I like to call it "Poo-caro" now This was one of the first Tapas places I frequented before I knew Tapas didn't all have to taste EXACTLY THE SAME. Almost every dish on this menu tastes identical to the next and the former. At Picaro, a gamba is a camaron is a pollo is a albondiga - drenched in oily, buttery way too garlicky sauces that make The Stinking Rose smell like a mint garden. But the Sangria is super tasty. read more

Location: 4 Parking: 2 Look & Concept: 4 Service & Courtesy: 4 Inventive & Variety: 4 Quality & Taste: 4 Serving Size: 4 Price: 4 Total Score (Lowest: 8 Highest: 40): 29 My Rating: 3.75 Summary of Review: Within the 3 years I lived in San Francisco, The Mission District has been my favorite place for nightlife. When it came down to eating, Picaro has been my Top 3 restaurant to hit up when entertaining visiting friends, happy hour with co-workers, and planned grub-style with the boys or wifey. Firstly, the restaurant is located in the heart of the Mission and its tapa style dining fully represents spanish culture to the fullest. The interior decor with the sounds of LIVE latin music bring that "old spanish town" feel and authenticity directly to you. It's not as popular or rowdy as Cha Cha Cha's . . . the place is low-key and intimate with more personality. As with all restaurants in the Mssion, parking is a challenge . . . take Bart and get off on the 16th Street Station then walk 2 blocks down between Mission and Valencia. The dishes that stand out are: 1. Paella de Mariscos - Even though it takes 25-30 minutes to prepare, it gives you a reason to order another pitcher of their red wine sangria. It is worth the wait. The rice is perfectly fried and crispy at the bottom and the seafood is abundant and fresh. 2. Calarmares a la Plancha - Their griiled squid tops any fried calamari I've eaten. There were 2 occasions when I ordered another plate after I had signaled for the bill. The total was adjusted and it did not matter. 3. Ropa Vieja - Their beef and chicken stewed in chorizo meat is pretty damn good. 4. Champinones al Ajillo - I always need to balance my meals with a veggie dish. The mushrooms sauteed in garlic are a must order. Not only is Picaro a place to eat at regularly, I recommend it as a great place to take a first date to. The dining can be romantic yet fun. Enjoy!!! read more

This is one of the best Tapas places I have been to in San Francisco, which is probably why this place is ALWAYS packed, even on weekdays. If you are a fairly large party trying to go here on the weekend, make sure you call in and make reservations, otherwise you might have to wait a while to get a table. They also have a flamenco show on Saturdays at 9:30 - It can get loud but its something unique and fun to experience. I have seen different dancers here, some even sing. They also have a Mariachi band sometimes. Food: - You HAVE to try the Sangria - It is delicious! they have Happy Hour after 10 PM and Pitchers are $10 - great deal. - My favorite thing here is the garlic/tomato sauce they give you with the bread - It is absolutely scrumptious - They also do an amazing seafood Paella - usually takes 30 minutes to get, but its worth the wait. The decor is very spanish, low lighting and overall a very cozy atmosphere. Sometimes you get seated at tables very close to each other so it can get a bit noisy. Service: the staff is quick and friendly. Overall, great service. read more

Although Tapas places are quickly sprouting up all over the city, I firmly believe that Picaro holds its own against any of them. Located in one of the busiest (and liveiest) streets of the Mission district, whenever you go there, it is always bustling with people. Sitting inside you can enjoy the rustic Spanish style interior, but if you take a seat in the outside patio (weather permitting), watching people as they pass by on 16th street is a gret way to leisurely enjoy your sangria and tapas. As for the fare--must haves are the traditional tortilla espanola, patatas bravas, grilled vegetables, and of course, the paella (vegetarian or carnivorian--doesn't matter, they are both delicious). read more

