The Best Mexican Food in San Francisco
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The best Mexican food in San Francisco, according to the experts: the Michelin Guide, Eater, and the Los Angeles Times have all weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. Californios comes out on top.
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La Taqueria and Tacos Oscar hold the next two places. The San Francisco Chronicle shows up on more of this list than any other guide, with The Infatuation next.
Read the San Francisco Edition All San Francisco departments
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Rank 1. Californios
Mexican
Servers arrive tableside with trays of heirloom corn varieties and raw mole ingredients before a single plate lands, which tells you exactly the kind of evening this is going to be. Californios is a two-Michelin-star tasting menu restaurant where Val Cantú runs Mexican culinary tradition through fine dining without flattening either one. The room is enormous and nearly black, more concert hall than chapel, and the 14 courses move from masa to mole to dessert without feeling like a lecture.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: 3 Stars
- Eater Eater: The Best New Restaurants in America
- Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Times: The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- Michelin Guide 3 Stars
- Eater The Best New Restaurants in America
- Los Angeles Times The 101 Best Restaurants in California
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Rank 2. La Taqueria
Mexican
The burritos here skip the rice, which Mission purists treat as either heresy or gospel depending on which taqueria they grew up on. Order yours dorado-style and the kitchen presses it on the plancha until the tortilla blisters gold. Counter service, cash-register lines out the door, no frills beyond the food. The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times have both made the pilgrimage to this old-school Mission taqueria, which tells you something about the burritos.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
- Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Times: The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best classic San Francisco restaurants
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Los Angeles Times The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- San Francisco Chronicle Best classic San Francisco restaurants
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Rank 2. Tacos Oscar
Mexican
Bright-painted shipping containers, string lights, heat lamps, and a chalk-scrawled menu on the door: Tacos Oscar is a taco shop that treats the format as a suggestion. About half the menu goes vegetarian, leaning hard into California produce, and the rotating selection means whatever you order this visit may be gone the next. Weekend brunch pulls its own crowd. The Michelin Bib Gourmand and a spot on the L.A. Times' best California restaurants list give you a sense of where things stand.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Bib Gourmand
- Bon Appétit Bon Appétit: America's Best New Restaurants
- Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Times: The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- Bon Appétit America's Best New Restaurants
- Los Angeles Times The 101 Best Restaurants in California
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Rank 4. Bombera
Mexican
A former fire station in Oakland's Dimond District, Bombera earns its name twice over: "firewoman" in Spanish, and the wood-fired oven at its heart burns corn husks whose ash goes straight into the masa. It's a contemporary Mexican restaurant where the tortillas are nixtamalized in-house and the moles are layered enough to make you stop mid-sentence. The Michelin Bib Gourmand and a spot on the L.A. Times' California 101 follow naturally from that kind of seriousness.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Bib Gourmand
- Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Times: The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- Los Angeles Times The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 5. El Buen Comer
Mexico City Mexican
Handmade corn tortillas arrive warm at every table, which tells you most of what you need to know about this homestyle Mexico City restaurant on the outer edge of the Mission. The chef, a La Cocina alum, built the menu around guisados, the slow-braised stews that define home cooking in the capital. It's the kind of place where the salsas are made in-house and the chocoflan is non-negotiable.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
- The New York Times The New York Times: The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco Right Now
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco Right Now
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Rank 6. Maria Isabel
Mexican
A custom oak door sets a quietly clandestine mood before the room opens into a flora-and-fauna mural that covers most of one wall. This is an upscale Mexican restaurant in Presidio Heights where the chef draws from her home state of Guerrero, running smoke, citrus, and heat through a Northern California filter. Sourdough tortillas, heirloom corn from Mexico, and cherry mole show up together on the same plate without any of it feeling forced.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The Infatuation The Hit List: New San Francisco Restaurants To Try Right Now
- Condé Nast Traveler The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco for Casual Diners, Twelve-Course Tasting Counters, and Late-Night Eats
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Rank 7. Los Carnalitos
Taqueria
A Mexico City taqueria that started as a food truck and graduated to a brightly painted dining room hung with Aztec-inspired figures. The two brothers run the kind of place where quesadillas are made on house-pressed tortillas and huitlacoche shows up on the menu without fanfare. Tacos run two dollars, the pambazo has its bread dipped in guajillo sauce before hitting the griddle, and the agua frescas rotate with the season. A Michelin Bib Gourmand.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Bib Gourmand
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 8. El Mil Amores
Mexico City
Chilaquiles made with dark, thick mole rather than salsa are the reason El Mil Amores draws a line on weekend mornings in the Mission. It's a brunch spot doing Mexico City-style cooking, the kind of place where the tortilla chips stay crunchy long enough to matter and the mole carries real bitterness alongside the heat. The San Francisco Chronicle named it one of the Bay Area's best brunch restaurants, which the regulars already knew.
