Caliente Bistro Kitchen

It's closing forever on Feb 21, 2025. So sad. Great food, great service - some local restaurant needs to pick up Amanda the AMAZING server. Simple interior, nice restroom, easy parking on street, 38 bus, etc. It's a tough time to run a small business. Locals, try to bombard them with love and orders in the next day and a half

Like the other reviewers, I almost didn’t want to write this because it’s such a gem. We stopped by after a hike in Marin and even with huge appetites couldn’t finish our portions. And it’s not just a lot of food, it’s DELICIOUS. I had chicken enchiladas and the chicken was tender and flavorful. My bf had an al pastor burrito which was literally the biggest burrito either of us had ever seen and the meat was incredible. Oh and he ordered it smothered in cheese, because why not! A little cheesy but a cool option. And the chips and salsa, chips were hot and salty and salsa was fantastic. Highly recommend!

This place is HIDDEN and on the one hand im glad, but in reality they deserve more attention. Its VERY GOOD Mexican food, a full notch above fast food. This place serves you AT YOUR TABLE and yet have prices more similar to order and sit down places 💪 Super friendly staff, easy parking. The Ceviche could actually serve 3. Its great, just needs lemon and salt. All portions are LARGE.

Was so good here, I brought a bunch of friends, and they said the same thing, homemade chips, salsa, guacamole and the food. Super generous with food so we knew would be another meal. Thank you for continued customer care and the amazing atmosphere.

This is the best bargain in San Francisco - and a perfect stop on the way home to Marin, just off Park Presidio with easy parking. We always order too much because the portions are huge (and so tasty).

One of my new favorite places in the area. The portions are amazing especially for the price - I’d definitely plan to take some home. The staff is super attentive and the food was incredible, I especially enjoyed the salsas they had!

This place is so tasty. Super wonderful nice staff. Good selection. Price is good and portions are generous. This is a definitely find. I live in SF and eat out all the time. This is really a wonderful local gem. Had these dishes and a glass of wine. It was just for me so easily could have feed 2 if not three. I adjusted that per person to reflect if 2 people shared. I have a ton of left overs.

Finally, an amazing Mexican-inspired spot in the Richmond! This place delivers on every front. The burritos are absolute fire, and the chicken molé is on another level – the meat is so tender it falls off the bone, and the molé sauce is out of this world. Even the chips and salsa are a next-level experience. Like really they don’t make salsa like this anywhere in the city. The tacos are so reasonably priced and packed with the most flavorful, juicy meats. The chef clearly knows his stuff. It’s a true gastronomic experience. Can’t wait to try the margaritas next! Oh and the flan is homemade! They have TVs to watch any sports game too.

Caliente Bistro Kitchen is out of business. I was in denial, but have confirmed this to be true. In a lot of distress at the moment.... grieving.

DONT SLEEP ON THIS PLACE (like i have for the past 4 years) Upon being seated we ordered Chips and guac, came out within minutes and the chips were fresh out the fryer and hot Cuban Fried Chicken Sandwich - wonderfully fried, fresh, spiiiicy 10/10 Chicken Enchiladas - came loaded with guac, rice, beans, lettuce, drizzled sour cream, cheese.... Absolutely phenomenal. 10/1 Another callout: House Red sauce 15/10 so good, mild kick to it. We had to reorder Highly recommend you either come here or get takeout! Staff gave impeccable service, was quick and super friendly. The place looks like any other joint, but damn did the food speak for itself! will be back

Got super burritos twice from this restaurant: one with al pastor and another with carne asada. Both times were amazing flavor bombs! The free bag of chips and salsa included is also great. Service was fast as I would expect for just doing pick up. I recommend this place if you're ever craving a delicious burrito.

Fast, friendly, and very tasty. Always enjoy eating here. Easy parking, convenient, ADA accessible.

I ordered a super burrito with cheese crust for $2 extra. Total came out to $$21 plus tip for a togo order. The burrito size was huge forearm sized. About 2 normal burgers put together. The favor of the carne asada was good and not dry. Im usually a quesadilla over burrito person but had to try and see the size of this burrito i heard about. The cheese crust was too greasy for my liking and too messy when i brought it back to eat on campus. 8/10. I would come back to try the quesadilla or burrito without the crust again. Parking is metered street parking in front of the store. Wasn't bad when i went at 3pm on a Tuesday. Restaurant was also empty at this time was service was instant.

