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    El Porteño

    3.8 (225 reviews)
    ModeratePeruvian, Chinese
    Closed 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Order El Porteño Takeout or Delivery

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    EL PORTEÑO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Julie A.

    Eventhough the flavor is okay, be aware of high prices and small plate size. I order a pasta ($27). It was supposed to be a seafood pasta, Instead, the plate was full of onions and tomatoes. 2 tiny octopus, 2 shrimp and two oysters and a few ring calamares is what you will get alone with the noddles. The to go contianer was not even fill half way, about s third of the container was full of mainly tomate, noddles and onions. I liked this place, but, plates size have gone significantly down and prices are way to high for what is being served. Won't order form it again.

    Lomo Saltado de Carne
    Crystal H.

    I have been craving Peruvian food, and I have had this place in mind for a while. Finally got the chance to try it today with my family, and it was delicious! The Lomo Saltado was delectable and the beef was cooked perfectly, along with the onions. The Tallarin Verde was great as well, especially if you're craving pasta with some fresh grilled protein. Yuca fries were perfect, if you want something similar to potato fries but also want to try something different this is the side dish for you. Arguably, I like Yuca over potatoes hehe. Super yummy, 100% would recommend to all! Also I recommend ordering in person or dining in for an easier experience with deciding what to get as staff is mostly Spanish speaking but as long as you share the same kindness and patience as they do it'll make the trip to give this place a try worthwhile!

    Anticuchos
    Emily L.

    Stopped by with some friends for dinner on a Saturday night! Parking was pretty hard to find around this area. There's so much on the menu; we asked our server for some popular dishes and she gave us a lot of recommendations! We ended up ordering the lomo saltado, arroz con mariscos, anticuchos, and chicken empanadas. Came in with no expectations and everything was delicious. The lomo saltado was a classic and what we originally came here for. My friends thought the anticuchos were a bit tough, but I thought they were fine. Our favorite dish was the arroz con mariscos. Super, super flavorful and they don't skimp on the seafood!

    El Porteno - Lomo Saltado , has great flavor
    Stella K.

    I was hankering for Peruvian and decided to try El Porteno. It was easy to order through GrubHub and my food arrived earlier than the estimated time. Lomo Saltado ($22.98) This dish was tasty, yet a bit disappointing due to the tough & overcooked beef. I also felt there wasn't much beef in the dish. The fries were on the soggy side. Otherwise, the flavor of this dish was very good. Yuca Frita ($9.98) These Yuca fries come with a huancaina sauce. The fries are good with or without the dip. Ceviche Mixto ($19.98) Decent size portion of ceviche mixto ; I've had smaller servings at other restaurants. So this is good bang for your buck. It contained a good variety of seafood. I would order this again. Arroz con Mariscos ($22.98) This dish is full of flavor, and maybe a tad on the salty side, but it was delicious. I would order this dish again. My first experience with this restaurant was positive. I would not hesitate ordering from here again, so I can try some other items on their menu.

    Neville S.

    While in San Francisco for a conference, I took a walk along the Embarcadero to stretch my legs. I found the local market with many different food and gift options. I stumbled upon this place and saw how busy it was (long line of people). Everyone seemed to order the same 2 things: lamb empanada and banana empanada. So I did the same. The lamb one was so so so tasty and delicious! I wanted to go back for another one because of how good it tasted, but couldn't do it after eating the banana empanada (was very rich and sweet). Both were great. It's a cute little place in the market across from the Hyatt. Highly recommended.

    Lomo saltado

    This is a review for food ordered via a delivery service. I love ceviche and lomo saltado, and was really looking forward to these dishes at this place. Unfortunately, I was incredibly disappointed by the portion size of the meat in the lomo saltado--there were only 5 thin/small pieces in a sea of rice, fries, and onions (see photos). Horrible value for a $24 entree. The ceviche mixto was decent though, but not the best I've had. Never going to order the lomo saltado on DoorDash again. I'm willing to give their lomo saltado another chance in person though.

