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Mon-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
I wouldve given it 5 stars, as this used to be my favorite burrito joint in the mission. But last time, their tofu burrito was substandard, it felt rubbery.
I would still go there again to see if it was a one time off affair.
I love their salsa. Yum! And I would order again the tofu burrito.
ok, so i didn't used to love them. I thought the service killed everything as they used to be so rude. but something has changed, as my last 5 times (at least) the service has been nice, funny, and helpful. and i know service isn't all, but it makes a difference.
the food is GREAT. good quality, fresh, nicely presented. plus that salsa is RIDIC!
Ok first things first, we didn't really eat that much food there so i can't confirm how good or bad… Read more »
Papalote is up there when it comes to delicious Mexican food. It's definitely in the top three and funny, for the life of me, I don't know remember the names of the other two because I'm hazy from the glow of Papalote's deliciousness. While the proximity of my next job location to Papalote wouldn't be the deciding factor in picking one job over the other, it would definitely be a perk.
Papalote is a restaurant where I don't miss meat as part of my meal. Their vegan and vegetarian burritos are delicious. I usually order my burrito with black beans, a whole wheat tortilla, and make it a super so I can have their delicious guacamole. The cheese is nice too. I've eaten their grilled veggie burrito, chicken burrito, and grilled shrimp burrito (it's not on the menu anymore so maybe it was a special), but I always come back to my one true love. The rice and bean burrito. It's simple, tasty, and will keep you going for the day. Their salsa is fantastic as well and unlike any I've ever tried before. It's hard to describe; it's a bit smoky.
I love me some Papalote! If I was vegan or vegetarian, it wouldn't be hard because of Papalote. I firmly believe the restaurant would get me through the hard times.
The salsa alone deserves all the stars. I ask for extra so I can bring it home and add it to my own dishes. I've had the prawn tacos and the veggie burrito...both very good. I've also tried the tofu and it was delicious (my beef eating friends order it!). Be careful if ordering a side of beans....it's a whole plate! And their guacamole is dang good if you just add a lil salt. Also, the prices are ridiculously affordable. Makes me not feel so bad for eating out instead of making my own dinner!
Best. burritos. in. SF. I've tried pretty much everything on the menu, but the chicken is still my favorite.
And I'm pretty sure the roasted tomato salsa is the closest thing to heaven on earth.
This place just didn't do it for me.
The "7x7 Top 100" chips & salsa were just ok. The fish taco's were not that great and a little over priced. The carne asade burrito was average at best.
Considering all the Mexican food options in the Mission, I don't think I will be going back to Papalote any time soon.
BIG price, SMALL burrito. not as good as expected, based on the 100s of reviews. we ordered:
1. carne asada burrito
2. fish taco.
burrito- wrap to stuffing ratio was off- too much wrap. mid-sized burrito, not the juicy fat type with thin skin.
fish taco- plain, but the fish was marinated well.
chips and salsa- chips were the thick kind, and salsa was liquidy, quite tasty, but left me craving the usual fresh, chunky salsa im used to.
price- higher than others. ~7.15 burrito, $6.75 fish taco.
this place is above average, but i enjoy El Farolito much more, or El Gruyense in Redwood City
Surprisingly let down by this colorful joint.
As I prefer my chips thin and my salsa chunky, I definitely could die happy without having sampled this version of weird liquid salsa and painfully thick chips. (Ref- 7x7- 100 eats b4 you die)
As I prefer my Mexican food greasy and my fish tacos not fishy, next time I want "healthy Mexican food," I'll opt for Annies frozen Mexican entrees.
All in all, not where I would recommend satiating a starving belly craving Mexican food greatness.
I like Papalote because it's one of the 'healthier' burritos around, and they seem to be fairly dedicated to using fresh ingredients.
That said, I've been a bit disappointed by the service on my past few visits. Food takes a long time, tables are not clean, and the chips seemed a bit stale.
They also charge you $0.50 for extra salsa, which just sorta rubs me the wrong way. All you can eat chips and salsa is a key part of the 'burrito value proposition' in my book!
This said, I will keep going back, as I really like everything on their menu, esp. the soyrizo and marinated tofu options. Hopefully they will step up the service soon!
Well whatever I may as well toss my hat into the ring here. I've lived in the Mission for 20 years now, on and off (the 1989 quake celebrations reminded me of that - I moved here 2 months before it, god I got an earful from my freaked-out Midwestern relatives for years afterwards. As if a tornado hadn't wiped a town right off the map 10 miles away from where I grew up. Hell-o).
