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Puerto Alegre
Category: Restaurants Mexican Mexican [Edit]
546 Valencia St(between 16th St & 17th St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Mission
(415) 255-8201
Announcement
4TH Annual Dia de los Muertos Show - Join us on Oct 18th, Tue3-5pm for our Opening Reception featuring many Mission known artist
- Hours:
Mon 11 am - 10 pm
Tue 5 pm - 10 pm
Wed-Sun 11 am - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
735 reviews for Puerto Alegre
Review Highlights
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"The most perfect place for nachos and margaritas." In 424 reviews -
"I heart the SUPER grilled chicken burrito." In 4 reviews -
"if you're lucky, the mariachi band might even serenade to..." In 19 reviews
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- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
733 reviews in English
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Review from Chad S.
4/25/2012
Puerto Alegre almost always has a crazy wait because it is probably the best and one of the most authentic Mexican restaurants in San Francisco.
If you can get past the short, snippy, and rude hostess, I mean host, then you will enjoy magnificent Mexican food, awesome margaritas, and dang good chips and salsa. Hit up some great mole, pozole, and other classics. -
Review from Lori C.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 5/10/2012
Yeah the margaritas and Milinesa Especial are really yummy, as well as the complimentary chips and salsa. However, the more I go to this place, the more I end up disliking it.
The service is okay sometimes but can be horrible, and I feel like service plays a big part in going out to eat. I went on a weekday night a week or two ago and the waitress was slow and appeared to be oblivious to a lot of what was happening.
My boyfriend and I waited for about 5-10 minutes and I was slowly getting more and more irritated.
Our waitress took the order of a table who was seated after us first, which initially irritated me. After they ordered, I assumed she would come sometime soon to take our order. It took another 5-10 minutes. I didn't mind too much, but then I saw they only ordered drinks.. so I don't know what the hell took her so long to get to us.
Finally we ordered, blah blah blah. Food is good, service is lacking. My margarita was just okay that night too.
A-OK.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/2/2012
I frequent this place mostly for two things: their cheap glasses/pitchers ($20!) of Margaritas and… Read more »
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Review from diane w.
Los Altos, CA
4/20/2012
This place is FUN!! Very lively place with excellent food and attentive and gracious servers. We started with yummy salsas and chips. Then moved on to very fresh, perfect guacamole. I had a dish called Las Gemellas and I can't wait to have it again.
We had a large table and got pretty loud. Blended right in. I didn't understand the appeal of this particular place until we started eating. WOW!
Now I get it. -
Review from Melanie M.
San Francisco, CA
5/24/2012
This is my hangover go to place. i am tempted to take that little bowl of salsa and just drink it, it's so damn good. The staff is great. The chips are perfection. They make a mean margarita too. I love this place.
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Review from Kristin G.
San Mateo, CA
5/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
I went here with a friend last night for dinner. The food was awesome. I had chicken in mole sauce and a margarita. He got chicken quesadillas and they were flipping huge. It was super busy and we had to put our names down. There is no where to wait inside so consider yourself warned. We went across the street and had a drink at that bar before dinner so we wouldn't freeze our asses off. :)
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Review from Emmy M.
Chicago, IL
4/14/2012
THE POZOLE.
Do yourself a favor and get it. Worth five stars all the way, and so perfect for a chilly or overcast San Francisco day in particular. Absolutely phenomenal flavors. The best pozole I've ever had! -
Review from Lauren R.
San Francisco, CA
3/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here with a group of six for brunch on a Saturday and the place was empty, which should have been a sign of the mediocre experience to come.
The chips, salsa and guacamole that came out first were not memorable. I ordered the huevos a la mexicana, which were pretty good. I wasn't repulsed but I've had much better brunch and Mexican at several places within a 1 block radius.
The service was meh as well. Our waitress was inattentive, despite the fact that we were one of the only parties in the restaurant.
Maybe brunch isn't their strong point. I will have to try again for dinner. -
Review from leahnora r.
Downtown Oakland, Oakland, CA
3/30/2012
Being from San Diego, I have finely tuned my palate to anything/everything Mexican.
I love margaritas, chips, salsa, guacamole, nachos, tacos, basically anything with Tequila or Tortillas and I'm content.