    Montage of images from El Porteño
    Ed U.

    Ah, so this is the original El Porteño. I don't find myself in the Crocker-Amazon neighborhood very often, but I randomly took the M line all the way to the end at Balboa Park and found myself sauntering up Geneva to Mission. When I saw the red candy stripe front and the name emblazoned right next to the Billiard Palacade, I decided to peek inside to see if it was empty enough to brave dining inside. Since this was just before omicron exploded, I threw caution to the wind just a smidge when I concluded it was safe enough with the only other diners a father and his son. I was here on Sunday, so I lucked out with the availability of their weekend special, the $18.98 Pollo a la Brasa, which is basically Peru's national dish, a half-rotisserie chicken blackened to a nice char and presented with a steak knife to avoid manual gnawing. I think the chicken was surely brined in some type of lime juice because the meat was impossibly tender with a hint of citrus tartness. I even finished the white meat which is such a rare occurrence for me. The large platter came with a creamy mustard dipping sauce, a pile of crispy fries, and a house salad slathered in a creamy dressing (photo: https://bit.ly/3KbPVeR). I'm definitely coming back once the next variant is under control, whenever that happens. OK, maybe I'll do delivery. FOOD - 5 stars...a pollo a la brasa to love AMBIANCE - 4 stars...pretty spartan but clean and well spaced SERVICE - 5 stars...very friendly and attentive TOTAL - 5 stars...still dreaming of that chicken RELATED - Exploring the Outer Mission? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/37B1acE

    Lomo saltado and salt n pepper pork chops.
    Leanne Y.

    Food was okay. We ordered the Lomo saltado and the salt n jalapeño pepper pork chops. Portions were not as large as before. Prices were moderate to high. Server was pleasant. Flavors were good.

    Lomo Saltado and Tallarin Verde con Pollo a La Parrilla
    David G.

    Stumbled upon this spot. Love me some good Peruvian food so I was excited to check it out. My friend and I ordered: Papa a la huancaína-was under seasoned and the potatoes were raw. Would not order again. Lomo Saltado-had fantastic flavor! The meat, however, was tough and chewy. Would order again just for the sauce. Tallarin Verde con Pollo a La Parrilla was the star! The chicken was seasoned perfectly and was so juicy and tender. The pasta was delicate, but had so much flavor. Recommend with gusto! Service was meh. They were also out ( or didn't feel like brewing) any coffee....meh meh. They also have a massive menu so there is something for everyone. Go support this local business!

    Honey walnut shrimp. 17.99
    Emily G.

    I really loved this place but was so disappointed when I ordered food for pick up. I ordered the honey walnut shrimp and for almost $18 I received the smallest portion ever. When I asked to speak with the manager the owner came out of the kitchen and said "what do you expect shrimp is expensive" in the most condescending voice. I asked for a refund and he said he couldn't do it. I was honestly baffled. I understand food prices are higher now but I don't think that's a reason to take advantage of customers. See pictures for reference. I wouldn't recommend paying these outrageous prices with such small portions.

    Tuky S.

    I just ordered a chicken soup from this place for the first time to my surprise there's was a fly swimming in the soup. I don't even want to imagine how disgusting their kitchen is. On top of that there was something in the soup that tasted nothing like chicken, my stomach literally tumbled. NEVER ORDERING FROM THIS PLACE, EVER AGAIN! Will definitely report it to the health department, this is just disgusting!