At first when Papalote came around, I snubbed it. I admit it. I thought it was a dumb-assed idea. Healthy, gourmet-esque, burritos? With roasted vegetables? Posers.
But then I got older and started to not really want to feel kinda sick every time I ate a burrito. I'm not knockin' the more traditional (yes, yes, I know, burritos are not really from Mexico - but there is a burrito standard nonetheless, at least here in SF) burrito joints. I still go to them, they're awesome, but sometimes I'm craving a burrito but still want to sleep at night without feeling like I'm about to explode.
So I went to Papalote, just a few years back. Yummy chips, very fresh. Definitely a plus. Tasty jicama salad - unusual. Roasted salsa - a bit cheeky, but I gotta admit, pretty damn good. And shrimp cooked in white wine burrito - niiiiiice.
So now I work Papalote into my burrito rotation. Everything is yummy and fresh, and the lettuce here (used on tacos, not burritos) is real green lettuce, not iceburg crap.
A nice addition to the neighborhood.
I didn't expect to like this place. Any place with soyrizo raises suspicions in my mind about how authentic the food could be. But I really enjoyed - the chicken was tender, grilled to perfection, and packed with flavor. It's even better with the spicy salsa. Yum! I am torn on the guacamole - at $6 a pop, it's pretty pricey when a burrito costs $5, but yet pretty darn tasty. Not sure it'll make it into the order the next time around, but maybe. Also, I would love a little speedier of a takeout time, but I think I'll deal.
I don't understand why so many people rave about this place. Every meal I've had there has been so bad that I could not finish it. I've tried it at least 4 times now. Seems geared to vegetarians.
AWESOME food. I've had the carne asada super tacos, carne asada super burrito and the nachos. All great. Orchata isn't half bad--I've had it on multiple occassions. The water melon drink is a little watery so I wouldn't recommend that. The salsa is probably the best thing here. Do yourself a favor and just purchase a jar of salsa. The first time it's 6 bucks but bring back the jar and it'll be 5 bucks :) Good to reuse.
As for service, don't expect 5 star service with smile. There's a lot of traffic in this little place so they work fast and do what they need to do. The food is good so I don't mind the sass.
Tip for those of you that like to order to go, please call ahead and plan to get there in 15 minutes otherwise you'll be waiting FOREVER.
Yuck! Worst burrito I've ever had.
I love Papalote. I probably eat here at least once a week, if not more. The salsa is the best, and the burritos are pretty good too.
Delicious. I love any of the burritos. However, it is a little disorganized when it gets really crowded. Something as easy as ordering take out can take a long time and be a huge hassle. The other day when I arrived to pick up my burrito I had phoned it, it wasn't ready (even though it had been 5 minutes past the time provided to me). They quickly made my burrito however once I got home I was disappointed to find that it was not super.
The mole is incredible. As are the black refried beans. I really want to try the Triple Threat burrito!
once you've had Papalote's burritos, its hard to go elsewhere...
Its seriously good tasting burritos, you can taste that they use better quality ingredients
I love the vibe here; festive, fun, it makes for a really nice ambiance for a fun dinner out
but the real reason I keep coming back is for their salsa...
their burritos smothered in salsa - its the real deal!
OK, so like really good mexican food. Its a little different than the traditional mexican that I was expecting. Its sort of like Cali-mex...really fresh ingredients, not super heavy, oh yeah...and muthafuckin soyrizo on the menu. Nice.
Whoop ass salsa fo' shizzle. They thankfully don't hold back too much on the hotness here...I'm a big fan, but this could peeve some.
The place is flirting with 5 stars, but there is a wicked wait, pretty indifferent help, and seating is pretty much impossible. Be prepared to hover, pounce, and cry if needed to get a seat for your and your peeps. If you plan on going here with more than 4 people, you better not plan on staying if you arrive anywhere near a meal time. Some day, I'll head there when I'm wasted and try to turn it into a pickup scene. "Hey baby, want to nosh on my salsa?"...I predict 50% smack ratio.
Next time, I'm trying the Mari C. endorsed fish taco.
5 stars for grilled veggies in my shrimp burrito and the charbroiled taste of the carne asada
-1 star for store bought chips
-1 star for powder made horchata
-1 star for unhappy, low energy staff who shrug their shoulders when you ask about your order 30 min. after you place it or reply 'i guess' when you ask for a cup of ice to go with your $3 soda
-1 for yelling 'HEY HEY HEY' when we stepped right outside the door with your plastic cup of ice b/c it was too darn hot to wait inside
+1 for the sauce you provide with the chips
2 stars, but I'll happily spend my $8 at a taqueria with the same quality of food, but less attitude.
