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XICA

4.3 (257 reviews)
ModerateMexican, Gluten-Free
Closed • 11:30 am - 9:00 pm
Updated 2 months ago

XICA Photos

Business Info

XICA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Trendy
Classy
Moderate noise

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Recommended Reviews - XICA

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Reviews With Photos

Pollo Frito y Waffle Churro
Cece Y.

I was surprised to find this beautifully decorated restaurant right off of Levi's Plaza, given it's kind of in an otherwise desolate area between Fisherman's Wharf and North Beach, just blocks away from Pier 27. The service was great. The variety of lunch options was good too. I went with the Quinoa Salad, my friend went with the Chicken and Churro Waffles. We were both pleased with our choices. There are several rooms here including a private room for events. My favorite area is the large, brightly lit section (see pic). It's almost like an atrium given the tall windows, except there is an actual solid roof overhead. The bathroom was very clean and had multiple stalls, so there was no wait. (Note that they don't split checks, even if it's just for a party of two.)

Mango and citrus salad.  So refreshingly delicious
Tanya M.

Always Xica! They were able to accommodate my large party for my son's 21st bday and made it a special evening for him. Thank you Ignacio! We walked in and it was just beautiful- the atmosphere just made you happy. The food! I dream abiut the duck quesadilla every day, also the refried beans. Some had the fish tacos and mentioned how good they were. The pollo frito had some in a choke hold as well. I had family in from out of town and this is what they remember the most.

Plantain chips and guacamole
Sierra Y.

Honestly very surprised at the taste and quality of food considering it's completely gluten free. I think the plantain chips are even better than regular tortilla chips with guacamole. My friend had the churro waffles with chicken which she really liked, and I could smell that it tasted great. I liked how the enchiladas came with both red and green sauce but it was too watery for my liking, more of a consistency for salsa. The pink enchiladas were cool and didn't taste much different from regular corn tortillas. Carnitas didn't taste like anything special. Wish they had better spicy salsa. I normally hate sour cream but it was great from here!

Sylvia G.

This was my first time visiting XICA, and we had a reservation and were seated right away. The service was great, although the food did take a little while to arrive. That said, everything was fabulous! You honestly couldn't tell that the food was gluten-free. The dessert was amazing!!! the caramel/cajeta was absolutely delicious!

Dani M.

This spot was phenomenal from start to finish. The interior was absolutely gorgeous, featuring hand-painted murals, huge windows that filled the space with natural light, and stunning high ceilings that created an elegant yet welcoming atmosphere. I tried the Arrachera Fries (steak fries), and although it's listed as an appetizer, the portion was more than enough to enjoy as an entrée. I ordered the steak rare, and it was cooked perfectly, topped with a mountain of finely grated Manchego cheese that added the perfect finishing touch. As someone who isn't gluten-free or celiac, I was genuinely impressed by the quality and flavor--it was an experience I'd happily recommend and return for.

Gorgeous interior
Francie M.

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

Chicken tacos
Jen L.

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.

Sara C.

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.

Chicken tacos
Amy H.

I ate lunch alone while traveling. Cute and welcoming place. Chicken tacos are amazing and gluten-free. Not far from the Ward and piers, and has a quiet courtyard.

Enchiladas

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Ask the Community - XICA

Does Xica have an area to host private events?

they have a beautiful side room inclosed by glass for a private party of maybe 10-15. I think they could also portion off parts of the restaurant

Where can I locate a dinner menu?

On the first page of their website at www.XICASF.com, press the two bars in the top right corner, then select Menu.

Do you have full bar?

Yes, full service bar. We’re mostly an agave and mezcal bar.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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Lapisara Eatery - Iced Ube Latte ($8.50)

Lapisara Eatery

4.6(2.1k reviews)
1.2 mi•Lower Nob Hill
•$$

We got the ube latte and iced Thai tea. The ube latte was nutty and delicious. I just wish it had…read morebeen a tad bit hotter, but I'm sure you can ask for it extra hot. The iced Thai tea was well-balanced and not overwhelmingly sweet. The chicken waffle was also good--especially the chicken itself. It was lightly battered and crisp to perfection. I do wish the waffle was more toasted since it was a bit soggy even with barely any syrup. The fruits were fresh and tasted really yummy. As for the PaNang omelette, it was delicious!! It's filled with meat and vegetables, so it's pretty hearty. The curry was so good and had just the right amount of spice. I would highly recommend the PaNang omelette. Parking was difficult since it's in the Tenderloin, but it was definitely worth it. The workers are nice, and the place is really cute.

