I've been wanting to try Garaje for a minute now, and recently found myself in the neighborhood! I was kindly greeted immediately upon walking in and was able to order and find a table quickly. The decor is fun and adds to the experience; vibey music that works without being too loud or distracting. I ordered a beer (they have a great rotating selection) and the fish and chips. In total with tip it set me back about $30. The food came out a bit later and was fresh! I was also shocked at how large the portion was. Overall, this helped my craving for fish and chips despite being a spot famous for other menu items, and I'd order this again. The sauce on the side was delicious! I was really happy with the customer service as well. I felt welcome and any request was quickly addressed. All in all a great spot! read more

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$72.32. 3plp. food & tax. 3 waters. 1 Grilled Prawn Tostada Salad: 6 shrimp (21-25 ct) on top of shredded green (my guess is it was from a bag), few beans, cheese & corn, slivers of avocado, and lightly dressed. Disappointed for sure. 3 Chicken Como Se Llama Tacos: even fully dressed, these were bland and dry. The protein on all three tacos was uniformly sized and cubed. The chicken was dry and tasted reheated, which suggests it came from precooked bagged meat. 1 Spicy Chicken Sandwich: By far the winner at the table, though it still landed at mediocre. The protein wasn't breaded on site, but the combination of flavors, dripping grease and overall sloppiness made-up for the quality. The restaurant is dark, always has been. Order at the counter. Grab your number. Beverages are handed to you, everything else you pick up yourself, though they will drop the food. The staff is nice and courteous. This used to be the spot, but now it's just a spot. Can't say if I'll ever circle back around. read more

Decided to stop here on a whim after a long work day because it was nearby and I really wanted Mexican food. This place is tucked away and kinda hard to find. Once you get inside it's very dark so it's a bit difficult to read the menus. I ordered the carne asada zapato and it was absolutely delicious! A little pricey for the portion bc I was expecting something bigger based on the reviews. The avocado inside was so fresh and the steak was tender and flavorful. I love how they make the beans here. Heard good things about the fish tacos which is what I'll grab next time. While I was eating I told my friend I really wanted some hot sauce and didn't know where to get it. One of the employees overheard and brought it for me haha cute! Good service and a great chill place to grab a quick bite and have a drink. read more

Came by on a random Monday at 12:20pm the place was already full eventhough they open at noon! We got the Rolls Royce zapato that was like a surf and turf burrito. I liked how crispy the outside tortilla was all the flavors blended well. The fish taco was flavored well and also solid. read more

Garaje - Plancha Grilled Mojo Fish Taco - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Multiple coworkers and compatriots who don't live in SF (or used to live here) rave about Garaje. They dream of Garaje. When they visit SF, they need to go to Garaje (so if I'm with them in the area, I come here too.) I remember coming here when I was a lowly young intern. Now I'm senior and I still come here. Portions are large. Decor is old-timey, retro, slightly grungy. The lighting is dim. You can't go wrong with any of their burritos or sandwiches (and the fries are also good.) I love the way they grill them and the cheese to avocado to sauce to meat ratio. Everything comes together to create heaven. read more

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Hefty hefty burgers here and with a twist! I personally liked my burger, some of my friends were a bit more judgmental against other options but these were good as far as my liking. Also given this area generally lacks food options I think this is a great place for late night hangs and solid burger and fries! read more

I was looking for a place near the park before a giants game and saw many people recommending Garaje so we gave it a shot. First off, I enjoyed the atmosphere and decor inside the restaurant. It's a cool spot. The food itself was okay, we got the chorizo zapata and the surfer Leo zapata (fried fish). I really enjoyed the textures of these burritos! As you can see the outsides are very crispy and crunchy. The fried fish in particular was fried perfectly with an amazing crunchy texture. Unfortunately, I personally really feel like the flavor of both was lacking quite a bit. It honestly didn't taste like there was much seasoning at all...It had the makings of a good dish otherwise, but again with the flavor lacking so much, it fell very short in my opinion. Furthermore, the dining experience overall was quite strange and that is what truly made for a negative experience overall. When you walk in, there are signs that say "order at the counter" so I did that while my girlfriend reserved a table. Note that there were multiple open tables at the time we walked in, then ~10-15 minutes later it got busier. I came back after ordering and my girlfriend told me she was yelled at by the staff (maybe the owner?) for reserving a table, even though I was already on my way back from the counter. I was confused as to why this was an issue as it seems like very standard practice at counter service restaurants. We sat down and waited for our food, and like I said, it got busier a few minutes later. Just like we had done, some people started sitting down and reserving tables while someone else in their group ordered, and sure enough, the staff came and yelled at them quite rudely as well. The customers were respectful the entire exchange and seemed to be just as confused as I was, but the staff member was raising their voice and telling them they're not supposed to sit down first even though it is not at all clear that this is the rule. Furthermore, even if that was their rule, it makes no sense as it doesn't actually cause any issues; it just feels like an unnecessary and ridiculous rule to have in place. For the service to be that disrespectful and the food to be this mediocre, I really wouldn't come back or recommend this place to others. read more