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: #21 · The 25 Best Restaurants In SF
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 20 Best Brunch Spots In SF
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best brunch restaurants in the Bay Area
- The Infatuation #21 · The 25 Best Restaurants In SF
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Brunch Spots In SF
- San Francisco Chronicle Best brunch restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 9. Al Carajo
Yucatecan Taqueria
Purple ube tortillas are the opening move at this compact Mission taqueria, where the kitchen leans Yucatecan rather than the Bay Area standard. Cochinita pibil arrives with real tart depth and habanero salsa that bites back, and a pastor negro made with black adobo keeps things interesting. The San Francisco Chronicle named it among the best taco spots in the Bay Area, which tracks for a place this quietly opinionated about the form.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 13 Best Breakfast Burritos In SF
- San Francisco Chronicle Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
- The Infatuation The 13 Best Breakfast Burritos In SF
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Rank 10. Hook Fish Co
Baja Taqueria
The Baja-style fish taco is the reason people show up at this casual order-at-the-counter seafood spot in the Outer Sunset. Rockfish comes out of the fryer in a shattering crust, and the carrot habanero salsa is bright and sharp enough to keep things interesting without just torching your tongue. San Francisco Chronicle named them among the best tacos in the Bay Area, and the regulars here behave accordingly.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 25 Best Restaurants In The Sunset
- San Francisco Chronicle Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Restaurants In The Sunset
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Rank 11. Nopalito
Mexican
Blue-corn tacos, sustainable sourcing, and a no-reservations policy that the neighborhood has accepted as part of the deal. This cheerful Mexican spot in NoPa fills a small room dressed in reclaimed wood and green accents with local couples and families, all working through a menu that runs from chilaquiles to empanadas to pulled-pork tortillas. The kind of place where comfort and conscience occupy the same table without making a fuss about it.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 20 Best Kid-Friendly Restaurants In SF
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 18 Best Restaurants In NoPa
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Kid-Friendly Restaurants In SF
- The Infatuation The 18 Best Restaurants In NoPa
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Rank 12. Comal
Mexican
The large flat comal griddles that give this Berkeley restaurant its name sit in plain view in the open kitchen, which sets the tone nicely. It's a lively Mexican spot with an industrial-chic room, a heated back patio for year-round dining, and a serious tequila and mezcal list that keeps the noise level honest. The Michelin Bib Gourmand crowd tends to arrive early and order the guacamole before they've opened the menu.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Bib Gourmand
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Rank 12. Playa
Mexican
Colorful tiles, blown-glass lights, and walls of windows make this Mill Valley Mexican restaurant feel like a vacation you didn't plan. The menu leans Baja, with al pastor tacos, chorizo empanadas, and quesadillas stuffed with mushroom and squash blossom, and the margaritas and mezcal list gives people a reason to linger on the sunny back patio well past dinner. It holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Bib Gourmand
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Rank 12. Taqueria Cancún
Mexican
The two-pound super burrito here is less a meal than a diplomatic incident, and in a neighborhood where everyone has a strong opinion about where to get one, Taqueria Cancún has been holding its ground forever. This is a taqueria on Mission Street: counter service, line out the door on weekend nights, foil-wrapped torpedoes that have put more than a few people to sleep on the bus home. The breakfast burrito with chorizo and eggs is the move if you catch it early.
