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Such a wonderful ambiance. The interior design is simply wonderful and grand with the ultra tall ceilings, large booth seating and very open concept. Love it! The food is good but I honesty have not had anything that blows off my socks. The drinks are tasty and there is a good variety to choose from. Great place for date night, brunch, celebrations or just casual Mexican on a week day.
Elena's is a beautiful restaurant with great service and a well-run operation. I'm always impressed to see a large restaurant operate with this level of efficiency. We were seated in a great spot, and the waitstaff was engaging, attentive, and friendly. Our food arrived hot, fresh, and in a timely manner. While the food was good, I think it has the potential to be great given the high standard the restaurant sets in every other aspect. Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience. BB
Lively upscale Mexican restaurant with beautiful decor! We stopped by for brunch on a Saturday morning and the wait for 2 people was going to be 1 hour. However, you can freely sit at the bar and receive full service so we did that and sat down right away. Note that you can make reservations so i highly recommend it! The staff is very friendly. The decor definitely gives an upscale vibe, perfect for a nice brunch or date, and the restaurant has a nice bar space. We got the Huevos Rancheros and Classic Quesadilla. with Chicken. Huevos Rancheros is usually my go to but it didn't quite hit the spot this time. The sauce had a little too much lemon to me. I also wish there was less rice and maybe another side or something. The quesadilla was good. It was a hearty portion filled with a decent amount of meat (added cost). We've been here before and overall, the food is solid.
Second time here and came with a big hungry girl group. So we got everything! Was only able to grab a couple pics before everything was devoured. This is an excellent place for a group for drinks and catching up. The new things that I tried: crab enchiladas, beef augachile, and the tres leches. We also order drinks. All the zero proofs were super refreshing and tasty. Guacamole and esquites for the table along with the table chips and salsa. We also ordered the skirt steak carne asada and ceviche. The only thing about this spot I'd take note on, is the noise level. You walk in and you're instantly hit with chatting and music. So I wouldn't recommend for a quiet romantic dinner. Can't wait to go back!
Once you pop the fun dont stop! I can't believe I've never been here. It could be the fact that it's incredibly challenging to get a reservation or sit at the bar, but I think that's indicative of how good this place is. Ambiance is off the charts: 100/10 - perfect for a date, birthday, family brunch, anything. So beautiful. Food doesn't disappoint either. The guacamole is $19 but is the entire bowl. Like 20 servings so worth it and great value. 1. Chicken tamale 10/10 2. Chile relleno 5/10 3. Fish tacos - deep fried 10/10 4. Dungeness crab enchiladas 8/10 5. Elote 9/10 6. Queso with chorizo 10/10 They also serve you hefty portions of salsa with your chips and that's the kind of ratio I'm looking for in life.
Came for a birthday dinner and were luckily able to snag a reservation. Staff were super friendly and accommodating. Very beautiful dining area and nice decor. Drinks and food were all so delicious! I think the carne asada skirt steak fajitas and the coconut margarita stood out the most to me. We enjoyed our experience at Elena's!
This is the first time we have come here for dinner. Both other times was for lunch. The restaurant was packed with patrons at 6:00pm. It's a beautiful restaurant. The 4 of us shared all our dishes. I was disappointed Elena's chopped salad was not on the dinner menu and only served during lunch. Our waitress was Laurel. She was very sweet and accommodating as we were celebrating two wedding anniversaries. We shared Baja fish tacos, steak quesadillas, enchiladas and carnitas. We Should have ordered one less entree and maybe the corn as we had too much food and didn't order a salad. My hubby raved about the steak quesadillas. I think we went more for the ambience. There was a lot of refried beans and rice. I loved the chips and salsa. The chips were so thin and crispy. I had a frozen dole whip margarita which was a little too frothy for me. I think I'll order the frozen margarita next time. I did really enjoy the limon Box cake. It had a limey tart flavor like key lime pie. Laurel was kind enough to put two sparklers on it. A lot of people was celebrating birthdays with sparklers. Elena's is definitely a high end Mexican restaurant.
