Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Francisco Bay Area
  4. San Francisco
  5. Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
¡Chao Pescao!, San Francisco, CA

¡Chao Pescao!

4.3
4.3
643 Reviews
$30 and under
Latin American

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 9 times today
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Good for groups
  • Lively
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.
  • Neighbourhood
    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, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 643 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
  • 4.2Service
  • 4.2Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
¡Chao Pescao! offers "fantastic food" with a Caribbean twist, making it a great choice for pre-theater dining near the Orpheum. Guests rave about the "amazing empanadas" and delicious cocktails. While some found service slow, the "warm-hearted staff" and vibrant atmosphere create an enjoyable dining experience.

643 Reviews
  1. Mojgan

    VIP

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

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

    Is this helpful?

  2. Stephanie

    VIP

    San Francisco

    12 reviews

    4.0

    12 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    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!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Ric

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 26, 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.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Vanna

    San Francisco

    6 reviews

    4.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on January 25, 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!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Maribelle

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 24, 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!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Helen

    Denver

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 23, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Delicious food and great service make this restaurant a good choice for dinner before the symphony or ballet.

    Is this helpful?

  7. micki

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Seriously Delicious food. Warm hearted staff. Love the decor. Very loud music is the only negative.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Jason

    San Francisco

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 17, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    I was inclined to ignore other reviews about poor and slow service and decided to give it a chance. Sadly, my experience included several mix-ups: the wrong item brought to the table (close but not what I ordered), an item never appearing, and the bill being incorrect. Mistakes happen but this was beyond the occasional error. To make matters worse, no apology was spoken after any of the mistakes. The food was decent but the place is far too disorganized and discourteous for me to return.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Wendy

    VIP

    San Francisco

    76 reviews

    5.0

    76 reviews

    Dined on January 17, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious and fun atmosphere. Our server was helpful answering questions and our appetizer , entrees and cocktails were all great.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Ron

    San Francisco

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 17, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Good food and atmosphere, but the wait staff hardly ever checks in with you. I get that they get busy, but this is the one area they can approve on.

    Is this helpful?

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 643 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 9 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
  • Neighbourhood
    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, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, 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.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2024 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo