The Tastiest Latin American in San Francisco

La Fusión

★★★★☆ 4.4 • $$

"One of San Francisco's true hidden gems. I think people often over use that term but in the case of La Fusion it's really appropriate - I've been coming here for over ten years and despite the food always being amazing it's never too difficult to get a seat at this place on any given night.It won't seem like much on entry. It's cozy and unassuming - a large bar dominates the space despite them mostly serving wine and sangria. The interior really doesn't really set you up for what you're about to experience.The food itself is an absolutely knock out. I don't think I've ever had anything at this place that I didn't love. The ceviche will be your first good sign: all of them are fresh and packed with flavor, particularly the seared tuna. The lomo saltado with its beef and fries is just a perfect comfort food combination. All of the soups they rotate through are some of the best I've ever had (particularly the mushroom-based one). But as I'm sure everyone else has pointed out, the real star of the show is the rotisserie chicken with the bread salad; obviously the chicken is juicy and falavorful but the rather unassuming sounding "bread salad" sits below the chicken soaking up all the juices and oh-my-god is it amazing. That chicken is easily one of the best meals you can have in San Francisco.Service is really nice and attentive, and the owner/chef clearly is usually working with a big smiling beam on his face suggesting that he knows he's bringing joy to everyone who visits his restaurant.This place is a MUST VISIT."

Lomo Libre Cantina

★★★★☆ 4.3 (165) • $$

"Really enjoyed this place! Came here in the late afternoon when they had happy hour. Ordered garlic fries, empanadas, chicharrón, and lomo saltado noodles. All of it was good. The one thing I'd recommend is eat your garlic fries quickly as they get cold quickly and these ones aren't as great when they are cold. In terms of service, 5 stars for sure! They were so nice because we were there a while they dropped us off a flan at our table even though it had been a while since we'd paid our check. Overall, it's a great restaurant. I'd totally come back. There is a really great mural in the restaurant and lots of televisions if you're looking to watch the game. Highly recommend during happy hour which happens every day they are open!"

Espetus - San Mateo

★★★★☆ 4.1 • $$$$

"My kids have music class across the street and we often smell the delicious barbeque when we are done with our classes. I have visited this place before COVID, during COVID, and now after COVID. Our experience has been fairly consistent. Staffs are always friendly and they always keep the meat coming! My kids love their filet mignon! And their steaks are always my favorite. Anything with garlic is perfect for garlic lovers!! but recently I tried their chicken wings on one night...and honestly, how come they don't put their wings on takeout menu? They should since they have the prefect wings for the game day (especially if you are bored with the wings offerings from another chain wings specialty store...). The skin is crispy with all the seasoning and the meat is juicy. Their dessert menu is not the strong area - they are OK and I would only order them if you have a special celebration. I like their flan. The chocolate cake is just ok - feel premade but the ice-cream is really good. So usually I just stuff myself with their grilled pineapples (and in my Asian's mind, that's viewed as dessert. haha!) and let my stomach digest a little bit before having dessert elsewhere. Parking is relatively easy ever since COVID. And surprisingly, the restaurant is still decently full on the weeknights too! If you want to avoid crowd over the weekends, see if you could come on Thursday night :)"

Lolinda

★★★★☆ 4.2 • $$$

"I really enjoy this food because of the atmosphere and delicious food.I've been here quite a few times for birthday dinners, date nights and when friends are visiting from out of town.They have a great selection on the menus.Great to share family style/Tapas. You get more bang for the buck and the ability to try more of the menu. The drinks are delicious as well.Sometimes it can be quite busy so I would recommend making a reservation."

Olivo's

★★★★☆ 3.9 (363) • $

"Got these via doordash and was pleasantly surprised! There's nothing like fresh pupusas but they did a good job of delivering them hot and with the cheese all melty. The plantains were delicious too and everything was sustainably packaged in compostable boxes and a ziploc for the cabbage. Also very reasonably priced! Gotta try them out in person when I'm passing by."

