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Elena's, San Francisco, CA

Elena's

4.7 (742)
$30 and under
Mexican
255 W Portal Ave, San Francisco, CA 94127-1401

Make a reservation

2 people
11:30 PM
Booked 145 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Lively
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Hot spot
Welcome to Elena's -- a place where a family’s love for authentic Mexican food is celebrated and combined with California-inspired elements and signature Mexican-American dishes. We offer reservations for up to 8 guests via OpenTable. At the time of your reservation, we kindly request the entire party be present to be seated. Tables will be held for up to 10 minutes after the reservation time. For parties that arrive later, the table will be released but we will do our best to accommodate the reservation with the next available table. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming you to Elena’s!

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mexican
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 11:30 am–10:00 pm Fri 11:30 am–11:00 pm Sat 10:30 am–11:00 pm Sun 10:30 am–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (415) 622-4440
  • Website
    http://www.elenasmexican.com/
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct

Featured in

Experiences

  • Salsa Daddy x Elena's Mexican Collab Dinner

    May 18, 2025 only
    Salsa Daddy x Elena’s Mexican Collab Dinner We’re beyond excited to welcome Chef Rick Martinez to Elena’s Mexican Restaurant for a one-night-only dinner celebrating the launch of his brand-new cookbook, SALSA DADDY: Dip Your Way Into Mexican Cooking! For this special evening, we’ll be featuring a curated selection of Chef Rick’s signature salsas from his book, paired with some of our favorite Elena's dishes — plus a few exclusive dinner specials created in collaboration with Chef Rick himself. It’s a flavorful fusion of tradition, creativity, and of course, Chef Rick’s signature bold style. Chef Rick will also be on-site for book signings, photos, and to share the inspiration behind Salsa Daddy — a heartfelt and delicious dive into one of Mexico’s most beloved culinary staples. This event is open to guests dining at Elena's on Sunday, May 18th! Don’t miss this unforgettable evening of food, flavor, and celebration. ¡Nos vemos pronto!
    Salsa Daddy x Elena's Mexican Collab Dinner Photo

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 742 people are saying

Elena's 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

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • San Francisco Bay Area

    Most Booked

  • San Francisco

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Elena's offers a vibrant dining experience with "amazing service" and "incredible food." Guests rave about the delicious margaritas and churros, highlighting its "beautiful decor" and lively atmosphere. While reservations are essential due to its popularity, the "attentive staff" ensures a memorable visit. Perfect for celebrations or a casual meal.

742 Reviews

  1. Kaynaz

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing ! Great place! 10/10 will def be back for more!

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  2. Sheila

    San Francisco5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Good food, excellent pleasant help and the large corner table is great for a group.

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  3. chris

    Central Coast5 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 1
    The decor is lovely. I found it impossible to enjoy my meal because of the blaring music with a raucous beat and the woman at the next table shouting to be heard by her table companions. The food was mediocre. The complementary chips were light and crispy but the salsa was too salty. The chicken taco and tamale were ok. I was happy the black beans were not overly salty and the lettuce and tomatoes were fresh and good. The rice was ok. My husband enjoyed the chicken fajitas but they were ordinary. We were anxious to leave because the noise was unsettling.

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  4. SUSAN

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Aunt's 96th Birthday we all 3 enjoyed our food and service.

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  5. Marisa VIP

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great lunch! Highly recommend the cheesecake dessert

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  6. Sue VIP

    San Francisco15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Love everything about this place except the noise level — but then, I’m old. That probably explains it.

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  7. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great for date night! Love the cocktails, appetizers, crudo, birria tacos and churros for dessert!

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  8. Holly VIP

    San Francisco8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always great food great service and wonderful atmosphere. I will keep coming back.

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  9. Derik VIP

    San Francisco18 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server was Lily, she was incredible! I highly recommend her. Their food was also incredible! We had the pork Colorado dish, quesabirria, calamari, crudo, tostadas, chile con queso,and their tres leches cake! It was all so delicious! The Colorado pork dish was out of this world! I can’t wait to go back there for dinner!

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  10. Mercedes VIP

    San Francisco99 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I met up with my former colleagues today for lunch. My friend arrived with her new baby to celebrate Mother’s Day. The hostess Dahlia was so nice finding the right table for the four of us including the baby in a stroller. We found a table in the corner by the window. Another friend arrived late but Kenya the server was patiently nice that she got our Aqua Fresca drinks. The chips with salsa were complimentary. We ordered the House Made Guacamole & Calamari Fritos. My first time I tried the shishito peppers and it was delicious & not spicy. This is my third dining at Elena’s so I changed my main course to Ahi Tostadas. I experienced the combo chicken/crab enchiladas twice already so I was ready for a change. My friends got the Ceviche Tostadas and the Combo Chicken & Crab Enchiladas. Actually it was my friends first time at Elena’s. The food was incredible and full or rich flavors. My friends were satisfied what they got including myself. We ordered churros for dessert. The service is phenomenal and the ambiance was lovely. I never thought on a Monday that the restaurant would be busy for lunch. I will definitely be back with my family.

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FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Elena's using the Order Online button.

Elena's is rated 4.7 stars by 742 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. Forest Hill / West Portal

Make a reservation

2 people
11:30 PM
Booked 145 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Elena's

255 W Portal Ave, San Francisco, CA 94127-1401

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Forest Hill / West Portal
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 11:30 am–10:00 pm Fri 11:30 am–11:00 pm Sat 10:30 am–11:00 pm Sun 10:30 am–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mexican
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    None
  • Additional
    Wheelchair Access
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct

Featured in

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