Papalote Mexican Grill

Spectacular food. Wonderful vegetarian options. Unique and delicious menu items. Perfect for takeout. Thank you!

Came here recently to claim a DoorDash deal ($8 off $20 or more), and tried the al pastor nachos. The dish itself was very tasty. In particular, I thought the pastor had a nice char to it, a nice roasted flavor with hearty chunks of meat, the ratios were balanced, and all the accompaniments were all pretty fresh (guac, salsa, etc.). My issue is with their pricing scheme. Before any discounts, the super nachos are $18.25, plus a mandatory 4.5% surcharge (set by the restaurant, not the city), which I feel is steep. After taxes, that's over $20 for a plate of nachos, and in a town with no shortage of high-quality taquerias, that's just higher than most of the competition for what I would argue is comparable quality food. The other problem I have is with their salsa. Every dish by default comes with chips and a tiny 2-oz. cup of their (also very tasty) salsa. The quality is also excellent, and has a roasted tomato flavor to it that is unique. However, they are very stingy if you want extra (I suspect because this is what they are known for, and it's quite popular). My giant plate of nachos, for example, didn't include salsa by default (other than the tiny cup that comes with the side of chips). I don't think it's appropriate to charge an extra $0.50 per 2-oz. cup if you are ordering a normal meal. A lot of other taquerias have full-blown open salsa bars with unlimited salsa for free, regardless of what you order. I can understand charging someone who is just ordering an extra side of chips and salsa, but if I'm already paying $20+ for the main event, I think a reasonable amount should be included. So, the reason for the lower rating is that I feel they are nickel & diming their customers. I get that everyone is being squeezed right now, but there's a lot of competition in this segment, and Papalote stands out for its higher-than-average prices in relation to what you get in return.Also, this isn't food related, but they are currently to-go only at this location, as I sit here in Sept 2024, and I'm not sure why that's the case. I'd like an option to dine-in, without a take-out container.

If there's one thing that stands out at Papalote, it's definitely their salsa. It's thick, rich, nutty, and spicy, and you can never have enough to go with their tortilla chips! Good thing they also sell it by the jar! For my entree, I tried the Naked Burrito, essentially a burrito bowl that came with refried black beans, lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, jalapeños, and a choice of meat. I had the chile verde, made of tender chunks of pork cooked in a tangy tomatillo sauce. Another highlight was their mole sauce, a thick, creamy, smooth blend of peppers, spices, nuts, and cacao, which had a complex sweet and savory flavor. Overall, the flavors here were all on point, featuring the best of Mexican cuisine!

tldr; I got some fresh, sizable tacos here that totally justified the price I paid. Fresh and delicious flavors. Underrated IMOrecs: Get the chips and salsa -- the salsa is so delicious. price: ~$12/ppPapalote is a mostly takeout/delivery spot in the NOPA neighborhood with an impressive menu boasting some quality ingredients. It's still possible to dine in by using their standing bar, but ask for napkins before you eat. Came here looking for a light bite and ended up leaving super satisfied and surprisingly stuffed. I ordered the shrimp tacos, described as cooked in butter and white wine with mushrooms, and was not disappointed. The shrimps were super bouncy, and the cooks were able to modify my order to use spinach tortillas, which was also really nice. The price of two premium tacos was a little more than a burrito, but they were also huge, and I would totally order them again.Papalote is the spot to go to if you're looking for a casual, affordable, and wholesome meal. :)

Delicious burritos! My favorite is the soyrizo burrito and I also get the mole tofu burrito. A little on the pricey side if you add the toppings but they're worth it. Very filling and hearty. Great vegetarian options here too!

We tried several items for take out and we really enjoyed them! The pollo burrito was delicious and the steak tacos very flavorful. The price was also very reasonable and fair, especially given the quality of the ingredients. We also love their salsa! We will try other items next time.

Probably one of the best burritos in California Honestly the salsa is the best I've ever had. They sell it by the jar as well trust me it's really good.

First off, the service was lousy. It's been 4 1/2 years since we had to go through the lockdown and every other taqueria has open up except for you all. No excuses, Victor! Secondly, I spent over $50 on two burritos and got one bag of chips and one salsa. I was shocked to find and shocked on the greediness of it. Plus, the the workers were not happy with us being there. I have cancer and can't really stand up there. A very nice girl working there gave me a chair to sit on. I thank her for that. For the rest (even the burrito) were not that good. It was cold, not made to order or correct. I ordered a regular burrito but they made me a super instead. It was too much food to finish. Anyway, that was second or third time since the lockdown and i'm glad. I'm never going back in after that and I recommend nobody else.

Update to my previous review, things have not improved an iota. The staff continues to make mistakes or skip things entirely like adding chips to a large order, or an entire paid pint of salsa, these things are never caught until leaving the restaurant, so the restaurant benefits, and the customer is literally left holding the bag. What the heck is management doing to disincentivize them to be so lax?

The food was cold and blind $75 for myself food was so bad I gave it to my dog. I will never buy from this establishment. Ever again and telling all of my friends beware, we're above.