Kevin H.'s Profile

Ugh. Why? In a town with so many authentic choices, why are we eating McDonald's burritos at the mall? (OK, I guess McDonald's divested, but still ... )

Since one star is the equivalent of zero stars (ie, I can't give them any less to leave a review), I give a them a second star because (a) there's an iPhone app for ordering and paying in advance, (b) I got a coupon for two burritos for the price of one -- the only reason I tried this place, and (c) the barbacoa on the barbacoa burrito wasn't half bad. Note that I didn't say the barbacoa burrito itself wasn't half bad.

First, I placed the iPhone app order. I was shocked to see it's $1.65 to add guacamole to a burrito that's already $6.25. It better be big at almost $8. I drive over to pick them up, and they're not ready, so I have to wait for them to assemble the burrito while I wait, defeating the purpose of ordering in advance. My favorite part was that as I watched the girl slap the barbacoa on the burrito, I was thinking, "Really, that's all the meat I get?" and then, seconds later as she passed it down the line to the manager to finish and wrap, he said, "Did this guy order extra meat? 'Cause you put way too much on there."

Crappy wrap job that made the burrito fall apart, and it was packed so loose that it didn't fit in the foil, so stuff started gushing out. The rice was bad. The beans were forgettable. The carnitas was flavorless and chewy. The barbacoa was OK. The tortillas were chewy. There wasn't enough meat. The price was atrocious.

- Taqueria San Jose in San Rafael (best burrito anywhere, IMO) has twice the meat for the same-sized burrito that's $3 cheaper.
- Taqueria Real, a Bel Marin Keys standby, has a gigante burrito longer than my forearm (over 12") and as big around as my calf, requiring two burrito-sized tortillas to create, for $7.25.

There's no reason to EVER eat here. If you need to grab a bite at the mall, hit up Roadside BBQ.

I came in here to tout the awesomeness of Rory Kane in Internet Sales, but on a quick scan it seems like he's developed quite the fan base. It's well-deserved.

Rory not only beat my expectations for how any Internet sale should be handled (efficiently, and in the manner most convenient to me, with direct and straightforward communication via e-mail), he went above and beyond what I could have imagined -- even for a luxury brand like BMW.

From his very first e-mail, Rory was friendly and cordial and cut to the chase, directly answering my questions about available financing offers and the "real" price of the car -- several thousand dollars less than the advertised price. He never pressured me or made me feel like his prey, even after I admitted from the start that I slightly preferred a model over at SF BMW; instead, he simply said to come on back his way if SF didn't play ball (they were awful, see my review), 'cause he'd love to have me as a local customer.

Now, Rory should probably be Employee of the Month for how he stepped up for me, so I hope I don't get him in trouble for what I'm about to say. But even after we'd settled on a price, I told him I'd probably have to walk away from the car because it was missing a key option. Rory's reply? No worries, we'll install that for you for free. What? OK, I'm in -- you're at more than $3,000 less than the comparable model in San Francisco, and you're now throwing in expensive options for free? It didn't take me long to realize that I was getting e-mails from Rory's personal account and that he was contacting me from his personal cell phone -- he was scrambling for me to make this work off the clock, on his own free time, late at night and on his days off. (Sorry, Rory, if I've just raised the bar on future customer expectations!)

When it came time to finalize the deal, Rory came and picked me up at my home in his own personal vehicle, on a Sunday, then handed me the keys during the pre-approval process while he continued to search for the best price on my trade-in -- a number he pumped up by an extra $1,000 by the time he was done. I hadn't even paid and I was driving the car, but even then he gave me an extra week to try to sell my old car private party for a better price (success!), so that I could get the best deal possible on both ends of the transaction.

This is really only the half of it (I shouldn't divulge all his secrets). But I can't express enough how impressive and refreshing Rory's approach was, and that his attention and dedication made me feel like I was his only customer -- a luxury, personal-concierge-style service I neither expected nor demanded, but absolutely appreciated. The guy should be a corporate model for how it's done. Thanks, and I love the car! Show owner comment »

These guys are great. They're actually now Cartronics -- they just haven't changed the sign yet.

I had an iPod module installed (not by them) in my car about three years ago, which basically taps into the auxiliary input in the back of the head unit, then my iPod plugs into the module.

