La Oaxaqueña

My review is only about the food. I ordered delivery thru a different app. I ordered the grilled chicken quesadilla. The quesadilla looked nothing like the picture they advertised. They put beans on a quesadilla… Really? I had to pay extra for sour cream and guacamole. They put a drop of sour cream. They put white and dark meat chicken and some where big chunks. The food slid to one side and it looked awful. I ended up throwing it away.
I also ordered pupusas. I know big mistake ordering Salvadorean food from a mexican restaurant. They were tasteless. The curtido wasn’t done right. Very dissapointing experience. I’m definately not ordering from here again. Gross!

My friend told me about this place a few years back. First time I went I hesitated because it truly is a hole in the wall so you don’t know what to expect. But hands down one of the best place for tamales. I love the classic corn tamales and the banana leaf tamales. Very delish!

The food wasn’t too bad, and the people were quite good. I would come here again for a late night. However, it did take a while to order it. It is also a bit heavy, so would recommend you not have any additional streneous activites afterwards. This is definitely one those spots that is really awesome for late night drinking, but should be catious to go with others that are friends and not someone you want tot impress.

Ordered the pupusas and sopes. Pupusas were the star order. The Salvadorean flower with cheese was delicious.

One of the most underrated places in the Mission. It’s super cheap and if you are looking for authentic tacos, it’s second to none in the Mission. You can get a great meal for $ 10.

Everything here is just okay.
Except for the banana leaf tamales which are astonishingly good. Especially the mole ones. These are worth any downsides.
Just don’t bother eating anything else. Also the banana leaf tamales are great take out — tell them you’re going to steam them at home.

We got office catering from this place and everyone had a hard time eating the food. I ate the Al Pastor, which was mostly pineapple and few chunks of gristle. Looking at the photos it seems that what they serve at the restaurant is identical. There are so many good taqueries in the city, I would skip this one.

I don’t understand how this place has such rave reviews. My experience wasn’t even close to 4 stars, let alone 1ish.
Tried three types of mix and match burritos here (vegetarian, chicken, grilled steak). Each ingredient that gets rolled into the burritos were independently bland, flavorless, and just… blah. All very much lacked a fresh component of cilantro or lime.
The ratio of ingredients was also uneven and pretty overwhelming. The tortilla was super chewy, probably steamed after it had been rolled instead of before. Rice was mushy, beans were hard. No. Just. No.
The guac was more like a purée and the salsa was super watery, also lacking a fresh component.
Complaints, complaints, complaints. sorry! Usually there’s an upside but can’t figure out what that would be here.
1.5 stars I guess.

Trying to order from these guys for pickup is a nightmare. Here’s why:
1) they don’t list the correct timings.
2) they don’t answer their phone
3) they don’t have a full menu sometimes, but you won’t know until you arrive
4) on «limited menu days» they will just serve tacos, and they won’t start cooking until they feel like it.
They haven’t earned the right to be this elusive, but they’ve definitely earned this bad rating!

We came here a few times for late night tacos after stopping by bars in the area. For $ 2-​$ 3 each, the tacos are pretty bomb. The cabeza is best!
It’s a really casual, hole in the wall place but the food is good! They literally wrap your tacos from a small cart by the window.
But don’t worry, there’s some small tables for you to sit and enjoy your taco! :)

My rating is dependent on what you are looking for. If you are in search of a hole in the wall establishment where you can eat decent Mexican food, then this is the place for you. This could be a nice place to go if it’s late at night and you are drunk. This is not the place for you if you are looking for a nice restaurant to sit down and enjoy the environment.
First, it was unclear where we would get our food from. There are two chefs in one area. One man sells tacos and hot dogs, the other man an entire menu of foods. Which one you choose is your decision.
Second, don’t use the bathroom if you don’t want your entire experience ruined. The bathroom was disgusting and there was no soap available. If employees are supposed to wash their hands prior to preparing a meal, how is this possible without soap???
Third, the flies out numbered the patrons. If I had to swat away flies in order to eat my meal, how many flies were near my food while being prepared?
The food was decent, but these key hygienic facts contributed to my negative experience. If you are looking for an establishment which could pass the health inspector, look elsewhere.

Great food! I had the carnitas taco which is a full size taco. It’s not the street taco size. Cooked perfectly. My brother got the shrimp burrito and that was great as well.
Very sweet lady who was our server!
I gave it a 4 star because the bathroom is super gross, but everything else was awesome!