Artesano

★★★★☆ 4 (441) • $$

"FOOD albóndigas meatballs were good. They give you a lot of sauce to go with the meatballs. I wish the plantains were in a separate container otherwise they get soggy and don't stay as sweet. However it all was yummy! INSIDE is shared with a plant based restaurant. Walk in and order from the counter on the left. They have indoor and some outdoor seating in the back with free WiFi internet. I saw people with their laptops working and eating. They were playing good Latin salsa music. I would come back here."

La Pinata Mexicatesen

★★★★☆ 4.1 (241) • $

"Solid pupusas. Friendly atmosphere. Super delish pouches of happiness. You have to eat it hot right away. You can use knife/fork but it's so good just tearing it up with your hands. The pork and cheese one (chicharrón y queso) was velvety. I guess you could almost think of it as a quesadilla but this is a much more manageable size. I had some tomato soup and crunchy pickled cabbage. Then the Loroco leaf was new to me. It reminds me a little bit of the skin part of a chile relleno, but it's fine enough that it's just the taste. The rest was cheesy softness in the corn pouch. Times visited: 1"

Parada 22

★★★★☆ 4.2 • $$

"I was on the hunt for some great Puerto Rican food and came across Parada 22. All of the reviews seemed to be raving about this place so I decided to give it a try for myself. The inside of this restaurant is filled with lots of culture and history. As I walked in, I could feel the authentic love for food!I ordered the Pernil Asado and it had a perfect balance of flavors. The Pernil was some of the most tender pork, I had ever tasted and it had a subtle smokiness to it as well. I am a big fan of plantains and my only wish is that the plantains were a bit softer. The star of the dish for me was actually the rice. The rice has a great blend of flavors and seasonings and I could eat a whole bowl of this myself. I would recommend this place for anyone looking to get a good meal with authentic flavors!"

Oye Managua

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (392) • $$

"I am nica ai I am skeptical of nica restaurants. But I was quite surprised that the 2 dishes we chose were tasty and good and not salty. If you have ever made nacatamles you know it's labor intensive. I was quite surprised theirs had good flavor and not overly greasy. The bistec encebollado was a large plate and taste just like we make it at home. The meat could have been a bit tender but overall quite good. The prices I felt were very reasonable especially for the nacatamal. Service was fast and friendly. I liked that they let the saxophonist come and play for tips. It made it feel more inviting. Indefinitely will be back to try other items like el Indio viejo or el baho."

Sandyy M American Food

★★★★★ 4.5 (14)

"Was walking around the Excelsior and stumbled upon this newly opened place. Not going to lie, but at first it seem a little intimidating. I wasn't sure if it was open to the public. Although it had signs of "grand opening" and had holiday decorations you can see from the sidewalk, I was confused if it was a restaurant, catering business or if it was for private dining/ meeting space - Then it stared to rain.So I ended up walking in and saw that they had breakfast and dinner menus on their TV monitors. They have a good amount of breakfast and dinner selections. Since it was sprinkling outside, my eyes went straight to the soup. Caldo.The server and the chef (he had a chef coat on) we're both pleasant. The lady server does not really speak English but she was very pleasant and even pulled out her phone to type and use Google translate. Much appreciated.Honestly, I can't really give them a food review since this is the first time I went and only had soup. I mean, how can you really mess up Caldo de Res? Serving was a good, big bowl, came with some arroz and warm corn tortillas, seems they make their own.I'll definitely come back and try other items very soon. Note: this used to be Burger King and The Chicken Wings place."

Espetus - San Francisco

★★★★☆ 4.2 • $$$$

"My friends & I had never tried a Brazilian steakhouse before, and honestly this was the perfect place to have our first experience. All of the meats were top notch quality, and when people say they constantly bring you meat until you tell them not to, they aren't kidding. Your plate will never be empty and you will never not be eating. The service here is unmatched, and the ambiance is right in the middle of casual and fancy, so you can come here for really any occasion. There is a side bar with plenty of other options, like salads, pastas, potatoes, & fish. My one regret is probably getting too many things at the side bar that filled me up, but I was still able to try all the meats I wanted to. Anyone in the area or visiting should for sure give them a try, you won't be disappointed!"

