How have I never heard of this place? The food was so good here. Everything was fresh. The salad was served with colorful mangoes and some of the sweetest and most fragrant grapefruit I've ever tasted. It was delightful. The tacos were served on green handmade tortillas that were nice and thick and nutty and corny. The chicken was very tender and perfectly sauced. No notes. It doesn't hurt that the service and ambiance were spectacular. Very modern but still felt Mexican with colorful murals. Loved the bistro lights in the outdoor patio area. The tiles on the floor were very memorable and altogether super charming. read more

XICA - Chicken tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Everything we had was tasty! Great to have another spot to take folks who require a GF diet. I had the egg and sausage scramble but they were out of sausage (strange!). They offered to sub in chicken for the sausage but that didn't sound good, so I declined. The fried chicken and churro waffle was crispy and my family devoured it. The duck confit quesadilla looked beautiful and came with mole. read more

Great modern-Mexican restaurant at quite a unique location (on Levi's Plaza). Although the location feels a bit remote, you're immediately welcomed in a cosy setting & friendly staff when walking in. The margaritas were outstanding. Definitely go for a mezcal, or surprise yourself with their tamarind version. Many things on the menu we tried were delicious: the seafood aguachile fresh, the ribeye aguachile royal (you'll get your protein in), the braised beef tacos rich, and the avocado plentiful. Some other things that weren't our personal liking: the guacamole comes with plantains vs tortilla chips (so it lacks proper salt), the enchiladas divorciadas were light on the fillings (making the tortilla too much/thick), and the mango/grapefruit salad didn't have ripe mango. They had a new seasonal menu, making it harder for the staff to recommend us items. Unfortunately for us, some items also weren't available anymore (we wanted the duck quesadilla). The restaurant itself is quite large and has several seating options (large bench, high tops, regular tables, outdoor seating and even a small private dining area). read more

A from scratch gluten free Mexican eatery for my celiac friend to try things she can't normally eat! We had later food plans so we only ordered some nibbles: - the pork empanadas appetizer: 3 small empanadas whose hearty dough and pork insides were brightened by the flavorful avocado Serrano sauce - churro waffles with caramel: 6 waffle triangles coated in cinnamon sugar with a side of sauce. Honestly I'd just order the sauce if I could it was addicting Logistics: - indoor and outdoor seating - limited street parking nearby - completely GF but beware of shellfish allergies read more

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What a beautiful restaurant! The website picture of the dining room does not do it justice. Outdoors is also charming. Service is good (we had a new server who made some rookie mistakes - but it was forgivable given their lack of experience). The food: really good! Fresh ingredients, beautiful presentation and delicious flavors. This might be one of my new favorite restaurants. Oh - and everything is gluten free. I am not gluten free but my dining companion is and so that was an unexpected bonus for us. read more

I pass this place everyday on my way to work so glad I finally got to try it! I really liked the vibe of this place, lively and modern. I got the fish of the day dish and the fish itself was delicious, the rest of the meal was average. We also got their plantain chips + guacamole as an appetizer and it didn't really stand out, the plantain chips felt a bit stale. The service was okay at best, we saw our server maybe 3 or 4 times and it took 45min after ordering to get our meal. Giving this a four because the fish was truly delicious. read more

As someone who has Celiac, it was refreshing to be able to order anything on the menu! The service was great and the food was amazing! read more

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Xica's interior is colorful and bright. Its large windows create a beautiful daytime/lunch atmosphere. Their vibrancy also extends to their customer service - friendly, helpful, and attentive. Their menu is gluten-free Mexican dishes with California/Bay Area influence. Overall, I thought their food was average. The enchiladas and plantains were a bit on the bland side - could definitely use more flavor. The elote wings were my favorite. It was crispy and flavorful - very impressive how they captured the elote flavor in chicken wings. read more

XICA - Enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Cute little place near the ferry to alcatraz so we stopped by after our tour. Interior was warm and cozy feel. Margarita's were very good! Food was okay, a little expensive for what you get. Service was a bit of a miss. We asked for more chips as we still had a lot of salsa left from the app and it took 3 people and about 15 min to get this tiny bowl of chips. Not sure why they were so hesitant to give us more... i've never had that at a mexican/hispanic restaurant. read more

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Absolutely amazing experience! Everything from the ambiance to the food and customer service was top-notch. We chose this spot to celebrate my friend's birthday, and it couldn't have been a better choice. I've been to many places in San Francisco, but this one truly stood out and easily ranks among my favorites. While everything we tried was delicious, I highly recommend the elotitos and arrachera fries. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