As much as I love West Portal for its small town main street sort of charm and its collection of historically mom and pop businesses, it was pretty exciting when news broke about Elena's opening up here. Not only has West Portal been attracting more and more new eateries and restaurants, but the neighborhood has never really had a legitimately trendy spot like this before either! Owned by the same folks as Original Joe's and Little Original Joe's down the street, the look and feel of Elena's is definitely a lot more upscale than most other places along West Portal. Between the high ceilings, modern decor, and overall cozy vibe, Elena's is equal parts "nice" and approachable. Not so coincidentally, the menu is very much the same with higher end dishes and refined versions of classic staples alongside familiar favorites. So, among their starters, soups, salads, seafood dishes, fajitas, tacos, enchiladas, entrees, and specialties, you'll find the likes of ribeye aguachile, dungeness crab enchiladas, and a whole branzino mixed in with ground beef crispy tacos, steak fajitas, house made tamales, and a burrito. -- MEXICAN MULE - Espolon Reposado Tequila, Fresh Lime, Blood Orange Ginger Beer, Orange...$16 This was pretty good! Love the Mexican twist on a classic mule, but what won me over the most was the orange twist from the blood orange ginger beer and the orange juice. Yum! -- CEVICHE TOSTADA - Halibut, Avocado, Tomato, Cucumber, White Onion, Cilantro, and Mayonnaise...$18 Although this wasn't the ceviche I've had, this was pretty solid. There was a decent amount of halibut, there was a good balance of the accompaniments, and this wasn't overly acidic. -- WHOLE CRISPY BRANZINO with Cucumber Radish Salad, Salsa Morita, and Flour Tortillas...$44 As good as this looked, it was a bit of a miss. On the plus side, I loved that the fish was moist and deboned. However, while the outside was crispy, it also felt chalky/dry and the fish, as a whole, needed more seasoning. -- ESQUITES - Mexican Street Corn with Jalapenos, Arbol Lime Aioli, Cotija, and Cilantro...$15 All in all, this was pretty solid. Part of me wishes this was cheesier, like Korean cheesy corn, but I loved how well the different spices, cojita, and lime aioli mixed together. -- DUNGENESS CRAB TOSTADAS with Avocado and Grapefruit Slices...$21 (+$7 for an extra one) Not bad, but, surprisingly, not as good as the ceviche tostadas. Mostly, I didn't find the crab meat to be as flavorful (nor plentiful) as I thought it would be. -- SHREDDED BEEF ENCHILADA with Guajillo Chili Sauce and Served with Rice and Refried Pinto Beans Topped with Cheese, White Onion, and Cilantro...$31 Ehh...this was fine. Thankfully, the shredded beef was still tender and not nearly as chewy as I feared it'd be. I also thought the enchilada sauce was pretty good, but everything else was no different than what you can find elsewhere. -- QUESABIRRIA TACO - Slow Cooked Beef, Melted Cheese, Consomme...$22 Easily, the best thing I've had here. Although the tortillas felt a little slick (Inherent to quesabirria), the meat was flavorful, the cheese was gooey with crispy edges, and the consomme tasted great and wasn't too thin. In addition to the dishes I've tried, Elena's complimentary chips and salsa is terrific - both are similar in style to what Chevy's offers, but a whole lot better. Plus, the service here is pretty solid as well. The hostesses do a good job of managing the line and every server I've had has been super friendly and helpful. However, as many of my fellow Yelpers have already done so, I'd be remiss not to acknowledge that the prices here are undeniably higher than your average Mexican restaurant. I'm sorry, but $31 for shredded beef enchiladas is hefty, regardless of how much better it is than a typical ground beef one. Based purely on taste alone, I don't think it'd be unreasonable to say Elena's is a four star spot (or close to it). However, when you factor in price and the wait (if you don't have a reservation), I'm not sure the food is "worth" the time and money relative to what you can find elsewhere. While they might be worth the occasional splurge, like for their quesabirria, THREE AND A HALF STARS rounded down feels about right.