Garaje - Surfer Leo Zapato - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Service was great. A big group of our company came in after 8pm with over 20 people. They were great and took our order as a big group and delivered the food to our table The fish tacos were delicious! Definitely probably not something people come here for but they were fresh, flakey and flavorful! read more

Garaje - Inside - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Food: Great food and lots of beer and wine options. If you get overwhelmed by the menu, they have a list of their most popular zapatos (in order) which I find helpful, even though I usually end up resorting to my go-to rolls royce; or they can give you suggestions depending on what you like or what you're craving. Ambiance: Casual no-frills vibe with a garage-style aesthetic. It gets lively but it's typically not too loud. Location: Convenient location in SOMA near MUNI stations and walking distance to venues like Moscone and Oracle Park. Sometimes at night the area outside can seem sketchy but personally I've never had issues. Seating: Seating can be tricky depending on when you go, especially if there's a conference or game or other large event going on. The last few times I've been there, the top floor seating area has been closed - I suspect it's just always closed now(?), and so there's limited seating on the main floor. It can just come down to how many people are present and if they linger. Service: Service is fast and friendly and the staff enjoying chatting back if they're not too busy. Definitely a place worth checking out if you haven't been yet. read more

Garaje - Rolls Royce Zapato - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

it is indeed garage themed. taco was not bad but more here for the vibes, good for big groups

We asked for the fries to be well done and they still came out undercooked. The crab cake zapato was delicious though. I added their hot sauce because I really like their hot sauce. I totally respect the ordering and seating system there. Follow the rules and there are seats for everyone. Staff work super hard! They were on top of orders, bussing, and keeping customers happy in line. read more

Garaje - $8 fries - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We got the fried chicken sandwich, a couple zapatos (veggie and chicken), and a couple veggie tacos. The zapatos were bland beyond comprehension. Never in my wildest dreams had I ever imagined mexican food could be tasteless, but garaje did it. The sandwich and tacos got decent reviews tho. Service was below par - waitstaff scoffed at us for trying to figure out a table with five seats, and were impatient even tho there wasn't anyone behind us. 1/10 experience never going back. read more

You know how you have a favorite restaurant for "X"? That's how Garaje started out for me, I would come here purely for the zapatos, my favorites are... the cali steak, surfer leo, rolls royce, steak, surfer vero... ahh damn they are ALL GOOD! The portions are big so I didn't try anything else for the longest time. BUT when I finally ventured beyond zapatos I was surprised in the best way, the burgers are solid, the fried crab sandwhich is really good... the owner Alfredo convinced me to try the 'seared ahi taco' and OMG a) I've never had a taco like this before and b) I wish I had tried it sooner it was so good! Honestly you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. The staff are super nice, the vibe is very casual, moody (dim lighting), non-pretentious, with a lot of beer on tap and drink options. My only warning is that the food is on the heavier side so definitely prepare for a food coma afterwards lol. read more

Had the OG Zapato (hold the avocado), and oh man it was good. Big enough that I could have saved the second half for lunch the next day, but tasty enough to finish it on the spot! Fantastic decor too, we really loved all the posters and memorabilia on the walls. read more

This place has really solid Mexican food and has lots of open seating. It's a casual order up front place, I'm a huge fan of their Zapatos. I got the one with steak and shrimp and the shrimp is cooked very well! read more

Went back to Garaje for the first time in a while. Never disappoints. One of the best burgers in city (at any price point). Thick, juicy, delicious beef on an Acme bun. One of the best fried chicken sandos in the city. And unequivocally the best zapatos in the city, hands down. As always, a beer nerd's place to go for dinner. One of the few places to eat that has an always amazing, always changing selection of all sorts of beer, not just IPAs. Though the IPAs are top notch too. read more

