It seems some foods have been adopted by other countries. You can see different versions of the burritos whether it's Korean, Japanese, Philippines and Vietnamese version. Then you will see different versions of ramen like Mexican Ramen , Indonesian Ramen and Malaysian Ramen. When it comes to pizza there is a Turkey and Brazilian pizza. Even within the United States the pizza style in Chicago is different than New York. When it comes to tamales in San Francisco you will find tamales from China and Nicaragua. There is a place which sells many versions of tamales along some flakey pastries in SF and it's called La Espiga De Oro. On a Mission first week of Summer stroll I landed at La Espiga De Oro on 24th street. Inside its bakery with lots sweet treats. I came for tamales. They have tamales from Guatemala , El Salvador, and Honduras. I got the Mexican chicken tamale. It was the right amount of chicken and cornmeal wasn't too corny like some in SF. It was tasty. They also sell menudo and cheesy pupusas like some in SF. They also sell carnitas burritos and fish tacos so you can do a lime squeeze if you feeling something sour like some in SF. They also sell chicharron. This is the spot in the Mission to get different types of tamales. Come visit the "Mission" not the same as the random social media posts and what you see on "television" some food can be found in the street corner and some inside a brick and mortar "kitchen" a place with so so many options to make a drink and food "decision" Go to La Espiga De Oro and get some tamales made of masa and "cornmeal" it's a value and a good "deal" for a delicious and for a quick" meal" and some wrappers can get corny like some on my social media feed just need to throw away the corn husk after you "peel" read more

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Came in on a Sunday morning for Breakfast. They were not too busy. It is a small establishment with 2 tables and bar like sitting area. They make 3 different types of tamales, Mexicanos, Hondurenos, & Guatemaltecos. I didn't try those. The freshly made Chicharróns look good in the case, but i didn't, that will be on the next visit. They also have large selection of freshly made Mexican Bread. Bought a few of those and they were very good. Pozole Rojo was very flavorful with lots of Mexican spices. Barbacoa de Res, with Rice & Beans was also good with flavor. The meat was very tender!! Super Buche Taco was very good, I like the buche crispy and they made it perfectly. It also came with some nopales pico de gallo. Overall love the is!!! Would differently return!!! read more

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Ambiance is hole in the wall which I love since it's usually a sign of good food. This review is for the Chicharron. It was ok, 3-3.5* The skin was decently deep fried level crisp but the meat was dry. I liked that you can pick the piece you want. No price posted-- turned out to be a surprising $19.75/lb based on calculation of weight/price charged. My receipt didn't show price per lb like on other yelp receipts of items weight priced. Kind of steep considering La Palma down the street is $12.99/lb. Will probably try other places in my continued search for the best chicharrones! Interestingly, they checked, rechecked, checked my $50 bill again yet tried to give me a $20 bill with a corner missing and tons of change in nickels. read more

La Espiga De Oro - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

My co-worker had told me about this place for a min but I've waited till Christmas and new year season to order. I ordered off yelp and let me say. Ima be reordering from here alllll the time!!! Best tamales ever read more

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Relatively unknown compared to El Farolito and La Taqueria but right up there with the best of the best. Perfectly grilled tortillas, incredible flavor of asada and pollo, and so densely packed full of ingredients that you could feel yourself for days on one sub 10 dollar burrito. If this was your introduction to the mission burrito it's likely that every other one pale in comparison. I've never actually eaten at the restaurant and have only had their burritos delivered so I can't speak for the dine in experience. But man, anyone who prefers La Taqueria next to this MOAB of deliciousness I can't even. read more

