My boyfriend had a harrowing morning at the DMV and wanted to make it all better with a good meal. A couple of screen taps later, Yelp tells us that Nopalito is ready and waiting. Situated next to a small grocery and coffee shop, Nopalito seems like a great place to stop in on a busy day of doing errands. The place had a hurried atmosphere, but wasn't too full, with mostly small groups of people having a quick bite alone, ready to dash off to complete the next item on the to-do list. It's a slightly upscale Mexican place, so I was mentally prepared for it to be different from my beloved Mission haunts. If you're looking for authentic Mexican fare, this isn't it. Regardless, the food was great and the service was friendly. Caldo Tlalpeño - chicken consommé with carrots, cauliflower, garbanzos, avocado, queso fresco and a giant dried chipotle floating in your soup. Not the most appetizing thing I've seen, but okay. This soup was really mild and had that smoky chipotle taste. It was interesting, but not on my favorite list. Carnitas - pork braised in a ton of tasty stuff, accompanied by cabbage slaw, corn tortillas and salsa verde - now we're talking! Chunks of the softest pork ever packing some serious flavor without excess grease. Again, not how the taquerias make it, but still...YUM. Mezcal margarita - delicious and not overly sweet, just the way I like it. While I can't say they had anything I would be craving in the near future, it was still pretty good for an impromptu lunch. Plus those carnitas earned an extra star on their own. read more

Stay for: - Tortilla chips - Chrozio - Pollo Pass on: - Cocktails - Dessert It is not cheap, but worth it if you are having a fun night out with friends. The cocktails are fine but getting a glass of wine or beer will be a better money spent. read more

My gf surprised me and brought me here last nite for my birthday dinner! I was excited to try Nopalito even though i haven't even tried NOPA yet. lame i know but hey, I will try NOPA very soon! :) The wait for this place can be pretty long and they don't take reservations but apparently you can call ahead to get on the wait list. We ended up having to wait around 45 mins for a table but it was worth the wait. At least for the food but not the company that came with it. We ordered the following: -Ceviche Verde de Pescado y Calamari- which was a combination of marinated rock cod, tomatillo, calamari, lime, cilantro and topped with avocado. I found this to be my favorite among the two appetizers we ordered. It had a spicy kick to it that i loved, I keep coming back for more. Until there was none :( -Taco De Pescado al Pastor: which is a taco that contained a piece of fish that is seared in adobo, a chili, orange, onion, cilantro and salsa de morita y tamatillo. Unlike Fro-yo Girls experience our fish was not dry and i thought the flavors mixed well but agree that the orange was a bit too sweet. For our main courses: -The gf got the Carnitas: The braised pork was delicious and flavorful but it was a little bit dry for my taste. -I got the Enchiladas Placeras: Which contained tortillas, chili mulatos, around teh plate where scattered summer squash, carrrots and potatoes. The was a pretty good amount of queso sprinkled everywhere on the plate. The seared chicken breast was perfectly cooked, it was tender, juicy and carried alot of flavor. Now that i talked about the food, I thought it might be funny to tell you about the people near us. So when we were seated, we noticed that the table of two was very close to us. It looked as if they had split a table of 4 and didn't have room to move the tables much, so the clearance wasn't that much. First off we had an old lady with another laady making comments about our food and just kept trying to make conversation with us as we were trying to eat our food. Once they left then a couple sat down and they were annoying as ever. The girl starts talking to her bf about this guy at the bar area. She said he looked like a "12 yr old boy and shouldn't be with such a hot girl." O.o Her bf then chimes in and says well maybe he is "packing" and the gf agrees by saying its probably the only reason she is with him. The bf's response to this is he probably uses a penis pump. At this point, I was getting reallie annoyed that they couldn't shut the hell up and eat!!! I mean WTF, I am trying to eat here SHIT! If i wanted commentary I would have gotten take out and sat in front of the TV. After we finished eating, I wasn't even in the mood to check out the dessert. I just felt like leaving and the gf was in total agreement with me. Despite this crazy convo's we heard and encountered I would like to come back and check out a more of their dishes as well as the dessert the next time around. Until then, I will have to hit up NOPA :D read more

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Wow, this place sucks. It's not really authentic first off, and I knew that going in, but little did I know I would be paying $9 for a piece of tortilla (burnt almost black/brown), some undercooked pork, a little bit of some onions and cilantro. No sides. Nothing. Just a burnt piece of tortilla in half. I did not dine in when I came here, just took my food and left, and when I got to the bus stop and opened up my lunch- I almost cried. WHAT A RIP OFF. read more

