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¡Chao Pescao!, San Francisco, CA

¡Chao Pescao!

4.4 (676)
$30 and under
Latin American
272 McAllister Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 5 times today

About this restaurant

  • Lively
  • Charming
  • Good for groups
Chao Pescao is a new casual Latin Caribbean restaurant from longtime San Francisco restaurateur Rene Denis inspired by his Cuban-Colombian heritage. The name, translating roughly to “see you later alligator,” captures the friendly and fun spirit of the restaurant. Cocktails are inspired by many of the traditional drinks from Latin America, while the food pulls from the comforting Cuban and Colombian home cooking of Denis’s childhood. The menu is rounded out with other Latin American favorites with particular emphasis on dishes designed for delivery. Chao Pescao is located in the Civic Center Plaza at the heart of the city, across from City Hall.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Latin American, Colombian, Cuban
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Tue–Sat 11:30 am–8:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Chef Rene Denis
  • Catering
    Please visit our website at www.chaopescaosf.com and view our Events Menu for details.
  • Private party facilities
    Chao Pescao's mid-town location and latin-caribbean menu makes this city favorite a winning choice for private group dining, and Chao's plentiful array of Latin-themed cocktails and fine wine list will please every guest.
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Neighborhood
    Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
  • Cross street
    Larkin
  • Parking details
    $5 Parking Mon-Fri after 5pm and all day Saturday with validation at the the Hastings Parking Garage.The UC Hastings Parking Garage is located at 376 Larkin St between McAllister and Golden Gate. The Civic Center Garage entrance is located at 355 McAllister. Street parking is also available and is free after 6pm.
  • Public transit
    Public Transit Stops: Civic Center Bart & Muni Stations - 2 blocks MUNI 5 Fulton - .5 blocks 19 Polk - .5 blocks 47 Van Ness - 2 blocks 49 Mission/Van Ness - 2 blocks Golden Gate Transit - .5 blocks
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 676 people are saying

¡Chao Pescao! reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.2Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
¡Chao Pescao! is a vibrant spot offering "delicious food" with a Caribbean flair, making it perfect for a pre-theater or concert meal. The "great location" and welcoming ambiance enhance the dining experience. While service can be inconsistent, the "friendly staff" and "amazing cocktails" ensure a memorable visit.
676 Reviews
  1. June VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area13 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic place for a pre-theater dinner. Yuca fries were great, love the sauce and the flavored oil that comes with it. The portions are good sized. The Lechon Cubano was flavorful, meat was tender. The Arepa de Cemita was also wonderful. The Dos Mariposas cocktail was tasty, with edible butterfly-shaped decorations. The Arroz con Dulce de Leche was fantastic, cinnamon forward. Charming atmosphere.

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  2. Kari

    San Francisco Bay Area1 review

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    BETTER THAN SOL FOOD! Amazing! I can't believe I am just discovering this place. Hands down, some of the best Cuban-fusion food I have ever eaten. Cheese bread could be sold in bulk --so good. I had the Vegana Ropa Vieja (amazing)! my daughter had the Arepa Rellena de Bistec, and my husband had the Cemita Polana. We all shared each other's meals--and each one was better than the next. To top it off, the Alfajores for dessert. OMG! I thought I was too full -but I eat 2 of the 4 cookies!!! This place is a must dine!

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  3. Allen

    San Francisco Bay Area28 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 20, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We had a dinner here before our 7:30 pm Opera tickets. It was an easy walk from the Civic Center Parking Garage, as well as the War Memorial Auditorium. The food was delicious! The menu offered a variety of dishes, and a good drink menu as well. We started off by sharing a big bowl of Brussel sprouts with honey-lime vinaigrette - Delicious! My husband had Ropa Viejo with shredded angus beef, green olive, red bell pepper, tomato, and bacon. It was magnificent and filling! I had three chicken empanadas that were perfect. This delicious dinner was so filling, we were set for the rest of the evening. I would absolutely recommend this restaurant for a pre-theater meal any day of the week.

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  4. Mary Ann

    San Francisco Bay Area3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    It’s hard to find a nice restaurant in walking distance to the theater. Everyone in our group of 6 enjoyed their meal and we will be back.

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  5. Mie VIP

    California Central Coast18 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on June 8, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    It was so noisy and we have to scream to each other to talk. Got tired after all. Ordered Grilled shrimp w/rice and black beans it was $39 and filled up with rice and beans. Its value was so bad. Not worth. But convenient location before the symphony

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  6. Kevin VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on June 7, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Tasty Cuban sandwich, good cocktails, nice atmosphere

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  7. Jim

    San Francisco Bay Area4 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on June 7, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Food was good. Loud atmosphere. Bar service needs help

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  8. John

    San Francisco Bay Area6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 5, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Fun place, delicious food, and great location for walking to shows at the Orpheum afterward.

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  9. Larry VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 24, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food here is delicious. I had the fried chicken with beans and rice and i cant recommend it enough. My wife had a salad with prawns also delicious. The mixed drinks are superb. Overall it was a great dinner date prior to seeing a play.

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  10. Jim VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area276 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on May 23, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    Too crowded, bad service, bland food, but a very nice hostess

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

¡Chao Pescao! offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (415) 621-2200.

¡Chao Pescao! is rated 4.4 stars by 676 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Francisco Bay Area
  4. San Francisco
  5. Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 5 times today
Google Map for ¡Chao Pescao!

272 McAllister Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Larkin
  • Neighborhood
    Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Tue–Sat 11:30 am–8:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Latin American, Colombian, Cuban
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    $5 Parking Mon-Fri after 5pm and all day Saturday with validation at the the Hastings Parking Garage.The UC Hastings Parking Garage is located at 376 Larkin St between McAllister and Golden Gate. The Civic Center Garage entrance is located at 355 McAllister. Street parking is also available and is free after 6pm.
  • Public transit
    Public Transit Stops: Civic Center Bart & Muni Stations - 2 blocks MUNI 5 Fulton - .5 blocks 19 Polk - .5 blocks 47 Van Ness - 2 blocks 49 Mission/Van Ness - 2 blocks Golden Gate Transit - .5 blocks
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Chef Rene Denis
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    Please visit our website at www.chaopescaosf.com and view our Events Menu for details.
  • Private party facilities
    Chao Pescao's mid-town location and latin-caribbean menu makes this city favorite a winning choice for private group dining, and Chao's plentiful array of Latin-themed cocktails and fine wine list will please every guest.
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