Vibe is chill. They have great salsa selections. Food is 100% Mexican.

Great for vegetarians, tacos loaded with tasty accoutrements. Felt good to be in there, mole was nice too. Good place yeah.

Delicious burrito with lots of choice. Very cute Mexican decor with outside tables as well as inside.

Welcoming Environment, Delicious Food, Excellent Prices, Family Friendly, Clean Bathroom Facility.

A longtime San Franciscan told me 20 years ago that people go to different Taquerias for different things. And I found that to be true in my 20 years in SF. This is my spot for a veggie quesadilla, I never get anything else so I can’t speak to the burritos or tacos, but the quesadillas have actual vegetables like zucchini, carrots, and cabbage they come with sour cream, guacamole, and a really good house salsa- and, my culinary life would be empty without it. Ready in ten minutes over the phone!

Very good, well priced, classic Mexican food. Salsa bar for everyone so you can try them all! It can be loud at times but adds to the ambience. I go for their enchiladas which have never disappointed.

Really great burrito. Best we had in the Mission. Better than the one we had at La Palma. Better balance of avocado and sour cream, and not as large so easier to eat. We still split it for two people, and were super full after! Wonderful chewy tortilla with flavorful meat. The salsa bar was very additive as well.

Worth coming to for the array of sauces alone! I always like how calm it is here compared to restaurants along the mission’s main drags. Can’t go wrong with any food here, guaranteed delicious. Very big burritos.

Really excellent veggie quesadillas with freshly sautéed veggies separate helping of sour cream and guacamole that elevates over what you get at other places. Yum!

I had the birria and ugh it was just right. Great little place for Mexican food.

the taqueria/enchiladas are freshly made!

The super veggie burrito is what I show people when I want to give someone the best burrito of their life, and the crispy little chips are the most crispy and delicious little chips alive. I guess they aren't alive, or did, but this place is full of life and delicious food and a sweet, warm lady that takes your order.

This place is great. The people, the space, the food. You can't go wrong being seated inside or out. The Chile Colorado is fantastic and their shrimp burrito is the best in the Mission.

Visited here for lunch, place was busy. You have to order at the counter and then they will bring the food to the table. Ordered Chicken and Shrimp taco. Big portions. Tacos and salsa were very tasty. Service was good. Very nice ambience.

Great neighborhood Mexican food. We have plenty of Mexican food places to choose from but El Metate is a step above all the others. Nice roomy clean and comfortable dining space. Also a few outdoor tables.

They got my order totally wrong with bad customer service skills 😕

We went there with friends and we were able to fins a table that sat 8. There were some tables outside too, but smaller for 4 people. I had the vegetarian burrito, about $14, which is bit pricey, but it is a very long burrito, looked almost a foot long. Good salsa, tortilla and fillings. Oh and it came with extremely delicious assortment of chips. I will try to get a bag of chips to go next time. Oh the seating area and cashier area on different rooms, which I mention because when you go in to seat there is no waiters who come to take your order and when you peek from the seating area the other side looks like the kitchen. Also, there is a self serve salsa "station" and a funky water spigot that requires you to put your glass at a funny angle so that the water doesn't end up spilling.

I am actually blown away by the experience of the burritos here. I think all the ingredients individually are perfect and come together to make a divine burrito. Keep it up

I've been coming to El Metate for over 20 years. What a gem to find a taqueria with great food, charming decor, and everyone who works there is incredibly nice! And last, but not least, the restroom is clean (which to me is a reflection of the entire operation). It's always fun to stop in during the holidays (they decorate). Two thumbs up !!!

While visiting my son in the Bay area from Southern California, he brought me to El Metate. I had the Mole Burrito. So delicious! My son had the veggie Burrito. Great tasting chips and salsa, as well.

My absolute favorite spot to get al pastor anything! Especially the nachos. The people are amazing, welcoming, and efficient. Inside, the tables, the walls, ceiling are beautifully painted and decorated. I love stopping here whenever in town and am always satisfied with whatever I get. And lets not even forget about the aguas frescas! Watermelon is my go to, but all are just as delicious. Definitely a place to go to whenever possible.

