Picaro Tapas Restaurant Reviews

Great and authentic tapas in the heart of the mission district. It's noisy, bustling, crowded and oozing a fun and funky vibe. The food comes out remarkably fast and every dish was delicious. The best paella I've had in a long time. It's best with a group so you can share lots of dishes. I'd give it five stars but the bathrooms suck and always have a line. Best to Uber or Lyft there because parking is sketchy at best.

It does not matter what day or time this place is always hopping busy. Food is out of this world. Especially the seafood dishes and all the paellas. Dont miss it when coming to SF.

We visited here on a weekend and it was packed which gave it lots of atmosphere. The food was a good representation of Spanish fayre without being amazing. Would definitely recommend this spot if you are in the neighbourhood.

Went here specifically for the tortilla de patata. Its not a mexican sort of tortilla but almost a potato and onion quiche kind of dish that's a traditional dish from Spain I guess. I ran into it when I tried some from Tip Top Tapas which I guess only caters for the most part. I was pretty dubious about something called tortilla but it was stunningly delicious. It came with a light cream of tomato soup type of sauce which I spurned because I didn't want to ruin the fantastic taste. Finally tried it with the sauce and it was even better! Got a second and almost a third so yummy. So I decided to try the version at Picaro Tapas. Place was PACKED on a Thursday night! POP-U-LAR with people buzzing from stem to stern. Their version of tortilla was pretty good, not as good as Tip Top Tapas though, and the garlic sour cream condiment didn't really work for my tastes. Pretty good though. But then it had better be for $6.50.

If you crave paella and sangria, then this is your place. We started with a large paella for 6, then each person selected something from the tapas menu. We shared a carafe of Sangria and topped off the dinner with coffee and flan. It's a casual restaurant, come one, come all. The lively restaurant is always full, sometimes making it hard to hear one another. It's not the place for a quiet meal but rather great for groups. Will definitely be back for the Patatas Aioli.

Great food and really good value for money for tapas where (in the UK at least) you get a lot less than you pay for usually. Fast service (although we were there in the early afternoon).

have you tried the sangria?

Enjoyed the seafood/meat paella! Of course we had to have the happy hour sangria also. But be prepared to wait 30 minutes for the Paella. Be careful not to eat too much bread or anything else. The paella is plenty for two!

Place is not the fanciest, but the food is good. Spanish waiters make you feel like you are in Spain. Food is good and so are the drinks. We tried the paella with the lobster and it was very nice. Sangria was also very goooood! I don't feel like recommending the dessert though: my Crema Catalana was stone cold from the fridge (it is supposed to be burned just before it is served I supposed).

We gathered here to celebrate my son's engagement last Saturday, 9/17 at 7:30. We could barely enter the restaurant, then the manager looked quite confused about our reservations of 12 people, finally when we elbowed our way into the location of our table, we literally had to sit connected with other tables and each of shoulders literally touched each other. It was a warm summer day, barely a fan tried to keep 65-70 ppl cool... Had a wait or flag down wait staff to take notice. Food is good but its not worth spending good money for such horrible sitting conditions. They need to cut down on their number of people and I am sure that fire-marshal may take notice on how mny people crowded this tiny restaurant.

I came here the first time on my birthday about 10 years ago. There were about 14 of us.I didn't know what to expect. I knew nothing about Tapas. They start you with sliced up french bread and a spicy aioli. We had to fill the bread basket twice. My friends started with an egg and potato dish called Tortilla de Pata for the table. It is served with a dollop of aioli. It was yummy. The menu was almost overwhelming because there were so many choices. We ordered sea food paella and it was excellent. They tell you on the menu that if you are ordering the paella that you should allow up to 30 minutes. They will make it to fit the size of your party. We also got the beet salad which also had slices of cold cauliflower and garbanzo beans and was so good that we ordered another. I also ordered oxtails which were served in a yummy tomato broth. You can order this dish as a side or as a dinner. If you order it as dinner, then you can have it with 2 sides. I have been back to this restaurant on many occasions and I can't stress the friendliness of the staff or how helpful they are. I have never had a meal there that I didn't like. I am not a drinker but I am told that the sangria is excellent and sometimes we have gone with friends for happy hour. I recently went for my anniversary on December 31 st. When I left and was waiting outside for my taxi, one of the staff came outside to say hello and give me a hug. You need to make a reservation. This is a large restaurant with an outdoor patio and children are welcomed. I have come with my grandchildren when there were babies and there was never a problem. It is also perfect for a couple on a first date because they have cute little tables for two as well. This restaurant is in the heart of the Mission and sometimes you will get to hear the roving Mariachi's, or a flower seller will come to your table with roses. This restaurant is warm and inviting and beautifully decorated inside. Enjoy!

Everything was good! on my first visit with my girl friends, we had seafood paella, grilled lobster tail, squid in ink, grilled mussels, fresh raw oysters, and of course, sangria. The best paella and sangria that I've ever had!! Try to be there early to avoid a long wait (we came around 5.30pm). The second visit, I came with my husband. We had lobster paella and calamari, and of course: sangria. Their paella is too die for!!

This place delivers on all fronts. Our favorite spot for an array of deliciousness for the most reasonable price. Sitting outside is the best!