After several years of use, apparently the module went bad, but I didn't know this when it killed the electrical to my car -- no power windows, no power doors, no headlights, no interior lights, no fuel gauge, no gas gauge, e-brake light on, no stereo. Bad news. I took my car to Novato Ford, and they basically just made the assumption that it was the iPod module and wanted to charge me $300 to remove it and test drive the car to see if that was the problem. It may have been a loose wire, it may have been something else -- who knows? $300 to uninstall and test, not to diagnose and repair.

So I get the car back from Ford at 4pm on a Thursday and have to leave Marin by 5pm to get to S.F. Not exactly a lot of time, but I took it directly to Cartronics (MASA), apologized profusely for pushing my luck, and asked what they could do -- despite seeing their bays were packed with customer cars. Dan Berry, the new co-owner, was awesome, realizing the quandary of potentially not having headlights after dark (and windows stuck down with impending rain). He pulled a tech for me, and the two of them jumped on the job together, checking all the wires and running scans on the electrical system to determine that yes, indeed, bad codes reported back that the module itself was causing the problem and needed to be removed. Two guys on it, they allowed my crisis to be their emergency, they were extremely communicative throughout the entire process, got it done in about 45 minutes, and it only cost me $80 for a professional, tested diagnosis instead of $300 for guesswork. Worth every penny.

I'll be back, and next time I'll make an appointment.

This is a review of the Internet Sales Department, particularly of Celeste Marquez and Kevin Thomas.

While both courteous, Celeste and Kevin were clearly your stereotypical, traditional, sharklike used car salesmen. It began with Celeste, BMW SF's sales coordinator, whose job as far as I can tell is to either micromanage the Internet sales team or screen potential buyers to see how serious they are. She sent me an impersonal form letter ignoring my request for financing details and wiggle room on the price of a vehicle, instead telling me SF BMW is family owned and that they're focused on customer service, the latter part ironic considering I received an impersonal form letter. She wanted me to come into the dealership, test drive the car and talk it over. And that, of course, is the rub.

The one thing SF BMW seems to not understand about Internet sales and comparison shopping is that I want to sit at home in my underwear and shop multiple dealerships to get the best price. I wouldn't have sent them an inquiry via e-mail if I wanted to come in and haggle. The dealership that makes me the best offer, throws in the most frills, makes things the most convenient for me, and doesn't make me feel preyed upon is the one that will get my business; I'll come in when I'm ready to pick up the keys. SF BMW's approach is the opposite of that.

I replied to Celeste that I didn't need to drive the car, that I'm comparison shopping, and that my local dealership -- Sonnen BMW, just 2 miles from my house -- had not only spelled out financing but already lopped a few thousand dollars off their advertised price just in their initial e-mail reply. Again, Celeste repeated part of her form letter and tried to schedule me for an appointment to come in, assuring me they wouldn't lose a sale over price. I gave her one more chance, expressed my disappointment that I still hadn't seen any financing or price figures, and that perhaps I needed to speak directly to one of the actual Internet sales agents. At that point, she replied that she'd hand me off to Kevin.

Now, despite acknowledging he'd read my entire e-mail chain with Celeste, Kevin started from the top with his pitch for me to come in -- making me start over again as well. Ugh. Of course, I was trying to get him to throw out a dollar amount first, 'cause I'd rather talk him down than pick a number out of thin air that may be higher than his rock bottom, so instead I merely told him the price of the comparable model at Sonnen. Instead of making a counter offer, Kevin simply and tersely thanked me and told me we couldn't do business. What happened to Celeste's assurance that sales wouldn't be lost over price?!? I hadn't even made an offer! But at this point I was still curious what the "real" price of the car was, and two e-mails later I got him down $1,000 -- but he was still more than $3,000 apart from the similar car at Sonnen (and the Sonnen car was a few months newer -- important for warranty and maintenance expiration dates down the road -- and had several thousand fewer miles). So that was that. It took me over a dozen e-mails to get the information that Sonnen told me in their initial reply. I'm glad I didn't make an appointment and drive over the bridge.