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Great spot for dinner with friends. Gluten free menu offers a ton of great options, trust me you won't miss the gluten. The ambiance is playful and energetic and our service was excellent. Will come back here as the location is easy to access and has safe walkability. read more

I'm never around this area so it was surprise to see such a cute space to accommodate a large group for dinner. I loved how the indoor spaces still blended well and felt really open with all the decor. Staff here was super nice and the portions were HUGE. We came with a large group and had plenty of leftovers both for the savory and the sweet dishes. The meal started off strong with their tasty guac, elotitos, and taquitos. They have solid guac with some spice. My favorite was definitely the elotitos but loved the nice crunch and flavorful filling of the taquitos. For the entrees we got a mix of the enchiladas, mole, and rolled tacos. Portions here were great to share and the table enjoyed all of the items we got. If you have a sweet tooth definitely grab some of their waffle churros also! read more

They promote themselves as "scratch" but are serving food out of a freezer. Way too expensive for the portion sizes.

For my gluten-free friends, Xica is a great choice w/ a ton of options! The ambiance was great -- bold colors and playful styling. I decided to be adventurous and got the veggie tacos. I thoroughly enjoyed how delicate but well-balanced the flavors are. I do wish the portions were slightly bigger, as I left still feeling a lil' hungry, but all in all a good upper scale Mexican spot! read more

XICA - Veggie Tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

If you're stuck having to carefully eat uncontaminated gluten-free food as a result of something like celiac disease, this place is a good option. If you've never had good Mexican food and don't know what it should cost, this place is also a... place you could go, I guess? The restaurant is airy and pretty, in a quiet plaza, and gets great light. Service is efficient and friendly. That's all the good stuff I can think of. My issue is with the food and drink, and the price, which are pretty outrageous for what you get. I paid $70 for a plate of flautas, a plate of enchiladas, and a lemonade. That's absolute daylight robbery, and for small servings! Even worse, the food simply isn't any good. If I was getting this level of quality and flavor in the Midwest or Germany or the UK, I'd be like "okay, neither the restaurant nor the clientele know any better, so this is about what we can expect". But this is San Francisco, where we know and love good Mexican food, and Xica's bland slop cannot be excused. There's no reason that gluten-free should mean tiny servings, price gouging, or flavorless food. If you're indifferent to all of those things, then this place is perfectly fine, but I won't be back. read more

I've been here multiple times already and the food is always exceptional! The staff is very kind and accommodating for larger groups during lunch hours. Inside, you're surrounded by beautiful plants with the sunlight brightening up the atmosphere from the windows. I had the mexi-bowl with grilled chicken, which is so satisfying and a great portion size that doesn't feel too heavy. You can tell that all the ingredients are fresh. I recommend trying out their house hot sauce which is creamy and delicious, providing just the right spice level that isn't too overpowering in the meal. I can't wait for my next visit! read more

XICA - Mexi-bowl with grilled chicken - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

We hosted a 12-person group dinner at Xica and it was an outstanding experience. The food was fantastic. I had several guests with food sensitivities, and Xica was an excellent choice. The menu flexibility made planning easy, and everyone felt taken care of. The cocktails are so good that is all I heard the next day. We were in the private dining room, which was incredible. It created the perfect atmosphere for a group event while still feeling connected to the energy of the restaurant. That room is so cool! Kristin was wonderful to work with while setting up the event so responsive, way more organized than me (thank you), and easy to coordinate with. The group booking process was smooth and straightforward, which any planner will appreciate. Mari was our server and was hands down a pro. Attentive, polished, and completely on point all night. Truly above-and-beyond customer service. If you're planning: A private group dinner, A team event, A client dinner or just a celebratory night out.... Xica absolutely delivers. Highly recommend. read more

Cozy yet refined, this spot is an great place for gf and veggie options! My boyfriend and I had a lovely date night here. Parking was easy to find on a Saturday night. Food was great, but it was difficult to substitute items, such as asking for cheese only in the enchiladas or veggie flaunta since the items came premade. We ordered the guacamole, potato taquitos, loaded fries, and enchiladas. The enchiladas were a bit dry and needed more sauce and cheese, but everything else was delicious. Guac was creamy and fresh, and the taquitos were crunchy and soft on the inside. read more