The awards
- The Infatuation The 11 Best Burritos In San Francisco
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants in San Francisco
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Rank 15. Movida
Persian-inflected Mexican
Near Oracle Park, this restaurant and lounge with a raised DJ booth splits the difference between dinner and a night out. The draw is a short menu that pairs Mexican and Persian cooking with real conviction: think tahdig standing in for tostada shells, topped with beef birria and sumac. The drinks lean savory in the same spirit. It's the kind of place that sounds like a concept until the food arrives.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
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Rank 15. Tacubaya
Mexican
Pink papel picados hang overhead at this counter-service Mexican spot tucked into a Berkeley shopping complex, where the line at the limeade counter is a permanent fixture no matter the hour. Regulars run through chilaquiles at breakfast and sopes by lunch without glancing at the menu. The enchiladas come doused in a smoky guajillo-tomatillo sauce, and the quesadillas with kabocha squash and pecan sauce read more quietly ambitious than a strip-mall taqueria has any obligation to be.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
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Rank 17. El Tacostao
Mexican
A family-run taqueria that operates out of an actual home and specializes in tacos al vapor, steamed beef head tacos in five cuts, from cachete to the gloriously fatty labio. The consomé, simmered from cow skull, arrives velvety and shimmering and pulls double duty as a dipper or a hangover cure. Weekend mornings bring goat birria and menudo. Cash, counter service, no fuss.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best restaurants in Oakland
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants in Oakland
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Rank 17. Elena's
Mexican
The awards
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Rank 17. Taquería El Farolito
Mexican
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: #5 · The 25 Best Restaurants In SF
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 11 Best Burritos In San Francisco
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 25 Best Meals For Under $15 In SF
- The Infatuation #5 · The 25 Best Restaurants In SF
- The Infatuation The 11 Best Burritos In San Francisco
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Meals For Under $15 In SF
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Rank 20. Carnitas El Guero
Mexican
Carnitas by the pound, sold on weekends only from a weekend-only stand beside the railroad tracks in East Oakland. The Morales family runs this outdoor operation Saturdays and Sundays, and the lines snake long enough that selling out is routine rather than a surprise. A few communal tables let you eat on the spot, or you can take it all home. The San Francisco Chronicle named it among the Bay Area's best tacos and best Mexican restaurants. Get there early.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
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Rank 20. Carnitas Poblanas El Canelo
Pueblan Taqueria
Carnitas fried to order in a Richmond backyard: that's the whole setup, and it turns out to be enough. This Pueblan home taqueria turns out giant carnitas tacos loaded with confited pork, hand-pulled quesillo, and a salsa verde that has made grown adults reconsider their life choices. The cemitas are thick and brawny, and pumpkin seed mole shows up as a special when you're lucky. The San Francisco Chronicle named it among the Bay Area's best Mexican restaurants and best tacos.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
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Rank 20. Cenaduria Elvira
Traditional Mexican
A cenaduria is a Mexican dinner spot built around comfort food, and this East Oakland home restaurant does exactly that, anchored by tostadas raspadas, thin bubbly planks of fried corn piled with meat, cabbage, crumbled cheese, and a sizzling salsa roja. Pozole, tacos dorados, enchiladas, and tortas ahogadas drowned in tomato sauce fill out the menu. The San Francisco Chronicle has called it one of the best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best restaurants in Oakland
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants in Oakland
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Rank 20. El Burro Veloz
Guadalajara-Style Mexican
The barbacoa tacos dorados here leave a pool of vivid red oil on the plate that stops first-timers mid-bite. This casual Antioch taco spot specializes in guisos, proteins slow-simmered into something silky, ordered as tacos or thick, crispy gorditas. The San Francisco Chronicle put it on their short lists for both best Mexican restaurants and best tacos in the Bay Area, which for a strip-mall counter in the East Bay is a statement worth noting.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