    Lomo Saltado con arroz chaufa (fried rice)

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    I asked for napkins like 3 times. They never brought them. I didn't like the service. However. The waiting time was reasonable

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    Four Kings 四大天王

    Four Kings 四大天王

    4.2
    (462 reviews)
    5.7 mi
    $$$

    We were visiting SF and my sister highly recommended Four Kings, so we had to try it out during our…read moretrip! Our party of 4 ordered the fried hawt rabbit, spicy Singaporean crab with fried milk bread, Hong Kong black pepper steak, and beef chow fun noodles to share family style. Overall, we were super impressed with all the food. Everything other than the chow fun were super unique, but all the flavor combinations worked so well together. While the chow fun wasn't unique, I'd say it's still a very solid dish. Everyone in my party left full and satisfied. The food is a bit on the pricey side for it what it is, so I wouldn't come here regularly but I think that it's worth coming for a special occasion. Service here is super friendly and attentive--our waitress checked in on us frequently and brought us extra napkins and gloves for our food, which was super appreciated. This restaurant is on the smaller end and does have a long wait, so if you can, I'd recommend making a reservation.

    I saw online that this place is one of the most sought after reservations on Open Table. I tried my…read moreluck at getting a reservation and was pleasantly surprised when I was able to get a reservation! Reservations open 3 weeks in advanced at noon. Walk ins are also welcome. One note is that parking can be a bit challenging so get there a bit early. The inside is lively and filled me with so much nostalgia with the decor. The staff is really attentive and friendly. I also appreciate the free peanuts and cucumber salad that you get when you're seated. My boyfriend and I ordered a lot of food because we wanted to try so many things! The lamb skewer was super moist and had a nice flavor. The XO escargot with milkbread had a nice buttery, garlic taste. The milk bread was fluffy and when dipped in the sauce it tasted very rich. We also got the clay pot rice and it reminded me of when I had it in China. The rice was crispy at the bottom and well seasoned. My favorite dish of the night was the squab. It was cooked excellently and the skin was really crispy. The five spice powder on the side really brought out the flavor of the meat. The eggplant was cooked well and portion was good but it didn't stand out as much as the other dishes. Overall, I would visit this place again. It definitely lives up to the hype. The squab and and clay pot rice were the stand outs to me but all the other food was really tasty as well.

    Photos
    View of kitchen
    View of kitchen
    Sichuan cabbage
    Sichuan cabbage
    Fish fragrant eggplant

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    Fish fragrant eggplant
    606

    606

    4.6
    (605 reviews)
    6.0 mi
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Takes reservations

    Traditional Chinese cuisine meets modern atmosphere! Being Chinese, I have a higher standard for…read morewhat Chinese dishes can and should be. (That sounded really snobby, I apologize ) Dim sum is comfort food for me, and 606 knocks it out of the park! Cha siu bao (Bbq pork bun) has a light, fluffy bun and the pork is in the sweet spot between sweet and savory. The siu mai and the shrimp dumplings were very traditionally seasoned and delicious! Mongolian beef was excellent with a subtle kick to it, I didn't expect. Sesame balls and custard buns were nice sweet treats to wrap up the meal. Restaurant was bright, clean, and air conditioned. Some dim sum restaurants can be a little humid and stuffy. IYKYK Owners were very nice and willing to answer any questions we had. 5 star experience!!!

    Finally had the chance to eat here yesterday after seeing it so many times in my yelp search! Fun…read morefact: my mom used to frequent this restaurant when it was New Sun Hong Kong back when I went to school at Sts. Peter & Paul across from Washington Square Park. My mom used to get the pan fried noodles from here and i always used them as my reference point for any other restaurant that also serves this. It's what I remember and grew up with. So far only one has come close! This is all I remember from that place and how delish it was. Fast forward to yesterday. They were really nice and welcoming as soon as I went in. We didn't want to order too much, so we only got the beef hor fun and green onion pancakes. The pancakes were so good! Nice and chewy on the inside and crunch on the outside. The chow fun I had really high hopes for. My memories as a child having had chow fun all the time, had this distinct taste to it and made a certain way. Their chow fun was good, but I think it was lacking a little flavor? I also wish they used the wider noodles instead of these thinner ones. :( It wasn't bad at all, I just had a certain expectation. So far, there's only one place that is reminiscent of what I remember and it's in Sacramento. That being said, we will still come back because I would love to try the Simon's garlic chicken and more of the pancakes!