Wait Wait Wait!! Did I say that? Well I thought that was the case til I moved up to the Bay Area and found a lackluster taste in my mouth after several disappointing sweet n sour intensive margs and store bought chips and Costco avocado paste of a crap.
Anyway,
I love this place! The staff is very gracious and friendly, the pitchers of skinny girl margaritas are STRONG. The chips and salsa/gauc reminded me of home (SD) and I happen to quite enjoy the tacos and the sloppy plate where the beans and rice and combo items all blend together.
I'm not saying they have the most stellar Mexican in all of SF/Bay but from what I've seen I think overall this is a fun place to go have some drinks, decent food and good vibes. -
Review from Emily B.
San Francisco, CA
4/14/2012
I came here with a group of 5 friends the second time I visited and they were so accomodating despite us not having a reservation. We were originally told that there would be a 30 minute wait for a table, and we were all starving so we decided to leave. As we were walking away, the host scrambled to grab us a table in the busy restaurant so we stayed.
They have really great carne asada burritos. They are huge, but so good that I always manage to finish mine because I don't want to waste one bite!
The 5 of us ordered three pitchers of house margaritas and they were delicious. For being a large pitcher, it didn't taste watered down.
The wait service is pretty good. Our waitress came by to check on us a couple times, and didn't seem bothered when we wanted to split the check multiple ways.
Never a disappointment; I'd return again. -
Review from Kathleen A.
San Francisco, CA
5/6/2012
It's hard to rate Mexican food in the Mission, but Puerto Alegre definitely has the best margaritas and the food's not bad either! Their salsa is tasty! Get there early or make a reservation, because they are always busy.
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Review from V T.
San Francisco, CA
5/4/2012
This is as good as it gets for mexican food in the City. I say this after living in socal forever! Anyway the prices are very decent, a friend and I went for lunch and the total price for 2 entrees, drinks and a tip was right around $30. expect to wait 20-30mins for a table, the server was also very rude. i had to think twice about tipping him.
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Review from Shannon K.
Oakland, CA
3/9/2012
Ah, Puerto Alegre you're like home to me. Is there better Mexican food in the Mission and the Bay Area at large? Sure. But every once in a while you walk into a place and it just feels like home; this is one of those places for me. I've been going here for years and it is consistent and good every single time. I appreciate that.
It's a great lunch spot - open all afternoon and if you are a sports fan like me, then you will appreciate the three large TVs behind the bar showing some sort of sporting event. It's great any time of day/night, but I prefer the afternoons because it's not as packed and less chance of coming across the LOUD Mariachi boys.
I love bellying up to the bar and being greeted by warm, yummy chips and 2 bowls of salsa - one mild and chunky, the other a little hotter and less chunky. Both delicious. They will refill both as fast as you can eat them. The food is consistent, always hot, freshly made and delivered in a timely manner.
I have my favorites and they include:
Guacamole - yum.
Chips/salsa - yum.
Enchiladas - yum.
Camarones A La Diabla - yum.
Milanesa - yum.
Mole Poblano - yum.
The margaritas are ok, but I usually just opt for a good Mexican beer (they have a nice selection).
Like home, I will keep coming back. -
Review from Allison M.
San Francisco, CA
2/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Gordita means little fat girl. It also is a word for a Mexican corn cake, stuffed with things like chicken or pork, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato... Whatever you mean by it, I found on Wednesday that Puerto Alegre is a gordita heaven.
One margarita didn't sound like enough for the two of us, so we ordered a pitcher on the rocks. After one, I noticed that I was saying the word "gordita" like this: gorriiaa. So, I immediately played my "I haven't eaten anything all day" card (Cheerios don't count. Neither does left over stir-fry), and ordered a big lunch.
A 2-item combo plate was perfect for lunch, especially because it comes with beans and rice (good for coating little fat girl stomachs), and the obligatory tortilla chips and salsa. One of the salsas was quite good- orangish yellow, and different than anything I'd ever had. I had the veggie gordita and a shredded beef enchilada. Next time, I'd order two gorditas, because, although perhaps not the easiest to eat, or the biggest portions, they were hit-the-spot tasty for this hump day meal. I wasn't hungry for the rest of the day. But, being who I am, I still ate a full dinner and dessert.
Hey, I walked there and back- three miles in all. That cancels out the meal, right?Listed in: Yay! I'm a fan!, Le quiero, el taco, a girl on a Mission
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Review from rachelle p.
