Very fun and professional I would recommend them to anyone who is looking for a great tour. I learned so much about the city I love, so it's not only a great tour for visitors but locals as well. Really excellent to bring your visiting friends and family on! read more

Just did Mission Food Tour yesterday. Our guide Michael has lived in the neighborhood since it was all body shops and drag queens...he knew every nook and cranny. He was fun, personable and handled our group quite deftly. We had people from New York, Italy, East Bay, Seattle and even some people from the city in our group. I live in Santa Cruz and just wanted to get to know an area of the city I never go to. The food was all spectacular, we had plenty to eat, saw some amazing murals in one alley, hear great stories about the history of certain buildings, and really really enjoyed ourselves. I highly recommend for a great way to spend an afternoon and get to know San Fran in a different light! read more

What a great time we had this last weekend. We took the Chinatown tour with Dan Chew. He was awesome with lots of great knowledge and all of are group having fun along the way. This is a bucket list tour that should not be missed! Would like to thank Dan again for the great time. Dan and Lori read more

Tour guide never showed up! Such a bummer! Booked the North Beach/Chinatown tour after purchasing 2 travelzoo vouchers. I received a confirmation email giving me the meeting location, date and time. I also received an email from Travelzoo saying that my vouchers had been redeemed. We were told to meet at 2:30 at the Chinatown gate on Bush and Grant. We arrived at 2:15. No one ever showed up besides us! We called the phone # listed on our vouchers repeatedly. No one answered, and the voice mailbox was full. Of course. Waited around until 3:00 and still haven't been able to get in touch with the company. Major disappointment. With all of the good reviews we were very excited to take this tour. read more

Dan Chew is an excellent food guide. We enjoyed both vegan/veggie tours in the Mission and China town. He was awesome, fun and his personal knowledge of China town was so great! Everything was wonderful. We will be back each time we visit Sfo. read more

AWESOME experience! Dan took my wife and I and 4 others on a night walking tour in Chinatown. He is extremely knowledgeable, very friendly, and it was just a pleasure to spend time with him. It was suppose to be a 2-3 hour tour-- we were out dining and drinking for about 5 hours! he caters the tour to the group's preference and really makes sure you have a good time. would definitely do it again! read more

The tour with Dan went way beyond my expectations. I felt like Dan was a friend showing me around his favorite places. Great food and info about the City. I highly recommend Explore S.F. read more

Company is very hard to communicate with. Took 4 weeks to get a refund for a tour that was cancelled one hour before it started.

We had a great time touring the Mission. We enjoyed every single restaurant and we were totally stuffed at the end. Mike our guide was very knowledgable about the area it's rich history and the restaurants. We thought it was interesting that their tour guides typically live within the section they are touring. We look forward to trying the Chinatown food tour next! Thanks for a fantastic time! read more

My wife and I had very high hopes for Explore SF when we bought our Food Tour vouchers through Costco. After having wonderful experiences in Seattle and Santa Barbara, we thought a food tour through our favorite city would be a great experience. Unfortunately we are no longer looking forward to our trip because of the poor customer service we have experienced with Explore SF. Through purchasing with Costco, we have found that the food tours options are very limited for only two people (despite many options shown on the website.) The vouchers are also not redeemable through the website, so the customer must rely on phone or email to make reservations, After two emails and two phone calls with no response, I finally reached a live person to make a reservation. After realizing I needed to make a change to our reservation, I have not been able to reach anyone at the company through email or phone call. Every time you call, you get a voicemail which has no response. read more