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Rank 20. Pena's Bakery
Mexican Deli
The telera rolls are baked fresh every morning at this Fruitvale panaderia and deli, which means the tortas built on them have a structural advantage before anything else is added. The chorizo con papas filling gets made a day ahead so the potato and spiced sausage can concentrate, then it's layered with avocado and a chile de arbol salsa that earns its reputation. Two indoor tables, a loyal crowd of regulars, and a sandwich that sells out early.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best sandwich spots in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: #63 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best restaurants in Oakland
- San Francisco Chronicle Best sandwich spots in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle #63 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants in Oakland
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Rank 20. Yo También! Cantina
Mexican
Nonalcoholic micheladas made with hop water and fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice set the tone at this cozy Noe Valley cantina, where brunch skews California-virtuous without turning preachy. Tamales come with avocado and a jammy egg, grain bowls are loaded with seeds and roasted vegetables, and the whole thing feels like an all-day LA café that somehow landed in a neighborhood where Patagonia puffers count as dressed up. The San Francisco Chronicle named it among the Bay Area's top brunch spots.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best brunch restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: #98 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best brunch restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle #98 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 26. El Paisa by Los Alegres
Mexico City Taqueria
The al pastor trompo does its lazy spin in the window, which tells you everything about what kind of place this is: a Mexico City-style taqueria on Middlefield serving snack-size tacos on double yellow corn tortillas. The lengua comes sliced into broad slabs rather than cubed, and the tacos arrive lightly salted by design, with a packet on the side. The communal table works, but hood-of-your-car also works.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best restaurants in Palo Alto, San Jose, the Peninsula and South Bay
- San Francisco Chronicle Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants in Palo Alto, San Jose, the Peninsula and South Bay
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Rank 26. Flores - Corte Madera
Mexican
The awards
- AAA AAA: Approved
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Rank 26. La Vaca Birria
Mexican
Blue corn tortillas packed with saucy, warm-spiced beef birria is the move at this Mission District taqueria, which calls its style Chicano rather than the more tomato-forward versions you'll find elsewhere. The asada and adobo chicken are there for the uncommitted, both lifted considerably by the creamy salsa verde. The San Francisco Chronicle named it among the best tacos in the Bay Area, which the line out front suggests locals have known for a while.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: #38 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle #38 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
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Rank 29. Carnitas Carnitas Zamora
Michoacán Taqueria
A white lonchera that parks outside a tire shop on Sundays, selling exactly four cuts of carnitas by the taco or the pound. The chef started making his hometown Michoacán recipe because he missed it, which is the best possible origin story for a food truck. The San Francisco Chronicle named it among the best tacos in the Bay Area. Ask for a little cuero folded in and you'll understand why regulars circle the block.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
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Rank 29. Chuy's Fiestas
Mexican
The patio is strung up to feel like a beachside cabana, and on a warm Mission afternoon that illusion mostly holds. Chuy's is a mariscos spot with a burrito worth ordering, specifically the flattop version where the tortilla gets pressed and crisped on the griddle. A frosty mug or a michelada fits the mood exactly. Seats outside go fast at peak hours, so arriving early isn't overthinking it.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best restaurants for outdoor dining in the Bay Area
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Rank 29. La Casita Chilanga
Mexican
A torta shop on the Peninsula with over 20 variations stacked into crusty telera bread, grilled until the crust is crosshatched and the inside is a soft collapse of queso fresco, refried beans, caramelized onion, avocado, and chipotle. The Cubana piles on breaded steak, ham, pork leg, chorizo, and turkey sausage, which is either excess or the point, depending on your appetite. Seating is sparse, so most people take theirs to go.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 29. La Parilla Loca