The key to Papalote is getting there at the right time. Don't go at noon, go at 3. Don't go at 7, go at 9:30. I think when they are crazy busy the staff and the food suffers as a result. If you go at off-peak the staff are really friendly and the food kills it.
I also think the vegetarian/vegan crowd can be a huge pain in the ass- beware of them. I blame them and their additions, changes, and substitutions for a lot of the waiting times.
I find it a tad strange that anyone would expect a burrito, which is an anglo saxon American invention, to be "authenically Latino". With that said onto the review. The vegan soyrizos here are totally addictive, can never have just one. The salsa, I'm still trying to figure out what makes it so awesome. Seriously it's the best salsa I've had in a burrito joint. The two downsides in my humble opinion are the location and it's small seating area. It always appears to be packed to the brim by a predominantly hipster crowd, making this more of take out joint. As far as location well, parking is difficult and it's about a block away from 24th and mission which is a cesspool of violence and crime. All in all dudes and dudettes: call in your order, take it to go, and keep the engine running :-P
Ladies. Gentlemen. I have been defeated.
In one corner you've got B: A vertically challenged underweight, but with years of burrito-eating experience.
In the other corner you've got Papalote: A Mexican grill that packs an unassumingly heavy punch.
This was the talk of the group for my San Fran veteran friends*. Luckily, I have a really smart morning routine: I oversleep, shower eventually, and drink my breakfast in the form of coffee. So by the time Papalote rolled around, Papa was storving!
I went for a classic grilled chicken burrito. Did I make it SUPER for $0.99 and add sour cream, cheese, and guacamole inside? DUH. As if that was even a legitimate question.
But first they give everyone their own bowl of chips and salsa. Because everyone is obsessed with the salsa, I'm just going to reiterate the fanatic declarations and agree: It is probably the best salsa I've had yet. I wanted to pick-pocket it and douse a little on all of my meals.
Then, the burrito the size of my torso was set in front of me. My eyes said, "YES. YES. YES. GO!" Halfway through my stomach said, "Boo, you've got to give it a rest."
I got about 3/4ths of the way finished with the appearance of my coaches--fork and knife--but not even they could help me with the big win.
Yet it has never felt so good to lose.
__________
* I was a newbie. But I really did leave my heart in San Francisco . . . My appetite too.
Go to Papalote for their clean and spacious seating area, some seriously amazing salsa, and fresh made guacamole. Their burritos are pretty standard, but once you add the salsa and guac, they shoot up into the realm of heavenly. Also nice that you can choose what type of beans and tortilla you'd like in your burrito or quesadilla.
Everything comes with a side of tortilla chips and salsa. So as we found out today, it's not totally worth it to spend $5.75 for an smallish bowl of guacamole and more of the same chips. Next time I'm going to just go ahead and order the guacamole as a side dish, or maybe even upgrade my burrito for $0.99.
No, not exactly the most authentically Mexican taqueria in the Mission, but who claimed that it was? The food is still mighty tasty, especially with that salsa.
So this is one of those rare reviews that was held back until I had returned 5-10x for further research. Here are my findings:
+1 for the delish salsa they bring while you wait at a table
+1 for the giant, tasty fish tacos. They're all I ever get.
+1 for being pretty affordable
+1 for not being greasy like all the other burrito joints around here.
-2 for the crowds. Sometimes you have to hover over (i.e. sit on) people who are half-finished with their meal to ensure you get a table when your food is ready. If you don't sit on them, someone else will.
+1 for having strangers sit on your lap while you eat your food.
Now I know what you're thinking:
"But Mari C, that math jus' don't add up... you gave em five stars but looks like they should only get three. How does that work?"
Well you see, I have an art degree, not a math one. It's open for interpretation.
The food is easily 5 stars , I've had tacos and burritos aplenty here, and the salsa they make is amazingly good. For any vegans all the bean options are safe (stated on the menu) and they even have tofu and soyrizo too. Matter of fact a soyrizo burrito is what skillfully defeated my hangover on Saturday. Thanks again huge burrito, I owe you.
I just can't quite go 5 stars because every time I'm here the employees seem so unhappy to be working. It's just kind of odd, like no one smiles, they don't really give a vibe like they're happy their lobby is bursting with customers. Like it's a hassle.
