I was on the search for a good Caldo de Res and I happened to come across El Tomate. It is hands down one of the BEST beef soups I've had in San Francisco. The broth is rich and full of flavor. There is a good amount of tender beef that isn't riddled with fat or gristle. The vegetables are tender but NOT mushy. It is absolutely delicious. I came back the next day and wanted to try their other items. I got a carne asada sopes, crispy taco and a side of rice and beans. Amazing! The masa base on the sopes had good structure to hold all the savory ingredients. The crispy taco stayed perfectly crispy and filled with tender, flavorful steak. Their rice, beans and salsa must not go unnoticed. Incredibly FLAVORFUL and all have wonderful texture. Rice is moist but not sticky, the refried beans are smooth but not runny or dry and the salsa is so tasty. Perfecto!! I highly recommend this sweet spot for authentic, delicious and well-prepared Mexican eats!! read more

I came to El Tomate as part of last year's Taste of the Mission Week (TotMW). It was toward the end of my week, and I had been doing a fairly good job of sticking to my sampling rather than blowing off a lot of it like I often do. (I definitely did this year.) Maybe it was because this was the first TotMW after moving out of the Mission, but I was kind of emotional all week. When I walked in, I don't know why I expected to be welcomed or acknowledged with a smile, so it made me a little bit sad how sheepishly the woman working approached me. I told her, "Table for one," or "It's just me," but she seemed not to understand me. "Solo uno para aqui," I finally said in my mangled Spanish, and she pointed to a booth and went to grab a menu. She was unusually bad at pretending she understood English. I'm used to going places and being the only gringo. I'm also used to being greeted in the most heavily accented English before I utter a word when everyone else gets Spanish. That's fine. I'm also used to being treated more briskly than others. But usually, people at least try to speak English. Or they pretend they understand more than they do. Or they're happily confident. Or confidently happy. Or they apologize profusely. This woman was and did none of those things, and even when I was ordering with a menu in my hands and was pointing directly at what I wanted, she was having trouble asking follow-up questions and even acknowledging what I had said. Again, I understand that she didn't speak English, and I understand that I was on 24th Street and that probably 90 percent of the people who eat at El Tomate speak Spanish. But it got ridiculous, especially with her standing at the counter and watching me, as if she was afraid to be in the same room with me. When she brought out my food, I asked for water in Spanish, and she kept looking at me strangely until I asked in English, and then she repeated it in Spanish. (I don't have the best Spanish accent, but it's better than the non-native speakers who actually speak Spanish but don't even try to sound like they're not speaking English.) The food was fine. I honestly don't remember what I had. It was probably three stars. Not long after I started eating, a group of four came in, and the woman smiled and started chatting with one of the women in the group. They clearly knew each other, so it didn't make me jealous, but she also kept looking over at me while talking to this new woman, and the group of four went on to have a very loud and slightly entertaining Spanglish conversation that I understood probably 59 percent of. The server was all over this group of four, refilling their water many more times than she did mine, talking to them, even bringing them their bill before she brought mine, despite the fact that they were still eating and she had already taken away my plates and utensils. When I sat down, one other man had just finished his breakfast, and he soon left. So in the maybe thirty total minutes I spent here, there were three parties, a total of six people. She wasn't taking or preparing phone orders or on her phone or busy with side work or busy with anything. It was a surreal, uncomfortable experience. I won't be back. read more

A very locals vibes. Conveniently located a few blocks from Brava Theatre. Really big portions for the price! Carne Asada Sinaloa: Pretty large piece of steak! Like it's overflowing from the side of the plate. Thinly pounded and well marinated. I especially liked the grilled onions and grilled jalapeño paired with it. The cheese enchilada was just alright though. Wasn't saucy enough for my tastes. Mar y Tierra: This is the superior steak combo. Quite a few big plump shrimp that are nicely marinated. Definitely better than getting the enchilada (Sinaloa). Carne Asada Quesadilla: This was jam packed with steak! Cheese too, but more steak. And the steak was nicely marinated and delicious. Though I didn't appreciate a few patches of gristle. When it's hidden inside a quesadilla, it's just an unpleasant chew that you spit out. On a regular steak, you can just cut around it. Wish they had trimmed that off. read more

