Underwhelming would be the best way to define this restaurant. All aspects of our experience was BAD. The food was bad, the service was horrible (on a slow night). Save your money and go somewhere else. read more

Almost gave it four stars cuz whenever I go there, the band's horn player is blisteringly loud so it's hard to talk, but the food is so good here that it makes up for it. Good: drinks, nachos, clam chowder Bad: overly loud mariachi Not everything is great on the menu, but most of it is. Huge portions. Don't get too carried away when ordering. read more

Hell yeah I ordered the "Platter for 2" which was definitely a mountain of fried goods (stuffed mushrooms, oysters, shrimp, jalapenos) plus chicken and beef. Plus a daquiri and a pina colada. Side of rice and beans. Fresh oysters to start. So far so good and a bit pricey. Next up, shrimp cocktail. read more

I don't understand all these bad reviews. I've always gotten good service from the wait staff or maybe I'm not as picky cuz I used to be a waitress too and know that it's hard work and you can only do so much at the same time. Anyways, the servers are nice and their camarones a la diabla are so mouthwatering! Try the micheladas they're the best! I like the service and the food, no complains here. Try it. This is coming from a Mexican. read more

The long drive to Baja for some Puerto Nuevo action is what I've been daydreaming about this summer because it would include some of my favorite things: my passport, a reliable auto, music, Mexico, my boyfriend, mariachis, and mariscos. Finances allow me to keep this daydream. Fortunately my boyfriend brought us here for my birthday dinner and it was truly a feast. The magic word here is mariscos, but let it be noted that the service was excellent, the mariachis knew all of the songs I had requested as well as a choreographed routine... and they were generous with the tequila. Te digo!! Now, my daydreams are of coming back to Playa Azul for the lobster and filet mignon and a serenade for my novio. read more

The place is very loud, under staffed and you have to wait-where? Outside- OH NO! never again. When we got our food it was just one big grease ball! Everything was covered in grease the lettuce that is placed under the camarones (shrimp) was sopping wet with oil. Very pricey and little food. Basically a bar with expensive food. You'll have to better if you are going to charge that much, squeeze people inside a small place and have them wait outside for their table. Then when you get a table you can't even sit comfortably because you are smashed up against the other patrons. Can't hold a conversation with your date because of the noise from the bar, mariachis and TV all going at the SAME TIME! Not my idea of a nice classy resturant. read more

Location is pretty good. If you are thinking of getting a table with 5 or more then good luck cause that place is small. Service and food are great. The waiter that waited our table was really patient and took the time to accomodate us. The food came right on time, everything was cooked perfectly. I ordered some chicken in clam sauce, it would have been great if they would have advertised that it was spicy. Overall it was pretty good. Mariachi is pretty expensive though so beware. read more

It was a relief to have a legitimate excuse to escape from an awkward conversation over drinks, even though it meant driving halfway across the city for a late dinner. As luck would have it, I slid into a parking spot around the corner from the restaurant and sauntered in a few minutes early to grab a table. Chips and salsa were my table companions as I browsed the large menu and I happened to peer up in time to catch a pretty girl pacing in front of the restaurant. It turned out to be half of my married couple friends. I caught her eye and waved her in so I could recount the horribly awkward conversation exchange prior to our dinner plans. A few minutes later her husband walked in and I gave him some of the highlights. Out of obligation I'd met a family friend to chat over coffee. He was an hour late so we barely had enough time to engage in substantial conversation. But to tell you the truth, even if we'd had a couple of hours, I doubt it would have been a very enthralling exchange of ideas and words. So distracted was I by his mannerisms and awkwardness that I couldn't get myself to relax. I was glad he'd come late, and that I had an excuse to leave early. Between oddly spaced and timed text messages, slightly inappropriate slips of information and suggestions and lack of planning, then this awkward meeting, it confirmed my first impression that this wasn't going to go anywhere and I was satisfied that I'd at least given it a try. He walked me to my car and suggested we have dinner the next time, to which I uttered a noncommital 'uhmm'. No, I thought to myself, there is not going to be a 'next time'. I'll save him the 3 hour drive. Painful just how strange men can be sometimes! After relaying the details of the strange first meeting to my friends (their reactions mirroring my own), and several good-natured fly-bys by the waiter asking if we needed any help with the menu, we focused our energies on the purpose of meeting at Playa Azul - eating! None of us were sure what to order so we asked our smiling server what he recommended and he steered us towards the fish selections. I ordered the red snapper filet a la veracruzana, a generous serving of lightly battered & fried fish with roasted tomato sauce, mushrooms, onions, hot yellow peppers and green olives. accompanied by sauteed vegetables, a fresh salad and corn tortillas, it was more than a filling meal! my friends ordered the al mojo de ajo (red snapper fillet sauteed in olive oil, butter, garlic, white wine & lemon juice) and an impressive whole fried snapper with roasted chiles, onions and jalapenos. A had ordered the clam chowder for one of his sides, mentioning it was one of the better chowders he'd ever had. We spent a couple of hours there catching up and eating until we were happily satiated, and never felt any pressure to hurry up and leave the premises. It's not a fancily decorated restaurant, but it was clean, the staff was helpful and friendly, and the food was simple and deliciously prepared with very generous portion sizes. All in all, it was a wonderful experience and I will be back! read more

