My wife and I dined at Californios for our dating anniversary.
Food: We both got the tasting menu. The menu this season was NorCal and Mexican inspired cuisine. My wife is pregnant and I let the restaurant know beforehand and they were very accommodating swapping out raw fish and shellfish for cooked or vegetable counterparts. The food was all amazing. Both our favorites were the back cod tacos with sourdough tortillas. The habanero sauce and picked habaneros and onions were an awesome addition. Both caviar dishes were also delicious. Every dish was wonderful and there was nothing serge that we did not enjoy. I did the alcohol pairing and my wife did the non alcohol pairing. We both enjoyed our beverages. My meals were paired with great wines, sake, and beer and the bar had some tasty non alcoholic wines and cocktails that paired perfectly with my wife’s meal. We both agreed we would come back just for the food alone.
Service: The staff at the restaurant really ensured we had a great meal. Everyone was personable and stopped to chat which was great. Everything was played at the same time. At some point I accidentally blew out the candle on the table and we were both surprised to find it relit without asking or noticing it happening. We got a wonderful card and copy of the night’s menu along with a candle. One of our servers must have overheard us commenting on the pickled onions and habaneros since they gave us a jar of them to take home and enjoy as well which was super nice touch.
Location: The restaurant itself is in a bit of a weird spot. My wife and I were both born in San Francisco and we used to hit DNA lounge and Butter in another life so that area is not immediately what we think of when we think fine dining. However, the restaurant ambiance from the front garden and patio to the interior design really takes you into the fine dining atmosphere. The lighting was great and everything in the restaurant was curated well from the art to the plants.
Closing thoughts: We really enjoyed our dinner here. I think it is among our favorite restaurants here in San Francisco. Highly recommend visiting here if you want to enjoy a supreme fine dining Mexican experience!
by ssgtsnake