Lisa's Mexican Restaurant
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
67 reviews
Neighborhood: North Beach/Telegraph Hill
"YES! - I've finally found a great tasting, inexpensive Mexican restaurant by my office again. I was a bit sad, b/c I hadn't had any Mexican…" read more »
32 Reviews for Lisa's Mexican Restaurant
I like this place, but I do not love it. My friends always drag me here, and sometimes it is pretty good, sometimes pretty bad. Unfortunately, the only thing I can say that may be "yelpful" is that the potion sizes are good for the price. I like the Burrito Suizo because of the normal amount of cheese they put on the burrito. Sometimes places just smother the thing and it loses its flavor! The service is always speedy and friendly, so that is also good to know.
Every person I turned on to this place said, "it's the best Mexican food I've ever had", and only my nephew was stoned when he said it. The current owner, Jose, took it over around 2005 but kept the most wonderful cook, Marie, and didn't change the menu other than to improve upon and add to it. I can't make a better sangria then is served here. The place is small so when it's busy mistakes sometimes happen with the order but I never have the staff correct it because it is all is so good. I haven't tried everything on the menu but everything I've had I would have again. I'm 49 yrs old and started coming here when I was 19. Great food , great people. Life is good at Lisa's.
My Mom and I hit up this spot when she last came into town. Pretty small restaurant with lots of cool stuff on the walls. I had their enchiladas with rice and beans and I tell you, I think these are the best beans I've ever had. I had to try the beans to see if they had that distinct thick lard taste, and to my pleasant surprise, they didn't! Delish! My Mom ordered a taco and enchilada with the taco on the side so as not to get drenched in sauce, they had no problem with the request and brought the food out quickly.
My Mom ended up accidentally leaving her debit card there. They were closed Sun and Mon, so I picked up on Tues with no problem. The management was so nice about it! Great overall experience, I will be taking more of my out-of-town visitors here!
Lisa's Mexican Restaurant looks like a biker bar from the outside, with its microscopic windows, spotlit sign, and ugly burglary bars facing Mission Street.
But when you step inside, you're entering another world. Every surface but the floor is covered with goofy stuff -- photos of old Mexican movie stars, life-size parrots, oversized sombreros, and creepy paintings of big-eyed children. The overall effect is like dining inside some crazy abuela's closet, but somehow it feels cozy, not chaotic. The welcome is friendly, both from the staff and the other patrons. And the food...
Well, honestly, I don't want to get your hopes up. Lisa's is decidedly not gourmet. But if you're a homesick Southern Californian pining for the cheesy combo-plates of your youth, Lisa's will fill your heart and belly in a way that you've never experienced north of the Grapevine.
Their chile relleno sauce is just right (it's the kind with chunks of celery like you see absolutely everywhere in L.A.) and their crispy tacos are dynamite. The best thing we've had at Lisa's -- and I am embarrassed to admit, we've been back almost every week since we discovered it - is their chile verde. Mr C. likes to ask for it in their Lisa's Especial, a football-sized 'wet' burrito stuffed with everything a homesick Angeleño needs to feel right again.
Okay, I've been a not-so-steady patron of this place for literally the last 20 years...and was never dissatisfied with the down-home style food that they serve(d). I would go out of my way for the Enchilada Verde...just out of this world. But, since I moved back to SF after living in DC, and haven't been back to this part of Mission Street in way too many years, I thought it time I trek out there again, and I made a point of bringing my mom (yep, the true Mexican cook) to this place for a taste of home-style cooking....and was promptly shocked: the food was not the same; the decor, though equally cluttered with photos, etc., was not the same. Did we recently have a change of ownership? The old jukebox was replaced by the old-guy playing old standards on an electric keyboard. Okay, he was the only thing Mom liked about this place....the old tunes bringing back memories for her. But, the food? Forget it. Just not the same. I really want to like this place (again) 'cause it was just a neighborhood joint -- nothing pretentious about it.....but what happened? Can anybody enlighten me here??