Tijuana Taqueria
The charcoal grill at this Oakland taco truck runs hot enough to split chorizo links open for maximum char, which tells you everything about the priorities here. Tijuana-style tacos, asada at the center, the smoke doing real work on every bite. The San Francisco Chronicle named it among the Bay Area's best tacos, which tracks when you're standing in the little line that forms between the truck and the grill.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
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Rank 29. La Tapatia Mexicatessen
Mexican
A Mexican grocery and taqueria that has been making its own tortillas and masa since forever, La Tapatia is the kind of place where the carnitas come out of trays in the front and into your burrito in the back. The chile relleno burrito, built around a melty cheese-stuffed poblano, is the move. Everything is made in-house, it's takeout only, and the San Francisco Chronicle has called it one of the Bay Area's finest.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 29. Naranjos Taqueria
Michoacán Taqueria
The barbacoa draws the crowd to this Michoacan-style taqueria in Redwood City, but the deeper menu rewards regulars who order cachete or nervio, the latter sticky with gelatinous fat in a way that takes some commitment. Everything arrives folded on yellow corn tortillas with a tangy salsa verde. The San Francisco Chronicle named it among the Bay Area's finest tacos. It's small, parking is a project, and the whole experience costs almost nothing.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
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Rank 29. Oakland Flea Market
Mexican
Every weekend, a sprawling outdoor food market assembles near the Oakland Flea Market, and the density of good options is almost unfair. A towering al pastor trompo gets shaved to order, while a stand called Las Cazuelas works through a rotation of clay-pot guisados that taste like someone's grandmother is running the operation. Carnitas, chicharron by the pound, stuffed gorditas. Bring cash, bring an appetite, and resist the urge to commit to a plan.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 29. Rico Rico Taco
Mexican
The handmade corn tortillas here taste like an actual ear of corn decided to become a taco, and they're sturdy enough to hold the juiciest fillings without folding on you. This taqueria sits near Lake Merritt, which makes eating outside feel less like a picnic and more like a civic event. Classic fillings, snappy carrot pickles, and carnitas that manage to be both chewy and crisp, from a team that grew up in East Oakland taco royalty.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 29. SanJalisco
Mexican
The name itself tells the story: "San" for San Francisco, "Jalisco" for the Mexican state where the family's roots are. This homey, generations-run breakfast and lunch spot on South Van Ness has been feeding the Mission's hangovers with chilaquiles and huevos rancheros for decades. The weekend birria special draws its own crowd, served either as a rich stew or dry with the broth alongside, which is the move.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 29. Tacos Al Pastor Estilo Puebla
Pueblan Taqueria
A trompo of ruby-red pork spins under a blue canopy near the Oakland Flea Market, sliced thin onto tortillas with a technique that keeps the edges crisp every time. This Pueblan taco stand tops each one with a slab of pineapple that pulls the chile marinade into focus. Get there early while the spit is still full. The gringa, a small al pastor quesadilla on flour tortilla, is worth the detour too.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
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A cart outside a Cardenas grocery store in East Oakland, where the vendor shouts "Tacos! Tacos de canasta!" loud enough to settle the question of where lunch is. Tacos de canasta are a Mexico City staple rarely spotted in the Bay, and this stand does them straight: steamed basket tacos stuffed with chicharron, pollo con mole, or papas con chorizo, pulled from baskets lined in red picnic cloth, with pickled veggies and a chimichurri aioli that overperform for the price.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
-
Rank 29. Tacos El Charro
Mexican
A spinning trompo in the window is the whole argument for this Mission District taco stand. Thin-shaved al pastor lands straight from the spit onto the tortilla, pineapple shard included, with three salsas on the side ranging from tangy to genuinely punishing. The tripas are the quiet move, especially ordered doraditas, fried until crispy. The San Francisco Chronicle named it among the best tacos in the Bay Area, which feels about right from the sidewalk.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
