My honey and I decided to cash in a four year old gift certificate that was given to us by a good friend from out of state. He had been to Picaro when they first opened so the gift certificate was hand written on a yellow piece of paper with a business card stapled to it. Apparently, the business has changed hands since, and the new manager was reluctant to accept our suspicious looking certificate. Eventually she decided that she would honor our certificate and we were seated. The place was packed with large parties and we were seated right next to a very spirited bunch. I started with the sangria, which was wonderful. It has a delicate sweetness and did not have a bitter after taste. They gave us some some french bread with an addicting dipping sauce. I don't know what's in it- but I could live on that stuff! I was even spreading it on the salmon that I ordered! Next, I tried the garlic shrimp, which went well with a few glasses of Cava. I had such a lovely time here! The menu items were all moderately priced and I like the fact that there are plenty of vegetarian options. I can't wait to come back with some friends! read more

My husband and I LOVE this place. Please do yourself a favor and try the mushroom tapas! They're flavored incredibly well! I am not a huge fan of alcohol, especially wine, and I still LOVED their Sangria (Get the pitcher). My husband raved about this place when he went with a friend, so we went back the next week. AAAAAnd the week after that hahaha. The location is wonderful, for out of towners, this area gives you the real City vibes you want. The service has always been wonderful, and there is a lot of outdoor seating. You can get more drinks at the place next door, and CREAM is at the corner. The food was great, service was great, and the location is wonderful. I am hoping this place survives the shutdowns. read more

This is a nice joint that my cousin and his wife picked out to show me and my boyfriend around...we came on a Sunday afternoon and was able to be seated easily. The oysters were only $1, but they usually come in around late afternoon, so do make a note of that. We ordered a good amount of dishes: Rabbit stew: This was very tasty and the bunny was quite soft. There will be some bones, so be warned. The broth is very flavorful and tasted great...I probably could've drank it, though dipping in bread was a better idea. Ox tail stew: We really do love our stews...there were 3 chunks in here, 1 big one and 2 smaller pieces. Like the other stew, the broth was quite flavorful and it was a yummy dish--I preferred this to the rabbit stew, though the broth is not quite as strong. Mussels: This was good mainly because I love my seafood, but other than that it didn't stand out too much. Green beans: We didn't know what to expect, but it came out with garlic and grilled to perfection. Not overcooked, but not raw, perfect crunch. Very good! Fried seasoned potatoes: They came with the sauce given to you with the complimentary bread, which I actually liked on the potatoes more than the bread. The potatoes are seasoned with something savory and yummy, which I like to compare as something similar to Lawry's seasoning salt. The sauce itself is a creamy tomato base, with added other goodies to give it its own unique taste. Seafood paella: I love that this dish was completely filled with seafood. I wasn't super fond of the fact that some of the shrimp weren't deveined, and I felt like the texture of the paella could be a tad softer. You could definitely taste the seafood essence stewed into the paella though, although my cousin thinks he's tried a better one elsewhere. Still, not a bad dish. Overall, everything was pretty good. I wouldn't say it was "ERMAHGERD GET IN MAH BELLY" good, but a good experience with awesome company. I will probably try its sister restaurant (also serves paella) a few blocks down before I decide if I would come here again or not for paella. read more

We came here as a group of 15 on a Wednesday night - getting a 6 pm reservation with only a day's notice wasn't a problem, making this a great spot for large, spontaneous parties! Always be nice and call ahead, though. The interior reminded me a bit of the interior of the mall at the Venetian in Vegas - even though the sun was setting outside, the bright colors and decor effused a mid-day patio vibe that demanded a carafe of Sangria ($10 until 7 pm) and a plate of Patatas Bravas. The simpler the food, the better the food at Picaro. Small-order tapas, the house bread, and the house sauce (spicy-yet-creamy pimiento-esque goodness that could go on pretty much anything). Stuffed olives, Albondigas, and the Tortilla de Patatas were a hit. Avoid the Manchego cheese plate, the Grilled Artichokes, and the seafood. While the bartenders mix a delicious Sangria or pitcher of Clara, the kitchen's skills don't seem to come as readily. The Paella came with meat that had been hacked up fairly haphazardly, making it risky to dive in and choke on small bits of chipped bone. I nearly cracked my teeth on sand in the oysters. Prawns were over-steamed to the point of ripping apart like wet paper towel. The concept and menu planning were beautiful, but the execution wasn't there. We ended up hauling home 3 heaping to-go containers of paella leftovers. In the office the next day, they were barely picked over before being left for the trash. At $90 for a large 6-person dish, that's a helluva lot of paella fail. :-/ If you do head to Picaro, go early in the evening for Happy Hour, stick to the tapas, and order light! read more