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Delicious food, friendly service, a little bit pricey. I've only been for lunch personally, but we hosted a happy hour style party here for work once. The food is always good. Gluten free friendly. I love the bowls for lunch. You pick a protein, and it comes with pickled veggies, greens, rice, and black beans. You can also pick a sauce. I love the shrimp here, tasty and not overcooked. Would recommend if you're in the area! read more

XICA - Shrimp bowl - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Should have read the reviews about terrible service and wait times. Go here if you want to pay top dollar to primarily be ignored, treated poorly, and eat very mediocre food. I don't have much else to say. In general I will only take the time to leave a 5 star review but this place isn't even trying to provide service. read more

The ambiance was beautiful with great service and tasty food. As someone who has recently gone gluten free, it was a relief to know all the delicious food was gluten free. read more

Excellent meal, great service, and a beautiful dining area. Close to the cruise terminal if you are in port and on foot.

Friends and I went on a Friday night. We were excited for the cute ambiance and gluten free options. We waited about 5 min for a seat in the front room which was open and colorful. We got guac to start - it was fine - a pretty small portion and was not flavorful. I got the fish tacos as my entree. There were 2 and the size of the fish was pretty good, but pretty dry and again just didn't have much flavor. Overall I think it was good but missing flavor depth but I like that it had gluten free options for my friend. read more

XICA - Fish tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Be Careful. This Place Is a Rip-Off I'll start with the ONLY positives: the restaurant is clean, and the service was ok. The chips were decent. Now everything else. The food was mediocre at best, and that's being generous. No one in my party even finished their meal. For a place charging these prices, that's honestly embarrassing. Speaking of prices, they are completely out of touch. A small side of guacamole was $10 and did not even come with chips. Chips and salsa, something that is free at most Mexican restaurants, cost $15. Want a few extra chips? I'm talking a handful, That will be another $5. It feels like you are being nickel and dimed at every turn. Our bill came out to over $200 with no drinks, no dessert, one child, and a toddler sharing a plate. That alone was shocking. But here is the part that really crossed the line. They automatically add a 20% gratuity for parties of 5 or more, including a toddler, and do not clearly tell you. Then they swipe your card at the table and stand there staring at you while you are prompted to add an additional tip. It is uncomfortable and misleading. I ended up tipping on top of the automatic gratuity because it was not clearly disclosed. So what should have been about a $100 to $160 meal turned into nearly $250. Between the overpriced, underwhelming food and the deceptive tipping practice, this place feels more like a cash grab than a restaurant. I would not go back, and I would strongly recommend others think twice before coming here. read more

We discovered this spot when my (gluten free dairy free) bestie came to town, and I have since brought all of my gluten free people here! The whole kitchen is gluten free (you can't even bring a cake in for dessert), so it's safe even if you are celiac. On top of that the drinks and food are all outstanding. The churro waffles are impressively fluffy for being gf. There is a good hit of spice to a lot of the food, and it is all flavorful and delicious. The first time we came we were having a reunion with a friend and ending up staying for four hours eating and drinking our way through the menu. The people that work here are so nice, and the ambiance is lovely. I'm thinking about planning an event here soon because you can book out one of the rooms. Highly recommend on absolutely every front. I will sing Xica's praises from the rooftops! :) read more

I drive an hour just to come here! This restaurant never disappoints. Having celiac disease, they never fail to let me down. The staff are all welcoming and the food is delicious and filling! read more

XICA - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Xica offers a fun and delicious take on Mexican food that will leave you more than satisfied! The elote style chicken wings were some of the best wings I have ever had! The wings alone were cooked to perfection and the accompanying sauce, cotija cheese, Tajín and lime took it to the next level. Not sure what was in the chingona sauce but it definitely lived up to its name! The simplicity of the carnita tacos was perfect..exactly the way a taco made with good meat and perfect tortilla should be. We also ordered the taquitos and guacamole and chips and both were delicious. I also highly recommend ordering their horchata...as with everything else we ordered, there was a lot of care put into doing it just right. Restaurant is decorated beautifully and tastefully indoors with a lovely garden sitting area outside. I did knock off one star for the service. We were there on 11/1 around 4ish and the young man who helped us was one of the unfriendliest waiters I have had in a while. He wasn't necessarily rude but rather indifferent. Didn't once ask how our meal was, no smile and zero effort to check in beyond bringing us our food. Well done with the food Xica! read more