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Rank 29. Tacos El Panzon
Chavinda-style Mexican
The salsa flies through the air here, literally flicked by spoon onto your tacos in a move that's part performance, part seasoning strategy. This Chavinda-style taqueria in Richmond cooks its meats together in one enormous steel cauldron, so the chorizo, al pastor, and beef all end up in each other's business. Mix and match fillings at no extra cost. The San Francisco Chronicle named it among the Bay Area's finest tacos, which explains the weekend wait.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
-
Rank 29. Tacos Gonzalez
Tijuana Taqueria
Mesquite smoke is the advertisement here, drifting into Foothill Boulevard long before you spot the food truck parked in a doughnut shop lot. This is a Tijuana-style taqueria, the charcoal grill set up out front where it can do the most damage. Meats come properly baptized in smoke, wrapped in paper the traditional way, with thick guacamole on the side. The San Francisco Chronicle named it among the Bay Area's finest tacos, and the line makes that case without any help.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
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Rank 29. Tacos Mi Reynita
Mexican
Mesquite coals keep the asada lightly charred and the chorizo properly crisp at this Oakland taco truck, and the tortillas are pressed by hand, which changes the math on everything else. The Villa family runs it Tijuana-style, so each taco arrives wrapped in a paper cone with a thick scoop of guacamole. The grilled meats draw the crowd, but the fatty cabeza with salsa verde is what the regulars know to order.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 29. Tacos Mi Reynita
Mexican
Mesquite coals do the heavy lifting at this taqueria in San Lorenzo, where the smoke gets into the chorizo and the asada before anything else happens. The Villa family presses tortillas by hand and wraps each taco into a paper cone Tijuana-style, with a thick scoop of guacamole tucked in. The San Francisco Chronicle named it among the best tacos in the Bay Area. The fatty cabeza with salsa verde is the one regulars order without looking up.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
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Rank 29. Tacos Oscar
Mexican
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: #19 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 29. Taqueria La Venganza
Vegan Mexican
The wheat-fiber "asada" is marinated in beer and smoke until it tastes like a backyard grill, which is a reasonable way to open an argument. This snug Oakland taqueria makes the case that vegan tacos don't need an asterisk, with in-house fillings, mushroom carnitas with real richness, and horchata that holds its own. The San Francisco Chronicle named it among the best tacos in the Bay Area, vegan or otherwise implied.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
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Rank 29. Tutuli
Sonoran
The coyota is a Sonoran pastry that looks roughly like a flying saucer, which is a good start. Tutuli bakes them in fillings like cajeta, hibiscus, and guava, and the flavors open up properly once you toast one. They're somewhere between a cookie and an empanada, and they turn up at coffee shops around the Bay. The San Francisco Chronicle named Tutuli among the best bakeries in the Bay Area.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best bakeries in San Francisco Bay Area
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Rank 48. Cielito Lindo
Mexican
Cielito Lindo is a family-run Mexican counter in the Outer Richmond, best known for quesabirria tacos and a breakfast burrito menu that comes in 13 variations. The tortilla is soft and flaky, the eggs fluffy, the cheese everywhere. With only about a dozen seats, the plan is to carry it two blocks to Golden Gate Park and eat it on a bench like a sensible person. Cheap, casual, and no one will mind if you get sauce on your jacket.
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 20 Best Sandwich Spots In San Francisco
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 13 Best Breakfast Burritos In SF
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 25 Best Restaurants In The Richmond
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Sandwich Spots In San Francisco
- The Infatuation The 13 Best Breakfast Burritos In SF
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Restaurants In The Richmond
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Rank 49. La Espiga De Oro
Mexican
La Espiga de Oro is a Mission District mash-up of butcher counter, bakery, and Mexican restaurant, open early enough that the neighborhood is still deciding about coffee. The breakfast burrito is mostly chorizo, with the eggs and cheese showing up like guests who weren't sure they were invited. It's a few dollars, it's counter service, and it works as a full week's worth of protein, so plan the rest of your day around it.
