I eat here as often as I can when I'm in downtown SF for work. Great atmosphere, attentive staff, not a bad dish on the menu. If you're eating on a Fri or Sat night, there might be a wait list to be seated (lots of event venues within walking distance - SF Jazz, SF Symphony, Opera, Ballet, Orpheum, Bill Graham Civic Center, etc). Otherwise, I always get seated quickly, food is on the table in 5-10 min, great if you're in a hurry. Fav menu items - the tacos are the star here, pastor, fish, fried chicken, they're all delicious! Tortas, burritos, fajitas - so good and reasonably priced for the quality/area. New fav go-tos are the fried brussel sprouts and salad (with a scoop of meat of choice). Great beer & wine selection too. read more

Papito Hayes - Fried Brussel Sprouts w/lime & chili, cotija cheese. Papito Salad w/ a scoop of Pastor... YUM! - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Since moving to Hayes Valley, I've been here at Papito Hayes about six or seven times for lunch, so I think I'm ready to share some thoughts about this place. Walking in, you're greeted with a friendly atmosphere and a beautiful mural. The service is polite and chill, and they usually invite me to sit wherever I'd like at the small open tables inside. There's also a small outdoor area if you'd rather sit outside. The staff always have a friendly buzz about them and seem to all be friends, which I like to see. It gives the place a welcoming feeling. Compared to some of the other places nearby, this spot has slightly cheaper options, but expect to spend close to $30 per person. By far my favorite things to order are the chicken soup and the asada enchiladas. The way the enchiladas are served is unique and adds to the flavor of the dish. The rice and beans are placed beneath the enchiladas in a small skillet, so all the juices and sauce drip into them, which makes it a pleasure to tuck into. The asada enchiladas also come with a tasty red sauce, and the smoky bites of steak inside each enchilada make me devour them every time. I've also tried the pork enchiladas, which are pretty good for similar reasons. The chicken enchiladas weren't for me--but that might just be because I don't really like the taste of mole. For $9, you're served a surprisingly filling bowl of chicken soup with rice. The rice is never mushy, and the broth is really savory and moreish, probably because it's made with bone broth. It also comes with plenty of chicken and vegetables, plus a big pile of cilantro, which I really like. I've also tried a bunch of their tacos. I wouldn't recommend the duck confit tacos, as they're a little too sweet in my opinion. However, the Baja-style fish tacos are really nice, as are the fried chicken tacos. They're not super traditional, but they're tasty and balanced with a little cilantro and salad in each. If you ask, they'll also give you a small bottle of what seems to be homemade habanero sauce. I consider myself pretty good with spicy food, but this stuff is actually pretty hot, so be careful with it. There was one time when they didn't really hit the mark. I ordered the chicken soup, as I always do, and it came out tasting much blander than usual, with much drier chicken. I let the staff know, and they gave me a discount, which was nice. Overall, I really like the vibe of this place and the bright flavors they offer. Compared to Souvla nearby which I'd put in a similar bracket, I prefer to come here. I'll definitely be coming back for lunch again. read more

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Lacking protein!! Ordered 2 burritos, added carne asada to each one. Both burritos were mostly black beans. Like an obscene amount of black beans. Frustrating as it was another $7 for each burrito for the protein. The cost would be fine if they actually put a standard amount of carne asada in the burrito! Only a few small bites of carne asada throughout the burrito. Kind of a rip off. Sad and again, frustrating! read more

The pozole was great, highly recommend. That sever Joanna however has the worst attitude, scowing eveywhere she goes. Not our first time her with her rude service! Why they even keep her around?? read more

I love this spot in Hayes. I tried the mole Pollo enchilada and it was delicious. The portion size is pretty big too. I had leftover to take home, my friend got the chicken burrito and said it was a hit. I also tried the Papito margarita which was so good it's infused with jalapeño- it's such a fun drink. Our service was wonderful. I would definitely come back and recommend the spot. read more

Found this place randomly while in the area, other than the wait time for 2 people, it was very good! We both got tacos and it was filling enough for 2/3 pieces each. The esquite was interesting, we thought the use of takis in the dish was a good touch of flavor. We also got chips with it and the server was really sweet to give us another serving for free. read more

Papito Hayes - *Esquite, *Veggie Taco - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

As promised I came back to Pepito to try more from the menu! Again I was greeted immediately at the front door with a smile and a choice to eat in or take away. This time I sat outside as the weather was beautiful. The outside seating option is great for people watching! I ordered shrimp fajitas with the back beans and rice which came in a bow on the side and four corn tortillas. The portion was enough for two but they were more than happy to give me a paper to go box and a nice paper bag for the road. Everything was great and I will be back again! This is a great spot for visitors to the area or a working lunch for locals. read more