Have lived in Spain for a short while, and the Sangria I've had here is the closest in authenticity and taste. They run a daily HH from 5-7. You'll likely find me here. $10 carafes, $2.50 by the glass. Take advantage of it! As long as you're not dining alone and/or an alcoholic, I'd recommend the carafe. Watch out though, the Sangria doesn't taste strong, but it can be a creeper . . . its awesome taste may be a deadly weapon against your judgment and clarity. Tapas here are pretty good. Complimentary bread basket comes with aioli dipping sauce (mainly garlic and olive oil). The sauce is the 2nd reason we love this place (after the Sangria), and we usually spread a little of it on our Patatas Bravas to make the potatoes a little more spicy. All of the seafood and veggie tapas are great, but the Paella was just ok. Not worth the wait and $$. If you like seafood, skip the Paella and go for Almejas a la Marinera. I generally don't like clams, but I can't leave this place without ordering it. It's THAT good! Took off a star for the Paella + because every now and then, they bring in a group of Mariachi performers who go around tables collecting tips. Despite their decent sound, I'm always distracted and confused by their presence in a Spanish cafe. Also, I can't tell if the singer is a man or a woman. His/her voice is pretty good, but of no discerning value. You'll know what I mean if they're there . . . . read more

Pros: short wait, pretty inexpensive, beet salad was deliscious, pretty busy even late so it's fun people watching Cons: overcooked pork skewers, gilled calamari had grill marks but came at room temperature, fried onion bits in one of the dishes were soggy and room temperature, they sat me (my chair) literally in the main walkway of the restaurant during a packed night, so I had a lot of butts rubbing against my shoulder during dinner read more

I stumbled upon this place with a friend on a warm Wednesday evening, the thai place we had wanted to go to was closed for renovation and we were disappointed--but spotted this place with one more free outdoor table, illuminated by the sunlight shining down 16th street. WONDERFUL ENVIRONMENT. they bring you bread, and i try not to load up on it but with the spicy thin aoli-type sauce they bring you with it, it's hard not to. we werent too hungry so just ordered the patatas bravas with aoli which were yummy, crispy and super soft inside. the garlic shrimp was alright...I don't recommend it as the shrimp were small and the taste not so rich. Rather go for the Lobster or jumbo shrimp for about the same price! However, thanks to that yummy sauce, the potatoes, shrimp, and bread went from tasty to quite marvelous. Our bill was only $12 and we were quite full from all the bread and potatoes! Ended up each paying only $8 for a small but filling dinner. Probably more expensive for most people, as we ordered a bit skimpily. But overall, a good experience, good food, mehh service (but the lady with a thick raspy accent made up for it--i love unexpected accents!!) we had to bring them our bill inside because they were a bit slow, but very worth it--the lighting of the sun and the weather made it even more magical! cant wait to try their 2.50 sangrias (during happy hour) next time! read more

I just had dinner at the Picaro with my husband. The service was the most unorganized confused experience I've ever had in my life. The server gave us 4 dishes that belonged to another table. 10 minutes after sampling the plates, I flagged her down to ask the name of the food I was eating. She described the food and I informed her that I didn't order the dishes. She looked at her order pad and realized it was the other table. She put the bread that I've bitten into aside and gave the plates to the proper table. I thought that was gross and not sanitary, given that we've already been eating the food on the dishes. It went on the entire night were they would ask other tables if they ordered the dishes and I would raise my hand to claim my order. The server came to my table 3 other times to ask me if I ordered a certain dish and I declined. They also forgot to serve one of my dish and I requested to remove from the order. The food was bland and lacked flavor. I was disappointed and will most likely not return. read more

As the first restaurant I'd ever eaten Spanish food, I thought this place was incredible. Now that I've had it elsewhere, I realize that Picaro's food is more middle of the road Spanish-wise. Still, their little Spanish sausages are beyond compare. read more