Whoa. Their burritos are SO mouth watering good! I don't want to order burritos anywhere else. Burritoes came out piping hot, freshly made, and wrapped with thick aluminum foil. The carne asada tasted so good. To go orders come wth chips and salsa. Their orange salsa is so good: garlicy and spicy! Friendly service. I will definitely be back! Came in on a Friday late lunch. There was one table seated, a few Togo orders while I was there.

I was intrigued by the 4.8 star rating for this Mexican joint after spending the morning in Golden Gate Park. The restaurant is pretty unassuming. We were hungry but not starving so we got two tacos each for $4 a taco. My husband got chicken and I got one carne asada and one al pastor. All I can say is holy flavor bomb! The tacos were piping hot and overflowing with meat, onion, and cilantro. Epic value for $4 each! We left full and satisfied, can't wait to go back soon!

Was craving for some Mexican during holidays . Everything we ordered was great . Service was very attentive, by far one of the best Mexican restaurant I have been in sf. They can make anything vegetarian using tofu /mushroom . We got veggie tacos with tofu and chilaquiles with mudhroom . Excellent flavor and cooked perfectly . I like that provide guacamole and pico even with just cheese quesadilla . Price is very reasonable with decent portions.

Politics is polarizing, so let us all forget that for a moment and instead focus on food and your local community instead. Caliente ask for your help in making rent. Would you spare some of your time and come over to enjoy a meal here? We recently had the Roasted Chicken Leg Meal with rice and beans for $10.00. Yes, you didn't read wrong. It's $10. We also had an Ensalada $8.00 + Carnitas $4.00 and an iced tea $4.00. Always delicious and Amazing deal. Their menu, while not expansive, has a little bit of everything for everyone. So while not everyone will agree on whether the Great Highway should remain open or closed, or which politico should be in office next (local, state, national), I hope we can all agree on helping your community, and enjoying some delicious food. Located on Geary Blvd between 12th Ave and Funston. Right next door to a 7-11.

Great street tacos. Generous portions. Ordered two roasted chicken and two carne asada. The carne was slightly burnt. But still delicious. Nice staff. Ordered to-go in person. I asked to have the tacos split into two separate to-go containers. They were very nice about my request. Will definitely return. If you're close to park presido/19th ave and you want some Mexican give them a try.

At least let people know you're closed so we don't drive to your restaurant like dummies.

Always a pleasure dining here! Let's keep Caliente Bistro in the neighborhood & still open for business! Thank you to the staff for always so wonderful & welcoming!

Been wanting to check this place out for quite a while. So, when burritos recently came to mind, I had to try it. The service was fast and friendly with your typical ambiance. Ordered the super chicken burrito with cheese on the outside, and let me tell you, this monster did not disappoint. The meat was tender and flavorful and the other ingredients were thoughtfully prepared. My only criticism would be a lack of a proper acid component to really cut through the richness of the meat and starch--the salsa really didn't do much. But overall, I would go back.

Heard Caliente Bistro Kitchen was in financial trouble, so I decided to have a group dinner here to help out, both to give them more business and to introduce them to some newbies. There were six of us for dinner and I was the only one who had eaten here before. The food and service were both as I remembered from the other times I'd been here. Each of my dining companions enjoyed their choices, which were chicken mole, enchiladas, tacos, and burritos. Two of us had the jamaica aqua fresca, too, and, as usual, it was refreshing and delicious. None of us could stop eating the complimentary chips and salsa. The chips arrived at the table hot and crispy and the two salsas were wonderful; not too spicy and just the right amount of tang. My burrito was so big that I couldn't even finish half of it; it gave me two more meals the next day! This is a wonderful neighborhood restaurant and I hope they stay around for a long, long time!

Came Thursday afternoon to a semi filled restaurant! Big portions worth the price and hard working staff. Only one person in the front of the house would recommend being patient as he is helping where he can Food was flavorful and comes with chips and salsa free first round Would definitely recommend giving it a try !