Update: I gotta give this place a 5 star now because we discovered their red mole plate and it’s great! Old review: Definitely try the roasted pepper salsa from the salsa bar. Plus the chips they give you are awesome! The salsa verde carnitas is quite good! I was going to give this place 4 stars just for those. But then I had a bite of the Al Pastor which is pretty bad so bumped down to 3….but then the tortas is actually quite decent plus they DON’T USE PLASTIC CUPS for salsa which is a big bonus. I’d go 3.5 but that’s not possible here so bump to 4 for environmental friendliness.

Most filling and mission flavourful burrito I’ve had Plus 1 to the salsa bar too

I’ve been eating here for years - probably the spot in SF where I eat out most frequently. Very relaxed outdoor and indoor seating, good salsa bar pre-Covid, and nice individually packaged salsa these days. Staff is friendly and quick, but sometimes they get busy at peak times - it’s always worth the 15 min wait. If their phone lines not busy, also easy to call ahead for pickup Great burritos, tacos, & quesadillas. My favorite menu item is the Carnitas Torta - tasty and good value, comes with a side chicken & tortilla & avacado soup. Depending on how hungry I am, it’s often 1.5 or 2 meals for me

my absolute favorite quick mexican spot in the city. you order at the counter and seat yourself for “dine in” so don’t come expecting some fancy pansy fine dining BS. best burritos in the city in my opinion. incredibly flavorful. shrimp burrito and carnitas are my favorite and also love their enchiladas (get green + red sauce) their horchata is also incredibly sweet and delicious only downside is their tacos are mediocre. go for a plate or burrito instead

Amazing local spot with the kindest people and great food + atmosphere!

Food good, folks that work there are super cool and friendly. Salsa station can use better care but I also could've gotten there at the wrong time......still gets 5 ⭐ s for me

As a San Francisco native, I’d like to think that I have a great idea of good Mexican food. The spot is absolutely fantastic, big portions, and it just hits the spot every time.

Don't expect anything fancy from this very casual neighborhood place, but the food is top notch, and there's plenty of it. On a recent visit, the huge torta came with a delicious cup of tortilla soup, and the 2 fish tacos were big enough to make four, since they are served with two tortillas. Really like the fruit salsa, and with an alfajor after for dessert it's a very filling meal. Atmosphere is a bit rundown, and parking sucks, but it's worth a visit.

Ordered 50+ tacos for a birthday party. Delivery showed up right on schedule, already nicely arranged on serving platters with a variety of salsas. We got tons of compliments from our guests. I’ve enjoyed their food for years and now know I can also count on El Metate for large orders. Highly recommend!

If you are starving, this is the place to go. Their food is delicious and plentiful. The service is also friendly and efficient. This is a stone's step away from the hospital. So if you are visiting someone and need to step out to eat, I highly recommend this place.

Everything was delicious. We visited on a very busy night, and the food arrived quickly. They mixed up one plate but corrected it right away. Even my picky quesadilla taster really enjoyed her quesadillas.

Best restaurant tortilla chips I've ever had! Will go back just for those, but they were kind and easy.

Honestly this place has some of the best burritos I've ever had in sf and the world. I literally crave the fish burritos!

One of the best Mexican foods i tried in SF for the price.. incredible flavor and huge portions. I will go back. I order the chicken mole that it was the special of the day.

This place has always given some of the most authentic and delicious Mexican food in this part of San Francisco. Their fire roasted salsa from their salsa bar somehow magically finds its way onto literally everything I eat there!

5.5 or 6 Tacos were good esp Milanese chicken. Seems authentic. Worth trying again

El Matate in San Francisco is an absolute gem! The authentic Mexican flavors shine through in every dish. The atmosphere is cozy, and the staff is friendly. Don't miss their mouthwatering tacos and homemade salsas. A must-visit for Mexican cuisine lovers! 🌮🌶️🇲🇽

such a cute place with vibrant and lively decor. The pozole is so good and so big, you truly get a lot worth. I loved it! The torta is so big with so many veggies. They have a delicious salsa bar where, no matter which one you pick, you cannot go wrong!

Incredible ambience and delicious chips! Mole burrito was good too!

Love it. My brother brought me here. The chips here are so flaky and delicious. Not sure what they do. Had an enchillada which was huge and filling. Couldve saved half to bring home but I downed the whole thing.