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Food is good but it is the same as the one next door which is Espiga de Oro. The service is pretty much the same as all other Mexican restaurants. Their location is a little run down, but you can order cocktails here. For better ambiance, I would go to other neighborhood bars. read more

I ordered a Sopa Siete Mares on the menu the price is 23.95 when I went to cashier it was $27.15 incuding tax and they would not honor the menu it was only a couple of dollars more but it's the principal what happened to customer service? I did not but it. read more

I was there a few days ago and the food was good but the service was not good. The server took for ever to come to our table so we don't recommend this restaurant read more

$8 burrito special in the city??? Impossible I was on my way over to El Farolito when I walked by this place and decided to look at the reviews. Sure enough people gave praise, so I decided to get a burrito special. The Carnitas was amazing, very large chunks of pork. It was so tender that you can pull it apart with your fingers, keep in mind this is not a super burrito (no guacamole, sour cream etc) but still very satisfying As for the lack of photo, I devoured the burrito before I could take a picture! read more

We tried a bunch of different things. I really liked the crispy tacos. Quesobirria was underwhelming.

What a pleasant surprise! This is an unassuming, unpretentious restaurants, in a part of san francisco with plenty of hipster joints. There aren't a lot of people there, and not a lot of gringos, even better. Its easy to just walk past it, and the giant popcorn machine sized machine of chicarrones next door. When you go in, looks like a diner. The menu is the perfect range of classic mexican and texmex options. Get the fajitas! They come sizzling hot and come with all of the sides you desire. Delicious. Huge portions and good value by san francisco standards. read more

El Tomate Restaurant - Fajitas! - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

wow, I love this place! I'm a regular at my favorite Taqueria next door called La Espiga de Oro. (I go there at least once a week for my super burrito carne asada and chicharron). some of the staff in the kitchen wearing the El Tomate shirt (uniform), but I didn't really pay much attention to that. every week, I kept seeing different person wearing the same said shirt and I got curious .. this afternoon I decided before getting my burrito at La Espiga de Oro, I would stop by and having lunch here. so I did. this place is cozy and homey. so inviting and feel so right. I sat down on one of those comfy booth by the window and started looking at the menu. not too big of a menu, but it feels like something that was written in honest. no gimmick, just real down to earth home cooking. and friendly prices too. I ordered Menudo Chiapas. the stew was delightful, the portion was great, the flavor and the tortillas were hot and came at me in full loving embrace like a beautiful Mexican lady inviting me to have dinner with her parents. I promised her, I will always be by her side. read more

So happy to know that El Tomate survived the Covid shut downs! We popped in for a lunch of menudo and icy cold beers. Absolutely delicious! The broth is so smooth and richly flavored, and meats succulent. It's a salty meal, but delicious for a treat. It definitely helps to speak Spanish or use a translation app,. We will certainly be back! read more

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They are never open when they say they are. I've called always before 2 pm on my lunch break and drive by and they are never open until after 2 or 3 pm. Never in time for lunch time, only dinner. read more