Delicious food, fast service, and great ambiance - casual, car-themed, and chill. The Rolls Royce Zapato was filled with tender flavorful steak and lots of avocado. The exterior was crisp and it was a good size. I really enjoyed the guava cider as well. For a quick bite near Oracle stadium, Garaje is my new go-to. read more

Garaje - Steak Zapato - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Solid spot to grab a quick bite after work! Interior is like nothing I've ever seen before - a mix between a bar and saloon? 2-person booths line the walls, along with some counters and other smaller tables. If your party is anything 5 people or more, I'd recommend making a reservation beforehand, because seating is tight. I tried the grilled fish taco and it was only $9 and left me satisfied! All their tacos come with a generous portion of toppings and sauce. My friends were big fans of the burritos as well, which I agree looked delicious. The burritos are pretty well-sized and can last someone two meals. Drinks are served as well, and there are some funky flavors! Blueberry cider was one of them read more

Garaje - Grilled Fish Taco - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Chicken and steak tacos were really good! Freshly made. The service was also pretty fast but they actually close pretty early around 8:20 they start to take last call. They also started to close lights and second floor by then so be sure to come before 9 pm. Other than that, it was a great taco place! read more

Garaje - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

I decided to go on a Mexican food tour and WOW I did not expect to be so impressed by Garaje. I got a zapato with shrimp and beef (Rolls Royce Zapato), and it was so good. I also tried the Gordito Zapato which had fried chicken in it and looked to be one of the most popular ones, but the standout was definitely the Rolls Royce one for me. This is the perfect spot to hit after a workday and has plenty of seating too. (Also went to the very well known La Taqueria on the food tour but the flavors seemed too bland and didn't live up to the hype but el Garaje did.) read more

I'm sad but I have to update this review and take a star down. I'm not sure what changes were made but it's not quite the same. I haven't been in quite a few months so these might be late observations. First of all - where did the beloved yellow light up menu sign go? And a new paint job outside? A "No Cash Here" sign on the front was also surprising - I guess they really made the permanent switch after the pandemic ended. My go to is the Como Se Llama so I got it again today. I was first surprised by the lack of the iconic black/white checkered paper and basket. I got my food on a tray and just normal kraft brown food liner. Secondly, something very strange was happening with my Como Se Llama where it stood on its own but was also impossible to eat. This was a new one and I'm not sure why they wrapped it like that. Granted, it's been a few months since I've been back, but with 82 check-ins here I am pretty confident I remember how almost everything on the menu looks and tastes. Not only did it look different but it tasted different as well. Unfortunately the last few times I went, the fries were too crispy (like they were fried in old oil) but today at lunch, they were extremely under fried and soggy. I'm hoping it was just an off day, and seeing as this is my top restaurant in SF, I'll still be coming back to see for myself. read more

It's a pretty cool space with dim lighting, plenty of seats, and loud music. Today I got the carne asada fries with jalapenos. I remembered liking it on a previous trip here, but this time I could barely finish it. The fries were coated in cheese sauce which made everything rather limp and tasteless. The steak also wasn't amazing. Even the jalapenos weren't spicy or tasted like pickled jalapenos. The best bite was the guacamole. I tried to drown everything down with the hot sauce they have on the table, but that didn't help either. A rather disappointing experience, but the staff was nice. Maybe the zapatos are better, but I'll be hesitant to get the carne asada fries again. read more

Garaje - Carne asada fries. - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came for lunch at this kind of expensive hip bar and grill. Garaje is one of those restaurants that looks like it was in a former garage or something. It makes it easy to miss. Located close to a few other popular places. The prices kind of suck especially on drinks, while not quite as bad as on the food though. Basically it's like a hip Americanized Mexican restaurant if you want to call it anything. It's got limited indoor seating. This place seriously gets crowded all times. Forget about after a ballgame. This is pretty close to Oracle Park, so it's a good place for going besides the busyness it gets. It's about $10 for some beers. The Allagash came in a small glass. Seriously, the fuck? This wasn't worth two pisses. Food was better. It's about $13 for the Calijandro Zapato. Basically this was like a Mexican panini. This was filled with avocados, black beans, cheese, which I left off, fries, pico de gallo, and salsa. Honestly the food is why to go. It's got some pretty ripoff beers, such as charging a ton for a small glass of something. The food options are mostly Mexican inspired, with a few choices for vegans and vegetarians. read more

