Sad to write a poor review about this place as we heard great things and were really looking forward to it. Some of the dishes were phenomenal, however for the amount of money (including the wine pairing) we did not find this worthy of a Michelin star. The service, in combination with the wine and food, felt very disjointed, and unlike any other experience we’ve had. While the servers were all kind, we had to ask to get our coats checked, weren’t sure which wine went with what dish, as they came out in bolus or delayed, etc. We asked to cut dessert short, as it was more than a four hour experience, and they continued to bring us dessert so we had to ask multiple times to close out our bill.
Again, not horrible, but for a Michelin star and the price point, not great.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 2
Vicky Vuong
We visited Californios over a year ago. Pictures aren’t even in my phone anymore.
However I clearly recall my meal at the restaurant. Firstly, the decor leaves a lot to be desired, I love enjoying the interior of fancy restaurants, this one was ??♀️.
For food, the first half of our meal was amazing, at the introduction of our meal the server introduced several types of corn used in Mexican cuisine, explaining to us the culture and history. We anticipated that the story would continue through the courses. There was a fish taco that was phenomenal, I could eat that daily.
However when it got to the main, we were served a French style quail and steak with wine reduction sauce. What?! Seriously confusing and it wasn’t tasty, none of us finished that dish. Then it kind of went down hill from there, desserts were lack luster, no more highlights to the meal. Also corn never came back to say bye.
For a two Michelin star restaurant… we expected it but didn’t expect this. The Mexican inspired dishes sung, the mains flopped, there was no climax to the meal.
Oh also, halfway through our meal our server changed he disappeared for a long long time and we were never notified even when his replacement came back.
Unfortunately I’ve been to one star restaurants and enjoyed a much better experience.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Fish Taco
Alyssa Siddiqui
One of the best dining experiences we’ve had.
Californios is a Michelin two star restaurant well deserving of this recognition. I wouldn’t change any part of their course menu and was blown away at the experience offered here.
Jade N.
A truly exceptional meal. The menu is thoughtfully crafted and offers a unique take on Mexican cuisine that feels both familiar and innovative at the same time. The highlight for me was perhaps the moles, and the kitchen tour I got at the end of the meal. Californios’ kitchen was spotless and the chefs were all very kind.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Jacob L
Great in all aspects. From the begining to the end.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Carter Gibson
I got emotional during my dinner. It was that incredible and Californios deserves its two Michelin Stars. Over the 4hr seating, I had almost twenty different dishes - all of which were unique, delicious, and unpretentious. Fusing Mexican with new American, every dish was genuinely surprising and felt worthy of the price tag. Most courses prepare corn a different way with a protein pairing and each one left me wanting more of it.
Speaking of, this place is NOT cheap. It's a truly special occasion type spot. That said, I didn't feel ripped off, I was full by the end, and the experience itself was... well it was an actual experience - which sounds corny (get it? because they use different types of corn?), but it's true. The service here is spectacular.
Couple of quick things: Strongly recommend the cocktails over the wine pairing. There's nothing wrong with an early seating; this is a looong dinner. The staff takes you into the kitchen after your meal which was super fun.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
aoao wallet
Impressive Michelin star restaurant for Mexican food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Richard W
Rating Californios is tough. On one hand, it had some truly standout dishes. On the other hand, there were numerous food and service errors that were surprising at the two star level. Overall, at the price point, the restaurant delivered enough value to offset the issues. Just be aware that this meal will last over three hours. I’d recommend against the wine pairing as most of the wines felt like they’ve been open for a long time. Get some bottles or mezcal drinks instead.
First, the excellent. The tuna tostada was a textural delight, a contrast of meltingly soft pounded tuna against the crispy corn, all accented by the fragrance of lemon oil.
The take on esquites was pure deliciousness, a blast of creamy fat and umami that made full use of the briny caviar. Admittedly, at first I was a bit disappointed at not trying the signature plantain dish, but this ended up being one of the best caviar dishes I’ve had, on par with The Modern’s. The dish would be ruined if the caviar were omitted.
The sweet potato with two types of mole is the kind of dish you want to lick clean off the plate. The mole were so thick and creamy with a flavor that’s both intense and mild, if that makes sense. They tasted concentrated, with no single ingredient poking out too much in order to create an abstract and cohesive whole. At first I was confused by the sweet potato, but it ended up being a better flavor vehicle than meats. It played so well with the sweetness of the mole. Eating mole at mom-and-pop shops afterwards just reaffirmed how big of an upgrade Californios’ mole is.
And, of course, the signature cotton candy paleta was so fun and tasty. I feared it’d be overwhelmingly sweet but it had enough acidity. The texture was on point. The chocolate shell snapped and melted cleanly. The tamarind and raspberry paleta was soft enough to bite. Very balanced.
