Reviews

Great service. They had a seat for three people straight away. We shared two meals between three and it filled us up! The food was spicy too!

In San Francisco for a couple days and we were looking for good Mexican. Trip Advisor guided us to this gem. Attentive service and food tasted great. Tacos were decent, but Chicken Enchiladas were superb. All around great place with a good, friendly vibe. Will go back if ever in San Francisco again.

So don't be fooled by the 'diner' seating arrangement. It's basically an informal but fun restaurant where a brunch or lunch is natural, but a dinner with friends or before / after a movie is also great. The food is lovely and fresh - I am no Mexican food expert but this seemed to be excellent hand-made, fresh and healthy (and v tasty). Best of all - amazing - is the service. We went in Friday evening with no reservation, and the hostess and waiter were ridiculously friendly, personal and attentive. Don't even know how they do this. They seated us at a bar seat because of lack of tables, but ended up serving us there a full meal. Love this place already.

Papito is a great little mexican restaurant with amazing vibe. The food here is super tasty and full of flavour (must try their guacamole and margaritas) and the service is good. I would definitely recommend it.

What a treasure, we took a recommendation from a worker at the Asian Museum, and took a walk in the trendy section of Hayes and went to Papito Hayes. We were met with a friendly waiter, who made some recommendations. We had the pork quesadilla and steak fajitas. Both were so fresh and delicious, and priced just right. It's not a fancy place, seems to be like a diner. I saw young professionals at the bar having drinks in the late afternoon, so to me it seemed like a hangout with great Mexican food, and the waiters were so helpful. A definite pleasant surprise, a gem of a small restaurant.

I went with my mom and cousins who live local to Papitos. We arrived Saturday night at 7pm and they were on a small wait. A gentleman greeted us promptly and found us a table within 5 min. The service was on point the entire visit and the food was wonderful! I had the Pastor Quesadillas which were AMAZING!!!

Stumbled across this restaurant as we were walking and looking for dinner. Food is outstanding!! Fresh food - guacamole is outstanding as are corn chips; had enchiladas and quesadilla - plenty of food of great quality. Service was friendly and professional.

Papito, 425 Hayes St in San Francisco has excellent waitstaff. I ordered shrimp Quesadillas,("Camaron Quesadillas") that was very tasty and only $13.50; it was filling for me. The restaurant is small so plan accordingly.

Liked this place a lot. uncomplicated food but very tasty. Reasonable prices for good size portions. Very popular. Quick service. Highly recommended Try the chips and salsa mix. Good Mexican beer.

Great food friendly staff and can highly recommend the burritos and chicken mole enchiladas. If you are in the Hayes Valley well worth a visit.

We just had a fantastic lunch at this gem of a restaurant! We started with what might be the best guacamole anywhere! Perfectly creamy rich and delicious guacamole was to die for! The charred jalapeño margarita was unreal! Duck confit tacos- OMG so delicious!! The shrimp tacos were fantastic as well. Their famous fried chicken torta was better than advertised! We finished with a perfect version of flan and we were so full but so happy it was amazing! If you haven't been to Papito Hays, get here! The find of the year!! Can't wait to come back!!!

Our thin crust pizza was lovely, great taste. The service was very good and helpful. Nice cold beer also. Very clean and was seated straight away

This is absolutely the greatest Mexican food I've ever had. It's Mexican fusion so the unique flavor of this restaurant is in s league of its own.

The food is great. We enjoyed the chicken especially -- in tacos or with a meal. The service is nice as well! I'm embarrassed to show up again today (3rd time in 4 days) but I'm craving a chicken taco! The ingredients are fresh and well-seasoned. I was underwhelmed by the regular margarita. I highly recommend this restaurant. It's small but with a really nice atmosphere.

I probably went here once a week when I was living in Hayes Valley. Every item on the menu is delicious. They served beer and wine, but at the time I went they did not have a full bar. If you are going for food, then they have everything that you need.

Stumbled upon this restaurant while slightly lost in Hayes Valley and what a pleasant surprise it was! Guacamole was amazing. I had a burrito while my friend ordered tacos - both were more than pleased with our choices and it was the perfect end to our stay in San Fran. Service was good and if i remember correctly, our food was reasonably priced also! Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys good quality mexican food in a trendy ambience.

I wish we would have thought to share a meal. There was plenty of food in each order. Don't miss the chips and salsa.

What a gem of a restaurant in the heart of Hayes. Discovered this lovely place while visiting friends. The food is authentic, delicious, simple uncomplicated and tasty. The menu is not full of fussy complicated dishes - expect great flavours and traditional combinations of Mexican food. Service is so so friendly and the atmosphere is lively. Expect to wait for a table at peak evening hours at weekends - the waiting staff will take your number and call you when your table is ready. Don't tell everyone about this place, it's our little secret right?!!!

The food at Papito Hayes was amazing! There was a great variety options on the menu, and the servings were very big. I would definitely go back!

Was brought here by friends to experience the legendary Fish Tacos and was rewarded with the most amazing selection of dishes. Definitely recommend.