La Arepa

★★★★☆ 4.1 (8)

"Me and my other 3 friends visit this place in December 2022 because someone recommend it, we really fell in love with the everything; decorations, bathrooms (very clean), very spacious place, drinks, food all was delightful, except for 2 things :( #1 on Fridays people have to pay and extra fee for the live music and they charge for it at the last and it comes on the bill. They don't say that ahead time or post anything in the entrance or around the place. #2 service. we were treated in a hurry, they tool the menu in a hurry bc they did not have enough menus, they pushed us all the time to be finished bc we where not ordering more, the check had doble the tip and the extra fee for the music, my friend checked it and the waitress changed it but that should not happened specially because she never excuse herself at any moment. I really understand that fridays are busy days on restaurants, but restaurants depend on people and they should care about the service."

La Travesia

★★★★★ 5 (3)

"My neighborhood needed an new authentic Mexican restaurant. I like matador, but lately it's been a bit bland. In comes La traviesa with spicy traditional plates and even some American ones too. The service was great and friendly, it's rare to get that family owned feel at a restaurant these days. The place was clean and has a homey ambience. Like you are getting home cooked meal from the homies grandma. Def worth a try. Take some pan dulce home too!"

Nina’s Cafe

★★★★★ 4.7 (84) • $$

"My husband and I went on a bike ride around Foster City and stopped by here for a quick lunch because they have this gorgeous outdoor seating in the back. We ordered the chimichurri steak sandwich, and it was not too oily, tangy, savory with the crunch of a slice of lettuce. What stole the show was the beef empanada. The pastry was light, not oily, crunchy and the filling was perfect balance of savory and umami. We had the Nutella empanada last as dessert and the temperature was perfect. I'd come back again and order all these items again."

Beyond The Border

★★★★☆ 4.3 (90) • $$

"I wish I woulda took a pic of this the breakfast burrito was so good man I swear I love a good breakfast burrito...bless this place they really cooking cooking I went on my lunch and had to enjoy this Great place I'll be back"

Antigua Guatemala Restaurant

★★★★★ 4.7 (30)

"El servicio - fenomenal, tuvimos a nuestro perrito con nosotros y nos acomodaron sin complicaciones, eso es un servicio de calidad!!! La comida se asemeja mucho a la comida casera de Guatemala, tiene un sazón rico y nos deleitamos con unos platos típicos, como las tostadas, chuchitos y plátano en mole :) El lugar está muy cómodo - con el estilo maya pero moderno - encantados quedamos, y vamos a regresar seguidoService was phenomenal, we had our Australian Shepherd puppy with us and they accommodated us with no "buts", that's what makes a restaurant different from the rest, it's very hard to find Latin American cuisine restaurants that are dog friendly, so a 10/10 for that and our server was great, too!The food is very similar to homemade-rich food from Guatemala, when you travel yearly to the country you start to pick up on the rich seasoning and we enjoyed some typical dishes, such as tostadas, chuchitos and plátano en mole :)The place is very unique - typical Mayan style with marimba in the background but with a modern twist - loved it, and we will come back again :)"

Las Tinajas Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 (256) • $$

"I really enjoyed the carne asada here. I order carne asada whenever I see it on a menu since it is one of my favorite meals. I've had it at many Latin American restaurants, and sadly, at least half the time it is overcooked and tasteless. However, at Las Tinajas, it is flavorful and juicy. It is so good. At $20, the plate includes rice and plantains, which I think is a very good value for a plate with generous portions. We went for lunch with a large group and easily found a large table. I also really liked their selection of aguas frescas. I had the pitaya (dragonfruit) and it was excellent. I would definitely come back here."

