Been coming here for ages. Have had birthday parties here. Have brought home anniversary dinners…read moreas take out. These people are always friendly. They're always polite and the food is ALWAYS GOOD !! I don't know the secret to happiness but I tell you what - I've never been sad at El Sinaloense !!

Who says there is no such thing as a free lunch. Thanks #inkind for a free lunch ( and in this case…read moredinner at this fantastic local Mexican restaurant near downtown San Mateo. I love El Sinaloense for two things , ceviche and molcajete, which is a mixed grill type of Mexican dish named for the three footed volcanic rock vessel that it is cooked in. This was a molcajete day, despite the fact that I had no one to share the dish with. El Sinaloense has a couple of different versions, with a mix of seafood and meats, but the one I ordered today was their special with charred whole green onions, nuggets of tender roasted cactus ( nopals) as well as shrimp, chicken and shrimp. The molcajete sauce is what makes it special and cheese is added to the dish at the end. It is served with homemade corn and flour tortillas and a side ( very small portion relative to size of the main course, which easily feeds two or even three. That is correct, instead of a small portion of quality protein accompanied by a ton of beans and rice, El Sinaloense loads you up with the expensive, flavorful stuff, using the side plate as an accompaniment as it should be.. and BRAVO for that. At $30.95, for a shared entree this is such a cheap eat, especially when given the quality of the meat and shrimp. Today I sat outside and Mr Cesar took such good care of me. As an aside ( which I specialize in, mais of course ) it is worth noting that this lively establishment seems to be a World Cup mecca, for locals, with Happy Hour specials during games. Anyhow my molcajete arrived sizzling ( also worth nothing that this dish finishes cooking table-side due to it's vessel and is optimally consumed immediately because of the risk of overcooking as it sits. I made two gorgeous soft tacos, one steak and shrimp and one chicken and steak, each with a charred onion, lots of cactus and cheese and a small dollop of guacamole. They were filling and each ingredient sung. I will say that the steak had been rendered a tougher texture by the time I got to the second beautifully wrapped package. Taking my cue from this I opted to consume the rest if the shrimp, which were still perfectly cooked, rather than stuff another tortilla. Julius Cesar took care of bringing me a box for my considerable ( 2/3 of the molcajete contents) and an iced tea to go cup. Paying through the InKind app is seamless, just let your server know and in the case if this establishment, note the name of your server specifically. My points covered all but gratuity and my boys can stretch the leftovers with beans and cheese and make some killer nachos to watch World Cup tonight. 10 stars as a bang for buck- this cost me $7, but 4-+ because that 5th star is still elusive. That being said, I have never had anything but a stellar meal here and although today was a solo dining experience, El Sinaloense's atmosphere and drinks lend itself to a large group experience.

Still delicious. Get the $13 entrée special at the counter where you choose items. It's 14$ with a…read morecredit card. Service is efficient and it's a cozy ambiance. Still amazing breakfast! Get the torta de huevo! Love it.

This place is a true Latin gem hidden among the heaps of Asian restaurants in San Mateo. We've been…read moreback here for the 3rd time in span of 2 weeks. I am listing below the 6 dishes we've tried so far in order of preference. (Note that I had a really hard time deciding the order of the first 4. It was such a close call that if I came back to write this tomorrow I'd probably rank them differently.) 1. Milanesa de Res. This is like a tastier version of beef fried country steak. It comes with a side of chicken-flavored rice, refried beans and potato salad. 2. Chicken Hen Pinol. When I used to live in Ecuador, my favorite item in an almuerzo (lunch) set was often the soup. This soup's flavor brings me back to those days. Pro tip: shred the pieces of chicken meat and let them soak in the soup for a while. 3. Pepian. A thicker version of the Pinol with a stew consistency. I'd say it has a more condensed flavor and tastes a tad different than the Pinol. 4. Huevos Rancheros. This Guatemalan taken on the popular breakfast dish puts the Mexican version to shame! So juicy and goes so well with coffee in the morning. I was inclined to put this in the 1st place until I tried the previous 3 items. 5. Chille Relleno. A big stuffed chili pepper. It was good although quite forgettable, which is why I cannot recall how it tasted like. But it was good nonetheless! 6. Beef Stew Hilachas. This was just ok. Nothing to write home about which is why I'm writing about it here and ranking it the lowest of the 6.

