year ago with my mom and then-boyfriend.

I have always been impressed with Guayma's and it still remains one of the few reasons why I'd ever travel out to a vomit-inducing nouveau riche spot like Tiburon. They have some of the freshest seafood and tortillas I've ever devoured. Tasty margaritas. Beautiful view of the bay.

Watch out for the cougars at the bar!

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Elite '09

174

153

Jackie B.

San Rafael, CA

3 star rating
Updated - 7/27/2009

I think they might need to hire some more experienced hostesses.  I was trying to determine how many people were ahead of us on the wait list for outside seating and all I heard for 3 minutes was  ummmm...ummmmmm..ummm.  

"Well, it looks like there's only 1 person in front of you"

I said, "OK" and proceeded to the bar with my 4 peeps.  Mind you, we're literally 4 feet from the hostess stand.  I thought i gave her my name.  I swear I did.  Maybe not but, I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.  Outside though, there were 3 vacant 4 tops, two of which needed to be cleaned.  I figured they were holding the 4th for the reserved party they were expecting that was before us.  

Here's what really got me though:  it's not like people weren't busy.  But, I saw some waitress just standing around doing nothing.  

N-O-T-H-I-N-G.  Who does nothing at a restaurant?  She wasn't off yet.  Why wasn't she helping to clean off the tables outside?  I know servers rely on their bus staff for that but, c'mon people!!!  If you don't have sh** to do, go and help out someone else!!! It's not rocket science.  Your bus staff is not your slave.  They are there to assist you.. not do your job.  And, if they needed seating outside, why didn't one of the hostess' help out?  There were two of them anyhow.  It's not like one of them couldn't just walk outside for a minute to help clear off the table so MY party could sit down.  

BUT... I didn't say anything.  I was determined to be on my best behavior and not go aggro.  I was trying to be flexible.  And, I'm pre-menstrual by this point so, it was doubly hard.  

But, then I saw group after group taking my tables outside after they finally cleared them off 10 minutes later - no joke.  But, I still didn't say anything.  I figured they had a good reason.  

25 minutes go by.  The hostess, who, may I remind you, is 4 feet from me.  We've even been exchanging smiles back and forth between when we first spoke and now.  I then go up to the hostess and ask her, "how much longer do you think it will be"

"Oh, you guys still wanted a table?"

DUH... YEAH...

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 3 star rating
    7/24/2009

    On my previous visits to Guaymas,  I sat by the water with friends on one of those beautiful, hot,… Read more »

Photo of Aaron A.

Elite '09

7

105

Aaron A.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
8/3/2009

Here is the deal.

It's a nice, fairly authentic Mexican food place right on the bay in Tiburon. You can sit and sip a well blended margarita straight up for $6.75 while sampling three kinds of tamales (pork, chicken and corn.)

Atmosphere:
Outdoor seating- although you are liable to be attacked by the pigeons that surround the joint. I opted for a spot at the window inside.

Service:
Excellent. They were not pushy or overbearing. They were attentive with the chips and salsa- which was very good btw. They also knew the dishes.

Price:
It's a little on the spendy side. Suggestions: With a couple, you can split an appetizer- I suggest the taquitos which are quite large and tasty and then split a main course which is also quite large and tasty.  That, with the free chips and salsa, you are feeling pretty satisfied.

Tips:
After the meal take a stroll along the water front. There is an ice cream place near by where you can smell them making the cones. I never made it over there- but I will return.

You've just been yelped in.

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7

15

Luanne K.

Larkspur, CA

1 star rating
8/22/2009

Guaymas is completely overrated. I've had way better Mexican food for less the price. Sure, the location is beautiful but it's not enough to get me to come back here. In our party of five the only dishes that tasted good were the tortilla chips, salsa and my main course; which was the pork loin chop with grilled plantain, topped with an ancho chile, garlic and onion sauce. Definitely not worth the $100 bill.