    Photos
    606
    Voted Top 100 Chinese Restaurants in the USA! Thank you Yelp and our wonderful and supportive customers!
    Voted Top 100 Chinese Restaurants in the USA! Thank you Yelp and our wonderful and supportive customers!
    606

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    Palette Tea House

    Palette Tea House

    4.1
    (2k reviews)
    6.3 mi
    $$$
    Locally owned & operated
    Speaks Mandarin

    Strong five star experience…read more I came here for a work dinner and it felt like the food just kept coming. I wish I had a better memory of everything that I ate, but there was too much. I do remember that I absolutely loved the Peking duck. They came with very thin, I can only describe it as tortilla crêpe things that you would put it in. I love this so much better than the standard buns. I also loved the fried string beans. It was tempura fried and very light. It didn't taste greasy at all. Out of three places we went to dinner for work, this was my favorite by far. It is right in Ghirardelli Square so there's a lot of things you can walk around and do either before or after. Service was great. They were very attentive. The restaurant itself was very open and lit well. They had us in a back area so it was easy to chat with my coworkers. There wasn't a single dish I didn't like so I would highly recommend coming here.

    We came in at 7 pm and the kitchen closes at 7:30, but no problem. We ordered some wine and our…read morevarious dumplings. The mango kissed Seafood crispy came out first & it was so delicious & it really set the tone for a positive & flavorful dining experience My favorites were the classic Ha Gow Shrimp Dumplings & the Chicken Soup Dumplings "XLB", but everything we ordered was very good. Service was attentive and kind. The dining area is colorful, bright & upbeat. This location is also in Ghirardelli Square, so it is a fun, bustling area with lots to see and do before or after your meal. If you'd like a more authentic dim sum meal, perhaps you may enjoy heading to Chinatown to experience a more traditional set of dim sum offerings, but for our purposes today, this was more than adequate. Peace!

    Photos
    Palette Tea House
    Palette Tea House
    Palette Tea House

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    Harborview Restaurant & Bar

    Harborview Restaurant & Bar

    4.0
    (1.9k reviews)
    6.0 mi
    $$
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

    Harborview serves premium food and their dim sum are seemed to order; always fresh and super tasty…read more I've been here numerous times for yum cha (dim sum bunch) before, and trying their HH (Happy Hour) for the first time today.. and it was just simply excellent!!! The quality dim sum that we've come to expect.. plus two delightful bonuses: Excellent Margarita and their OMG - so Tasty and Addicting Tofu Fries!! YUM yim yummmmy!! Service is excellent and their wait staff checked on us every now and then, and everyone is always friendly and helpful. Nicely located in EC4; the restaurants is always super clean and comfy for hanging out. Their balcony seating also very nice, weather permitting. Bonus: they also validate parking, at (I think ) $6 off your parking rate at the Embarcadero's. Great good + Great service! Recommended!!!

    Since we didn't have a reservation, we were seated in the bar area through a separate entrance --…read morenot sure if that mattered, but this was honestly the worst Chinese food I've had in the U.S. Nothing tasted fresh. Every dish came out fast-food quick, like it had been pre-made and reheated. The meat in the fried rice was tiny and tough, the eggplant skin was chewy, and the fried items were all soggy. The best thing we had was the salad -- dressed in what tasted like store-bought sweet chili sauce. An 18% gratuity was automatically added for our party of three (including a small child) -- no one informed us until the bill arrived.

    Photos
    Black Sesame Mochi with Grated Peanut
    Black Sesame Mochi with Grated Peanut
    Enjoy dining or Happy Hour on our spacious patio!
    Enjoy dining or Happy Hour on our spacious patio!
    Baked Coffee Lava Buns with Crunchy Sugar Crust

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    Baked Coffee Lava Buns with Crunchy Sugar Crust

    El Porteño - peruvian - Updated August 2026

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