Garaje - Allagash And The Calijandro Zapato - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Such a fun, poppin', vibey spot for some rich comfort food and drinks! This place gets packed with people coming for after-work drinks and hangouts with friends, so keep that in mind if coming during peak hours! There's a large menu with burgers, fries, and Mexican food, and we decided to have the Gordito Zapato (a crispy burrito-thing with buttermilk chicken, but no rice $18) and loaded nachos (I think they were called Manfut nachos on the menu? ~$20?) for our post-workout meal for 2. There was an extensive drink menu available as well. You first go all the way down to order at the counter, then you get a number and food/drinks are brought to your table. There's a self-serve station for some hand sanitizer, hot sauce, napkins etc downstairs near the kitchen entrance. Otherwise, you can pick where you'd like to sit - at a rugged booth, long table, or even upstairs where there's plenty of room for gatherings. Food was savory, greasy, and flavorful, and hit the spot. read more

Garaje - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Went here with a bunch of colleagues after work and it was perfect. Waited in line, ordered, paid, was given a table number stick, and sat down. Service was kind and fast. You can read the menu while waiting in line. I had the cheese burger medium rare and it was delicious! It was a juicy burger. It was a bit loud but I was mostly able to hear my colleagues without shouting. Aesthetic was very cool. read more

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Atmosphere was great inside. Staff were super helpful and friendly. Creative menu. I had a chorizo burrito with a wonderful creamy sauce. Totally happy. read more

My friend suggested this place to me so we met at this restaurant. I love the appearance of the place and also clean. Lots of people even waited for this place to open. I like their menu selections but had to order light due to recovering from a bad stomach. The beer selections also great and the beer was pretty good. The nachos was even awesome. I felt better 100% when completed and ordered a to go meal for my bf. He didnt like his food and even let me tried it. It tasted plain. I expected flavor but was tasteless. Its why I gave it a 3 and glad I ate light. The place was better than the food but wouldn't mind going back for the beer and light appetizer option. read more

so good! we got there at 11:55 and had to wait in the line for a few minutes, it was pretty crowded. our food did take a little bit to come out while our friends food came out really fast- regardless it was really good! i got the gordito zapato and it was so good! the portions are generous, great spot read more

Garaje - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

First time trying a zapato! The chicken was super well seasoned and I thoroughly enjoyed all the fix ins. They do get soggy sort of quick though so wouldn't order too ahead of time read more

Garaje - Mojo Chicken Zapato - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here on a Monday night after working a full day in the office and it did not disappoint. I ordered a Zapato with steak and fish and chips as well as the waimea hazy and a kolsch beer. The size of the fish was really good and big and it paired well with the chipotle mayo. The service was very nice and I would definitely come back for lunch or dinner again. read more

Garaje - Steak Zapato and fish and Chip - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Garaje is a great quick stop for a hearty bite to eat. After multiple visits, my go-to has been the 1995 OG Zapato and it never disappoints. The heat along with the BBQ sauce and beef is a great bite and if ever my friends suggest the spot, I'm never not down. Also highly recommend grabbing one of the house made hot sauces (light orange in color) and adding more heat to the zapato. The retro vibe is a nice touch albeit the inside being very dim. There's a lot of seating and also can accommodate for larger groups with their upstairs bar tables with high top seating. Highly recommend Garaje and their Zapatos. read more

Garaje - 1995 The OG Zapato - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Literally the WORST experience I have had in San Francisco in 10 years of living here. Absolutely TERRIBLE. A friend was having a going away dinner at Garaje, and reserved a large table for 10. My wife and I arrived a little late because of traffic. We ordered drinks and food when we arrived while everyone else was still finishing drinks and food themselves. The cashier came out said we had to leave because we had been there for one hour and had not been consuming anything, despite some of us having just ordered $50+ of drinks and food just 5 minutes before. I asked what the problem was, if he had another reservation or what he wanted us to do mitigate this conflict. The place was not full and many tables were available so we know seating was not an issue. He told us "well you can leave" with an absolutely shocking arrogance. I demanded an immediate refund for our food that had not yet come out, and left. He would rather cancel our order than allow us to stay another 20-30 minutes at a table where people were still eating, because the table had been occupied for ONE HOUR when the restaurant was not even full. Disappointing, shocking, ridiculous. Was looking forward to trying this place for the first time, but was denied service because our table had been seated for one hour, and that seemed to be completely unacceptable to them. Will never even consider this pathetic and mediocre place again. read more