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I'm really glad I'm moving out of this foggy neighborhood soon. However, I'm also very sad that I have just discovered my favorite Mexican restaurant and now I have to leave! The food was very tasty. I thought the salsa was good too, it was the chips that were just alright. The service was very friendly and thorough. There was plenty to look at while you are waiting for your meal. Tons of pictures on the walls. I was especially impressed that the pictures were clean! Lots of times when places have a bunch of stuff on their walls they forget to dust the crap. Not this place, they are very detail oriented. I will be back again and again as long as I can stand the commute from the East Bay...ooooh! Bart is really close to this place.. Yes!!!
Absolutely amazing, incredible burritos. Some of the most multifaceted, nuanced salsa I've ever had. Traditional mexican restaurant feel in a world of slick (or boring-looking) taquerias. Fair prices.
AND ALL THIS ON F***ING MISSION ST. IN DALY CITY?!?! How did I not know about this?
Anyway, make a pilgrimage, and unlike me, do not be swayed by the intimidating entrance. Within, you shall find salvation. Definitely right up there with the best of SF mexican, if not better.
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Some of the best service I've ever experienced. Everyone is so friendly, psychicly attentive, and welcoming. The food was great too, and very authentic. My boyfriend is from Texas and has eaten a LOT of Mexican food, and he told them it was the best he'd ever had. Also, the salsa was just fine. Sure it was a bit liquidy. But, um, that's how it'll usually be in Mexico. It was spicy, but just the right amount to heat you up, but wear off quickly enough. You can't beat the prices either - very reasonable. My only qualms were with my margarita. It was much too sweet for my taste, but the boyfriend finished it. Also, I would have liked to maybe have had a choice between corn and flour tortillas. I like my floury carby goodness.
All in all, we'll be going back for sure!
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A solid 3 stars (I'd give 3.5 if I could). After reading the Yelp reviews for Lisa's I thought I'd give it a try since I work in Daly City and am always looking for a new lunch place.
1 star deduction for the very average salsa (yes, it is watery) but it tastes good. And another 1 star deduction for being a typical Mexican place that doesn't seem to have anything on the menu that stands out.
The service was very friendly and I liked the look of the place with tons of framed pictures of random-Latino-cultural-things on the wall.
I ordered a # 3 combo plate with a chile relleno and a pork chile verde enchilada, certainly a good plate of food but nothing remarkable. My friend had a chicken dish from the Lisa's special section of the menu which was pretty good, but not great.
Since I work in the hood I will probably come back, but this is NOT a destination restaurant. I'll stick with my favorites in the Mission or Bernal Heights in SF.
Went to Lisa's last night for the first time...I must say I have a new standby Mexican place to go to when I'm feeling the craving. I live In Daly City and it's pretty bleak when it comes to nice places to eat, I'm so glad I found this place!
...the food is no frills but excellent and authentic, the staff is extremely friendly and everything is fairly priced...heck even the imported beers are $3! Pretty freakin' cheap!
I sampled the Chile Relleno, Enchilada and Chimichanga, all were suburb. I also had their Horchata, and it ranks with the best I've ever had!
I dropped my fork on the floor and before I even bent down to pick it up there was a waiter with a fresh one and a napkin! Talk about quick service!
If I do have one gripe, the chips and salsa they bring before the meal were the definition of average. and they don't make maragaritas, they have bottled ones, that don't taste very good.
In short...go eat there!
This rating is not a reflection of the food but their unethical manner of charging us more than what the menu stated. Drinks were ordered and apparently they have 2 sizes. But you wouldn't know about it since the menu has one price. When we brought this to the attn of the management, they explained there were 2 drink sizes and we received the larger. When we indicated that the menu was misleading, the management shrugged it off and didn't even apologize or say that he would give us the price of the smaller drink. Be explicit of the size drink you want. Drinks were ok but I am hesitant to go there again since I'm afraid of getting overcharged for something else that I may order.