Love this place ! My headband and I went to the elephant bar Friday night and spent $60 for two of us and we only had two appetizers! last night we went here and spent $70 and it was four of us cant go wrong with the best prices and some amazing food! read more

Best place to have a shrimp cocktail !!!! I usually order the campechana (shrimp, octopus, oyster), the fish ceviche tostada and Michelada w/ modelo esp. The other dishes are O.K. But this is a must for the the Cocktails. I never had the crab nachos, but after reading some of the reviews I guess it is a must next time I go. The only thing annoying is that DAMN mariachi after a couple of songs I start getting s headache... oh... and don't get me started on the flower lady. =:) read more

My fave mariscos spot in the city! Shrimp coctail with jaiba is the best. So sad to hear what happened but I was told it would re-open on 24th st. Hope it's true!!! read more

The customer service was really bad, filete relleno one of the worst, New York steak ask per medium well if you want a medium term, !!!!

I like their food. Coctel de Camarones and Camarones in creamy garlic sauce is good too. But the lay out of the tables is awkward, uncomfortable. The waiters always seem confused, but a little less confused if you're a man or with a man. But women definitely don't have priority there. The mariachis will play there but it's hit or miss because since it's a restaurant you eat and leave. You're not hanging out drinking waiting to hear music. read more

I've had some of the best lobster in my life at Playa Azul! It was rubbed with jalapeno spices and grilled and it was yummy! Cheessy, crab stuff mushrooms were also delicious. Minus one star for the ok but LOUD mariachi band. So loud it does make it difficult at times to talk to your dining companion. But, it adds to the atmosphere I guess. read more

I love the Shrimp Cocktail here! It's so fresh and just melts right into your mouth. The other seafood dishes are delicious too. I haven't tried anything BUT the seafood and can't come here once without ordering the Shrimp Cocktail. Probably one of the best I've ever had. read more

Great place to go in the Mission. It is kind of out of the way but Mitchell's Ice Cream is close by! Playas Azul brings back fond memories of my recent trip to Mexico. The food is all really good (except the fried stuff) and they have delicious margaritas. Mariachis come in on the weekends to add to the festive atmosphere. read more

Awful heuvos rancheros. No refills on coffee but it was pretty watered down anyway so it wasn't a total loss. No value for your money AT ALL. Server was pleasant but considering the emptiness of the place in the morning he wasn't available to us much. It was a lame enough experience to make me not really want to try anything else there for any other meal. If you can't make a decent huevos rancheros don't put it on your menu. Why make people think you suck based on one dish you just can't do right? There's too much competition with better food and cheaper prices to come here again. read more

My family and I enjoys eating here in the past... Their shrimp cocktail is to die for, very fresh! Very generous portion ! The service is great and friendly wait staff. Highly recommended. I miss this place. read more

Aww their shrim in the creamy garlic sauce AMAZING!!! Thats all I have ever had and all I will ever have!!!

