Mr. Pollo is a neighborhood jewel, a place where the simple becomes sublime. Upon entering, you’re immediately greeted by friendly chef Graham, whose kitchen exudes a warmth that’s more akin to a friend’s home than a restaurant. The four-course prefix meal, a steal at $45 per person, showcases Graham’s focus on high-quality local ingredients and flawless technique. Each dish is simple yet exceptional, proving that sometimes less is more. As you watch Graham work his magic, it's hard not to feel a kinship with the man behind the dishes. The experience is rounded out by Will, the manager, who effortlessly makes you feel at home with his warm conversation and attentive service. This isn't just dining, it's an intimate encounter with food and people, one that will surely have us coming back for more.

This is a really, really special place. It made me super happy to be a San Francisco resident, which I haven’t felt in a while. The food was totally delicious. 10/10 from start to finish and insane value for what it was. The affordable drinks made it even better. Then there was the atmosphere which was lovely as well. Great service. I’ll be back again and again 🥹

Great food,, service and atmosphere! Loved meeting Will and Johnny ,,,,Will offered awesome service and Johnny cooked some awesome food . Loved the beet and goat cheese appetizer,,,also loved the main course of the tuna and corn ,,,,dessert was also good with the black salt on coconut sorbet with macadamia nuts ,,,, awesome combination,,,,,can't beat it for the price ,,Thank you!!

+1

Intimate, more casual than I was expecting, and extremely well-done. The whole place only seats ten or twelve, and the two (!) Mr Pollo employees are lovely to chat with.

Mr. Pollo was great! It was exactly right for the price point. I loved that they were drawing inspiration from their recent trip to Russia to assemble the menu. Everything was great in the 4 course meal. In our first course we got fresh tomatoes, accompanied by smoked salmon and a creamy dill sauce. The tomatoes were so fresh and delicious! To follow, they served us an arepa to keep the spirit of the old Mr. Pollo alive. The main course was cod with borscht (beet soup). I absolutely love borscht, so I was really happy to have it for my main course accompanied by a perfectly cooked cod. To finish we had honey flower ice cream with a toping of thyme. I think that was the most delicious thing of the night. Anyhow, if you are in SF and want to have a great unique experience I would recommend Mr. Pollo!

+4

Every single course was delicious! You could tell the ingredients were fresh, which just makes everything taste so much better. The arepa and the dessert were particularly amazing but really, everything was lovely and we loved it.

Great food and amazing experience!

Best value tasting menu! Every menu item was delicious. Been there twice already. They change the menu every few days so there is always a reason to go back. Can’t believe they only charge $45.

Tldr: our favourite restaurant in SF after a month of restaurant touring (above Zuni, Nopa, Spruce, etc) My partner and I went to Mr Pollo on our last night in SF at the strong urging of a close friend. We quickly experienced what makes it so special. Small and unassuming, the intimidate restaurant sits ~12 people and provides an open view of the kitchen. The phenomenal 4 course meal was just $40/head (which I actually told them to increase!) + we paired it with a bottle of wine. The owners are there each day cooking and waiting tables - the whole team is just them. They’re wonderful to talk to and made the experience that much better. Great food. Great price. Great staff. Great time. 12/10 recommend!

Worth the trip in every way. Every dish was exceptional, the staff make you feel at home, and the intimacy is unrivaled. I had to make reservations two weeks in advance, so keep that in mind when planing your visit. The menu changes approximately every 1.5 weeks, with the chicken arepa remaining as the staple dish for every menu. First we had a tomato, burrata, and crouton salad with (olive?) oil and pesto. Then the classic chicken arepa. Next there were scallops resting on black garlic corn, covered in a Japanese citrus and jalapeño vinaigrette. Finally a watermelon sorbet with sprinkled on top, which was refreshing without being too sweet.

