Mission: Dinner
May 2, 2013 3:15 PM   Subscribe

Where should I eat dinner tonight in the San Francisco Mission district? It will probably be just me. I like pretty much anything, but prefer the interesting hole-in-the wall to fine dining.
posted by exceptinsects to Food & Drink (25 answers total) 19 users marked this as a favorite
 
That's all the info we get? Well... if you're on the Bernal/Outer Mission end:

Emmy's Spaghetti Shack

The Front Porch

posted by sunset in snow country at 3:19 PM on May 2, 2013


Response by poster: I am staying near Dolores Park but I have lots of time so I can walk/transit wherever.
posted by exceptinsects at 3:21 PM on May 2, 2013


the Mission is where the world's best burritos are found. I'll leave the locals to recommend specific taquerias but you can scarcely go wrong.
posted by fingersandtoes at 3:21 PM on May 2, 2013


"The Mission" is pretty big, and if you can get anywhere there's no reason to restrict yourself to just the Mission. What part are you looking to be in?
posted by rhizome at 3:21 PM on May 2, 2013


How about the Burmese dining counter Yamo? It will leave your clothes stinky but is about as hole-in-the-wall as it gets.
posted by xueexueg at 3:25 PM on May 2, 2013 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: It doesn't particularly matter, wherever is most delicious. I just say Mission because there are so many restaurants here you have to narrow it down somehow! I could go out to some other neighborhood if necessary. :-)
posted by exceptinsects at 3:26 PM on May 2, 2013


Well I truthfully only know about it because it came up on a search as having "best burritos" but I have been thoroughly impressed (and my stomach thoroughly filled!) by Taqueria CanCun.
posted by radioamy at 3:28 PM on May 2, 2013 [3 favorites]


LoLo for tapas (sit outside!), Gracias Madre for vegan but actually AMAZING Mexican food (I'm a huge meat eater and I love it). Monk's Kettle or Abbot's Cellar for gastropub+awesome brew selection. Lolinda, Mission Cheese. Pizza from Delfina and carry it to the top of Dolores for a picnic. Limon Rotisserie for Peruvian, Udupi Palace or Dosa for Indian.
posted by amaire at 3:32 PM on May 2, 2013 [1 favorite]


I like Walzwerk but it's kind of edge-of-mission I think.
posted by nat at 3:35 PM on May 2, 2013 [1 favorite]


Little Baobab. Interesting Caribbean food, relatively cheap. If I were in the Mission right now looking for dinner, that'd be my first choice.
posted by straw at 3:41 PM on May 2, 2013 [2 favorites]


Mission Chinese is fantastic, though be prepared to wait.
posted by dhammond at 3:57 PM on May 2, 2013


It's so hot you might not want a huge burrito - however - if upscale Mexican sounds appealing, go to Tacolicious (PDF menu) on Valencia near 18th. Delicious and refreshing margaritas and yummy, yummy tacos (although I often opt for the guacamole + albondigas + marina girl salad.) I'll say it again: YUM.
posted by hapax_legomenon at 3:58 PM on May 2, 2013


Best answer: Poc-Chuc is a little hole-in-the-wall a few blocks off from the 'hip' part of the Mission. They have amazing Mayan food. (I fell in love with panuchos when I took a trip to Tulum a few years ago, and the ones at Poc-Chuc are the closest I've found here by far. So yummy!)
posted by logic vs love at 4:02 PM on May 2, 2013 [1 favorite]


Mission Chinese, as mentioned above! If you arrive on the early side, there often is not actually a long wait.
posted by rainbowbrite at 4:06 PM on May 2, 2013


Oh, also Mission Pie for dessert!
posted by rainbowbrite at 4:06 PM on May 2, 2013


If you like "the interesting hole-in-the wall," stop at Radio Habana on Valencia & 22nd on your way home for a sangria or beer or whatever. Apparently they have food too but I'm not sure if that part is worth checking out.
posted by Joey Buttafoucault at 4:15 PM on May 2, 2013


Oh god, do not go to Tacolicious. Just, no. Go to Cancun if you want Mexican. Or to Little Chihuahua for plantain burritos. Mission Chinese is amazing, but I think it is hard if you are alone — the dishes are huge and really you want to eat everything.

Benders (19th & South Van Ness) is a dive bar with great pulled pork. Salumeria, which is in the Eastern Mission but an interesting walk has wonderful sandwiches, as does Bi-rite, though Bi-Rite is really a picnic stop off.
posted by dame at 4:17 PM on May 2, 2013 [1 favorite]


And since it is hot, why not walk over to Humphrey Slocombe on 24th & Folsom for ice cream. There is a great bookstore up the street (Alley Cat) and a whisky bar, Blind Cat for a filling evening. Or you can hit Dear Mom, another bar, with maybe the best burger I've had in the city (and that is to say a lot).
posted by dame at 4:20 PM on May 2, 2013 [1 favorite]


I second the vote for Yamo, and will in fact be heading there shortly for dinner.. super last minute meetup? Also if you're in the Dolores Park area, Bi-Rite Creamery is your nearest supplier of excellent ice cream goodness.. exploit your closeness by buying a pint to-go, that lets you skip the line that is probably already winding around the block on a day like this.
posted by kanuck at 4:53 PM on May 2, 2013


Seconding Mission Chinese and Pizzeria Delfina. Bi-Rite creamery for ice cream after.
posted by Maecenas at 5:08 PM on May 2, 2013 [1 favorite]


Seconding Little Boabab. I ate there only once about 5 years ago, but it is a meal that I still remember. Plantains . . . mmmmmm.
posted by ainsley at 5:37 PM on May 2, 2013


If you're in the mood for something middle eastern, there Arabian restaurant or Tuba (sorry can't do links, on the phone).

If you're in the mood for Japanese and you *promise* not to tell anyone, there's Minako, the most quirky place ever. Run by Judy (aka Minako) with her mom as the cook. It's my favorite place ever, delicious, slow, and tiny, and Judy doesn't take any shit from anyone, so pay attention to the instructions! And also, don't tell anyone! One time she got a good review and she was so mad because all these people came looking for a restaurant type place where waiters and owners are subservient and all that...
posted by jasper411 at 6:18 PM on May 2, 2013 [2 favorites]


Response by poster: Went to Poc-Chuc and loved it. Thanks, everyone!
posted by exceptinsects at 9:25 PM on May 2, 2013


Response by poster: Oh and also I won't get into the whole northern CA burritos vs southern CA burritos thing, but suffice it to say I am from San Diego.
posted by exceptinsects at 12:22 PM on May 3, 2013


Glad you had a great dining experience in the Mission! Just want to leave for posterity: La Taqueria - OMIGOD so good! Tacos, burritos - whatever. You can't go wrong.

Plus, it's easy to spot.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 4:08 PM on May 3, 2013


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