Get the gordito zapato! We ordered food to go but would definitely return to dine in. The dive bar, laid back ambiance felt super welcoming. I also tried the ahi taco but it didn't compare to the zapato. read more

My housemates accidentally found this place during COVID and it's been our favorite place to bring out-of-town friends since! We LOVE telling our friends "Let's get shoes at the garage" and seeing their surprise when we come to a cool restaurant for delicious food! I really only come here for the zapatos since I am a big fan of crispy riceless burritos. I've tried almost all the zapatos and I'm the biggest fan of the Gordito Zapato. I've also tried some tacos and carne asada fries but usually only get those items if I want something smaller or shareable. There are a lot of vegetarian items as well. The food is a little pricier than expected, but eating in the restaurant definitely makes the experience worth it. Absolutely love the cozy, well-decorated space with lots of seating. Service is good and employees are super friendly and fun. They always play alt rock & punk bangers but music can often be way too loud and difficult to talk to one another. Location can feel a little hard to get to. I usually walk from work or drive and park on the small side street near the overpass. This place can get really crowded during lunch & dinner time and the line & wait can be really crazy. Would recommend not coming around those times if you're in a rush. Overall, still an SF classic for me and my friends and will continue to come! read more

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Ambiance and decor inside is cool -- it's like a grungy garage vibe, hence the name -- but food was lackluster. They're known for their zapatos which are like flatter grilled burritos. I got the surfer vero zapato which has battered fried fish, fries, and avocado. Despite the ingredient list sounding super flavorful, it was a surprisingly bland burrito. If there was any sauce in it, it tasted like it had none & it was very dry. Fish and fries both had no flavor and had a very firm almost stale texture. I could only finish half and had to take the rest home and eat it by dipping it into sauce on the side. The seating inside is fairly abundant but kinda uncomfortable imo. It didn't feel the cleanest either but the dimness of the restaurant helps you not notice it as much. If you're looking for a good riceless burrito go to La Taqueria the Mission! read more

Garaje - Surfer Vero Zapato - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Garaje is a FOR SURE place to go for some yummy eats! My girlfriend and I normally order the Cali Steak Zapato and the 1995 Zapato and trade one of the halves with each other. We also order the Asada fries as a side. The flavors are always on point and it isn't too greasy or oily. I like the addition of the fries in the Cali Steak. The Asada fries are a bit on the more expensive side but it's delicious and I have a weakness for fries. The cheese has a good creaminess to it that reminds me of mashed potatoes. The zapatos are decent in size and there's a sauce bottle at each table to pair with them to spice things up (it's a bit similar to a vinaigrette). You order at the counter and they bring you the food to your table. The water is self serve and there seems to be a good variety of beers you can choose from. It does tend to get a bit loud with the music and everyone talking. Definitely a great spot to try in the city. read more

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This used to be one of my go to spots for solid Mexican food in the SOMA area after/during happy hour, and is still a great go to! My go to is always the Rolls Royce Zapato which is basically your surf and turf. Generously sized portions of steak and size of shrimp which I love. They also have this house tangy spicy sauce complements every bite! Lots of options for beer and cider as well. Idk if anyone else has ever experienced a Zapato anywhere else but this is the only place I've ever been to that does this style. Zapato to me is like when burrito meets quesadilla. It's the perfect in between when you want something not as heavy as a burrito but heavier than a quesadilla. read more

Garaje - Rolls Royce Zapato - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Yum we love Garaje, a South of Market staple! Amazing food and always a fresh selection of local draft beer. Stop playin' go get some Garaje. 5 stars read more

With an array of options near our hotel, we ended up visiting Garaje twice during our most recent trip. We tried nachos and burritos; everything was delicious! The staff were personable and friendly. The person at the cash register instantly recognized us from the night before and had the biggest smile on his face. I enjoyed coming here. The single bathroom and limited seating are somewhat less than ideal, but also forgettable because this restaurant just delivers excellent food and memorable service. Give this place a shot! They deserve it. read more

Garaje - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

steak & shrimp zapato was pretty good, crunchy and loaded with a generous amount of meat :-D read more

Garaje - steak & shrimp zapato - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California