Let me clarify this is for the Pollk Street food tour, which I understand, is fairly new. I purchased a travelzoo voucher for this company, which turned out to be more difficult to use than I thought (i called to book, no one knew how to process the voucher....) We end up trying to book anything very last minute, and they were able to accomodate us, which I was thankful for (with an $11 per person upcharge.) There was some confusion over who was allowed to get alcohol with their food and who wasn't. If you want a lot of history with your tour, this not for you. Our food included: Tater tots (2 varieties), nacho tater tots, cheese tray/ figs/ crusty bread, vietnamese sampler including pork, spring roll, egg roll, and chicken wing, donut, and coffee. We certainly ate plenty, though I'm not sure it's quite what I had in mind, but still fun. Our tour guide was a journalist, and he had some interesting quips because of this. He was knowledgeable about the area with some interesting stories about he area. For whatever reason, when we booked this, the company offered us a complimentary walking tour in the future. I hope we get a chance to use it! read more

DO NOT BOOK WITH THIS COMPANY!!!!!!! I should have known there was a problem when it took two weeks and 3 phone calls to get them to call me back to book my tours. I booked two tours, three months in advance for my vacation to SanFrancisco. Two hours before the first tour they called to tell me the tour guide was sick and they had to cancel the tour for that day. Later on they called to tell me that the tour for the next day had "also" been "undersold" and they would have to cancel that one too. Don't lie about why you are cancelling tours if you can't at least be consistent! When i tried to get a refund for the vouchers from Travelzoo, it took three phone calls and an angry final exchange to get my money back because they could not get in contact with the company! read more

I did the Mission Food Tour with a friend, and we both had a great and delicious time. Although I saw that others had trouble with registration, ours was very smooth and the girl I spoke to was great and sent my confirmation immediately. Our guide was at the meeting site early, and started the tour right on time. We balanced between food (yum!) and the history of the area. Food choices were varied (butcher shop - hot dogs, tapas, empenadas, Indian street food and Bi-Rite ice cream) and there was enough walking between the food stops. We also visited Claion Street and saw some great murals. Our tour guide was knowledgable, fun, interesting and didn't chatter away - left us some time to talk on our own. I got this tour through SweetJack and will be looking for another one there - maybe North Beach next time! read more

Fantastic food/architecture/history walking tour of the Tenderloin with Dan Chew (www.junkfoodie.wordpress.com). In 2+ hours we devoured Thai Boat Noodles in a Thai restaurant in which we were the only non-Thais, fed our sweet tooth with English toffee and fudge, scarfed down tasty Turkish cuisine, checked out the Farmer's Market in United Nations Plaza, shared Banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches), warmed to the Indian spices and toasty ambiance at an Indian institution, and finished off at a charming southern BBQ joint. In between the food stops we found architectural gems...Moorish style apartments, a masterpiece Byzantine/Moor Theatre, a Spanish Colonial Revival apartments, and finally a Spanish Colonial hotel. Who knew? Absolutely fantastic. Don't miss it. read more

The North Beach Food Tour was wonderful. Dan was so knowledgeable and friendly it felt like I was out with friends. He asked if we had any food allergies or preferences before we began, and then accommodated it. The food was delicious. We didn't get the small tastes that were expected, but large portions - half of a deli sandwich, whole slice of pizza, pasta, desserts. I definitely took food home and didn't eat dinner. read more

Fantastic tour and wonderful areas that we visited in the Little Saigon area, that was a lot of fun and the food venues were all so diverse

First class organization! Very helpful. Very Responsive. Very Courteous. A person should feel comfortable doing business with such fine people! read more

Mission Food Tour: We fully enjoyed our walking tour. We expected "tastes" of the Mission - we got a "meal" in the Mission, along with a tidbits on the Mission District culture and history. We were stuffed by the end! The guides were friendly, professional, and a pleasure to spend the afternoon with. The eateries were varied ranging from walk-up street style Chilean empanadas, to very casual Mayan tostadas, to "quick food" Indian Samosas, to fusion food including goat cheese fondue and deep fried brussel sprouts. We were told the restaurants will always change so you could do this tour more than once. In addition to restaurant visits we all picked up little treats at a local market, and enjoyed a photo stop at the Clarion Alley murals. The guides were great about accommodating food differences (one vegatarian and one vegan joined the tour). We didn't wait anywhere for our food because one guide advanced the group while the other escorted us from place to place. We are locals, but we brought a friend from out of town, and we all enjoyed things we hadn't seen before. Bring your appetite, and dress in layers, it is San Francisco, and it can be cold in the shade. read more