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Ambiance: great location, welcoming and nicely done. Service: attentive but that kitchen was crazy slow for how empty that place was. I get it good food takes time to make right, but honestly, that was slooooow. Food: it was all over the place. From this is great, to the tortillas being unreasonably dry and everything in between. Over all I felt like it was trying too hard at fusing Latin flavors with a California twist which ended up being an over all miss on the food and portions are very small. Not everything has to have edible flowers or micro green garnish, some foods should be allowed to have their natural flavors enhanced not buried in sauces and seasoning. Drinks were anything but generous as well. Price: It's honestly on the expensive side. Lunch could easily be over $100 per person. To be clear, price does not dictate the quality of the food, neither expensive or cheap. But what you get at Xica does not match what they are charging. Overall this place is a miss. read more

Fresh and delicious Mexican food, can't go wrong with the fish tacos. Portion sizes were a bit small. Light filled ambience was great, get a table by the window if you can. Service was reasonably quick even though we were a larger group of around 8. read more

XICA - Fish tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Absolutely gorgeous place. It was a little hot where the sun was shining but the staff was highly considerate about it. We asked to sit outside but because of the heat, they were very open to us moving back inside. You are met with such beautiful decor. Marble walls, beautifully patterned tiles, and loved lighting fixtures. The food was delicious! I would definitely come back. In addition to this, you're able to walk around the right-next-door park with a fountain. read more

Great food and solid service. I had the carñitas - they were crispy and full of flavor and a decent quantity. I could have used an additional tortilla to fit it all in! read more

First of all, XICA is a fully gluten-free kitchen, which is amazing on its own. I got the fish tacos and they were honestly incredible--so flavorful, super fresh, just really well done. I was craving a churro for dessert, but it seemed like more of a full-on dessert situation, and I just wanted a little something sweet. Ended up going with the chocolate cupcakes from Mariposa Bakery and wow... so good. Rich, soft, not too sweet--just perfect. I sat outside and the vibe was super cute. Would totally recommend this spot not just for gluten-free folks, but honestly anyone. It'd even be a great place to host an event. Such a good find. read more

XICA - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

I met my business associate for lunch today. We both got the enchiladas - pollo for me and carnitas for my associate. The food was absolutely delicious. Service was on point and the outdoor seating in the sun (with umbrellas for shade) was perfect! Highly recommended. read more

XICA - Chicken enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great spot that you need to try! We walked by Xica on a walk and then ended up there a day later because it looked like a nice spot. We were right! The vibe and service are both top notch. You can tell that they really care for all of the details and everyone who was around our table and inside was very helpful and in a great mood. The drinks are delicious. They have a lot of unique margarita options and even a flight you can opt for, which I did, and was awesome. The food itself was also very, very good. Tons of flavor and not your average Mexican food but it'll keep you talking. The Chips and Guac itself was a wonderful start. Also the desserts were on point! Worth a stop! read more

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Disappointing food and atmosphere. XICA has potential. The restaurant is spacious and open. There's not too much competition around. But upon entering the restaurant, something just feels off. It just all feels very stiff and corporate. The music, the weird table layout, the detached service. I mentioned the restaurant is big, but all seated tables were all clustered next to each other. None of this would matter too much if the food was actually good. The guac was too sour. The beet salad was 99% greens.The fried chicken was bland and dry. The mole sauce was good, but there was not enough of it. The rice that was strangely served in a ramekin along with beans was so mushy and clumped together it was borderline embarrassing. The house margarita was OK. If the atmosphere was good or the food was enjoyable then I would have stayed for more drinks or dessert. Not worth the price. read more

Outside dining with my husband and our fur ball recently. First impression: love the building and the beautiful murals at this place. It's spacious and would be perfect for small or large gatherings. The outside dining is lovely, especially on hot days like the ones we are having. The staff also set up an umbrella for you so you don't have the sun blasting on top of your head. The food and drinks are pretty good. All gluten free. Great chips and guacamole. The elote-style chicken wings were yummy. The rosemary lemonade is perfect for thirst-quenching. I enjoyed my fish tacos and my husband enjoyed his 3 street tacos of carnitas, pollo asado, and steak. Dog-friendly waitstaff gave my fur ball a bowl of water. Located on Battery and Greenwich. Steps away from Levi Strauss & Co. and Levi's Plaza Park. read more

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We had a really fantastic time at Xica for dinner on a Friday night. Our waitress was super attentive and friendly. The interior decor and high ceilings are beautiful. Agree with the other reviews that the prices for certain items are a bit steep (for example $13 for chips and salsa). We tried the fish tacos, quesadilla, and enchiladas - all were great. Drinks were also 10/10. They do have a 5% automatic surcharge and tipping pre-set to 20% just fyi so it does add up. read more