We went out looking for a Tapas place that had closed, so when we spotted Picaro we were hungry and made a quick decision. I immediately started to regret that decision when we were seated at a small table tucked away in the back - because the wall and floor were very dirty. When the dirt stuck to the wall moved, I realized they were actually tiny flies. Yuck. I went to the bathroom to wash my hands and it was ok, but the soap was empty. We ordered drinks (Sangria & a Spanish beer) and ate some bread. The bread basket was gray around the rim and had a dusty appearance. The bread and dip (spicy mayo?) were good. The pork kebabs got good reviews from my wife, but the spicy potatoes were pretty bland, just cooked potatoes with the same spicy sauce poured over them. The asparagus was my favorite - cooked just enough and seasoned well. Both the asparagus and the tortilla patata (like an omelet) were topped with the same cream sauce. Nothing was bad, but nothing was great either. The service was fine and generally hands-off. We were not offered second drinks or dessert. Our meal was inexpensive ($30), and admittedly we did not try paella or any seafood dishes, but we would not try this place again.

My go to restaurant for wonderful tapas in the Mission district. If u CRAVE paella and have a small or large group, place your order right away when u arrive!! U can have a sangria and a few tapas to start while u wait for the paella! 😉

After visiting the Mission, we stopped at this tapas restaurant as it is nearby and has a small terrace. The tables outside at the front are very small, but we were happy to be out, partly in the sun. There is another terrace at the back. I've ordered several tapas which I had also tried on a recent visit to Spain and they were as good as those I had there. Quantity was perfect. My husband ate a plate of calamari and was happy with his dish too. The service was good and quick.

Spanish food? It's questionable, but it's a decent place to drop by for a beer or a tapa. I don't recommend the patatas bravas because they are slathered in too much aioli sauce. The calamari is ok.

Absolutely the best! Great paella and excellent flavored tapas. Can't imagine going anywhere else in San Francisco for darn good Spanish food. Not sure about negative reviews. Might be from people who don't know what to expect at Spanish restaurant. Cheers to a great place.

I was excited to be returning to Picaro after quite a few years. My last experience was so good, I was really looking forward to a meal. I did go w/a large group (9 of us, for a Birthday) and we were seated on the back patio. Which was o.k., but we had 2 picnic tables that were challenging to get in and out of and we weren't able to pull the 2 tables together. So visiting was not easy. A few folks had different Tapas, which were o.k. A few ordered our own meal, which I did. I had the Garlic Chicken which came w/2 sides. I was pretty disappointed in the quality and the presentation. The garlic chicken had absolutely no taste of garlic. It had about 5 small pieces of chicken all bone in swimming in some red soupy sauce. The sides I chose were salad and potatoes. The salad had no dressing and if it did, it ran across the iceberg lettuce and 3 slices of tomatoes and 2 slices of cucumber. The potatoes were fried and did not come with the homemade garlic mayonnaise. More like a breakfast potato. All very bland and quite unappetizing and unappealing. Service was spotty and we had to keep asking for things, water, bread, dipping sauce, the list goes on. If I return, I shall just stick w/a few tapas, beets, asparagus, potato and onion omelet, taters in sauce. But skip the sauteed green beans and definitely skip any salad. If you can wait, the Paella did look quite good. Again, this was my experience.

Went to Cafe Picaro and had a really wonderful time. It's in the Mission District but within walking distance of the Castro. There was a sort of mural inspired by Miro right at the bar -- ah España! The 2 of us ordered tapas -- grilled lobster, grilled squid, gazpacho, patatas bravas with romescu sauce (spicy garlic aioli), spinach with a béchamel sauce, etc. They must have had 40-50 tapas so we were totally spoilt for choice! We would have liked to try their paella as well but had just absolutely no room. If we had had more time in San Francisco we would definitely have gone back there. During their happy hour you can also get a carafe of sangria for $10 or a glass for $2.5, Really good deal. The decor was also very nice -- festive and a bit Bohemian. It did remind me of some of the small friendly tapas restaurants in the south of Spain. Bravo Cafe Picaro! I'll definitely come back and feast whenever I'm in SF again!

This place is great. Centrally located in the Mission District this restaurant serves up various types of Spanish food such as tapas, paellas and combo plates. Its also reasonably priced, with an excellent happy hour with great sangria. Tapas portions are good as well.

We ordered several tapas and two small paellas and it was plenty for a party of 4. The two paellas (Mariscos and Carne) were just ok - it seemed like they didn't have a lot of ingredients (e.g. clams, mussels, chicken, etc.) in each of them. The paella de Carne was actually better than the paella de Mariscos because the rice was more flavorful. Also, I've had better tapas at other Spanish restaurants. There was nothing here that stood out. Definitely make a reservation for a Saturday night because the place was packed. As for service, the waiters kept asking us if we had all our entrees come to us and it was because they wanted our table for the next group of customers.

Food is always spectacular. Bread and secrete dipping sauce could eat all day. Instead of paella this time had the seafood combo platter for 2-3 so much food. Also had the fried anchovies so yummy. Their food tops some of the food we had in Spain itself. Ohhh cant forget happy hour sangria❤ Never had bad food there in ten years of going

We loved the food, and the atmosphere was friendly and relaxing. Backing up a bit: We had just had a long day of exploring San Francisco. We had read that the Mission District was known for good, unpretentious restaurants. So we walked down 16th towards Valencia, and came across Picaro Tapas. It's an attactive place with a somewhat eclectic decor, so we tried it out. It was not overly busy on a Thursday night, but the crowd seemed to be made up mostly of groups of young friends having a good time, plus the occasional small tourist family (eg: us). The sangria seemed to be popular, but the place wasn't noisy -- just friendly. ALL of the food was good. We had an apetizer of salmon strips with aioli and an red sauce that had hints of almond. It was delicious. We might not have ordered this if we had known that the meal is preceded by fresh bread with another VERY tasty sauce -- we finished that off quickly. I had broiled snapper with a side of "steamed zucchini" -- a mix of zucchini, tomatoes, and onions that was excellent. My wife and 20-year-old daughter each had a different entree and were similarly delighted. We had a couple of glasses of sangria and iced tea. We followed the meal with a single chocolate mousse to share, and I had a cappucino. All of this -- a very complete dinner for 3 adults -- totalled $55 (plus tip) ... in San Francisco. Overall -- a very nice end to a long day in San Francisco.