I heard this restaurant a while and happy to try today, very beautiful restaurant with great food and friendly staff, very efficient service! Made reservation at 2:30pm, needed to wait a few minutes and got the message to tell me the table was ready. Highly recommended to make reservations to avoid the long wait.(always full house just like the original Joe's)
I've been to Elena's a few times, and have really enjoyed the food and atmosphere every time I've gone. There are several dishes that I really like here. The seafood cocktail is very high quality: the ingredients are fresh, and that makes the flavors really pop. I also have had the pozole which is very well seasoned; it's uniquely tasty and not at all greasy. I've also had the carnitas plate here, and the pork was perfectly cooked and the sides were great: the rice was fluffy, and I could eat the homemade tortillas forever. Cocktails are also very good from here: I've had the mezcal margarita and the skinny girl margarita: both were really tasty. The salsa they provide with the chips here is also really good. They even let me take some home and i was grateful: it was standout. One dish here that was good but not any better than what you can generally get were the enchiladas. Again, they were good, but no better or different than what one could get at any Mexican restaurant. What is notable about Elena's is the interior of the restaurant. It is really, really nice. There's a large floral arrangement in the middle of the restaurant, the floors are a beautiful tile, the light fixtures are really cool. It is probably the nicest Mexican restaurant I've been to in SF since Cala closed.
I've lost count how many times I've been here! We always have a great time at Elena's-- delicious food, beautiful ambiance, and impeccable service! The complimentary chips and salsa are so addicting! Chips are thin and crispy, salsa is flavorful and bright. My absolute favorite entrees are the crab enchiladas and the steak fajitas! For apps, we've enjoyed the queso dip, elote, calamari, grilled octopus, ceviche, and tostadas. Solid spot, I always look forward to eating here!
Came here for my bday and had such a great experience! The staff is so nice and the food - amazing!! The decor is beautiful and a great atmosphere. We sat by the front windows and were greeted with complimentary chips and salsa. Ordered the crudo, esquite, fajitas, and enchilada plate. The fajitas we ordered were a bit delayed (not by much) and the staff was very apologetic. Turns out THE Elena was sitting next to us the whole time and noticed the delay in my order so she personally apologized and had my dish, drinks, and dessert comped. It was totally not necessary but very much appreciated. She and the staff were great and the meal was perfect! Can't wait to go back!
16 days ago
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Such a wonderful ambiance. The interior design is simply wonderful and grand with the ultra tall ceilings, large booth seating and very open concept. Love it! The food is good but I honesty have not had anything that blows off my socks. The drinks are tasty and there is a good variety to choose from. Great place for date night, brunch, celebrations or just casual Mexican on a week day. read more
Elena's is a beautiful restaurant with great service and a well-run operation. I'm always impressed to see a large restaurant operate with this level of efficiency. We were seated in a great spot, and the waitstaff was engaging, attentive, and friendly. Our food arrived hot, fresh, and in a timely manner. While the food was good, I think it has the potential to be great given the high standard the restaurant sets in every other aspect. Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience. BB read more
Lively upscale Mexican restaurant with beautiful decor! We stopped by for brunch on a Saturday morning and the wait for 2 people was going to be 1 hour. However, you can freely sit at the bar and receive full service so we did that and sat down right away. Note that you can make reservations so i highly recommend it! The staff is very friendly. The decor definitely gives an upscale vibe, perfect for a nice brunch or date, and the restaurant has a nice bar space. We got the Huevos Rancheros and Classic Quesadilla. with Chicken. Huevos Rancheros is usually my go to but it didn't quite hit the spot this time. The sauce had a little too much lemon to me. I also wish there was less rice and maybe another side or something. The quesadilla was good. It was a hearty portion filled with a decent amount of meat (added cost). We've been here before and overall, the food is solid. read more
17 days ago
Second time here and came with a big hungry girl group. So we got everything! Was only able to grab a couple pics before everything was devoured. This is an excellent place for a group for drinks and catching up. The new things that I tried: crab enchiladas, beef augachile, and the tres leches. We also order drinks. All the zero proofs were super refreshing and tasty. Guacamole and esquites for the table along with the table chips and salsa. We also ordered the skirt steak carne asada and ceviche. The only thing about this spot I'd take note on, is the noise level. You walk in and you're instantly hit with chatting and music. So I wouldn't recommend for a quiet romantic dinner. Can't wait to go back! read more