The service, though friendly, was not good at all. The server did not know who ordered what, the drinks delivered to the table were full to the brim and spilling, our water was not replenished and my husband had to go look for our waiter so we can get our bill. Even the couple sitting behind us had to flag a waiter since they had been waiting for about 15 minutes for somebody to take their order. Kinda put a damper on our Sunday afternoon. Skip this place and spend your money elsewhere.

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Photo of Grace L.

Elite '09

251

188

Grace L.

Antioch, CA

4 star rating
5/25/2009

I hold this place near and dear to my heart. Whenever I'm in Marin visiting friends, we would always end up in Tiburon just to eat at this place. I remember many afternoons when we would sit at the patio with a basket of tortilla chips and salsa overlooking the breathtaking view of San Francisco. Simply beautiful. I also remember having heart to hearts with my BGF (best guy friend) inside right next to the fireplace. I remember that day so clearly. Both of us kinda looked at each other, and laughed at the thought of the waiter thinking we were a couple. haha Good times...

Where to start food-wise. So many good things, but here are my must-haves:

Flautas -- so crispy with marinated beef/chicken inside
Grilled Corn on the Cob -- they put some kind of crust on top that makes it amazing...
Ceviche -- it's seasonal, so catch it when you can. Super refreshing on a hot day
Sizzling fajitas -- served on a sizzling platter with housemade corn tortillas. Delicious.
Tamales -- all of them are great...try the green corn for a change of pace

Just keep in mind that this place is more Calimex fusion. No way by any means is it authentic Mexican. But the food is good nonetheless. Never tried their margaritas, but they sure did look good. They also serve agua frescas too. Overall, definitely a good place to try when you're in Tiburon.

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10

188

ESPNgurl D.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
7/16/2009

My siblings + the boy and I went here for brunch last Sunday and it was perfect! The weather was gorgeous and so we enjoyed our brunch by sitting outside.

Onto to the food: good, tasty and good size! We also shared a pitcher of margarita (forgot which one) but it was good! Service was slow, but I think that's because it was a busy day.

Overall, good view, decent food, definitely good company. A nice way to start the work week!

PS: pricey but like all, paying for the view!

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1

11

Gina M.

San Ramon, CA

4 star rating
10/3/2009

Guaymas is a destination restaurant I reserve for visits with my bff from Europe. I don't allow myself to go there unless she is here because it is our favorite place to go together.

The atmosphere: Colorful Mexican paper flags and wooden tables with indoor and ourdoor patio dining set at the end of theTiburon pier with an amazing view of the beautiful and distinct San Francisco skyline, there's no lack of  ambiance. As a bonus, the Golden Gate Bridge makes an appearance, a sight that I will never tire of despite being a native San Franciscana. Even if the food was comparable to Taco Bell, I would still go just for the view.

About that food...Yummy !!!

Yes, we did have 2 margaritas each and could have done with a few more, it did not alter our appreciation for the fanfabulous food. We started off with a big bowl of guacamole served, of course, with warm tortilla chips and three different fresh salsas. The guacamole was, as always, out of this world. The red salsa and that sweet salsa were not too inspiring...the green salsa stole the salsa show. Not to be outdone, the main act arrived on scene; Camarones a la Diabla and Huacinango Entomatado. Translation for los gringos, spicy shrimp sauteed with butter, garlic, onions, cayenne and pepper flakes for the former and snapper sauteed with mushrooms, jalapeno, onion, tomato and garlic for the latter. I shared with my bff since we must have as many different culinary delights dancing around in our mouths as possible because we are puercas totales !!! I could carry on about how tender it was, how it was not fishy, how it was spiced to perfection yadda yadda yadda, but it will have to suffice to say that was freaking delishamundo.