Place is very cute and food is decent but don’t get the veggie burrito PLEASE. I trusted it but just go somewhere else. They put carrots and broccoli and other unknown veggies in there it was terrible. Would rather stick to the basics man so upsetting. Otherwise good establishment and they deserve lots of business. But fix the burrito 😭

If you want authentic Mexican food and that Pueblo (Town) feeling this is the place to go. You won't be disappointed. I love their platillo de carne asada(steak).

The food was surprisingly delicious here. We randomly picked this place for dinner and we loved the freshness and of the food and the quality. The seasonings were just like. We hope when we come back, it is consistent. Awesome service. I h and get the chips for the table. Especially the homemade ones. They’re exceptionally good.

Tasty chicken mole burrito. Ordered with Rushable and it was ready almost instantly!

This is an enjoyable taqueria that's a little bit nicer than the hole in the wall ones closer to 24th or Mission Streets. While the interior is really colorful it's also a little bit dated but it adds some nice things to look at while you're waiting for your food. It is a counter order type of place and then you go into the next section of the restaurant to choose your seat. They have a salsa bar there. We almost always get the mole burrito which is so good. But we'd like to try some of the other things on the menu soon.

I didn’t take any pictures but to be honest they have the most Mexican flavor that I ever had in SF, if you are looking for a local Mexican taste this os the place, is not fancy dining but the food is very rich in flavor. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable I definitely recommend and for sure I will comeback.

The meat and the chips here are superb. The best burrito shop when you want to eat at the restaurant.

Colorado burrito was super bueno! Great flavor and tender meats. Chipotle salsa for the win. Classic Mission yum!

Been eating here since it opened. I enjoy the cheese enchiladas with salsa verde. Check out the salsa habanero .Yum!

i ordered a shrimp burrito, and i was pleasantly surprised by the portion size. a little pricey, but not that big of a deal, considering location

Best Mexican restaurant ever. Staff are so kind and the food is delicious!

Good food I had a Birria plate, A michelada and I loved the friendly staff.

Tacos were awesome and everyone was so friendly! Will definitely be back!

Tee Ponsukcharoen

There is so much to say about this place but here are some highlights: - The decor of this place is beautiful. Down to earth yet thoughtful and colorful. - The chips are so creative. The puffy ones are amazing with beautiful color. I usually discard most of chips but I need to hunt down for them this time. - So much variety of salsa and sauce. It is my first time having a warm salsa as well. It is incredible! It is such a service mind to provide all accommodations for all tastebuds. - The food itself is big and delicious. My quesadilla is packed with carnitas. I wish it can be a bit more crispy but it is also fulfilling. My friend got a seafood plate and it can feed 2 people. All dishes we got are under 20 dollars, which is a rare steal in SF. In short, this is my new go-to spot for Mexican food in my beloved San Francisco!

Arthur Bouffard

Banging quesadillas with huge portions. A great selection of sauces and toppings too. The staff is super sweet and they have plenty of options. The seating and overall atmosphere is great and I would totally recommend stopping by for lunch

Alisa Damaso

This place is always incredible. The staff are so nice, and the food is so good it'll make your eyes roll to the back of your head. I got the torta and it came with this adorable and delicious chicken tortilla soup. HEAVEN! 100/10 Excited to come back 🥰

Danice M

My best friend and I were working on a project together and decided to stop for dinner. I can see why they are zagat rated. There food is the best I have had in a long time. We had the shrimp plate and everything including the sides and salsa were amazing. Excellent customer service and very cool chill place to be in. Smell so good, i forgot to take more pictures. Thank you for the hardiest meal ever.

Yolanda Morrissette

A beautiful place to eat, both inside and outside. The food is amazing. It’s a fun place to eat. It's one of my favorite places to go to have authentic Mexican food; however, recently I went, and was not able to order online, or call in the specifics of my order, wanting guac on the side, and other questions I needed to ask. I am African American, and the woman there that day seemed to cater to her own people , and I felt excluded . I asked her for guacamole on the side , and with attitude she stated it was avocado , also it was hot that day , and they made my iced coffee drink way before my food was ready , it has melted by the time I received my food . I just feel every customer is important , do not neglect your customers . Overall I love their food

Santos T. G

Always great staff, excellent customer service. Quality of the food is always good.