I miss Charo. I do. Cuchi-cuchi. Especially when she was on "The Merv Griffin Show" and would say, "We be right bock" before her flustered host could get in a word edgewise. Cuchi-cuchi. Even though she is on one of the Geico commercials now, if she is looking for a job, I would heartily recommend her to be the hostess of this bustling Mission eatery. The people here are very nice, but there is an overall lack of personality to the place that makes it feel more generic than it should. It's no wonder I've never really noticed it before, which is a shame because the food turns out to be quite good. Muy bueno. Cuchi-cuchi. Jamie W and I shared the $30 Paella de Mariscos, which had an abundance of seafood - calamari, shrimp, mussels, baby clams - over a bed of rice that was not overly soggy considering it was all slow-cooked in a tomato-based broth. It was definitely enough for two hearty appetites. Muy grande bellies. Cuchi-cuchi. We were seated near the back where all the loud, large parties are seated. Sure enough, a pre-wedding party and a table of single guys were competing for volume throughout the evening, though nothing could compete with the shrieking harpy seated at a girls-only table a few feet away from us. Among the giggles came this Poltergeist-level sound that could have easily made the mother-child whales scurry from the Sacramento delta. Senorita with muy grande boca. Cuchi-cuchi. I think I'll come back on a weeknight to try their other dishes. But seriously...hire Charo. And I be right bock. FOOD - 4 stars...kudos for a really appetizing paella AMBIANCE - 3 stars...ho-hum with a volume control issue on weekends SERVICE - 4 stars...fast and efficient even though it did take the 30 minutes they said it would to prepare the paella TOTAL - 4 stars...cuchi-cuchi read more

Dining here would've actually been workable, had I remembered to bring my pair of earplugs.. read more

After a failed attempt to go to Andalu, I spotted Picaro. It was SF dinnertime (8:30ish) and the place was hopping. A very nice, unpretentious man welcomed us with open arms and escorted us to an open table in the back. Three of us shared a pitcher of sangria and some garlic laden small bites. More specifically, we had the chorizo, manchego, mixed grilled veggies and mushrooms. The chorizo and manchego were perfect together. The mixed grilled vegetables were accompanied by dipping sauces, including a garlic sauce. The mushrooms were tasty too but I think I preferred the mixed veggies. The bread and red pepper, garlic dip stuff is too good. I could probably eat just that with the sangria and be good to go. Our food and drinks came out to only $40. My pores were oozing garlic for the entire weekend but it was totally worth it. read more

VERY popular restaurant for its Sangria, Tapas, and Location (Mission SF near 16th and Valencia). I chose Picaro for my birthday dinner when Cha Cha Cha was fully booked, and I'm not disappointed! Yeah there were some frustration like the wait and service, but I think the food and sangria made up for it. PROS: - Good sangria, $17 a pitcher, creepers! - Great tapas, delicious seafood! The best were the clams! But seriously everything was really good, especially when you're a little bit tipsy from the sangria hehe - Fun atmosphere - delicious bread with sauce! The sauce was very similar to La Vic's, except not spicy - Walking distance to Mission SF nightlife (next to bars and 10 mins from Bruno's) - I liked how they didn't give us a minimum amount per person or a time limit like stupid Cha Cha Cha's for reservations. But on to the cons... CONS: - I reserved 14 people at 7:30pm, came exactly at 7:30, and didn't get seated until almost 8:30! But, they were nice enough to give us 3 pitchers of Sangria on the house - The service was very poor. We were a large party and were hungry after waiting an hour for our able. After getting seated we didn't get any waters or bread for another 10 mins! We had to get their attention. Sheesh. - NO parking, but hey, it's Mission SF what do you expect - cramped and a bit noisy, but hey it's a tapas bar! OVERALL: I think this is a great place to eat and drink with friends, big groups and small. But, beware of the wait, parking, and service. Just drink a bunch of sangria to ease away your frustration =P read more