2 months ago
10/10 Great food Good vibe Awesome service The only downside is parking had to go around the block about 5 times to get a spot read more
Once you pop the fun dont stop! I can't believe I've never been here. It could be the fact that it's incredibly challenging to get a reservation or sit at the bar, but I think that's indicative of how good this place is. Ambiance is off the charts: 100/10 - perfect for a date, birthday, family brunch, anything. So beautiful. Food doesn't disappoint either. The guacamole is $19 but is the entire bowl. Like 20 servings so worth it and great value. 1. Chicken tamale 10/10 2. Chile relleno 5/10 3. Fish tacos - deep fried 10/10 4. Dungeness crab enchiladas 8/10 5. Elote 9/10 6. Queso with chorizo 10/10 They also serve you hefty portions of salsa with your chips and that's the kind of ratio I'm looking for in life. read more
26 days ago
Came for a birthday dinner and were luckily able to snag a reservation. Staff were super friendly and accommodating. Very beautiful dining area and nice decor. Drinks and food were all so delicious! I think the carne asada skirt steak fajitas and the coconut margarita stood out the most to me. We enjoyed our experience at Elena's! read more
This is the first time we have come here for dinner. Both other times was for lunch. The restaurant was packed with patrons at 6:00pm. It's a beautiful restaurant. The 4 of us shared all our dishes. I was disappointed Elena's chopped salad was not on the dinner menu and only served during lunch. Our waitress was Laurel. She was very sweet and accommodating as we were celebrating two wedding anniversaries. We shared Baja fish tacos, steak quesadillas, enchiladas and carnitas. We Should have ordered one less entree and maybe the corn as we had too much food and didn't order a salad. My hubby raved about the steak quesadillas. I think we went more for the ambience. There was a lot of refried beans and rice. I loved the chips and salsa. The chips were so thin and crispy. I had a frozen dole whip margarita which was a little too frothy for me. I think I'll order the frozen margarita next time. I did really enjoy the limon Box cake. It had a limey tart flavor like key lime pie. Laurel was kind enough to put two sparklers on it. A lot of people was celebrating birthdays with sparklers. Elena's is definitely a high end Mexican restaurant. read more
As much as I love West Portal for its small town main street sort of charm and its collection of historically mom and pop businesses, it was pretty exciting when news broke about Elena's opening up here. Not only has West Portal been attracting more and more new eateries and restaurants, but the neighborhood has never really had a legitimately trendy spot like this before either! Owned by the same folks as Original Joe's and Little Original Joe's down the street, the look and feel of Elena's is definitely a lot more upscale than most other places along West Portal. Between the high ceilings, modern decor, and overall cozy vibe, Elena's is equal parts "nice" and approachable. Not so coincidentally, the menu is very much the same with higher end dishes and refined versions of classic staples alongside familiar favorites. So, among their starters, soups, salads, seafood dishes, fajitas, tacos, enchiladas, entrees, and specialties, you'll find the likes of ribeye aguachile, dungeness crab enchiladas, and a whole branzino mixed in with ground beef crispy tacos, steak fajitas, house made tamales, and a burrito. -- MEXICAN MULE - Espolon Reposado Tequila, Fresh Lime, Blood Orange Ginger Beer, Orange...$16 This was pretty good! Love the Mexican twist on a classic mule, but what won me over the most was the orange twist from the blood orange ginger beer and the orange juice. Yum! -- CEVICHE TOSTADA - Halibut, Avocado, Tomato, Cucumber, White Onion, Cilantro, and Mayonnaise...$18 Although this wasn't the ceviche I've had, this was pretty solid. There was a decent amount of halibut, there was a good balance of the accompaniments, and this wasn't overly acidic. -- WHOLE CRISPY BRANZINO with Cucumber Radish Salad, Salsa Morita, and Flour Tortillas...$44 As good as this looked, it was a bit of a miss. On the plus side, I loved that the fish was moist and deboned. However, while the outside was crispy, it also felt chalky/dry and the fish, as a whole, needed more seasoning. -- ESQUITES - Mexican Street Corn with Jalapenos, Arbol Lime Aioli, Cotija, and Cilantro...$15 All in all, this was pretty solid. Part of me wishes this was cheesier, like Korean cheesy corn, but I loved how well the different spices, cojita, and lime aioli mixed together. -- DUNGENESS CRAB TOSTADAS with Avocado and Grapefruit Slices...