A 10/10 experience. Mr. Emilio is an excellent instructor: very punctual, honest, and incredibly patient when teaching. Plus, he trains you on the actual DMV test routes, which really helps build confidence for the exam. Highly recommended. read more

I had an amazing experience with Yancarlos and passed my first behind the wheel test with him! I'm new to the US and have a license from another country, but wanted to have a couple of classes before attending a test since some rules are different here and I needed to get used to it. Yancarlos explained all the rules thoroughly, took me to the test area to drive around to make sure I understand the possible errors and prepared me in every possible way. He's also great to talk to, and it was great to spend the test day with him while waiting in the Daly City DMV line. Highly recommend to all drivers, novice and experienced alike. read more

Very impressed with Riva Davia driving school. My daughter just finished her 3rd and final driving lesson with them and immediately passed her DMV license test. The instructors were really helpful in her journey. Some points I found particularly impressive: 1) they took her on the highway for the first time, this felt safest for us all (having someone who could take over if needed at high speeds!) 2) on one occasion they pulled over and instructor drew on paper how and where to begin a turn in an intersection. this visual demo really stuck with her and was helpful. 3) on her last lesson, they drove to the DMV test to get test day specific help including where to go, what roads they might be driving on, what are some areas others often get tripped up. there were other examples of really helpful lessons but I cannot remember. I also liked that this company in particular was incredibly easy to book an appointment with! others I found were booked out too far in advance. they also always showed up on time and used the full lesson time. All in all, I highly recommend! read more

I took driving lessons with Yancarlos and highly recommend him as an instructor. He is cautious, patient, and calm - exactly what you want in a driving teacher. Yancarlos is very attentive to road conditions and never misses a detail, providing valuable tips that helped me become a better driver. I also appreciated that the vehicle used for the lessons was a recent Lexus. Thanks to his excellent lessons, I passed my behind-the-wheel test at the San Francisco DMV on the first try. read more

This is an outstanding school. My son took the teen driving lessons years ago. We have a manual car. My daughter kept putting off learning because she wasn't happy learning on manual. I thought if I gave her time she'd come around. She did not. We returned here and I booked 6 lessons and the behind the wheel test, which was today. The DMV in Daly City was a complete mess today and a 2:40 appointment ended up being a 4:45 test. She passed! Thanks to Javier.He's a fantastic instructor. You can't go wrong booking here. They offer on line booking which makes things very easy. Thank you so much to everyone at Rivadavia. read more

I took driving lessons with Yancarlos and passed my driving test today! I was starting from scratch, I didn't know anything about driving except from video games. My first lesson was very difficult, I was very nervous and panicked. Yancarlos is like a warm, calm friend. He would always have fast reaction time if I was doing something dangerous, but most importantly he helped me deal with the psychological aspect of driving, not just the physical one. In that respect, he is almost like a counselor. After four lessons I wasn't feeling very confident so I took four more. I think it clicked for me around lesson 6. We took a wrong exit on the freeway, and Yancarlos made the best of that situation and had me drive around all the freeways in the Bay Area. We drove in beautiful Half Moon Bay, played Country Roads and his favorite artist Angelina Jordan. It showed me that driving could be fun and relaxing, I didn't need to panic so much. Yancarlos' aphorisms (like "always see the big picture", "don't try to find something in your mirrors that doesn't exist") will always replay in my head when I'm driving. I feel jealous of his future students who will get drive with him. Thanks so much Yancarlos!! read more

I took a few driving lessons with Javier before my dmv test. He was a very good instructor and very patient! He was always super attentive and really instilled safe driving habits. I learned a lot from the 3 lessons I had with him and I passed my driving test successfully on the first try. I highly recommend this driving school and I will also recommend it to other friends too. read more

100% recommend lessons with this school, I personally had all my lessons with Yan Carlos. Driving with Yan Carlos is like driving with a friend, in that it is very low stress but also he is very alert and knowledgeable of the rules of the road. Yan Carlos also does not unnecessarily interfere with the wheel nor his pedals which is great because it makes me feel like I'm actually driving. When there needs to be an intervention, it is always calm and explained so I understand where I went wrong. I passed my exam first try and had a great time learning, they prep you fully for the exam too on all possible routes. read more