I haven't been to Picaro in years...at least 10. Forgot all about it. I went last night and it was just stellar. Every single item was delicious and incredibly flavorful. Gazpacho, perfect for this week's heat wave. Broccoli with almonds - so good, and I really don't like broccoli. Tender, crunchy from the almonds, perfectly seasoned with olive oil and salt. Patatas Bravas, the sauce so intensely flavored and piquant. Also a lively eating outdoors vibe, so many people out enjoying the food and drink and having a good time. read more

One of the worst meals I have ever had. I ordered the grilled trout and it came out soggy. He said there was a tomato garlic sauce on top, it came out soggy and had no flavor and I was starving and just couldn't get myself to even eat a quarter of it. read more

It doesn't seem like anyone gets it but me... yes, squid ink paella is black, it will probably turn your teeth black for a little while, but it's DELICIOUS! I was super excited when my friend chose this place because I love squid ink and I love paella! Of course, that is what I ordered and I thought it was delicious! I could taste the seafood-y flavor, the rice was cooked well and the seafood was fresh. I was happy when no one else wanted the leftovers. We also got one of the other meat paellas and it was really good as well. Plenty of meat, good rice and lots of flavor! The tapas are really good as well like the spicy potatoes and the mushrooms. Overall, I'm definitely a fan! read more

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We came in on a Wednesday night and service was slow. The place looked busy so I can understand but at the same time, how many times do we have to try to flag you down? It was a bit frustrating since the waiter would said I'll be back and there would be ten minutes before he came back. This happened multiple times too. However, the good and sangria was good once we got them. We got some shrimp, asparagus, and potatoes. The flavor was good. They were pretty decent in price too ($4-$7 per tapa). The sangria was about $17 per carafe. I was looking at their happy hour menu, which seems great because sangria is about $10 per carafe or something like that. I just can't quite remember when the happy hour specials are, but I'd definitely try to make it back for the happy hour specials. There's also outside seating for those warm nights. That would be nice... For those rare occasions when San Fran is actually hot! read more

I've since been back and had a better experience the second time around. I really like the tomato sauce you get with the bread, and unlike last time, our paella wasn't dry. The fried anchovies could be a bit crisper but the rabbit stew is great and you should definitely have it. The tortilla hispanola and patatas bravas are both solid. read more

Picaro is a great place for cheap (but overly sweet and watered down) sangria, and for large parties who need to have dinner in the Mission. It's spacious, it's not too loud, and easy to get a reservation for at least on weekdays. However, the food quality and taste is hit or miss (mostly miss). The employees here are friendly, and I see potential (great happy hour specials - $2.50/glass or $10/pitcher sangria, good but slow service, fresh complimentary bread!); but most dishes lack flavor and quality and I don't think I would be back. Here's a run down from best to worst dish: 1. Patatas Bravas: This tasted perfectly crispy, and had a nice sauce. Unique because of the cut (diced rather than wedged). Unlike most other places, it was not overwhelming of old refried oil. 2. Mushrooms appetizer: Tasted fresh, and had really good garlicy flavor to them but they were nothing unique. Would not get any of the following again: 3. Paella (seafood, meat): All the seafood tasted frozen, and the rice was pretty salty and underwhelming. It took longer than the estimated 30 minutes! The meat paella had bad quality meat - lots of bones and really tough meat pieces. 4. The grilled calamari seemed like it was made from frozen calamari pieces. It was decent but definitely had better and wouldn't order again. 5. Oysters were super creamy, but I couldn't eat more than 1 because something about it tasted unfresh. There was no oyster juice inside the shell which is usually a sign that they have just shucked them. 6. Sausage appetizer: These were tiny little sausages with no bounce; very dense and grainy like a chorizo. The quality of the meat reminded me of a cheap frozen sausage. Note: $1/person cake cutting fee. read more