The whole fried tilapia fish was super tasty but I can't give the place more stars because the so-called grilled fish the bf ordered turned out to be some dethawed concoction swimming in butter sauce. Their salsa was excellent as was my strawberry pina colada. read more

Big mean fish staring me in the eye while I devour him morsel by tasty morsel - good. Margarita with too much margarita mix - bad. Good fish beats bad margarita. And, oh yeah, this guy sitting next to me had eyes tattooed on the back of his head and all I could think about is how he would make a great Jewish mother. read more

5 Stars...and here's why. Found this restaurant on Yelp of all places. I read the reviews...A person in my group decided that she wanted authentic Mexican food in a sit down not-so-grungy restaurant. 1. The portions are huge. You will not walk away from this restaurant hungry. If you do, it's not their fault, it's yours. I love asking for recommendations and the waiter did not miss on his. 2. The ambiance is exactly what I was looking for. Durianlover P. wrote it best on his review. I was not expecting a "5 star" more-show-than-substance restaurant. I was expecting something Missionesque...Basically, the ambiance took on the good characteristics of the neighborhood around it...not upscale but comfortable. 3. As far as the food quality? One of my other friends, who grew up in Mexico, said "Wow! This menu totally reminds me of some of the stuff my mom used to make." That was a great compliment as far as I was concerned so I made a mental note of it and give it life here on the internet. 4. Drinks...tequila, tequila, tequila...check out the bar and although we did not partake in the nectar from the agave plant that night, you'll know what I'm talking about here. They make great margaritas as well. 5. Desert...oh...desert...they didn't have any flan, so that disappointed so I went with a recommendation the waiter made and the friend I mentioned in #3 both agreed with. Basically a piece of cake that was soaked in 3 different kinds of sweet milk I believe...tasty tasty tasty! So in summary..Highly recommended restaurant. Don't expect some fancy sit down place because that is not in the restaurant's character, but expect great food at a great price. Cheers! read more

If you want to enjoy a quiet evening meal on the weekend ,this is so not the place to be; however, if you and the peeps you are with, are feeling a little rowdy and boisterous, than by all means, live it up with some Tequila shots and live Mariachi. Just remember to bring a lot of Cash to get the full-fledge treatment of Playa Azul. Because I go with friends who can appreciate the culture, I have no qualms and as such, will get the Cadillac Margarita and/or Michelda with their savory chilled and spicey oyster platter! read more

if you love ceviche you have try this! i had two tostadas-- octopus ceviche and shrimp ceviche. delicious! the octopus was almost perfect (not rubbery) and there was just the right amount of acid that brings out the seafood but not enough to make you pucker. the octopus was great, the shrimp was better than most but not the best i've had. each $4.50 and loaded with the seafood and some avocado. next time i will try the crab and the fish tostada ceviches. other orders at the table were grilled fish, and fried tilapia. both looked great, and were reported to be as such. the portion sizes are huge! great food at a great bargain. this will not disappoint the seafood lovers. there is also a mariachi band that plays on saturday evenings; they were near the bar and we were near the door and we still had to shout to hear each other speak. read more

last night my bestfreind and her boyfreind took me here to playa azul and told me that this place has really good food. im not from the city to i trusted that they were telling me the truth (fingers crossed.) the place is small with a little bar at the far end and they also had a band singing traditional mexican songs which was really entertaing although it was a bit loud. we started with oysters, which was not my thing. i had one but my stomach couldnt handle it. then the main dish: i ordered deviled shrimp but of course this was in spanish ahaha and it was delicious! it came with rice and a salad. myy bestfreind's bf ordered shrimp stuffed mushrooms and my bestfreind ordered fish and shrimp tostadas. the food here is really good and the service was great! i would def. reccomend! read more

Food is great here, a solid 4+ stars! Love the fish, bread and baked potatoes. However these Mariachi players will drive you nuts, not to mention blow out your ear drums. ?Really?!!! They should be playing at a stadium, not in the close quarters of a restaurant. Way too loud and annoying. I'm not knocking the music, which is well done, but the volume. Ruined my meal tonight. I have been here many times and must have luckily missed them in the past. Next time I stop in and see them here I will be making an about face and hitting a different place to eat. read more

I love Playa Azul! Every time I'm in town this is a must!! I love their shrimp cocktail, vuelve a la vida and campechanas, they are so fresh and tasteful. The mango margaritas are so delicious. They have excellent service and a great ambiance. read more