I came in at 9am on a Friday with a friend and got seated right away. The place was still packed,…read moreso it took a little while to order. There is a good amount of seating, but the tables are quite close to each other (your neighbors will be eavesdropping). We ordered the smoked salmon toast and a florentine benedict. The salmon was fresh and the toast was stacked! My friend wasn't too impressed with the benedict, but it was good. The side salad that it comes with is actually delicious! And if you have a sweet tooth, order an ube latte or thai tea, and finish with a Sweet Dream. It comes with waffles and a side of fruits, ice cream, fudge, and whipped cream.

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Lapisara Eatery - Indoor area of the restaurant.

Indoor area of the restaurant.

Lapisara Eatery - Lapisara Burger

Lapisara Burger

Lapisara Eatery - That bacon, tho...

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That bacon, tho...

Bottega - Parmigiana Di Melanzane

Bottega

4.3(1.8k reviews)
3.5 mi•Mission
•$$$
Outdoor seating
Locally owned & operated

One of my favorite spots for pasta in the city. Everything we ordered was so good that I genuinely…read moredon't think you can go wrong with anything on the menu. We came for lunch on a Monday and ordered the Caesar salad, calamari, two pastas and the burrata salad, and every single dish was excellent. The pastas in particular were incredible, but even the appetizers and salads were thoughtfully prepared and full of flavor. It was one of those meals where everything just worked, and there wasn't a single dish that I wouldn't happily order again. The restaurant itself is also really cute, with a warm and lively atmosphere and charming interior decor. They have outdoor seating as well, which is a nice option when the weather is good. Dinner can get especially busy on Friday nights and weekends, but the energy is part of what makes this place fun. They stay open until midnight, so later in the evening it really starts to feel like a bit of a scene. I would highly recommend Bottega for both lunch and dinner. Great food, great atmosphere and a menu where you can order pretty much anything with confidence. Definitely a spot I'd come back to again and again.

Came to Bottega for a birthday celebration! The restaurant was quite busy, but had a nice moody,…read moredimly lit ambiance inside that made it feel perfect for a dinner in SF. We ordered the calamari, salmon fettuccine, and spicy rigatoni. Everything was delicious and came in generous portion sizes. Dinner also included complimentary focaccia. The service was good and the food came out fairly quick. One thing I'll point out is that I wish the chicken added to the spicy rigatoni was more tender, as it was a little tough. Overall, a nice spot for a birthday dinner in the city.

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Bottega - Insalata Di Arugula

Insalata Di Arugula

Bottega - Inside

Inside

Bottega - Inside

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Inside

Pica Pica Arepa Kitchen - Shredded Beef Pabelln

Pica Pica Arepa Kitchen

3.9(1.8k reviews)
2.7 mi•Mission
•$$

People have recommended Pica Pica to me for years and I never had the chance to go ... until a few…read moredays ago. For some reason, I thought this was a regular restaurant with table service, and a much larger space, but it's a somewhat narrow space and you order at the counter. I decided to try their trio sampler plate so I could get an idea of how a few of their meats were prepared and they each were in their own mini-arepa, so I thought that would be a good introduction. Unfortunately, I didn't like the arepas as much as I thought I would. I found them to be a little dry and lacking that rich corn masa flavor I was expecting. I don't know if this has to do solely with Pica Pica or if it's simply how arepas are made in general, but I came away feeling like I preferred other foods with a corn base such as tamales and pupusas. Meat-wise I had the fried chicken, the shredded beef and the asado negro. The fried chicken, to me, was not very exciting. The shredded beef was good, tasty, but the asado negro was the absolute star of it all? As far as I'm concerned, it's a most delicious cut of brisket with a sweet tomato sauce. I wish I had ordered more. The platanos or fried plantains were not like maduros that are very sweet. They're a little dry and flavorless, and the side order that I got of them for $7.50, they sure don't give you all that many. so that was a bummer for me. I also tried two flavors of what essentially are aguas frescas, the passion fruit and the mango. The passion fruit was out of this world! The mango, don't bother. It tasted like water with a powdered mix. I will definitely be back -- unfortunately, not for the arepas, but for the asado negro, either as a plate with rice & beans or in a salad.