Not that we needed it since we were at Death's Door due to over-nourishment, but we indulged in el pecado chocolate con cerezas which was quite a sin but nothing really to blow you away. I would personally allocate the extra funds to another margarita.
So sounds like I really really like it, right? I did. So why did I rate it 4 out of 5 five stars you ask? Well, let me tell you, they used to have "Tribalin de Goofy" on the menu which was the main dish I remembered from the place which was a quasi sushi - slash -carpaccio blend of yumminess on a plate with a mexican twist. It was something that they had which was truly different and special and it is a real shame that they got rid of it. Lame.

Despite a lack of Goofy, it is still worth a go. They need more selections on the dessert menu but it is a minor complaint, since the calories should be reserved for the appetizers, entrees and of course, the margaritas. Caveat emptor, the bill was $103 for two very petite, young, wrinkle-free, vegan (when it's convenient) and FABULOUS women ;-) Ouch. Ay yay yay yay yay !!! EMG

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Elite '09

92

142

Rosie C.

Oakland, CA

3 star rating
5/18/2009

This Saturday we decided to take a trip out to Tiburon to see how the other half lives.  Frightened by the preppy Financial Analyst's chest butting each other in line, we opted out of the Tiburon Wine Festival commencing in the main square and scurried over to Guayamas.  

If there is one thing I like with an ocean view, green grassy knolls and the hot blistering sun accompanied by my family...its a good Sope, Grilled Buttery Corn and Fresh Tortilla Chips with Salsa, Guaymas had it all.  Husband ordered a Mexican interpretation of Calamari and the kids had chicken quesadilla's, rice and beans.  

My Sope was good, not authentic Taqueria style the way I like it but good in a Tiburon way.

My Grilled Buttery Corn tasted like dried corn because it was over grilled and under seasoned.

Chips and Salsa were decent.

Husband liked the Mexican interpretation of Calamari Tiburon style.

The kids inhaled their Chicken Quesadilla's.  Black Beans were great but the rice was watery and bland.

The waiter was visibly disappointed at our failure to pad up the bill with high priced Entree's and Margarita's but the view made up for his grouchy vibe.

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Elite '09

58

125

Martin W.

Oakland, CA

3 star rating
5/31/2009

REALLY good food.

Shitty salsa.  I mean, Pace is better.

Crazy overpriced margaritas.

Really friendly and attentive service.

It's a tourist joint done well; I'd never choose to eat there, but if I had to, I'd take it without a wine--good enough.  It ain't Dona Tomas, tho, where I wouldn't have this empty feeling after dropping the dough.

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58

67

Ashley C.

Brentwood, CA

1 star rating
5/17/2009

I am going to come back and review this later on - but I had the WORST EXPERIENCE EVER here last night.  Sad that a good restaurant has died, but I will never return here, even if you paid me.  Been coming here for years, and never experienced such terrible service, food, management, cleanliness, and all around AWEFUL.  It went from bad to worse, to unbearrable......

I gave it 1 star which is generous, but that is the least possible.

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Elite '09

14

116

Johnny G.

Redondo Beach, CA

5 star rating
5/29/2009 2 photos

We went here with my Aunt and Uncle after the trip to Alcatraz Island. Nice place. Very friendly staff. My Uncle had the bright idea of ordering a pitcher of margaritas. NICE. I'll have to do some research since it's been 2 mos, but the food was AWESOME. We purposely ordered items we had not tried before. I'll post the pics after the review, then look them up. LOL.
This is a REAL nice place to take your special someone. Killer views of the harbor outside, even at night, it was beautiful with all the lights illuminating boats on the water.
Don't sit near the doors leading to the patio in the back though, because the way they are set up, it blasts the wind right at ya! (We moved).
Highly recommended.

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3

14

Artie D.

Tiburon, CA

1 star rating
9/21/2009

Ever try to eat fajitas without tortillas?  Give Guaymas a try, and if the service is anything like I experienced, you can try that not-so-great feat.  My wife and I both ordered Fajitas, which arrived without tortillas, or the rice and beans. Took 5 minutes to get rice / beans to the table, and another couple of minutes before tortillas finally arrived, and then they only brought 2!  So a few minutes later we were in need of more, and then the real waiting began.  Took 5+ minutes to flag down a waiter, and when he had not come back 12 minutes later with tortillas (for our now very cold food), I went in search of a manager, told her we were leaving, and asked her to excuse the bill (which she did).  Went next door to Sam's and had great service, which salvaged our evening out.  Service at Guaymas has never been very good, but this was absurd.