Kang Wang

I was craving for Tamales 🫔 and they delivered it absolutely on spot! The chicken tamales come in warm, juicy, the chicken is tender and flavorful, and the corn has the natural fragrance. We also had the watermelon drink, beef nachos, and beef burrito. The atmosphere is very authentic. Great service where you order first and then find your own table at the dining hall.

alex aldridge

The Torta & tortilla soup is ridiculously good best I’ve had will be back every week 😆

Ivan Martinez

El Metate became an instant classic. Their traditional dishes are as bright and colorful as the building itself. The Torta a la Mexicana makes my top five list. A satisfying meal at a reasonable price.

Porschephilia

Super friendly, super tasty. Everything was delicious. The carnitas with chicharones special is the bomb. 12/9/23 tried the red chicken Molé for the first time, it is also fantastic. Highly recommend.

Super friendly, super tasty. Everything was delicious. The carnitas with chicharones special is the bomb. 12/9/23 tried the red chicken Molé for the first time, it is also fantastic. Highly recommend.

El Metate became an instant classic. Their traditional dishes are as bright and colorful as the building itself. The Torta a la Mexicana makes my top five list. A satisfying meal at a reasonable price.

+2

The Torta & tortilla soup is ridiculously good best I’ve had will be back every week 😆

I was craving for Tamales 🫔 and they delivered it absolutely on spot! The chicken tamales come in warm, juicy, the chicken is tender and flavorful, and the corn has the natural fragrance. We also had the watermelon drink, beef nachos, and beef burrito. The atmosphere is very authentic. Great service where you order first and then find your own table at the dining hall.

Always great staff, excellent customer service. Quality of the food is always good.

This place is always incredible. The staff are so nice, and the food is so good it'll make your eyes roll to the back of your head. I got the torta and it came with this adorable and delicious chicken tortilla soup. HEAVEN! 100/10 Excited to come back 🥰

My best friend and I were working on a project together and decided to stop for dinner. I can see why they are zagat rated. There food is the best I have had in a long time. We had the shrimp plate and everything including the sides and salsa were amazing. Excellent customer service and very cool chill place to be in. Smell so good, i forgot to take more pictures. Thank you for the hardiest meal ever.

A beautiful place to eat, both inside and outside. The food is amazing. It’s a fun place to eat. It's one of my favorite places to go to have authentic Mexican food; however, recently I went, and was not able to order online, or call in the specifics of my order, wanting guac on the side, and other questions I needed to ask. I am African American, and the woman there that day seemed to cater to her own people , and I felt excluded . I asked her for guacamole on the side , and with attitude she stated it was avocado , also it was hot that day , and they made my iced coffee drink way before my food was ready , it has melted by the time I received my food . I just feel every customer is important , do not neglect your customers . Overall I love their food

Banging quesadillas with huge portions. A great selection of sauces and toppings too. The staff is super sweet and they have plenty of options. The seating and overall atmosphere is great and I would totally recommend stopping by for lunch

There is so much to say about this place but here are some highlights: - The decor of this place is beautiful. Down to earth yet thoughtful and colorful. - The chips are so creative. The puffy ones are amazing with beautiful color. I usually discard most of chips but I need to hunt down for them this time. - So much variety of salsa and sauce. It is my first time having a warm salsa as well. It is incredible! It is such a service mind to provide all accommodations for all tastebuds. - The food itself is big and delicious. My quesadilla is packed with carnitas. I wish it can be a bit more crispy but it is also fulfilling. My friend got a seafood plate and it can feed 2 people. All dishes we got are under 20 dollars, which is a rare steal in SF. In short, this is my new go-to spot for Mexican food in my beloved San Francisco!

I ordered to go here today — very fast and really good food. Average price ($18 for enchiladas plate and $15 for two chicken tacos with avocado) they also provide free chips and salsa

Saw in the reviews that they have one of the best vegetarian burritos around... And I gotta say... As a vegetarian... It can compete. Solid fresh salsa bar, appreciated the pickles I got. We also had the El Campo torta. Bread was on point.

Free mixed corn and flour chips. Beautifully stuffed and wrapped mission burrito. Never has such a perfect cylindrical little burrito baby. Had the special with carnitas and chicharones and two carne asada tacos and a chicken quesadilla. Everything was very good and the chicken was seasoned very well too which isnt the standard experience.