El Tomate Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Ah! Chihuahua...El Tomate is a brand new place run by the family who owns La Espiga De Oro, the tamaleria and Mexican deli on the same block of 24th. Jamie W. and I decided to come here after a particularly strenuous workout at the gym. OK, it wasn't particularly strenuous, but there was a sweat stain on the back of my T-shirt. See? Right there. No...there. Clearly such activity would make the mere sedentary ravenous and indeed it did for me. I threw culinary caution to the wind and decided to guide us there for some down-home Mexican dishes big on fresh ingredients and full flavor. By the Mission's standards, it's an unusually sedate sit-down place with a menu full of temptations targeted to gluttons like myself. Brush up on your high school Spanish because the menu isn't in English. Things started well with fresh, warm tortilla chips served in a little, Cost Plus-style basket along with a fresh, kicky tomato-based salsa and a more creamy, calorific dip that looked like chicken spread and chopped carrots mixed with sour cream (see photo). I didn't care because it was good stuff and well, the serving bowl was small. Because we are admitted penny-pinchers, we took full advantage of our Yelp check-in and ordered a free appetizer, the Nachos Supremos (normally $7.99), which was quite a plateful of tastiness with melted cheese, refried black beans, red peppers, tomatoes, jalapenos, a dollop of sour cream, and a big scoop of fresh guacamole covering a pile of warm, crunchy tortilla chips that were far thicker than your average Chevy's creation (see photo). For our shared entrees, we first went for the $11.99 Pollo Mexicano, a saucy confection with diced chicken breast sauteed in butter with onions in a special red sauce accompanied by rice, guacamole and tomatoes (see photo). Accompanied by a stack of their thick flour tortillas, nicely charred (see photo), it was quite delicious in a home-style way and also a good alternative use for the chips leftover from the nachos plate. But our favorite was the robust $9.99 El Tomate Salad, a thing of beauty as it had refried beans, cheese, pork, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and cream all piled high on one of their homemade deep-fried flour tortillas (see photo). It finally struck us after all our gluttony that fresh, handmade tortillas are their specialty because neither of us had quite had such substantive tortillas before. So much for our workout. FOOD - 4 stars...obviously homemade goodness with their fresh tortillas the standout, hefty portions for the indiscriminate AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...low-key and a nice change-of-pace from other eateries in the area SERVICE - 3.5 stars...the waitress treated us pretty well TOTAL - 4 stars...the fresh Mexican dishes will bring us back, especially those tortillas...ah, the carbs read more

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Tried out El Tomate Restaurant in the Mission because of the SF Weekly ad for Enchilada Mole for $5.99, regular $9.99. Took 24th Bart & walked the 7-8 blocks to the restaurant. There was only one other table filled, rest of the small restaurant was empty on Sunday 12/30 around 1:30pm, not a good sign. Other restaurants like Wise Son Deli was packed, so was El Farilito. FREE chips & salsa given, but I didn't eat the chips. Got my Enchilada Mole $5.99 - it was two chicken enchilada with some mole sauce on the top, sour cream on top too. Side of rice & refried beans. It was barely warm, didn't taste that good, pretty bland, nothing special about it. Rice was kinda hard, beans average. They take credit cards. One unisex bathroom available. read more

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Love their chips n salsa and their enchiladas! Why I was here // I was craving some authentic Mexican food so my bf and I decided to stroll through Mission and we stumbled upon this gem. Service // Service is friendly, there was only one waitress so it seemed a bit short staffed. Lots of waiting, which is not terrible but I was also slightly hung over and pretty tired from the day. Atmosphere // homely, casual, warm and welcoming. Food // Amazing and delicious food and drink! -Drink // Jamaica // 4.00 // not overly sweet and has a slight tartness, love the color (my only irk, was that our waitress spilled some on the table and didn't wipe it up for us. When I asked for some napkins she only gave 1 napkin each....) -Complimentary chips and salsa // super bomb! The chips were sooo good and the salsa has a kick! -Enchiladas rancheras // 12.00 // I enjoyed this very much! 2 chicken filled enchiladas with a yummy house-made red sauce and served with beans and rice...ooooo yummm! -My bf got a mole chicken plate and I had a bit! The mole sauce is smoky and has notes of cinnamon? Nonetheless, also a hit for my bf. Overall // pretty solid place for Mexican food read more

Um... I meant to take a pic but was si hungry, this is all that is left of my Chile verde. Oops. It was to die fir, btw. read more