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Elite '09

78

435

sarah F.

San Francisco, CA

2 star rating
4/16/2009

I really thought I'd love this place.  $#%^U$%^&.

Planned my sister's Easter brunch/Birthday party here, especially to sit outside and soak up the sun.  Well, first of all, when we got there, they were gonna seat us inside.  Oooohh, no ma'am.  So my sister, the sassy gal she is, corrected their mistake, and we were seated on the upstairs patio.  Yay, right?  Read on...

So there were about 12 or 13 of us, the margaritas were flowing.  I was disappointed that there wasn't a brunch menu, as it was Easter Sunday.  So, I ordered the 1/2 chicken with ranchero sauce.  It was really good.  However, when the waiter brought out the food, he spilled sauce in my hair and on my dress.  Not happy.  The service was really slow, and they forgot things like tortillas when 2 people ordered fajitas.  Also, when the bill finally came, the tip was included, of course.  We threw down cash, and even though we only needed like $8 in change, they took the whole thing and didn't bring back change.  Um... we already paid tip!  Not a big deal, but just one more thing that annoyed me.  

Yup, so I can't say I'm a big fan.

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6

103

Emily M.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
8/17/2009

Guaymas is kitschy, but good. The menu is huge, margaritas are strong, view is spectacular *on a good day* (go in the early fall - nice weather, patio, view).  I like the food here very much. It's somewhere between gringo Mexican and semi-"authentic" Mexican. We pop over the GGB often for a Guaymas fix, and it's always worth it. It's a fun atmosphere..good for groups, and great if weather is good and you're on the patio. The food isn't going to win any awards, but it will please kids, grandma, and rowdy group of 25 y/olds, alike.

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Elite '09

52

429

Wes T.

San Rafael, CA

3 star rating
4/28/2009

I'm not that impressed with this place. The location is killer, but the food and service leave something to be desired.

For starters, you'll nearly always have to wait for table here. Which would be OK, if the food was decent. But it isn't. It is pretty bland and not that good to begin with. Waiting for crappy food at a cool table sucks. Oh yeah, the food is also overpriced. Caveat: the portions are large.

They do have a decent bar, but all the drinks I've ever ordered come back weak. Fail.

My assessment of this place is that the owner knows he's got a hot location which gets mondo foot traffic. He throws together a generic Mexican place that's not too intimidating or "ethnic" (it is Marin, after all) and voila! A guaranteed money maker.

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49

132

Henry R.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
9/10/2009

Great place, great view, great food, great service. If it wasn't so out of the way or darned expensive, I'd have given it 5 stars.

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0

2

Larry B.

San Francisco, CA

1 star rating
9/18/2009

This place completely SUCKED.  It is nothing but a total tourist trap that makes Pier 39 look good.  Two of us went there on a Wednesday afternoon for lunch.  It was a beautiful day, very peaceful and quiet, few customers, right on the Bay.  That was the last good thing about it.  

First bad sign:  why does it take 15 minutes to get two glasses of water and iced tea?  There were only about four or five tables of people in the restaurant, but it took 45 minutes from the time we ordered until the food arrived.  We practically had to beg for refills for the tea.  We asked twice before one surly busboy begrudgingly brought us another glass.

Order #1:  Shrimp and Octopus.  About 4 or 5 shrimp the size of your little finger, a couple of rings of rubber bands (was that really seafood?), served on cold rice.  Price:  18 dollars!  Order #2:  The Pork Special, touted by the waitress as her personal favorite.  The pork was so overcooked that the chunks broke in half when you put in the fork!  Come on, folks!  I'm from Ohio, the place where pork is never served unless it's burnt to a crisp, but even Ohio pork is more succulent than this shit.  Price:  20 bucks!  Side orders:  cold black beans out of a can with cold rice.  We should have sent the whole mess back or just thrown it into the Bay and walked.  