This four-star rating for Nopalito is huge. Immense. Gigantic. No, it's not one of those businesses for which I had a tough time deciding between a four- and five-star rating. What I mean is the fact that I'm publicly admitting that I like Nopalito is huge. Immense. Gigantic. See, I hate NOPA. Not the neighborhood, but the restaurant. I've hated it almost from the moment it opened its doors and streams of middle-aged couples from Pacific Heights began arriving in my neighborhood on their double dates in their BMW SUVs. These people would scurry into the restaurant, enjoy themselves, and then escape as quickly as possible, I assume because they felt the neighborhood had nothing else to offer them. And maybe the Popeye's across the street worried them. Hell, I don't know, but the first year that NOPA was open, I spent at least an hour total each week waiting at the bus stop across the street around dinnertime, and the homogeneity of the clientele was comical and slightly frightening. In case you didn't know, NOPA is named after my neighborhood. Well, technically, it's named after the cutesy acronym that real-estate agents gave to my neighborhood in order to signal its future gentrification and, I assume, to disassociate it from the larger neighborhood of which it is a part, the Western Addition. Outright racism being out of bounds--except in the Tea Party, apparently--said real-estate agents can get away with the things they can get away with because classism is still A-OK in the United States, and it's easy to talk about property values and up-and-coming and improving neighborhoods without ever mentioning the people you have to get rid of to gentrify these neighborhoods. But here's the funny part. NOPA isn't even in NOPA, at least not technically. According to the North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association, NOPA's eastern boundary is Divisadero, which means that NOPA is actually in the Alamo Square neighborhood. Funny how that stuff works. A few years down the road, and NOPA attracts a much more diverse crowd. That's good, although I still hate the restaurant. Which brings me to Nopalito. Like its big sister, Nopalito isn't technically in NOPA. See, the Panhandle is due west of Nopalito, so it should probably be called Eopalito. In any case, I was all lined up to hate this place, but then I actually had a nice meal here. The food is delicious. The people who work here are nice. Although it's crowded, once you're seated, you don't feel like you're being rushed. I'm not the biggest fan of small foodie portions, but when the food is this good, I can handle them. Still, I wouldn't suggest coming here if you're really hungry. So NOPA still sucks and Nopalito is great. read more

My friend and I came here on a Sunday at 6PM. The hostess told us that we would be seated in 45 minutes. A long wait, but to be expected at a popular restaurant. It's now 7PM and I ask the hostess when we will be seated. She replies by saying that she underestimated how long it would take other customers to finish their dinners and that it could take another 30 minutes before we were seated. I was really floored by this "mistake" in large part because the hostess didn't take the time to let us know that it would take MUCH LONGER for us to be seated than she'd estimated. I had to inquire about this myself and was given an attitude to top it off. It seemed like other people were being given priority seating over my group. Several times I saw that the hostess was taking in people who had just arrived. Finally, we decided to walk over to Green Chile Kitchen because, let's be real, no one has time to sit around waiting for a table for 1.5 hours. We got a text message from Nopalito 2 HOURS LATER saying that they had a table ready for us. Really? Who would wait for 2 hours for a table. Management needs to better train their hostesses, and the hostess should not be in charge of cleaning tables and setting up utensils. We noticed several times that the hostess was running around doing things that normally a busser would do. I'm definitely not coming back here. There are a lot of other options in the city for good Mexican food. read more

Nopalito - Arrived at 6PM and didn't get this text until 8PM. 2 hours after putting our name down?! No one has time for that Nopalito. - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

A more accurate name would be Nope-a-lito. I want a zero star option. I'm no joke upset about being forced to give even a single star to this restaurant. (And I give VERY few 1 star reviews - 0.8% of all reviews) Atmosphere? Children yelling and throwing things. Worst $40 I've spent on food in San Francisco. Don't do it!!! It's too late for me, but for God's sake, please spare yourself the disappointment. I could name 10 other Mexican places that offer better tasting (and more) food with faster service that isn't rude for a lot less money. Don't get suckered in by the decor or bafflingly generous reviews. Worst service I've had in San Francisco. The people at the bus stop were more engaging and helpful than the server by full measure. Not only did I not like this restaurant, it caused me to boil with an anger that even tequila couldn't quench. We were the only people without children. And normally I like children, but something in this place must bring the worst out in them, much like our server. $40 for essentially 4 tacos. The dishes are tasteless and uninspired. The portions are TINY. The service is HORRENDOUS. The wait is too long. Server literally didn't care if we were happy. Made no effort to answer questions or accommodate us at all. I don't know what vegetarians would eat here unless all they like to eat is flavorless zucchini mush. This is the only Mexican restaurant in the city that thinks vegetarians eat only corn, potato, zucchini and squash. I asked for black beans but the server refused. After pushing three times he went to ask and said he could only offer "regular beans." I asked what they were and he couldn't tell me. I said 3 times they needed to be vegetarian. They came out in a broth that must have had meat, because I spent the rest of my night sick in my hotel room. $3.50 for a few spoonfuls of beans in water with no seasoning. Refused to provide black beans even though they are on the menu. I had to badger the server to ask if I could have some beans. No substitutions, just upcharge. It took everything I had not to just stand up and walk out. I felt robbed of my time, my money, and the basic dignity one should expect as a paying customer. Restaurants are supposed to be part of the service industry! I promise you I waited to post this review. I waited to calm down. I waited to "gain perspective." But I'm just as indignant now remembering that experience as I was at the time. So, I feel completely justified and at peace posting this review. I am the opposite of high maintenance as I've spent years as a server and bartender. But there is no excuse for this place. None at all. read more

Everyone is raving about this place. I am not feeling it. It seems as if the servers were not prepared for the success of this restaurant. We were a big group, and some of us had to wait outside, due to some sort of restrictions. That's fine, even though we called ahead, emailed ahead. Whatever. I also emailed ahead asking them what they serve that could accomodate a vegan. In their email response they said there were at least 5 dishes that were vegan. I get to the restaurant and the dishes are appetizers, and when I ask the waitress about an idea I had with a dish, she scoffed at me and said "if you were in mexico, they wouldn't know what vegan is, and the kitchen is busy." I'm not in effing mexico I'm in San Francisco, vegetarian capital of the world. I'm sorry you are stressed, and the kitchen is stressed. It's a super popular restaurant. Be civil. I wasn't being annoying, just asking a question. read more

This is a fancier and more expensive Mexican place than what you'll normally find in the city. You'll usually have to wait to be seated, even on a weekday, but it's not too bad. Be aware that portions may be a bit smaller than what you're used to in other places, which is totally fine for me, but maybe not for you. The carne asada is amaaaazing. So good. read more

nopalito is easy to miss, because its connected to a grocery store of which the name escapes me. the inside is warm and bustling, and there is outside seating heated by heat lamps. comfortable, very nice ambiance. and good service. and cute shot glasses that look like mini wine glasses. as soon as you are seated you are served a small bowl of dried and seasoned garbanzo beans...these were quite addicting the menu looks inventive and appetizing. it was hard for us to decide what to order. i was soo excited and was certain i was about to have an exciting meal. ALAS...IN MY DREAMS what we ordered vs. what we got -- what we ordered -- GORDITA GAMPECHANA $4.50 fried tortilla pocket, braised grass-fed beef brisket, chorizo, cabbage, onion, cilantro and salsa taquera de tomatillo ...what we got -- a small, oily, fried tortilla pocket. a few shreds of beef inside the tortilla that were really bland. nonexistent salsa. dry cabbage shreds filling up half the tortilla. on the side - a tablespoonful of diced onion, sprinkled with cilantro on top. what we ordered -- TOSTADA CON TINGA DE POLLO $4.50 crispy tortilla, pinquito beans, shredded chicken, tomato, chipotle chile, epazote, cabbage, crema and avocado ...what we got -- a REALLY OILY tortilla. a thin layer of beans spread over half the tortilla. a few pieces of dry, bland, shredded chicken. dry shredded cabbage on top. 3 slices of avocado on top. a few drops of sour cream on top. what we ordered: QUESADILLA ROJA CON CHICARRON $9.00 (this dish looks soo massive and impressive in pictures. don't be shallow, don't order this) mulato chile-corn tortilla, crispy pork belly, salsa guajillo, jack cheese, queso fresco, onion and cilantro ...what we got -- a hefty and EXTREMELY oily tortilla that had NO flavor and was dripping oil. all the tortillas were HELLA bland. a few spoonfuls of tasteless, shredded pork in the tortilla that wasn't fatty or crispy at all. :( some cheese. it appears that they do not like to give you any sorts of extras on the side such as even a dab of sour cream or some guacamole. what we ordered -- CEVICHE VERDE DE PESCADO Y CALAMARE $10.00 marinated rock cod, calamari, lime, tomatillo, jalapeño, cilantro, avocado and tortilla chips ...what we got -- green salsa with raw squid tentacles (sooo not my thing) and a few small pieces of rock cod. a few slices of avocado. the thick tortilla chips were actually the highlight of our entire meal. if you didn't read my sad descriptions, this is all you need to know -- OUR FOOD WAS FACKING OILY. there was orange grease relentlessly dripping from the quesadilla and gordita...oil ran down my fingers, whenever i picked something up to take a bite :( OUR FOOD WAS SO BLAND. we felt the need to squeeze lemon juice onto everything we ate and it still didn't help. it was like eating cardboard the entire meal...i'm being completely serious. i don't like eating cardboard. people apparently seem to be impressed with the carnitas and carne asada. unless i am oblivious to some cryptic secret of nopalito, i am very skeptical that they are the LEAST bit tasty. if the appetizers were so bland...there can't be that big of an improvement in the entrees. at least there were complimentary almond cookie balls for us at the end. read more