If you're in the Bay Area and want a BMW, talk to Rory at Sonnen in San Rafael. No B.S. Friendly rapport from e-mail No. 1. He spelled out financing and their rock-bottom price from the start. He ended up throwing in some extremely attractive perks for me to make the car's options even more comparable to the one in S.F., and at one point I realized he was doing footwork for me from home, off the clock and on his days off, from his personal e-mail, and from his personal cell phone. Then he came to my house and picked me up, in his own personal vehicle, on a Sunday, to drive me to Sonnen to make the deal -- handing me the keys during the pre-approval on my loan that hadn't even gone through yet. Not to mention that he spent several days scrambling to get an extra $1,000 for me on my trade-in. That's above and beyond the treatment I expected, even from a luxury brand. SF BMW didn't even grasp the basics.

Perhaps SF BMW gets enough walk-in traffic that they don't feel as though they need to take care of their Internet customers. Well, they lost a sale because of it.

G&C is worth reviewing for the customer service alone. They're a well-oiled machine of the friendliest people you'll ever meet, they're highly attentive, and they work quickly and efficiently without making you feel rushed or pressured. Andrew, Patrick, Tara and Travis all helped me out both when I dropped off and picked up my car, and they make you feel like you're their only customer, even when there are three others in their office and the phones are ringing off the hook -- yet everyone got the same level of attentive service. Andrew called me every few days to give me an update on the status of my car, explaining everything that was going on with the repair. They never left me hanging or wondering about what was happening.

Their offers to help yourself to free coffee or bottled water -- or to the fresh batch of cookies on the table -- are just another indicator that want you to feel comfortable and comforted. And it just gets better from there.

My car is three years old, so it naturally has some paint fade due to sun exposure. It needed a new front bumper along with some other work not visible from the exterior, and Joe (the paint guy) matched the paint PERFECTLY to the rest of the car. And despite only needing the bumper done, they washed the rest of my car and detailed the interior, so it's probably the cleanest it's been since the day I bought it. (Since everyone else got named praise, thanks Mike for the body work!)

I'd recommend anyone and everyone to go through G&C. Truly top notch. Thanks guys!

The only reason they don't get 5 stars is because I haven't used enough others around to know that they're really the best, I've only used them for laundering my dress shirts (so I don't know how they do with, say, dry cleaning), and because the parking kinda sucks (one spot out front in a shared lot with Sol Food -- kinda hectic).

Aside from that, they've got the cheapest laundering around at ~$1.50 per shirt (oh no, I just blanked! It's either $1.50 or $1.75), which is significantly cheaper than Marin Cleaners at more than $3 per shirt ($3.15?). They did a great job, and the couple is very nice and friendly -- they greet me like I've been a lifelong customer!

Wow, what a find. I ate here for lunch the other day and was impressed in so many ways. First, I've been living in San Rafael going on eight years now and had no idea this gem was tucked away amid industrial backstreets behind car dealerships, auto shops and the like.

My lunch mate and I were impressed by the full bar and decor in the front room: cozy and funky with obvious regulars saddled up to the counter enjoying whiskeys and microbrews. Big bonus right there -- I expected Bud, Bud Lite, Miller, Miller Lite, Coors, Coors Lite, and maybe they'll throw me a bone with something "exotic" like Sam Adams lager or Heinekin. Thank you, Pier 15, for having a great selection of Lagunitas, Red Hook and others I've now apparently forgotten.

But we bee-lined to the back patio, the main reason we were there: We wanted beers, burgers and patio dining on a hot spring day. Now, if you sit in just the right way, you'll look down the canal at the boats, the water and the birds and you'll get a better feeling of openness. I sat on the other side, so I got a better look at the freeway and across the canal at a strip mall. And that's the only reason it loses a star -- because you're pulled a bit out of the ambiance you're after.

We both ended up with the Kobe burgers and fries, both of which were highly memorable and among Marin's best. The food was fresh, fast, cooked to our specifications -- and absolutely delicious. I can't wait to go back. I'm not sure how I'm going to taste other things here, because I want that Kobe burger again.

The service, too, was excellent. Our waitress came by exactly when we needed her to. It was a light day (despite the gorgeous weather), and all the way out back we easily could have been forgotten.

Oh, and no smoking on the back patio is a HUGE bonus. It's relatively tight quarters, and there simply aren't enough places in San Rafael where I can sit on a patio and enjoy a beer or cocktail to begin with, let alone without smoke blowing in my face. Huge, huge bonus. I can see myself becoming a regular.