Going wrong with a Mexican restaurant in the mission is like going back wrong with a dim sum restaurant in Chinatown. It will almost never happen, but still it’s always good to test the waters. This place is typical of a Mexican restaurant in the mission: pretty rundown, friendly waitstaff, and delicious food. They are also open till 2:00 AM for the drunk crowd that loves street tacos, amazing! However, what makes me love this place are, hands down, the tamales… I’ve never had banana leaf tamales before coming here and I heard that they were delicious… I got some and they definitely did not disappoint… I love tamales so this statement is saying a lot. Next time I come here, I will probably try to explore more of the menu but it will be hard!

Favorite place after a long party! I like their super burritos with grilled chicken… One bad point, the staff is pretty harassing when you are a girl, I think it’s pretty rude.

Yummy banana leaf tamales! :)

Tried the pork pupusa and the chicken tamale with mole sauce. So good!!! Pupusa was the best I’ve ever had hands down

The food here is delicious and cheap. I got a banana leaf tamale (their specialty) for $ 4.50 and a oaxacan corn tamale for $ 2.75. That is great pricing! I had trouble finishing both because, altogether, this was a lot of food. The banana leaf tamale, especially, is quite big.
I’d recommend trying at least one of their banana leaf tamales. The masa is amazing, nice and smooth. The filling is hearty and satisfying — I got the chicken mole one. This is a different kind of tamale, and I think I even like it better than a regular tamale, which is saying a lot because I really like tamales!
Although it’s not absolutely necessary, I think it would be VERY helpful to know Spanish when ordering. It would make for a much easier time for you.

Somehow I always run into the best gems in the Mission in the hunt for late night munchies. And I promise, this wasn’t the alcohol talking. I think this place basically ruins all other tamales for me because their banana leaf tamale with the chicken and the mole sauce is the bomb. I don’t know if it’s the banana leaf or just their recipe, but something about it made it so rich and moist. I feel like normally, the masa in the tamale tends to be a bit like dry cornbread, but this one was so buttery smooth and melted in your mouth. The mole gave a nice velvety complement to the masa.
As bonus points, the friends I went out with were both vegetarians, and there were ample options for them to choose from. I’m a pretty avid carnivore, but I would definitely go back to try their ratatouille-​like banana leaf tamale. More bonus points, we got coconut water which came in a full coconut, complete with a spoon to scoop out some of the coconut flesh! This place is definitely a hole in the wall authentic Mission Mexican restaurant, so probably not suitable for a fancy date or anything, but perfect to satisfy your Mexican food cravings.

The MOLE IS TO DIE FOR!!! Seriously!
If you call yourself a foodie and haven’t tried the mole there… I just don’t know what it says about you as a person.
I always order the tamale with Oaxaca mole there. The tamale is not your standard Mexican tamale wrapped in corn husk this is a square shaped tamale wrapped with banana leaves, the masa is definitely more moist and creamier, it melts in your mouth like butter! And with mole … aahh the mole… the smooth, velvety, thick and full of amazing blend of roasted chiles mole just envelopes you with satisfaction and comfort like a thick cashmere blanket on a chilly San Francisco night. It gives me reason to why I slave myself 5 days a week and 8 hours per day… it’s all for buying delicious dishes like this.
(P.S I don’t own a cashmere blanket since I spend my money on food, but I am pretty sure cashmere is as amazing as it sounds ^^)

Used Grub Hub for my order and specifically stated on my order that I am allergic to beans yet my first bite of my burrito was full of black beans! Pretty disappointing, could have been a delicious burrito but I can’t say.

Hands down the best Mexican joint in the mission. I think there are two separate business that run on the same floor. The front-​cart offers cash-​only quick bites, while the back business is the main entity.
Front-​cart:
— Cash-​only
— Smaller tacos
— Recommend: Taco on a hot-​dog bun.
Back-​business:
— Accepts cards
— Larger tacos (with grilled vegetables)
— Amazing chips and salsa
— Tinga de pollo and campechano are awesome
I have been to plenty of taquerias in the mission but this one is the best I had so far.