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Underwhelmed by everything. The food was bland and there was not one veggie/fish/seafood entree, all were meat. The seating was freezing with an open window and door, the heating lamps were pretty much heating up the great outdoors. The tiniest pour of wine for the price anywhere I've been lately. The dishtowels for napkins. The waiters who kept removing dishes that were not finished - what's up with that? Aren't you supposed to at least ask first? To go the restroom you have to hike around the building (not covered, so be prepared if it's raining) to another door. We had what we could from the meat-laden menu and found that the cabbage salad was oily with way too much lemon, the fish taco dry (although the fish was well seasoned it was cooked to death) and the quesadilla supremely boring with no taste. I can have boring tasteless food at home - I want my Mexican food to be something else. read more

Haha, wow!!! Another amazingly pathetic hipster restaurant in a city becoming ruined by hipsters and wanna be food snobs! 1:00 on a Saturday and, being hipster San Fran, there is a line outside the door. The hostess is standing there looking cluelessly at the line, not taking down names and numbers of people in the various parties. Then her phone rings, she answers and writes the name of the person down on the list and says "Ok check in with the hostess when you arrive and you'll be seated." Really? Meanwhile we've been standing there for 10 minutes and you don't take our names down, but someone who calls on the phone gets priority. And the kicker, she answers the phone AGAIN and adds another name to the list!!!! Needless to say, this establishment nor it's other locations will ever see a dime of mine!! Too bad you can't give zero stars. read more

Wanted to check this place out because I saw it on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives! TIP: YOU CAN CALL IN TO PUT YOUR NAME ON THE WAITING LIST unlike other restaurants where you have to go in person and wait aimlessly until your table is called. Wait is usually 1-2 hours around popular times. Tried 3 things from the menu: 1. Totopos: basically their version of nachos. not sure what everyone else is tasting but this was the least favorite for me and NOT worth ordering. Pretty bland nacho dish... I had to ask the waitress for some salsa which I didn't know cost money - would've rather tried their ceviche instead! 2. Quesadilla with pork belly: SO GOOD. one bite of this baby puts so much flavor into your mouth and this was definitely my favorite!! I would order this again and again instead of the totopos 3. Carnitas: a must have here! the first few bites are extremely tender and juicy. the larger pieces of meat seemed to be more dry for me, but still pretty good PAY 50 CENTS FOR THE SALSAS! I looooved the habanero salsa and their hot sauce :) read more

Gotta second other reviewers - staff here have a bad attitude. And the food has gone downhill enough in the past three years that it's not worth it anymore Walked into 3/4 empty place tonight and were told "sit anywhere". Walked into back area to avoid some kids (no offense, parents). Tried to sit at the empty bar and were asked by a condescending server to move down a seat next to the raw onions to maximize the open seats. In an empty restaurant. And she didn't even offer us a drink. So we left. Because the food is meh and we were really there to have margaritas. And her Mission hipster attitude is even worse than loud toddlers. I won't be picking up takeout anymore either. Thanksssss read more

After seeing the swarms for months, we finally bucked up and called to see how long the wait was so we could first hand see what the story is all about. After we told the host we were 4 blocks away, he gauranteed us a table upon arrival (and he delivered). We sat in the toasty covered patio and were promptly served chili garbanzos before our waitress came over. I tried the Quesadilla de Acelgas and Tamal de Frijoles con Queso y Huitlacoche. The corn tortilla in the quesadilla tasted extremely fresh, as did the green chile. The boyf once again chose the better dish, the Enchiladas Placeras. The enchilada had the tastiest half chicken on the side! Yes, I know it's just chicken but we both agreed it was some of the best chicken we've had in the city (up there with Zuni Cafe!) but the rest of the dish was bland. Besides Tecate in a can and Negra Modela, there were no Mexican beers. Corona? Pacifico? No señor. I like the Nopa guys, and I sure love this location, but I prefer the food and variety at nearby Green Chile Kitchen. read more

#4 out of #100. Caldo Tlalpeño sucks!!! The best thing about Nopalito is the super hand blower once you get to the bathroom, but it will take forever to get to the bathroom because there is only one bathroom. read more