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Was very bad, I order a shrimp quesadillas $24 a plate, 4 tortillas filled with so much cheese and 1 shrimp on top of tge quesadillas. I never ate anything like this before I would never go back again.​ read more

3.5 stars overall I always love dining alfresco in Hayes Valley . Service here was excellent - the servers were friendly and attentive, food was okay. We started with the housemaid guacamole, which I thought with a perfect balance of flavor. We ordered a shrimp and Carne Asada taco in both of them were not so good. The shrimp taco had way too much jicama and locked any other substantial flavor. The Carne Asada looked like it would be tasty, but also lacked flavor. They have lots of quesadilla options, and we did enjoy the grilled chicken quesadilla, which was stuffed thick with juicy chicken. We also got a fajita plate, I liked the option of adding melted cheese on top and that it came with a good amount of grilled bell peppers and onions. Overall fun spot, but I'll probably try something different when I'm in Hayes next time read more

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Really good. Had carnitas enchiladas and carne asada enchiladas. Both were very flavorful, with carnitas edging out the carne with a unique flavoring I couldn't identify. A little on the pricey side, but actually a bargain in Hayes Valley... read more

There are several places in Hayes Valley that visit pretty regularly. This has become one of my favorites over the last several years. They have been consistently good for quite a long time now, and I am here for it. First, I love their chips and salsa trio. The mango salsa is my favorite, but all three are good. I also love the queso fundido with chorizo as an appetizer and their guacamole is great too. I love their margaritas, but every time I go in I've been asking them to bring back the blood orange margarita. That was my favorite for a long time! For entrees, I typically order their Duck Confit (Pata) Fajitas. I don't know of any other Mexican restaurant around here that does duck confit fajitas. I love the way they cook the duck. It's shredded and tossed in a delicious sauce that is both sweet and a little spicy. My other favorite dish is the mole enchiladas. Their mole sauce is really wonderful here. I also like to get their quesabirria tacos when they have them. The service is great most of the time here, and I like the ambiance although it can be loud when it's busy. Outdoor seating is nice on a warm day. Overall, this place is solid and has been a go to for me for years. read more

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My friend & I came here for an early dinner and we were greeted right away. We sat inside and ordered: -chips and trio salsa. All 3 salsas were good, but the green/guagilla was our favorite. The red/tomatilla was a bit spicy and the orange/mango salsa was a bit thicker and sweeter. -There was a special on the QR code and we ordered the barbacoa tacos (it came in 3s) and it was DELICIOUS. Absolutely flavorful and the jalapeños was spicy. The brown sauce was really good too -1 pastor taco -1 carne asada taco -Strawberry margarita -Strawberry horchata (it was a bit sweet but still good) The tacos were filling and the meat was flavorful too. There is indoor and outdoor seating. Street parking. It is about a 15 minute walk from Civic Center Bart station. Service was good and I would come back here again! read more

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Really enjoyed Papito, the food was delicious and the service was great. We were greeted and sat right away. There are tables inside and some outside, in a small patio. We ordered the Trio of Salsa and barbacoa tacos, and I had a strawberry margarita which was great. The barbacoa tacos were delicious, definitely a must try. This was featured on their specials menu. The trio of salsa was a good starter for two people. The ambiance is very nice, and the restaurant was very clean. Service was quick and the staff were very friendly. This is a good spot for groups of 2-4. Will definitely be coming back! read more

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Papito in Hayes Valley has that easy neighborhood vibe. The service was amazing, everyone was warm and quick, and the food came out fast. We tried the shrimp fajitas, veggie tacos, chorizo tacos, and al pastor tacos. The tacos were okay, nothing I'd go back for, and they came out a little colder than I like. The guacamole and salsas were solid though. Overall, good spot for friendly service, just not the most memorable food. read more

Papito Hayes - Shrimp Fajitas - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Walked in before a show at the Symphony Hall and sat quickly, but space is pretty tight. Cheek to jowl with neighboring table, as my grandma used to say. Food also came out lightening fast, funded was tasty, salsa trio a bit odd, and I didn't much care for the salty tomatillo, sweet and syrupy one, or the spicier but single note pepper. I had a tostada, which was soggy and instantly fell apart in my hands. Wife and daughters fared better with their enchiladas, but I thought the mole poblano was too sweet and lacked depth. Maragaritas were solid. Not the worst option to be sure, but I'll be checking out some other Hayes spots next time. read more

