Lolo

Name: Lolo
Address: 974 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA, United States, 94110
Telephone: (415) 643-5656
Price range: $50 and over
Rating: 4.3

4.3

356 Reviews

$50 and over

Mexican

Top Tags:

Lolo is located in San Francisco, California and specializes in Jaliscan-Californian cuisine in an elegant and colorful setting for all to enjoy. Guests at Lolo enjoy the Mexican-inspired dishes made using fresh and locally sourced ingredients. The menu consists of organic items such as fried Brussels sprouts, shrimp ceviche, pork belly salad, octopus gorditas, carne asada, veggie omelet, chile verde pork butt, grilled beef tacos and carnitas. During your meal, visit the agave bar at Lolo. Spirits offered at the agave bar are blended and mixed using mezcal and agave-based selections for sweet and healthy tastes. Try the homemade sangria or a sweet margarita to pair with any dish.

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Mexican, Regional Mexican, Contemporary Mexican
Hours of operation
Dinner: Monday - Thursday: 6:00pm - 11:00pm, Friday - Saturday: 6:00pm - 1:00am
Phone number
(415) 643-5656
Website
http://www.lolosf.com/
Payment options
Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Jorge Martinez
Catering
Ranging from bites for your party to a full service wedding. Please call us.
Private party facilities
Loló is available for private parties on Sundays. Please call us to book.
Private party contact
Merdol Erkal: (415) 643-5656

Location
974 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood
Mission District
Cross street
20th St
Parking details
Mission & Bartlett Garage 90 Bartlett Street (between 21st St & 22nd St)
Additional
Bar Dining, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Farm to Table, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wine