I left this place with a taste of oddity. Not great, not bad - what was NOT there? The place is small, but clean. Servers are friendly, but a bit off. The menu small, and not described well. Dishes are arranged with appetizers on the left, entrees on the right. The reason I knew this was the prices of things. There was no telling what any given dish came with as a side, which is fine if you're not in a ravenous mood. Our radish salad, we were told was big enough to share. It isn't. With fresh, bland cheese, chili powder, radishes and mandarin, this salad was off in it's flavors and textures. The fried chickpeas are just what I love, crunchy, flavorful and fried. Yum. Ceviche was also a good choice, comes with homemade tortilla chips - I'll let you know since the menu doesn't. Ha. I broke their spell. The seafood was tasty in it's lime broth and I was happy with the avocado topper that made it a Green Goddess of a Grouping. No hot beverages, so don't ask for coffee or tea if you don't want to be rejected. Some of us are fragile, and to you my sensitive sallys, I beg - do not order anything that would promote steam. Let me mention the cutlery. It was nice, with a heavy feel. Remember this Kids, for later in the reivew. The service was good, but a little funky. Like the chickpeas were brought after our "share-able" salad and the topper for me; the waitress was expertly stacking all our wares when I felt a silver bump on my head. She had dropped my fork on me - and kept going like the Champ she is. I know she didn't realize it, but did I need to leave with a concussion AND a confused stomach?? I won't be back, flavorings need a bit of help and the feel just isn't there. When you're in the city, with some of the World's best fare at your fingertips, who has time for taste tossups? read more

Horchata, carnitas, gorditas, mole and popsicles made in-house (tried all 3 flavors: chocolate cinnamon, cafe con leche with blue bottle coffee and mango) Had this a month ago and I'm still drooling. Mole was my favorite- the meat was so tender! My sister and I practically licked the dish clean (no joke- I have photos) and their horchata is really good. Service is really great, and food is served promptly. ps their horchata is really good. Place is smaller than I imagined and is connected to the market, but if you call ahead of time, they can add you to the waiting list over the phone. huzzah! Did I mention their horchata is really good?! read more

Nopalito has a ridiculous amount of cache amongst people who don't like Mexican food. I'm sure some of their guests have had great Mexican food, but there's too many excellent taquerias in this town, to spend time at Nopalito, where the portions are twice as small and twice as expensive, unless you're taking people out who don't really like Mexican food. Your parents will love it. First off, in fairness, they were very pleasant and the service was quite friendly, and their drink options were creative. I had never had hibiscus juice with my tacos and it did pair quite well. Point for Nopalito. Though the food was trying too hard to be creative and not hard enough to be tasty. For $20/person, I expect more than two small fish tacos and a cup of juice. If you want that 'we've outgrown Tacolicious' ambiance, and the food isn't all that important, Nopalito is fine. If you love your tacos like I love my tacos (and you're on Yelp, so you do), you won't have to look far to find better. read more

Nopalito... cha, more like No Burrito! I shared several small items with some co-workers the other day and felt compelled to say a lil sumthin sumthin. I munched heavily on the Gorditas and Tamales and will do so again. What stuck out most on my flavorometer was the distinct and separate flavors of the chicken and pork. The chicken had a roasted, sweet flavor and a spiciness that crept up on you. The pork was bold and smokey, though not all that spicy, but that is what sauces are for. Masa was great on the tamales. No corn slime, nice. Great dining area ta boot. Inside is bright and not too loud, plus there is a heated glassed-in patio that they can open up on nice days. I will back to hit up the entrees for sure. A nice addition to the Addition. Whoops, I mean NoPa. read more

I have been here 5 times too many. The last (and I do mean the LAST) time I ate here the bill for 2 of us was $70+ tip. We had one drink each and one shared appetizer (the chips), plus entrees (if you can call them that). The portions are extraordinarily small, and everything tastes the same...overly spiced and HOT!!! The tacos are bare. The rice and beans are a joke. The wine "mugs" are not cute -- they are pathetic. $70 is obscene for mexican food. No thank you. Never again. read more

How are you supposed to review this place? Is it Mexican? Is it the offspring of Nopa? Is it ethnic cuisine that is repackaged and watered-down then tossed with a bit of the organic and green theme to appeal to the so-called "foodies" of San Francisco? By george I think I've got it! I'm not saying this place isn't good. I'm just saying you have to temper your expectations. Let's get SAT with this... Yank Sing:Chinese::Nopalito:Mexican And I'm not saying Yank Sing is bad. I'm just saying you have to temper your expectations. If you really wanted good Chinese, you'd go to Chinatown. If you really wanted good Mexican, you'd go to the Mission. That being said, let's talk about the food. The Totopos con Chile (tortilla chips tossed in chile de arbol and topped with cojita cheese and lime) was a cute idea, but it just didn't have that yum factor. I would've been happier with simple housemade chips and salsa. No, they don't have that. And that's the last time I pay $14 for Carnitas. I'd much rather have Gordos or El Farlito. Actually I didn't pay for it, and I'm still complaining! She had the Carne Asada steak which was a perfectly cooked skirt steak that was tender and flavorful. It was accented nicely with a peppery mole (mo-lay!) sauce. I'm glad she doesn't eat much. Awesome! So I'm not saying this place is not good. You just have to know what you're getting yourself into when you go here. I'll be back at some point to have the Carne Asada steak, but you might find me at the El Toyanese truck at some pioint sooner. read more

