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15 Reviews
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Mexican food at its finest
Great spot. Mexican food which is unique and creative. Californios has delicious food. Amazing time here with family and friends.
Be the first to ReplyReally good food and drinks
Californios is really good. The Mexican restaurant is amazing. The food is delicious. The drinks are too. The small batch wines are awesome.
Be the first to ReplySimply SUPERB in Every Way! A Must Visit.
I can’t wait to visit Californios a third time. It was so good the first time in 2022 that on a trip last month I invited a friend to join me. From start to finish WOW! We were both super impressed. Creative, fresh, visually stunning and above all TASTY food, with superb drinks pairing and exceptional service, who could ask for anything more. My favorites were the ceviche, potato soup with caviar and, once again, the unmatchable trio of tacos. If you’re in or visiting San Francisco, this restaurant elevates Mexican food to an culinary art form and is a must for any foodie.
Be the first to ReplySpectacular
My husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary at Californios last night. It was hands down one of the best meals I can recall enjoying. Every single course was very delicious and creatively and beautifully presented. The service was outstanding. There were 15 courses and I was worried whether I would be able to finish it all--I am a small person--but the portions are just right and I made it to the end with a smile. I particularly loved the cod taco, the potato soup, the quail, the venison, and the chocolate dessert. We had eaten before at their Mission location, which was cozy and dark, so this new space was unexpectedly fabulous. High ceilings, colorful paintings, large plants, comfortable seating, very spacious. Absolutely loved the vibe. I honestly enjoyed this more than the French Laundry. It is pricey but for all that we received it felt like an excellent value. Definitely going to come back.
Be the first to ReplyOverpriced
My wife and I went for our anniversary to celebrate the occasion expecting a Mexican cuisine. As far as I could taste, the main touch was Latin American not Mexican as they are presented in their website. They introduce Ceviche in the menu which is Peruvian, Arepas which are Venezuelan/Colombian and the main dish is Japanese Wagyu just to give few examples. On top of that, pairing comes with Spanish, French and Italian wines which was not expected for a Mexican menu. However, tacos were delicious. We were expecting more from a two Michelin star restaurant at 1,400$ price for two.
Be the first to ReplyBrilliant cooking, should rely on that instead of luxury ingredients
We opted for the wine pairing with special tour, got shown around the kitchen and wine cellar. we later learned it was the first night they did this; it was a little awkward but I loved it all the same. First, the cooking at this restaurant is absolutely top tier. Highly creative, but not gratuitously eccentric. Every single thing that came to the table had beautiful contrasts but also perfect balance. Chilis were used in most courses but never at the expense of balance. One dish consisted of tomato water (umami bomb!) plus a sort of tuna ceviche or aguachile in strawberry juice, plus a trio of three different melon slices, each with a uniqut tajin. Every. Single. Bite of this dish was deligihtful: the tajins enhanced the melons. The strawberry, whlie shocking, was a thought-compelling dressing for the tuna. And the tomato water was, well as good as tomato water gets (i.e. extremely tasty). Each element enhanced the others. The big finish was a shocking large portion of A5 Wagyu beef served with an impossibly delicious sauce based on squash seeds. My only complaint on this course was that there was too much meat! A5 is very rich, and while finally succeeded, it was not easy to polish off the whole serving. Things they could do that might merit a third Michelin star: staff should be more personally knowledgeable about the menu (the service overall was great, but we've come to expect all servers to know the whole menu). Wines were presented with what seemed to be rehearsed speeches about what to expect. This was not really necessary, but was also unconvincing. These canned offerings were in lieu of actual personal knowledge about the qualities of the wines, and of deeper knowledge about their provenance. Finally, there were a LOT of prestige items in the menu: caviar, wagyu beef...As if (this is pure conjecture) someone felt a need to justify spending such a sum for what could (by the ignorant) be dismissed as mere Mexican food. It is Mexican, using a lot of ingredients and techniques familiar to most people, AND the quality is among the best I've ever had. Now I enjoy caviar and Wagyu beef at least as much as the next guy, but I saw these luxuty items as a bit of distraction away from the genius of the cooking. One other thing: The music was too loud. Despite all this nit-picking, I strongly recommend this restaurant. Can't wait to go back!
Be the first to ReplyPerfect Experience
I delighted in the tasting menu and the wine pairing at Californios. It was simply perfection!
Creative, approachable and delicious — there were a few dishes and ingredients that initially met me with apprehension — only to be wowed and moved by the innovation and symphony of flavors. This is a two-star menu that I could experience over and over again and never grow tired.
The service was meticulous, fun and relatable.