Is there such a thing a thing as 21st Century curbside service? There is at Lisa's Mexican Restaurant.
Long story short: My boyfriend and I read all the positive reviews for this place, so we decided to go. They're open 'til 10pm, which is a plus. We cruised over there and realized that all the tables were full. We got our food to go instead. We ordered, and were told to come back in 20 minutes.
We went to Lucky's down the street to get some beer. We came back about 20 minutes later, and were told it would be about 10 more minutes. We waited in the car out front. A few minutes later, one of the waiters brought our food out to us! We were expecting to have to go back inside, but the curbside service was a plus.
The food was also really, really good. I had the #15 Chile Verde, Taco. I thought it was a chile verde taco, but was pleasantly surprised that it was chile verde AND a crispy taco (your choice of chicken or beef). The chile verde was spicy and flavorful. Big pieces of pork, which I like. The taco was crispy, juicy, and the perfect size.
My man had the #6 Chicken Crispy Tacos. They were delicious. The chicken was a little dry and needed an additional splash of salsa, but all-in-all it was delicious.
I'd definitely come here again.
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Awesome Mexican in Daly City? That's right.
I got the Chile Relleno and Chimichanga combo (which is perfect cuz i'm always deciding between the two) - both were delicious.
Staff & owner was friendly and attentive.
Now I know where to go when I get a chile relleno craving.
Will be back soon!
The first time I went to this restaurant I was in need of some comfort food. Me and my boyfriend had the craziest adventure filled day and all was due to us looking for some good food. I was introduced to this place by my then boy friend now fiance. He remembers his grand parents going to this spot and thought (actually knew) that this would be our perfect "first date" spot. the food was delicious and the spot itself was so comfy. This is one of those places that makes you feel at home. Good food good memories we too will add ours to the pot.
This little spot seems like a nice neighborhood find. We ate at 5:45p on a Tuesday so our service was quick and personable. The green salsa was good, but the tomato based salsa lacked something. The "sizzling" fajitas were served on a regular plate so they weren't exactly sizzling. That said, the food was tasty and the pork burrito was good. I would go back.
Great atmosphere and service - pretty good food.
I just went there with my family. The chips and salsa were terrible (stale chips - watery salsa). The food was very good, especially the homemade flan. The banana and papaya milkshakes were not very flavorful. The prawns were great, but the mushrooms were probably dried, and were too hard to eat. The food was nice and hot. The owner/maitre d' was very friendly. And it was great that his wife was at the stove. It felt very homey and neighborly. The service was reasonably fast.
Given how nice the folks that run this little joint are, I'm sorry I can't give it more stars.
The salsa provided with the chips was basically spicy water. Nacho appetizer was tasty and full of toppings. The steak for the fajitas was extra tough but seasoned very well. Their papaya milkshake and horchata were both excellent and killed the heat rather of the food well.
Even though the food was a little hit and miss, I'll definitely be back to give them another shot.
I know, you're thinking how special can Mexican food really get? No doubt, the food here is great. Probably the best tortilla soup I've ever had. Really great sauces. But honestly, the food is four stars at best. The excellent service and homey/comfy interior (like being invited to someone's home) pushes the rating to five.
This place has great food, probably the best Mexican food in Daly City, when put into perspective doesn't really say too much... but it's very delicious and I'll still be glad to make that claim.
This would have been a 5 star review had the service been better. I'm a really patient person and it takes a lot for me to be turned off but our server was not attentive at all and it took a long time for our food to come out. It was good, so in the end, it was worth the wait.
This is a casual place with good food, great service and not expensive. The guacamole is really good. Note...they close at 9pm and are closed Sundays and Mondays. Glad to have come across this little gem.
Can I just say I grew up just a few blocks away from here, and had never stepped foot in here, until very recently.
Wow, was I missing out!
This place is beyond cute! And the food is great and affordable, nice staff too. I love it, and have brought a few friends here since, and they have loved it too.
