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¡Chao Pescao!, San Francisco, CA

¡Chao Pescao!

4.5 (666)
$30 and under
Latin American
272 McAllister Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 11 times today

About this restaurant

  • Lively
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • 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 666 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

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.2Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
¡Chao Pescao! offers a vibrant atmosphere with "amazing food" and "friendly staff." It's a perfect spot for pre-theater dining, with "great ambiance" and a "spacious and luxurious" setting. While some service issues occur during busy times, the "delicious and unique" menu keeps guests returning for more.

666 Reviews
  1. Jim VIP

    San Francisco274 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 1 day ago

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

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  2. Jack

    San Francisco1 review

    3.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    I was surprised to only see two small slices of plantain with my dish. I had to order a side dish and half of them were not ripe. The pork was a little dry. But the Yuca was excellent as well as the empanadas I had to beg for salsa for my dish The virgin mojito was great but such a small glass not even 10ozs Taste is good but too far from authentic

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  3. Mark McMaster VIP

    Central Coast7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Food was delicious. Good vibe. Friendly staff. Will be back!

    Is this helpful?

  4. sioban VIP

    San Francisco12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very pretty restaurant with great servers and food. Really enjoyed dinner before a show at the Civic.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Jean

    San Francisco3 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on May 4, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Had a reservation before the ballet. We were seated promptly and water was delivered immediately. We weren’t asked about drinks until our food order was taken. We ordered an appetizer that didn’t come out until our entrees were delivered. My partner’s after dinner drink was spilled by the server on the table in front of him, and the server did not apologize or clean it up so we had a puddle on the table while we ate dessert. Food was very good. Noise level (music and people noise) was deafening.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Marilen VIP

    San Francisco32 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on April 13, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a nice dinner before the symphony. This place has a great ambiance, good food and service, and I definitely want to return to try other dishes.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Cynthia VIP

    San Francisco110 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on April 11, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    They were not prepared for a pre-concert crowd. Took forever to get food/drinks. Service was inattentive. Sound was deafening. We had to shout at each other. Food was good when it came. I recommend the fried chicken and the empanadas.

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  8. Jon

    Berkshire1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 30, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We went for a birthday for 10 people. The staff were incredibly accommodating and very friendly. They were attentive enough to keep everyone stocked with food and drink, but not overbearing. The food was lovely, the cocktails interesting and tasty!

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  9. John

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 30, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The restaurant was great. It was our first time dining here. From the appetizer to the main menu it was visually appealing and tasty. Will definitely return to dine and enjoy the great atmosphere.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Arielle

    Seattle1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 28, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food and cocktails were AMAZING. I was in town on business and was looking for South American cuisine and this did not disappoint! Honestly I could have eaten there every day of my trip and it still wouldn't have been enough. The dining area is spacious and luxurious and the staff were incredibly attentive, friendly, and helpful. Will definitely go again next time I'm in town.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

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

¡Chao Pescao! is rated 4.5 stars by 666 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 11 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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