50 Best Latin American Restaurants near South San Francisco

“Very impressed and Edgar was awesome and super friendly.“

“Villa del Sol specialty is the Argentine asado (Argentine BBQ), I highly recommend their grill asado for two. It comes with a variety of meat, chicken, pork, sausages & sweetbread.“

“I've worked with BTB and Feda many times now and I'm never disappointed. Excellent variety to fit all dietary restrictions. Flavorful, nutritious options. And super communicative, clear, and easy to work with. I'd recco Beyond the Border to anyone planning a casual, fun event.“

“I am Argentine and have tried every empanada spot in the Bay Area. These are by far the most authentic empanadas I have tried outside of Argentina. The dough is homemade and fantastic, the fillings are just like I make them at home. I used to go through the work of making them at home, but after going to Chalos I don’t do that anymore. All the delicious taste without any of the kitchen clean up!! Highly recommend Chalos if you are looking for some delicious Argentine empanadas!“

“Awesome experience and great food.“

“First time here….Mexican sandwich with carnitas… OMG so delicious“

“Great food, great atmosphere and great service! Fair prices and snappy service!“

“Great experience!great food! family oriented.. takes you back to your roots. We had a huge group. we all tried something different, and we shared everything. it was all delicious. for dessert we had the churros with the Mexican melted chocolate ...delicious!!!!“

“es algo bueno que hayan puesto este bakery, algo de nuestra tierra por que yo soy de ahi.❤️“

“Their pupusas are pretty tasty, the salsa and curtido as well. The older gentleman working there was nice enough, but there was a girl that didn’t respond in the slightest when I told her thank you and to have a nice day. I mean, I don’t care if she had a nice day. I was just being polite. And she didn’t even look at me throughout our interaction. Just handed me my food, with a sort of “hurry up and leave” attitude. I mean, she doesn’t have to look at me either. I know I’m hideous. I dunno, I’m from the midwest. People make eye contact and exchange niceties out there. I guess I won’t bother being polite here. No one cares anyway. Hahaha“

“This is a food truck so the atmosphere is what you'd expect it to be when it's on a neighborhood street near a highway entrance - LOL! Very much open as of the time of posting as I walk past it most days. On weekends, they serve the most amazing pupusas, the best I have ever had in San Mateo (I have surveyed quite a few over the years) and I dare say as good if not better than what I used to partake in when living in the Mission district of San Francisco. My kids love it too and getting pupusas to go and walking over to Persimmon Park (about 10 mins away on foot) or to the tables/benches near Whole Foods for a picnic is the way to go. Value for money is also incredible - $3.75 per pupusa and my two kids (ages 8 and 11) and I get four of 'em to split for lunch. Get the revueltas option and enjoy having the gooey goodness melt in your mouth! Speaking a bit of Spanish helps. I got by with gesturing a bit. Very nice staff and they pump out pupusas pretty quickly too given each one is prepared individually when ordered (as it should be). So delighted they are right in my neighborhood!!!“

“Muy buen ambiente y riquísima comida“

“Hard to find with only a small sign in the window. It is located in a coffee bar. The food was good. Order at the counter and food is brought to table. I went with 3 friends and we enjoyed our shared meal. Minus one star because I was overcharged and not given the happy hour price for the item I ordered.“

“7.5 out of 10 Better than Frutilandia.“

“La Guatemalteca offers box delivery to Central America. A few friends report their delivery services as reliable. The retail store is very small but whimsical. There are many household food items that are used in Guatemala such as salsa, ketchup, and hygiene products. I enjoy visiting“

“This restaurant is truly a hidden gem. The food here is absolutely delicious and flavorful. You must try the pupusas, empanadas, bunelos, and many other Latin dishes. The pupusas are a huge hit. The pupusas are tasty, the salsa is fresh and the curtido hits the spot. Best Latin restaurant in the Bay Area.“

“This place is all about the food. Ignore the menu, it's just there to provide familiar options. Talk to your server. They'll find something for you that will delight. The decor is standard diner decor, it isn't the point. The seating looks like something from the 1950s, but again, the seating isn't the point. The food is the point, and the food is delightful.“

“This is a very special place on Mission Street where the flavors of Nicaragua and Honduras come together beautifully.
As a vegetarian, I truly appreciate how the team always goes out of their way to surprise me with creative and delicious new recipes.
The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and the service is always kind and attentive.
Highly recommended for anyone looking to enjoy Central American cuisine with a personal touch!“

“Nina’s Cafe makes some of the best empanadas I’ve ever had—perfectly baked and packed with flavor. The lamb leg is a must-try: juicy, tender, and deeply satisfying.

