Tacolicious

location: 2031 chestnut street (at fillmore), the marina

the first time i had dinner at tacolicious was at dinner after the giants won the playoffs and i had sat across the street in the horseshoe for about 6 hours. i vaguely remember that meal. i recently went back with a & m and realized that this restaurant, under normal circumstances, is hard to forget. we went on a saturday night so we waited for a while and the restaurant is small and almost always crowded, however, it is worth the wait.

once we were seated we promptly ordered the chili con queso ($7.25), one of the best queso dips ever (and i can say that with certainty because i tried about all of the queso in austin and that city does it right). for dinner i had a lobster taco ($4) which was a special on the menu that week. i continually try lobster in different kinds of foods and i react to it in different ways. i didn't love the taco but i think it was less that it was delicious and more than i just didn't like the taste of the lobster. the tacos come with a few different sides of salsa, all fantastic on top of a tasty taco and after one i was pretty full.

tacolicious is a fresh and modern take on a taqueria. you can watch everything being prepared in the front kitchen but they use sustainable and organic meats and vegetables whenever possible. they also have a to-go location in the ferry building during the farmer's markets and according to their site, buy produce there when possible.

on a nice day in the marina you can sit outside in their small patio area. however, good luck to you on getting a table.

tastiness: yay!

food vs. price: yay!

service: yay!

Cha Cha Cha

location: 2327 mission (at 19th), the mission

cha cha cha is a fun and tasty tapas restaurant with two locations in sf. i actually prefer the location at the top of haight street but i went to the mission location for this meal with r & k. the best way to eat cha cha cha is to order one of everything. it's all so good i find it hard to choose. but do choose wisely, especially with a smaller group, the portions are large and everything is pretty creamy and filling. you will be full. not mention, drunk, because you can't leave cha cha cha without a belly full of their delicious, fresh, home made sangria. the sangria is some of the best i've had.

at this dinner we had the bbq chicken quesadilla ($8.75), fried plantos maduros ($7.75), chicken paillard ($8.25), and fried new potatoes ($7.50. with big portions and cheap prices, your eyes can definitely become bigger than your stomach. my favorite dish at cha cha cha is the chicken paillard. the creamy sauce is amazing and perfect for bread dipping once you're done with the chicken. most of the dishes come with some kind of side or aioli which only adds to the richness of the food.

this restaurant is almost guaranteed to have a wait, especially on a weekend night, and they don't take reservations. the service is great and they are as accommodating as possibly.

recommendation: go early and wait for your table over a pitcher of sangria.

other location: 1801 haight at shrader

tastiness: yay!

food vs. price: yay!

service: yay!

The Brixton

location: 2140 union street (between webster and fillmore), the marina

with a restaurant almost every other door on union street in the marina it can be hard to stand apart from all of the others but the vibe of the the brixton is very unique. it's dark bar, low lit chandeliers and big booths give it a style all it's own in a pretty cookie cutter neighborhood. the bright neon sign outside is inviting and the dark wood paneling inside is comfortable, makes you feel you want to stay a while.

i made a reservation to have dinner with j, as the website recommended, it seemed unnecessary when we sat down, but by 30 minutes later there wasn't an empty seat in the place. we started with the warm onion dip ($7), which was what drew me there to begin with, and it was delicious. exactly what i was expecting and when we ran out of chips, they gladly gave us more. they also offered bread as an additional side to our tasty dip treat. for my entrée i enjoyed the salmon cooked with brussel sprouts and fingerling potatoes ($20). i also stole a few fries ($5) from j, because everything was so good. by the time dessert rolled around, we couldn't stomach another bite.

from the bar i had the brixton manhattan ($10), an interesting take on an old favorite. they shake up bulleit bourbon with st. germain elderflower & fernet branca. although i was skeptical at first, i really liked it.

the friendly staff didn't rush us through our meal even though we took our time and the place was filling up. they were also accommodating of j's veggie diet and answered our questions about the menu.

recommendation: great first date spot.

tastiness: yay!

food vs. price: okay!

service: yay!

Giordano Bros.

location: 303 columbus (at broadway), north beach

giordano bros. in north beach is a home away from home for anyone from pittsburgh. i was introduced to this great sandwich place and bar by two friends from pittsburgh and i've been in love ever since. coming here on a steelers day is like stepping into another world. it's packed shoulder to shoulder with die hard fans, the beers are cheap and the food is cooked to order and to perfection.

the bar is known for their all inclusive sandwich. modeled after primanti bros. in pittsburgh, pa, they put everything on the sandwich itself. meat, fries, and cole slaw loaded between two pieces of fluffy white bread. they have sides you can order as well, but you quickly learn you didn't need a side of onion rings once you start attacking your sandwich. i feel full after one half but it's so good i end up completely full after the whole thing.

the bar tenders and cooks at giordano bros. are as friendly as can be, as long as you're not annoying them with questions like "what comes on ____ sandwich." there is one answer: meat, fries and cole slaw.

they offer beer & wine only. if it's a game day, show up early. if it's nice you can sit on the patio and enjoy watching the tourists and passers by on columbus.

tastiness: yay!

food vs. price: yay!

service: yay!