Oh, and if you love the smell of masa, it wafted out of the kitchen throughout service. Very pleasant.
Now, the errors. The fish in the aguachile was way too firm, like it was still getting out of rigor mortis. The rockfish zarandeado smelled overwhelmingly fishy. Not sure if it wasn’t fresh or if this particular species just smells like that. Either way, the odor was really unappetizing.
On the service front, initially during the wine pairing my empty glass from the previous pairing was not cleared when a new wine was poured.
When I called to ask about parking, I was told the restaurant doesn’t provide parking. After we mentioned the issue during the meal, we were told the restaurant does have limited parking mostly reserved for guests with handicaps.
If you’re a tourist and you have bags in your car, do NOT park on the street. Nobody parked on the street despite plenty of empty space. A few people were peeking into cars to gauge if anything’s worth breaking into the car. I’m sure the deterioration of the neighborhood is causing a headache for the restaurant, but they can’t just move to a new spot. Call the restaurant and ask if they have any available private parking spots.
My main input about the food is to explore sources of umami. Quite a few dishes felt like they could’ve used more savoriness. Mexican cuisine doesn’t have much umami outside of tomato and cheese. Californios is committed to celebrating Mexican cuisine, which I love. But, like how adding a splash of fish sauce into marinara only creates a tastier marinara and not an Asian-Italian fusion, adding umami will not make the food un-Mexican.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Aniruddh Chaturvedi
Californios is hands-down the most underrated Michelin-starred experience in the Bay Area.
I've been to >30 Michelin / World's 50 Best restaurants across the world over the past ~decade, and my experience at Californios is among the top 3.
Californios is located in a so-so part of SoMa (near Costco and a bunch of nightclubs). At first, I was skeptical because of the location, but once you step in, it feels like an oasis. I would've had no idea that DNA Lounge is next door. The interiors are tastefully done – tons of natural light, Mexican pop and traditional art, while also incorporating exposed concrete walls (the place was probably a warehouse or a factory originally). It felt like a casual-but-fancy restaurant until you look at the table set up – perfectly pressed white tablecloths etc – which elevated the interior up a few notches to 2/3 Michelin status
The staff was very attentive – we didn't have to wait for more than 5 minutes between courses, they were friendly/conversational, and the kitchen tour at the end was a nice touch. We would've loved to see more of the kitchen but understandably it would be disruptive to the chefs working so hard to make it a good experience for all of us
The food was spectacular. It was a perfect blend of elevating normal dishes (so, dishes like quail al pastor tacos, choco taco, strawberries and cream etc.) and incorporating completely new/inventive ones (caviar course, ceviche, et al). It was unapologetically flavorful and spicy. The dishes felt authentic and true to the culture and cuisine. The dishes were well-described and it didn't seem like the servers were just rattling off the description and then walking away.
I do think they could improve the "hype" around their restaurant -- better social media presence, influencer reviews etc – because I guess that's the name of the game. Until then, IYKYK.
I would recommend doing the 5 PM seating. We walked out at 8:45 PM. I wouldn't want to start the experience at 9 PM and then be done by, like, 1 AM.
Vegetarian options: They did a great job at accommodating vegetarian preferences. It didn't seem like a second thought.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Somya Arora
It was the most amazing night! Great place for celebrations and special occasions
Vegetarian options: They can customize the menu for vegetarians
This review is long over due. I dined in 6 years ago, and I do have an unforgettable bad memory of how much the experience sucked. I would truly like to forget it. The food was OK, nothing spectacular. The service was OK. The initial feeling I got when I walked in, there was nobody tk greet us. There was also one really rude woman there named Charlotte at the time. I have not gone back to this establishment, nor will I ever.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Preston Sturgis
Fantastic experience. Food was so delicious and unique. The kitchen here is killing it. Really enjoyed every dish. Loved the atmosphere. Beautiful contrasting colors throughout and great playlist with lots of classic soul and Motown. Service was also excellent. An incredible way to spend my birthday, and they went over the top for it. Among my very favorite restaurant experiences.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Scott Patton
This was possibly the best meal I've ever had. The food here is unique for fine dining and incredibly complex with amazing flavors, and I dont think a single course missed. The beverage pairings were amazing and perfectly complimented the food.
The service was incredibly good as one expects for a restaurant of this caliber. All the servers were incredibly friendly and seemed passionate and knowledgeable about the food they were serving.
The atmosphere is definitely far more relaxed than an equivalent restaurant in NYC would be, which is fun in its own way.
As a heads up, it's a long service. My solo meal at the bar was just over three hours, so keep that in mind if you want to dine here.
That being said, I can't say enough good things, and I hope to come back one day.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fish Taco
lizette Rodriguez
Simply spectacular !!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alex Fisher
Tested positive for COVID morning of my reservation and the restaurant still would rather us come in and get their customers and staff sick than allow us to cancel. Would recommend going here if you want to get sick I guess!