I was here for a wedding rehearsal lunch. EVERYTHING I ate was amazing. I'm normally really picky but my God this place was good. The croquettes de pollo is my fav but the shrimp, the veggie platter, the bread, and the Sangria were incredible. Loved this place. I left so full, buzzed, and happy.

Lovely food, so authentic, all the tapas were superb and the decor was fabulous. We were a party of 6 and we shared a lot of the tapas, all delicious, and 3 carafes of sangria-it was divine! And only $10 a carafe from 4-7pm. All the tapas were reasonably priced. It was about $90 in total for all of us to get way full and eat for a couple of hours! Great fun and food and strolling minstrels, so lovely! Do yourself a favor and snag a table in the front by the windows (open) or sidewalk table and watch the world go by, it's great!

This has got to be the worst tapas I have ever experienced. I am not sure if this is because I am from Europe and therefore the quality of Spanish tapas is very high! We chose this place while visiting SF as it was packed and seemed like there was a good buzz inside. We chose the calamari (tasteless), meatballs (swimming in a watery soup), chorizo (burnt to a crisp), spanish omlette (cold & sweet) ... I could go on. We spoke to the waiter as we couldn't eat the meatballs to explain that they were not of a good standard to serve in a restaurant only to be met with a rude response, he then asked us at the end of the meal after we had complained if we would like boxes to take home the leftovers! It was very cheap and that is the experience you will get.

My husband and I visited this restaurant last night as part of our trip to San Fran on honeymoon. Very quick and friendly waiting staff and the food was delicious! Sadly they had run out of oysters (we arrived about 9.30pm) but apart from that, everything was there. Didn’t experience the business that others have described likely because of the time we went, would definitely recommend!

Its hard to find a place to sit outside in the Mission. For the recent heat wave we had it was just what I was looking for. Outside seating, refreshing sangria and delicious tapas. My favorite are the Oysters, grilled artichoke, and lobster tails. Great spot to relax and enjoy the mission.

Came here two weekends in a row. Nice, lively atmosphere for tapas. But the place can be very noisy - making it difficult to carry on a conversation. Service was good, although at times they were so busy we could not get their attention at the time we needed. The food was okay. We've had better Spanish tapas food elsewhere (i.e. Zarzuela). Shrimps tend to be overcooked and dry. Squid/octopus was nice. Love the pepper padron. Would like to try their jamon but did not get a chance. Good sangria - go during happy hours when it's $10 for a carafe. Overall the prices are reasonable.

Ok, to avoid another fast-food day in the US. Gambas al ajillo and pa amb tomaquet were the best things we tried (don't expect them to be like the original ones). On the beers side, they had Estrella Damm and Estrella Galicia, that made my night.

It's one of their favorite places. My wife and I both loved the foods. The wait staff was courteous, helpful and attentive. A great place to go with friends.

Went for dinner on a Friday night. Got there early around 530 pm or so to avoid the expected crowd. No problem getting a table then, definitely more people later. Food was outstanding. I had the black squid ink paella. I’ve been jonesing for it since having it in Barcelona a couple of years ago. My wife and daughter had the vegetarian paella. Plus we had a gazpacho and fried garlic artichoke hearts. Everything was really good. Service was great. Prices are definitely reasonable. Highly recommended.

This Tapas bar is usually hopping and for good reason. We had the tapas de mariscos, seafood paella and it was great. We started with a the patatas bravas, grilled asparagus and the grouped artichoke. All were delcious. I didn't think the service was very good mainly because they were pushing us out the door, the waiter wasn't very friendly and it almost felt like we were at a fast food counter rather than a restaurant .

I'm a tapas aficionado having lived in Spain for awhile. I was disappointed with PIcaro. The atmosphere is cute and the service was fine. But the tortilla was not very good - it was served hot which is never done for a pie - and the pie was flat. The meatballs had a weird seasoning. The fish (I forget which) was bland. I think it could be a fun place to go with a group and I guess the food is acceptable if you aren't too picky or expecting in semi-authentic tapas.

This is one of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco. Fresh oysters, great tapas, nice casual environment and good service at a great price!

Seeing that I was in Spain this last summer, I always like to compare what we call tapas in America vs. everywhere else in the world. My normal idea of tapas experiences in NY, CA and AZ: tiny portions, high prices, eat 6 plates to fill up, and then wonder how you sepnt $150.... WELL, NOT HERE!!! I'll start with the negative, or the challenge if you will... Imagine 20 tables ordering 3 plates at a time, then a drink, then 3 more plates (can you see where I'm going?? service can be slow) - Here's the solution: pick your drink, pick a handful of plates, and then order all at once. You'll have time to order a second round, but give the servers a minimized amount of running back and forth, As for the food. Great Portions, Great Prices : e.g. Gambas a La Plancha - $5 - Five large prawns marinated in a romesco-like sauce and fire-grilled. They have a fantastic Verdejo fro $6 a glass, which I can never find in the stores. Great notes of granny smith apple, and is a good change if you don't want the sometimes over-powering Meyer-Lemon of an Albarino... perfect for the Patatas Bravas. Full meal with my wife with 5-6 plates, 2-3 glasses, and we're out of there with tip under $80-90. we love you guys and we'll see you again soon.