San Francisco, CA
3/6/2012
I actually really liked this place!
Came here with a couple friends for margaritas. The chips were good and the salsa was great (they give you a red and a green - variety is the spice of life you know). The guacamole is also a must.
We split a three-combination plate with a chile relleno, a taco, and a tamale... I think. We were drinking. Which also means our table manners were long gone.
The food all proved satisfactory to the point of scraping the last bits of food off of the plate. We're heathens.
The server was also very friendly and humored our repeated requests for more chips, and more salsa with a smile. Thanks dawg. -
Review from Maggie M.
San Francisco, CA
4/2/2012
This is the sit-down Mexican spot I go to in the Mission. Why? Because they have the best Margaritas (on the rocks or frozen strawberry) and they put something magical in their Veggie Fajitas. Split Margaritas and Fajitas with a friend and you won't be disappointed. Marachi bands come through on the weekends and fun to sit at the bar and watch a game. Definitely getting more and more popular so either get their early or put your name in and go grab a drink at a bar across the street while you wait. I went there for my Birthday last year and shut it down.
You're welcome. -
Review from Eric M.
Chicago, IL
3/31/2012
The Green Posole is transformational.
I was literally elated for an hour afterward - as if some Aztec deity had found a primal part of me to tickle lightly with it's cloven hoof. Yeah it was that good.
Oh yeah - and the margaritas rock. -
Review from Zvezdana O.
Had dinner here with friends last week, its a total winner!
I had possibly one of the best mexican dinner plates I have ever had in my life -- I had the camarones la diabla. Super spicy shrimp in a chipotle sauce. DELICIOUS!
My friends really enjoyed their food too and the salsa they gave us withe the chips was great. Margaritas were great. The staff weren't that friendly though. I can't say service was bad, but both the hostess and our waiter had an impatient manner I didn't care for. However, when I am in town, that certainly will not keep me away! Haha. I would love to eat there again. -
Review from Vicky L.
Who orders chicken soup - clear broth, chunks of carrots and zucchini, and literally half a chicken that's fall-off-the-bone tender - at a Mexican restaurant??
I do, baby, and it totally hits the G-spot (on my tongue). And at $8.95 for a huge bowl, it's cheaper AND more satisfying than, say, a "toy" of equal quality and satisfaction. -
Review from Christy L.
San Francisco, CA
2/18/2012
I ate at Puerto Alegre for the second time tonight and I am a fan.
I loved the enchiladas (both chicken and cheese) with the red mole sauce. The guacamole is very good. The margaritas are yummy. They have free refills on diet coke- which is always appreciated by a soda addict like me.
The restaurant is packed most of the time and is rather loud (especially when the mariachi band is there)- so not great for intimate conversations. -
Review from Harpreet H.
San Francisco, CA
4/16/2012
Have been coming here for years, absolutely love this place! I was disappointed when they were closed for renovations.The staff is so friendly and the food is always fresh and delicious. I have never ordered anything I didn't like. If you're looking for a buzz I recommend the cadillac margarita =)
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Review from Josh M.
San Francisco, CA
2/26/2012
Food's ok, great house margaritas, and always has the game on. Can't complain about that. Chips and salsa are better than average too.
One complaint, (even though I understand their viewpoint), no reservations accepted. But like I said, I know there's a lot of flakes screwing that up. Go there, enjoy yourself, just don't drive home! -
Review from Theresa C.
San Francisco, CA
1/9/2012
I went here with a group of people, and it was DELICIOUS!
There were 8 of us, but I think what was so wonderful was how speedy the service was. Pitchers of margaritas came out quickly (the original lime tasted better--and stronger--than the peach), and we ordered some guacamole for the table. The server kept replenishing the chips at our table because that guac was crazy good. And before we knew it, our food was out!
I ordered a quesadilla, which was only about 6 or 7 bucks but was HUGE. Seriously, it filled up a large plate, and it definitely filled me up. My friends got fajitas which looked really good, but I was totally into the tasty quesadilla I had for myself ;) The food tasted good, but I think the big plus here was the service--super fast, and incredibly friendly. Our waitress kept checking in on us, someone came by to check on our waters, and they were also able to add a to-go order to everything without any problems.