This place is a hidden gem in the neighborhood. The chips are nice and thick. Seems like they are salted with a super fine salt, so it's evenly salted and so addicting. It comes with a green salsa and creamy orange salsa. I don't normally get pork, but I tried the super burrito with carnitas and was pleasantly surprised at the texture contrast and flavor. The carnitas had charred crispy bits, and the non-crispy parts were not dry. They cook the meat to order so it's super fresh and you can taste that difference. If you get the extra cheese crust on the burrito, it magically gets like 30% larger lol. It was comically large for only $2 more. If you're trying to save a buck, they don't charge any SF mandate fees.

Picked up a TGTG surprise bag a few weeks ago. It came with a drink that reminded me of cinnamon milk. The plate was delicious, it was a chicken leg quarter with beans, rice, and salsa. The staff were also friendly. Recommended

Carne Asada in my burrito had huge chunks of non-chewable fat and was so overcooked it had the texture and taste of a well-done, char-broiled hamburger. Yuck. Cheese was goopy. Decent salsa. Inside was freezing cold, customers eating with coats on. Appreciated the friendly service.

Say it ain't so!! We loved this place. Such a bummer that is has closed. Not sure why but the food was great and the people super friendly. Sad.

Caliente bistro is a yummy restaurant with great flavors I got the chicken leg entree. I was amazed by the large size. It was cooked to perfection. It came along with pico de gallo, Spanish rice, and beans. So yummy! My coworker got the Al Pastor super burrito. He liked his, although it was a little bit too salty. Great food, great value.

We had to pick up an item in the area, I decided that we should try a new place for dinner. I saw that Caliente had nearly 5 stars and wanted to see if they lived up the reviews. We sat and while we ordered, we were brought fresh hot chips and salsa. These were so good and loved the salsas. We got a couple IPA's to go with it. We ordered the shrimp and octopus ceviche thinking that it would be a small appetizer, but this was huge and totally worth the cost. It was fresh with a mixture of onions and peppers, it had a small heat to it which was good. We also got the steak fries, which were also huge. I asked for a portion of those fries on the side for my kid, which they did. She loves her fries and we loves the spicy steak fries. My boyfriend got the al pastor and carnitas tacos, which I loved the carnitas over the al pastor, as it was very tender with a little burnt bits that made it taste so good. We both loved the place. I went to work the next day and was talking about it at work, my coworker decided to place a huge order for lunch that day. This time I decided to split the ahi tuna ceviche and I ordered a al pastor burrito with cheese on the outside. (They did not offer carnitas on doordash's menu or I would have got that) I was not prepared for how big this burrito was, it literally was a three meal burrito. It was so good, especially with the cheese burnt to the outside of the burrito. My goodness, this was huge and delicious. Everyone at work liked the food. There were so many chips and salsas left over that everyone kept snacking on them until they were gone

Excellent friendly service for wonderful food! The chef and staff provide both hospitality and comfort foods to satisfy your appetites. The Tamarind bbq ribs are succulent falling-off-the-bone tender meats with sweet notes (optional - order dry ribs with the sauce on the side)...plated with cilantro guanabana coleslaw, black beans and red rice, and corn salad - every bite is absolutely delicious. The Cuban fried chicken on a bun is a sandwich with the same cilantro jalapeño guanabana coleslaw and garlic aioli and a generous side of crispy seasoned fries - A perfect meal at Caliente Bistro Kitchen is - anything you order!

Really delicious and decently priced! When you're seated you're given FRESH chips and salsa. I'm not kidding--the free chips were so good. Chips were hot from the fryer! We ordered 2 tacos and the chicken enchilada plate. The enchiladas were different from your average--they pan fried the cheese/chicken oozing out of the tortillas. My only complaint was that the plate comes with rice AND beans--I asked for extra rice instead of the beans but the rice portion was still small :(

I follow my own advice. I went to support the restaurant today, Saturday. I ordered negro chicken burrito to go. It comes with cheesecake sour cream. The place had a stream of people coming and going. Their happy hour is only Tuesday to Friday. They close Sunday and monday. Order to go at the cash register with Andrew. Andrew really hustles with a smile. I waited 40 min, but it is good to see that they are busy. I hope they make rent for August. My to go burrito came with a bag of fresh, crunchy chips, and their dip is so mild and flavorful. I am so glad they hired a lady to help Andrew. Keep it up and support them, please.