El Tomate Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

I AM OBSESSED with El Tomate and am so glad they re-opened after their fire. El Tomate is down-to-earth, delicious, family-made food and honestly, I wish I could eat it all of the time without negative repercussions to my health and bank account. Upon being sat, you are greeted with WARM, fresh tortilla chips and great salsa. This stuff is seriously addictive and it is so hard to not get seconds and thirds thus ruining your appetizer for the main event. The menu at El Tomate is pretty big and has a nice selection of different kinds of meats/fish and salads. This place does have tacos and a burrito of two but this is definitely more of a restaurant and less of a taqueria than some of the neighboring joints. I have sampled a bit of their menu including their Fajita Salad, Mole, Chicken Nachos and straight Fajitas and it all has been AMAZING and so reasonably priced. I seriously need to be rolled out after a meal here since I just want to eat everything. On a recent visit, the table next to us all ordered a whole fried fish and I definitely need to check this out next time since it seemed so fresh and delicious. One of the best part of El Tomate is the value of their meals. I didn't see many things on the menu over $15 and nothing over $20, not that I was inspecting carefully. They have very reasonably priced beer and last time I was here, they were advertising Margaritas which I didn't realized they serve and now may have to try them. Everything I have had at El Tomate is seriously some of the best Mexican food I have ever had in SF. The atmosphere is really welcoming and I always enjoy a trip here. I would recommend ANYONE to try here if they want a down-to-earth, no fuss dining experience. That being said, I selfishly hope it doesn't become packed so that there is no wait ;) read more

El Tomate Restaurant - Chicken Fajitas + Chips and Salsa - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Hidden gem! I suppose since El Tomate doesn't sell margaritas with techno music blasting, it's like a repellant for those who just wanna eat some Mexican food in between shots of tequila. That's nice for us, because El Tomate is delicious! We passed by El Tomate over a dozen times, and it was like it was invisible. We'd be looking for food on 24th, and we always walked past it without a glance. One day, like an el tomate in our face, we saw it. And we tried it. This is by far one of my favorite sit-down Mexican places in the city. First off, the chips are amazing. I don't know what they do to it but you just can't stop. Thick pieces of tortillas and not greasy. Clearly they make them there in-house. Must get: the carne asada with one cheese enchilada platter they have there. Their carne asada is cooked perfectly with a wonderful spicy sauce on top... not too much, just a little. The cheese enchilada helps to tone down the spiciness of the sauce. Despite this, there are a couple of misses at El Tomate. I got the pozole and it was just okay - it could had been more flavorful. Also their Chile Relleno ...the chile is a little under cooked.... but everything else about the chile relleno is delicious - the batter and sauce, cheese... Definitely authentic with Mexican families in attendance, smattered with other folk like us.... people of all backgrounds who like good food. The service is very friendly and I love the diner-esque atmosphere. Even though they don't have margaritas, they have good beer,- usually you can get a Sierra Nevada or Anchor Steam which rounds out one of our favorites for a quick weeknight dinner. read more

This has become our local spot! The food is one of the best Mexican food on 24th street. It's like going into a friends kitchen, it's casual, friendly and cozy. Maria, our server almost every time is the bomb! She's got great recommendations and she's super friendly. I recommend the beef soup and the carne asada. The soup is similar to how my Filipino grandma used to make her stew and the carne asada has an amazing flavor. read more

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We had a leisurely Saturday morning lunch here. There was no wait, the food was delicious, and the service was pleasant. My husband enjoyed his chilaquiles with green sauce, and I liked my enchiladas de mole. The complimentary chips and salsa were tasty too. The food took a while to come out, but aside from that, the service was polite, attentive, and friendly. We loved the fact there was no crazy line or wait. Good spot! read more

Ordered via Grubhub, mainly because of a short 30 min delivery time. After 30 mins the food was not finished or picked up, let alone delivered. I'm sick of these restaurants putting fake delivery times into the delivery apps, when they know it's going to take twice as long. Also, it shouldn't take an hour to get a quesadilla from 8 blocks away. I'm sure the food is fine, but do better with your delivery, guys. read more

A wonderful new spot for fresh and tasty Mexican food in the mission. We've tried a number of things on the menu and most have been awesome. I'm a big fan of the Grilled Chicken Chimichanga and my boyfriend loves the grilled beef entree. They also serve a mean whole fish. Of course they also have homemade chips and salsa with every meal. The only thing we haven't loved here was the huevos rancheros, but I don't know that we're huge fans of that dish generally, so I'm not going to fault them for that. read more