Cultural immersion through authentic and intense familial flavors. Mexican Cuisine at Its Finest!!
There is no doubt in my mind that Californios is elevated Mexican cuisine at its finest with service to match!!! So many unique flavors and tasty combinations I can’t pick a favorite, though the 3 different type of tacos stood out. The fish and beef dishes were amazing and the sommelier’s choices were spot on. I haven’t seen their old location but the current space is chic, elegant and well laid out. Top-notch professional and friendly service all around. Whether it’s for a special occasion or a dinner out, Californios is the perfect spot for fine dining and well worth the price!!
PS-Given it’s new location (355 11th St) TripAdvisor and Californios needs to update their listing.
Needs more national attention
What I'm comparing it against: fine dining experiences in major cities.
Overview: A 2-star Michelin restaurant and also one of the few restaurants to have 4 stars from the SF Chronicle. Elevated Mexican fare in prix fixe format only. TOCK reservations only.
Vibe: Located in the Mission District, an area with a lot Latin/Hispanic culture, small artsy shops (including a wonderful fragrance shop called TigerLily), and a lot of wall art. In short, very different from the Union Square area. The restaurant itself is extremely small and intimate (a good thing). Dark, nice wall art, and a younger yet refined feel compared to places like Le Bernardin and Benu. Also, no classical music, but instead things like Ivy, The Smiths, and other 80s and 90s alt-rock and new wave. No dress code, but you want to dress up to some extent.
I was at the Chef’s Counter. At other counters (like D.C.’s Pineapples & Pearls, for example), you marvel at how technical, orderly, and spacious the kitchen is. Californios’ kitchen, on the other hand, provides a different yet rewarding experience. It is much more intimate and closer, and the area where 4-5 chefs work seems almost cramped (but I don’t say this negatively). I just don’t know how they work effectively, but they do. What’s really fun to watch is the code-worded communication between all of them (think Peyton Manning as he’s communicating with the offense pre-snap). In other words, you don’t understand what’s being said; you only know that you’ll enjoy the outcome.
Food: Wonderful, and the 2 Michelin stars is the appropriate rating. Elevated Mexican fare with a variety of meats, sauces, etc. You can also order an additional wine/beverage pairing (I just ordered a couple glasses a la carte). I believe the sommelier was at the French Laundry before coming to Californios. Several courses but I was not overly full (which was an issue at Benu the previous night).
Service: Absolutely wonderful and genuinely warm—that applies to hosts, servers, and the chefs working under the Head Chef.
Long story short—such a wonderful experience. I’d love to come here again someday (all the way from Virginia!). Covid-19 is temporary, but great food is forever. I hope the staff there is doing okay during this time.
I would have posted 12 or so pics, but this website freezes every time I try, so you just get text from me I guess.
Amazing meal but very expensive!
Three of us dined here one evening over the Christmas period, and it was definitely an 'experience'!
Firstly, you should be aware that you have to pay in full in advance and have to choose your 'slot' when booking from pre-defined sittings - totally to be expected with such a complex menu from a small restaurant where one table of 'no shows' would be a real problem. Also, the restaurant itself is very discreetly set back from the street with blacked-out doors so it is a bit of a surprise at first to walk straight into the small dining area on arrival, with a full view of the chef's station along one side of the room and a lot of staff milling around the small space.
We arrived right on time, but had to stand around a little awkwardly in the doorway as our table was not ready and other guests were already waiting on the small bench seating/waiting area.
Our coats were taken, a complimentary sparkling aperitif offered and after about ten minutes waiting we were shown to our table. This was not a major issue as there was plenty to look at while we were waiting as the chefs were preparing other diner's plates on the pass in front of us. The staff were all very friendly and looked after us extremely well throughout the evening; it was just not the slick start we expected from this standard of restaurant.
We were each given a 'gift', which was the evening's menu in an envelope so we could choose whether or not to see what was coming (we chose not to 'sneak peak', and each dish was introduced separately by the staff as it arrived). We also each chose to have the drinks pairing with the meal, which was a fascinating selection of wines, cider, champagne, madeira, sake......I really enjoyed trying the different drinks with the dishes, but if you like red wine you may wish to order your own bottle as there was only one glass of red offered in the selection that we had.
The dishes themselves were absolutely knock-out amazing; mostly small bites (some were two bites - we were helpfully informed by the waiting staff how many bites to use on each one!). There were many ingredients used that we had never tried before, and with my view of the pass the immense care that the (mostly young) chefs paid to every plate was a joy to watch. Whether we actually enjoyed each dish or not is obviously down to personal taste, but very little went back from our table. Each dish was presented on it's own carefully thought-out plate, and cutlery was kept to the minimum (most of these dishes were 'finger food' size and you are expected to eat with your hands). The attention to detail in the dishes was second to none, and it was very reassuring to see the head chef at the top of the pass inspecting every single dish before it went out.