This is a great place with a lot of energy! It can accommodate large parties (I had a party there with >16 people and the table next to us is equally as numerous). They also had outdoor seating in the back which is great in the sunny mission. Not to mention the happy hour when sangria is on sale for $10 a carafe from 5-7 or 10 till later. Loved their spicy potatos, grilled artichoke (nutty and flavorful) and mushroom. So many tapas to choose from you can't go wrong.

Located in the Mission District this place was great. We enjoyed a picther of very good sanghria and the most amazing Paella I have ever had,, sooo gooood!! The prices were very reasonible as well. Highly recommend.

Second visit here was even better than the first. We found this place before getting to a movie across the street and sat at the bar and had a few small dishes that were delicious. We came back a few weeks later so we could spend more time and try more dishes. So many choices, everything was delicious! We tried chicken croquettes, charcuterie plate, roja Viejo, and several other dishes and everything was perfect. So many more to still try we definitely want to come back for more. The food is rather inexpensive and the sangria is fantastic. Two of us had 4-5 tapas dishes and sangria for $43. The wait staff is friendly and attentive. The place is very noisy.

I've read a couple of great reviews before making a reservation at Picaro and was terribly disappointed. The tapas were ok, not great. The paella was terrible. The seafood was overcooked, the shrimp on top was rubbery, pale and lukewarm. I'm not someone who likes overly salted foods, but this paella needed a bit more salt and a lot more love. I even asked for some olive oil to try to adjust the flavor, but that didn't help either. I've definitely had better paella at other restaurants.

Food was good and well priced for the portions. I loved the garlic sauce they served with the bread. Unfortunately the service was poor. We were asked once to refill our drinks, never asked if everything was ok, then when we were done we waited 20 minutes for our check as the server wizzed by us not making eye contact or stopping. I hate having to wait for the check when we are clearly done.

This is my go-to place when I have people visiting and every time we leave happy. Food is always solid and has a home-cooked feel to it and for a really reasonable price considering SF. My favorite dishes are the grilled artichokes (seriously, at least three orders every time) and the croquetas. The place has a warm inviting vibe and it's always packed in the evenings, even most weekdays.

The waitstaff is friendly and the food is tasty, but my experience wasn't good enough to return especially if you have to take BART....16th & Mission is grim.

The place was touted to us as a little corner of Spain, and it was conveniently in the neighborhood of our rental flat, so off we went on our first night in San Francisco. It was okay, but not for a moment did we think "gee, I feel like I'm in Catalunya". The best tapa we had was the classic potato 'tortilla', and it was unexceptional. The other tapas were quite forgettable. I ordered a piece of grilled salmon for dinner, and it was very, very overcooked. The sangria was average, the table bread was blah. The service was rushed and forgetful. The decor was movie-set "Spanish" and looked like no tapas bar we'd ever been in, and seemed a bit grungy. Not a place I'd go back to or recommend, though it seems to be popular with locals. The prices, for SF, seemed reasonable, but since the food wasn't memorable, it doesn't make this a great value. Seems like a spot if all you want is beer and snacks.

This is THE best food in San Francisco!!! Great value. Great drinks. Good price. You will not be disappointed!!

The pacew was heaving when we visited and, no doubt, the kitchen was overwhelmed and exhausted. Nonetheless the food should have been better for the reasonable but not bargain price was not good enough compared with other things available in The Mission at the same price, and really just thrown on a plate and then thrown on the table.

As a Spanish guy I am always concern when I go to a Spanish restaurant. Picaro surprise me for good. It always tastes as being home. The food is good and the dishes are of a good price for it size. Also the drinks, really close for the Spanish customs are tasty. If you want to have a taste of Spain in the Bay Area you have to visit this place, enjoy the music, the food and the environment.

We had a reservation here for a birthday party and still had to wait for 40 minutes for our table. An employee brought us free sangrias, which was nice, but it was still annoying. There is no atmosphere in this restaurant. It's plasticy tables and mismatched chairs. You're so packed in that you can't hear the person next to you and it was stifling hot inside. Toilet paper roll was lying on the floor, no paper towels. All kind of messy. The food was fine but not amazing. Tapas are generally fried or covered in fatty, garlicky sauces so if that's your thing, you'd probably like this. The paella was fine, but not as good as many I've had. My clothes had to be aired out after for days to get rid of the food smell. All that being said, this place was packed and totally hopping. Very social. Maybe I'm too old and picky to appreciate it.

The food was delicious, the staff was fantastic, the decoration of the place was very nice!

We were out around 9:30 and not much else was open. I had the sauteed calamari - delicious! Garlic soup was disappointing, but definitely go for the combination plates if you want a great meal under $10.

My wife says the paella we had (seafood) was top notch, and it certainly tasted great. They have a couple of tables outside which we took advantage of. At times we were forgotten by our server, but overall the experience was a good one.