Our first experience with Explore SF was last February , when we had a tour guide who had no idea what places were actually open. And she had no knowledge to share of the places or the general area. So we complained afterwards and the owner offered a re-do. That was supposed to be today, BUT after confirming with them this morning that everything was set, we got a text while driving up to SF that the tour was cancelled "because the restaurants were closed for holiday parties ". I still like the idea of taking a food tour, but we'll definitely be avoiding this tour company! read more

We went to SF for a girls' weekend to celebrate my sister's 50th birthday. We wanted something special and memorable to do. We did the North Beach Food Tour and had an exceptional time! I contacted Michael ahead of time and made arrangements for special birthday treats to be awaiting my sister at various stops along the way. Imagine her surprise and thrill to be greeted with personal birthday gifts from the vendors we visited. At the end, we had a decadent birthday cake awaiting our group, complete with candles and birthday song. It was the perfect way to celebrate a very special occasion. Did I mention that the food we ate throughout was fabulous? And the history we learned about SF along the way was great too. Matt, our guide, was so knowledgable and had so many stories to share. Walking, shopping, eating, and learning about the city...it was a memorable afternoon! read more

Update - Its been 3 months and i still have not received my money back. I call them regularly and all i get is tons of apologies and a promise that my money will be returned soon but no follow-up action. This company is a cheat. read more

What a great food tour. It was clear Charles looked for and found great eating holes for us to try foods from different countries along with groceries available so we can cook at home.. so much food was offered to us on this 3 hour tour of the Mission. Charles knows about the foods, the people, customs and loves to share his knowledge. We had a great time. I highly recommend this tour for tourists and locals. San Francisco has a rich food history. Thank you.. read more

My husband and I really enjoyed the Mission Food tour. The tour guides (there were 2 with our group) were knowledgeable and passionate and knew the owners of the places where we stopped to try some food. The fact that the owners of the restaurants would come out and spend some time talking to you about the cuisine, the history of the restaurant and the neighborhood was an additional color to the picturesque and amazing food that we have been trying during this 3.5 hour tour. We also got to hear some history of how the area developed, which was interesting and gave an additional appreciation for the neighborhood. This a wonderful tour. I would recommend it to anyone! read more

Really enjoyed the Mission Dessert Tour with David. My son and I went on the tour, and it was great. David took great care of us, and spent time sharing the history of the area. He made us feel like we were old friends. Thanks David! read more

We did a food tour of North Beach and 5 stars for the food. 4 stars for the tour only because we expected more history of the neighborhood. We did learn many new things though and our guide was very personable; maybe just a little rusty on that particular tour. Come hungry! read more

So, Explore San Francisco. I wasn't expecting this. I figured this tour would just be like every bus ride in the city you see. The corny jokes, boring, over before you know it, and leaving you feeling like you just wasted 20 bucks. Nope, not this time. They took me on a tour of the city showing me hot spots locals like to go to. The places the tour books don't show. Found a few great new bars this way (the mission was my favorite by far). It was very informative as well, not to mention a ton of fun! Highly recommended for the real San Francisco experience. read more

Great tours, the food tours are delicious, the history tours are informative. Very interesting not only for guests to SF but also to locals. read more

We took the Mission North tour with Michael and can't recommend it highly enough. Michael was knowledgeable, personable and great to hang around with. He had a repoire with the restaraunts we visited and it was great to be treated like a local. The tastings were diverse - spanish, chilean, american southern, indian, artisan chocolate and ice cream. And the tastings were not just tastings - we had a ton of food and were so full by the tours end. We got a bit of history of the Mission district as well. A great investment and a great time. read more