Tried a pork taco and a shrimp taco. Both were very tasty. Only $10.00 for two tacos in San Francisco!

Came here with my son and really enjoyed it. Started off with the obligatory chips and salsa (which you pay for) and got the trio of salsas -- one red, one green, and mango. Truth is I didn't LOVE any of the salsas but the chips were good and they gave free refills on those. There are a limited number of veggie options on the menu but he got the veggie enchilada and me the veggie quesadilla. I think both had about the same fillings of vegetables and cheese. It was fresh and good, but honestly without a ton of flavor. I would have been tempted to put salsa or some other hot sauce on mine if it was available. Still, the quality was very high and the meal was very well prepared. I'd recommend it.

Hayes Valley was down the hill from our holiday apartment so we decided to walk down for dinner. We quickly became aware that even on a Wednesday evening this is very popular - 1+ hour wait at 7:30pm. However Papito got us seated in 5 minutes, though otherwise full. Had chips & 3 types of salsa to start. The one of us had the Flat Iron steak & chips cooked beautifully rare, one salad, one 'soup' - portion was served in what I would have called a fruit bowl! - and mixed tacos (flour not crispy version): shrimp, chorizo, chicken and beef. Everything fresh and tasty - the veg (& fruit) were perfectly balanced but distinguishable too.

This place is among the fancier when it comes to Mexican food. Great service, super tasty food, and really good margaritas.

We had time to kill so we took the bus to the Hayes district and stopped at Papito's for a quick bite. Had the tacos. I had the pork tacos and the chorizo tacos. The pork tacos were very good. The chorizo tacos were good too but they were a little too spicy for me.

This restaurant was around the corner from our hotel so we decided to try it out. As there was 6 of us we had to wait for a table. This wasn't a problem as we had a drink at the bar. We didn't have to wait long and we was seated at a table. The food was delicious and plenty of it. Everything was fresh and the service was excellent. What more do you want? As it is only a small place it might be worth booking a table in advance unless you don't mind waiting.

Went here with a friend from the city - new to her also and it was simply delicious. Unfortunately service was a little lacking - more from chef than wait staff. My main seemed to be forgotten and so was sour cream from hubby's dish. Didn't matter - my meal was worth waiting for and hubby's and our friends was sublime. Will return again before we head home to NZ.

Very good! Was busy so we snagged open seats at the bar. My biggest complaint is no booze! Now, I think it may be a permit issue or something as there is a menu with margaritas listed. I had 4 different tacos (pastor, carne asada, fried shrimp, fried chicken). Very tasty! Hubby had the chorizo burger and like it. I would recommend for sure. Enjoy!

We go und this place by accident whilst sheltering from the rain but we were very pleasantly surprised. The staff were really friendly and the food was tasty.

Think street food, but then in a hip joint in a great little stretch of restaurants and boutique style shops. Everything was fresh, clean flavours, delicious. Also gluten free options available.

I was especially impressed by the guac and margaritas. Our server was super attentive. Pretty solid joint if you can't make it to the Mission for Mexican food.

Well worth a visit. Very nice restaurant. Good portions. Selection of beers! I had a mix of taco and Quesadilla. The duck Quesadilla was lovely. I'd go back again if in town. Friendly staff.

We each had different enchiladas. I asked for little to no onion, but it was apparent they didn't hear me well. I'm used to having people forget that I'm paying to not eat something I hate, so I didn't complain. Besides, they had wrecked my meal a bit so I didn't want to add to the experience, but rather wanted to just have a peaceful, fun dinner with my wife while on vacation to the city for the fifth time. The service was excellent, by the way. The waiter went out of his way to appear to genuinely care about us. That was nice. I should have mentioned the onions, but hey, maybe I was feeling like punishing my self for past sins or who knows what... Before I comment on the enchiladas, I'll mention the chips and salsa. The presentation was excellent and I could tell someone put a lot of thought into the three different salsas/dips. However, while I liked the flavor of all three I prefer just good ol' tomato based house salsa you find at many restaurants and I definitely prefer thinner chips. The chips seemed about 2x as thick as what is typical. If you like Organic Xochitl brand chips (fabulous) and what I get to compliment my homemade (onion free) salsa, then you'll be in for a surprise when you crunch into these babies. Hopefully you haven't had recent dental work. So...the enchiladas. They had good presentation, but despite all the wonderful colors and textures I felt the flavor was too bland AND too salty at the same time. Perhaps more cumin, garlic, some savory bits of sun dried tomato, etc., could have pumped up the flavor? Don't get me wrong, the food was, um, solid, but just not up to par with the price, atmosphere, and service.

Had relatives in town and we decided to eat before the concert at Davies in the Hayes Valley - with no reservation. Big mistake as everywhere was packed on this Saturday night. Papito had space for us (they do not take reservations) which seemed ominous but we were rewarded for our leap of faith. Service is attentive and fast, prices reasonable and the food was terrific. Everything we ordered was delicious with the right amount of spice and piping hot. There is a limited selection of beers on tap but all were good and the atmosphere is noisy but you sit close together which makes communication easy. This may become one of my regular haunts.