I wholeheartedly recommend Rivadavia Driving School! My instructor, Mr. Lopez, was friendly, patient, and helpful. He shows up on time and teaches you all aspect of driving skills from simple parking to driving on highways and freeways. Someone like me with no prior knowledge and experience was able to learn and pass the driving test in a month's time. It took me 15 lessons but that was because I don't have access to another vehicle to practice outside of lessons. If you do, you will be ready in a shorter time. Rivadavia Driving School also has effective and reliable customer service. You can book lessons on their website and they are very flexible on payment options. You can pay in cash, check, or debit/credit card. If you have any question, you can contact them through email and they will usually reply within the same day. Consider choosing Rivadavia. They are worthy of your business and your time! (This review is the same on Google. I also posted here because they deserve the praise.) read more

Excellent driving school. It wasn't easy for me! I failed the behind the wheels test 2 times, before I met Yancarlos. Yancarlos is extremely patient and knowledgeable and prepares you for success. Indeed, after I met Rivadavia driving school and I took a series of lessons with Yancarlos, I finally pass the behind the wheels test. Rivadavia goes above and beyond the need and the goals of their students, I highly recommend to everyone. read more

I took 8 lessons with Yan Carlos and passed the DMV test in SF on my first try. I had some driving experience in another country, but overall I've always been an anxious driver. Yan Carlos was incredibly calm and helped a ton with my driving anxiety. He made sure to bring me to different unfamiliar areas for every lesson to make sure I got the experience I needed to drive safely beyond the DMV test. He also rarely took control of the vehicle unless absolutely needed -- this allowed me to really build my confidence and learn in a safe, controlled environment. Would highly recommend taking lessons here! read more

I would highly recommend this driving school! My instructor Yancarlos was extremely professional and made the learning environment very comfortable. With his great teaching experience, I was able to pass the driving test on my first try. 10/10 read more

I took 9 lessons with Rivadavia Driving School. Thanks to their excellent instructors, I passed the DMV behind the road test on my first try! I am a 27-year-old who grew up in SF, then moved to NYC before returning to SF. I never saw a need to get a license until this year. I took 7 lessons with Yancarlos, and 2 with Javier. Before starting at Rivadavia, I tried one lesson with a different company, but I didn't feel safe with the instructor. As soon as I switched to working with Rivadavia, I felt safe, and with every lesson, increasingly confident behind the wheel. The instructors are patient, kind, supportive, communicative, and committed to teaching safe and defensive driving in the city. The DMV test was exactly as we had practiced, and I felt confident and prepared due to my hours of lessons. I could tell that the DMV examiner felt safe and comfortable with me behind the wheel. At the end, he even asked me if I had ever had a license before. Thank you so much Yancarlos and Javier! read more

Great driving school on many levels. I took one class with Emilio and then scheduling didn't work out so continued with Yancarlos. Both excellent instructors. Yancarlos was patient and gave great instructions, paynig attention to areas of improvement and making sure I got a lot of practice with those areas. I passed the road test on the first try. Lilly, who manages the scheduling and customer service, is also fantastic. Super responsive, kind, communicative. I had to do a few reschedules because of illness in the family, and she was always very helpful and responsive. 10/10 recommend! read more

Yancarlos was an amazing instructor. My 18 year old passed on the first try. Highly recommend. Scheduling and everything else with the office was very smooth -- the office staff is awesome too! read more

I have several classes with Javier and it was extremely helpful! He was super patient and informative. He also made sure to work on the areas I was struggling with. I was super anxious about driving and taking the test, and working with Javier helped alleviate those concerns. All of his help is what ultimately led to being able to pass the test! I also wanted to add that it was super easy to work with the other staff that helped schedule appointments. They were very kind and communicative. Overall, I had a great experience. read more

Rivadavida is one of the few (if not the only?) driving schools offering driving classes in SUVs! Yancarlos was a fantastic instructor -- very patient and focusing on best practices (also, very punctual!). The vehicle itself (a Lexus) was very smooth and nice -- I believe they just purchased it earlier this year (2024). I practiced in both SF and Daly City locations (as well as 280/101) and took the test in SF DMV and passed it the first attempt :) Thank you! read more

i dont want to give any stars....HORRIBLE just HORRIBLE. My daughter has her very first lesson, tell my why the instructor has someone in the back seat. Tell me why he has her drive on the freeway on her first lesson and while on the freeway..HE WASNT PAYING ATTENTION TO HER!! HE WAS ON HIS PHONE!!! Then he has my daughter drive that prison home. I called and left messages via voicemail and email....ABSOLUTELY NO RESPONSE BACK!! This company put my daughter in danger and performed unlawful acts and didn't care. DONT TRUST THIS COMPANY!! horrible read more