I bought 2 vouchers through Trazelzoo and when I tried to book my tour, I received absolutely no response from this company. When I complained to Travelzoo, they told me that they had spoken with ESF and they had available tours, but not on the dates I wanted. So, it is quite obvious that they received my requests, why could they not respond to me and give me available dates? I am now out $130. You must need it more than I do. SMH read more

Thank you Michael for allowing Jeanne give us on a fabulous tour of North Beach. She is a wealth of knowledge on history as well as food info. She took great care of us and gave us an unforgettable experience. We were blessed with incredible weather. I would HIGHLY recommend Explore SF to everyone! Well worth the time and money! read more

We went on the Mission Explore San Francisco Food Tour last week and had a very enjoyable time. It was a small group with just 3 of us . Our tour guide, Dan grew up in SF, so he was very knowledgeable about the places to eat and was very flexible about the places to try, since my friend stated she preferred vegetarian rather than a barbeque place. He imparted the history of the Mission district as well as good restaurants to try. I am eager to try some of the areas of SF. read more

A few weeks ago my mom was coming to visit for a few days before a road trip to So Cal. We booked the North Beach food tour and had a great time. There were just three of us and the guide so the tour was very personal. Guide arrived on time, and off we went. Loved the pizza stop and the cannolis. My mom really enjoyed the history of the Barbary Coast and the history of the Beat generation writers. Neighborhood we walked through was great, and would not have otherwise been on our list for a short visit to SF. Explore SF treated us well and overall was a fantastic, personalized experience. Even had some good pics of us emailed by the guide a few days after the tour! read more

So now has yelp not only taken down my review They've also taken down my husbands review of this terrible company. It was bad enough that they left us stranded with no explanation for a 4-hour tour, but now we cannot post any reviews on yelp. I'm sure this one will be deleted also. Beware! read more

Took the Chinatown tour with my husband for his birthday. From start to finish this experience was an A+. Booking online was quick and easy. We met up with Dan, our guide, at the designated time and place. We can't say enough about him and how great he was. He took the time to ask us what we were interested in seeing and customized our tour. As a native of Chinatown, he really knows his neighborhood. We learned so much about Chinese culture, history, food and architecture. It was a great day. read more

Michael and David took us on a great tour across Mission. We have visited this area many many times, and still, every place they took us was totally new to us. An excellent selection of restaurants with their history, each told by their passionate owners or managers. read more

Great day ~ Good Food, history and couldn't ask for better guides. Michael and David were fantastic. I grew up in the Bay Area and have been to the Mission area many times and I learned so much about the neighbor. The Mural Alley was my favorite. A must see. read more

Booked a walking tour during a trip to SF. Tour guide was AWOL, contact numbers didn't answer. Not contacted by anyone to let us know about any remedy.....until The Yelp review. Sad. read more

My husband & I had 2 outstanding tours and tour guides. We did the Mission Tour with Michael. We are new to the Bay area & had not been to the Mission. Michael gave us a great intro. to the history and architecture. In addition we enjoyed some great chocolate & saw Mark Zuckerberg's new house! The second tour was a combined evening tour of China Town and North Beach with Dan Chew. We had been to both before but we saw a whole new side to both areas. We couldn't believe how much we learned about the hidden history of both areas. In addition we had delicious food and desserts. I can't imagine what either Michael or Dan could do to improve the experience. It was awesome. read more

I've taken two of their tours now - Mission and the Art Deco tours and was surprised at howany great things we saw that I did not know about even after 20 plus years of living in SF. These are definitely wonderful ways to see the most authentic sights. read more

The Chinatown tour was an amazingly wonderful chance to try something different than the normal experience. Dan's stories of his years growing up in Chinatown enhanced the tour and made it much more personal. The food offerings were items we would normally not have encountered, and delicious. I would highly recommend this tour - the highlight of a week in San Francisco. read more