Sunrise Cafe and Grill

★★★★☆ 3.7 (103) • $$

"Every visit to Pacifica, CA, we have breakfast at Sunrise Cafe. They have the BEST omelets! There is an option to "create your own" omelette, which is the route we take. I have egg whites, Spinach, broccoli, feta, and zucchini with avocado on top. Ohhhh man!!! It doesn't get any better than this! I must confess, there was another breakfast cafe next to our hotel which we tried when I was told, "I can make that kind of omelette for you" from the owner. I truly felt like I was cheating on Sunrise Cafe! Well, let's just say, we will continue to have breakfast at Sunrise because the other place didn't make my omelette like Sunrise can! I will never cheat on Sunrise Cafe again. Oh and I must say, at Sunrise, you can have home potatoes or hash browns, whichever You Like! Sunrise will do it Right! I swear, it's the Best Way to Start Your Day!!!"

Lisa's Mexican Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.2 (365) • $$

"More of a hole-in-the-wall type of place, but those tend to be the best for both food and service. Lisa's was no exception. When we walked in, we were warmly greeted by the staff and I think it was the owner himself who serviced us throughout our meal. We had several small kids with us and he was really great about humoring them and even helped us take some pictures during our meal. Our table of 7 got a few different entrees between us, including the house special steak, the mole enchiladas, a wet burrito, a cheese quesadilla, and a chicken salad. Everything was tasty, although I wish there were more guacamole on my salad. Even my son, who is the world's pickiest eater, polished off 1/3 of my husband's wet burrito, so that is saying something!"

MaMo

★★★★☆ 4.4 (248) • $$

"Recently discovered this gem in the Marina. It's a small restaurant but has a nice cozy feel. Spent my birthday here and enjoyed trying the different appetizers, especially loved the Avocado Burrata, Sweet Plantains, beef Empanadas, Fried Cheese Mushrooms and the yucca fries. Also love the Mamo special lunch with the shredded beef and rice. Everything we ate was delicious with delectable flavors. It was a great dining experience with a friendly and attentive staff! Made my birthday very special eating in this cute restaurant with outstanding food. Definitely will come back! 5 stars!"

Paula's Cafe

★★★★★ 4.6 (100) • $$

"We were surprised that Paula's cafe was MUCH more than just a cafe. We came in for a restroom then found that there was an extensive menu with burritos and other yummy dishes. We decided to stay for lunch and split a carne asada grilled burrito, and WOWIE! It was so crispy and delicious. If you like beans, you'll be pleased to find plenty of them on the burrito, with a generous amount of the rest of filling as well. The salsa to dip in was also scrumptious. We didn't end up buying a coffee but we did see that there was an extensive coffee beverage menu as well. The decorations were adorable, with a lot of paintings and leafs/floral decor. It felt like a homey hispanic restaurant despite it being in a small nook in SF. The server was very sweet as well, we'd happily come here again when we're in the area."

Suavecito Birria & Tacos

★★★★★ 4.5 (552) • $$

"This place is defiantly a local gem. Walk up, order your food and take it with you. The tacos delicious, guacamole delicious, chips are perfection. I wanted to go back the same night."

Waterfall

★★★★★ 4.7 (145)

"My girlfriend was dying to go here when she saw the pictures of their micheladas, so it was finally got to try it out this past weekend.We go there right at opening and grabbed a seat at the bar. They offer complimentary chips and an orange salsa that was delicious. I got the fresalada which had strawberry fresa and modelo, which is good if you like sweeter things and don't like the tomato juice like myself. My girlfriend got the regular michelada with spicy shrimp, and they give you 5 huge shrimp, and definitely worth the $6 upgrade. To share we got the verde aguachile, which is served with raw shrimp, onions, cucumber, serranos, and lime. This was hella good! For $20 this a steal bc the portion size is big and was honestly of the better aguachile's I've had not being in Mexico. Everything was cut fresh to order and the level of work that goes into making one order of aguachile, shout out to the chef for making things to the order.They got a bunch of tables and bar seating inside, plus a couple outdoor tables. Great for small group from 1-6. Overall, if you like micheladas, ceviche and/or aguachile, they definitely have you covered! I'd for sure come here again when I get the craving."

Franco's Latin Table

★★★★☆ 4.4 (302) • $$$

"Fantastic chef! They create wonderful dishes, meat, vegetarian, wonderful spices, sauces, fish dishes.Friendly and kind staff!"