Picaro is a fun place to go to, so I eat here often and I've learned what to eat and what not to. The Paellas are very good, I just wish there was some “socarrat” (cherished caramelized rice on the bottom). The Calamari came out succulent wit a crispy coating! Oysters are excellent, as is most of the seafood. Their Romesco is one of the best in town. Most of the rest of the dishes are very good, but avoid the salads. The Mixta's tuna is dry and crumbly, the beets on the beet salad taste of being too long held in refrigeration, are badly spiced and are dumped on limp lettuce. All the salads feel hastily prepared and none of the greens are refreshed. Also avoid the Sopa de Mariscos. It's a nasty seafood broth with a rubbery quenelle of fish. If you avoid those few items, you'll enjoy Picaro.

Had no idea what this was, looked interesting. Walked in to empty place were seated, and by the time our foid arrived the place was packed. Chorizo and Morcillo were very tasty and Sangria was awesome. Great find

We ate here with several folks from the area. The locals like it here and you will too. The food is tasty and the service is good. They even have musicians who play songs while you eat. Clearly a Spanish flair - we enjoyed the atmosphere. And there's a great value for the dollar here. Terrific place to eat...

Not too much to say - a family birthday dinner, everything was fine, we had a great time. Tapas, sangria, paella, deserts were all excellent. Service wasn't too quick but we had plenty of time. Recommended.

We went there to celebrate my son's engagement last Saturday night. The manager had no clue about out 7:30 appt for 12 ppl. When we made it to our table, it was connected to other tables, so loud, we could barely hear each other and we had to sit literally with our shoulders touching. It was so warm, a little fan could barely keep 65-70 ppl comfortable. Eyes burned with the kitchen smoke, I am sure the if the fire-marshal came to check the numbers, the restaurant would be closed down. Food is ok but service was horrible, had to wave down the wait staff to get attention. I would not recommend this place for dinner at all.

This restaurant was only recommendation we wee given for our trip, it was well worth the walk to get there. That was our choice, it is centrally located. There were many open tables. We were there on a Sunday but it was the day of the Carnaval San Francisco parade (which we forgot about) so any comment on the other clients is skewed. We were worried about hot spicy, but all of the dishes we had were mainly garlic. We had no complaints with any dish and our waiter was excellent in his recommendations as well. The Sangria was good, but my wife does not like red, so I had a second glass! A place to go to again, but it is 3000 miles from home.

The sangria is definitely a Must-drink beverage. The patatas omelette is delicious and with the black sausage.

The food at Picaro was delicious. We sampled a bunch of the tapas, and we loved everything we tried. We got extra bread at the end to sop up all the sauces left on our plates. The service was a bit slow, but we were not in a hurry, and the quality of the food (as well as the really great prices) made it worth it.

I don't usually like tapas restaurants, as they usually charge high prices for very small plates of food. This is not the case here. The prices are extremely reasonable, and the tapas portions large. We enjoyed a great carafe of sangria to accompany the meal. The service is very attentive and it all makes for a very enjoyable meal. I only wish other tapas restaurants followed this same approach!

Patatas Bravas- Bravissimo!

This is THE place in the Mission district to go for a tasty Spanish-style meal. You don't go here for quiet conversation and thoughtful discussions about, well anything. The place is typically packed by 7 pm with couples, families in small and large groups, and everything in between. Musicians in band attire show up and play loud and lively music and will afterwards circulate among patrons to ask for donations. Servers wind their way between tables that get fully crowded with pitchers of sangria, tapas plates, and the paella pans. Oh, and if you're fond of fresh oysters, get a few as appetizers. At a dollar apiece, they are small, but sweet and tasty.

Picaro's is hands down one of my favorite restaurants in the city, and one of the only I know that make (really good) paella. Great menu with something for everyone including a lot of veggie options. The sangria... and prices can't be beat. The space can get quite loud, but it's always worth it. I've eaten here for at least the past six years and have never had a bad experience. You will leave with a happy stomach and a happy wallet.

We had reservations for 4 people but there wasn't anyone around to greet any guests so we waited in the doorway for awhile. In order of best to worst: Champinones Mushrooms sauteed with garlic and olive oil. *this was voted the favorite dish among the entire table Croquetas Creamy and delicious chicken croquettes. *crispy outside, rich and creamy inside Rabo de Toro Ox-tail stew *I've never had this dish but it felt like a good homemade soup, enjoyed the flavor Gambas al Ajillo Garlic shrimp. *Great flavor, wish the shrimp was a bit larger Paella de Longosta Lobster tail paella with calamari and clams. *the paella was in desperate need of salt or seasoning, the lobster tail was cooked nicely and there were 4 so each of us was able to have one *PRO TIP: ask for a side of garlic mayo - you'll thank me later Tortilla Potato and onion omelet; one of the most popular Spanish tapas. *Nice and creamy, good portion, about 6 slices Iberico Imported Spanish Iberco ham *Most people have a love or hate relationship with Iberico ham and I am in the latter, I find it too dry and oily and it has an odd flavor for me SERVICE: Our server had a lot of tables but he tried to be attentive as possible so we were very understanding. The important thing is he was able to put in our 2 pitchers of Sangria in before Happy Hour ended. Overall it was a great meal over fun conversation.

We ate tapas here for the first time with four friends. Pinchos moruños were tasty but a little dry and tough; calamares fritos were perfect and crispy hot (better with the salsa romesco than the mayo); cazuela de pescado con almejas was wonderfully fishy and delicious to the last sopped up hunk of bread; patatas bravas (in salsa romesco) were quite good but less spicy than I prefer; gambas al ajillo were unexceptional; tortilla de patata was absolutely the best I've had anywhere--a soufflé like texture, warm, golden, comfort food at its finest--the soul of Spanish home cooking! Albóndigas were very good with bread sopping up the sauce. Grilled asparagus was fine as expected, hard to mess that up. Our favorite vegetable dish was the grilled artichoke: so flavorful!! It had a little bit of spinyness in it but I didn't care, the taste was so off the charts. This is a loud ambience but that's Spanish dining for you. Recommend reserving a table. The prices are blissfully affordable--for the six of us we paid $20 each including a healthy tip! You'd expect twice that at some tapas places in the city! Paella next time for sure--lots of folks were having that.