Been here a few times and I really enjoy their daily specials. This most recent time I got their chicharron burrito special and it was delicious. It was so good that I forgot to let my phone eat first. I absolutely loved the variety of texture in each bite. Also, their salsa bar is both convenient and has quite a selection. Seating is easy to find too! Definitely recommend this neighborhood staple!

Service here was interesting. You order in a different room and eat in a different room. When I first went there I said on the place where you eat your food so I waited for later to come but no one came. But then I figured the dog and I got my food and it was delicious. Also they give you a free chips. Also there are like sauces salsa and stuff for free.

Jonny Chin

Been here a few times and I really enjoy their daily specials. This most recent time I got their chicharron burrito special and it was delicious. It was so good that I forgot to let my phone eat first. I absolutely loved the variety of texture in each bite. Also, their salsa bar is both convenient and has quite a selection. Seating is easy to find too! Definitely recommend this neighborhood staple!

Keith Desrosiers

Colorado burrito was super bueno! Great flavor and tender meats. Chipotle salsa for the win. Classic Mission yum!

Carl Dewberry

Free mixed corn and flour chips. Beautifully stuffed and wrapped mission burrito. Never has such a perfect cylindrical little burrito baby. Had the special with carnitas and chicharones and two carne asada tacos and a chicken quesadilla. Everything was very good and the chicken was seasoned very well too which isnt the standard experience.

Shaina Tantuico

Saw in the reviews that they have one of the best vegetarian burritos around... And I gotta say... As a vegetarian... It can compete. Solid fresh salsa bar, appreciated the pickles I got. We also had the El Campo torta. Bread was on point.

Edgar Ivan Paredes Hernandez

I didn’t take any pictures but to be honest they have the most Mexican flavor that I ever had in SF, if you are looking for a local Mexican taste this os the place, is not fancy dining but the food is very rich in flavor. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable I definitely recommend and for sure I will comeback.

There is nice outdoor and indoor seating as well as To Go service. The meat for my tacos was a bit dry, but tasty which is why I gave 4 stars.

Good authentic place for some tacos and burritos.

+3

Grabbed my standard shrimp burrito with a michelata. Burrito was average but the michelata was well made and worth going there to get one if that’s ur thing.

Mole súper burrito is the thing to get! So good! The green salsa and the red chipotle/smokey salsa pair well with it. I also love the pico with the cucumbers - solid salsa bar.

I like this Restaurant, it does not have a parking lot but if you are lucky you can usually park on the street, the place is nice with Mexican music and pleasant service but they can improve it for a better experience, the prices are intermediate if I compare it with other food restaurants Mexican, in the photos I leave you the menu and a video with the extensive menu with prices

+2

Busy. Nice selection of salsa/sauce except that when I was the two salsa I wanted were empty. As I said, they were busy. Food was good. I'd try again when I'm in the area

Gotta hit El Matate, that's Spanish for the matate. One of the better burrito spots in the city. Usually, they have specials of the day, so you can save a little money and get something different. That's my favorite part of daily specials, trying something new. The burritos aren't super expensive for SF, they have a lot of options, the portion size is good, i usually have half now and half later. The food/ingredients are high quality spot by and give them a try.

The burritos are always super flavorful and I love them. My only comment is that the last burritos I bought were cold. :(

Used to be tasty but last time we went, the birria was super salty to the point of almost inedible, quite disappointing. Husband’s burrito was good. Prices have gone up as at other institutions, so no longer a good deal for Mexican food.

I really wanted this place to beat my expectations but sadly it didn't. The burrito temperature was not ideal, the portions are a lot smaller than competing burritos nearby and the food lacked overall flavor - from the meat to the rice, it all fell flat. The price is competitive but not exactly for the value you get. Salsa and chips were just average. This place is nothing special.

This used to be my favorite Mexican restaurant on SF. maybe they changed owners. They actually microwaved chicken (I saw them do it) and then poured mole sauce over it. The sauce was good as always but the chicken was like rubber and the tortillas and chips were stale and gross. I hope this was a one time issue.

Food is quite good and authentic. Unfortunately they raised their prices (again) without updating any of their menus, creating misleading advertising. A portion of fish quesadilla is now $16.75 (cash) or $17.45 (credit card). Not exactly competitive, even after recent inflation pushed up everyone's prices.