Great little place with a wonderful home-style atmosphere. Very well organized, and reasonably priced. The menu consists of four courses, and it is fixed, depending on the seasons and the available ingredients. I was sitting at the bar, where I could watch the process of cooking, and talk to the chef. They also have a good selection of beverages and wine. I will definitely come back here!

Great atmosphere and service. But the real star was the food - loved the starter of ricotta with green figs and prosciutto. The scallops were so tender, and the blackberry sweet corn ice cream was fantastic. Look forward to coming here again!

+2

Dining at Mr. Pollo is less like going to a restaurant and more like being invited into someone’s home—someone who just happens to be a wildly talented chef. What sets this gem apart is its ever-changing, seasonally inspired menu, thoughtfully curated by the chef and owner, who are both as hands-on as they are warm and welcoming. The menu is reinvented regularly, built around what’s fresh, local, and in season. It’s a culinary surprise every visit—and trust me, it’s always a good one.You won't find a printed menu here. Instead, you’ll be guided course by course through the chef's current vision, each dish arriving with its own story and personal touch. The experience is as much about connection as it is about cuisine. The owner and chef don’t just serve you—they engage with you. It’s rare to find that level of hospitality paired with such high-level cooking. Mr. Pollo isn’t just a meal—it’s an ongoing dialogue with food, flavor, and the community. If you're a fan of creativity, spontaneity, and dining with heart, this tiny restaurant with a big soul is not to be missed. Just make sure to book ahead—with only 12 seats and a loyal following, tables fill up fast.

This place is great. It’s been on my todo list for a while and it didn’t disappoint. Great food, and the guys running the place are fantastic.

They simply do not miss. Great food, service, vibes; very intimate. Creative, seasonal menu driven by what’s growing best at the moment, locally. Always excited to see what they do next. 4-course prix fixe at a phenomenal value you simply will not find anywhere else in the Bay Area. And they’re always happy to accommodate dietary preferences. $20 corkage fee. What more could you ask for? Truly a breath of fresh air in San Francisco.

Mr Pollo is outstanding! Chef Graham and Host Will are a dynamic duo providing an outstanding meal with outstanding service while the ambience of the restaurant adds to the experience! Absolutely the BEST! Thank you Chef Graham and Host Will!!

These two gentlemen are putting together fine food, great vibes, and a fantastic time. The cook on everything was absolutely perfect with textures and flavors to match. I would recommend this place to anyone, but especially to those who are open to putting themselves into the hands of capable professionals. If you are someone with food allergies, or other dietary restrictions, this place may not be the best choice; as it is a small, self-contained outfit, there is limited (though accessible, via notes in your reservation) opportunity to shape the menu and experience to individual needs. That said, if you are a diner open to what this chef and server can offer, this about the very best bang-for-your-buck dining experience as I’ve encountered in San Francisco. Every dish was great, and a fantastic value. I will be eating here again.

Omgggg delicious!! Local ingredients & tastefully presented! Took me a while to get a res but well worth the anticipation. 🥰

My friend and I visited from out of town and were fortunate enough to experience a meal here. Everything was incredible, and sitting at the bar seats made the experience all the more intimate. Talking with Graham and hearing his culinary journey and witnessing the course perpetration was extra special. I hope to come back soon!

Small, intimate dining experience! I love how the food is getter better and better every dish we tried. Another great thing is that you don't have to think. Just enjoy the food in front of you. The food is definitely well executed with care and consideration. What I enjoyed the most though is the hospitality of the chef Graham. He picked up my call to arrange the dish for my friend who has shellfish allergy. After the meal, he was not rushing us out and willing to chat with me about Thailand, our cravings for good bakery, and his approach to cooking. He is down to earth and loves what he is doing. My only wish on the food side is to have some bread to go with dishes. In any event, this is the place you can enjoy the food and feel the care of the staffs in his craft. I will come back for more, like that critic in Ratatouille "Surprise me!"

10/10 experience. Rotating menu with local, seasonal ingredients; every single dish was perfect. The octopus blew our minds - I didn't know octopus could be sooo tender and flavorful. Love the concept, the people behind it, and of course, the food.