All I need in life is Picaro & friends! It's always a good time coming here for dinner. We start off with a few glasses of their cava brut & sangria, with some fresh bread and delicious (but strong) brava sauce. Then we get down to business! We usually order the grilled veggie platter, Spanish quesadilla, a few plates of the " ambas al Ajillo" (shrimp sauteed in garlic), lobster tails, seafood paella and seafood soup! Definitely do it family style here, as you will get a chance to try some of the best dishes outside of Spain! Picaro is awesome and makes me wish I would have married that Spanish guy when I had the chance--if it meant I would be eating dishes like this everyday! ;-)

Amazing food the three times I have been. Service can be super slow. Artichokes are amazing and sangria is good. Rest of food is pretty good. Hit happy hour for sangria specials.

The restaurant has a great European atmosphere to it. As soon as I stepped in, it took me back to good old Europe days. Service is quick and efficient. We ordered the Pollo Croquettes, Serrano Ham toast and the Seafood Platter, all of it was very much excellent and would recommend any of those dish. Overall, great authentic experience!

This is the third time that I have been to this restaurant. I needed a nourishing meal quickly before church. A young waiter recommended one of his favorites, Ropa Vieja. It has now become one of my favorites. This meal consists of beef, chicken, and chorizo stew with peppers and onion. It was great! I had it with rice and salad. Previously, I had paella and grilled salmon. Both meals were fabulous! The place does a booming business. I don't think that you could get a bad meal there plus the service is great!

I love Tapas. Since we arrived late in our apartment (around the corner in 17th street) on the day of our arrival, i had this place in mind for just a snack... We went at 9:45PM and still got full service with great tapas. In fact it was so good that our party (of 5 Europeans) wanted to go back there for our goodbye SF meal. That meal was 3 times a full table of tapas, with lots of wine. Now 9000km away from San Francisco and few dissapointments later (in Belgium), I have to admit I miss Picaro! The best tapas at a good price in a nice location, what could you wish more?

My best buddy had his birthday the last weekend of Feb-'16. A large group of '7 reserved the back patio table for 5 p.m. a month in advance, knowing how special this event would be. The staff could not have been more accommodating to make this event more special. We brought a huge Birthday Cake which they gladly kept in the back until the end of the evening. We ordered several tapas (our fav's were the egg/potato dish, the chicken/tomato tapas, and also the serrano ham on crusty bread. But the best item was the taste sensation of the evening---the wonderful Paella, which was delectable, all of which was washed down with 2 pitchers of Red Sangria, 2 bottles of great Spanish White wine and a couple of beers. The service was exemplary. And what was amazing, as they had already calibrated the tip into the cost of the meal. For what we received in food and service, this was nothing short of extraordinary. Thanks Picaro and your staff for a most wonderful Birthday Dinner!

The food was ok. Might have been a bit of a letdown after Barcelona. The service was ok--the wait person chatting to his co-worker no paying much attention. Maybe I was too early.

Admitrdly we were looking for tapas at 10 pm, having been to several corporate receptions on a wed nite in union square. The wensite was enticing and the menu extensive with many cheap small plates. Located on 16 th street near Mission, the hole in the wall outside was also a whole in the wall inside. The place was nearly empty, but it took a few minutes to be seated and brought menus. Thankfully the 3 rd person to wait on us was polite and helpful. The first two simply did not understand we just wanted them to make some suggestions on their best dishes. We each had a glass of red sangria which was nice, but i prefer white sangria and none was available When the food arrive after a short wait, we were very pleasantly surprised. Garlic shrimp, churizos sausages, a potato bread cake with tangy sauce, and asperigas spears perfectly sauteed. For people, $50!!! Including the sangria. Would not hesitate to go again, and by the time we left there were 6 more tables mostly locals i presume?

Love the sangria happy hour. Then u add a fish platter and the music tableside and then u are back in Spain.

This is the Tapas place me and my husband manage to go to every time we are in the area. For reals! It's fantastic. Love the Potatos Bravas! So delicious. The Sangria is a must too:)

The atmosphere is very loud and loose. If you out to have a good time with a lot o people highly recommended . On a date or first date, or just wanting a quick silent meal don't go there. Generally, it is very busy and wait time can be long but I suggest going right when it opens to get quick service, otherwise you may have to sit a while. The food is o.k , nothing really to write home about , but for a healthy meal order the combination plates. Paella, when I see a tiny bit of rice and a lot of tomatoes and onions I feel shorted . The Sangria is delicious and highly suggest to get a pitcher , its cheaper.

My husband and I went there during our trip to San Fran and wanted to watch the spain vs brazil confedartion finals in a proper setting, after roaming around we found this place and surprisingly filled with brazillian supporters! The servers were not that friendly, kind of disregarded us but when we sat at the bar, the lady preparing all the seafood at the bar took very good care of us! The food was amazing! and surprisingly cheap! great sangria!! Definately try the Garlic chicken with potatoes and rice [as recommended by the spanish bartender] and the ox tail stew! If we go back to San Fran i will definately like to stop by again!