Piqueo's

★★★★☆ 4.1 (799) • $$$

"Arrived for sister's bday. We were the only ones outside and enjoyed the ambiance, heating lamps and food with my pup on the side. Service was good, food was good - my pup's food was a little slow to come but once it did, he swallowed it down - so must've been good!! We also was also to bring our own wine, corkage was $25 (i think or $35). Enjoyed it. Will return."

Casa Mayah Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4 (22)

"I'm shocked that this place only has 13 reviews. I recently moved to the neighborhood and stumbled upon this restaurant while searching for a late night bite on the way home from a concert. I ordered two panuchos with different types of meat. They used quality ingredients and each one had its own unique and distinctive flavors. My partner ordered the carnitas platillo which came with fresh tortillas and a delicious side of beans. Everything was tasty and affordable. I'm looking forward to trying other things on the menu; especially their soups!"

Mariposas

★★★★★ 4.5 (132)

"We came here for our pre-New Years dinner with our friends. This restaurant looks small from the outside but has more seating in the back for bigger groups. It has such cute decor and the staff are very friendly and accommodating by describing the different foods. Here is what we had:Chicken and beef empanadas: Nice crispy shell, packed with meat... definitely one of the best empanadas I have had in awhileEnsalada mixta: regular salad but delicious. They have salad dressing to go with it, but I loved it just with the lime and olive oil. Refreshing!Chicharron de pollo: like chicken nuggets but on another level. Paired with lime squeezed on top and their special dipping sauce, totally a pleaser for both young and oldHalf chicken: I believe they are known for their roasted chicken...I have to say it tastes like the ones they make in the Philippines. Nice and juicy with flavor throughout Lomo Saltado: Wok-fried succulent strips of beef, sautéed with vibrant vegetables and zesty spices, over french fries. Served with jasmine rice - this was good, the meat was nice and tender. Although the sauce was a little overwhelming for me, if paired with rice it is perfect.Platano Frito: plantain bananas that adds a nice touch in between all the different foods we triedArroz con leche: the best Peruvian dessert I have tried. They told us it is a homemade recipe. This has a unique taste that brings back memories of my own Philippine dessert called suman. Definitely worth having at the end of your meal.Overall I will definitely go back and suggest you try it out if you are in the area."

Emelina's Peruvian Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.1 (508) • $$

"The fried chicken was delicious. Crispy on the outside (without too much breading), moist and juicy on the inside. The sauce, kind of light, pesto-like, made the fried chicken morsels even more yummy. We had other food, but this in my opinion was the best. Then there was the cheesecake. Wow. Beautifully plated. The taste was subtle: not too sweet, buttery smooth, full of delicate flavor. Service was excellent: kind and attentive. The ambience was cozy but open. Highly recommended."

LUNA Mexican Kitchen - The Alameda

★★★★☆ 4.3 • $$

"Sunday brunch and the food was amazing!Ordered the Crudo, Ceviche and Guacamole with chicharrones.Fruta con chile a must try.I'm Mexican and we always have at parties Dessert was yummy"

Angelicas

★★★★☆ 3.9 • $$

"7/23/24My now husband and I decided to go to Angelica's for dinner. We made a reservation via the yelp app. Angelica's is located in downtown Redwood City. We thought we'd have a hard time finding parking, but we managed to get a spot about 2 blocks away.The restaurant was relatively empty when we got there. We were seated on the patio and it's beautifully decorated. We liked that the restaurant was pretty quiet (minus a birthday party near the back but thankfully they left when we got our appetizers). Here's what we got:- Old fashioned (for him)- Pink piranha (mine)- Empanadas (share)- Angelica's carne asada (mine)- Fruta del mare bucatini (his)The empanadas and drinks came put first. I admit that the empanadas are on the smaller side, but are very delicious. Zach was practically licking the sauce off his plate while we were waiting for the entrees to come. We only waited 10 minutes before the main dishes arrive. Everything looked great and tasted amazing. The only comment I have is that the beef was a little chewy. The sauce that came with the beef was a little spicy but I liked it. The rice was seasoned well and the corn was delicious. I tried some of the pasta as well, which was really good and the sauce was creamy. Overall, we had a really pleasant time at Angelica's. The food was great, we didn't have to wait long for the food and all the staff was very friendly. The fresh flowers on the tables are a nice touch too! Looking forward to our next meal here :)"