Okay, so I know, another one of those people that's like, "I never write reviews!" -- But seriously, I never write reviews, I think they're oftentimes super petty, but I feel like it's important for me to just let y'all know how trash Javier's driving instruction was. I'm an adult who doesn't know how to drive. AWKWARD, right? Well, luckily 2 years ago I took a few lessons with Macarena (who honestly, is a complete and utter gem, and I *wish* I could have continued with her), and the experience with her solidified my faith in going back to lessons with Rivadavia today. Upon entering the car, Javier is completely unhelpful. No instruction of the car's elements, how to adjust things, nothing (I know little to nothing about operation of cars as of right now, and was very clear about that). When you play a video game, you expect a tutorial before right? Well, no tutorial with Javier; which is funny, because you don't get extra lives to play with IRL, which should, uhhh, make instruction of how to operate the vehicle all the more important. Fast forward to the conversation, literally non-existent. In between quietly parroting a mixture of "left", "right", "shoulder", "indication", "stop"; Javier made no attempt at like, conversation (not even to share a bit of context on complicated situations on the road). Seriously 2 hours of silence with this guy while he just repeats the same 10 phrases. I mean, we don't have to be friends, but damn.. My favorite part was Javier's complete and utter lack of description, nor pre-emptive instruction. If there's a fork with a diagonal road on the right as well as a 90 degree right-angled road and Javier says "turn right", you're gonna have to guess which one -- So don't mess up! :) He also did a really great job of directing me to make turns literally 10 feet before the turn was to occur. All (bad) jokes aside, if you're a person with any kind of anxiety about driving, Javier would only be incredibly harmful to your learning process. His aptitude for explaining the concepts of the road and vehicles are low, and his willingness to pivot to the needs of his student are non-existent. I genuinely can't believe Rivadavia could call this dude a "teacher". I lowkey felt like an Uber driver who has some super sus and quiet passenger in the backseat. One star because my interaction 2 years ago gives me hope that not all driving teachers at Rivadavia are as terrible as Javier. read more

Just took my Behind-the-Wheel test and passed it! I was super nervous, (being an adult 1st time driver ) and never thought I would actually like to drive but I actually enjoyed it. The instructors really help you build confidence and find some fun in it. I had the chance to have lessons with each of them (Yancarlos, Javier and Emilio). They each have a different way to teach you but they all make sure you become good drivers, and you don't only care about the test. I took the lessons in SF but they brought me to Daly City and the Freeway which I appreciate so I know how to drive in different circumstances. Not a small detail, the car are modern, safe and really clean. 100% would recommend. read more

Highly recommend this driving school! I took 5 lessons with Yancarlos, and passed my test on the first try! He has a patient and knowledgeable teaching style, and focused on building my confidence on the road in addition to helping me pass my test. You're in great hands :) read more

I have been dragging my feet for ahem, 35-yes, 35 years to get a drivers license. Being born & raised SF I always got around without driving. Why did I wait so long when Emilio has been in the world to help nervous drivers like me?? I'm 50, took lessons with Emilio, who is self-proclaimed "magic," which in fact is true, and I passed my test with a near-perfect score. Emilio put me at ease right away, gave me life-long driving rules to live by, and told the best and silliest jokes. We talked food, wine, travel, all while learning techniques I've never learned anywhere else. Magic is right!! He knows all the routes the DMV takes you on for the test, and so the test was "a piece of cake," as Emilio likes to say. RAVE reviews from a new & very excited driver. Why'd I wait so long? Don't wait-book with Emilio! Lastly, Lily in the main office, Emilio's "boss," couldn't have been more kind, patient, sweet & inspirational. Not enough stars to go around! THANK YOU, RIVADAVIA! read more

Cannot recommend Rivadavia driving school enough! I passed my behind the wheel driving test on my first try, and it's all thanks to the amazing driving lessons I took with Javier and Yancarlos. From the car, their covid protocols, the reservation system on their website or the awesome follow up from the front office staff if (ever) there needed to be updates to my driving class schedule, everything was flawless. Every lesson was so focused on making me a responsible, safe driver on the road with really helpful insights on what to expect on the test as well. Thank you guys! read more

Made us feel at ease, knowledgable and calm. Booked more. UK Drivers needing to understand how to drive in SF!

