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  5. Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
¡Chao Pescao!, San Francisco, CA

¡Chao Pescao!

4.6
4.6
454 Reviews
$30 and under
Latin American
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.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 7 times today

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style

    Casual Dining

  • Cuisines

    Latin American, Colombian, Cuban

  • Hours of operation

    Dinner Tue–Sat 11:30 am–8:00 pm

  • Phone number

    (415) 621-2200

  • 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.

  • Private party contact

    Dan Shaw: (888) 654-2841

  • 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

Popular dishes

What 454 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseEnergetic

Sort by

  1. MEdining

    San Francisco

    63 reviews

    4.0

    63 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    overall4food5service4ambience5
    Vibrant bar and tapas scene in Civic Center! Interesting, creative drinks, fun decor and ambiance. Would have given it extra star, except one of the two restrooms was out of order, and there was a continuous line of patient guests waiting their turn. A bit annoying when sitting opposite.

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  2. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    overall5food4service5ambience4
    Cocktails were fantastic! Empanadas and Yucca Frites were also a real hit!

    Is this helpful?

  3. ScottN

    San Francisco

    33 reviews

    5.0

    33 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Three awesome dishes, all top rate, left is struggling to rank them best to worst. Staff was extremely friendly and attentive. We never asked for refills or looked for attention, they were there at the ready throughout the meal. Fun and entertaining environment that added to the experience.

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  4. VanessaT

    Houston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    Amazing family and friends lunch, service outstanding, everyone was kind sweet and helpful, the food like always is fabulous!

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  5. scottS

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    overall5food5service4ambience4
    Wonderfully surprised with our meals there. Great value, well-cooked meals and vibrant flavors.

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  6. Mealymouth

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 28, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    This is why you live in the city. For amazing, festive places that serve amazing food. Cuban tapas, mojitos and warn tapica bread! The only problem we had was getting p fro our charis becsue we could not stop eating.

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  7. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 27, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food was fabulous. The drinks too! Great ambience! We will definitely be back soon.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Magenta

    San Francisco

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on May 27, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great vebe, delicious food, helpful staff! They made sure we got to our play on time. We'll be back!

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  9. Ginny

    San Francisco

    104 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    104 reviews

    Dined on May 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Good food, friendly service, large portions, interesting cocktails, vibrant décor and a easy location in the heart of the arts.

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing food and very friendly service. We’re definitely coming back.

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  11. Pamela

    San Francisco

    30 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    30 reviews

    Dined on May 12, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Bright, fun, lively atmosphere. Friendly service. Very nice mixture of age groups.

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  12. SUED

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 29, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    Loved it here. It is close to the parking lot and to the theatre. Good food, great service! It was loud, though.

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  13. snapsf

    San Francisco

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on April 29, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience4
    Awesome location close to the Civic Center and the parking garage. Welcoming, fresh and unique decor. Service was slow at first but picked up. Not all the cocktails were available (they are changing their menu apparently) but the Mango Tango is tiki and yummy. The empanadas were delicious (we shared one of each as an appetizer and they arrived paired with salsas). The main courses (fried chicken and ribeye steak - each with rice, beans and tostones) were well proportioned and well seasoned. Glad we still had space to room the dulce de leche rice pudding. It arrived covered in grated cinnamon and was to die for. Definitely a hidden gem.

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  14. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on April 29, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    excellent food and service!

    Is this helpful?

  15. TF1848

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on April 28, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Chao Pescao is always wonderful, lunch or dinner. The menu is varied; the food is extremely well prepared and flavorful; the space is now light and welcoming, and the prices are reasonable - especially given the substantial servings of some dishes. (Especially the salads and soups!). Above all, the staff are terrific. Friendly, attentive (bear with them when things get crowded, they will get to you quickly!), and very helpful if you need advice in ordering. This is such an improvement for the neighborhood, and a terrific venue to have right on Civic Center plaza. And if you're going to the Symphony, War Memorial, etc. - it's quite close and a great choice.

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  16. Eric

    San Francisco

    235 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    235 reviews

    Dined on April 28, 2023

    overall4food4service3ambience4
    This is our third time at Chao Pescao; the food is very good and it's convenient for shows at the Orpheum and Golden Gate. The food is consistent and plentiful, and the wine was a good value. The servers are very friendly. I nicked them a bit on the service, as the server was less attentive toward the end, but not enough to make me not go back. I'm guessing he was serving the majority of the tables in there, so I'll give him a pass. We will gladly go back.

    Is this helpful?

  17. rmoh

    San Francisco

    53 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    53 reviews

    Dined on April 26, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great place for dinner before the theater. Highly recommend the tacos on Tuesday, unbelievably delicious, great drinks too

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  18. CharlieC

    San Francisco

    41 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    41 reviews

    Dined on April 23, 2023

    overall3food4service2ambience3
    This incarnation of the venue at 272 McAllister holds a lot of promise. It is conveniently located and it sounds interesting. The food was good, the value was good, but the atmosphere was so loud it was difficult to carry on a conversation. The service was disorganized. They never brought our appetizer. It was still on order when the entrees arrived. We asked the server about it, and she had no idea, brushing us off as if it was a stupid question. The waiter didn't know either but was able to cancel it. The espresso machine was down.

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  19. RobinS

    Edinburgh

    43 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    43 reviews

    Dined on April 23, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    Fun casual food. Great daiquiri! Accommodating helpful staff. Great music.