What 356 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.3

4.3 based on all time ratings

4.3Food
4.1Service
4Ambience
1Value

Noise • Moderate

356 Reviews

S
Seekingamazingfood
San Francisco
4 reviews
3.0
4 reviews
Dined on August 1, 2014
overall3food3service3ambience4
Overall, the food was good but forgettable. Avocado tacos and drinks were amazing.
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KS
KristinaS
San Francisco
33 reviews
5.0
33 reviews
Dined on August 1, 2014
overall5food5service5ambience5
This restaurant is a complete delight, visually, gastronomically, everything! The ambiance is eclectic and tremendous fun! The service is superb! The food is fabulous. I came here with 5 of my lady friends (we're all over 60), and we were enchanted and blown away ... and all of us would go back in a heartbeat! In fact, I am, with a new group of people ... this time with youngsters and my husband!
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h
hans
San Francisco
32 reviews
vip
3.0
32 reviews
Dined on July 24, 2014
overall3food3service2ambience3
Food was good. Ecclectic decor. But you should really open on time (5:30 PM and not have your customer wait until 6 PM). Also, calling restaurant back to confirm my reservation - no live person who answers phone nor was there any voicemail options.
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k
ksmith
San Francisco
3 reviews
vip
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on July 15, 2014
overall5food5service5ambience5
Went here for a girl's night with some coworkers and we all loved the drinks, food, and service! The food options were perfect for sharing and the drinks were fun and delicious! Will definitely be returning
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JP
JPynnSF
San Francisco
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on July 6, 2014
overall4food4service4ambience4
Atmosphere - very fun. Food - the three times I've gone, I've enjoyed 10 small plates. Best asparagus I've ever had. Great carnitas - enough for 2 people. I crave the Windshield cocktail which they generally only serve at dinner but they'll make it for you for lunch, if you request it. The last time I was there, I was a bit disappointed in the service & drinks, especially because I brought two friends for their first visit. The wait person ignored after she took our order & at the end of our meal, she clearly wanted us gone. I didn't see anyone standing in line, so I couldn't understand the bum's rush. The lemonaid drinks were very weak (it's not on the online menu so I can't give a name). But generally, I've loved the food & service.
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PH
PhilH
San Francisco
25 reviews
vip
3.0
25 reviews
Dined on July 3, 2014
overall3food3service2ambience5
I love the old location of Loló but something got lost along the way when they opened the new space. Prices have risen and quality has suffered. Bland guacamole, overly dressed brussel sprouts, nice homemade chips and avocado tacos.
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MI
MaraInRiverdale
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on June 30, 2014
overall5food5service5ambience5
This was an outstanding meal from every angle. Fun decor made us laugh a lot, great drinks menu - highly creative. Outstanding service and food was unbeatable. SO unique!
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N
Natalie
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 30, 2014
overall5food5service5ambience4
Great Mexican-inspired cuisine. The meat (steak and chicken) were especially awesome. Go for the sopes and/or the tacos, and the kale salad was great as well!
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OL
OLASA
San Francisco
7 reviews
vip
4.0
7 reviews
Dined on June 30, 2014
overall4food4service4ambience4
It was like having Mexican tapas. Really different take on your typical mexican dishes. You know it's good when an 8 year old will try something and then say it's delicious!
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g
goodbutnotgreat
New York Area
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on June 27, 2014
overall3food4service2ambience3
Good food, ok service and a bit too loud for normal conversation.
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KS
KS123
San Francisco
18 reviews
5.0
18 reviews
Dined on June 26, 2014
overall5food5service5ambience5
This is now one of my three favorite restaurants! Everything was fabulous: food, decor, and service!
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s
sirfrancisrex
San Francisco
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on June 24, 2014
overall4food4service5ambience4
Super friendly Hostess and servers. Got every dish that was recommended to us and they were all excellent, The decor is fun and super cute too!
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JM
JMinSF
San Francisco
43 reviews
vip
5.0
43 reviews
Dined on June 21, 2014
overall5food5service5ambience5
...and in their new location on Valencia St., there's more space, more light, more air ... with the same superb staff and over-the-top delicious food. A place this good generally goes downhill in quality (it's so good, there's really no place to go but downhill) ... but in the 5-6 or so years I have been off-and-on eating at Lolo's, this has not happened. Kudos to the management and staff for holding the line. I'll be back again and again.
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SF
SFJazzer
San Francisco
10 reviews
4.0
10 reviews
Dined on June 17, 2014
overall4food4service4ambience3
On a Tuesday, Lolo was popping like Saturday night, and despite having to wait 30 minutes for our reserved table, we liked it a lot. The folks finishing up at "our" table took that half hour for conversation after paying their check. Lolo let us know they would clear that table immediately when the earlier guests finally departed, and they brought us complimentary champagne (very nice champagne) to ease our wait. The menu is interesting and the food we ordered demanded a return visit to try the attractive choices that we left behind. Only complaint: as lifetime SFers, we are not afraid of spicy and at least one of the red sauces was surprisingly bland. Our servers were very good, well informed, and we expect to visit them again.
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L
Luvtoeatout
San Francisco
8 reviews
vip
1.0
8 reviews
Dined on June 14, 2014
overall1food1service1ambience1