Too bad we weren't too happy about it The place is cute, very mission style, the price were so cheap and the service was so good, so we were like, wow, this is going to be our place to go I mean bottles of wine in the 20$ corkage 10$, when was the last time you saw that, but unfortunately the food was not that good We hat tortillas espanola, octopus and jamon iberico and nothing was up to the standard, so we were curiously hoping for the paella, but yet, it was a disappointment We wish we would have loved it but we didn't read more

I visited my sister in San Francisco and we walked to this spot for lunch....great choice, girl!! We enjoyed the sunny day on the cute patio area in back (can be hard to find a seat on a patio on a warm day in SF!) and went to TOWN on tapas--grilled lobster tail, queso manchego, garlic shrimp, roasted asparagus with aioli, anchovy stuffed olives....oh, hell yeah, we know how to DO IT. Throw in a surprisingly cheap carafe of deeeeelicious sangria and their fresh bread with crazy-good spicy pimiento dip, and you've got yourself a perfect little feast of mouthwatering cuisine de España. What I LOVED was that we stayed and chatted for hours, leisurely enjoying our delectable plates of garlicky goodness, and no one bothered us. To some, this might be considered neglect, but to us, it was european-style service that made us feel welcome to stake out a spot for the whole afternoon without feeling pushed out. They even threw in an extra carafe of sangria and didn't charge for it. I mean, sure, I know my sis and I are adorable and all, but that's what's called Cherry-On-Top Service, boys and girls. Next time I'm in the Mission, I'm walkin' my tail right back in there for another fine afternoon of San Francisco-style Spain....yum!! read more

Picaro - Lobster tail, garlic shrimp, queso manchego, anchovy-stuffed olives, roasted asparagus, & sangria.....yuuuuum! - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

My friend and I stopped here for a drink and a bite and couldn't have been more delighted. We thought all the outside seating was taken, but our server took the initiative on our behalf when we mentioned our previous desire for outdoor seating and very graciously separated a couple two-person tables and made us our own table. It was about 5:00 on a Saturday afternoon, and it must have been Happy Hour. We ordered a pitcher of sangria for $10 and some tapas for about $5 each. In addition, they brought out a basket of bread with a spicy bell-pepper based dipping sauce (or something similar); delicious, and it served as a dipping sauce for some of our tapas. There were some vegetarian options (enough) and the vegan options consisted of strictly vegetables. We had made a snap decision to go to this place instead of the place that would have been more directly on our path, and it has become a very treasured experience. There was a very loud group inside, and their noise came out the window, so I'm not sure how great this place would be if you were looking to have a quiet sit-down meal, but if you're looking for a night out with your friends, this would be a lovely place to take them. The outdoor seating made dogs a possibility, but I wouldn't recommend it, at least not when they're busy: there was a lot of foot traffic and general commotion, and while the space didn't feel cramped as a human, I can imagine the space becoming cramped because of and feeling cramped to a pup. read more

Picaro - one of the patata tapas on offer, with the dipping sauce in the background - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Usually a great place. I recommend their paella, spicy potatoes, bread, and fried calamari. I have also had their rabbit, and jamon iberico (a kind of ham) which are excellent. Service is great, though they are very busy, also noisy, but that seems to be by design. I have not had anything bad here, usually a place I go to before or after a Roxie movie. A great date place, lots of color, energy and decor can be conversation starters. read more

I've eaten at Ti Couz next door hundreds of times and it's funny that I'd never eaten here till now. I'm a big fan of Spanish Tapas and had tried pretty much every other Tapas joint in the Mission, except for Ramblas. Unlike Ramblas (which had a 1.5 hour wait), Andalu, this place has a cozier, down home vibe to it. The food is solid across the board (fried snapper, chorizo, boquerones stood out) and yes the sangria was great too. The prices are great and of you're looking to avoid the crowds of the other Tapas restaurants, look no further. read more