Totally recommend, I took a few lessons and passed the driving test on my first try! I took all my lessons with Yancarlos, he's very chill, patient and he cares that you develop good general driving skills while still preparing you for all the specifics of the test. Thank you! read more

I failed my DMV eye test so was required to take a behind-the-wheel driving test. I'm 75 and thought I knew everything. Right off the bat, Emilio disabused me of that fact. I would describe his approach as direct and no BS. He pointed out and corrected all by bad habits. I would not have passed the test without him. read more

Just passed my driving test today after 6 lessons (12 hours total) behind the wheel with Rivadavia Driving School. I got a nearly 50/50 split between Emilio and Macarena in terms of lessons taught. Both very different styles of teaching but both work, it might be worth considering when booking lessons. Emilio is very straight forward and to the point. He walked me through some basic techniques and just got me to repeat them over and over until they stuck. He was very quick to correct any mistakes I made. He also likes to sit back and just observe you driving quite a bit, especially after you've learnt the basics. Definitely gives you a deep dive into learning to drive, which works for a lot of people, especially those wanting to learn very quickly. Macarena is a lot more encouraging and supportive rather than direct. She was the one who gave me my warm up lesson and took me to my test. She'll also correct your mistakes in a calm manner then run through some basic safety questions as you drive. She'll also chat to you as you drive which helps a lot in terms of just feeling natural behind the wheel (but could be a distraction for others, worked for me). Likely the better choice if you're rather hesitant behind the wheel. So depending on how you learn direct vs. encouraging, might be worth requesting a specific teacher when arranging your lessons over the phone. I unfortunately had to cancel 4 of my 10 lessons due to a scheduling issue that came up with work. Even then, they only charged me for one of the missed lessons and didn't even push me for the money. I had to remind myself to pay it. Very thankful for them being understanding and allowing me to cancel them at such short notice. read more

I took six 2 hour lessons and the driving test package with Rivadavia. I had 4 lessons with Emilio and 2 with his daughter Macarena. Overall, my experience was positive but not without some quirks. I had never driven before taking lessons here, except for one driving lesson with another school (which happens to be run by Emilio's brother, and that I cannot recommend). Emilio is a great teacher and focuses not only on making sure you are ready for the test by taking you along the DMV route, but also makes sure that you are confident in your own driving skills. He's hilarious and I will always have his voice at the back of my head whenever I drive telling me "Check!" when crossing intersections. However, he does hijack the gas/brake pedals a bit too much. For example, instead of telling you to speed up on the freeway, he will simply accelerate himself. This can get quite annoying and really throws you off on how much pressure you need to be applying on the pedals in the car. Macarena is an incredible teacher. I loved every lesson with her. She is warm, approachable and encouraging. She drew out some helpful diagrams teaching me how to turn left and right and really points out the things you need to improve upon. She also lets you drive without hijacking the controls, except in the case of emergencies. If I had to redo everything, I would take all my lessons with Macarena! Before the test, Emilio had me practice the SF DMV route a couple of times and also drove the route himself, while giving me pointers on the things I should look out for, which was extremely helpful. Lessons here are quite pricey, at $180 for a 2 hour lesson and $360 for the driving test. I suppose it is a once in a lifetime cost you have to incur, but there are definitely cheaper ways to do it, as I ended up spending nearly $1500 here. read more

I found this school on Yelp and decided to do business with them since they have such good reviews! I don't usually do bad reviews, the only reason I am doing this one is to prevent others from having an experience same as mine. While they have a good website to make a class reservation, you need to call them to make cancellations/refund and book them for 'Driving test day service' (wherein they assist you on the day of the test). They NEVER answer calls or emails(even on their said working hours). Even if you leave a message, you never know when they will call back which made it really difficult for me to plan my classes and book my test with the DMV. I took one class with them, which was fine. The instructor suggested I take two more classes before taking the DMV test which was a NIGHTMARE to book and plan with their poor management. I have finally decided not to do business with them. I would have liked the continuity with the same instructor, but now I have look for a new school/instructor and start all over again. Seems like they are TOO BUSY for you. read more