El Tomate Restaurant - Business hours as of Mar 3, 2013. Note that they close most nights at 8pm, not 9. - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place is great! I've been to a few of the popular Mexican places in the mission and I was never that impressed, but this place is great! I ordered the Carne Asada and the nachos, both really good. I was definitely surprised by how good the Carne Asada, rice and beans and guacamole was. i'm definitely going back! read more

El Tomate Restaurant - Carne asada, so good! - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Accessibility (Parking / Wait Time) 1/1 Star: parking can take a while to find. No wait to get a table. _____ Service (Waiter / Cleanness / Ambiance) 1/1 Star: great service. Clean. Simple Ambiance. There is a TV. _____ Taste (0=Not Edible / 1=Edible / 2=Good (average) / 3=Must Try!) 2/3 Stars: food here is good! The carne asada items come with strips of beef, not just small diced pieces. The Chili Verde is really good! _____ Overall Experience 4/5 Stars _____ Last Words There is a Spanish menu and an English menu. read more

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This is a hidden gem! Clean, authentic homemade Mexican food. They have a little bar and a weekly grilled chicken special that is on point. I also tried their mole enchiladas which were delicious and with all the works - beans and rice plus the red onions added a nice touch. I am definitely coming back read more

I love this place. This is my hangover joint. I always get the seafood soup. Service is a bit inefficient and slow but very friendly... that's not unusual....It's a very chill place with mostly Latinos, so I imagine quite authentic..the servers and clients are all super nice. They make eye contact, say hi to you and smile if you look at them...just like people I encounter in Latin America...Last time I went two successive group of people at the same tables said hi to me and wished me well when they left after their meal..yeah...it sorta took that look for me to wait for my seafood soup...but it's always well worth it. Don't EVER get it to go, it's a complete waste because the seafood gets overcooked...EAT IT THERE! And don't be in a rush...cuz they are gonna make you wait...hahaha. =) read more

Delicious and decently priced! Came in around 2pm and it was empty (which can be a bad sign) but I heard it was a good spot so we tried it anyhow. Chilaquiles Verde were amazing. Homemade tortillas and chips are always an added plus. Will be returning. read more

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No stars, I Ordered food and they brought everyone else at my table their meals beside mine. After waiting for 20 minutes, I went to tell the waitress that my food was missing. Once I re-ordered, she got my order down but I wasn't correct. I explained to her that that wasn't what I ordered and she got upset and started yelling at me. I am 5 months pregnant and the only reason I came here was because I was light headed. There was terrible service here from everyone else on the staff. And the only thing that I got out of this was bad service and a head ache. Do not come here. read more

Tonight I tried this recently opened restaurant that is apparently owned by the same people who run La Espiga de Oro just down the street. I had the fish tacos which are usually a good barometer of a Mexican restaurant for me. They were a bit different than ones I've usually had in the neighborhood, but fortunately not battered with just the right mix of sauce, tomatoes and lettuce. The beans had an interesting mix of peppers and what I assume was pork. The service was excellent, very pleasant but not overbearing. They serve no alcohol at the moment, and it seemed very family oriented. The space is very clean, bright and welcoming. A nice addition to the neighborhood. read more

I was really exited and looking forward to trying out this new restaurant as soon as it's sign was put up a few months back. I had high expectations and hoped it would be as awesome as it's predecessor (Izalco) which sadly was shut down a few years back. Last week, it finally opened it's doors and I decided to celebrate my birthday there with some family and friends. I'm happy to report El Tomate met all my expectations and did not disappoint. The mole enchiladas were delicious to say the least, I savored every bite. The guacamole was incredibly fresh and tasted like authentic guacamole should taste (with an aftertaste of ripe avocado and hints of lime and cilantro that made it really hard to share). The house salsa was spicy but delicious. The chile relleno was no exception, it was chewy and flavorful. Everyone in my party enjoyed their dish to the last bite, including the youngsters in our party who tend to be pretty picky eaters. The service was friendly and attentive, and I really enjoyed and appreciated the desert on the house for the birthday girl:) read more