I've been coming to this restaurant for years--I was born and raised in the Mission--and it honestly hurts to write this. This place used to be one of my go-to spots, with great food and friendly service. But after giving it another chance today, I can confidently say it's gone downhill in the worst way. This is now my second bad experience, and somehow it was even worse than the first. The service was incredibly rude and dismissive from the start. We waited almost 40 minutes for our food, only to realize it had been sitting on the counter the entire time. No one bothered to call us or bring it over--we had to ask for it ourselves. And when we did, we were told it was "fresh and hot," which couldn't have been further from the truth. The food was unacceptable. One of my family members had flautas with rice that was cold and hard, like it wasn't even fully cooked. While eating, she bit into a toothpick that had been left inside the food--with absolutely no warning. That's not just careless, it's dangerous. When I finally got my order (a quesadilla Suiza), it was completely cold. Another family member ordered the same thing and had the same issue. At that point, we asked for a refund because the food was clearly not edible. Instead of handling it professionally, our server laughed while we were explaining the situation and was extremely rude about it. We asked to speak to a supervisor, and were told no one was available. When we asked for a name or any way to contact management, we were told they didn't know who the supervisor was and that there was no way to reach anyone. That alone says a lot about how this place is being run. I'm honestly really disappointed. This used to be a place I trusted and recommended, but after two terrible experiences--especially this one--I won't be coming back. For reference, our server's name was Imelda Carrillo. read more

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Every now and then I resolve to try burritos from each of those on the SF Chronicle's ever-changing "best burritos" list but my efforts are half-hearted at best. La Espiga De Oro is on their current list and though the reporters specifically said that the "chicharron is not to be missed" a trusted yelper had an ancient yelp review which touted La Espiga's carne asada burrito as ideal and I caved. I've never had a "chicharron" burrito but if I make it back here I'll take my lead from the SF Chronicle. La Espiga De Oro's super carne asada burrito (around $14) was swaddled like a newborn, keeping the contents piping hot. I was driving home when I decided I must sample the wares and carefully peeled back the foil wrappings. The Chronicle had primed me to understand that La Espiga's burritos aren't the gargantuan variety served up elsewhere but they're still sizable and likely exceed whatever caloric count you normally consume. Despite whatever I may say next, I ate this entire burrito, substituting it in place of 2 other daily meals. But here's what I'll add: I was very glad I'd opted for the super burrito as it meant there was less carne asada. As much as I generally love carne asada, this version was marred by the presence of a whole lot of gristle-laden pieces which pretty much cratered my overall rating of La Espiga De Oro. That and the overly oily tortilla chips that accompanied the burrito. So give the place a try, by all means (big, interesting menu) but if you've an aversion to gristle, avoid the carne asada. read more

Found out about this place from the SFChronicle "Best burritos ". Ordered a super chicken burrito and a super carnitas burrito. Waited over 20 minutes which was pressing it. Wasn't that busy with customers. The nice lady saw me getting impatient and went to check on my order. Got my food drove 10 minutes back to the house. Took a bite and everything inside the burrito was cold, not room temp but ice cold. I thought it was maybe just the salsa that I poured on top. Nope! Had to microwave it just to be edible. Chicharron is $19.99 per pound . Stick with the big dawgs on this block, La Palma and El Farolito are one either side!! read more

La Espiga De Oro - Cold burrito with dry chicken - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Ordered via grubhub Food arrived fresh and hot Super asada burrito Chicharron pupusa Revueltas pupusa Burrito was 1/5. Barely any meat, guac and sour cream. So bad i had to open it up, only ate the 2-3 pieces of asada, and tossed the rest. Pupusas were better (3.5/5) and priced affordable. I'm sure tamales are great, so if you go for those and/or pupusas it might be worth it. But overall i don't expect to order here again. read more

Get the Guatemalan tamales. The tias here are nice and they're quick. Get the Guatemalan tamales. There's space to sit and eat but most of the time we take to go. Did I already say Get the Guatemalan tamales? Get the Guatemalan tamales. read more

The food here it's really good . The popusas are too die for very delicious. Their chile verde it's amazing good flavor. It's just there costumers service needs improvement other than good place read more

Food was great per usual just their rice & beans SUCK both flavorless and bland. Meat was delicious. So wee the tortillas made by read more

La Espiga De Oro - Barbacoa de Res guisado - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

I have been coming here for years food is great and customer service is always great but today I had a bad experience with a employee there by the name of Jessica Diaz she made me feel uncomfortable soon as I walked in she gave me the nastiest look telling me to get out with her eyes she wouldn't answer my questions just nasty energy I never believed that Hispanic people didn't like us until today I will not return read more

They are fabulous i had Mexican tamales had chanpurado drink ahhh so delicious . That drink is so satisfying and delicious that you may want to repeat having one two even three more read more

Cool restaurant and market in the Mission. This was the first time I've tried a Guatemalan-style tamale and it was so good! I'd definitely come back again. The pupusas were a bit oily, but overall tasted great. There is a very small seating area and I noticed most people ordering food to-go. read more