Javier was a great instructor, I took 4 classes plus the DMV test in their car and I passed on my first try. I really felt confident from the get go knowing he could control the brake from the passenger side if needed, I think that gave me the confidence I needed. He's encouraging and corrects your mistakes but in a friendly manner and that makes the whole difference in the world! I'd recommend Rivadavia driving school wholeheartedly! read more

A bit pricey, but I had a great instructor Yancarlos, he really went above and beyond to try to teach me all these small details in driving, Also going over all the exam roots and different approaches that they examiner would do. read more

Took several lessons with YanCarlos and just got my license! He's such a great instructor and I highly recommend booking with him! I had a ton of driving anxiety and he was always super patient and encouraging. When I didn't understand something he explained things multiple ways- verbally, drawing a sketch, using toy cars, and showing me by taking the wheel for a minute. My nerves were my biggest challenge and he coached me through becoming more confident in my abilities. read more

I just passed the behind-the-wheel test at the Fell St. DMV yesterday! I (obviously) had no critical errors, missed none of the items on the pre-drive checklist and made only 2 mistakes out of the allowed 15 minor errors! Pricing: Yes. They are pricy. However, the services were worth every single penny! I paid significantly less with another school initially and it ended up being more expensive because I didn't get what I got out of the lessons that I took with Rivadavia DS. Essentially I threw money away. Had I started with Rivadavia, I would have needed fewer lessons in the first place. With the services that I received and considering how well I did in a few lessons with them, it is worth the investment!!! Professionalism/Demeanor: There is a scheduler, Lil. She is super sweet and organized! I appreciated how she followed up with me and reminded me of upcoming appointments. Emilio is great too! I only had one session with him but he makes driving feel very easy and he is very easy-going, so you feel very comfortable. If you make a mistake, he doesn't get excited, angry or upset. He has clearly done this a looooooong time! He drove with me one time and estimated that I only needed about 2-3 more lessons. He is good about assessing skills pretty much right off the bat. I had most of my lessons with Macarena. I absolutely loved her! She is so calm and she channels that. She encourages you to tap into your internal resources because at the end of the day, it will be up to you to pass and you will need to be able to access ways to stay grounded. She too is very easy going and yet firm about errors made. I really appreciated that! It helped me make them less and less often but also made me aware of when I was making them. Macarena is also really great at assessing your skills pretty early on. The vehicle: There were two that I drove. One was an Acura and the other was a Lexus. Not gonna lie- I thoroughly enjoyed driving the Lexus!!! That is a fun luxury car to practice driving in ;)! The Acura was fun too but ooooh the Lexus!!! I shall miss her... Misc/Closing: Though I found Rivadavia Driving School later than I wish I had, I am truly grateful for my experience. Again, I had most of my lessons with Macarena and I had one with Emilio but BOTH instructors are great and I highly recommend either of them! However, if you are a brand new driver, practicing for the test, and/or a really nervous driver the way I am, I suggest having only one instructor. The consistency from learning from one person and in the same car each lesson was really helpful for me. If you are looking to brush up on driving skills or learning to drive in SF and are fine with driving in general, it would be fine to schedule as you and the instructors are available. **Macarena y Emilio, Muchas gracias a los dos por todo!!! -Desiree read more

Rivadavia Driving School - Driving Schools Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great school -- can't recommend them enough. The entire staff was always responsive and pleasant to talk to. Yancarlos was my instructor; I both took couple lessons and went to the DVM with him on the test day. He was a great instructor. His suggestions were always helpful, he never made me feel bad when I made a mistake and was very helpful with common gotchas on the test. I passed my test on the first try with flying colors. Great school and great instructor. read more

I have been fortunate to learn to drive as an adult driver with Emilio, owner of Rivadavia Driving school. Great teacher with immense professionalism and dedication to his customers. Emilio is focused on not only teaching and preparing you for the driving exam, but sharing tips and knowledge on how to be a good driver in general, and ensuring you feel safe at all times on your way to your goal. Highly recommended. I have passed my driving exam from first attempt. The booking was simple, and very accommodating at two instances when I needed to postpone/cancel my class due to work obligations. read more