Sad to write a poor review about this place as we heard great things and were really looking forward to it.
Some of the dishes were phenomenal, however for the amount of money (including the wine pairing) we did not find this worthy of a Michelin star. The service, in combination with the wine and food, felt very disjointed, and unlike any other experience we’ve had. While the servers were all kind, we had to ask to get our coats checked, weren’t sure which wine went with what dish, as they came out in bolus or delayed, etc. We asked to cut dessert short, as it was more than a four hour experience, and they continued to bring us dessert so we had to ask multiple times to close out our bill.
Again, not horrible, but for a Michelin star and the price point, not great.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 2
We visited Californios over a year ago. Pictures aren’t even in my phone anymore.
However I clearly recall my meal at the restaurant. Firstly, the decor leaves a lot to be desired, I love enjoying the interior of fancy restaurants, this one was ??♀️.
For food, the first half of our meal was amazing, at the introduction of our meal the server introduced several types of corn used in Mexican cuisine, explaining to us the culture and history. We anticipated that the story would continue through the courses. There was a fish taco that was phenomenal, I could eat that daily.
However when it got to the main, we were served a French style quail and steak with wine reduction sauce. What?! Seriously confusing and it wasn’t tasty, none of us finished that dish. Then it kind of went down hill from there, desserts were lack luster, no more highlights to the meal. Also corn never came back to say bye.
For a two Michelin star restaurant… we expected it but didn’t expect this. The Mexican inspired dishes sung, the mains flopped, there was no climax to the meal.
Oh also, halfway through our meal our server changed he disappeared for a long long time and we were never notified even when his replacement came back.
Unfortunately I’ve been to one star restaurants and enjoyed a much better experience.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Fish Taco
One of the best dining experiences we’ve had.
Californios is a Michelin two star restaurant well deserving of this recognition.
I wouldn’t change any part of their course menu and was blown away at the experience offered here.
A truly exceptional meal. The menu is thoughtfully crafted and offers a unique take on Mexican cuisine that feels both familiar and innovative at the same time. The highlight for me was perhaps the moles, and the kitchen tour I got at the end of the meal. Californios’ kitchen was spotless and the chefs were all very kind.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Great in all aspects. From the begining to the end.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I got emotional during my dinner. It was that incredible and Californios deserves its two Michelin Stars. Over the 4hr seating, I had almost twenty different dishes - all of which were unique, delicious, and unpretentious. Fusing Mexican with new American, every dish was genuinely surprising and felt worthy of the price tag. Most courses prepare corn a different way with a protein pairing and each one left me wanting more of it.
Speaking of, this place is NOT cheap. It's a truly special occasion type spot. That said, I didn't feel ripped off, I was full by the end, and the experience itself was... well it was an actual experience - which sounds corny (get it? because they use different types of corn?), but it's true. The service here is spectacular.
Couple of quick things: Strongly recommend the cocktails over the wine pairing. There's nothing wrong with an early seating; this is a looong dinner. The staff takes you into the kitchen after your meal which was super fun.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Impressive Michelin star restaurant for Mexican food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rating Californios is tough. On one hand, it had some truly standout dishes. On the other hand, there were numerous food and service errors that were surprising at the two star level. Overall, at the price point, the restaurant delivered enough value to offset the issues. Just be aware that this meal will last over three hours. I’d recommend against the wine pairing as most of the wines felt like they’ve been open for a long time. Get some bottles or mezcal drinks instead.
First, the excellent. The tuna tostada was a textural delight, a contrast of meltingly soft pounded tuna against the crispy corn, all accented by the fragrance of lemon oil.
The take on esquites was pure deliciousness, a blast of creamy fat and umami that made full use of the briny caviar. Admittedly, at first I was a bit disappointed at not trying the signature plantain dish, but this ended up being one of the best caviar dishes I’ve had, on par with The Modern’s. The dish would be ruined if the caviar were omitted.
The sweet potato with two types of mole is the kind of dish you want to lick clean off the plate. The mole were so thick and creamy with a flavor that’s both intense and mild, if that makes sense. They tasted concentrated, with no single ingredient poking out too much in order to create an abstract and cohesive whole. At first I was confused by the sweet potato, but it ended up being a better flavor vehicle than meats. It played so well with the sweetness of the mole. Eating mole at mom-and-pop shops afterwards just reaffirmed how big of an upgrade Californios’ mole is.
And, of course, the signature cotton candy paleta was so fun and tasty. I feared it’d be overwhelmingly sweet but it had enough acidity. The texture was on point. The chocolate shell snapped and melted cleanly. The tamarind and raspberry paleta was soft enough to bite. Very balanced.