Mr. Pollo is a small, intimate, cozy dining experience. The food is proper comfort food. Every table has a view of the chef's kitchen and everyone is engaged since it is a very small space. It was exactly perfect as it was. The food impressed me, I thought I knew what I was getting when I would see a dish based on the ingredients and the flavor would be quite different from what i was expecting and that was so fun.

It's a very small space run by two guys! They offer a tasting menu and 2 seatings per day. It's hard to get reservations here but worth trying. The food is good and fresh and the energy of the owners is what makes it nice.

The absolute best. I can't believe how good this was for how affordable it was. I am especially lucky to have had the Standard Deviant beer pairing with it, which was just all so fantastic. They had to gently kick us out at the night because we were having such a good time. Can't wait to go back

Such a hidden gem! Food was amazing - top tier ingredients and flavors were perfectly balanced. And the vibes are immaculate.

Great experience at Mr. Pollo! First, the service is excellent - warm and friendly, feels like home. It’s an intimate and quiet space. Theres some calm tunes playing in the background and you can easily enjoy a conversation. The food is hearty and feels homemade, but at the same time I found the favors inventive and unique. My favorite course, the tri-tip arepas, then the appetizer - focaccia, fig, pistachios, mint and prosciutto? Amazing. The main course was roasted chicken on a bed of corn and other veggies - it was good but maybe my least favorite course. Overall, i would absolutely come back.

One of best meals you can find in SF. Not only was the food thoughtfully prepared and delicious (we had Adriatic figs and focaccia, a tri tip arepa, corn risotto with Guinea fowl, and lemon mousse with apricot ice cream) but it was ridiculously affordable for a 4 course meal. On top of all that, Will and Graham make the whole atmosphere warm and welcoming. They make it feel like you're eating at a friends house and it was so fun to talk with them about what inspires their menu every day

An awesome option for a prix fixe menu dinner at a very acceptable price point. Everything I had here was great although I wish it was slightly more portion wise, it was almost there. I believe the menu rotates, although not sure how frequently. The atmosphere is great, small shop run by 2 people with a very unassuming front door! I had to double check to see if it was the right spot at first. Overall great option for locals/visitors in the city.

Celebrated anniversary here, and it was the perfect spot 👌. Vive was intimate as the restaurant is small. Not to mention, the service and food were amazing! You can tell both owners take a lot of joy and pride into making your experience worthwhile. We'd never been to a restaurant with a preset menu, so this was a good introduction.

Such a great deal for the city. $40 for 4 courses. Everything was fairly simple but well executed. It’s also a very approachable tasting menu for people that may be more weary from complex menus. The restaurant is very small (only seats 12) so every seat is close to the kitchen and it gets pretty toasty in there so don’t dress too warmly!

I booked reservations on Yelp. The place is small probably holds about 12 people. We were able to sit at the bar. We watched all the food being made. I enjoyed talking to the chef about his different restaurant experiences. The meal started off with clams in the broth and a slice of bread that was just out of the oven and piping hot. We watched him slice as steam came off. The next dish was Arepas with pickled radish. I also loved the bean and squid dish. I was not a huge fan of our dessert which a bit too sweet with the carob whip cream and muffin topped with powdered sugar. The wine offering was good. I liked my montepulciano. Overall, I’ll definitely come back

Mr. Pollo is probably the smallest prix-fixe menu restaurant I’ve ever been in. The two man operation runs super smoothly and the courses come out quickly. The four course menu is $45 per person, and a curated wine/beer list. The wines here are more affordable than other restaurants. Everything was simple but really well executed. You could tell that the ingredients are fresh. We started with a spiced pumpkin soup topped with parmesan, crispy mushrooms, and croutons. The soup was warm and comforting and reminded me of a curry. The second dish here is always an arepa and tonight it was a coconut chicken arepa with pickled onions, tomato, green crema, and queso. This was probably my favorite dish of the night. The oily arepa complimented the fresh and lightness of the filling. Course 3 was grilled octopus served on a bed of pepper simmered beans, and dressed with an herby, marinated olive dressing. The olives were a nice salty touch. Dessert was an upside down apple cake with a candied chestnut ice cream. The dessert wasn’t too sweet and the ice cream blew us away!