A Night at XICA with Rude Girl and Perfect Mole! For months, we'd talked about trying XICA, but our schedules never aligned. Finally, yesterday, on short notice, we decided to take advantage of the unusually warm evening and have a couple of drinks and dinner there, sitting outside with our little puppy. Chef Maria Elena Esquivel and her husband, Ignacio Perez, opened the restaurant. They previously operated another restaurant called Chica in Oakland. Then, they moved to Levi's Plaza and started as a takeout window. Finally, Chica was closed so that Maria Elena and Ignacio could start XICA. We had to wait for a table to be set up when we arrived. A few minutes later, we were seated, and our very nice and friendly young lady server was kind enough to bring our puppy some water. We started with a couple of drinks. Mine was the Nena Grosera, which means "Rude Girl" in English! This "Rude Girl" came in a martini glass with a dried pepper floating on top! One sip and I was in love with this concoction of mezcal, Aperol, and Alma Tepec Chile Pasilla liqueur. We also shared a very flavorful guacamole, where you could both smell and taste the little dash of oregano that was added to it. As the guacamole was disappearing, we decided to order and share an order of tacos. They were delicious! The presentation was beautiful, and the four crispy-fried tacos filled with potato came on a bed of flavorful beans and salsa. The toppings of cabbage and pico de gallo added to the flavor. We closed the deal with an order of Pollo Mole Negro! It was delicious! The chicken breast was cooked perfectly - cooked but soft and juicy - and the mole was so good that we literally wiped the plate clean with the corn tortillas that came with it. I'm a flan aficionado and would have loved to try their flan, but I was full and sadly had to forgo my traditional closing act! But it's no big deal. We both agreed we'd be back here again, so the flan can wait! read more

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We had a fantastic dinner here. Wonderful vibe, great service and food. OVERALL: I was just looking for a spot within walking distance from the Exploratorium for our family to eat after a long day at the museum. On the way we walked through Levi's Plaza, with the fountains and pathways through the water, that our toddlers really loved. Once in Xica, the tall ceilings, the handpainted colorful mural, the live music, and the friendly service won us over, even before we tried the food! SERVICE/ FAMILY-FRIENDLY: They don't have a kid's menu, but they offered to make a simple kid's cheese quesadilla. I'm not sure if they had high chairs/boosters (we didn't need any, but we weren't offered any either). We had young kids there, and they were probably the youngest, but there was no issue at all. Earlier in the evening, the guitarist even serenaded us with some Disney/Pixar songs (Coco, Lion King). We tried to tip him later on but couldn't find a tip jar. Our server made some great recommendations. RESERVATIONS: Made online about a week in advance for Friday dinner at 5pm for five people. THE COST: $198.11 total (including tax/tip) for 2 starters, 2 drinks, 3 entrees, and 1 dessert. Filling dinner for 3 adults, 2 toddlers. DRINKS: * Paloma ($15) - 3.5 stars. Tasty, refreshing. More well balanced than other Paloma's I've had. * Nena Grosera ($15) - 3.5 stars. Loved the spicy chile pasilla liqueur, but as I took more sips, I found the Aperol to be a little much. THE FOOD: * Guacamole ($14) - 4 stars. Tasty, lime-y, fresh, nice thick texture. * Fried Cauliflower ($13) - 4.5 stars. These had a fried shell - a thin layer of crisp, so unusual and tasty! Great with the dip. * Fried Fish Tacos ($20) - 4.5 stars. Excellent crisp and fresh texture to the fish. Super tasty. Good crisp on the battered and fried fish; nice tangy slaw on top. I think the tortilla kind of fell apart though. * Carnitas ($36) - 4.5 stars. Our server recommended this over the Chilaquiles, and I'm glad I got it. The carnitas were crispy on the outside yet soft and easily falling apart on the inside. This came with 3 handmade tortillas, which sounds like very little, but it was the right amount. * Waffle Churros ($16) - 4 stars. Great crisp, nice cinnamon flavor. We got these for the kids to have something to eat, but we enjoyed them too. read more

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Literally so so so good! Every component of the bowl was perfection - the Carnitas was so flavorful and tender, the rice and beans tasted so good and clean, the guacamole was the best and the pickled onions and jalapeño completed it. Love the chingona sauce too! read more

XICA - Mexi-bowl with Carnitas + Chingona sauce - Mexican Near Me - San Francisco, California