Raymond Ngu

The meat selection was limited, no lengua. I got the burrito with al pastor. The rice was undercooked and the meat didn’t taste like al pastor. On the positive side the chips were pretty good.

Larry Ladd

More likely a 3.0 my hearty yet shrimp burrito. Should’ve requested light rice but sometimes I forget. The Michelata was the best I’ve had so that was a 5.0. Atmosphere was pleasant and order taker outstanding. They should’ve sautéed the shrimp more robustly perhaps.

More likely a 3.0 my hearty yet shrimp burrito. Should’ve requested light rice but sometimes I forget. The Michelata was the best I’ve had so that was a 5.0. Atmosphere was pleasant and order taker outstanding. They should’ve sautéed the shrimp more robustly perhaps.

The meat selection was limited, no lengua. I got the burrito with al pastor. The rice was undercooked and the meat didn’t taste like al pastor. On the positive side the chips were pretty good.

I was really hopeful to love this spot - I was disappointed. I got 4 carne asada burritos for my friends and I - all had mostly uneatable meat (grizzle, fat, etc.). That alone makes this spot a 3 stars. The good: service was lovely and the agua frescas were delicious.

Hannah Leigh

I was really hopeful to love this spot - I was disappointed. I got 4 carne asada burritos for my friends and I - all had mostly uneatable meat (grizzle, fat, etc.). That alone makes this spot a 3 stars. The good: service was lovely and the agua frescas were delicious.

Really nice and beautifuly decorated place. Friendly staff, however, some big elephants in the room tho: 1) Pay with a credit card and you will be prompted for a tip, starting at 18% obviously, probably including the tax I'm sure. Reminder, this is a taqueria ok ? 2) The food I had was disgusting and absolutely not in sync for the outrageous prices demanded there.

OK, I have limited experience with this place. Because my first experience will also be my last. Carne asada burrito ordered live (not pre-ordered or door dashed). It was cold inside. The tortilla was chewy (not in a good way). And the green salsa was a salt bomb. With so many great Taquerias in sf, I won't bother to try them again.

The pozole had “less meat than a bicycle”. It lacked any sense of care or love whatsoever. The burritos were dry, and the meat did not taste fresh. It was apparent that it had been either reheated or made a long time ago. Overall, the food was disappointing. Taking the family out and experiencing this was embarrassing. I understand that it's Sunday, and there might be resistance to work, but if there's no pride in the food being served, perhaps it's better to close for the day. Service: quick, polite, helpful. Cashier did it great. Atmosphere: good!

Geo

Hate to report that the food no longer tastes the same. Both the enchilada sauce and salsas were watery and missing salt/spice. They didn’t have that authentic, rich Mexican flavor. Food did not taste fresh at all. When food is missing something, I typically use salsa to improve the taste but it was just too sad. I remember this place being my go to years ago. Unfortunately, no longer a gem.

Hate to report that the food no longer tastes the same. Both the enchilada sauce and salsas were watery and missing salt/spice. They didn’t have that authentic, rich Mexican flavor. Food did not taste fresh at all. When food is missing something, I typically use salsa to improve the taste but it was just too sad. I remember this place being my go to years ago. Unfortunately, no longer a gem.

Got this recommendation off infatuation and honestly was pretty bummed. It was dia de los muertos so maybe that was an issue. But $20 for chile relleno plate. And it was watery and just one. Maybe the worst I’ve ever had in my life. My kid got the super burrito and he was underwhelmed for $17. Not sure why it’s so popular, and it was packed. But maybe it was a bad night. Too many great choices in this town that cost less.

donald jans

Got this recommendation off infatuation and honestly was pretty bummed. It was dia de los muertos so maybe that was an issue. But $20 for chile relleno plate. And it was watery and just one. Maybe the worst I’ve ever had in my life. My kid got the super burrito and he was underwhelmed for $17. Not sure why it’s so popular, and it was packed. But maybe it was a bad night. Too many great choices in this town that cost less.

tacos were soggy, they tried to give me my order without the burrito even tho the food order ticket said “burrito” clear as day and on top of that the cooks were just watching football (soccer) instead of making my order which took over 20 mins. i was the only one in the shop who had placed an order. honestly, could skip this spot. plenty of other great taquerias in the city.