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Janitzi - CLOSED
Rating Details »
Category: Latin American
Neighborhood: Mission1152 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA 94199
(415) 821-2310
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- 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:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- None
15 reviews for Janitzi
Like it or not this place has CLOSED. Some people had predicted it.
The cheap lunches/moderately priced dinners and hit or miss latin food didn't entice enough customers to keep this new restaurant afloat. Some people said that this location seems to have bad luck, since many previous new restaurants (Sens & Watercress) didn't last long here.
But I remember when the very popular Watergate restaurant was located here years ago, and that place was great. Anyways, maybe the tough economy was also a factor since less people are dining out.
Anyone wanna place bets on how long until Janitzi goes under? I'm giving it a max of 5 months. MAX.
I hate to see new small businesses fail, but this place is HORRIBLE.
First of all - No booze. While they should make that known before sitting at your table, a lot of restaurants don't have liquor licenses. I guess... Anyway, Pakwan, for one, doesn't serve alcohol. But they allow you to bring your own beer and it's cheap as dirt - Janitzi has a $20 corkage fee.
Janitizi is delusional to charge the prices they do. For a $15 salad, I would at the very LEAST expect to get what is listed on the menu.
Wrong.
I ordered the mango and crab salad with avocado, cilantro, citrus vinegarette, etc. Sounded pretty nice. What did I get? A sheet of sliced cucumber (not listed on the menu), covered with a shitty tower of mango and old crab. No dressing, no effort. It was so painfully terrible, I don't even know how to describe it. Suffice to say I didn't eat any of it but still paid just to get the hell out of there.
Furthermore, it took almost fifteen minutes to get our menus. Service is slow despite an empty restaurant.
First, know that they're still getting their booze license, so there's wine & beer coming, but for now they encourage you to go down the block to the corner store and return with your choice of wine and beer.
The restaurant is mostly green, with a large open kitchen in the back and big windows up front (where the seating can be a bit chilly if it's cold out be forewarned), well filled with polished dark wood tables.
The menu seems priced as relatively higher-end for (mostly) South American food, except that all the specialty main courses include 2 sides, which makes the price much more reasonable. We had the chicken mole and the chayote, with sides of sweet potato fries, rice, beans, and polenta.
Before dinner arrived, they brought out a plate of sliced bread surrounding a guacamole-like sauce which had a subtle kick and was delicious.
The chicken mole arrives as an incredibly tender leg & thigh nearly swimming in a plate of dark red-brown mole sauce, surrounded by some rose petals. The sauce is slightly spicy, with rich flavors that I wasn't fully able to decipher. Pretty tasty, though not my personal favorite.
The chayote, sliced in alternating layers with chicken, and some cheese, drenched in a rich chipotle sauce. This was delicious!
The sweet potato fries were thick-cut, lightly fried, lightly salted, nearly melty in the middle, and utterly addictive.
The polenta was moist, rich, buttery deliciousness.
The beans were cooked with chunks of (I believe) bacon and were tasty.
The rice had a consistency distinctly similar to risotto, and was quite mild.
Service was very friendly, helpful, and enthusiastic. They're a welcome addition to the neighborhood!
Unpretentious, unassuming, family-oriented. Janitzi has so much potential (friendly service, extensive menu, great food presentation), but there's a lot of kinks to be worked out before being fully successful.
Because I live on the same block, I received a card for a free appetizer a few months ago before it opened. At first, I thought it was yet another chain, but was impressed when I walked by it when it first opened.
I can't do the usual pros and cons, because they have too much they need to work out. I would have given this place 3/5, but it gets an extra star for its very unpretentious attitude.
As you enter, there's a table on the left with dishes of the day and also a framed yelp review from Lauren B!
My bf and I ran across the street from my place to Janitzi which was nearly empty. The server motioned to two tables--I chose the one farther from the door since there was a slight draft. Oddly enough, the table had settings for two sitting side by side at a 4 person table. The entire time I felt like I was a bride/groom situation at a wedding...both of us looking outward to the pleasantly decorated restaurant with obvious personal touches.
They immediately gave us menus and shortly after, a plate of challah bread with guacamole. That was surprisingly tasty.