A hole in the wall type of restaurant, it's unassuming from the outside, located in the middle of a…read morestrip mall out of the way in San Mateo. When you walk in, you place your order directly with the cashier. If dining in, they will provide you with a basket of chips and you choose from an open table. The booths are a bit cramped with no space at all between yourself and the table but comfortable enough otherwise. There is a self service salsa bar in the corner - we really liked the creamy green salsa. Had just a slight kick but my 3 and 5 year old both loved it. I got a taco salad which is served in a taco bowl with all the ingredients of a super burrito, minus rice and cheese. It was very good, but the bottom of the shell gets really soggy so you can really just eat the top of the shell where it's still crispy. The rest of the family got super burritos and were very happy - the meat was crispy in some parts and moist/soft in other parts and the ratio of the other ingredients were perfect to complement the protein. Everyone left full and happy. Don't forget to get a sweet, cool, refreshing horchata drink to help wash down your meal!

Some how this place has 4 stars on yelp? Someone needs to explain this to me using small simple…read morewords so I can understand. Food- not good they have all the ingredients, but would it kill them to season their food. A little salt maybe while your cook. I had the torta con papas. Carne asada was not seasoned, it was just meat, avocado, tomato and lettuce, once I added salt, jalapeños and a little salsa it actually tasted like something. In all honesty I can't go back nor would I recommend it to my friends and if your Mexican and you like it que vergüenza. One star because they have free refills.

I heard so many great things about this place that I had to try it myself. There's not too many…read morehigh quality pupuserias around here, but this is a stand out. It's a food truck parked on the street near the corner of the shopping center nearby. Parking was pretty easy on the street or in the nearby shopping center. Don't expect an area to eat or tables unless you're gonna walk down to the shopping center or take it to go as most people do. The staff was very friendly and full of smiles, and I was able to order with my broken Spanish. Food: I wanted to try a variety of pupusas so got the Revueltas, spinach with cheese, and lorocco with cheese. All were very tasty and I would love to try the rest of the menu as well. My favorite by far is the pupusa Revueltas. This is as close to authentic Salvadoran you can get until you try the local cheeses in El Salvador.

Saw the great reviews and knew I would have to swing on by to satiate my craving for authentic…read morepupusas, since I was driving by anyway. Good decision. I ordered 4, all different, plus 3 pastor tacos. After I placed the order, he told me it would be about 15 minutes, great sign since it meant they would be freshly made. The pupusas were all $4 each and simply delicious. Loved the flavor of them and the curtido. I sent out a whatsapp to the family to have them all drop by to try these. Far better than most places around here that I've tried.

This place makes me want to visit San Mateo just to eat here!…read more I am currently on a very difficult journey to try everything on the menu, but the problem is I keep wanting to reorder the same staples, especially their famous Cubanos. Everything I've tried has been delicious, and the sauces are seriously amazing. They make their own chimichurri sauce, a super spicy habanero sauce, and a creamy white sauce that somehow makes every bite even better. The fresh juices are also worth trying. You can tell they're actually fresh. This spot is flavorful, memorable, and absolutely worth going out of your way for.