$21 (+$7 for an extra one) Not bad, but, surprisingly, not as good as the ceviche tostadas. Mostly, I didn't find the crab meat to be as flavorful (nor plentiful) as I thought it would be. -- SHREDDED BEEF ENCHILADA with Guajillo Chili Sauce and Served with Rice and Refried Pinto Beans Topped with Cheese, White Onion, and Cilantro...$31 Ehh...this was fine. Thankfully, the shredded beef was still tender and not nearly as chewy as I feared it'd be. I also thought the enchilada sauce was pretty good, but everything else was no different than what you can find elsewhere. -- QUESABIRRIA TACO - Slow Cooked Beef, Melted Cheese, Consomme...$22 Easily, the best thing I've had here. Although the tortillas felt a little slick (Inherent to quesabirria), the meat was flavorful, the cheese was gooey with crispy edges, and the consomme tasted great and wasn't too thin. In addition to the dishes I've tried, Elena's complimentary chips and salsa is terrific - both are similar in style to what Chevy's offers, but a whole lot better. Plus, the service here is pretty solid as well. The hostesses do a good job of managing the line and every server I've had has been super friendly and helpful. However, as many of my fellow Yelpers have already done so, I'd be remiss not to acknowledge that the prices here are undeniably higher than your average Mexican restaurant. I'm sorry, but $31 for shredded beef enchiladas is hefty, regardless of how much better it is than a typical ground beef one. Based purely on taste alone, I don't think it'd be unreasonable to say Elena's is a four star spot (or close to it). However, when you factor in price and the wait (if you don't have a reservation), I'm not sure the food is "worth" the time and money relative to what you can find elsewhere. While they might be worth the occasional splurge, like for their quesabirria, THREE AND A HALF STARS rounded down feels about right. read more
4 days ago
I heard this restaurant a while and happy to try today, very beautiful restaurant with great food and friendly staff, very efficient service! Made reservation at 2:30pm, needed to wait a few minutes and got the message to tell me the table was ready. Highly recommended to make reservations to avoid the long wait.(always full house just like the original Joe's) read more
I've been to Elena's a few times, and have really enjoyed the food and atmosphere every time I've gone. There are several dishes that I really like here. The seafood cocktail is very high quality: the ingredients are fresh, and that makes the flavors really pop. I also have had the pozole which is very well seasoned; it's uniquely tasty and not at all greasy. I've also had the carnitas plate here, and the pork was perfectly cooked and the sides were great: the rice was fluffy, and I could eat the homemade tortillas forever. Cocktails are also very good from here: I've had the mezcal margarita and the skinny girl margarita: both were really tasty. The salsa they provide with the chips here is also really good. They even let me take some home and i was grateful: it was standout. One dish here that was good but not any better than what you can generally get were the enchiladas. Again, they were good, but no better or different than what one could get at any Mexican restaurant. What is notable about Elena's is the interior of the restaurant. It is really, really nice. There's a large floral arrangement in the middle of the restaurant, the floors are a beautiful tile, the light fixtures are really cool. It is probably the nicest Mexican restaurant I've been to in SF since Cala closed. read more
I've lost count how many times I've been here! We always have a great time at Elena's-- delicious food, beautiful ambiance, and impeccable service! The complimentary chips and salsa are so addicting! Chips are thin and crispy, salsa is flavorful and bright. My absolute favorite entrees are the crab enchiladas and the steak fajitas! For apps, we've enjoyed the queso dip, elote, calamari, grilled octopus, ceviche, and tostadas. Solid spot, I always look forward to eating here! read more
Came here for my bday and had such a great experience! The staff is so nice and the food - amazing!! The decor is beautiful and a great atmosphere. We sat by the front windows and were greeted with complimentary chips and salsa. Ordered the crudo, esquite, fajitas, and enchilada plate. The fajitas we ordered were a bit delayed (not by much) and the staff was very apologetic. Turns out THE Elena was sitting next to us the whole time and noticed the delay in my order so she personally apologized and had my dish, drinks, and dessert comped. It was totally not necessary but very much appreciated. She and the staff were great and the meal was perfect! Can't wait to go back! read more