There are a lot of Mexican places in San Francisco, but Papito's Hayes distinguishes itself by offering incredibly tasty, fresh, and innovative takes on some standards. My al pastor pork enchiladas were heavenly. The homemade guacamole appetizer was delicious. And perhaps the best value on the menu is the chicken soup--piled high with shredded chicken and only $7! Well worth a visit.

Amazing, amazing amazing!!! We were very pleased with this experience. That staff was very welcoming and fantastic. Service was very quick and on point! We ordered the salsa, guacamole, and vegetable queso to start. Guacamole was very good, especially if you like a strong lime infusion. We ordered Baja fish tacos, chicken mole enchiladas, and the super burrito (chicken). We shared all of it, no complaints! The mole sauce was sweeter then expected with very little spice, but definitely a dish you should try. I def plan on coming back here again next time I'm in town! Enjoy!!!

Really good Mexican Food. Great service. Nice local spot. Kinda pricey but it's soooooo worth it. Try to stop by if you have a chance its worth the drive

We had the guacamole, which was very large and very good, shrimp fajitas and the carne asada. Both mains were very good and tasty. For dessert we had the chocolate mousse, which was only okay. The pitcher of margaritas, at $30, was a good call. Service was excellent.

My friend and I tried the Chorizo Taco and the Camaron Taco. Everything was fresh and tasty. They were both excellent. My friend also asked what the most popular appetizer was and we had that. I did not catch the name, but it arrived in a small shallow dish with chunks of sliced bread. It was a style of nacho dip. The chips they make are absolutely the best anywhere, delicious, crisp and don't break apart when dipping. Other places the chips are too doughy or thick, not toasted enough, or too thin to dip or little or no flavor. The bread was toasted on the be-careful-don't-hurt-your teeth hard side and a bit too thick. We had some leftover as we had an appointment to get to - but I discovered the bread was just softened and a very good complement to the leftovers on the next morning brunch. Service was good to excellent. The seating is not the most comfortable but adequate. The place is a bit on the narrow side. The giant Day of the Dead art staring at you from the back wall may be found disturbing by some but a good landmark to look for if you are looking for this place as the artwork (woman's face) is easily seen from the street.

I really love the food here. The flavors are interesting and original, and the ingredients are fresh. When we were there last, though, it was quite chaotic, and it turned out they charged us for an extra bottle of wine, which I didn't realize until after we'd left. So eat well, but pay attention!

Highly recommend! This restaurant doesn't take reservations so we knew on a Saturday night we were risking a wait but gave it a shot. We arrived to a 45 minute wait but were able to get drinks outside while we waited, and to top it off, it was only about 15-20 mins before we were seated for a table of four. All of the food was delicious, it was hard to pick what to order. The service was exceptional as well. Everyone working there seemed to really be in a rhythm. Would definitely go back if were ever in San Fransisco again!

Papito is a fairly standard Mexican restaurant and fairly cheap at that (for San Francisco). The location on Hayes Street is great. My burrito was served lukewarm but the waiter was willing to have it heated up without much ado. The rice pudding dessert was yummy. What I didn't like was the noise. The tables are close together and there are no curtains or other soft material to absorb the sound. Under these conditions, there is a lot of noise and everyone talks loudly, which makes even more noise. If you are alone and want to focus on looking at your phone or iPad and don't want to talk to anyone, it is fine. For a date, it is not so good.

Wandered by after a show at SF Jazz. Food was tasty. Service was good. Enchiladas moles had great smokey flavor.

Great food, great atmosphere, great for any occasion. Fine selection of craft beer compliments the meal nicely.

Had dinner here just before the rush started on Friday evening. The portion sizes were good and the service was quick, however the flavours were a little bland. Not as deep and rich as other Mexican dishes I've tried.

This restaurant services wholseome and tasty Mexican food for lunch, dinner, or brunch. I love the Huevos Rancheros.

Nice neighborhood restaurant with good Mexican food. Several kinds of tacos...go for the 4 taco combo. Guacamole was very good. But NO AMEX. :(

We ate here about a week ago. The food was very tasty and quite modern. Not exactly authentic but who says you can't deviate from an already brilliant cuisine. Would definitely return!

Micheladas and fish tacos are 90% of my regular diet. This place did not disappoint. Veggie tacos and chips and guacamole are also A+.

After reading all the reviews we were looking forward to some good food. Most of our group ordered enchiladas. They were presented in a small bowl. It was filled with beans and some rice very little steak that was cut up very small and it was so chewy I couldn't eat it. There was nothing to it - lots of beans, a little rice and little bits of steak - no flavor. We were very disappointed. I would not go back there.

We stayed in San Francisco for 5 days and ended up eating here for 3 of them, it was that good! Food, service and value for money can't be beaten. And the atmosphere was just brilliant. Wish they could open up in the UK!