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Tamales are fresh and varied. More comfortable seating is needed to eat in. Mostly take away for Mexican and Central American specialties. My favorite is the Guatemalan tamale with a side of fried pork skin, chitchatron. read more

Came here for the first time today for an Asada Super Burrito and boy, it did not disappoint! The tortilla was nicely toasted on the outside and all the ingredients within tasted super fresh. The steak pieces were nicely crisp and not overly salty. I especially enjoyed the ratio of rice, sour cream, cheese, avocado, pico de gallo, and meat in the burrito. It felt like every bite was perfect! And for the price of $10.25, this is one of the best deals you can get for a super burrito with chips and salsa. There's a small eating area in the shop so space is a bit limited. If you are not in the mood for a Mission burrito, there are pupusas, tamales, and taco options as well! Our server was very nice and offered green and red salsas to us for our chips. read more

Hoy fui a comprar masa para hacer tamales. No hubo línea y me atendieron rápido. Pide dos libras de masa y al ver cuánto era, le pide a la cajera que si por favor me daba otra libra de masa. Al escuchar eso, me dio actitud por qué quise más masa (???). Luego regreso y noté que había usado sus manos para cucharear la masa, y la verdad no puedo estar segura si se lavo las manos porque cuando pagué ella agarró el dinero con las mismas manos que usó para tocar la masa. No sé si así es como manejan todo la comida. La próxima vez que ocupe masa voy a pensar dos veces antes de ir a la Espiga de Oro.... read more

I ran out of the Chicharones which was my main purpose in got there. I bought some fried plantain but it was hard to. I bought some Carnitas and that was tasty. I was surprised because it was expensive when I paid for it. I think that the lady was distracted by this guy she was looking at and talking you. read more

Get the Caldo de Res. That's all. I came in during one of these windy rainfalls, bustling in cold and dripping just to warm myself up with some of this hearty nourishing broth. I had just gotten the booster shot, too, so I knew I had to shore up my defenses to prevent against a bad reaction (it worked, by the way; I'm feeling great through to the next day). It's got zucchini, carrots, potatoes, and thick cuts of slow-cooked meat (they don't skimp on it, either). I felt so cozy and safe and content slurping it down. Absolutely fire. I also got one Pupusa Revuelta, which I thought was a bit overpriced (over $4) until it came out of the kitchen; the diameter spread wider than my hand. Still a bit pricy, but worth it! La Espiga de Oro is one of my favorite places to come to in the Mission to chow down on a feast with my friends and family. The people there are awesome as well--always so kind, ready to help, and willing to prioritize the customers' needs. read more

La Espiga De Oro - Caldo de Res (front) and Pupusa Revuelta (back) - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

The food is amazing, fresh and consistent. Parking can be a challenge but if you order ahead you'll be good. The chicharon gorditas are my go to. read more

Mix of various Latin dishes. Pupusa and tamales are hot and fresh. Though the pozole is nothing special. Friendly service. Limited seating.

If your gonna eat or buy at this restaurant please make sure you check your receipt because they will charge you for items that were never requested. The customer service what not the best the cashier was rude I complained they were over charging for items. Most things didn't have a price and they would over charge for items. Depending on the cashier the price would change I saw it happen with multiple customers. Don't recommend at all!!! read more

Went for a walk and I got a bit hungry and wanted a snack. We stopped by and decided on tamales (1 chicken and 1 pork) and a little bit of the fresh pork rinds that was behind the counter in what looked like a popcorn machine. We got it to-go and ate it at the park down the road. After sitting down and having our first bite we soon regretted not asking for salsa! But no worries, the tamales were still very good and the pork rinds were very nice. I can imagine the tamales tasting a bit better with the salsa. Next time for sure! I would definitely recommend this place and we will be coming back to explore the other items on the menu. read more