We sat at the counter and had a really fun chat with Graham while enjoying dinner. The food is absolutely interesting and delicious! All the ingredients are sourced from local farmers market and made from scratch, including the sesame sauce in the tomato salad and the pickled olives which were cured for several months. The menu changes every few weeks so we’ll definitely be back again!

Amazing. A-maz-ing!! AMAZING. Did I mention this place is amazing? I don't need to write anything except "amazing." Rotating tasting menu. 4 courses, whatever they're making and all tables served the same courses. The one constant is the second course is always an arepa, as a nod to the previous Latin America restaurant that occupied that space for generations. Last night, we enjoyed a green bean salad, arepa with the BEST chorizo I have had on this side of the Atlantic and a lamb shank that was cooked to perfection, tender and flavorful. Amazing meal, amazing service, super cozy place, reservations available through Resy. Booked out, like 2-3 weeks.

We booked our reservation in advance once we knew we were visiting SF. Mr.Pollo gave the best meal we had in SF ever. I told my partner we should have booked it for dinner each day we were visiting. The ingredients were sourced from a farmers market and the menu was determined by what ingredients the chef could get. We ate everything clean off it’s plate and was left wanting for more. Awesome work👏🏻

Gorgeous meal and fun, intimate dining experience (12 seats including the bar). Will (the owner) serves and the open kitchen allows you to watch Manny (the chef) work his magic. Four course menu changes weekly. Ours consisted of: 1 - Stuffed cabbage (leek filling) with a white wine fish sauce broth and pickled onions 2 - Their (appropriately) famous arepa - delicious. Filled with chicken and several kinds of salsas. 3 -Ground beef braised in a tomato based sauce, sunchokes and broccolini. Description does not do it justice. 4 - Persimmon cake served warm with homemade whipped cream and a honey glaze. Small curated wine list was matched to the meal. Will absolutely be back!

Tee Ponsukcharoen

Small, intimate dining experience! I love how the food is getter better and better every dish we tried. Another great thing is that you don't have to think. Just enjoy the food in front of you. The food is definitely well executed with care and consideration. What I enjoyed the most though is the hospitality of the chef Graham. He picked up my call to arrange the dish for my friend who has shellfish allergy. After the meal, he was not rushing us out and willing to chat with me about Thailand, our cravings for good bakery, and his approach to cooking. He is down to earth and loves what he is doing. My only wish on the food side is to have some bread to go with dishes. In any event, this is the place you can enjoy the food and feel the care of the staffs in his craft. I will come back for more, like that critic in Ratatouille "Surprise me!"

Phuong Luong

10/10 experience. Rotating menu with local, seasonal ingredients; every single dish was perfect. The octopus blew our minds - I didn't know octopus could be sooo tender and flavorful. Love the concept, the people behind it, and of course, the food.

jade

Mr. Pollo is a small, intimate, cozy dining experience. The food is proper comfort food. Every table has a view of the chef's kitchen and everyone is engaged since it is a very small space. It was exactly perfect as it was. The food impressed me, I thought I knew what I was getting when I would see a dish based on the ingredients and the flavor would be quite different from what i was expecting and that was so fun.

A O

It's a very small space run by two guys! They offer a tasting menu and 2 seatings per day. It's hard to get reservations here but worth trying. The food is good and fresh and the energy of the owners is what makes it nice.

Brian Yam

Such a hidden gem! Food was amazing - top tier ingredients and flavors were perfectly balanced. And the vibes are immaculate.