I love my potatoes. And I really love my Picaro Potatoes. The Tortilla de Patata, Patatas Bravas, and Patatas Aioli are all delicious, fairly priced, and filling. The free entertainment is...entertaining. 5 minutes after singing to our table, he came back and asked if we liked his music as he held out his tip bag. I gave a $1. For a group of 8, our bill came to a total of $160 including gratuity. So it only came out to $20 per person. We ordered a variety of tapas and a few jugs of sangria. not bad! Downsides? Parking! What is up with the illustration of the squid in the Paella section of the menu (see pic above). I know, i'm immature. read more

Picaro - Squid? or something else?? hmmm - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

Lovely Spanish restaurant in the mission, and it's just a few doors down from the new Cream. I came here recently with a reservation, and was surprised at how big (long) the restaurant was. Sitting down, I could barely see the other end of it. My friend and I ordered a pitcher of sangria and a handful of the tapas dishes: a salmon, ham, potato, asparagus, and ox tail dish. All were pretty good, but we agreed that the salmon and ham dish were the best. I really liked and would recommend the sangria. The complimentary bread served with a yummy sauce was quite good as well. I would come back because there were so many dishes that we didn't try. Also, I heard the paella is good, and we didn't have the time or patience to try that. (30 minute wait) Overall, I had a great experience here. read more

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Place reminds me of Cha Cha Cha but with a bigger menu and a tad bit cheaper. The place is packed and loud. The waiters all have accents that will make you melt. The complimentary bread with orange sauce is a nice touch. It would have been even better if the bread or sauce was warm. My friend did the ordering since she's been here before: squid ink paella (feeds 6), sangria, garlic shrimp, roasted artichokes, and these sweet peppers. The paella was plenty and it was awesome. The squid was tender and the shrimp wasn't overcooked. The peppers was dangerously addicting. The artichokes were good and the garlic shrimp was good but very tiny. The dishes are not as flavorful as dishes at Cha Cha Cha, but they are still delicious. The $10 sangria is what's popular here. Overall, good place, loud atmosphere, traditional decor, and decent food. I wouldn't be mad coming here again. read more

Picaro. New discovery: lobster paella and sangria. That's all you need in life. Met up with a good friend for dinner on a friday night & strolled around the mission area. This neighborhood never sleeps. There's always a busy hustle & bustle w/ different kind of folks at any time of the day. We were craving tapas, so Picaro's was the perfect choice! Starters: A must try is their complimentary bread and awesome sauce! The sauce is PURELY delectable, made up of olive oil, lots of fresh garlic, paprika, & other flavorful spices. Simply wonderful for dipping. Cocktails: I was very impressed with the red sangria- NOT watered down, filled with lots of infused apple, orange, & lemon slices. Simply refreshing! (It cost $14 for a pitcher.) Meal: lobster paella w/ calamari, clams, & mussels. This is NOW my most favorite dish of all time... ever! Although it takes roughly 30 minutes to make, it is so worth the wait. Not only is it full of fresh seafood, veggies (peas, red bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, etc.), rice, & lemon for spritzing, it's also generously portioned. Between the 2 of us, there was still plenty for leftovers. (It cost $24 for a 2-person portion.) Bottom-line: The food was awesome. I will definitely come back for the lobster paella & sangria. Tips: *Watch out for the mariachi band. They are loud. And they go table to table asking for tips. *Happy Hour is from 5-7pm. A pitcher of Sangria costs $10. *Park in the 16th & Valencia lot. Street parking is scarce. read more

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ONE of the best SPANISH restaurant I have been. Spanish food is very similar to Mexican cuisine but has different taste and ingredients soo different at same time... original taste from Madrid Spain. Remember like Mexico every state has variety of food and taste culture is so mix. read more

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Why does this place only have 3.5 stars? I thought it was great! I love SF. And on this trip, I discovered the Mission, filled with amazing Latin flavors. Where had you been all my life? A few friends and I stopped by for a late lunch before I drove back down to LA. The restaurant has a home-y, rustic feel, and it was the perfect place for a small group of four to sit down and share some tapas. We ate about 4 baskets of the bread, which comes with this delicious dipping sauce. We also ordered a carafe of sangria, which if I hadn't a 6 hour drive ahead of me, I would have had several more glasses of. The four of us ordered 6 different tapas, but my favs were the garlic shrimp, the chorizo sausage, Paella De Arroz Negro, which was squid ink with calamari, clams and shrimp. My only gripe was the slowww service. We had to ask for water and bread several times, and they weren't very attentive. But overall, the food was great, the prices are too, and I would definitely come back the next time I'm in town. read more