I absolutely adore El Tomate. They were closed for a couple of months due to a fire. Prior to knowing the cause, I was utterly dismayed upon seeing the place boarded up for I thought they went out of business. But they are now open again to my utter delight. El Tomate has a wonderful sit-down atmosphere. From the restaurant's delicious green walls to the spicy red stretch bench upholstery, the space makes for a pleasant dining experience. But the sumptuous colors of the interior would be nothing if El Tomate served mediocre Mexican food. The fact is, everything here is absolutely delicious! I'm picky about my tortilla chips and El Tomate has the best I've ever had. Not to mention the luscious salsa! My other favorites? Chile Relleno, Carne Asada Sinaloa, Pollo En Mole... everything really. I must say that the mole here is delicious (I've been to too many Mexican restaurants where the mole is either too bitter or bland or...). The people who work at El Tomate are wonderful. Special shout out to Maria who radiates such wonderful, welcoming energy. She is the best waitress EVER!!! Thank you Maria! El Tomate. I can't wait to go back. :) read more

I LOVE EL TOMATE. Just good ol' platters of delicious Mexican food. Their tacos with the crumbly cheese are the best. Or, chicken soup when you are feeling under the weather. Or, cheese enchiladas when you are starving. OR, ANYTHING! Also, there are not a lot of nice sit down places in that area so when I worked around there, it was a great place to have a business lunch. A+++. I love you, El Tomate. read more

The best menudo in town. Seriously. Broth had a milky thickness to it - like the best tonkatsu ramen broth. The complimentary chips were made from tortillas - nice substantial crunch. Will be back read more

Great Homemade Chips and Tortillas! Salsa tastes very fresh. Great prices for their lunch specials. Looking forward to coming back. read more

Absolutely fantastic. It took me 2+ weeks in my new neighborhood to find this place, but I will be going regularly now. The food (Carne Asada Sinoloa) was excellent. Price was reasonable. Very warm and quaint place. Great vibe. read more

Had the best time with Maria and Jackie provided the most exceptional service. I truly recommend this restaurant to all Mexican food lovers!!! read more

El Tomate Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Albondigas were delicious! Make sure you checkin with offer BEFORE you order. Server didn't want to give us check in offer because she said we had to show her FIRST. ??? O' well, other than that food was good. read more

El Tomate Restaurant - What's left of Ally's steak nachos! Deelish!! - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Okay this has got to be the best menudo place in the mission... I've been to a few menudo places and it seems like it's a hassle to make? These guys are full blown menudo since they have it as the first item on their menu and it's effin tasty? It's not just tripe but there's other stomach fats as well... This is a gem in this crappy neighborhood... Worth trying out when ur stumbling drunk, or sober! read more

After zoning in on a great place to get my hair cut (thank you, Yelp!) my husband and I whipped out the iPad and crossed our fingers for a little Yelpy magic a second time around in the lunch department. Whomp. I wasn't looking to walk too far so we went with four-star closeness. Next time I'll risk the blisters. Won't be going back, but I will say that it's not horrible. The food was tasty enough, and prices were good. I ordered the chicken fajita which was actually presented quite nicely. My husband got some chicken mole enchiladas. The fajita came out sizzlin' as it should, and the guacamole was on the avocado au naturale side, which I like. My husband and I both agreed that the mole seemed like it had come out of a can and subsequently been watered down, but again, taste was enjoyable enough. In the end, we both agreed that the best part about the food was the salsa they served the free chips with. Very flavorful and densely red salsa with fresh whole chunks of cilantro. Service was a two out of five at best. Our server was kind enough, but there was no sense that she cared about us or about her work. It felt kind of like we were a burden in her life. Like there was a glowing how-long-do-I-have-left ticker whirring behind her eyes. Aaaaand the bathroom. Behind a door you enter a skeev-tastic hallway that leads to even skeevier gender-specific bathrooms. The kind where you feel like you need to take a shower after using. For a Mexican place in San Francisco's Mission district, I expect WAY more. But for an average Mexican place, it was average-y, and I'll err on the side of three rather than two stars. read more

The Mojara Frita was (my 老婆/spouse's words) "The best fish I've had since coming to the US." Good fajitas too. Free appetizer. Stuffed ourselves for $27.19. read more