Went on a hike nearby and found this place for food afterwards…read more It's a small restaurant with some outdoor seating as well, right on El Camino. The place wasn't very busy . They have a variety of options , including salads, bowls, wraps and sandwiches. They also had multiple customizable options for vegetarians or vegans that included impossible patty, broccoli or veggies . I got the Quesawrap with Maduros ( plantains ) and veggies options. It came with a side salad as well. Unfortunately , they made the wrap with some seafood or meat , the 1st time. Luckily ,I checked before eating and notified the staff. They made a new one for me and comped off some amount from the bill. The staff was very friendly. They also have a bunch of interesting sauces . Would try this place again

24k burrito was gas... It def wasn't a typical burrito! rice was replaced w tater tots but so yum…read more Loved the garlic prawn! Quesabirria was yummy! loved all the fillings. Not the absolute best one l've had but still good taquitos were delicious!!! Chicken inside was so tender Guac was yummy! Wish it was a bit chunkier but that's just personal preference. The chips were rly good. Horchata was def my fav drink! Sooo good and I feel like alot of places make it so grainy Service was fantastic and great open space.

Summary: Flavorful, but HEAVY…read more Details: They just opened up a new branch in SF, but we wanted an excuse to hit up San Mateo, and Latin American is always a good enough excuse. While photos of their SF location suggest some seeing, this OG location is pretty much pickup/delivery only: a fairly literal hole in the wall, located along a random quiet street. Most folks would probably opt to take home or eat at one of the "nearby" parks, but we've gotten in the habit of just eating in the car, which... not so great for something as messy as birria lol. I'll say that for most folks, this would probably easily be more a 4 star spot, while for us, it's more a 2 star since we're unlikely to come back. That's not to say the food was bad: on the contrary, the flavors were quite good, and the consomme was less salty than some of the others we've tried. But their food is HEAVY. Not just the birria itself, but also the burrito we got, and heavier than other places we've been for some reason, with the birria sitting in a pool of oil soon after we picked it up. This probably isn't a deterrent for most people though, so take this as you will. Accessibility: Not too relevant since this is really just a pickup spot, with the pickup window being at the usual height you'd find elsewhere.

We went here for my husband's birthday let me tell you: Food…read moreexceptional appetizers main course , dessert and drinks Pork chop OMG the flavor was indescribable so tender & delicious The short rib fall off the bone tender & delicious Chicken & salmon was amazing!!! The piece of cake was so tasteful we wanted more but were too full The service was a little slow but we were impressed by how they came out with a hot washcloth to clean the table after appetizers then was cleared & cleaned off again when dessert was served The drinks were good too A nice touch was the text I received when we left thanking me for choosing them in celebrating my husband's birthday We will be back

We were excited to try a new restaurant and enjoy some cocktails. Upon arrival, staff were all…read morefriendly. Atmosphere was relaxing and nice. The drink menu was decent, I ordered a guava margarita and was satisfied with my choice. Smooth and refreshing! Food menu identify potential dietary/allergy information which is always a big plus. We ordered the chips and salsa, chorizo dates, chicken mole and branzino. The chorizo dates were the highlight for us, and we wished the plate came with more than two dates. Portion sizes were not ideal throughout our meal. The chicken mole for example had about a tablespoon of mole, which felt like we'd actually just ordered roasted chicken. The Branzino was cooked well and had some good flavor. They had missed our chips and salsa order, but when mentioned they asked if we still wanted it and comped them when we decided it was still necessary. Salsa came out in three small dishes that weren't easy to eat out of, and the salsa wasn't spicy like we'd hoped. We mainly still ordered them to make up for the lacking portions of the meal. The food and drinks were okay and nothing was bad. There is a lot of potential! We appreciated the staffs efforts to check on us and take care of us. Ultimately it's just not worth the price for us which is what might keep us from returning.

We ordered for delivery from grubhub, and the delivwas very smooth…read more Our order was welldone open plqte picanha asada (beef) and open plate frango. The setting of the plate, with fries and beans and rice and meat is very welcoming. The rice was ok, the chicken was not that good, but the beef was delicious. The beans also was not that tasty, and who can complain about the fries. Overall good foos, and will order again.

Great food and service! Loved the steak and the chicken! I recommend trying out the picanha!read more