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

¡Chao Pescao!

4.3
4.3
648 Reviews
$30 and under
Latin American

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 16 times today
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Lively
  • Good for groups
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.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • 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.
  • Area
    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, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeaway, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 648 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.3
4.3 based on recent ratings
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.1Service
  • 4.2Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
¡Chao Pescao! is a vibrant pre-theater destination offering "delicious" and "unique" Caribbean-influenced cuisine. Guests rave about the "fantastic" empanadas and "excellent cocktails." While service can be slow during busy times, the "warm-hearted staff" and "fun atmosphere" make it a memorable dining experience. Perfect for a lively night out!

648 Reviews
  1. Ashley

    VIP

    San Francisco

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    The food is amazing. The night we went they must have been understaffed because the service was rough. Everyone was very kind and trying to do their best, but they needed several more people on the floor/behind the bar. The $20 drinks were not great… hope we went on an off night and will try again bc the food was fabulous.

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  2. Heather

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    We are here before a show at the Bill Graham Civic Center. Food was great, reasonably priced, fun atmosphere. Would definitely recommend.

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  3. Andrea

    Portland

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Food was amazing, but the service wasn’t great. Water was never refilled and we waited so long for our second round that the host ended up rushing us out the door.

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  4. Elyse

    New York City

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    My husband and I really enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Our table server was fantastic and her service was great. We did notice that it was difficult for the server to get back to us quickly to follow-up on drinks and food, but I don't think this was due to her. The place was busy and it seemed like all servers were also responsible for tending the bar. Maybe they were down staffed, but either way we really did love being there. The service only became an issue because after 1.5 hours at a bar table, the host (Not our server) told us we would need to finish up in the next 5 minutes because people were waiting. We were on our way out, so it wasn't a problem, but it did feel rushed. If there is a limit on table time, it would be helpful to have that noted when you make a reservation.

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  5. Johnnie L

    Unspecified

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on 16 February 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    The waiter forgot our full dinner order request. Ended up getting/receiving our salad order last. Black beans and rice made up 50% of my steak dinner plate. Chicken empanadas were not good. Beef empanadas were better. All empanadas required more flavor, felt like eating unflavored hospital food.

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  6. Mojgan

    VIP

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Food tastes amazing and very unique. Service and ambience are good.

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  7. Stephanie

    VIP

    San Francisco

    12 reviews

    4.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on 14 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    Great new find for pre-theater or concert! Food was great - unusual, great variety, well-prepared, tasty. Service was friendly and helpful. Only issue was that the kitchen was clearly backed up and our food was delayed - 25 minutes from order placed until appetizer was delivered. It would have been helpful to have had our server check in with us during that time. Still, we loved the atmosphere and enjoyed the meal tremendously. And got out on time without feeling rushed while eating. Definitely recommend!

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  8. Ric

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 26 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great place to eat before a show at the Orpheum theater. Server and staff conscious of time without us asking, and everything was timed perfectly.

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  9. Vanna

    San Francisco

    6 reviews

    4.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on 25 January 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 2
    The food is amazing as well as the service. We had a table in the back near the window. Unfortunately the “view “ is less than stellar. As is the condition of the restrooms. But I’ll go back for the food!

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  10. Maribelle

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 24 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It was a noisy restaurant but the food, location, ambiance were fantastic!

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FAQs

¡Chao Pescao! offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (415) 621-2200.

¡Chao Pescao! is rated 4.3 stars by 648 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 16 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for ¡Chao Pescao!

272 McAllister Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Larkin
  • Area
    Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Tue–Sat 11:30 am–8:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • 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, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeaway, 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.
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