But even though they are not the most chipper bunch the food is fantastic, that's why the place is always so packed with customers. Just look happy I'm at your restaurant when I order like one time guys and I promise to go up to 5 stars.
I was on the quest for an amazing burrito during my two days in SF, and I decided Papalote was the place to get it (based on my Yelp research, of course).
The burrito, while not my Platonic ideal of the perfect burrito, was quite good, especially for its price. I got the Marinated Tofu (it was supposed to be on a spinach tortilla, but it seems that burrito places often advertise burrito flavors they actually don't have).
The burrito was heavy and warm, filled with tofu, beans, and rice. It was a little different than what I'm used to, but quite enjoyable nonetheless. The salsa was also unusual--rather than resembling pico, it was much smoother and creamier. And, in case people out there judge a burrito joint on its chips, I'd say they were above average.
All that for $6.30, which is slightly less than the going rate in Atlanta (a much cheaper city overall). The only thing is (and it seems this is common in big cities) there's not much room to sit. So it's best to take it to go.
My boyfriend's friend called me Skeletor the other day. Although I loved 80s cartoons, I'm a chick so He-Man is pretty much out of my reference zone. But I get it. I'm skinny. Scrawny. Gangly. It comes with the territory and there's very little I can do.
Except, of course, for setting up camp at Papalote. I've been exactly twice - once after a hard workout in the pool, and once after a long night of boozing that ended with a straight male friend kissing a guy at the Mint. Both times I was starving, my body shaking from the lack of sustenance, and their food delivered.
Between the complimentary chips and bomb salsa and the big ass super pollo burrito, I probably packed on a good five pounds that I had lost the night/workout before. I'm rather impatient (great trait for a teacher, right?) and waiting twenty minutes for a burrito is never fun, but I dig that they grill the meat to order rather than just scooping up a mound of lukewarm chicken from a serving tray. It's the sort of taqueria that I know I'll be returning to time and time again - and probably when my body REALLY doesn't need the calories.
With Papalote, I can continue the transition from an awkward hungry baby giraffe to a jolly chubby bunny. Something tells me that I'm gonna hate being called Ms. Staypuft Marshmallow just as much as Skeletor, though.
I went here last night and the place was packed. I ordered my food around 7:40 and my food wasn't ready until 8:00pm. I ordered a chicken burrito and a cheese quesadilla. My friend ordered the shrimp burrito. The burrito is considered gourmet and everything is prepared as ordered. The chicken had a unique charred taste to it. But the size of them were on the small size and they were not that filling. And the price was higher than the average burrito in the mission. A good plus was that they have habanero sauce laying around on the table. The sauce that they make is not very spicy at all for my taste but does have a good unique flavor to it.
The place is fairly clean except for the graffitied restroom. The noise level got so loud that I could hardly hear my friend talk. So keep in mind that this would not be a good place to have a deep conversation.
If you are veggie, they also have Soyrizo and Tofu as options. I found that to be a very unique trait to have the Soyrizo. And having prawns is an extra plus. Now they just need to add a Lobster burrito.
The keyword here is fresh!
5 stars for their amazing salsa and the freshness.
Minus 2 stars for being soooooo stingy.
I thought the carne asada burrito was yum-my! Price was a bit pricey for the burrito and chicken tacos, I think it was about $13....a bit expensive for mexican take out....but i'd saw worth the price. the house salsa has a kick to it, but very good too!
I was just underwhelmed by Papalote's marinated tofu. I was assured it would be amazing. That feels like a trick bourne of ulterior motives. What motives? I'm not sure.
The rest of the burrito held up the slack for the tofu. I will not sit back and call tofu in a burrito great simply because too few places want to put it in burritos - it has to be superior tofu. Soyrizo stands the winner of vegan protein options here for me.
Be warned, the wait for food here is longer than you'd think for a taqueria.
The vegans* were very concerned about what Yelp star rating Jen would give the soyrizo burrito**.… Read more »
Remember how Super Mario Brothers came out and you saved up your money for what felt like years (reality: 2 weeks) and your parents finally bought you Nintendo and you thought it was the coolest game ever? Then after you won it for the 94th time, you heard that Super Mario 2 was coming out and you were even more excited. You opened the package, you blew air down the edge of the cartridge to make sure it would work properly the first time, and you stuck it in. You began playing and noticed the differences immediately. The background pops out more. The characters MOVE differently. Yet it wasn't as enticing as the first one.
Papalote is Super Mario Brothers 2.