A group of 10 of us to celebrate a birthday. It was hard to get a reservation so we took the last one available for a party of 10. It was on a Sunday at 10:30 am when they opened. By the time we got our food it was after 11 am so it turned out well. We ended up finishing close to noon. The service was very attentive, keeping our water glasses full and very accommodating. Must of the group loved the dishes they chose. I had two beef enchiladas that came with rice and beans (both were light and refreshing). My wife had the grilled fish that she said was cooked perfectly and didn't have any bones. Here is everything we ordered: Chili Colorado 3 Whole Market Fish 5 Chicken Tinga Empanadas 4 Chilaquiles Burrito 4 Chili Relleno 3 Lucha's Chilaquiles 4 Shredded Beef Enchiladas 4 Chicken Fajitas 3 Pozole 4 Guacamole 4 Zanze's Cajeta Cheesecake 5 Alcoholic Drinks 4 All of the servings are good sized, came temperature hot and fresh ingredients, Elena's is on our list for our go-to upper end Mexican restaurant with good food, drinks, ambiance and service. $627 for 10 of us, included a Surcharge of 6% and we added 20% on the total including tax and the surcharge. read more
Still packed and filled with happy eaters, I came here with a friend and my daughter. Elena's remains consistently great. From their free chips and salsa to ribeye aguachile to my order of ahi tostada, they were all delicious! A must-try is their coconut margarita for adults, mockarita for under 21yo. Clear communication at front desk, fast service, great atmosphere, clean restrooms - what more could one want? read more
7 days ago
Service great, atmosphere festive, chips were light and crisp, salsa was lacking in flavor. The hamachi and ahi tostadas were tasty, the old fashion with mezcal was perfection but the cut on the ribeye aguachile could have used a bit of attention. read more
My wife and I celebrated our anniversary at Elena's and it was Fantastic ! Service was prompt and quick! Food was delicious! Started with halibut ceviche and the tinga empanada, we had pozole aand 2 entrees and the portions were HUGE . Had plenty left to pack for the next day, and my Carajillo martini was on point as always! Great vibes and love the decor. Definitely had a great anniversary dinner ! read more
Great vibes! Super busy spot that is good for groups and a fun place for celebrations. Unfortunately, we found the food to be fairly average. I wish the dishes had more of a spicy kick or stronger flavor overall. As a group of six, we tried a variety of dishes. *Esquites: Mexican street corn that we really enjoyed. *Chicken tinga empanadas: Crispy with good flavor from the chicken and cheese filling. *Grilled octopus: Quite tender! Would get this again. *Two item combo fajitas: We chose steak and shrimp. The amount of meat was a bit minimal. It does come with tortillas, salsa, beans, and rice which was nice. *Chicken enchiladas: Pretty standard enchiladas. Nothing bad, but nothing particularly memorable either. *Slow braised carnitas: The pork shoulder was tender but slightly salty. *Complimentary chips and salsa: The salsa was very fresh and honestly one of the favorites for our table. Overall, this is a fun place to check out for a special occasion. Wishing them the best! read more
5 months ago
Good food. Nice chips and dip included. Solid drinks. Lovely atmosphere and always crowded. Very expensive for what it is - eg $35 for chicken fajitas 6% fee added on pre-tax. Unethical hidden fees should be part of the price. read more
5 months ago
Finally had a chance to try this place. It has been on my list since it opened and I have been fan of Original Joes. Made reservations about 1 month in advance and got there on time. We were seated right away. The decor inside was nice and reminded me of Little Original Joes location in Marina. Our server was very nice and kept checking on us to ensure we were good. Other staff constantly refilled our water, cleaned up dishes, and boxed up leftovers right away without being asked. Very amazing. We ordered the Branzino, crispy tacos, Crudo, and calamari. The calamari here was unilaterally to original Joe but honestly, way better! The batter was good and it had hints of heat. Branzino was also good but we wished the skin was crispier. My crispy taco was good, but I would order something different next time. Overall, loved the place and will be going back regularly. read more
19 days ago
2 days ago
26 days ago
The food is fresh and delicious. Really nice space. The service is very efficient and very friendly staff read more
Came here visiting from Seattle, honestly everything was good, really good apps, churros dessert 10/10, service was amazing, they sung me happy birthday with the sparkler, inside is lively, vibes are high. Shout out to Jorge and Edwin for amazing service!! read more
4 months ago
We finally went! It is darned difficult to get in here so we went for lunch. It is a splendid design and clean and smells amazing. The meats were pretty good. I ordered chile verde (more on that in a bit) we had a tri-tip appetizer and others had shrimp and the fajitas which I find to be altogether too much work. The tri-tip, while delicious, was not served hot...some say I have a peculiarity about food served hot, but that is how it should be, no? I was first brought chile relleno, much different than chile verde so I had to send it back and start eating after the others as I did not want their foods to get cold. Another peculiarity? Probably not. Rice and beans on the side-ordinary...easily more flavorful at less glamorous tacquerias which do not have months long wait lists for dinners. voila! read more