I had originally given this place a 5 for the only two dishes I get: garlic shrimp and potatoes. I've decided to come back on here and change my review to two stars. Here's why: After coming to this restaurant plenty of times before and thinking that it was the best place on earth, I've come to the realization that my last experience being there for my birthday dinner was a pretty horrendous one. There were mainly two staff in there that were really rude to me, all I was asking for was to simply have an extra chair... I was very polite only to be turned down and told to get back to my table (very rudely) and to wait. Well, I waited. No extra chair came.. let's just leave it at that. It's chaotic in there and unorganized. I'll never understand the pressure of working in the food industry, but the least they could do is put a smile on their face and be polite. All the staff there seem super stressed out and irritated... it's just not a good feeling eating there after all knowing people are irritated of my presence, or so I'd think. Anyway, that's why I changed it to two. I had put 5 before only because I really love the garlic shrimp and the potatoes but honestly I didn't realize I hadn't ever talked about the actual restaurant in general... especially after this last experience. read more

We were so looking forward to eating at Picaro. I'm sorry to report it was not a good dining experience at all. It started out well with fresh bread and Spanish dipping sauce which had a bite and was very tasty. We started with oysters. So bad we couldn't eat them. We then ordered the rabbit stew. It was terrific. We also ordered asparagus and mushrooms. Nothing to write home about. Finally we had the mixed paella. Wow. Absolute dry, flavorless, no crunchy rice on the bottom, and all proteins were over cooked. The worst I've ever eatenActually I couldn't eat it, it was horrible. read more

Very festive place, sangrias all around. Their dipping sauce (garlic spicy something) for their bread was EXCELLENT! Couldn't stop eating it. (Be warned, garlic breath for a long while) Their seafood paella was good too, just couldn't eat too much of it due to the fact I stuffed my face with all the bread. While the live music was fun...it was so loud I couldn't hear anything...also if you want paella, you have to make sure you have time to wait, they take 30 mins to prepare...but they remind you of this ahead of time. read more

Other reviews have mentioned poor service but of the 5 to 6 servers I've met all of them have been friendly (making eye contact) and on point. They are pretty busy all around and the restaurant is pretty big so no surprises it took longer than 2 minutes to get our bill. Down to the food, the paella is not the best I've had (nyc socarrat paella bar's squid ink one holds my heart) but this one was pretty good. The lobster tails were meaty and well seasoned. Several clams and calamari through out the dish, wasn't too salty. The roasted artichokes were good but the edges were a bit tough. The black sausage was soooo good and dipped in to their famous sauce and eaten with their bread was a great mix. Eat their sauceeeeee! Their sangria is also pretty good and not too sweet. They have specials for paella and sangria on Sunday and Monday. read more

I've read a couple of great reviews before making a reservation at Picaro and was terribly disappointed. The tapas were ok, not great. The paella was terrible. The seafood was overcooked, the shrimp on top was rubbery, pale and lukewarm. I'm not someone who likes overly salted foods, but this paella needed a bit more salt and a lot more love. I've definitely had better paella at other restaurants. read more

Food = okay. I did love their potatoes. It is tapas, so it's fun to share of course. However some of their food is huge in portions...so feel free to share! Atmosphere = okay, very casual Decor = boring, even if it is bright colors. Service = okay. The server was friendly enough. Nothing to rave about. Parking = pain, folks! read more

A cute little place that a good friend and I randomly chose to grab dinner. We shared three different dishes, which was more than enough: the Ropa Vieja (sauteed beef, chicken and chorizo). If you're not looking to share, any of the combo platters on the menu will be very filling, since it comes with french bread, choice of rice or potatoes and a choice of veggies. We also shared the grilled eggplant (my least favorite dish), and the grilled calamari, which I liked the best out of the three dishes. Overall, plenty of dishes and drinks on the menu to choose from. A good, simple place to grab a bite to eat. read more

Great festive restaurant serving up unique tapas plates. I was here with a large group and it was the perfect place, great atmosphere and vibe. It is almost like one of those happy Italian restaurants with wine and meatballs flowing through the table except this is Latin and so you got Sangria and Paella. By the looks and feel it seemed pretty authentic and the food was interesting and unique. Tapas are great because it gives you a taste of many different items. I must have tried at least 10 different plates and all of which were pretty good. The artichoke was a little hard to eat due to the fibers and seafood in the Paella was overcooked. Other than that, everything was very rich, hearty and soulful. The bread with the paprika, garlic dip was unbelievably good. I wish they bottled that dip! Dinner here is a great way to start a night out in the Mission with friends. read more