What really makes this place special, though, are the owners, Nina and Paula. They’re warm, welcoming, and genuinely kind—it’s clear they care about both the food and their guests.

A cozy spot with fantastic food and even better people. Highly recommend.“

“The best Bang Bang Wings and the food it out of this world! 👌🏼“

“Why do I always give five stars to my posts? Because I won't diss a place because it doesn't appeal to me. I enjoyed an early morning breakfast at La Chapina. This restaurant/ bakery is a working person's early morning fuel stop. No frills, but decent coffee, great central American pastries, hot breakfast and lunch menu, like traveling in Guatemala in the middle of the peninsula megalopolis. For me, La Chapina was a totally cool experience. It's open air, enclosed patio and warehouse style seating, be forewarned.“

“Delicious! I have ordered take out from here multiple times. The Rotisserie Chicken meal is such a great meal for my family. High quality ingredients and big servings. I have tried both the chicken and the cheese tamales they are really good and a big size. I like tamales with lots of masa so it suits my preference. The chicken tamale has big chunks of chicken. The taco salad is also delicious with or without protein and such good ingredients.“

“Great food and service ! Love the ambience and variety offerings“

“The food is sooooo good and delicious with a very nice ambiance and atmosphere in their patio dining ..“

“First night in San Francisco and utterly exhausted after lack of sleep getting here we staggered out to an early dinner ( early here- 2am where we just came from). We must have looked like halfwits, probably confirmed by us choosing what we realised after was the one unset and not yet cleaned table in the whole place! The waitress was patient and didn’t make us feel any more idiotic than we already felt. The food was really fab too. I had my favourite sort of thing - lots of little bits to try as many dishes as possible - while my partner had arepas. We only have a few nights staying near here but I very much hope i can persuade M to have a repeat dinner here!“

“todo muy rico , las pupusas están muy ricas , y la botana es todo un manjar 100% recomendado y garantizado , tienen un excelente servicio y muy buena atención al cliente 👌💯“

“One of the best Mexican meals I’ve had in SF—100% better than Chipotle, with all fresh ingredients. I highly recommend the noodle bowl and quinoa bowl. They’re only open from 11 AM to 2 PM, and I just wish they were open longer and on more days. A true hidden gem!“

“Wonderful food, great service and we enjoyed it very much.“

“Do you love going to Flavortown? How about dreaming with your eyes open? Then try these birria tacos. The first time I had it was from leftovers that my daughter brought home for lunch. Then I drove from Oakley to San Mateo to have them fresh. It was AMAZING! They provide extra stuff to add to the tacos, but it honestly didn’t need them. The meat was so tender & flavorful that I had to close my eyes so I could fully appreciate the taste. Then I added the extras one by one & it tasted like a new taco each time. I know it seems like I’m exaggerating, but it’s really that good! My only wish is that they had seating nearby & a second location closer to Oakley.“

“Delicious authentic Brazilian food with amazing service . Fun experience too!“

“$$$ Best place in the city for Brazilian style grilled meats. Lovely salad bar side dishes. Do not miss the grilled pineapple. Not inexpensive. Special occasion restaurant“

“I love birrias tacos and I love chilaquiles, so I couldn't miss trying their birriaquiles. I got that and the horchata latte for breakfast. The birriaquiles were pretty good and the latte was alright but a bit too sweet for me.

Mostly docking stars here though since I'm not used to SF prices. The whole meal cost about $40 (including tip). I'm glad to have tried this place and the food was good, but I don't know if I'd pay $40 for this kinda meal again.“

“We stumbled upon this incredible gem a couple of years ago and have since made it our go-to spot. The flavors here are simply unparalleled in San Francisco—fresh, authentic, and bursting with Caribbean flavors. They offer a wide variety of options, but we highly recommend trying the out favorite traditional ceviche, the box lunch special, and the tostada mix ceviche—they’re all simply divine.