Stand-out dishes for me were an airy sea urchin delight, delightful little sticky rib tacos and the beautifully-made ice cream and chocolates. The only dish I struggled with was the plantain tamale which seemed to be all about the theatre and not about the substance - the truffles and caviar it came with were virtually tasteless. However, this is down to personal opinion and others may think differently!
The plates were put before us in quick succession with no long waits between courses, even so the whole meal took nearly three hours which seemed to whizz by - it was so exciting to see what would come out next.
There were a few 'niggles' - our table was in a fierce draught, and we had to ask twice for the aircon to be adjusted (otherwise I would have had to ask for my coat back as it was so cold on one side), we also had to ask for our table water to be topped up a few times which was disappointing as there seemed to be a gentleman who's only job it was was to pour water and the restaurant was not that big! There was also a slight muddle at one point where new cutlery, glasses and plates appeared and then suddenly disappeared again as the course sequence was obviously lost for a moment - but it was a busy evening and these things happen. There is also only one small, rather dark unisex restroom so you had to time your 'bathroom breaks' carefully - the staff were happy to let you know when it was free though.
At over GBP £1000 for three people (with the drinks pairing and a bottle of sparkling water, plus tea/coffee), there is no denying that this is a very extravagant evening's dining. I found it a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Would I go back? No, because I could not justify the cost and I consider it a 'one-off' treat. Would I recommend it? Absolutely, if you can afford it - the opportunity to try all these amazing dishes at the world's only two Michelin starred Mexican restaurant is definitely one not to be missed.
PS. If you don't think you like Mexican food, don't worry - there wasn't a refried bean in sight!
Excellent in all aspects
Very refined and yet super delicious
The tasting menu is made of 20 plus small tapas like bite size dishes
Excellent selection of fine wines
The full course takes around 2 and half hours with very attentive services
Well worth every penny
Getting even Better
This was our second visit to Californios and it was even better than our first. We spent three enjoyable hours that felt like an hour devouring 20+ delectable offerings from the kitchen. Service was very efficient and friendly.
If you want to try sophisticated Mexican at its finest this is the place in SF.
One suggestion: avoid the wine pairing. You would do better ordering off their wine list which is comprehensive and fairly priced.
Trying Hard
In a city with quite a number of self important, $200+ per meal prix fixe menu restaurants, Californios has its work cut out for it trying to produce authentic Mexican food with local Bay Area ingredients. Further, the diner has to decide if eating Mexican is worth $200+. This is a fair question, because in Mexico City, it certainly is and dining is on a high international levels Californios has its work cut out for it.
In many instances the small plate creations are really exceptional and you will long remember them. Some courses are just average, but on the whole the dining experience is worth the effort and the service and chef detail exceptional.
Fabulous Mexican tasting menu experience with a very fun and enthusiastic team—for a steal of a price!
We enjoyed dinner at Californios for the second night of our annual culinary weekend in San Francisco. And what a Mexican dinner it is! We’ve dined at Taco Maria in Costa Mesa and at Pujol, Quintonil, and Biko in Mexico City, and this was right up there with the best of them. The food was truly sublime and authentically Mexican, the timing and service were wonderful, and the atmosphere was relaxed and convivial while still exuding a sense of chic sexiness. The wine pairings weren’t perfect, but they were all very good—with a few mind-blowing and one that was a bit off for us.
The entire service team here was an absolute blast—we really enjoyed getting to know them and interact with them in a way that is unusual for us at such fine dining. They knew their stuff about the food and wine, but they had fabulous senses of humor and genuinely appreciated our inquisitiveness and our curiosity. They even took note that we hadn’t loved the one wine pairing, in particular, and suggested our feedback was the reason they might change it. We really had fun here as much as an amazing dinner. A rare dinner, indeed!
Our entire meal was a mere $341, including both our menus and both of us having the wine pairing. That is an absolute steal for a 2* Michelin meal in this city or in most places! We absolutely loved it and can not wait to return.
Kudos to one of our new favorites! We loved it all and loved all of them!
All hat and no cattle
Comically pretentious. Food is under seasoned and not delicious. Wine pairing portions are skimpy and lots of talk about where the wine comes from while the portion barely covers the bottom of the glass. Worst of all the fish dish was so rotten and smelly we had to send it back and never received an apology or even an acknowledgment and the bill for four of us was close to a thousand dollars! If you want a delicious meal in San Francisco go,to The Progress on Fillmore street.
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