Pretty cool spot!! If I'm in the Mission again and craving some Mexican, I'll totally come here! -
Review from Food M.
San Francisco, CA
4/9/2012
They have the best Milanesas. For $11 I got a small salad, beans, rice and a huge "breaded steak." I didn't try any of their tequilas but they have a wide selection. Great background music and friendly staff. Jazzy/hippy-ish art decorates the walls, kind of dark but it definitely has the vibe of a typical San Francisco joint. I sat at the bar and had a great conversation with a veteran from the 60's. I enjoyed every bite of my steak while listening to crazy, inspirational stories.
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Review from Caitlin B.
San Francisco, CA
3/28/2012
SO GOOD and reasonably priced.
I got this and it was awesome: "Camarones Rancheros: spicy shrimp sauteed with peppers, tomatoes and onions. We also got the frozen strawberry margaritas (great choice) & guac. Not sure if the guac comes out all the time or if someone in the group ordered it, but I thought it was delish.
I'd suggest a reservation if you have a large group. I see someone else here said they don't have reservations... well as of 3/24/12 they did. Maybe you just need to be over a certain number of people for them to take reservations? -
Review from Will A.
San Francisco, CA
1/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
I was more impressed with the food here than I expected to be.
I know it's known for being a lively place, great for groups, strong delicious margaritas, which was more or less true. But I didn't' expect the food to be anything special. And while I wouldn't go give it a michelin star anytime soon, it wasn't too bad.
I ordered one of the combo plates to go with our margarita pitcher (which was good, but nothing noteworthy). It was one taco, one enchilada, and a chile relleno. I preferred them in that order, with the chile relleno straggling a bit behind.
But it was reasonably priced, and a lot of food. I'd return here for a fun night out, when I'm more concerned with having a good time than eating a great meal. Also, we lucked out with only a 20 minute wait on a Saturday night. I hear that it could be much worse. -
Review from Reggie A.
San Francisco, CA
1/6/2012
Oh Puerto Alegre! You are such a guilty pleasure!
I know it's not good for me but i can't stop eating it!! That is what you will be saying...
The enchiladas(in a spanish accent) are delicioso!
Don't forget to get a pitcher of Margaritas!! And maybe keep it to just 1...that 2nd one could get you in trouble! -
Review from Paul O.
San Francisco, CA
3/30/2012
Not good. I got a huge clump of hair in the chip bowl, and my fajitas were kind of gross and greasy as hell. Service was decent, though.
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Review from Anthony S.
San Francisco, CA
2/19/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Decent Place .. good food good vibe ... been here a handful of times and cant really complain ... burritos are good chips and salsa as well ... good drinks too ... gets pretty busy pretty quick but when you can walk right in and sit down all is well ..
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Review from Loni F.
2/20/2012
Everything tasted yummy and the service was good! The place is often packed, but the host does a good job getting everyone sat as quickly as possible.
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Review from Pedro U.
San Francisco, CA
3/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Food is great but not the best Mexican food. However this is a place where I can enjoy a bowl of Pozole.
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Review from crystala t.
San Francisco, CA
11/27/2011
Food: pretty tasty, especially like getting to sit down and have chips and salsa while you wait.
Service: variable. Depends on the day and the person. Sometimes it's been really slow and a few times, borderline rude. If the service was reliably better I'd give it a solid four stars. -
Review from Judi K.
San Francisco, CA
11/6/2011
5 of us came in here for their Margaritas. I hear it's delicious and it was, we picked the most expensive one $35 for a pitcher, I think we were overly happy. Our waitress or server was so fun. She was warm and welcoming and really took good care of us. For her service it was a 5 star.
Food I thought it was delicious, I had the enchiladas with green mole sauce and that was yummy, we also ordered nachos which they were known for and that was also delicious. It's about $25 per person with tax and tip if you are there eating and enjoying a pitcher with friends.
I would go back just because I hear so much about their burritos, but there are so many other places to go in the mission.
Enjoy and of course try it for yourself. Lots of people so you can't go wrong. Definitely a place where they get a lot of regulars. -
Review from Shira H.
9/2/2011 2 Check-ins Here
SPICY and FLAVOR-RIFIC! I had the shrimp with onions and tomatoes ($11). It came with beans, rice and a small salad. The flavor of the shrimp was bursting in my mouth. Yummmmmmmmmmmm. The margaritas looked good but I didn't have one this time. Until next time Puerto Alegre!
