I've been here a few times now, and it's become a pretty reliable spot when I'm craving a solid…read moreburrito fix. Most recently, I got their super al pastor burrito, and it definitely hit the spot. The al pastor was flavorful with a nice balance of savory and slightly sweet, and they didn't skimp on the portions. Everything was well-packed, and the ingredients came together nicely without getting soggy halfway through. I've also tried their carne asada in the past, which was good as well. Tender and well seasoned, though not the most standout I've had in the area. Still, definitely satisfying and consistent. Service is quick and straightforward, and the vibe is your typical no frills taqueria. Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done. Overall, a dependable go-to for burritos in San Mateo. Not mind blowing, but solid enough that I keep coming back.

One of my favorite Mexican food restaurants in the Bay Area! Food is reasonably priced and it full…read moreof flavor. I always get their carne asada super burrito and tacos. Staff are friendly and there is a good amount of street parking. It is across from a school so you could also park there if school is not in session. They take card and cash!

Huge menu!!! Took some time to decide as the menu is big!…read more Lots of different options. Shrimp burrito is the best - shrimp is cooked perfectly filled w: rice @ beans Tacos asada - filled with meat - well flavored Chili relleno meal - great beans and rice - chili relleno is filled with cheese outside breading is light a really excellent meal Great guacamole! Served with pico de gallo- with yummy chips so good

Love Pancho Villa and the well-oiled machine to churn out delicious Mexican food. The burritos here…read moreare solid (on par with El Farolito, La Cumbre, and better than Cancun). Anytime I have visitors to the Mission district, this is a must stop! They're also on Too Good To Go, which is an amazing deal. I got a chicken burrito, agua Fresca, container of beans and chicken all for $6!

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.

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.

Could not ask for a better experience! Not only the Food was amazing but Daniel and Gabriel went…read moreout of there way to make us feel welcomed and taken care of. will be back many times

Can't find enough wonderful things to say about this sweet little discovery near Top Golf!…read more Made in house chips and salsa are a wonderful way to start off your meal, which is not only delicious but also an artistic work in presentation. Everything was made with love and served with pride. Very comfortable and homey space, perfect for events as well. Please stop in for yourself and see why they've made me a life long customer.

Tiny Mexican restaurant with a big menu and delicious food. The guy who took our order also cooked…read moreour food, super nice guy. I ordered a 3 taco rice plate with rice and beans. Fish taco, crispy fish that's loaded with toppings. Lengua taco, smells and tastes great. Chicken, so perfect. I don't get excited over beans and rice usually, but their rice and beans were wonderful. Their complimentary chips and salsa were great as well. My eyes were definitely bigger than my stomach here. I love that they have so many options on their menu. I will come back to try their signature birra dishes.

All of the food is made fresh to order. Take a seat. Eat your chips and pick from a few salsa…read moreoptions. Then wait for the goodness! The meat was hot and flavorful and all of the ingredients were great. The vibe is super cool and friendly. Yes, it takes longer because they aren't just scooping from trays that have been out who knows how long. We got super burritos. I'm curious how big the jumbo ones are because they were big! Will definitely be back to try the breakfast quesadilla.

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 love their Caldo de Res. It's my favorite thing to get here. I get it every time I get sick.read more

I just woke up and I wanted to grab something to eat so here I am…read more I ordered the steak fajitas. The food was decent, nothing too crazy. However, I will admit the food took a while before it came out and I was the only person dining in the restaurant... The restaurant itself is pretty spacious and has a cool little sauce station, however it kinda seems like a ghost town as no one is really here... Anyways... try it out if you like.