Chicken mole kinda rocks here, even if most people are getting their delicious pupusas and tlayudas (tostada on steroids, and it looks like a Mexican pizza).
I’ve heard about grasshopper and fish tacos, but haven’t ventured that deep into the food here yet.
Little tables for eating in, though there’s a takeout window for tacos on the go. Kinda pricey as tacos go, but everything else seems to rest at a good price point.

I was craving for a tlayuda, it was really good big enough for two people, I also tried grasshopper tacos, quite exotic experience I really like it … And this place is ok But I wish they could remodeled with authentic Oaxacan theme atmosphere !!!

Your review helps others learn about great local businesses.
The ting a pollo tacos are delicious other than the hot chocolate …
Please don’t review this business if you received a freebie for writing this review, or if you’re connected in any way to the owner or employees.

Great Service
Awesome Staff
Yummy food — try the corn husk tamales… my favorite is the Jalepeno and cheese.
PUPUSAS– YEASSSSSS!!!

Similar to many eateries along Mission. Kind of a small place but big enough to hold a few groups at a time.
What sets them apart? Their pupusas are BOMB. I ordered one of each type of pupusa and pretty much devoured them all (well, my husband helped me finish them). So cheap, too!
Perfect for late night munchies! Open late for tired clubbers and pub crawlers…

So, just a tip: if you order a tlayuda, **don’t order anything else**. You might even split it.
For those new to them (I was), a tlayuda is a kind of giant tostada, with refried beans, two kinds of cheese, lettuce, avocado, salsa and meat (your choice). The ones at La Oaxaquena are around 14″ in diameter, the size of a medium pizza, and about as filling.
Which is a shame, because the banana leaf tamales are really good. You’ll just have to go twice.
So … full.

Great for late night snacks/​meals or if you’re feeling spontaneous and courageous for some grasshoppers or brain.
But they open till late at night and is perfect after drinking and etc.
The more outgoing food menu is not for me (which includes brain, grasshoppers, tarantulas (seasonal), ostrich, venison). You’ll never catch me willingly eat a bug. But we did order some tacos and tlayuda trio with 3 meats. The tlayuda reminded me of a mexican pizza with a fried tortilla topped with refried beans, lettuce, meats, sauce and some avocados and a couple tomatoes for garnish. It was ok, probably wouldn’t order it again, but it’s a huge and great to share. The tacos I’ll definitely go for again. They were delicious, I recommend getting the carnitas and chipotle chicken. I really like that they give you roasted peppers and grilled onions to go with your taco.
The tacos are 4 stars, but with price makes it 3.5 star and wasn’t impressed with the tlayuda.
Price are more on the expensive side, $ 2.75 per taco and the tlayuda was $ 13. They accept credit card.
It’s a small joint with a back area that makes dirty dogs, which I want to try next time! Maybe I’ll update when I try their mole and dirty dogs.

It’s been too long since I’ve felt your loving embrace, Oaxaquena! I forgot how delicious your tacos are. I swear they’re even better than before too!
Suadero (Braised Beef) — 5 stars
WOW! The meat was crisped at the ends and juicy/​tender in the middle. The flavor was amazing. The tacos fresh and soft. This comes with exactly the right amount of salsa and toppings — and seems spicier than before, in a make-​your-​eyes-​water a little but not painful and still delicious kind of way.
Pastor (Pineapple Pork) — 4.5 stars
Also great, but not as juicy as the Suadero. Not as much crisp as I remember from before. But still really up there. The Suadero really set the bar high.
Mexican Hot Chocolate w/​Guajillo Chili Powder — 5 stars
Oh yes! Just as amazing as always. A thick layer of foam on top that adds volume and texture, and the drink itself — I don’t know what it is (maybe there’s steamed milk?) but it’s just perfect. And the chili powder one is so tasty!

Came here to try the pupusa and the ostrich tacos but they don’t have ostrich anymore and they were out of pupusa
Not a good start but at least they had the last thing we wanted that they are also known for the tamales
They have two different styles one with baba leaf which is double the price the corn lead but gotta try them both
They also have blue corn quesadillas and I love blue corn so hard to find!
First came the huracha which was huge and it was great
The tamales are the star though…
After some debates with owner they found some masa to make the pupusa
Value 4.5÷5
Atmosphere 2.5÷5 hole in the wall not the cleanest
Service ³⁄₅ average and slow
Quality 4.5÷5 yum
14.5÷20