The waitress was so poor that it was obvious she had ever worked in a restaurant before, and had probably never even eaten in one, either!  To add insult to injury, it took forever before we finally got the bill.  To put it simply:  Stay away!  Do not eat here!  The restaurant owner should definitely find a new line of work that has nothing to do with the food industry.

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Elite '09

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300

Lola L.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
2/5/2009

This is one of the best places to hit when you're craving authentic Mexican food and the corner taqueria or the roach coach is just not cutting it.

Thanks to what I call Indian winter, we asked to be seated in the back patio to enjoy the view. The beautiful view of SF, Angel Island and the bay bridge was beautiful. When the sun started to set, romance was in the air!

The menu was kind of a healthy take on Mexican food. The platillo de entremeses was an assortment of appetizers that included quesadilla, tomalitas and chalupas to name a few and this alone will fill you up even when sharing. The ensalada de Colima was a medley of baby lettuce, mango with a light vinaigrette.  The camarones a la Diabla was a generous portion of shrimp sauteed with garlic and pepper flakes.  The cayenne pepper added a spicy kick I love. The beso de chocolate is a must try, it's hot chocolate with a hint of peppermint schnapps.

The service was attentive and they were ok about me adding and excluding a few of the ingredients to the dishes. The portions are pretty big and with every bite you can tell they use quality ingredients.  The dishes are pricey but worth the experience to try a different take of Mexican food (i.e. not cooked in lard).

If the food doesn't please you, the gorgeous view and maybe your date can take your mind off it.

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Patricia F.

Oakland, CA

2 star rating
9/10/2009

The food has declined, so has the service -- it was lousy -- empty water glasses ignored; chips/salsa arrived after main course.  Salad is skimpy.  Cerviche was poorly flavored.  (sigh)  Forgettable meal.  Price Lunch, $20 without alcoholic drinks.  Patrons come for the view.

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Jennifer R.

Oakland, CA

2 star rating
6/25/2009

I am here to inform you, there are no dogs allowed on the patio, which in my opinion is a big tease.  So my friend's well-behaved mini-dog had to sit in my car while we ate.  Which would have been less irritating had the service been better.  But it was S  L O W.  

The food here is OK.  Actually, the guacamole was delicious.  It was also $9.25. In fact, there wasn't even a lunch menu, so we paid dinner prices for a 1pm lunch on a Wednesday.  This, the dog thing, the slow service...I was expecting some outstanding entrees because the view of the bay alone and the pricey guacamole weren't holding the experience down thusfar.

Well, they were nothing special.  For starters, the menu wasn't vegetarian friendly, which is unusual for a Mexican restaurant.  I might have ordered fish, but the prices were $25 plus for simple dishes.  There were two entrees to choose from that didn't have meat, and my friend ended up with a chicken tamale on her plate even though she ordered the plantain ones (the first of the two was correct, which I found bizarre - and she said that one was yummy, but it didn't look very good.  I think it was jaundiced).  Luckily, they brought the correction tamale out very quickly, considering the first one took half an hour to show.  But then the quickness gave me an unpleasant indignant feeling - why couldn't they have sped things up a bit the first time around?  Don't get me wrong, I wanted to enjoy the view, but we were hungry.  And there was a small creature in my car dirtying the window with noseprints.

My vegetarian tostada, not a dish I typically chose (but again my options were limited), was insultingly pedestrian.  And the portion was small, like side salad small.  A tiny heap of corn, beans, potatoes (?!) and onions in a comically giant fried shell.  

I won't be back here.  It's a hellofa distance to drive for chips and guacamole on a patio.  Maybe the service is better at dinner, but I've already seen the menu, and it's nothing too exciting.  Given the lack of seasoning on the tostada, I doubt they do anything more complicated very well.