Rick Balwani

Great experience at Mr. Pollo! First, the service is excellent - warm and friendly, feels like home. It’s an intimate and quiet space. Theres some calm tunes playing in the background and you can easily enjoy a conversation. The food is hearty and feels homemade, but at the same time I found the favors inventive and unique. My favorite course, the tri-tip arepas, then the appetizer - focaccia, fig, pistachios, mint and prosciutto? Amazing. The main course was roasted chicken on a bed of corn and other veggies - it was good but maybe my least favorite course. Overall, i would absolutely come back.

klarese donnelly

The absolute best. I can't believe how good this was for how affordable it was. I am especially lucky to have had the Standard Deviant beer pairing with it, which was just all so fantastic. They had to gently kick us out at the night because we were having such a good time. Can't wait to go back

Connor Tsuchida

One of best meals you can find in SF. Not only was the food thoughtfully prepared and delicious (we had Adriatic figs and focaccia, a tri tip arepa, corn risotto with Guinea fowl, and lemon mousse with apricot ice cream) but it was ridiculously affordable for a 4 course meal. On top of all that, Will and Graham make the whole atmosphere warm and welcoming. They make it feel like you're eating at a friends house and it was so fun to talk with them about what inspires their menu every day

Clement

An awesome option for a prix fixe menu dinner at a very acceptable price point. Everything I had here was great although I wish it was slightly more portion wise, it was almost there. I believe the menu rotates, although not sure how frequently. The atmosphere is great, small shop run by 2 people with a very unassuming front door! I had to double check to see if it was the right spot at first. Overall great option for locals/visitors in the city.

Estefania Vargas

Celebrated anniversary here, and it was the perfect spot 👌. Vive was intimate as the restaurant is small. Not to mention, the service and food were amazing! You can tell both owners take a lot of joy and pride into making your experience worthwhile. We'd never been to a restaurant with a preset menu, so this was a good introduction.

Annabel Hungate

Such a great deal for the city. $40 for 4 courses. Everything was fairly simple but well executed. It’s also a very approachable tasting menu for people that may be more weary from complex menus. The restaurant is very small (only seats 12) so every seat is close to the kitchen and it gets pretty toasty in there so don’t dress too warmly!

E Lee

I booked reservations on Yelp. The place is small probably holds about 12 people. We were able to sit at the bar. We watched all the food being made. I enjoyed talking to the chef about his different restaurant experiences. The meal started off with clams in the broth and a slice of bread that was just out of the oven and piping hot. We watched him slice as steam came off. The next dish was Arepas with pickled radish. I also loved the bean and squid dish. I was not a huge fan of our dessert which a bit too sweet with the carob whip cream and muffin topped with powdered sugar. The wine offering was good. I liked my montepulciano. Overall, I’ll definitely come back

Lydia Cheng

Mr. Pollo is probably the smallest prix-fixe menu restaurant I’ve ever been in. The two man operation runs super smoothly and the courses come out quickly. The four course menu is $45 per person, and a curated wine/beer list. The wines here are more affordable than other restaurants. Everything was simple but really well executed. You could tell that the ingredients are fresh. We started with a spiced pumpkin soup topped with parmesan, crispy mushrooms, and croutons. The soup was warm and comforting and reminded me of a curry. The second dish here is always an arepa and tonight it was a coconut chicken arepa with pickled onions, tomato, green crema, and queso. This was probably my favorite dish of the night. The oily arepa complimented the fresh and lightness of the filling. Course 3 was grilled octopus served on a bed of pepper simmered beans, and dressed with an herby, marinated olive dressing. The olives were a nice salty touch. Dessert was an upside down apple cake with a candied chestnut ice cream. The dessert wasn’t too sweet and the ice cream blew us away!

An Yan

We sat at the counter and had a really fun chat with Graham while enjoying dinner. The food is absolutely interesting and delicious! All the ingredients are sourced from local farmers market and made from scratch, including the sesame sauce in the tomato salad and the pickled olives which were cured for several months. The menu changes every few weeks so we’ll definitely be back again!