The paella sucked. Meat was poor quality and no sign of saffron whatsoever. I gather this place is meant for people on a budget who want to get drunk and munch on something while they are drinking. read more

If I lived in the Mission, I would eat here EVERY WEEK, perhaps 2x. I just love this place, ever dish they make, AND THEIR SANGRIA! I could not recommend it more, the food is AMAZING, the bill is always less than we thought we racked up, and the atmosphere is very group oriented, great for before the bars of after on a good day drink;) Get the beets! read more

Be prepared for garlic breath! I love this place. In large part because I once went there on a date, and due to the garlic, I got to avoid kissing him. Yay me! The Tortilla de Patatas is fantastic. The Croquetas de Pollo are also really good. You must get extra of the red sauce they give you with the bread. It is delicious. I don't eat the stuff, but they have three or four types of calamari, one of which my friends always get when we go there. Tonight was the first time I have been that it hasn't been crowded, which was a nice change. Although I thought that meant the wait staff would be more attentive, but I think it just meant they forgot about us. Not too expensive, either (4$ beers, 5$ sangria...we had 3 of us and with drinks and tip it was about 20$/each, and we were all full!). Don't miss the sangria. Yum! read more

I've been in a fishy mood after returning from Panama. Screw tapas and all their vegetables and pork and whatnot - give me the grilled snapper combo platter! OMG YUM. For $11, this was more tender fish, marinated cabbage and goddamned delicious potatoes than even I could shove down my eager gullet. The garlicy red sauce that tastes like it contains a buttload of butter tastes amazing with the potatoes, and the fish for that matter. They also offer a Clara made with Heineken and lemonade. I LIKE! read more

It would be a one-star place, except the dipping sauce for the bread is absolutely amazing. Their paella isn't better than several other places near by - their shell fish is not fresh enough and overcooked in the seafood paella, and it didn't have any depth of flavor. The tapas are decent, but nothing I've got there is actually that good - the best I had was the grilled artichoke, the worst the fried calamari. My other big problem: it was very overpriced for what you get. Last time I was there (i've been there twice) it ran us like $35 per person, for a place that's very loud with mediocre service. Overall: I would not recommend in any situation, but their dipping sauce is good. read more

I went to Picaro two times already for some group dinners. The people working there are super friendly and their tapas are really good. Food: Love their patatas bravas. This ones do remind me of the ones I used to eat in Barcelona. Also don't miss their bread with special sauce the y give once you sit. All the other tapas I tried were really good (calamari, morcilla, chorizo,...). The paella was in my opinion just ok, so I mostly focus on their tapas. Service: Apart from being super attentive all the time, these last time big part of the group got delayed (more than 1 hour!). The person in the restaurant had no problem holding the table for us though the restaurant was full with people. After some time we actually asked him to use the table since we didn't want him to continue losing business because of the people who were waiting for. Once we were ready to sit, he got us immediately another table. Music: Every time I went there, a group of musicians played some Mexican music while we were eating. The idea is nice in general and I'm sure some people love it. I'm not a big fan because they play too loud close to you and also they ask (thoug politely and not in a pushy way) for money in the end. read more

One of my favorite places to get food with a group of friends. Yummy, satisfying, easy to share dishes; inexpensive and delicious sangria- not much else one can ask for! read more

The tapas are okay - but the sangria? Some of the best I've ever had. I have to be careful - the few times I've gone, most of them have been post-Body Manipulations visits, and this ritual could be dangerous! (Get pierced! Get sangria! It's a good thing.) Although, I prefer to go for my sangria when I'm with others - more fun that way. Seriously, though. The sangria and its red wine-soaked apple pieces. Love it. Probably far more than *anyone* should love a sangria. read more