These people have been unbelievable in their responses to my review. I reviewed the right business with an honest review of our experience and I keep getting messages from them telling me I'm wrong. Beyond frustrating and I'm so glad we left after one lesson. Very unprofessional and receiving messages telling me why we are wrong and that we are lying is beyond belief. So unimpressed. Instead of taking the feedback and adapting their practices or reflecting on how they could ease student fears, they spend time sending public and private messages to former customers about why their customers are wrong to feel the way they do. Maybe say "how could we improve" but instead they just kept telling us we are wrong and lying. Unbelievable. read more

I am very grateful to have found Rivadavia Driving School. Don Emilio has been a mentor since minute one. Never did I think that at my age (30) and as a beginner I would be passing my DMV test in less than 2 months. He helped me develop a lot of confidence and excellent driving skills. Such is the case that the day after I passed, I went to a dealer, bought my own car and drove 26 miles back home. When I drive alone I still imagine he's next to me telling me "look at the destination". Again, don't hesitate if you're a beginner. Rivadavia IS the place to learn. Also thanks to Macarena for that one class. read more

What an amazing ride (no pun intended)! I have to say that I never thought I would drive let alone in San Francisco. I'm a city girl-born and raised in SF. Never felt the need to drive as I take public transportation all the time. Things change. Being a late bloomer, my fears about driving became overwhelming. I thought to myself, "You'll never get over your fear therefore, you'll never drive." I took the first step and took the written test (note: I am a bad test taker...and so the pressure was on). I passed and then the second step: let your husband teach you to drive or leave it to a professional. I chose the professional (mind you, my husband is good driver--but I know he'd put too much pressure on me--a nervous driver doesn't need that). I called this school because of all the wonderful reviews I read..and it was the best decision I made. I worked with Emilio and he was VERY PATIENT. My first lesson with him, I was a nervous wreck-white knuckling the steering wheel, unsure of myself and low confidence. He kept his cool and tried to make me feel comfortable with his sense of humor and for the first time, I drove...and in the city. Each time I worked with him, my confidence got better and so did my driving. He would always remind me of his tips, make sure I was creating good habits and that everything was going to be okay. After 10 lessons, it was time to take my driving test (this was yesterday). Everything I had worked hard for to get to this point--I did my best to remember all the helpful tips Emilio taught me. We had two hours before the test to practice and calm my nerves. I was nervous and Emilio would tell me that I was going to be okay. My turn finally came...and I passed the test! I couldn't believe it! I am relieved and excited...but to be honest, it was never about the license...it was more about making sure I was a safe and confident driver...knowing how to drive well. Even with passing the test..I still want to continue to build my skills and confidence BUT I really couldn't have done it without the confidence and patience of Emilio. Thank you so much and call this place if you want to drive well and learn from the best! read more

If your a nervous or anxious driver, Emilio is really great at being a calming and supportive teacher. He isn't too chatty, has a good sense of humor and is serious about teaching new or soon-to-be licensed drivers safe driving skills. Originally I was using another driving instructor with a lower fee, however I didn't feel relaxed enough during the lessons and found myself more anxious about driving. I looked on Google for a random search of driving schools and found Rivadavia Driving School. Skimming the reviews I notice two common themes, great with nervous drivers and a lot of reviewers passed the driving test on their first try. I made a appointment and found the reviews to be true, I felt relaxed and confident with Emilio and though I did get a bit nervous on before and during the test, I passed the driving test on my first try at the San Francisco DMV. I feel my money was well spent and more confident of my driving skills. Few points to mention: He is one of the higher end fees ($120 per lesson) and requires a 48 hour notice of cancellation for an appointment otherwise you need to pay for the lesson. So make sure you have your appointments on the right time and date and to be committed to keep them. They are very serious about their work. Rivadavia Driving School won't schedule a driving test with you unless they feel you are ready for it. They promote safe driving skills, so they will evaluate you on your first appointment and let you know how many lessons needed till they deem you're ready. If you're timid behind the wheel or afraid to drive in a city like San Francisco, call Emilio for a lesson and he'll show you the ins and outs of the road. read more

I took 7 lessons with Emilio. I had a really nice time, he is a good and patient teacher, has fun conversation and care about the student becoming a good driver, not just passing the test. I had zero experience and now gained enough confidence to drive in the city and on the highway. read more