Jim Dzúr

Amazing. A-maz-ing!! AMAZING. Did I mention this place is amazing? I don't need to write anything except "amazing." Rotating tasting menu. 4 courses, whatever they're making and all tables served the same courses. The one constant is the second course is always an arepa, as a nod to the previous Latin America restaurant that occupied that space for generations. Last night, we enjoyed a green bean salad, arepa with the BEST chorizo I have had on this side of the Atlantic and a lamb shank that was cooked to perfection, tender and flavorful. Amazing meal, amazing service, super cozy place, reservations available through Resy. Booked out, like 2-3 weeks.

Bree

We booked our reservation in advance once we knew we were visiting SF. Mr.Pollo gave the best meal we had in SF ever. I told my partner we should have booked it for dinner each day we were visiting. The ingredients were sourced from a farmers market and the menu was determined by what ingredients the chef could get. We ate everything clean off it’s plate and was left wanting for more. Awesome work👏🏻

Sharon Goldstein

Gorgeous meal and fun, intimate dining experience (12 seats including the bar). Will (the owner) serves and the open kitchen allows you to watch Manny (the chef) work his magic. Four course menu changes weekly. Ours consisted of: 1 - Stuffed cabbage (leek filling) with a white wine fish sauce broth and pickled onions 2 - Their (appropriately) famous arepa - delicious. Filled with chicken and several kinds of salsas. 3 -Ground beef braised in a tomato based sauce, sunchokes and broccolini. Description does not do it justice. 4 - Persimmon cake served warm with homemade whipped cream and a honey glaze. Small curated wine list was matched to the meal. Will absolutely be back!

Z

Great food,, service and atmosphere! Loved meeting Will and Johnny ,,,,Will offered awesome service and Johnny cooked some awesome food . Loved the beet and goat cheese appetizer,,,also loved the main course of the tuna and corn ,,,,dessert was also good with the black salt on coconut sorbet with macadamia nuts ,,,, awesome combination,,,,,can't beat it for the price ,,Thank you!!

My friend booked all 3 tables and we packed in for a great and intimate night. We had an impressive pre-fix menu and a really friendly waiter and chef. Calling out the sauces which were really good and an important part of an interesting meal.

Running Wild

My friend booked all 3 tables and we packed in for a great and intimate night. We had an impressive pre-fix menu and a really friendly waiter and chef. Calling out the sauces which were really good and an important part of an interesting meal.

I have had several wonderful experiences here but looking through some of the photos I noticed that the chef looks way different when I went there the guy was all tatted up like full sleeves and stuff and tattoos on his neck and the server was really tall I think his name was will he was super good too I really liked it but has it changed ownership?? Thanks for replying. I don't get up to the city much anymore, but I'm glad you're still there & I can feel great about recommending your spot to family & friends 👍

Really fun dining experience and will definitely be a place I return to regularly. 4 course tasting menu where every course is well thought out and very well done. The first course watermelon gazpacho might have been my favorite of the night it was that good. Would recommend taking advantage of the $20 corkage fee if you know what you like in wine. My only non flattering note is that it feels like they could find a slightly better solution for covering the windows than blackout drapes. The food, service and vibe of chef and server well make up for it but overall the all black wall paint + black window coverings is a net negative for me.

Robert Jamieson

Really fun dining experience and will definitely be a place I return to regularly. 4 course tasting menu where every course is well thought out and very well done. The first course watermelon gazpacho might have been my favorite of the night it was that good. Would recommend taking advantage of the $20 corkage fee if you know what you like in wine. My only non flattering note is that it feels like they could find a slightly better solution for covering the windows than blackout drapes. The food, service and vibe of chef and server well make up for it but overall the all black wall paint + black window coverings is a net negative for me.

Great vibe, super friendly service, but honestly the food is not great. A lot of care was put into it, it was just not tasty.