I never thought I'd like an "upscale taqueria" but Nopalito proved my resistance futile. The cute, casual space manages to strike a delicate balance between classy and comfortable with an open sun room and the melodic "sit wherever you feel comfortable!" when you walk through the door. My huckleberry lemonade soda was yummy, though I'm more a straight water gal so not a typical order for me. The grapefruit soda is incredible tho - so bittersweet fans go at it! We decided to share three of the small plates between the two of us. The totopos con chile definitely had a kick and translated to corn tortilla chips with spicy salsa cooked into it. Topped with (too meager) shavings of cotija cheese and a dollop of sour cream. The heat definitely was on the edge of too hot for me, but I'm a total wuss about spicey food. Then the Gordita de Picadillo and Tamal Enchilado de Puerco y Queso came out on a shared plate. The tamale was made with homemade dark masa and definitely the winner of the meal...lasting less than 30 seconds on the plate. The gordita was like a mini taco shaped like a pita sandwich (you know, circle with an opening in it stuffed with food) and the taco seemed a little stale but the insides more than made up for it. The food was great and mind you, these dishes were tiny and had we been looking for a full meal this wouldn't have sufficed but as a snack it was superb. Since it was halloween all the servers had hilarious costumes on and I double heart the wonderful waitress, Hilary, who made our meal extra enjoyable with lots of funny banter and great menu recommendations. Now back to NYC where I have to suffer through stale chimichangas for my Mexicano fix...sigh. read more

Upscale Mexican done well. I was pleasantly surprised with how delicious the tacos araibe and the Michelada were. Now I wish I saved room for the mole poblano! The gorditas needed more salt or cotija. And if only the tortillas had that popcorn flavor like in central Mexico! Ironically the spicy chickpeas that come with your beverage are a little too salty. The mezcal Paloma was solid but not quite right in the balance. And the ensalada with the litte gem lettuce had too much of that and not enough of the tasty stuff. I think I'm still adjusting to the fact that what would have been $25 and incredible in Mexico is $70 and ok in SF. The price we pay... read more

Nopalito - Mezcal Paloma and the salty spicy chickpeas - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Gentrification at it's finest. Today is my last day living in the neighborhood and I have to say, with places like Nopalito springing up, I'm happy to say goodbye. It's not so much them, but the crowds they draw. Last night as I walked by I thought I was in the Marina. Maybe I'm bitter, or maybe I'm just protective over a neighborhood that I've loved and lived in for a very long time. Sure Divis is thriving with new businesses and as a small business owner myself it is a wonderful thing. But Nopalito is different from Little Chihahua, Green Chile or Little Star, because of it's price point it caters to a totally different group of people. Now is that good? or bad? Well, I don't know, but I can tell you one thing, when I walk by and see the people eating their $40 tortillas..... it makes me sad. read more

I'm not sure what all the hype was about... Nopalito reminded me of a "Chipotle but slightly better" type of place (not necessarily a good thing). Super busy on a Saturday around lunch time. I appreciate their call ahead service and I would encourage anybody to use that if they were thinking of coming in for breakfast or lunch. But in all honesty, I found the food to be boring and one dimensional. I ordered their quesadilla with pork belly and it was more reminiscent of a large hard taco with some stuff inside. They don't add any salt to their food so they conveniently have salt in a side dish on the table. I didn't realize this until halfway through my meal when I was feeling that my quesadilla was lacking any flavor. Once I added that salt, it improved but only slightly. I think some salsa or heat would have made the dish so much better. Also paying $7 for a plain taco was kind of meh for me. I did enjoy my horchata, the spicy chick peas, and the little cookie dessert at the end of our meal. Those were nice touches. Service was okay... nothing spectacular. Some people were super friendly while others were not so. If you want real Mexican food, this certainly isn't it. Drive around and you'll probably find a real taqueria with authentic Mexican food for way cheaper. read more

Fist time here, parking lot with a cool atmosphere. Music, great service and unique traditional Mexican food. Not like Mexican American food (melted cheese in enchiladas) healthy fresh authentic food, even their drinks are made with fresh ingredients! Two locations! read more