Well, SF has so many good Mexican restaurants so the bar can be high. We enjoyed the food here in the good walkable neighborhood. Parking as easy on the street but you do need to pay for parking (1 hour parking costs around $7). Service was fast. It wasn't very busy on a Thursday early afternoon but a few customers enjoy a quick bite with drinks. It's a good place to chill! read more

Papito Hayes - Taaacos - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Surprisingly delicious Mexican spot in the heart of Hayes! I love the esquite corn dish here -- it comes out in a skillet and is just oozing with flavor. It's a casual spot, but the quality is good. You get some free chips and salsa for the table (and the salsa is actually pretty sharp and tangy) and I like the tacos here too (although they can't compare to a Mission taco of course - this one's more dry). Service is friendly and I like coming here when I'm in the area! read more

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Really nice food, good beer. Interesting flavors. Flirty waitress, effervescent. Wait staff was somewhat discombobulated, as we had to move tables - very awkward, they barely helped. All cuz of a large party they were expecting that didn't show up. But it was fine. read more

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This is one of my go-to spots in Hayes! I really like the chicken fajitas - the meat is tender and it comes with lots of bell peppers and onions. If I'm not as hungry, I usually order the tacos - I've tried both the chicken and shrimp tacos, but the chicken tacos are my favorite! The staff is friendly and the ambience/decor is nice - will definitely be back soon! read more

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Great staff that properly took care of some annoying drunks sitting next to me in the bar. Food is good too. Big portions. read more

Papito Hayes - Enchiladas carnitas - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Papito Hayes was ok for before a concert at Davies but I was a little perplexed - is it strange to wonder where the cheese at in my quesadilla? Tasted fine so maybe it was just subtle or a conservative portion- or maybe it was magic disappearing cheese. Maybe when it was melted it sublimed straight to a gas and skipped the liquid melt. The dish was ok but I missed the thick layer of cheese you might expect in a quesadilla. My son enjoyed his super burrito. Also the big mural inside was pretty cool, but that ambiance was lost for us because we sat outside along the sidewalk. Service was ok but unremarkable. I'd go back but may order differently when I do. read more

Papito Hayes - Veggie Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Esquite , fresh tortillas and burrito. Pom royal and sangria awesome. Service is quick. Ambiance is beautiful with peppy uptrend music. read more

Papito Hayes - Esquite - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Lowkey mid and lacked flavor. Also took a long time form when we were seated to when we got to order and to actually getting out food read more

Papito Hayes - bryce! - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

It's hard to enjoy Papito Hayes sometimes. Their tables are very close to each other in this restaurant, one can feel a bit self conscious when eating by themselves. Especially so when they are eating a steak by themselves during lunch. I wonder who does that? Hmm. I also like eating here with coworker friends. Food is pretty good. Enjoy it. And I love that beautiful mural of La Catrina. I believe they are in the same restaurant group as Chez Maman. While CM serves bistro French food, PH serves Mexican. Located on Hayes and Gough. read more

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What restaurant charges for chips? They do. SMH. Ambiance is nice. But food is only decent and overpriced. Best thing is the drinks, but they'll definitely skimped you and put a whole lot of ice. Service is average at best. If you're looking for good vibes and drinks, but not worried about the food quality and rising tab, this is the place to be. Otherwise, there's many other options where you'll still get good vibes and drinks but better food and value. read more

Really liked my experience here. This place has a few vegetarian options, but I would recommend the super burrito over enchiladas. Veggie enchiladas could do with some more sauce and less they were too stuffed and feel apart easily. Our server was sweet and entertaining, will be back next time I'm in Hayes Valley. read more

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I hate giving negative reviews, but I owe it to my fellow Yelpers who are looking for good service and good food. The food was overpriced for the quality. CARNITAS BURRITO ($15.00) I expected tender pork, but what I got was burnt, tough meat that was hard to eat. Sadly, this was below the standard you'd expect even from Chipotle. I wanted to add guacamole to my burrito, but instead, they gave me a full side order of guacamole for an additional $12.00. GUACAMOLE This tasted more like salsa than quacamole. Sadly another negative to the experience. TIME I ordered my burrito at the bar, and it took them 20 minutes to have it ready. I want to acknowledge that running a business is hard. Paying for employee healthcare and covering overhead is one of the most stressful parts of being a business owner. That said, while those factors drive food prices up, it also puts pressure on you to keep the quality as high as possible for your customers. Unfortunately the quality was not there. read more

Great food, prompt and convenient online ordering. I ordered the super burrito and was surprised how amazing it was. Fresh tasting ingredients. read more