Steak was good but definately pass on the beans and rice. Not good quality but drinks and guacamole were good. Loud place but seafood was great read more

After being a loyal customer of this place for years I'm now no longer a fan. Waited over an hour for appetizers and a coctel. Cmon Azul you're killing me here especially b/c people who were seated after us got food before us. Spoke to the staff and they said our food was coming next. Waited another 10 minutes and nothing. Finally we bounced. Life's too short for this crap especially since I can pick up a quick burrito next door. Peace! read more

I love their mixed seafood tostadas! I typically order for take-out though since my experience dining there has been mixed due to the noise levels at dinner time.. it gets a bit too loud in there for me on some nights. For take-out and dining in experiences, their service has been excellent too! read more

Dive right into the festive atmosphere at playa azul. This great mexican restaurant serves up fresh seafood dishes and delicious mexican drinks at reasonable prices. Peruse the extensive menu while you gorge on delicious (free!) chips an salsa and slurp an MGD served in a frosty mug. Like the tables, the walls are all painted blue, bringing you the sunny pleasures of the playa, without getting that annoying sand in your margarita. The large tables in the center of the restaurant form its core, and most nights you will hear the table bubbling with the welcoming din of a family gathering. Such familial sensations are sure to rub off on you and help create a great dining experience. As far as the food: ALWAYS get the shrimp cocktail and any of the cream soups of the day. NEVER get the "dinner for 2" (like 35 dollars) for what amounts to a mountain of fried crap. The carne asada is pretty good. If you get a baked potato as a side for the dinner, it comes stuffed with cheddar cheese and sour cream (sinfully delicious if you like that stuff). Don't be afraid to try any of the seafoods...I havent had them all, but so far they have been good. The margaritas are also quite good, however they are pricey (around 5 dollars). But hey, you're on vacation! Buen provecho! read more

Parking sucks on a friday night, but thats a given for this area in the mission (bernal heights)... but the food definitely made up for it. This place ruled. However as others mentioned, super kick ass but hecka loud mariachi band up in your face during what hopes to be a peaceful cute dinner, turns out to be not so cute. But if you are planning on going with a group of friends make the trip out on a friday and party with the band and order a few cocktails! read more

Casual place but love the authentic style ..love their ceviche, sopa de mariscos n more..plus the mariacchi band is so fun!!

Ordered a medium done carne Asada . Received a piece of meat that was well done with various small areas that weren't even cooked. The rice... So crunchy... But that's not what I look for . The beans ... It's like they used a powder mix of mashed potatoes instead of using the real thing. The waiter forgot our waters not once but twice , and when she did come back ... She only brought two ( keep in mind , I was accompanied by four other guests) .So we had to call her over a third time for her to complete the order of waters .must admit paying for the mariachi to come should be the only fee . The food should be free instead of so overpriced. Who pays almost 3 bucks for beans ? And 6 bucks for guacamole ? Not me!!! But their salt was good . And their other hostess was pretty ! read more

Found this place on a fluke and never disappointed. Strong margaritas and fresh seafood choices at a reasonable price.

A truly great "osteoneria" with the best "Vuelve a la Vida" (come-back-to-life), a sea food cocktail with shrimp, prawns, oysters and octopus. It is to die for and vastly superior to anything sea food cocktail in North Beach -and a heck of a lot less expensive. read more

I don't even feel right leaving 1 star. Food was not good. The Shrimp Cocktail tastes like water, shrimp and Lot's, and I mean lots of KETCHUP! It took quite a bit of modifying to fix it. Service was HORRIBLE!! it was by far, the worst service I have ever received by any establishment. I will never be coming here again! read more

Their service was good & friendly. The food was plentiful but not very tasty, however it has good prices for the quantity. I loved the Mariachi atmosphere, a nice touch for a healthy evening out in entertainment. So I give it only 3 because the food wasn't tasty, but for everything else, I recommend it. read more

Tortillas, stale! Salsa, okay. Fried Tilapia dried and disgusting. Not worth every cents! Blah!

Frozen mango, strawberry, pineapple, or classic lime margaritas! Seafood nachos! Shrimp cocktails! All right up my alley! Ole'!