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I've never been to a tapas restaurant, and Picaro is great! It's super popular on a weekend night! We had a party of.. 15? We were a bit late for the reservation but it worked out! We sat along a long table towards the back. My friend and fellow Elite Kathleen W. took us here for her bday and basically ordered everything. - the bread and dipping sauce: omg the sauce is so good!!!! I don't really know what it is, but it's amazing. We had so much bread and sauce.. which might explain how we were able to get full haha - paella: I think we ordered the marisco (seafood) and vegetable ones. They are MASSIVE. You probably shouldn't order one if you have less than 5 people. Otherwise, you'll be taking a LOT home. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/picaro-san-francisco?select=nngF9oErVRzpL0bFPwU1pQ#nngF9oErVRzpL0bFPwU1pQ - spicy potatoes (patatas bravas) with orange sauce (the same dipping sauce) - calamari I'm sure there were others since we ordered a ton of food. It was fantastic, and even with pitchers of sangria (which I sadly didn't get to try due to my detox), it only came out to like $20/person. Wow! This was definitely a great place to get the bang for your buck! Also, there a mariachi band that goes around playing in the restaurant for tips. They actually played happy birthday for Kathleen! It was very cool BONUS: These guys were also eating at the restaurant? Not really sure why they were dressed up (maybe for early Halloween since this was a week before the holiday). They even had a guy dress up as the bull and run at the red cape. Here's a pic of our bday girl under the red cape haha http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/picaro-san-francisco?select=nngF9oErVRzpL0bFPwU1pQ#0QfayKBmkFK_urLjqW00oQ read more

Picaro - massive platter of paella! - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I love this place for tapas!!! Prices are super decent and the food is exceptionally good. If you decide to get the Paella, I'd recommend the Seafood one. A 2 person paella was able to feed 5 girls, with left overs!! It's HUGE and worth it! Also, the potato aioli and spicy potatoes are a must have!!! Don't forget to use the bread they give you to soak up the sauce from the garlic chicken! I would totally come again, possibly with a smaller group so that the waiters won't neglect us next time. If you come in a huge group, prepare to ask for water 6 times. They tend to forget about you!!! How is it possible to get your entrees before your water? They did not deserve our $50 gratuity, but this review is soley for the food! read more

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i came here to picaro twice, once before covid and once during covid, when things had reopened (two weeks ago). both times, this place didn't disappoint. i'll start off by saying that both times i went here, i did not order full hearty meals (like the paella or anything like that), but nonetheless, i still enjoyed my meal here. i've ordered the patatas bravas, the fried calamari, and mushrooms with garlic. the patatas bravas are to die for; that orange sauce has some secret ingredient that is just so addicting. the fried calamari is also hot and fresh, as well as the mushrooms with garlic. this place also serves complimentary bread, and any place that serves complimentary bread automatically gets an extra star in my book. the waiters provide great service, and the price is reasonable. they have a great selection of outdoor and indoor seating, and i hope to come back and try some of their paella next time around! read more

Best Paella ever. Thats what got me in the first time. Only reason they get 4 stars is that the wait can be a bit much on the weekends and there isn't any AC (expect to be really hot while eating on a hot summer day). Their bread appetizer is usually really filling and the orange sauce is to die for (only La Vics tops it). Paella and their seafood dishes are really delicious. Try their appetizers as well ($1.5 oysters!). read more

Came here for a happy hour after work with about 10 people; it's a large place so we were seated in the back pretty immediately. The table in the back was perfect for our group and there were really no complaints about anything. Happy hour menu was good with cheap carafes and easy tapas for soaking up the alcohol. What makes this place a seriously good place for happy hour is their bread and SAUCE. The sauce is thick, creamy, flavorful, and slightly spicy. I could just sit there, drink, and eat that bread and sauce all day. We also got good service despite being all the way in the back. Never did I think that we had been forgotten, nor did I ever run out of water. This is definitely a spot I'd come back to. read more