If you want more salt and savory in your beer, try the Michelada. I ordered the ceviche and found all the seafood ingredients from the fish to the squid to be fresh. The tamal had a mole sauce that was very complex and left me contemplating the mix between chocolate, tangy and savory. The presentation with the pork in a paper wrapper was a bit difficult to navigate, but I'm sure The staff was friendly and very accommodating. I would definitely hit this place up again. read more

I dropped by Nopalito for a carb-laden lunch to recover after a serious urban hike up and down the Panhandle and through Golden Gate Park. I needed a nourishing and refreshing meal, and I needed it fast. Luckily the place wasn't busy mid-afternoon on a Friday. It was a piece of cake to cozy up to the counter and soak in the contemporary atmosphere. A margarita was a good refreshing choice to start. It was a bit sour for my taste, but definitely had a nice kick, and was a nice accompaniment for the complimentary bowl of fried garbanzo beans. The real highlight of lunch at Nopalito was the ceviche verde de pescado y calamar. The fish was super fresh and tangy, while the squid was silky-smooth and not the least bit rubbery -- and I say this as someone who normally shies away from calamari that's not of the deep-fried variety! I wasn't as huge of a fan of the totopos con chile -- spicy tortilla chips with cotija cheese, onions, cilantro, crema and lime. Despite all the toppings, these glorified nachos were actually kind of bland. I guess I expected more (and I don't mean in terms of portion size, which was quite behemoth). Service was fast and formal, in that impersonal sort of way that feels more "Cheesecake Factory" and less "local neighborhood joint". On the other hand, it was a wonderful surprise to receive a complimentary almond butter cookie at the end of the meal! The few complaints I had are all pretty minor. All in all, Nopalito is a solid choice for a meal. I definitely appreciated that much-needed refuel! read more

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Pretty nice place, food NOT Worthy, expensive( two tiny pieces of fish, a lot of unflavor cabbage, wraped in tortillas..... 10$$) a glass of wine 9 dollars..... Not getting back( come on... Is mexican food rice, beans, tortillas, cabbage... Whats your cost in that?? Service was very good. read more

A client of mine took me out to lunch this week and recommended coming to Nopalito. Since we've both never been here we decided to give it a try. Luckily we arrived a little before noon because seats started to fill right at 12'oclock. My client ordered a corn type of salad and I ordered a quesadilla. We both enjoyed our meal and the free nuts and the lil cookielike dessert that they gave us at the end. NOTE** portions here are really small so either eat slow or order more! The service here was beyond excellent. Our server came back and checked on us and our cups were refilled without being asked. read more

Honest recommendation, remove the Pozole from the menu. Insipid, tastes like hominy with water and some red food coloring.

The only "Mexican" restaurant that I left hungry and had to go to the deli next door for a sandwich after eating at this phony boutique Mexican bistro. Made to feel foolish when having the guts to ask if they had burritos. The Anglo waiter stated you will not find those in Mexico. I told him that in Mexico you will will not find finger sized enchiladas for $11.00 and you ,at least, get tortillas with your meal. Overpriced small portions with attitude. $30.00 lunch was 4 small enchiladas. Walk on by and get a full sized meal at one of the many Mexican spots in the City. You will get your money's worth without the phoniness. read more

I'm a big fan of Nopa but it took me a long time to get to their smaller sister place. Always looking for a good new place for Mexican fare. There's certainly a new movement in finer versions of the fare and Nopalito is doing it justice. I don't usually eat very early but since I was in the area for a business meeting, we came here for some eats for the night. Good thing we did because the place was already a 20min wait around 6.30pm. Chicken Mole, Carne Asada, Albodigas, Ceviche, Empanadas, and Quesadilla Roja con Chicharrón. Solid across the board. Got some chocolate and peach/nectarine paletas to finish the meal. Service is also friendly and efficient. After 7 the places it packed to the gills and from the business associate he said the wait could be two hours. That's just insane. Great food but go early or you'll be standing around for a great long while read more

Decided to have a lovely Friday night with some of my girlfriends. One of them suggested coming here and I'm usually not a huge fan of Mexican food, however this place totally changed my mind! I left the ordering to her since she knew what to order and I was totally going to butcher all the names of every single item on the menu. She ordered 4 items, but out of the 4, I really enjoyed the Totopos con chile and the Carnitas (pork belly). The totopos con chile - So simple, yet so addicting. Just go ahead and take a chip flavored in a delicious tomato sauce (I could be wrong but that was what my tastebuds were telling me) and dip it into the sour cream! Phenomenal! I could eat it for days. Carnitas - THAT DELICIOUS, SOFT, FATTY PORK BELLY was soooooo good. The pork belly was moist and tender and it went great with my White Sangria. Definitely could've just had this all night with the tortillas. What a great place to enjoy gluten-free (HOW MANY AFFORDABLE RESTAURANTS HAVE GLUTEN-FREE FOODS?!) "authentic" mexican food. Just wish the server would at least smile when she talks to us. It sounds like she hates her life... read more