My first arepa and cachapas experience! We came here on a Sunday around 5pm and it's empty. The…read moreplace didn't seem to have lights on when we were there and we decided it's more pleasant to get it to-go and eat at Dolores park. I liked the cachapas with pulled pork so much more than the arepa with shredded beef. The pulled pork portion was huge and very juicey and delicious! The combination of sweet corn and savory pork was incredible. It's a bit weird though there are was half an uncut avocado just sitting inside the sweet corn crepe. The salad that came was also fresh, and I enjoyed the all the sauces that came with it. The white arepa we had was dry and uninteresting. I liked the plantains and the beef fillings too but the cachapas just couldn't beat. When we asked for to-go they put it in a brown bag. They didn't include any utensils so I suggest getting them if you want to eat somewhere else.

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Pica Pica Arepa Kitchen - Some seating

Some seating

Pica Pica Arepa Kitchen - Yucca fries

Yucca fries

Pica Pica Arepa Kitchen - Pica Pica Nachos

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Pica Pica Nachos

Otra - Beef Tacos and House Margaritas

Otra

4.3(234 reviews)
2.7 mi•Lower Haight

#8Nite with Mommy!…read more Otra, On The Haight Server - Jenny, she was amazing. Help with recommendation on what to eat and drink. House Margarita - Grapefruit Salt Rim 2022 Pardas Dirty Queso- queso, guacamole, pico de gallo, cilantro, chips Pork Al Pastor Tacos- grilled pineapple, red onion, cilantro Baja Style Fish Tacos- beer battered cod, garlic-arbol aioli, slaw The deco was very nice. Walls was painted, with nice old fashion lights. A must visit.

This just wasn't the place I was hoping for…read more I am staying in San Mateo and made the drive into San Francisco tonight specifically for a great Mexican meal. I researched some potential places beforehand, and Otra was one that seemed especially promising. I walked into a nearly empty restaurant and sat at the bar. It was a Monday night, so understandably the vibe was a little less than exciting. But I didn't make the trek for the vibe. I made it for some delicious food. Some of the best reviews mentioned the carnitas tacos, so I had planned on getting those after seeing them on the online menu. But to my surprise, the menu I was given at the restaurant didn't even list carnitas tacos. Then, the bartender also told me that they did not have beef or chicken. I was pretty shocked, considering those proteins make up a significant portion of the menu. He did, however, say that they had quesabirria. Because I generally love quesabirria, that's what I went with. $14 for two is pretty normal in my experience, so the price didn't surprise me. What did surprise me was how watered down and lacking in flavor the consomé was. To me, that's the star of the dish, and without a bold, flavorful consomé, the tacos themselves really have to bring the flavor. Unfortunately, these didn't. I also ordered a frozen prickly pear margarita made with mezcal. This was pretty good if you're a mezcal person. Needless to say, I was disappointed that I made the trek into the city specifically for this restaurant and left feeling pretty underwhelmed. I had heard that Otra is closing in December, so I wanted to try it before it did. I can't imagine this is what Otra was like in its heyday, or it probably wouldn't have survived as long as it has. I wish I had been around to try it then, because based on my experience now, it just wasn't worth the trip.

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Otra - Photo 3: Bar

Photo 3: Bar

Otra - Mussels and chorizo

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Outside/Exterior

Kitava

Kitava

4.4(685 reviews)
2.8 mi•Mission
•$$

Wow! Wish I had a place back home like this. I found this as I researched the area for lunch…read moreoptions during an art gallery walk. And we hit the jackpot. Delicious, high quality food served in a timely fashion. Even though my plant burger looked dry it was refreshingly tasty and soft. My fellow diners loved their bowl choices too. This is one of those places where I could go multiple times, pick new meals each time and be completely satisfied with every one. Definitely on the list to hit again when we are back in SF.

I totally love this place, workers are always nice to me…read more Today I went in to pick up my order and encountered a white tall bald man. I'm not sure if he's the manager but he needs to do way better. I showed him my order and he had an attitude when he asked for my name. He said order just came in 4 minutes ago, I totally understand that food takes time so I asked to use restroom. When I came out I saw my order on the counter but did not grabbed it. I asked him to check if any of those were my order and he said "no" I told him I saw my order on the back counter and he rudely said "you did not" I told him to please check the orders in the front counter and he gave me my order stating he haven't realized it was a pick up... Idk if this the way you're treating everyone but I didn't find the attitude to be the correct one for a place like this. Food is great but remove this man if he's in management. Thanks!

Photos
Kitava - Inside decor is lovely

Inside decor is lovely

Kitava - Chicken Nuggets

Chicken Nuggets

Kitava

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XICA - mexican - Updated October 2026

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