7 months ago
I've been hearing great things about Elena's from friends, I finally got to try for myself. Located in West Portal, it was fairly easy to get to from the city since the Muni stop is right out front. Upscale Mexican spot with great food and drinks. I loved the ambience and the beautiful decor. Huge menu too, so there's definitely something for everyone. They start you off with complimentary chips and salsa. The chips were super fresh and the salsa was addicting. We also ordered the Esquites (Mexican street corn) for the table and that was a hit. For my entrée, I went with the skirt steak carne asada. The meat was cooked perfectly and I loved the salsa. Everyone at the table enjoyed their dishes, the Dungeness crab enchiladas were especially good. For drinks, definitely try the coconut margarita. ALSO, if you like desserts the churros with chocolate sauce were literally perfect. Already planning my return to Elena's... apparently the quesabirria tacos are a must-try next! read more
This was my third time coming here, but my first time for lunch--and I'm glad I made a reservation a week in advance. I had no idea this place would be packed for lunch on a Saturday. Definitely make a reservation unless you're okay waiting 45 minutes to an hour for a table. Once again, the staff were incredible. Even though they were super busy, they were friendly, attentive, and always checking in on us. Our chips and salsa were refilled immediately without us even having to ask. The restaurant looks amazing during the daytime. I've only been here at night before, so it was nice to experience a totally different (but just as great) vibe during the day. The food was excellent, as always. I ordered the ribeye steak and it was absolutely delicious. The drinks were also really good--I could've had a few more, but I had to save my energy for the Niners game, so I held back. Overall, if you're thinking about coming here, make a reservation and be kind to the staff. They work hard and it shows. This place will not disappoint. read more
6 months ago
Great ambience and food at this elevated Mexican restaurant in the Sunset district by West Portal. I visit this place probably at least once a month. Love the complimentary chips and salsa. The chips are thin and crispy, just the way I like them! I've tried most of the dishes here but my favorites are the steak fajitas, quesadilla, and slow braised carnitas. The steak fajitas come out on an iron plate and veggies and big enough for two to share. For starters, I suggest the calamari fritos which comes out with a HUGE plate, definitely enough to share for two to three. For desserts, my favorite is the churros which is made to order. For drinks, the frozen margaritas are exceptional but they are quite strong! The place is quite popular so I definitely suggest you try to book a reservation online. There is a bar area as well but that get's very crowded until maybe after 9 pm. read more
We had been talking about coming here for Tim's birthday for days. finally got here two weeks after that day. Couldn't believe that after all we'd heard about parking problems, we literally parked right in front. Meters only go til 6, so not bad. The was a big group in front of the door at 5:00 already, but our reservation was at 5:45, so we walked around the neighborhood. The building is stunning, both inside and out. The side wall is mirrored giving the illusion of more space. The, noise was off the charts loud, and to make it even louder very loud music was plaing. Don't expect to be able to have a conversation. Our waitress was charming. Her handicap was that she was serving too many tables, so it was kind of slow. Here's what we got: MEZCAL NEGRONI · $16 : 4* very tasty although I'm not a fan of the big ice cube trend. It makes it hard to get every last drop. MEXICAN MULE · $16 : 3* tasted like it was missing any alcohol Combination dinner $44: 2* I got a crab enchilada which had a $8 up charge and a chile relleno. The crab was plentiful but If i had been blindfolded, I would have said there wasn't any in there. It was flavorless. The batter on the relleno was slightly too brown, the chile itself was underdone and almost crunchy and had so much cheese melted on top that I had to remove several tablespoons of it to taste the chile at all. Tim had the Chile Verde. $29: 3*. which is the standard by which he judges new Mexican restaurants. The sauces and salsas here are very mild, but with good fruitiness from the peppers in them. The pork was in big chunks, and I think it was a loin cut, because almost no fat. While his cardiologist would approve, it was a real minus for the texture of the meat which was dry and chewy. Food: 26/40 service:7/10 ambience: 8/10 intangibles: 7/10 value: 6/10 Overall: 57/100 read more