We had a late afternoon meal on the patio here today, and the food was excellent. They start you out with a basket of fresh baguette and spicy dipping sauce. We haven't had baguette this good since we were in France, and the sauce is fantastic. We started with Tapas: Jamon Serrano en Pan con Tomate, which is toasted fresh french bread with a spicy spread, good sized pieces of dried Spanish ham, nice ripe tomatoes (I'm picky) and drizzled in olive oil. We also had the grilled asparagus, which was thin, tender, crunchy and had just the right amount of fresh garlic. Our main course was the Parrillada, which is a spicy mixed meat grill served paella-style in a big grill pan. Aside from chicken, pork kebabs, carne asada, chorizo and morcilla (mmm...) it has fresh tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms and potatoes. The meat was tender, the veggies were crisp and the potatoes had a great texture. There was so much food we took home at least half of it. They have sangria specials during happy hour, where you can get a carafe for $10. They also have $1 oysters and clams. The service was pleasant, and not rushed. They get really busy here during dinner, so if you have the chance to get there before the rush you can enjoy the peace if the patio. The prices here are reasonable given the quality of ingredients, size of portions and its location. We'll be back

The gazpacho was amazing The bread and Spanish sauce is legendary Never had the black ink squid seafood paella. It was also phenomenal . We had way too much housevmade Sangria🤭 All in All a good time had by All

I was in town visiting family and we stopped here for lunch while walking around the Mission District. The service was friendly and efficient. (One in my party speculated that we may have received better service because my cousin spoke Spanish. Not sure...) We sat outside as the weather was very nice and it was fun to people watch. One thing I noticed was that there was enough space between us and the passersby. Have you eaten at a sidewalk cafe and felt like everyone who walks by might sneeze on your plate or brush your head with their arm? Well, happily you do NOT get that feeling here! The food was good. The sangira was GREAT. The tortilla (the Spanish omelet-type thing, not the Mexican bread) was excellent and the cheese plate was also quite good. My companions enjoyed the Carne Paella (chicken, choriza sausage and pork ribs).

The 16th street corridor seems to be a great place for some hidden gems - "Picaro" being one of them. My comment is based on the happy hour experience. My wife and I tried their Sangria carafe for $10 along with different items from the happy hour tapas menu including the spicy sausages and the mushrooms - which were both pretty decent, although the sausages did seem extra oily. The deal on the sangria, however, combined with the outside seating option, well done interiors, and non-complicated staff pull the place to 4 stars.

I nearly called this Review "Tapas and Sangria" because that is what is featured. On 16th Street, we are in the midst of a social change as new money forces out the old tenants and dwellers to allow renovation and high rents. Therefore the warm and old fashioned "Picaro" is an oasis for contemplation and revelry. They have a long Happy Hour, and most of the people here were Hispanic (a great sign in a Spanish restaurant). The food and drink are inexpensive but good. It is not haute cuisine but I bet you never thought it was. Highly recommended, but don't leave it too late (see above).

Nice service Fast service Friendly Good food Large menu, enough for all kind of taste. Nice wine selection Strange neighbourhood, but no problems getting a taxi in front of the door. Recommended

This is a really delightful place in the Mission area and was recommended by our Uber driver. On a late Sunday afternoon in August it was full of people. I loved the décor and the overall ambience. We ordered Sangria of course which paired well with the different small plate dishes. Let me say that portions were generous for small plate fare. My absolute favorite was the Rabo de Toro (ox-tail stew). The Red beet salad was well liked by my friends as well. There are so many things on the menu to try so you are bound to find something you like.

We were taken to Picaro by a big fan of the restaurant and we loved our meal. So many options to choose from, attentive intelligent service, great busy atmosphere without the usual chaos, fresh tasty food, yum sangria that wasn't overloaded with ice and just a great overall experience. Eat here, it rocks.

This place was recommended to me and I am glad I found it. The ambience is warm and welcoming, staff friendly and efficient, and the food is wonderful. I had grilled salmon in a toasted roll with side salad for $5. The salmon was some of the best I have tasted, and I have had plenty, Tthe dish was nicely presented, fresh and flavoursome. There are some wonderful menu choices and it would be easy to become a regular. The staff were efficient and friendly and I hope to return before I leave San Fran city. When using BART get out at 16th Mission turn left into 16th street and walk about 250 metres. PS the sangria is also delicious!

We ordered a variety of meat, seafood and vegetable dishes, all were delicious and generous portions.

This was my first time at this place, let alone eating Spanish food. Let me tell you I LOVE it!!! Fresh food, just enough portions! Loved all the flavors. The only down side is the tables are very close together, this may be an issue for those who like their space!! All in all LOVED it and would eat there again !!

My husband and I sat outside drank sangria and ordered tapas. It was perfect! It was a prefect dinner date. The bread and dipping oil was amazing!!!!

Met a group of women friends for lunch. Ordered the onion and potato omelet. Yech. Couldn't eat it. Very slow service. Skip this restaurant.

Just got back from Picaro. I had the fried calamari way to salty, also the beet salad canned beets and it really was a green iceberg salad with beets. The best thing was the free red sauce that comes with the free bread VERY garlicky. $10.00 for a carafe of sangria was a good buy happy hour only, but happy hour is from 12to 7pm. Outdoor seating is best to people see cool area in the mission district

Anyone looking for a menu full of wonderful choices in an extremely comfortable atmosphere should consider Picaro. We enjoyed a great meal, fine service at a surprisingly reasonable cost. Definitely worth a visit when in San Francisco.