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So honestly this place deserves 3.5 stars! Pros: 1. Open after 6pm during weekdays. 2. Affordable deals. Not too costly. 3. Nice variety in terms of offerings. They've baked goods, tortilla chips, Latin American grub & drinks. Also they offer vegetarian options. 4. Discount for items paid in cash. This is fair because not all people trust digital currency & not many owners can afford to pay VISA & electronics service fees. Cons: 1. Not much condiments around. I wanted hot sauces to put my pupusas. 2. Took a while to get my single pupusa. Perhaps around 10 to 12 minutes despite not much customers around. 3. The workers hardly know English so Spanish is a must. Tossup: The ambience is where this line applies; "You get what you pay for ". read more

They have the best chicharrones and really good simple breakfast burritos. Great place to grab breakfast/lunch

COVID-19 DELIVERY Your head is pounding. Your mouth is dry. The room is spinning. You feel like you just got off Alice's Mad Tea Cups after going 5 rounds at the buffet. The night is a blur. But, at least you woke up with your dignity and not someone's undies around your head because it's COVID... Party for one...on a Monday night! When hungover, some crave pho. Some crave a thick, juicy burger with an oozy egg. Menudo is my go-to, hangover or not. Menudo on weekday though? Good luck finding it. La Espiga De Oro has your back because they have menudo every day! I ordered delivery which I apologize to the business. I was working so I promise I'll do a pickup next time. Of all the 3rd party delivery platforms, UberEats has the best prices and most extensive menu. You can also purchase chicharrónes, carnitas, and masa by the pound that's not offered on the other platforms. I placed my order around 10:20 am and my food arrived in 25 minutes (I live about 7 minutes away). Since I was ordering delivery, I wanted to make the fees worth it so I also ordered several other things. MY ORDER: * Menudo: Beef Tripe Soup ($14): https://bit.ly/2G9f3GN The honeycomb tripe was soft and chopped smaller than I'm used to. There was a small piece of pata but mainly the bone was left. The guajillo hued broth was too salty for me. Adding hot water easily solved this. While decent, I prefer menudo from Gallardos, San Jalisco, or Mexico Tipico but they only offer it on the weekends. * Caldo de Res ($14): https://bit.ly/2G9f3GN This was my favorite of the two soups, the caldo was rich and beefy, not too salty. The short ribs were meltingly tender while the zucchini, carrot, and corn still had a bite to them. For seasoning/garnish, onions, cilantro, and a lemon wedge are provided. No dried oregano or chili flakes. Both soups are accompanied by one handmade tortilla. I wish I knew you only get one tortilla per a soup so I could order more. The handmade tortilla was thick and chewy, and was the perfect vehicle for dipping into the broth. * Puerco Tamale, pork ($3.25): https://bit.ly/2S8L2ZZ Solid - there was a good amount of flavorful shredded pork and the spicy pickled onions gave it a nice, tangy heat. The pickled onions were for the soups but I think they went better with the tamale. The masa was a bit too dense but that's my fault. I should of warmed it up by steaming versus microwaving it with a wet towel. Def ordering a bunch of tamales when I visit in person and will keep it in the freezer for an easy COVID meal. Suggestion to the staff: Please seal or knot takeout bags to prevent tampering. The tortilla wasn't wrapped completely so part of it was exposed on top of the open bag. Overall, great caldo de res and solid tamale that hit the spot. Looking forward to trying their pupusas and more of their tamales for takeout. Please continue to support your local small businesses! read more

La Espiga De Oro - COVID-19 UBEREATS DELIVERY: Menudo w/ pata (available every day) & Caldo de Res w/ handmade tortilla | $14 each - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Doesn't look as appealing as other Mexican spots, but the food is authentic . Ask for la milanesa de pollo o Res and enjoy ! Big portions and family environment ! Also the prices are great for the portions ! read more

La Espiga De Oro - Milanesa after devouring other 2 big pieces . - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Great spot to grab some tamales. So many different flavours and styles from Mexico and Central America. Helps if you speak Spanish but everyone there is friendly and happy to help if you want. There are a few tables in the front of the place is you want to sit and eat or order made to order papusas or other items. This is the definitely the spot if your looking for some good tamales which is why I will go when I have that craving. read more

I was really craving for some tamales, so I found this place on Yelp. I ended up ordering one carnitas taco and two tamales: elote and pork. I had devoured my tamales because they were already made. I enjoyed the pork tamale more. The sweet corn was just okay. The taco was pretty good though. My husband ordered the pescado frito. His meal was taking a really long time to come out. We were worried that they had forgotten his order. But what we didn't realize was that his order was a deep fried fish which is why it took so long. The plate was huge! We weren't expecting the fish to be a whole fish as well. So I ended up eating some of my husband's dinner since it was a lot of food. We were super full and content with our meals! I love how generous the portion sizes are! If you want delicious and cheap Mexican food, I highly recommend checking out this hidden gem! I'll be back again! read more