This is my go-to place to bring out-of-towners or meet up with friends for dinner in the city. The restaurant is proximal to public transit, seats smaller and larger parties, has a unique menu that's delicious and affordable, provides warm, welcoming service and sometimes live entertainment! The best thing about going to Picaro is you can try something new every time (eventually I will eat my way through the menu). So here are my favorites: - Paella is my favorite!! I tried both the carnes y mariscos and vegetable paellas and both are great! Carnes y mariscos has a lot more substance and spice though. - Tortilla de patata - a fluffy, potato and onion omelet - Patatas bravas - spicy potatoes that have me hooked on that orange sauce! - Broccoli con almendras - i quote my friend, "SINCE WHEN DID BROCCOLI TASTE THIS GOOD?" - Stews are good too! I've tried the rabbit stew (tastes like a gamier chicken) and meatball stew (good, but not memorable) - Gambas al Ajillo - this garlic shrimp is seriously YUM! - Calamari - not the best, would skip next time Tapas are just fun to eat in general! The aspect of sharing and trying new things just makes the dining experience more fun. If that didn't sell you, Picaro has sangria happy hour everyday before 7pm...extra incentive to get off work early. ;) I'll be back for many times to come! read more

SANGRIA! I came in on a wednesday night with a friend following a college alumna event after deciding we needed to get our fill of paella. We came for the squid ink paella, but the sangria was SO GOOD. Like, I was drinking juice, but at the end it really comes back and hits you. The squid ink paella was amazing as well. My friend and I were on the hunt for some good paella after a disappointing experience at a different restaurant, but the paella at Picaro more than made up for our prior disappointing experience. but damn, that Sangria...a definite must try. read more

I got here and was so excited that they basically had $10 carafes of sangria. My friend and I got there at like 5pm and it was empty but started filling up quickly. I told my boyfriend to come join my friend and me. I thought the appetizers were enjoyable but he did not enjoy them. He kept saying "Good, but not great." They have a special dipping sauce for the bread that is complimentary and I recommend the spicy one because it is spicy but not too spicy, and the other one is more bland. There is a Mariachi band that comes by and collects tips and if you don't tip enough, they go serenade another table. The paella is not that good, the rice is undercooked and the seafood isn't very high quality (was kind of chewy). There is a nice looking back courtyard so I recommend coming for mostly for the sangria. read more

Standard fare Did however enjoy their homemade sauce , sweet sangria at happy hour prices , festive decor and live musicians. Have had better paella. read more

I have always been a fan of tapas but this place really impressed me. My friend and I actually went here by accident. We were waiting for Vietnamese food across the street and got too hungry waiting. Picaro was hopping so we gave it a shot. The place was busy and I was worried it would be a long wait for our food with lots of big parties. However, the food came surprisingly fast and the servers were all friendly. We split a caraffe of Sangria, very good choice. It was a great deal compare to the glasses and it was delicious. And, while waiting, they brought us some bread with a garlicy sauce, fabulous! What we ordered: Aboldigas (meatball stew with saffron): Simply amazing! The saffron flavor was incredible with the meatballs. We ended up drizzling the stew all over our omelet. Calamares a la Plancha (grilled calamari): Perfect! There was a nice subtle grilled flavor and the meat was so tender. Calamari is easy to overcook and this was prepared wonderfully. For a seafood lover, it was divine because the texture was right and I could actually taste the seafood. Mejillones a la Plancha (grilled mussels): I swear these seemed steamed but maybe it was a mistake. Very good but I had really been curious about what a grilled mussel would taste like. Tortilla de Patata (potato and onion omelet): Pretty good, especially with some saffron sauce or garlic sauce on top. Dense and filling but nice texture. The flavors could have been stronger though. Overall impression A+, cannot wait to go back. There were areas to improve but the saffron stew, calamari and sangria were enough to deserve 5 stars from me. read more