I've known Raul personally for a few years, worked with him for 3 years at a private catering company in Sunnyvale. He is one of the most passionate people I've ever met in my life and his food has the flavors to match. His prices are very fair and portions are extremely generous considering the economy today. Id contest that he could raise his prices 25% and everything would still be a great deal. I've tried everything on the menu now, and not a single dish I wouldn't order again. Much love to this small business and it's employees. Hopefully they continue for a long time to come.

What a hidden gem! I was walking on Geary and stumbled across this amazing Mexican restaurant. I ordered the Al Pastor Burrito and it did not disappoint. The meat was nicely charred and really substantial piece with every bite. The bits of pineapple took it over the top and everything was seasoned very well. The service was very quick and the waiter came back to refill waters and chips. The two salsas had great flavor and wasn't too spicy. I am a sucker for the carrots and jalapeños and they seem to make their own brine compared to some of the other restaurants that use the canned version. I gave my kudos to the owner Raul and he mentioned they have a new meat supplier where the Carne Asada is made with Ribeye. Price point was solid for the food quality and service. Will be back!!

Caliente was a surprise find as we just stumbled upon this one and it was pretty good! There are a lot of mexican places in the bay area but i am usually not a fan of most of them. The biggest deciding factor for me is their salsa.. I love flavorful, spicy salsa and this place delivered. This was one spicy and tasty sauce.. we had veggie quesadilla which was also very good.. the table had other couple of items which was good.. There was one dish which took a long time and we were almost done with our lunch. the restaurant graciously removed it off our bill as they messed up on that. you don't see that often these days.

Absolutely five stars for food and service. The chips are so fresh. Highly recommend the roasted chicken leg and tacos.

VALUE: Their portion to price ratio is insane. Especially when you factor in that everything is such good quality and tastes great. SUPER BURRITO: They are actually SUPER. These are "heavy bag" burritos. Bonus points because they aren't soggy and dripping everywhere. ORANGE SAUCE: I could drink this stuff. They need to start selling it by the bottle. Their chips are always hot, fresh, and thick. HAPPY HOUR: I think 1-5 pm (M-F?). Tacos: $2 (chicken or tofu) and they are fantastic and great portions. Beers and margs for $4. 2G2G: They frequently have amazing deals on the Too Good To Go app. AMBIANCE: You won't be posting on insta, but you will be coming back for the food. And the owner (I think) is always super friendly and welcoming.

I'm not sure if they taste super "traditional" but they are GOOD. The foods taste all good and fresh. The portion is huge and the price is reasonable. Their hot salsa is . Please try. Street parking only. The server was super friendly and nice. Check the hour, it says they close at 8pm on Friday which feels a bit early. There is a small bar area with a tv where you can watch sports too. I would definitely come back to try different menu!!

Ordered nacho here's they gave me bad guac and I got a bad stomach flu next day. Don't ever eat here. The guacamole was brown how can u serve that to customers. Update: Bad guac this isn't from heat ventilation this is from bad avocado. You should separate the guac from the nacho for your customers if heat can cause bacteria to grow. Especially for people who ordered delivery and I'm only a few miles away from this restaurant.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a Mexican place better than this in SF, or dare I say in the Bay Area. While that might be an overstatement, Caliente Bistro Kitchen is definitely bringing the heat when it comes to value. Somebody forgot to tell them they're in SF because their prices are actually fair! The portions are huge where their tacos are loaded with meat and their ceviche actually has a generous serving of ahi tuna. The Cuban chicken sandwich was also huge for $16 with fries included, albeit there really wasn't anything "Cuban" about the sandwich, but it was also good. Also, you definitely heard right - the salsa they have is out of this world. Special shout-out to the orange habanero sauce, I haven't had salsa like it anywhere else and I would go back just to get some more. Overall, this has gotta be hands down the best Mexican food for the price and I only scratched the surface of what their expansive menu offers. This place is so good, I'm very tempted to pull a food influencer and "rEaLly cOnsideR gATekeEpinG tHis plAce", instead of sharing it with people.