Left hungry after spending $20 a person for a few morsels of Mex food at lunch. The food, such as there is of it, is workman-like. The $3.25 they charge for a glass of ice augmented with watered-down orange juice is a crime. This could have been a great addition to the neighborhood. But you can get more and better burritos for half the price at several other nearby spots. You won't leave hungry at the other places, either. See: http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-little-chihuahua-san-francisco. If truth in branding were enforced, Nopalito would change its name to Rip-Off-Alito. read more

Boring, mediocre food. Some people like bland food, and this would be a good place for them. Ohioans should not do the restaurant-picking. I'm taking it out of his hands right now. This is the second 'never again' restaurant chosen by an Ohio friend during the last few months. The other was an 'Italian' (apologies to Italy) place on Columbus. How long does he have to live here before his standards improve? I got two things, a bland thing and a thing that had some taste, barely. Anything with flavor became heightened and appreciated so that's a good thing, I guess. My friend got a big bowl of liquid nothing ('soup'). He said there was one thing in it with taste, so when he got one of those he was grateful. Nopalate-o Willhelp-o is open to the outside (no door, on our end, at least) and someone left their dog while they went into the adjacent grocery store and it barked constantly... barking and bland food Check!? Please?! Lots of families with kids-I'm thinking this is a neighborhood place 'cause it's often packed. I can't imagine bothering to eat here otherwise. read more

I'm from Texas, and I know my Mexican food. This wasn't Tex-Mex. This wasn't your typical Mexican food. This is Mexican food straight from the interior of Mexico, with a bit of a creative spin on it. They have these nachos that are covered in a two chili sauce, covered with white cheese, served with a side of crema that was absolutely incredible. You get a small dish of roasted beans that are like peanuts, with a hint of spiciness. I got the pulled pork torta, a Mexican sandwich served on a french loaf. It was spicy, but was countered with cole slaw, which was beyond amazing. I scarfed it down. Our server was from Texas, and was quite nice, helpful and friendly. She made recommendations that everyone loved. My dining companions both opted for the ceviche, which looked simply amazing. I was a bit disappointed that they didn't serve the ceviche in the tall glass like I'm used to. They serve it in a bowl, which is not very traditional. Apparently, this place was featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. It wasn't any of those places. I wouldn't call it a dive or a diner. It was a really nice restaurant. They serve up palettas, the Mexican version of a popsicle. I had the Mexican chocolate one, that took me back to my time Oaxaca. Amazing. The restaurant had a cool vibe, was very well lit, plenty of seating, and quite clean. I was a bit disappointed in the restroom situation. You have to leave the building walk all the way around it to get to the restroom. read more

I have this tendency to describe things I really like in a very specific manner: -If it's a liquid, I want to cover my body in it -If it's a solid, I want to make sweet love to it Nopalito better have a lot of paper towels because it's about to get messy up in hurr. I had a dream about the Totopos con Chile last night. It was a weird since it also involved an ex and Mrs. Borleske, my high school Chemistry teacher, explaining Pv=nrt, but the Totopos was still a prominent character. Upon my friend's suggestion, we ordered this as an appetizer (despite having a cupcake AND cookie from the supermarket bakery while we waited to be sat). I know people rave about the Carnitas, but I would wait in line again just to savor the sauce that these chips are soaked in. Taking the suggestion of our waitress, I ventured from my typical Mexican comfort zone and ordered the Quesadilla de Flor de Calabaza. It was my first time enjoying squash blossoms (loved them) which were situated next to zucchini, leeks, jalapenos and cilantro. Topped with jack cheese, queso fresco, onions and cilantro, this summery dish was top notch. Hearty, but light. Flavorful, but distinct. Nopalito is gourmet Mexican. You're not leaving overwhelmingly full from a massive burrito. You're enjoying well-crafted dishes and variations on typical meals. Although really delectable, the line can get seriously long. We waited a half hour to only be sat at the last two stools at the bar, within centimeters of where the food is prepared and sent off to hungry stomachs. I wouldn't wait much past this. Unless you're coming just for the Totopos con Chile. Then bring your tent, buy a cinnamon cupcake and wait for the perfection known as this dish to arrive in front of you. Let it live long in your memories and travel into your dreams where Mrs. Borleske will be waiting for you. read more

The carnitas here are amazingg. And I don't even like Mexican food! read more