Mixto Latin Cuisine

★★★★★ 4.6 (140)

"We had an early reservation for dinner last Saturday night. We figured arriving early should make parking easier to handle, but we were circling for about 10 minutes before finding a place. Same with our friends in their car who met us for dinner. When we arrived, there was only one other table occupied, and our table had a Reserved sign on it. One downside, we were very near the door, and we never really warmed up all evening. Next time, we'll request a table away from the door!Those were the negatives. Everything else was wonderful! We were warmly greeted and shown to our table. Lighting was low, and felt very comfortable. For the four of us, we ordered:* Plantain Chips (I think they were complimentary, along with a spicy dipping sauce) -- excellent, crispy, a great way to keep us occupied while ordering* Calamari Frito -- excellent! Crispy, and two great dipping sauces.* Tostada de Quinoa -- not sure if this is what we ordered, but it was very good. We split it into quarters.For the main course, there were two orders of the amazing Salmon Risotto (one for me, one for our friend). This was a thick piece of salmon, perfectly grilled and still hot, sitting on a cylinder of crispy risotto. The risotto was also perfect, just enough crispiness on the outside, and cheesy warmth on the inside. Inbetween, a layer of sauteed spinach, and a great salsa. One of the best salmon dishes I've ever had.My wife ordered the Pescado Sudan, halibut poached in Peruvian Salsa Tigre, and served over spinach and yuca frita. I got to taste some at dinner, and more the next night as leftovers. Excellent flavors, just enough spice. The final dish was the Costillos De Cordero, Australian lamb chops. Presentation was beautiful (see photo) and she was very excited by this dish.For dessert we ordered the Picarones, three warm Peruvian donuts with a cinnamon syrup. We were expecting the donuts to be small, but they were huge. The plate was steaming, and the best part was cutting a piece and dipping it into the sauce on the plate. The texture was a little chewy, but delicious.And we had to have chocolate, so we ordered the flourless chocolate cake. Exactly what we were hoping for, with a small dollop of whipped cream on top.We will be back for sure. This may even become a tradition for us since it's about half way from our home and from our friends' home. Check it out!"

Playa Azul

★★★★☆ 3.6 (245) • $$

"Came in recently and they had great food!! We had the mixto cocktail which had shrimp and octopus it was fabulous!! Also shared the calamari which had a really nice light batter to it. Entree was carne asada which was perfectly cooked. Waiter could have been a little more attentive but otherwise great experience."

El Paisa Restaurante-Jenny & Jesse

★★★★☆ 4.2 (103) • $$

"My husband is Honduran and was craving traditional Honduran food. El Paisa Restaurante did not disappoint. Baleadas are homemade - exactly as they are made in Honduras. The meat from the Pescado Yojoa is so tender and just falls off the bone. The Pollo Catracho is flavorful and well balanced with the fried plantains.Location is in the Mission area. So finding parking is a bit difficult, paid street parking is your best bet!Staff is friendly and food come out quick. Will definitely visit again!"

Ensenada Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.5 (4)

"Food service and vibe was fantastic. Came right at 11am for early lunch. My mom had the Desayuno tipico, which she enjoyed to the very last bite. My father and I had the Filete de pescado al ajio (filet of fish in garlic sauce which is pictured on this review). It was fantastic!!! Will be trying other things in the menu next time."

Venga Empanadas

★★★★★ 4.5 (39) • $

"Ok the guy behind the counter was right. I shouldn't have shared lol! But I wanted to be good and watch my portions and I knew we were going somewhere for dinner. The gentleman behind the counter was super helpful and had some amazing suggestions. They have some delicious fresh flavors and variety. Grab a few and the cookies to take upstairs to Skypark and enjoy the scenery with this wonderful savory treat!"