Quite simply the best Mexican food I've had in Northern California (moved to SF 11 years ago). I had the Chicken Enchiladas Suizas. The chicken was tender and flavorful and the tomatillo sauce was light and refreshing. Rice and beans were delicious as well.
my husband got a dinner combo with carne asada and chile rellano and he gave it five stars. he said the chile was actually hot which was not expected (but a nice surprise). i can't say the same about my salad. i got a chicken salad and not only was it small (it's $7.50 - i figure a bit more lettuce wouldn't hurt; also, it came with the equivalent of about a chicken drumstick's worth of meat), something tasted like chemicals. i tried to find out which portion of the salad the taste came from but i just couldn't, although i narrowed it down to, i think, the cheese. it was just terrible - i wanted so much to enjoy this place because of the good reviews. i guess i should get something more traditional instead of ensalada (lol). we'll definitely give it another try b/c of all the good reviews and my husband's experience.
atmosphere was nice - kind of funky with lots of pictures an other stuff hanging about. the service was nice and when we were there, a pianist was playing his keyboard - i liked.
also, their sangria was much more sweet than expected but good. give it a try.
check your bill though; i ordered a nachos that never came, forgot to check the bill before paying and as an afterthought, am pretty sure they charged me for it b/c what we ordered should not have come to over $40.
p.s. their chips are the worse. i mean, the worse. a bag of toritos will do you better. they're thick but taste baked and stale. no flavor, no salt. it's a step above cardboard.
Lisa's is a friendly neighborhood Mexican food restuarant. The owners, Jose and Mario, can be found greeting customers and helping serve food. Friday nights, a musician comes and plays Mexican music which makes it even more fun to go eat there.
I was pleasantly surprised when we went there and Jose remembered what we ordered to drink! Be prepared to wait a little bit for your food, as the cook who looks like someone's grandma, is making it fresh. I almost always order the chorizo con heuvos as the combo is so tasty.
There's lot of choices, so experiment for yourself and decide what will become your favorite dish.
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An undiscovered GEM. I am surprised not to see it overflowing with people lined up and down Mission Street. I love a place where you watch the chef do her magic, and always with a smile. We usually get take out and it is SOOO GOOOOD! It's nearly impossible to find a place where all the elements of the meal are perfect. I usually get the chicken tacos (to die for) and both the rice and the beans are incredible too. I think it's Lisa's for din din tonight!!
The food was good by bay area standards, not LA mexican food like another reviewer had posted (I used to live there), but the dish was good, flavorful, and well presented. We got the enchilatas and taco platter. The chips were good, the salsa was so so, watery and bland. It took a bit from when we ordered for the food to get to our table, but I wasnt in a rush for someone to cook for me. The owner was way nice and the servers too. The prices are good too. The only thing that annoys me about any place to eat is getting the check, I HATE waiting. We waited about 18 minutes from when we were done to get the check and they werent that busy to forget about us.
In all its a nice place to eat. Friendly staff, homely atmosphere. I would go there again to eat, but ask for the check when they take our plates away.
5 star review all the way! My boyfriend has been going to Lisa's for years. I was glad when he finally took me to his favorite Daly City Mexican hide away. Every time we walk in Jose and Mario (the owners) always shake our hands and seat us. The menu is huge! There are too many choices. No matter what you are craving, you will find it on there. They always bring you 2 types of homemade salsa, both have a nice spicy flavor. I appreciate that they aren't chunky, you can use them to dip or for a little something something on your tortilla's or main dish. There aren't many restaurants that I walk into looking forward to the salad! Yes, salad. It's your basic salad with queso fresco, carrots, tomato and a cucumber slice but the dressing is amazing! I love it. I think it's a tomato based dressing, like a salsa but in dressing form. It has so much flavor and a wonderful tang on your tongue. No matter what I order, I have to have a side salad. The carne asada or pollo asado is always tender and grilled to perfection. The enchilada's are packed with meat and cheese. There isn't anything Maria (the chef) puts out that you wouldn't order again. It amazes me that this one woman feeds everyone in the place within a reasonable period of time. When we leave Maria always takes a minute to come out of the kitchen and give us a hug good bye. The warm home-style feeling there is more like eating in their dining room and not their place of business. It's great! They have many beers to choose from and also have a few wines too. We're regulars for sure and you will be too!