Papito Hayes - Super burrito and chips - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

The barbacoa flavor was great...I had a barbacoa torta and was amazing, service and ambience excellent. Thank you Rene for the excellent service, and Milton the chef for the amazing food read more

This is a tiny, casual Mexican restaurant on a very popular street in Hayes Valley (right next to Allbirds) with super friendly servers and terrific food. I recommend the Burrito Mojado, which is a very saucy Super Burrito. You can add meat to it, but I opted not to since it already comes with black beans. I was going to give them 4+ stars, but unfortunately, taking my leftovers home, I noticed that the sauce leaked through the bag and all over my pants just a few blocks from the restaurant. Bummer. I wish it had been sealed better. There's a booth in the back, small 2-top tables, and some bar seating. read more

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We visited San Francisco in March and walked to Papitos. Needless to say the food was amazing and very tasty. The ambiance of the restaurant was pleasant and our waitress was always on point and friendly. Next time we are there this will be our go to spot!!! read more

The food and service were great, and the outdoor area in front was a nice space to eat. read more

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Chips did not taste fresh a big disappointment, queso fondido was just ok didnt seem to have that much cheese. read more

Papito Hayes - Queseo *Queso Fundido - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Outstanding experience start to finish! We loved the corn with taquitos, chips and guac, and chicken tacos. Tasty crunchy delights! And the charred jalapeño margaritas were outrageous! Loved it. read more

best thing I ordered was the question fundido! an appetizer! the tacos were expensive and regular, the mole was a little sweet for me and the margaritas weren't anything special. as far as Hispanic food goes its pretty typical for norcal. not necessarily worth the price, probably won't go back. the service was good, they stayed on top of the table which i really liked. didnt go inside the establishment, sat outside and it was a lovely day read more

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Papito Hayes is an excellent place for small and large groups in a busy and lively area of central SF. We started with homemade guacamole and ceviche papito-8/10. I ordered a cheese enchiladas plate, which was a bit too salty. I give it a 6/10. My boyfriend ordered the steak torta-9/10. Service was fast, and our food was brought out quickly. The open kitchen concept allowed us to see that the cooks were working fast and hard! Shout out to Raul for caring for us and making our experience unique! It could be because I am not from SF, but parking was a pain. read more

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One of my all time favorite wet burritos in the city! Their red enchilada sauce is so flavorful and it's a perfect combination with the rest of the burrito. The staff is always super friendly and helpful, the Hayes location is a great spot close to other bars and things to do nearby. read more

Papito Hayes - Burrito Mojado - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Omg the food was amazing! And our waitress was a gem! The queso fundido was delicious! I loved the wet burrito and both sauces were so good! The Brussel sprouts were incredible and the churros were to die for! We even got a second order of just churros! It's a small location so we got lucky with sitting and it's just a cute spot! read more

Papito Hayes - Burrito Mojado - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Papito Hayes is a vibrant gem nestled in the heart of San Francisco's bustling Hayes Valley. This Mexican eatery offers a delightful culinary experience that seamlessly blends traditional flavors with modern flair. From the moment you step inside, the lively atmosphere and friendly staff create a welcoming ambiance. The restaurant's charming decor, adorned with colorful accents, complements the vibrant spirit of the food. We sat outside because it was a beautiful day out but it was great to see both were a win/win option. Papito Hayes truly shines in its commitment to quality ingredients. Every dish is a testament to the chef's skill in crafting authentic flavors. The tacos, in particular, are a must-try, with their perfectly seasoned meats and fresh tortillas. The guacamole, made table-side with a generous helping of fresh avocados, is an absolute standout. I am still dreaming about the mole enchiladas! Beyond the incredible food, the service at Papito Hayes is exceptional. The attentive and knowledgeable staff is always ready to offer recommendations and ensure a memorable dining experience. Whether you're enjoying a leisurely lunch or a lively dinner, the service is consistently top-notch. Papito Hayes's perfect blend of delicious food, friendly service, and vibrant atmosphere make it a must-visit for anyone seeking an authentic taste of Mexico in the heart of San Francisco. Have you tried their margaritas? They're the perfect complement to the food! Food Pictured (Chips and Salsa, Chicken Mole Enchilada and Baja Tacos 10/10) Not pictured (Hibiscus margaritas and seasonal special: Tamarind margarita 10/10) read more

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Upscale Mexican food - good quality and ambience, can definitely go on a date here or bring a group of friends. But it's expensive tacos when you can get the same for a lot less around the city. Go for the vibes and decent, safe food read more