Nonetheless, the menu was extensive. Yet there were several hiccups there in clear user understanding. For whatever reason, the server took awhile to get our order. We ordered white fish tacos, the janitzi soup, enchilada rancheros with baby spinach and cabbage with chorizo, and babyback ribs with guava sauce with polenta and fries.
My bf asked for water several moments later, but somehow that request was forgotten. Nonetheless, the mariachi had strolled in with their guitars and played, distracting us from our lack of beverage. As they finished a song, they made small talk--have you finished? where's the wine? My bf and I admitted that we hadn't started and that we didn't get any offer of beverage yet. The mariachi immediately asked to get water delivered to our table which we embarrassingly accepted the server's apology.
The food unfortunately arrived all at once rather than spaced out. It was fine, but because of the draft, the food cooled rather quickly. However, each plate had excellent presentation against the white dishes. The Jantizi soup--lots of content (shrimp, mussels, octupus, scallop) and spice--could be a meal on its own with is quality. Both the bf and I loved the white fish tacos--the sea bass (apparently the white fish changes day to day) was lightly fried meshed well with the crunchiness of the cabbage. I recommend lime wedges rather than lime slices next time. The ribs were unfortunately a bit dry. For some reason, the server thought we had ordered chicken enchilada ranchero rather than beef enchilada ranchero, but we said it was ok. The polenta was pretty good.
The head chef and owner (after the water mistake) made a point to check on us every so often. She seemed very earnest in trying to get people to dine there. Also, she was attentive and cared about the customers.
Overall, there is a lot of potential here. And I definitely would like to see something succeed in this location after the previous failed attempts.
Note to all alcohol lovers: BYOB. But because I live in the same block, I received a notice that Janitzi is obtaining a liquor license. And why would I protest it? At least people don't have to run to the local store.
Its not a Mexican restaurant, its not a Peruvian restaurant, its not even El Salvadorian, they call it "Cuisine of the Americas."
The menu here reads like a Latin American travel guide. The food is an exploration of the best of how cultures blend and mingle to forge new foods and styles.
If you go try their signature soup, its a great seafood stew. The arepas and plantain chips are a must. Check out the Tarasco cakes, strange mix of shredded beef, oatmeal and salsa--I know its sounds strange but tastes great--like I said a mix of cultures on a plate.
The place is low key, big lunch crowd the dinner scene is growing but you can still walk in and not wait too long for a table. The family that own and work here are very nice and make you feel very much at home.
I think the kitchen still needs work, some plates came out hot, others warm, they need to work on consistency.
I'll be back!
It's official: I love Janitzi! I went back last night and tried the following items: crab and shrimp enchiladas with guacamole and corn cake sides, and the crab and mango entree salad. Everything was spectacular! Great flavors and perfect sized portions. The service continues to be very friendly, and the colorful space is cheery without being cheesy. The quality of the food is very high, but the bill was very reasonable. Overall, just as great of an experience as I had predicted!
Apparently, I'm not the only one who's loving Janitzi - there was a large table of people sitting behind me that kept talking about how great their food was and how much they loved this restaurant.
It's nice to have such a great place in the neighborhood.
P.S. thanks Janitizi for posting my original review! :)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/4/2008 First to Review
The owners here are clearly making an effort to make a great neighborhood dining experience at… Read more »
My friends and I heard about this place through a friend who raved about the food. After traveling in Central and South America for the summer, I was really interested in trying out the Latin cuisine in the Bay.
I heard it is a new restaurant, which is why they don't have a liquor license yet, but you can BYOB. We brought in a 6-pack to share and they opened our bottles and provided glasses at no extra cost.
The dining experience was unexpected from a new small restaurant. The menu seemed a little higher than usual, but there is a specialty menu where for a range of $12-15 (depending on the entree), you get an entree and a choice of two sides. This is a great deal because you will get stuffed and your stomach will thank you for it. Bring a sweater and your body will thank you too--it gets a little chilly in here
When we sat down, we were served with bread and spicy guacamole. While we were waiting for our food to come, the owner/chef came out with a complimentary empanadas she was testing out for the menu. It was sweet of her, but the dough of the empanadas were too thick in my opinion.