My husband and I were very happy to find this place in Daly City, around the corner from the theaters so we made a very nice Friday out of it.
We loved the atmosphere here, intimate, but casual. Everyone here seemed to be having a good time as there was a birthday complete with cake and singing in both English and Spanish. The food was very solid and inexpensive. The service was personal and quick. The keyboard man was awesome!
It has that LA flavor of the kind of place you would drive by in a minute, but once you enter, you see how great it is.
I too love this place. The new owners are very friendly. It's a family place where everyone from grandma to toddler is welcome.
I even had dinner there with 12 relatives when they were in town for my wedding.
The food is great. Don't forget to try the sangria.
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Lisa's is one of those hole in the wall Niki M. life long institutions.
My parents claim I ate many of my first solid meals at this restaurant located in Daly City, but of course I have no recollection of such.
Owned for years by a local character Mavy, who covered the walls with "witty" bumper stickers, pictures of herself and celebrities autographed and hung in gold leafed frames, and pictures of her children and grandchildren side by side with pictures of famous Mexican actors (the picture of Cantinflas always starred at me). It has been taken over by new owners who've changed some things visually (even adding a gentlemen who plays an electric keyboard in the corner on Friday nights, cheesy but a nice touch, better than a mariachi band for this small place) but not the food.
Great plates of Mexican food, consistent over the years as the chef, and now co-owner makes each in the tiny corner of a kitchen with ease and grace. You'd think she'd loose her mind as she flies from the stove to the ovens but she does it well, always taking the beer my dad will buy for her as a thank you for such good food.
Hole in the wall or not, new charm or old, Lisa's is a true favorite in my family. The chef will come out and hug us as we leave, asking how we all are, where my sister is, if our family friends are my boyfriends parents (absurd to us b/c they don't look anything alike and would have been about 8 or 9 when he was born) and apologizing for the fact that the upstairs neighbor's cat knocked a glass of water near her open window which got on us as we waited to get in. Seriously a nice, off the beaten path restaurant with good, reasonably priced food.
*A warning to you men however, rumor has it (or so say my dad, boyfriend and some family friends) that when using the restroom be prepared for a shock as the positioning of various mirrors allows one to see more of themselves than they bargained for. I think it's just a part of this place's natural quirkiness that is no longer shown on the walls.
Update: Went to Lisa's last evening and they realized we weren't just that family who buys beers for the chef, but they also realized I wrote this review and informed me that the men's room had been changed because of me. The host said to the owners, "You know she's right. Every time I go to the bathroom I get self conscious, we have to do something about that..." His story concluded with the fact that he loved my review and is happy we continue to eat there all the time . The host told me to check it out said they loved the review and proceeded to take our order. However I didn't get away that easy, he escorted me to the men's room at the end of our meal, and opened the door for me. TADAH! he said. I love it.
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Can I just say AWESOME! Service Great, Food even better! My boyfriend and I are always on the look-out for good Mexican, and the fact that I am mexican makes the standards very high. Very cute little restaurant a cute little couple owns the place its sooo story book, mexican lady cooking in an open kitchen, authentic music playing.... We had the enchilada plate which tasted the way my grandma made me, tacos great, and the Papusa (which is a new addition and I know El Savadorian, but it was the best one I have had). All in all a good experience, you cant go wrong!! I love Lisa's!!
i love this place. I go there about once a week. It's amazing. i suggest you try it. They have fantastic homemade sangria and horchata. The guacamole is out of this world!! This is a can't miss if you live anywhere near Daly City. If I ever move out of DC, i will always drive over to go to Lisa's!!
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