TL;DR: Excellent tapas. Strong sangria. Delicious bread sauce. I don't know why this place has a 3.5 star rating. It should be at least a 4.5, or maybe a 5, or maybe Yelp should create a special 6 star for this place! This place gets understandably crowded very quickly, so definitely make reservations or go early. Upon seating, you're served baskets of French bread with this AMAZING Brava sauce. I asked the waitress what is in the sauce, and she said that there's only tomato, garlic, oil, and paprika. I'm pretty sure she forgot to mention that there is crack in the sauce, because we ended up eating 3 baskets of bread during our time there. The tapas are perfect. They are all so cheap and excellent for sharing. We got an order of the Tortilla de Patata ($6.25), an onion and potato omelet; apparently it's one of the most popular tapas. It was SO good and tender and filling. Enjoy it with that red Brava sauce. The next dish we got was the Champinones al Ajillo ($5.75), sautéed mushrooms with garlic. The mushrooms were so flavorful and perfect. Try it with the bread and Brava sauce! We also ordered the Croquetas de Pollo ($5.70), chicken croquettes. These things are like breaded cream of chicken soup. They were so creamy and delicious. And of course, dip it in that red Brava sauce, if you have anymore of it left! The star of the entire meal, however, was their $10 sangria pitcher. Split between 3 people, we got about 1 and 3/4 glasses each. We got 2 pitchers... And subsequently got pretty drunk. Their sangria is very strong, and you can't really taste the alcohol! Personally, I hate red wine, so I did not have high expectations of the sangria, so I was pleasantly surprised that I ended up liking it. For three people: 2 pitchers of sangria, 3 tapas plates, and 3 baskets of bread later, our tab came out to be... $35!? I could not believe it. This place is a true gem in the heart of the SF Mission. I'm patiently waiting the day I return. read more

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My rating does not quite reflect my opinion of Picaro's because although I had an awesome time with the company I kept, the food was quite sub-par. Would I return? Yes, but I would definitely not order the squid ink paella, the fried snapper or anchovies again. The pork canapes were pretty tasty but I can do the same thing in my little toaster at home. The squid ink paella was beautifully presented and the flavor was expected to match the presentation, but alas, FAIL. It was pretty bland and like my cousin stated, it needed some tang, some kick, some something to make it stand out. I was pretty disappointed, but it didn't stop me from eating it with our appetizers of steamed mussels and fried calamari. My favorite part of eating was dipping the appetizers and bread into their red spicy garlic sauce. The fried snapper was a little too salty for my taste and the fried anchovies were too fishy tasting. Please don't judge me, I LOVE fish and seafood, but I did not like the flavor the anchovies had. My saving grace of this place was the great company of my husby, my cousin and his awesome wife, my sister of another mother. And oh yeah, the sangrias were perfect and awesome like my company. I love the lively atmosphere here, totally Mission on a Friday night! Love my city!!! read more

We ordered the potatoes which had a huge blob of mayo on top. Gross. We could only eat the ones on the edges. The rice, Paella we ordered, we couldn't even eat. It was not good at all. We paid I believe $68 for a dish to feed four, but we had to leave it all there because it was not good at all. :( what a waste of food The only think I thought was good was the sangria. Additionally, we were 3 adults and 4 small children, they made us pay $21 tip (18%). Total was $147 but we hardly ate anything because of the taste. Bad bad choice. Don't recommend this place at all. read more