Guaymas is another case of the diner paying excessively to cover the price of the restaurant's rent.  Step up the culinary performance, and this place could be a lovely destination.

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Helen B.

Fremont, CA

4 star rating
3/16/2009

You just have to try their Chile Poblano en Nogada (Two large poblano chiles stuffed with chicken and raisins, topped with a
fresh walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds) to know how fabulous this place is.  The setting is lovely and the ambiance fun, but honestly I have dreams about this dish!!

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R H.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
5/3/2009

Great location, mediocre food. We came for a group dinner on a Wednesday night, so waiting was not a problem. We were seated by the nice view, but that was the peak of the evening dinner. Service was a little slow, especially for a Tuesday, but we had our pitcher of margarita to keep us company. Some of the waitresses were easy on the eyes, but that is another subject.

I probably will not be returning to Guaymas any time soon. A little out of the way and the food was not memorable. But the view was nice.

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Matt R.

Saint Louis, MO

3 star rating
4/8/2009

I have been coming here since 1999.  During the period I lived there it was one of my favorite restaurants.  The view is still not to be missed, and a side trip on the ferry out of SF would still make for a good day, but I'm sad to say that on my last visit the quality had declined significantly.  Apparently due to new management.

The Sopes were no longer being served while I was there, nor the grilled green onions, but unsure if that's a permanent change or not.

As for recommendations....

The ceviche was as good as ever, if perhaps marinated a bit too long.  And the Carnitas, which I had never had there before, were very good.

So the meal we had wasn't bad, but compared to our past experiences it was a disappointment.

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Summer C.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
4/6/2009

I may have found a new reason, outside of Sam's, to trek over to Tiburon!

After a day of hiking this weekend on the  Ridge Trail we were headed home and decided to stop for dinner in Tiburon. Yay for finding Guaymas!  The food was yummy, the service better than the their neighbor down the way and the views stunning!

We had the fajitas and the steak/chicken skewers - both were plenty of food. I'd almost recommend doing an app and splitting an entree as it's definitely enough for two!

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Bob S.

Santa Monica, CA

2 star rating
12/16/2008

Beautiful setting, food was hit and miss:

Guacamole - Decent, but arrived late.
Albondigas Soup - Good
Ensalada de Mariscos - Really Good
Chile Poblano en NoGada - Not Good
Drinks - Weak.

and the Service? Snooty and VERY Slow.

And with all this, you pay a premium? Nah, won't be back.

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Scott M.

Mill Valley, CA

3 star rating
Updated - 3/10/2009

Okay, we made it back to hit happy hour and were very glad we did.

The food offerings are very generous for the price - everything on the menu is about $3.00 and there was enough for two on all of the items we tried.

One disappointment is the lack of margaritas on the happy hour drinks menu...  However, the drinks we did try were quite good.

We'll be back.

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 3 star rating
    3/1/2009

    We arrived after 8 on Friday night and were immediately seated at a table by the window.  (Like much… Read more »

Photo of Gabrielle J.

 

81

248

Gabrielle J.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
4/8/2009

Wow.  That was all I could say when the bf and I stopped in here after a long rigorous hike off Gulch Trail.  

Not your standard Mexican fare, but everything is infused with a creative and seafood-inspired vibe.  Definitely on the pricier end, but here's what me and the bf do (and we both eat A TON).  Margaritas, obviously.  Guacamole, and split the seafood skewers.  Definitely enough for 2.

Do not miss out on Guaymas next time you boat or drive over to Tiburon.  Phenomenal views, terrific food, and a great vibe.

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John O.

Santa Clara, CA

2 star rating
5/9/2009

I've been to this place a couple times and the food is seriously subpar. The service is a little goofy. But the drinks are great! Like most places, they can mix alcohol with other stuff and it does the trick.

Please do not order the weird chile relleno with pomegranate on the top. That was one of the worst things I've tasted in life.

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2

5

Meredith M.