Great selection of tapas, funky vibe of the artwork and lighting. Agree with other reviewers that it is loud. Parties of more than 4 people can have trouble hearing each other. Although the restaurant did get pretty busy while we were there, the quality of the service didn't drop off.

Descent tapas. Can get really crowded and loud on the weekends are people are making their way out of the bars

The service was pretty much on "Q" and the waiters were nice. Food was great and the amount of food does not disappoint. The Sangria was one of the best I had a quite some time and the ambiance was kicking as well. Great place to eat with friends before heading out to a club or another bar.

Enjoyed our mussels, beet salad and tortilla immensely. The grilled lobster tail, though an excellent value, was not that exciting. Avoid the by-the-glass reds!

This charming, no-frills Spanish tapas restaurant reminds me of similar restaurants in smaller Spanish towns. Friendly and down-to-earth, the fare is a wholesome and uninfluenced by contemporary food fads. My tortilla de patata, the traditional Spanish potato dish, was tasty and well-made, although the house salad proved ordinary (lettuce, sliced tomatoes and onions) with insufficient dressing. My guest enjoyed the albondigas in a light sauce accented with a touch of saffron, with a side of rice and steamed zucchini. We did not imbibe, but we noted waiters carry large flasks of sangria to other tables. The service was attentive and helpful--our waiter was happy to explain the details of preparation of any item we asked him about.

Since we dined as a couple we had to be selective about our order. I wish we'd had a bigger party so I could have tried more dishes. We started with a carafe of sangria, which was strong and fruity-- just perfect. It was happy hour so we got a great deal on it. The romesco sauce that came with the bread knocked our socks off! It was tomato-ey, spicy, and smoky. I could have made a meal of it by itself. We also decided on the grilled artichokes (alcachofas a la plancha), patatas bravas, Serrano ham on tomato toast, and garlic shrimp (gambas al ajillo). The artichokes were my favorite-- thinly sliced and grilled to perfection with a drizzle of olive oil and garlic. My husband devoured the shrimp, and soaked up the remaining garlic sauce with his bread. We almost ordered another dish or two, but I was glad we held off, as the meal caught up to us and this way I had room for dessert. We finished the meal with some rich coffee and chocolate mousse. Service was very attentive and friendly (I think they appreciated and were amused by my attempts at conversing in Spanish). The bill was extremely reasonable. Picaro is very convenient to BART-- just a few blocks away. There is outdoor seating, and the tables inside are roomy-- we never felt cramped or too close to other diners, although it got pretty busy. We will return-- but with a larger group!

Have eaten here a few times and always loved it before. Ate there last Friday nite. Service can be a little slow but we were not in a hurry so didnt really matter. That's the fun of eatingTapas anyways. Loved the fried trout before, this time was served without any lemon had to ask twice and was about 10 min before we got some and the trout was cold. Tried the onion potato omelet for the first time - was bland and not very appetizing. The sauteed oysters came covered in satueed onions - couldnt even taste the oyster, I think they forgot to put any garlic in the garlic mushrooms. Maybe they just had an off nite. We will come back again but not any time soon. Prices are very good, especially for SF. Food is usually good also. Atmosphere is fine. I hope they read this and learn from it.

A group of 17 of us ate here last week to celebrate a birthday. We'd originally tried to get into Andalu but they couldn't accommodate such a large group. Even though they were also busy, Picaro had no problem looking after us. Their menu features pretty standard tapas fare - patatas bravas, meatballs and the like - but also they seem to have a few more seafood dishes than standard. We really enjoyed a couple of clam dishes. Additionally, Picaro offers paella. In addition to a bunch of tapas, we order a seafood paella for 6 and it was large and very tasty. If there were only 6 of us, the paella would have been enough food on its own. For 17 people, it was plenty to finish us off - we'd already done with our tapas by the time it came out, as it takes 30 minutes for them to cook it fresh. The rice was soft and tasting and the top was covered in all kinds of fresh seafood. While we didn't try them, our cab driver on the way to the restaurant highly recommended the oysters. Clams sufficed for us this time - and were super tasty. When our bill came, we were pleasantly surprised. We had 22 tapas dishes, a 6 person paella and numerous pitchers of sangria (very easy drinking!) and our bill with tax and tip came to $22 per person. Good times! Now, if only they hadn't let the mariachi band into the restaurant at the end of our meal - that trumpeter was eardrum-blowingly loud!

This warm and friendly venue embraces all in its unpretentious but welcoming ambience. It accommodates families, couples, groups of friends, and lone diners in harmonious juxtaposition. It offers "home cooked" Spanish food with generous portions and a large basket of bread with spicy dip thrown in for good measure. It has a small but good and reasonably priced wine list. Two courses plus wine came to $23 and the creme Catalan was to due for. This is an up and coming area but still retains plenty of the "cheap and cheerful" neighbourhood eating places of which this is an outstanding example .

Really fun atmosphere. Food is always phenomenal. Never had a bad meal. Service is friendly and makes for a fun experience. Paella and Sangria rivals that i have had in Spain. A must if in the city we travel from Novato quite a bit.

We discovered this delightful Spanish eatery while exploring the Mission district. It was a warm afternoon so tapas and beer on the sidewalk patio was perfect. We sampled a delicious Serrano Ham crostini and a plate of crispy deep fried anchovies....so tasty! Accompanied by the local draft beer, it couldn't be better. Service was friendly and efficient. We will be back next time we visit SF!