La Espiga De Oro - Pescado frito - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Summary: Tasty, but inconsistently so Details: * Offers both Mexican and Guatemalan-style tamales, with the latter more akin to zongzi in both size and wrapper style * When they're good, both are pretty tasty, with good flavor and moistness * When they're not, the meat can be salty to the point of being inedible * The inconsistency isn't even on a day-to-day basis, but batch-to-batch, so you're playing a bit of food roulette * Can be bought in bulk and frozen later for easy meals * No outdoor seating, but they generally keep the front door open Accessibility: Spacious with a number of accessible two-tops, but, if you're just here for the tamales, you might as well buy and go! read more

The food is very good but the service is awful, they need to hire someone with some knowledge an how to treat a costumer.

Been here a few times, I really enjoy the variety of options you can choose from at La Espiga De Oro. You can order Mexican and Salvadorean meals here and if you want a little dessert, they also have a small bakery section where you can buy conchas and other sweet bread options. I usually order the pupusas. I've tried the revuelta and queso pupusas and they were both very good. Depending on the time of day you go, it may take a while to get your food. First time I came here I found myself waiting a considerable amount. I try only coming here when I'm in the area and there isn't many people. Great place overall, definitely coming here again. read more

La Espiga De Oro - Pupusa Revuelta - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Wow was I duped by the Yelp rating. This review is just for the food. It sucks. I tried regular burritos and Guatemalan tamales. Couldn't even finish it. read more

I decided to try out the food. Got a super burrito. This thing is super alright! Super small that is!!! Taste was ok. read more

La Espiga De Oro - It's as big as the xfinity remote. Never again. - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Si están planeando comprar champurrado y atole de elote piénsenlo dos veces porque es más harina a sabor de atole es muy carro y honestamente y la comida es de muy mala calidad el precio está subiendo y la calidad de la comida está empeorando no se merecen ni una estrella de review read more

The food here is a 3 out of 5. Some items on the menu are tasty while others can be bland. This place would get 5 stars if all the employees that work, serve, cashiers would have a smile and some notion of good customer service skills. The employees seem to be either mad, upset or unhappy to be there. They are not welcoming and their attitude stinks! read more

Chchchchchicharroooooooone !!!!! I get my chicharron exclusively from La Espiga ! I know everyone Loves La P***a but in the Chicharron dept, La Espiga has them beat ! Don't take my word for it, go try for yourself ! They let you choose your piece's so get the good ones ! read more

I had heard murmurs that possibly the most underrated burrito in the city could be found at La Espiga de Oro. Tucked away on 24th street in the Mission, this unassuming Mexican joint can be all too easy to pass up. Finding myself with a bit of downtime on a Monday evening, I decided to check it out. You really get the no-frills vibe as soon as you step in. Immediately to the left lies the order window, where homemade specialties such as tamales and chicharrones are on display. Taking a look at the menu, a wide range of food is on offer. In addition to your customary burritos, quesadillas, and tacos, you will find traditional Mexican dishes including pupusas, guisados (stews), sopas (soups), and various entrée plates (including breakfast platters). This time, I decided to go with a carne asada super burrito to see if the food tasted as good as it looked. The burrito was off to a decent start -- the tomatoes, onions, crema, and shredded cheese were very fresh, and the proportion of rice was perfect. However, I was definitely disappointed by the meat. I found it to be pretty bland; though nicely grilled, I found myself searching for more salt, seasoning and flavor that just never came. I don't feel like it was too far off from being a solid burrito, but I couldn't get past how flat the meat seemed. Regardless of the burrito letdown, I still think the other traditional items might be worth a shot. The pupusas and tamales in particular looked authentic and delicious; I might have to return to check those out. read more

La Espiga De Oro - The menu and order window, as of 4/2019. (Tap to zoom) - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

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They sell old food I went to buy chicharrones and I ask if they are fresh from today and they say yes and when I got home they're old and saggy read more