It's a great place, it fills the stomach and the salsa is everything you could hope for and more (finally, someone who makes something relatively spicy!) But after the build up over the past few years, it just didn't live up to my expectations. The products are super fresh, but something just felt missing.
My heart still lies with El Taqueria, but I would never turn down a chance to come back here. I was full for at LEAST 45 minutes after eating here. That could be a record.
Papalote. What to say? My veggie friends LOVE this place, and I can understand why.
They do all the grilled veggie burritos, soyrizo, tofu, etc., that people love. The only problem for me is that I LOVE MEAT, and Papalote just can't dish it up to my liking.
They don't have carnitas, which knocks one star off on its own, and the meat they do have (pollo, carne asada, etc) just isn't as authentic as other places. Also hampering their authenticity is the selection of tortillas they offer (spinach, sundried tomato, whole wheat). You only need one type of tortilla for a real burrito, flour.
Papalote is great for the veggie-mex or health-mex crowd, but I like my taquerias to be more authentic and less expensive.
Large and glorious burritos on a variety of really delicious tortillas. The salsa is great, a slight drawback would be that seating in the restaurant is pretty limited, I think there are only about a dozen tables, all meant for two people. They also have PBR tall boys, for the hipster in you.
I heart papalote! I used to live right around the corner and would dine on the fish tacos regularly. Their salsa is out of control good! And the sell it separately. Great gift. It's hard to stray from the fish tacos, but I also enjoy the steak entree. Lots of good memories.
One of the better burrito spots, some good veggie options. Going with a friend who can't eat a whole burrito, get the nachos and 1 burrito to share. The creamy salsa is fantastic.
This is some of the best Mexican food that I've had. Everything tastes fresh, the sauces are great, and the portions are sizable. My only complaints are that the wait can be long (but that's easily remedied by calling in advance) and the prices are a little high for basic Mexican food (especially given the plethora of choices in the Mission). Nonetheless, definitely some good stuff.
3.5 stars, but I'm rounding up for this baby because it was still quite tasty. After spending 3 days in San Fran and hearing about how Cali's mexican was SO much better than anything you can find in the east coast, I was craving a burrito BIG TIME. Specifically, one from the mission. We were recommended to come here to Papalote Mexican Grill.
I ordered the Carne Asada burrito with black beans, guac, salsa - the works. We sat down in the dining area and they came out with chips and salsa for each of us. The salsa was awesome and hot hot HOT - I started getting really excited about this burrito. It came out, nicely on a plate. I picked it up and sunk my teeth in for my first bite. GOO-OOOD = 4 stars, but where are rest of the rice & beans, guac, sour cream? I only got to taste some meat, lettuce, and a little rice, beans.. I soon found out where they were.. all at the bottom-end of my burrito, thus giving me a soggy bottom and tearing my burrito apart at the end :( That's why I took half a star away, for my soggy bottom. Rather than that, it was a solid tasting burrito!
I asked my brother (local in SF) what he thought. He said that he prefers the burritos that you get from the trucks in the mission better, but this place was good. All in all, I was happy with this burrito, but as the best I've had? I can't honestly give you that. I'm sure there are better burrito places in SF, I just haven't had time to take a whirl-wind tour of burritos in SF.. next time...
Heh. Not bad, but definitely one of the least authentic taquerias in the Mission (I mean really -- when you're at Valencia & 24th, and the place is full, and every single person in the joint is white...).
I like that they do refried black beans. And that they have a pretty darn respectable beer selection. And that I can have avocado on my burrito (no guac, though). I had heard amazing things about the spicy orange sauce, but was disappointed. Not as disappointed as the time I had the spicy orange mayonnaise at La Victoria in San Jose, but close. (And that's the closest thing you'll get to salsa there. There is no -- repeat, NO -- salsa at Papalote. *cry!*)
But the burritos are fine, the meat seems to be of reasonable quality, there is excellent and happy-making beer, and also, on the right night, boxes of avocados the size of your head. For serious. So I'll probably keep swingin' by when I don't feel like walking all the way to Pancho Villa.
Fantastic guacamole and salsa, the combination is killer. Love that they offer so many veg friendly options, the tofu is even high-protein wildwood brand. Texture on the tofu and soyrizo was spot-on, no soggy burritos here. This place is tiny and getting a seat can be very hectic, I was thankful to finally plop down with the chips, guac and salsa and dig in.
Love me some refried black beans, that alone earns this place an additional star.
We got so much free stuff!
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