I had heard good things about lolo, but was really disappointed. First of all, it must have been 105 degrees at our booth. No sign of air conditioning or fans. I had asked the server about the shrimp tacos. She told me there were 2 on the plate. However she failed to tell me they were bite size. I was done with my lunch in 2 minuets, and still hungry. My partner ordered chilaquiles with a fried egg on top. They were dry, boring, and tasteless. My margarita was excellent, and I would have had another, had I been asked by our server. We both left saying the same thing "I'd never go back"
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K
Katie
San Francisco
18 reviews
4.0
18 reviews
Dined on June 13, 2014
overall4food4service4ambience5
This is the second time we went to Lolo's and it was just as good as the first. The food has so much flavor, and all the dishes have a unique aspect to them. The place is relatively small and bustling, with crazy colorful and weird design. A great spot for groups or a date night. Highly recommend.
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4
4sustainability
San Francisco
99 reviews
vip
2.0
99 reviews
Dined on June 11, 2014
overall2food3service3ambience2
Started on high note with wdfl beet/delicate cheese/fruity olive oil dish; downhill from there. Huge serving of browned, v. flavorful but a bit too oily Brussels sprouts, which took forever to arrive, was also tasty. Both grass-fed beef taco and carnitas sort of dry, bland--maybe because of late hour. Handmade corn tortillas had a slightly unfamiliar flavor that I didn't find an improvement over the standard. V. friendly, accommodating staff. I found my margarita kind of flavorless and the pina colada w. horchata just plain weird. Music loud; w. a full house I imagine the place would be deafening.
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M
oMilo
San Francisco
24 reviews
3.0
24 reviews
Dined on June 9, 2014
overall3food3service3ambience4
was good not great but just right for an affordable lively /fun setting for good modern mexican
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 8, 2014
overall5food5service5ambience5
I would definitely return to try other dishes! The Shrimp Tacos were good, loved the beets and also the brussle sprouts! Service was fantastic!
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R
Rncmc
San Francisco
10 reviews
4.0
10 reviews
Dined on June 7, 2014
overall4food4service3ambience4
Great restaurant, one of my favorites in the neighborhood. Always have a great time
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a
andyland
San Francisco
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on June 6, 2014
overall4food5service5ambience4
Nice. Cute. Great friendly staff. They had really good recommendations on food. Yum!
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K
Katie
San Francisco
18 reviews
5.0
18 reviews
Dined on June 5, 2014
overall5food5service5ambience5
This is a lively, fun an energetic spot with fantastic food. It's cozy and colorful, and you definitely need a reservation if you don't want to wait hours. But whether you make extra reservation efforts or decide to wait, it's definitely worth it. Our server was super friendly and knowledgeable about the food, but not overbearing. The food was all delicious and unique -- cool takes on traditional tapas with really great flavors. The wine was also excellent. And finally, for as much hype as this place has and as busy as it always is, the prices are still very reasonable. I highly recommend this place for any occasion.
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VB
VicBee
San Francisco
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 30, 2014
overall4food4service4ambience3
I was very fond of the old Lolo with its funky setting, its excellent tapas and hot staff. So I decided to try the new place. It's spacious like many trendy eateries in the City. The decor tries to replicate the cool Latin bohemian old LoLo but with so much space to fill the same decor feels a bit cheap. The food is still excellent, with maybe fewer choices but truly nothing to complain about. From small LoLo to big LoLo intimacy with the staff is gone. Service is good and I recognize a few faces so I'll just deal with my nostalgia. But big space means big groups, likely from the suburbs, and the noise level can be a little overwhelming. So if you're hip and young, LoLo is probably the place to see and be seen.
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SD
StewDaPew
San Francisco
24 reviews
vip
5.0
24 reviews
Dined on May 19, 2014
overall5food5service4ambience4
Is there such a thing as Mexican fusion? Is so, its Lolo's! I love this place, tapas style dinning so go family still and savor at least 5 items. Like most of my reviews, this place is always packed.
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t
tunaslurpee
San Francisco
26 reviews
vip
4.0
26 reviews
Dined on May 17, 2014
overall4food4service5ambience4
Food was great and perfectly timed, decor was fun, and service was very friendly and timely. A good time, for sure.
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l
luv2eat
San Francisco
81 reviews
vip
4.0
81 reviews
Dined on May 15, 2014
overall4food4service4ambience2
Saw this place on Check Please and decided to try them. They have great tapas especially the tuna tacos and wonderful drinks too. Loved the domesticated wolf cocktail will definately be back.
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s
skdine
San Francisco
15 reviews
4.0
15 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2014
overall4food4service3ambience4
Lolo is very, very loud. Don't let that discourage you though. Lolo is perfect for dates or small parties. The atmosphere is fun but can also be very romantic. Come hungry enough to try multiple dishes. Some of the portions can be on the small side but that just means you have more room to try more dishes! If you like mezcal, they have lots of fun drinks to choose from.
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j
joube
New York Area
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 14, 2014
overall5food5service5ambience5
This place is hard to describe but it's easy to say that it's exceptional, outstanding, exquisite and fun... Do not miss the occasion to taste their cocktails also!
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EM
EMR44
Greater Boston
8 reviews
vip
3.0
8 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2014
overall3food2service5ambience3
The menu reads like a dream but the actual dishes were fairly ordinary. We were disappointed. The waitress and staff, however, were very friendly and helpful.
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BM
BMBdiner
Los Angeles
43 reviews
5.0
43 reviews
Dined on May 10, 2014
overall5food5service5ambience5
All the recommendations were fantastic. We will be back next time we visit SF.
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a
aqua6
San Francisco
56 reviews
vip
4.0
56 reviews
Dined on May 10, 2014