San Jose, CA

5 star rating
5/7/2009

A Tiburon resident for 2.5yrs now this is still our favorite place to go and to take visitors.  View is amazing, and it's that much better enjoying a margarita from the deck on a sunny afternoon.

Recommendations:
DO NOT MISS - Tostaditas Con Cangrejo (Crab Tostadas).  By far, the BEST thing on their menu if you're a crab meat lover like I am.

Carnitas - very tender and well seasoned.  Enough to share

Bacon wrapped shrimp - with a pepper sliver and cheese inside the shrimp.  Also enough to share.

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Francisca C.

San Francisco, CA

1 star rating
8/4/2009

WATCH OUT FOR OUTDOOR SEATING. This is what happened on our visit to Guaymas: We sat outside because it was a BEAUTIFUL DAY. While we drank the best Margaritas EVER, low and behold: there were these pigeons attacking the empty tables. They would fly onto the empty tables, and walk all over the place settings. They would walk on the plates, and the silverware, and we even saw one poop on the paper place setting. It was REALLY DISGUSTING. It was so bad, I mentioned it to our waitress, and she laughed it off saying: "yes, the birds love to fly all over and attack people, blah blah blah." But did she change the paper place settings? Did she remove the plates set out? Did she remove the silverware? NOOOOO NO NO.
I was so disgusted. Then I looked at my own plates and silverware, and began to think of what my own place setting went through when no one was around. Bottom line is: I would have given this restaurant a much better rating, but because of the whole pigeons walking all over outside place settings, I totally cannot. I feel like that's too big of a deal to overlook. Just be careful. It's pretty darn scary. :(

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Shannon W.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
3/15/2009

Highly recommend this restaurant particularly midweek when the crowds are fewer. On Saturdays, especially during the summer it can be quite a feat to obtain an outdoor table.

But when you do...OMG! the views are spectacular. The food is definitely on the pricey side but the portions are generous. I recommend the arroz con mariscos, the 3 tamale dish as well as the abondigas soup. They also have a slightly cheaper lunch menu with some additional choices. The guac is very good, but it still hurts me to pay $9.50 for it!

My recommendation is to go, eat the food and enjoy the ambiance is long as you can!

p.s. We went once on a Sunday night and they had live music. We even managed to get seated outside on their patio. It was magical!

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Rachel C.

Denver, CO

5 star rating
Updated - 10/3/2008

You know how sometimes you just know you are in the right place at the right time?

Well last night at Guaymas, it was the right time. . . . and definitely the right place.

I was lucky enough to be invited to a private party on the upper deck to meet the new "owners."  This was one meeting I was anxious to have. I really wanted to get a vibe of who they were, what they were going to change and if it was still going to be a favorite hangout for us locals, not just tourists.

All stops were pulled out . . . my favorite band, The Dreaded Truth (see my review on them), was playing; open bar . . . plus a huge glass barrel of homemade Sangria . . . . plus several exquisite wines . . . .plus my new favorite - Leblon classic cocktails.  I had 3 and 1 of the strawberry variety!   The appetizers were fresh, hot, and abundant.  The dark chocolate strawberries & cherries were so good.  And the little cookies were unbelievable!  I even took a couple home to have with my morning coffee today!  The service was superb.  Friendly, smiling and never in-your-face.

My family used to own restaurants . . . we never had a manager as dedicated or capable as Edson.  He is what makes Guaymas what it is. Always willing to listen to the customer . . . especially us home town folks. I was delighted to hear that the new owners realize his value to them.  

I am sighing with relief after last night.  Thank you Howard & Vince. I was so afraid that we were going to have a box restaurant come into Tiburon.  After last night I just think it is going to get better and better. Too bad I won't be here to enjoy it every night.  I will be one of the tourists soon.

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2 Previous Reviews: Show all »

  • 3 star rating
    7/29/2008

    They're changing the guard at Buckingham Palace,
    Christopher Robin went down with Alice . . . .

    or… Read more »

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