Oh, and if you love the smell of masa, it wafted out of the kitchen throughout service. Very pleasant.
Now, the errors. The fish in the aguachile was way too firm, like it was still getting out of rigor mortis. The rockfish zarandeado smelled overwhelmingly fishy. Not sure if it wasn’t fresh or if this particular species just smells like that. Either way, the odor was really unappetizing.
On the service front, initially during the wine pairing my empty glass from the previous pairing was not cleared when a new wine was poured.
When I called to ask about parking, I was told the restaurant doesn’t provide parking. After we mentioned the issue during the meal, we were told the restaurant does have limited parking mostly reserved for guests with handicaps.
If you’re a tourist and you have bags in your car, do NOT park on the street. Nobody parked on the street despite plenty of empty space. A few people were peeking into cars to gauge if anything’s worth breaking into the car. I’m sure the deterioration of the neighborhood is causing a headache for the restaurant, but they can’t just move to a new spot. Call the restaurant and ask if they have any available private parking spots.
My main input about the food is to explore sources of umami. Quite a few dishes felt like they could’ve used more savoriness. Mexican cuisine doesn’t have much umami outside of tomato and cheese. Californios is committed to celebrating Mexican cuisine, which I love. But, like how adding a splash of fish sauce into marinara only creates a tastier marinara and not an Asian-Italian fusion, adding umami will not make the food un-Mexican.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Californios is hands-down the most underrated Michelin-starred experience in the Bay Area.
I've been to >30 Michelin / World's 50 Best restaurants across the world over the past ~decade, and my experience at Californios is among the top 3.
Californios is located in a so-so part of SoMa (near Costco and a bunch of nightclubs). At first, I was skeptical because of the location, but once you step in, it feels like an oasis. I would've had no idea that DNA Lounge is next door. The interiors are tastefully done – tons of natural light, Mexican pop and traditional art, while also incorporating exposed concrete walls (the place was probably a warehouse or a factory originally). It felt like a casual-but-fancy restaurant until you look at the table set up – perfectly pressed white tablecloths etc – which elevated the interior up a few notches to 2/3 Michelin status
The staff was very attentive – we didn't have to wait for more than 5 minutes between courses, they were friendly/conversational, and the kitchen tour at the end was a nice touch. We would've loved to see more of the kitchen but understandably it would be disruptive to the chefs working so hard to make it a good experience for all of us
The food was spectacular. It was a perfect blend of elevating normal dishes (so, dishes like quail al pastor tacos, choco taco, strawberries and cream etc.) and incorporating completely new/inventive ones (caviar course, ceviche, et al). It was unapologetically flavorful and spicy. The dishes felt authentic and true to the culture and cuisine. The dishes were well-described and it didn't seem like the servers were just rattling off the description and then walking away.
I do think they could improve the "hype" around their restaurant -- better social media presence, influencer reviews etc – because I guess that's the name of the game. Until then, IYKYK.
I would recommend doing the 5 PM seating. We walked out at 8:45 PM. I wouldn't want to start the experience at 9 PM and then be done by, like, 1 AM.
Vegetarian options: They did a great job at accommodating vegetarian preferences. It didn't seem like a second thought.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It was the most amazing night! Great place for celebrations and special occasions
Vegetarian options: They can customize the menu for vegetarians
Restaurantji Recommends
This review is long over due. I dined in 6 years ago, and I do have an unforgettable bad memory of how much the experience sucked. I would truly like to forget it. The food was OK, nothing spectacular. The service was OK. The initial feeling I got when I walked in, there was nobody tk greet us. There was also one really rude woman there named Charlotte at the time. I have not gone back to this establishment, nor will I ever.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Fantastic experience. Food was so delicious and unique. The kitchen here is killing it. Really enjoyed every dish. Loved the atmosphere. Beautiful contrasting colors throughout and great playlist with lots of classic soul and Motown. Service was also excellent. An incredible way to spend my birthday, and they went over the top for it. Among my very favorite restaurant experiences.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This was possibly the best meal I've ever had. The food here is unique for fine dining and incredibly complex with amazing flavors, and I dont think a single course missed. The beverage pairings were amazing and perfectly complimented the food.
The service was incredibly good as one expects for a restaurant of this caliber. All the servers were incredibly friendly and seemed passionate and knowledgeable about the food they were serving.
The atmosphere is definitely far more relaxed than an equivalent restaurant in NYC would be, which is fun in its own way.
As a heads up, it's a long service. My solo meal at the bar was just over three hours, so keep that in mind if you want to dine here.
That being said, I can't say enough good things, and I hope to come back one day.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fish Taco
Simply spectacular !!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tested positive for COVID morning of my reservation and the restaurant still would rather us come in and get their customers and staff sick than allow us to cancel. Would recommend going here if you want to get sick I guess!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
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