Had lunch here today with a small group of six. Just the perfect size to try a little bit of everything- from the tapas to the lunch combos to the paella. We started with a delightful carafe of sangria for $10. Refreshing and a bargain to boot. Now for the tapas: Tortilla Patata was interesting. Sort of like a creamier less dense quiche. Not bad. Grilled string bean- very tasty! Good garlic and spices. Garlic Mushrooms-good flavor Grilled Shrimp-very nicely cooked, shrimp was done just right chorizo- little itsy bitsy things. Cute, a little spicy, just ok. battered snapper plate- cooked perfectly, flaky and yummy. The rice and potatoes on the side were tasty too. Carna Asada plate - was the least successful. The steak had good flavor but was really tough. The cabbage and spinach sides were bland. We also got the meat and seafood paella. It was delicious! The rice was perfectly done and the flavor was really nice. Also lots, and lots of meat and seafood. Definitely my favorite part of the meal. Overall it was a fun and tasty lunch and a pleasant experience that we will replicate soon. read more

$10 for a carafe of sangria? Yes please. It was the sweetest, delicious sangria I've ever had. My friend and I fished out the fruit bits when we couldn't finish the whole carafe, but still worth it! Highlight food: Seafood and meat paella. Ordered the 2 person one for 4 ladies. That was plenty. So much meat in the paella! Oh, their garlic spicy sauce for the bread and spicy potatoes was awesome. So garlicy! I think I should try to make it myself. Or just go back to Picaro. read more

Mmm Picaro! I'm itching to go back just thinking about it. The boyfriend and I double dated and our friend chose this spot. The ambiance was very relaxing and had that Latin vibe. I think its best to go as a group so you can order lots and share the tapas. And ost importantly- the paella! We ordered the patatas bravas (the sauce was amazing!), some garlic shrimp, calamari, a pitcher of sangria, and of course a seafood paella! They also serve a complimentary bread with this amazing orange sauce. Everything was amazing! I got a little tipsy off the sangria too! This is a great place to be on a Friday night after work. Food, drinks, and a great vibe! read more

Is it just me or did the prices go up a bit? This is one of our 'hood favs and it's consistent most of the time. Sometimes you sit there a while before someone comes to the table to greet you or for you to place your drink/food order or for the complimentary bread and garlic sauce. For the first time ever there were a few disappointments including the bread coming out *with* our food and a random sangria orange peel (pretty sure I saw teeth marks!) in the basket under a slice. Gross! The food was delish per usual and we'll of course be back but this was a reminder that you can't go here and expect timely perfection. read more

Don't put off... $1 oysters were great, the super decently priced carafes of sangria were also great what was disappointing is that after the first round we were forgotten about. We tried to order a second round of oysters and sangria but we ended up having to go find the server after way, way too long to just pay our tab! Would I go back, I'd like to say yes... but based on this experience I do not like being held hostage at a restaurant! read more

Picaro has been my favorite restaurant for more than 10 years. They always provide the best food and service. I'm glad that we were able to order our favorites tonight for takeout. The Seafood Paella tasted just as good at home as it does there at the restaurant. They even had sangria to go! read more

Ick. I always forget how much I don't like Picaro...until the next time I'm walking by and decide to give it a try. We had the spicy papas, gambas al ajillo and beef w/ red sauce. First off the salt - I mean, I'm a salt fanatic and I walked away with an MSG head ache. The gambas were more like bay shrimp and the beef was salty average. I gave it two stars because I would go back if I had a large group--Picaro has a ton of space and can fit larger parties than most SF eateries, because the sangria is not horrible...and because I love the mariachis that walk through to perform on Friday nights! read more

Must get the patatas aioli... and PAELLA...Carne y mariscos. Meat and seafood. And the sangriaaaaaaaa!!! read more

Picaro - PAELLA!!!! Carne you mariscos - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

Love this place. Food is tasteful. The dipping bread sauce is so GOOOOOD!!!!! Love the sangria. The reason I did not give this place 5 stars is because there customer service kinda sucks. BUT the food and sangria is the reason I go back!! read more

I think this place is great! Everything is priced decently and taste great. I like to go for their sangria which is 10 bucks for a whole carafe. Great Deal during happy hour! They also have oysters for $1 and taste very fresh! The calamari wasn't the best. The breading was not what I was use to, but everything else taste great! read more