Food is excellent. Pretty good portions for the price. The carnitas is smack. I don't know how I missed it on the menu when I was ordering my burrito. Order: - Carnitas fries no jalapeños... smack. Meat was juicy. - Nachos were fresh fried in house. - Super burrito with carne asada no beans add the cheesy crust. HUGE sized burrito. I ate a quarter of it. I honestly didn't taste a difference. I thought the meat was a bit dry. - Horchata was fresh. - Torta I didn't have the actual sandwich but I tasted the chicken and didn't love. Thought it was dry. Parking would probably be hard since it's on Geary. We came right before 6 PM and scored front row parking. Service was kind of slow. Peeped kitchen and looks like they only have 2 kitchen staff and 1 cashier. There's 9 tables and a bar inside so ample seating. Not too loud. They have 2 TVs running with different shows. Overall the food was good and flavorful. I would come back again.

First time here. Friendly staff and menu offers so many great dishes. I went with a Super Burrito and my fiancé got the nachos. The cafe is small but cozy for a small group of friends or a first date etc. I LOVE authentic Mexican food and this unfortunately is not at all what I was looking forward to. No beans in the burrito and my biggest YUCK when I have Carne Asada if there is fat in a bite. First bite.. huge fat mass and another 5-6 afterwards.. same disappointment. Taste was ok but the chewy fat took over my meal. The nachos were also made with the cheese you'd find at a pump dispenser at your local 7-11. The place had your hipster types who (if never had GREAT Mexican food) would consider the meal good. I have to give the food a 6/10. Clean cafe and again VERY fast and friendly service but maybe they should slow down a bit to take time to prepare some beans and to put beans into their burritos and again.. cut the FAT off the meat please! Won't be going back.. the Mission area..La Taqueria for example.. they will remind me again of what a GREAT and tasty Burrito should be. Sorry Caliente.. gotta work a bit harder to satisfy this Mexican. Adios..

While visiting the Richmond district Caliente Bistro Kitchen popped up. Very authentic Mexican food at a reasonable price. What you won't miss is their fresh chips & salsa, which most places don't offer for free. Interior is very vibrant & inviting.Service was great & I was contemplating between the Mole or the Enchilada but opted for the Chicken Mole(not pictured). Orders: Chips & Salsa: Complimentary with a spicy verde sauce that was fresh & a creamy red salsa I found was quite unique & addictive. 3 Chicken Taco's: ample amount of grilled chicken that was a little over cooked so it was a bit tough, but it did lend a nice bbq flavor. Fresh salsa, lettuce, cilantro, lime & beets are always a warm welcome. Nonetheless a dish that was satisfying & tasty. Chicken Mole: The Mole sauce had a nice thick consistency & savory note which I loved. It was a good sized portion as well. Cuban Chicken Sandwich w.Fries: chicken was perfectly sized for the sandwich & coleslaw for a good crunch & balance. Portion sizing was great but it didn't hold a lot of flavor. Fries were the thick cut that I love & it was cooked to a nice crisp. Chicken Enchilada: you get 2 enchilada's with a nice array of guacamole, salsa & lettuce. The enchilada's were small but 2 made it filling for me. Super Beef Burrito: as you can see my hand was the size of the burrito for a reasonable price. Meat was tender & bursting with fresh vegetables. Usually having Mexican food can leave me bloated & uncomfortable after I'm done, but not a Caliente Bistro.

Food is pretty amazing. Service is fast and friendly. If you like large portions of good Mexican food, this is the place, both times I ate here, I couldn't finish, not because I didn't like the food. It was a lot of yummy food. I had the carnitas enchiladas on a previous trip. 10/10. This time I had carnitas nachos. 9.5/10 and only because it could've used a bit more guacamole/sour cream and maybe a different cheese. But still so good. New go to place in the Richmond.

The food here is soo good and tasty. They bring you chips and salsa to eat while you wait for your food. The chips taste fresh and come out warm. The salsas taste great and fresh! My personal favorite is the steak nachos over fries but everything I have had is good. My husband and I shared the steak nachos and still had some leftovers. The staff is friendly and attentive. The restaurant itself has a cozy and inviting feeling to it.

Amazing. From being greeted, customer service top notice. The food so good. Each of us ordered something different and we each others food. This ribs absolutely amazing. The fries done perfectly and I was able to get an iced coffee. Your order will be enough for 2-3 meals. Each of us could not finish our item. So funny I pass here almost every day to the gym, and I see the sign. I never stopped by and so now I will be here more often. My brother and his better half have been coming here for a few years. Thankful for this hidden gem. Blessed and tummy full.