We definitely love and always adding calamari, chicken wings, guacamole, their sandwiches are all absolutely amazing.

And let’s not forget about their MICHELADAS!!!!! They’re the best in town. The ambiance is cool and inviting, and the vibe is always great.

Thanks, Dolores Waterfall, for always providing such a great experience. :)“

“Have taken both grandchildren over last 5 years—-they always leave happy 😃“

“Muy buena atención Y muy delicioso 😋“

“El Paisa offers a taste of authentic Honduran cuisine that is sure to tantalize your taste buds. From the moment you step inside, you're transported to a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere.
The menu boasts a variety of traditional dishes, each one packed with flavor. Don't miss the pork chops with coconut flavor beans was something I would recommend.
The service is friendly and attentive, making you feel right at home.“

“The Lomo saltado sándwich and papaya smoothie is soo… Good! I highly recommended 👍🏼“

“Mi primera vez ahí fue muy bueno nunca había ido me lo recomendaron y fui muy bien ambiente me encanto probé 5 platos y estaban deliciosos Muy buen ambiente y muy recomendable Bayan“

“The food was delicious! Good service we had a great time!“

“buena comida las pupusas una delicia“

“Great food. Special requests accepted. Friendly Staff. Enough said.“

“Regularly ride by the truck and always see at least one customer. Decided to stop by. Ordered the Chile Relleno plate over rice, frijoles and macaroni salad. Added a hot chocolate drink. If your Spanish isn't up to par, the clerk also speaks English. The meal was excellent, the beans didn't taste like they contained lard, the rice was fluffy and flavored with a stock, the macaroni salad cooked just right and the stuffed ground meat chile relleno was greaseless and tasted homemade.Well return to try the rellenitos, and hilochas.GREAT job guys“

“Buen servicio y pollo fresco y caliente!!“

“Olivio’s is an underrated hidden gem in SF.

This is an authentic Salvadoran/Mexican spot tasty, affordable food and some beverages. It’s bare bones & and in the Tendernob area of the SF, which is a sketchy area but has some of the best food in the city. It seems most people order takeover or delivery. It doesn’t appear they offer dine-in options anymore as there’s always a sign outside saying “para llevar” aka to-go, but I’ll double check on this for accuracy .

I’m a fan of their bean & rice pupusas and complementary fermented cabbage salad called curtido. They have also yummy fried plantains. I also recommend their Salvadoran style Horchata. I look forward to try to their beef soup next time.

Their owner seems pleasant, humble, hard working and appreciative of business. If you don’t want to venture in the Tenderloin area, don’t let that stop you from trying Olivio’s, they are available for delivery on DoorDash! Highly recommended.“

“I visited SF and I couldn't have eaten better than at Truly Food. The food is delicious and has very good presentation. The menu is varied and there are also desserts ?? without a doubt an excellent option if you also want to support Latin entrepreneurship. I would definitely visit again

Kid-friendliness: The asada and chicken tacos are excellent
Option! I have two small children who enjoyed them very much.“

“We ordered ~20 lunches from Lima Peruvian Food Catering today, and WOW, the food was all COMPLETELY DELICIOUS. I mean, unforgettably good. WOW!!! Everyone had fun with the delicious, fun choices and all the meals were scrumptious. The lovely man who delivered the food was so sweet and helpful, and I hope you take my advice and use this company!! :)“

“Small place, felt very hole in the wall. But the food was so good and the owner who was working was so friendly and seemed very excited to serve us and share his food. Really enjoyed the place, some of the best tortillas I’ve had around here“

“Are you looking for a quick bite that is different in flavor, fulfilling in taste, easy to share with friends, I think Pica Pica could be just that place. I have come here plenty of times after playing sports and feeling hungry for something to tie me over. I love their Arepas , there are plenty to choose from. Their yuca fries are always yummy . Staff is moving orders and the atmosphere is alright for a quick bite. Give it a try if you haven't already.“

“TLDR: huge pupusas and friendly serviceWe ordered the best burger in the mission and a zucchini pupusa. The burger seasoning was distinctly Central American with the spices but it was a little overcooked for me. The pupusa was pretty big and very flavorful and packed with ingredients. They also gave us free chips and salsa… the salsa was fuego! Service was very nice, quick and efficient“