Best super carnitas burrito you'll ever get, anywhere. Bar none. I feel like I'm a connoisseur of fine burritos. Maybe it was growing up in SoCal in a largely Hispanic area, knowing where the day laborers ate, and having to order in Spanish, that I developed a taste for the Mission-style burrito (and no, I don't fail to see the irony -- I'm just sayin!). So when I moved up here and found this little no-frills, no-gimmick, no-BS gem several years ago, I felt in heaven and felt at home. A quick look at the crowd that goes to, say, Sonoma Taco Shop, Taqueria Maria up the street, or Hi-Tech Burrito vs. the fine folks at San Jose ought to be enough to convince you that this is the place to be if you want it done right.  I want to eat here every day.

The service is astoundingly fast, even when the line is all the way out the door -- which is often (and when it's not, it can happen at any moment).

The portions are huge, and greasy, and heavy, and wonderful. A super burrito's the size of a football -- for under $5. And this place isn't for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. If it's your first time, skip the Tapatio -- your body needs to adjust to this kind of excellence in stages. (I'm not kidding here.)

In fact, this place is so damned good that when I visit family in the South Bay, I load up burritos into a thermal bag and escort them south for all to enjoy, because you simply cannot get a better burrito in Marin or anywhere else. When I think about moving out of San Rafael, one of my first thoughts goes to the fact that I'll no longer be in walking distance of San Jose, and I decide I'm not ready to go just yet. No frickin' lie.

Now I need a super carnitas, STAT.

I've been reading Yelp for what feels like years, but decided to join just to review Nickel Rose. It's practically in my back yard, and I want it to stick around, so I hope the owners/employees read this.

The Good:
- The decor is awesome. With the deep reds on the walls and velvet drapes matched against the rich chocolates, leather bench seats and ottomans, the place is lush and swanky and gorgeous. I'm ecstatic to have a place that looks so perfect so close.
- The ambiance is excellent with the dim candlelight. It feels high class and elegant and inviting. Really great.
- The diversity of the crowd. It was nice to see all ages and all walks of life in here.

The Bad:
- It was too loud, but considering the bench seating and open setting, unabashed socializing is obviously encouraged. But mostly it was loud because people had to shout over the music. And it should be clear: Everyone was interested in socializing with each other over cocktails, NOT in dancing, which brings us to several music problems ...
- The DJ was atrocious. I don't think he ever finished a song (or played more than about 30 seconds of one), and the transitions were jarring enough to be noticeable.
- The music was totally a mismatch for the environment. A swanky-looking bar like this should be playing jazz or something more melodic and comfortable. Hip-hop and bad radio pop? What the hell? It was far more likely I was going to hear "Whoomp There It Is" than I was going to hear "Take Five" -- and the latter fits the ambiance, decor and cocktail crowd much better. The latter is what I expected and wanted. Instead I got club music. Ugh.
- Watery drinks -- at Marin/S.F. prices. Now, I partly blame this on a (hopefully) temporary lack of training: The girl didn't know how to make EITHER of the specialty house cocktails I ordered. So as she figured it out ingredient by ingredient, both my drinks sat on ice in the shaker getting diluted. Thanks. But considering similar complaints on the drink strength in another review, this might be an issue.
- Clueless bartenders. Like I said above -- poor training. C'mon, these are your specialty drinks. You don't know how to make them? All three bartenders looked frazzled, were having a hard time with the money exchanges (adding up drink totals and making change in their head), and just overall looked like deer in headlights. I think they were overwhelmed.
- Poor drink price-points that screw over their own bartenders. I've got a $20 bill in my hand, and I'm ordering two of your ridiculously priced $9.50 drinks. One for me, one for my girl. That's $19, or $1 change for tip. How many people are going to dig back in their wallet for an extra dollar or two to tip the barkeep? You're stiffing your own help with strategically poor pricing. Places that do this drive me nuts. Keep your staff in mind, folks. They can make or break you.

I'll try again in a month or two, when they're better trained, less frazzled, the "new bar tourists" have gone away, and hopefully some Brubeck or Miles or even the aforementioned Cat Power (hell, M. Ward? or The National? Devotchka? ANYTHING more mellow or melodic) get some airtime -- and as part of the background, not something I need to shout over.

This place has five-star potential written all over it. Three for now, but I'll be happy to edit ...