The Al-pastor regular burrito and the salsa, wow! Sooooo good! Everything is made to order and is hot and fresh! I been beee twice and I can't wait to try their Cuban Sandwich.

OK We finally decided to order dinner from here, instead of going thru Too Good To Go. I had an opportunity to taste the following: CUBAN CHICKEN SANDWICH (buttermilk battered Cuban spiced mojo chicken breast, garlic aioli, Guanabana coleslaw on Dutch Crunch Roll, served with fried curly fries.) First of all... not curly fries... regular double fried fries... really crispy so yummy there. Second of all ... no Dutch Crunch... I was looking forward to the bread, but was disappointed with a French Roll. The Chicken is a thin pounded breast. Note there are fresh jalapenos so its has a bit of heat. TORTAS - Carne Asada toasted bread, garlic aioli, guacamole, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, sour cream, and served with fried curly fries. Again no curly fries... but good and crispy. This sandwich is messy... please get extra napkins and a plate. The carne asada is flavorful, but a bit on the dry side. The avocado actually helped with this dryness.

First thing - the salsas here are so good! The salsa verde is the best I've ever had! The food was also delicious! My favorite was the tamarindo ribs and my husband enjoyed the chicken mole.

I read the SF Standard news article that Caliente Bistro is at risk of closing. I feel sad since I live in the Richmond and a lot of businesses closed already. I'm really surprised to find out how expensive rent is and the cost of doing business. This is my first time here and glad I discovered a gem. I bought a carne asada burrito tonight to support. It came with free chips and sauce. It came with a lot of meat and really yummy for $14 including tax. The salsa is different here since it doesn't have tomatoes pieces. I like how the sauces are mild with a kick of spice and enjoyed the green sauce a lot.

Took my dad here when he was visiting, he ordered one of the massive, gorgeous ceviches and I had tacos. Delicious food with very attentive service. Highly recommend it - try the ceviche!

Didn't realize they've been around for 3 years already! The people who work here are super nice! The food is delicious but I've only had the burrito. It's super close to my shop so I'll be coming here more when I need a quick dinner!

Went to the de young museum in the morning and wanted to get food after. Caliente came up when we looked up lunch spots nearby. We ended up walking over. Upon arrival we were able to get seated right away. There were some tables already filled, but it wasn't too crowded. There were a lot of options on the menu that looked good. Ended up trying a torta and a burrito (split both w a friend). The food came out relatively quickly. Portions were much larger than we had expected. Each order came with fries. We each ended up only eating half and packing the rest back home as leftovers. Overall, the food was solid especially for the price. The server was extremely attentive and never left our cups empty.

I'd recommend to try at least once. Me & my friend both liked our meals but it wasn't that homemade Mexican food like we were thinking. The chips and salsa they give are really good. I'd come just to get some chips and guac. I ordered the chicken enchiladas and my friend got the mole chicken. We both liked the main dish but skipped the rice and beans. The rice and beans were very bland. For the enchiladas, the chicken was very flavorful and I enjoyed the enchilada sauce. The shell also had a little hard crust (like a caramelized crust or something) that I pleasantly enjoyed. Overall it was a good meal & I would have 4 stars if it wasn't for the bland rice and beans. You gotta have good rice and beans at a Mexican restaurant.

GO TO DINNER SPOT FOR OUR OCEAN BEACH GUARD TEAM! Caliente Bistro is the SPOT if you want a lunch or dinner out with a casual but nice ambiance, guaranteed great food, and epic service. Andy is always on it while waiting and taking orders and we often get to talk with Raul the chef. Sometimes on quieter days Raul has even made some cool off menu dishes for us. I recommend the chicken sandwich, the tofu enchiladas are so good for meat eaters or vegetarians, and the ribs are a crowd pleaser with our group. Can't go wrong here!

Really enjoyed the carnitas quesadilla. Super rich and loaded with meat and cheese. It's a real meal. I will be back to try the cheese grilled burrito.

We were in the neighborhood and found this gem . Food was great . Friendly staff . Litterally the best chips and salsa we've had at a Mexican place . The chips came out fresh and hot , so good ! We will absolutely come back !