Came here with a group for dinner and was seated next to the front window. It was really bright that day and unfortunately there wasn't any shade we could pull. It was a really busy crowd already at 6:30 PM but their servers and staff were on top of things and was always ready to answer any questions. The food was...okay. There was nothing we ordered that particularly wowed us and the protein in my dish was a little dry. I was told that brunch/breakfast was a lot better so I might try to come back during that time! read more
7 months ago
So glad my husband found this delicious and delightful Mexican restaurant in west portal. A quick Bart + Muni ride and we are there! This place is very popular- book a reservation or get there early for a walk in. We have done both and the seating in the main dining area as well as the bar are equally enjoyable. Margaritas are super yummy! Great, fresh flavor. I also enjoyed the enchiladas and the ribeye aquachile is still making my mouth water as a type it out. Elena's is great for date night, solo dining, or a casual dinner with friends. House made guacamole should not be missed! read more
So I'm going to be completely honest right out the gate, amazing ambience but the food is pretty mid. Keep reading if you want but that summarizes my experience. For months, I had extremely high hopes going in. Elena's is all over social media as being one of best new restaurants in the city. The service was outstanding, our waiter was both incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. The drinks were amazing as well. But when it came down to the food, I've had so much better Mexican around SF. Very big portions that lack a lot of uniqueness and flavor. For drinks and the ambience, this is probably a fantastic happy hour. For food, you'd be better off finding a place in the mission rather than standing in line to eat here. read more
7 months ago
Hmm .. where to begin. I really wanted to like Elena's and love the family chain of restaurants (Original Joe's, LOJ, etc.). The restaurant is truly beautiful with a great ambiance and vibe. I can see why people buy into the hype with the line out the door and the restaurant packed to the brim. Our server was friendly and attentive. The reason for two stars off is twofold. First, the food is just underwhelming - other reviews have called Elena's a glorified Chevy's which is harsh but accurate. And Chevy's doesn't leave a $117 hole in your pocket - everything we had is in the pictures I've posted. The portions were huge but nothing special. Second, we didn't have a reservation and the hostess DRASTICALLY understated the wait time for a table. It's on us for having no reso, but it's also very disrespectful of patrons' time to knowingly quote the wrong wait time - other reviews have noted this practice as well. I put our names down at 6, and was told we could be seated at 7:30 pm. We killed time at a bar in the west portal area and returned at the quoted time. We weren't seated until 8:15 pm (this is after checking in patiently again around 750 and being told "5 more minutes" - a lie). If the wait is 2+ hours, just say so - some people may wait and others will choose to patronize a different establishment. Glad we tried Elena's once but won't be back. read more
16 days ago
I really liked this restaurant, the cocktails were really good the food was amazing!! The decor is really nice and the staff is very attentive and friendly! I had the carnitas tacos and my friend had birrias, both really good! read more
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Ask the Community - Elena's Mexican Restaurant
Do they take reservations between 4-8?
Is there parking?
They do not have a parking lot but West Portal has Metered parking. Pro tip: Park one block west for free.
Do you need a reservation or do they accept walk-ins?
Yes, they do. They also accept walk-ins for the Bar, but that has a waitlist if you're not the first few in line. I would make a reservation, its not going to be weeks out, just a day or two.
Do they take reservations for lunch?
Yes, you should be able to book something through the website via open table! I went few weeks ago without a reservation on a weekend lunch and waited maybe 15-20 minutes (not sure if I was just lucky) You can maybe try calling too.
Is the kitchen open all day with full menu offered?
No. They have lunch and dinner hours. Check their website.
Is Apple Pay accepted?
Do you have vegan/vegetarian options?
There were vegetarian options, but maybe only salad for the vegan option.
Is pet friendly?
I would call and ask. It's a beautiful restaurant I wouldn't bring pets.
Curious to know if the owners are Mexican?
No - the restaurant is named after the daughter of John Duggan Sr.
How many tacos does 1 order have?
Two per order, except for Gracie's Crispy Tacos which is an order of three tacos.
Are there any gluten free options?
The majority of our menu is prepared gluten-free!
How's the food?
LOVED the Grilled Branzio with freshly made tortillas, all of the salsas and the great cocktails. FYI, the chips are a can't miss.
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Elena's Mexican Restaurant - tradamerican - Updated July 2026
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