***Extra points for being able to bring my to go order into Blondies next door!***Listed in: La Mission
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Review from Brian S.
San Jose, CA
11/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have no idea what the business name means but I LOVE this place.
Truly authentic food and ummmmm.....EXTREMELY STRONG DRINKS!!!!!
I have enjoyed the Milanese and the chicken quesadilla and I always share a pitcher of margaritas with a friend or two. The servers and staff greet you like friends and family. They truly make you feel like part of their world. Love that.
The staff is attentive too. You won't have to ask for refills etc. They are all over that kind of stuff. If you want a GREAT meal then go to Puerto Alegre! It will soon be on my list on Yelp!
Tip: Parking SUCKS! My new strategy is too park out of the area a little bit and take a taxi in. It costs me $6 to do this and worth every penny! -
Review from Ashley J.
7/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here on a Friday night around 9:30 and had a 15 minute wait. Not bad considering this place apparently has a much longer wait than that. Didn't order drinks, although the pitchers of frozen red slush looked extremely delicious. I'll have to come back to try it. The waitress placed 2 salsas and a bowl of chips in front of us, as per usual at any Mexican place. The chips were very good.
I ordered the 2 item combo ($8.95) and chose a crispy chicken taco and a chile relleno. The plate came with rice and beans. The taco was great, and I loved the taco shell. It was definitely made that night, not like some places who use their stale leftovers from a few nights before. The chile relleno was also right on par... one of the better ones I've had in a while.
What made this experience even better was the random mariachi band that came in and played a song or two. They were pretty awesome.
Cons:
-Beans were a bit too runny for my liking, but I still think they tasted good... when they stayed on my fork. I guess I should have asked for a spoon?
-The green salsa they put out was WAY too spicy, and I didn't really like the flavor of it. [Pro]: The red salsa is pretty dang amazing though.Listed in: Favorite Dinner Places: SF
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Review from Pamela K.
San Francisco, CA
12/2/2011
AMAAAZINGGG food! Yum. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. Do not leave here without trying the chicken mole (red).
Wish the margaritas were tastier, but they def do me the trick as I usually end up stumbling out :) -
Review from Danielle B.
Alameda, CA
7/18/2011
Cons, let's start out negatively today, mmmkay?:
Not very good Mexican food (soggy chiles rellenos and flavorless rice and beans always piss me off)
Not very friendly or efficient service
Annoying wannabe-filled crowd
Expensive margaritas, and they use SAUZA HORNITOS, WTF?! I'm still mystified at such a gringo choice, though they do use freshly-squeezed lime juice on the positive side
Dirty-ass vibe all around
It took forever to get the damn bill paid
Pros, since there weren't a ton:
Good salsa (the red one, I think the green one is made with bad weed cuz it's so herbal and was way too spicy...and I like my salsa HOT)
They let us camp out long enough for three drinks without any rush
We got right in
In reality, it was 2.5 stars, but I would not go back. Skip over to La Cumbre across the street and you will not be disappointed :) -
Review from Java G.
Alameda, CA
8/8/2011 7 Check-ins Here
I stopped in here for lunch on Saturday. I like to sit outside sometimes, and there are two tables there, but I opted to go inside. It was not a sunny day, but still the inside of the restaurant was nice and light, due to the huge front windows. It was busy and all the tables were full, but I found a seat at the bar.
A place setting was immediately put before me, and I was served a basket of good, crisp tortilla chips with two kinds of salsa. I really like Mexican restaurants that still provide chips and salsa gratis.
I got my drink order very quickly, and shortly thereafter my food order, prawns quesadilla with avocado. The food was really tasty, and I ate the whole thing, which is a little unusual for me.
The staff was attentive and quick, despite the restaurant being so busy. I liked it at Puerto Alegre. -
Review from John A.
San Francisco, CA
2/21/2012
The food's generally good but there's usually a wait, it's usually loud, and they barely put any meat in my fajitas last night (the guac. serving was weak as well)
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Review from Jasmine F.
Bayview/Hunters Point, San Francisco, CA
10/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Super delicious and really awesome service! the most delicious thin crispy chips and really tasty rice and beans!
Loved it!
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