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  20. RisaT

    San Francisco

    14 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on April 23, 2023

    overall4food5service5ambience3
    Everything was wonderful, food and service, but it was noisy.

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  21. albertb

    San Francisco

    53 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    53 reviews

    Dined on April 22, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience4
    We've eaten here many times and food quality never disappoints. Very authentic

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  22. ClaytonA

    Sacramento

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 22, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food was delicious especially the empanada! I was very pleased with the whole experience and haven’t stopped raving about it to my coworkers and friends. Definitely recommend and will be back!

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  23. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    4.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on April 22, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    We chose this for a pre-show dinner. It happened to be restaurant week and so they had a 5-course pre fixe option, which both my husband and I chose. We told our server we had a show and asked if the 5 course option would work. They noted that they would ask the kitchen to combine the aperitif, ceviche and empanada appetizer courses to help speed the process. This worked out well so that we didn’t feel rushed but still got to enjoy each offering. For our main courses, my husband ordered the flank streak and I ordered the pulled pork. Both were served with white rice and black beans. The rice and beans together had pronounced Cuban flavors that I haven’t had since I was in the Caribbean. Both the proteins were packed with flavor - the beef deep and garlicky, the pork sweet, tropical, and savory. We ended the dinner with dessert - my husband had the rice pudding and I had the caramel custard. They were both comforting yet special. I will definitely be back again when we can linger longer. Overall the service was wonderful, as was the food. Worth the value.

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  24. Healyoudom

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on April 21, 2023

    overall4food4service3ambience5
    The empanadas were everythingggggg…. Sweet plantains with beans were good as well. Beans well seasoned….We also ordered the steak with beans and rice…, that was just okay…. Nothing too fancy… we’d probably won’t order it again. Overall we’d definitely come back to try more items on the menu! And I’m MOST DEFINITELY COMING BACK FOR THE EMPANADAS

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  25. MikeS

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 16, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    First time there and everything was a surprise; a perfect surprise! We had a most relaxed time, food was distinctively delicious, staff friendly and attentive. My entree, the ropa vieja, was particularly delicious but the cafe con leche at the end was superlative. Really good place...

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  26. JerryF

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on April 16, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Had a blast! Good service and good drinks. Empanadas we’re very good!

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  27. JennyM

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 16, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Wonderful food, great service. We enjoyed everything we tried— shrimp salad, empanadas, Ropa Vieja, pork, fried chicken, and drinks.

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  28. JulieW

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on April 15, 2023

    overall5food4service5ambience4
    Great experience great service yummy wine, great selection for gluten-free options

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  29. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on April 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Went once before and service was slow, but everything else was excellent. Now they've tightened up service so absolutely no complaints, we had a really lovely meal.

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  30. AmyS

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on April 6, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our food was DELICIOUS, we literally cleaned the plates. Our waiter and all the staff was/were excellent and happy. We can’t wait to come back!

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  31. AliciaE

    San Francisco

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on April 2, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience4
    The food is excellent. It's a great place to dine before attending the theater.

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  32. Jilleen

    San Francisco

    16 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    16 reviews

    Dined on April 1, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Chao Pescao never disappoints! Food is always freshly prepared. Service is friendly and attentive. Vibe is invigorating.

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  33. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 1, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We dined prior to the SF ballet. It was a wonderful experience. Food was so delicious! So convenient to the Opera House and parking available next door. I highly recommend if you have an event to attend at the Opera House!

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  34. KatherineH

    San Francisco

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 1, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    Great service and a fun menu of options. My only complaint is the music was so loud as to make conversation a challenge. We asked them to turn down the speaker near us and eventually they did, but by then the sound of the other diners was quite loud and the surfaces are all hard, so it was still difficult to converse. I would go again, but be prepared for the cacophony.

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  35. spsf

    San Francisco

    11 reviews

    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on March 26, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Great food with a large variety, including vegetarian and gluten-free free choices. Our server was delightful — friendly, attentive, made good suggestions. The fried chicken was exceptional, and we lived the Brussel sprouts — actually, we loved everything we ordered!

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  36. PaulD

    San Francisco

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 24, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience3
    Delicious, hearty food and lots of it. Fun decor, fine wait staff. The acoustic is noisy, especially for ears that aren't as young as they used to be.

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  37. mrtboz

    San Francisco

    19 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    19 reviews

    Dined on March 22, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Empenadas came with nice sauce. Not only spicy but also flavors. I tried soup this time and it was delicious.

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  38. JoannF

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Everything was awesome. Was very noise has a good vibe.

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  39. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on March 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Such a fun meal. Everything we had was delicious. We would recommend the pork empanadas and the chicken arippas.

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  40. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on March 18, 2023

    overall4food5service5ambience2
    Great food great service too loud. Probably the loudest restaurant I’ve ever been to.

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Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitizing

    • Surfaces sanitized between seatings
    • Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
    • Sealed or wrapped utensils used
    • Common areas deep-cleaned daily
    • Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
    • Contactless payment available
  • Physical distancing

    • Limited number of seated diners
    • Distancing maintained in common areas
    • Extra space between tables
  • Protective equipment

    • Waitstaff wear masks
    • Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking
  • Screening

    • Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
    • Staff temperature check required

FAQs

You can order delivery directly from ¡Chao Pescao! using the Order Online button. ¡Chao Pescao! also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (415) 621-2200.

¡Chao Pescao! is rated 4.6 stars by 454 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 7 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

  • 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

  • Phone number

    (415) 621-2200

  • 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.

  • Private party contact

    Dan Shaw: (888) 654-2841

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