overall4food4service4ambience4
Happy to have a reservation here for lunch last Saturday, since we got the front table in the sunny window! Service was friendly and helpful in helping us decide how many plates to share. We enjoyed all the dishes we ordered, including the rum/beer/lemonade drink I had.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 9, 2014
overall5food5service5ambience5
beautiful food, service, and heartfelt experience.....
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J
Jocell
Chicago
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 9, 2014
overall4food5service2ambience5
The food was awesome - we were with a group of four and shared a bunch of small plates. The waitress showed up to the table after we had been sitting at our table for literally 20 minutes. We wanted to order more tapas but since our waitress was MIA we decided to go get ice cream instead. I was with some friends who I hadn't seen in a long time so the missing waitress wasn't an annoyance - it more became the running joke of the night.
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L
Lauren
San Francisco
3 reviews
2.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 3, 2014
overall2food2service2ambience3
We have gone to Lolo for many years - everytime we had friends/relatives in town, this has been our destination with exceptional food & service. Unfortunately, it seems that moving onto Valencia to hit the big time hasn't worked out so well. Service is poor - the staff seemed overwhelmed and not so friendly, prices have gone up and food has declined - the panko seafood tacos that people come to Lolo specifically for (this was reported by the waiter) were cold, squishy and overwhelmed by pineapple chunks. Sitting towards the back, we got icky wafts of toilet odor. We'll be looking for a new go-to restaurant.
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r
roxyd
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 2, 2014
overall5food5service5ambience4
I arrived slightly late (10 min) for our reservation and they were really kind about it, even turning people away while my friend waited for me. We started with cocktails and I was really, really impressed by the quality of their bartending. It's worth a visit solely to try their "windshield" cocktail, a smoky, perfectly balanced combination of mezcal, scotch, lemon, and bitters (if I am remembering correctly). We were hungry, so we got 5 plates between 2 people, and we probably could have done 4, but we were excited to try everything. Everything was delicious, but the avocado tacos were really incredible. We couldn't finish dessert, but the creme brulee and ice cream were both rich and satisfying. I definitely recommend checking them out.
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AO
AnOpenTableUser15
San Francisco
5 reviews
2.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 1, 2014
overall2food3service3ambience2
I went to Lolo at its old location and loved the food and the atmosphere, so I was eager to take two out-of-town guests for dinner at Lolo's new location on Valencia St. Unfortunately, I doubt that I will go back. Some dishes were just ok, some were quite good, and all are still very reasonably priced. But in addition to the restaurant being crowded, which was fine, it was filled with extremely loud technopop music, with no Latin flavor and no real character, but with a pounding bass. The high noise level, due to the music, made it difficult to converse without shouting and made the dining experience rather unpleasant. Lolo feels like a bar scene with food now. However, if you don't mind very noisy places, you may enjoy it.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on April 30, 2014
overall4food4service2ambience5
The decor and the vibe give Lolo something special. The food is a definite asset. The owners have created something unique and these people are definitely not color wimps.
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b
btrfoodies
New Orleans
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on April 25, 2014
overall4food5service5ambience4
Fabulous food choices and vibrant atmosphere. The brussel sprouts and carnitas were incredible.
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F
Fabrizio
London
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on April 5, 2014
overall4food4service4ambience4
unusual food, great vibe, great service
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d
donp
Central Coast
24 reviews
3.0
24 reviews
Dined on April 5, 2014
overall3food3service1ambience3
We were seated within 5 mind of reservation time, but as the tables next to us went through 3 courses and we received nothing, we began to wonder. The owner asked us how things were going so we had yo be honest. We came to eat but everyone was being served except us for over 1/2 hour. Well per owner computer on the fritz. So was server as I concluded. We finally got great Brussels sprouts, but rest was forgettable. They comped the beer.
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FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Lolo using the Order Online button. Lolo also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (415) 643-5656.

Lolo is rated 4.3 stars by 356 OpenTable diners.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable reservation network.

If you like, we'll notify you by email if this restaurant joins.

Is this your restaurant?

Claim this listing

Order delivery or takeout

974 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110

Additional information

Cross street
20th St
Neighborhood
Mission District
Hours of operation
Dinner: Monday - Thursday: 6:00pm - 11:00pm, Friday - Saturday: 6:00pm - 1:00am
Cuisines
Mexican, Regional Mexican, Contemporary Mexican
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Mission & Bartlett Garage 90 Bartlett Street (between 21st St & 22nd St)
Payment options
Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Jorge Martinez
Additional
Bar Dining, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Farm to Table, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wine

Website
http://www.lolosf.com/
Phone number
(415) 643-5656
Catering
Ranging from bites for your party to a full service wedding. Please call us.
Private party facilities
Loló is available for private parties on Sundays. Please call us to book.
Private party contact
Merdol Erkal: (415) 643-5656

Lolo

Not available on OpenTable

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Menu

What 356 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

FAQs

Does Lolo offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Lolo restaurant rated?

Not available on OpenTable

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information