I had a great time here! I came with a group of 7 and had a great time talking and eating over the two hours that we were there - no one tried to rush us at all. We sat outside in the back where we weren't afraid to be loud and boisterous. Partway through our meal some musicians came through and played for us - it really added to the atmosphere! The meal started off with a bread basket with their mayo-based sauce. We found the sauce delicious, and the servers refilled our bread basket again and again. We ordered several tapas plates and also a couple platters: Patatas Bravas - This dish is just the same sauce that comes with the bread, but over potatoes. You can probably skip this - you can get the idea from dipping the bread. Champiñones al Ajillo - We ordered this as a rec from our vegetarian server. The mushroom tasted good and had nice flavor, but it wasn't anything special. Mariscada - seafood platter! this platter was delicious. It is a ton of mixed fish and shellfish over a mound of rice. The rice soaks up all the juices and the flavor - yum! Paella de Carnes y Mariscos - The paella came out last, like they mentioned it would. I really enjoyed it. To my paella connoisseurs out there - be aware this paella has rice that is completely cooked, not like a traditional paella. They didn't skimp on the meat - plenty of seafood and chicken pieces. My group scraped the pan clean - our waitress was impressed. Gambas al Ajillo - Shrimp! tender and juicy with great flavor. I really enjoyed this dish. Calamares en su Tinta - This wasn't my favorite dish of the night, but it was well executed. If you really enjoy the flavor of squid ink then you will probably like this. Sangria - The sangria is awesome. It is pretty affordable and is delicious. Be careful.. it goes down real easy. I'd definitely come back to Picaro! read more

Although a wee bit hot both inside and out the day we went, the tapas foods themselves were quite tasty. Attending for weekend brunch walked to several months back, my other half and I ordered such tapas dishes as Chorizo Salteado "Cantimpalitos" (Sautéed Spanish sausage), Morcilla (Sautéed Spanish black sausage) and Alcachofas a la Plancha (Grilled artichokes). All three were good; two (chorizo and artichokes) were gosh darn excellent! Helps anyone to cool off to a pitcher of sangria on a hot day, I must say. Helps me to be a fan of chorizo, and of independent films, considering the Roxie Theater is right across the street. read more

Picaro - Chorizo Salteado "Cantimpalitos" (Sautéed Spanish sausage) and Morcilla (Sautéed Spanish black sausage) - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

Hands down best tapas place in the USA--even better than I had in Spain! Yes, I said it! The service isn't always the most attentive, but the food is amazing and reasonably priced. The romesco sauce they serve on their patatas bravas and with the bread is soooo yummy--perfectly garlicky and not too spicy. Other favorites are the chicken croquettes, grilled artichokes, chorizo Salteado "Cantimpalitos," and seafood paella. read more

So good! The paella and sangria pitcher were for sure a highlight. The whole vibe of the place was great.

My spouse and I met in Spain, we try to visit lots of Spanish restaurants when we have the chance. Both of us agreed this place was especially tasty. read more

Aside from the fact that the cleanliness of this place made me think it'd give me food poisoning, the management/hosts had extremely poor customer service skills. I will never come back here. read more

$1 oysters all the time, and $2.50 Happy Hour sangria! What's not to love? The pitcher of sangria (HH $2.50 x four = pitcher) was great out back in the small heated outdoor patio. The Miyazaki Oysters were medium in size, well-shucked, and a bargain at $1 all the time. The Alcachofas a la Plancha was always my favorite - the artichokes were grilled just right with plenty of seasoning. The Patatas Bravas was equally delicious - roasted potatoes in a delicious orangish sauce (good for bread dipping) that's more mild than spicy. The Champiñones al Ajillo was the only just-OK dish, as it's just sauteed mushrooms. For $4-8 a plate, go for the delicious veggie tapas instead of the meat ones to say that you eat your veggies. We opted for the Paella de Langosta because we rarely have lobster compared to plain ol' mixed seafood. Being overdone, the lobster meat stuck to the shell a bit, but there was also a good variety of other seafood - clams, squid, etc. The rice seemed a bit clumpy, but the paella was good nevertheless. The two-person portion ($24) was generous, and a threesome or more could easily be full, drunk, and happy splitting that, some tapas, and a sangria pitcher. Having recently been to their sister restaurant, Esperpento, the tapas are comparably delicious, although the paella didn't seem as good - blame the overcooked lobster. However, I'd prefer Picaro for the patio seating, shorter wait (call-in reservations), and did I mention the ONE DOLLAR OYSTERS and HAPPY HOUR SANGRIA? read more

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