My friend and I chose the fish cooked in two ways (at the end of the specialty menu): 1) cooked on top of a vegetable medley with spicy sauce, and 2) grilled with a lemon, garlic sauce. We shared 4 side dishes between us: sweet potato fries, steamed broccoli, polenta, and yuca fries. The most memorable of the sides was the polenta. It was buttery and moist, and the best I've had so far. The sweet potato fries were cut thick, the yucca fries crispy but not too much, and the broccoli was cooked al dente. We were so stuffed that I had to sadly stop eating the polenta.
I support small business and would definitely come back.
I just had weekend brunch here, and it was quite good.
They'll make you (a huge!) steak and eggs, or an omelet, but I had the all-you-can-eat buffet for $7.50. Buffets are usually awful, but this was great.
Here's what was on the buffet menu that I can recall:
Posole, two kinds of scrambled eggs, chilaquiles, refried beans, some kind of salad, melon, orange juice, and coffee.
The owner was really friendly and attentive. I'll be back to try their dinner very soon.
Tasty melanges of South American food at very reasonable prices, especially at lunch time. They should definitely sort out the liquor license or let people carry in though.
For $5, the chicken enchiladas lunch special was very tasty, very creamy and decadent, although it's borderline snack size (even though you get two), even with the small amount of rice (which was also very good--garlic flavored, I believe) that it comes with. Considering my fat ass, that's probably a good thing. Definitely good for the money.
I wasn't really impressed with Janitzi. The chicken enchiladas were tasty, the chorizo and cabbage side was pretty greasy, the fries were soggy, and the fish tacos were okay. None of the flavors or dishes were memorable, but on a positive note, the prices were pretty reasonable. I might give this spot another try in the future.
I have been here twice for lunch. The first time I was on my way to somewhere else, and the $3 lunch special sign completely caught my eye. $3 ?!?... I thought... what can you possibly get in this city for $3. I looked in, and the place was colorfully decorated, clean, inviting, there were families and people of all ages and backgrounds eating. For the price you would expect a dirty taqueria, but no, this is actually a very inviting establishment. So I gave it a try. The server was very friendly and excited to tell me about the menu. The cuisine is from the americas (i.e. from everywhere central and southern). The menu is eclectic, bright, interesting, and slightly overwhelming. There are so many yummy and complex items to choose from, that you really need to go with a group of friends and order family style in order to try everything.
After two lunch visits, I have tried the beef enchiladas in a green sauce, the chicken tamales, and the chicken apple salad. Each of the $3 lunch specials was delectable. Granted they are probably the most expected (or common) dishes on the menu, however they had the right amount of balance and spice. I look forward to going for dinner and seeing what some of the heartier fare is like (especially the guayaba glazed babyback ribs). Of course the $3 lunch special menu won't last for long, as they intend to get people in and create a little hype.
Remember how fun Beretta was before the news was out.... well, you owe it to yourself to try Janitzi before it is impossible to get a table. Two thumbs up!!
NOTE TO JANITZI:
YOU NEED TO POST A MENU ON YELP AND/OR HAVE A WEBSITE!! THIS IS CRUCIAL TO YOUR SUCCESS!!!
Excellent food. Excellent service. Reasonable prices. Really like this place.
Just had lunch here with a friend. Enchiladas and sides were LOVELY. Great neighborhood find for me!
I went here last night for a friends birthday party and let just say it was some of the best service and food I have had in a while. The kitchen severed every dish you can imagine. It started with several different appetizers they were all excellent but the standout was this avocado's dish which the stuffed with this amazing tabule, it is must get. The served the fabulous soup which was very rich and light at the same time. The corn patty was so good I could of eat just plates and plates of that alone.The mains were off the hook the spicy chicken dish and the shredded and reformed beef are just themselves worth the trip again. Then dessert was great the best flan I have ever had and I don't even like flan. They also served a great lemon tart pie which was perfectly tart and sweet which a tasty crust. Since the don't have liquor license yet we brought a ton of booze and the glad severed up all it to us. At the end we even had our server join us for a glass of wine because she was so good and friendly. Both the chef owners cam out multiple times to make sure we happy and to lets us know what the next round of dishes were. All this a makes Janitzi a must visit spot and to top it of it extremely reasonable priced. I will be very soon.