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 13 Best Breakfast Burritos In SF
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 11 Best Burritos In San Francisco
- The Infatuation The 13 Best Breakfast Burritos In SF
- The Infatuation The 11 Best Burritos In San Francisco
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Rank 49. Manitas Cafe
Mexican Coffee Shop
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 13 Best Breakfast Burritos In SF
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 18 Best Restaurants In NoPa
- The Infatuation The 13 Best Breakfast Burritos In SF
- The Infatuation The 18 Best Restaurants In NoPa
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Rank 49. XICA
Mexican
The awards
- The Infatuation The 21 Best Outdoor Dining Spots In SF
- The Infatuation The 17 Best Restaurants Near The Embarcadero & Ferry Building
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Rank 52. Cafe Isabella
Mexican Café
Cafe Isabella is a counter-service Mexican cafe on Taylor Street where the griddled breakfast burrito does most of the talking. Carnitas, eggs, and cheese come tightly wrapped, and adding avocado and sour cream is the polite way to make it heavier. A few sidewalk tables exist for the impatient, though the thing travels fine, which suits the Nob Hill locals who climb down from their Victorians still recovering from the night before.
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 13 Best Breakfast Burritos In SF
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Rank 52. Don Chuys Mexi-Mercado
Mexican
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 11 Best Burritos In San Francisco
-
Rank 52. El Castillito
Mexican
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 11 Best Burritos In San Francisco
-
Rank 52. El Metate
Mexican
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 11 Best Burritos In San Francisco
-
Rank 52. El Paisa
Mexican
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 25 Best Restaurants In Oakland
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Rank 52. El Yucateco Bakery
Yucatecan Bakery
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Mexican Bakeries In SF
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Rank 52. La Corneta Taqueria
Mexican
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 11 Best Burritos In San Francisco
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Rank 52. La Mexicana Bakery
Mexican Bakery
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Mexican Bakeries In SF
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Rank 52. La Palma Mexicatessen
Mexican
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 11 Best Burritos In San Francisco
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Rank 52. La Torta Gorda
Mexican
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 20 Best Sandwich Spots In San Francisco
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Rank 52. Las Cabañas Mexican Grill & Taqueria
Chiapas-Style Mexican
A marinated pork spit spinning in the window pulls in foot traffic on MLK Way, which is basically the oldest form of advertising. This Chiapas-style taqueria in Berkeley orders you outside to pick up your al pastor, the ruby meat sweet and charred, with pineapple and a green oil salsa alongside. The chicken mole is a serious plate when you want it. Noah's Ark animals frolic across a mural on the wall, keeping things cheerful.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best Berkeley restaurants
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Rank 52. Los Moles
Modern Mexican
Warm tortillas pressed at a kiosk just inside the door set the tone at this San Rafael Mexican restaurant, where the kitchen takes mole seriously enough to run seven housemade versions on the weekend buffet. The mole poblano and a red guajillo version called Mama Luisa are the ones to pace yourself toward. Cabeza de res, menudo, and pozole rojo round things out. Order a michelada; it isn't included, but it's the move.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best restaurants in Marin County: Sausalito, Novato and San Rafael
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Rank 52. Taqueria El Buen Sabor
Mexican
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 11 Best Burritos In San Francisco
-
Rank 52. Taqueria Guadalajara
Mexican
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 11 Best Burritos In San Francisco
-
Rank 52. Tato
Mexican
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 21 Best Outdoor Dining Spots In SF
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Rank 67. Cantina Los Mayas
Yucatecan Wine Bar
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 25 Best Restaurants In The Richmond
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Rank 67. Loló
Californian Mexican
The awards
- Esquire Mandarini · The Best Martinis in America
- Time Out The 12 best restaurants in the Mission
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Regional Honoree · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. West
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Rank 67. Otra
Mexican
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 14 Best Restaurants In The Lower Haight