Flores San Mateo

Nicely decorated restaurant, located in the Hillsdale Mall, serving elevated Mexican food. Everything we had was well-cooked and beautifully presented. All three sauces with the chips were delicious, and complemented the margarita perfectly. Fast and friendly service. Great place to hang out with friends!

Flores in San Mateo has an upscale feel with a spacious setup right in Hillsdale Mall. The vibe is energetic and lively. The tacos were excellent, and the chicken salad was a pleasant surprise with great flavor. The veggie quesadilla was also worth trying.

Went here for Sunday Brunch and the food was good. I was pleasantly surprised. Wished they had more choices for brunch but overall I had a good experience.

So we went randomly to grab a drink after a day of shopping not knowing this place at all. AND BOY DID WE STEP INTO A GEM. menu looked good so we said ok 1 app than 2 app. Drinks were so good and they accommodated n/a options and spice level. We will definitely go back and get a full lunch or dinner experience. Only thing that sucks the 1 hot sauce they have is a house habenero. 1 jalapeño option would be good. Oh and the mole salsa I'd give up my first born for it was so good. The corn fritter id give up my 2nd born for. Insanely good.

Updated - Visited on the Valentine’s Day. The server was pretty much messed up. They shuffled some orders with other tables. It was hard to find the server to order as well. Overall food expense was good. Much better than expected by a their lower reviews! Now, this is one of my favorite places in town. I was a little bit hesitant to go to this place because of lower reviews, but it turned out it was good 😉👍 The service was very good, which wasn't like the reviews, and the inside of the restaurant was surprisingly nice. Good vibes for families and couples and any occasion 😊 My dog is also having a great time inside the restaurant; it is very dog-friendly!

Grabbed dinner here as a group of 5 a couple weeks ago and I had a great time! Parking was nearby in a garage (no charge!). The service was great. Everyone was super helpful and nice. I grabbed two drinks and the pozole verde (yum!). I would definitely come back in the future.

Good food, good flavors, pricey and portions are not huge but it makes for a good meal. Tried four different tacos and the fish taco and the carne asada taco are the absolute winners here. Like, really, order those. Guac was also good but very small portion, with plenty of home made tortilla chips. Rating service as low as our server was a bit pushy to get us started with appetizers the moment we seated and she did not take well that we asked for a bit of time.

The indoor space felt a bit loud, probably because the sound echoed more than usual. Still, the food was generally good, and the interior design was nice! There’s also a separate area near the entrance that’s great for group gatherings!

This place was our usual for team events and we enjoyed the food. They recently changed their menu and it's not the same. the food is just not as good.

The food was delicious! Great service and beautiful restaurant. The tres leches cake was my groups favorite item of the night!

Flores San Mateo is a huge restaurant in the Hillsdale Mall where there is ample and full parking. I recommend reservations because one Sunday was packed even though the next Sunday was a ghost town. The restaurant is lovely inside, with a full bar and a variety of indoor and outdoor seating. The patio is dog friendly. While the hostess was lovely, the service was a little mixed. While generally friendly, it was at some times slow and then other times rushed with quite a few errors. Luckily, the kitchen is on its game, and the food is delicious. The chips and guacamole with a trio of salsas are absolutely give star as were the chilaquiles. The food was fantastic. There was also a fun drink menu, including non-alcoholic options, and decent wines. I would definitely come again. I hope that I never have that server again, because he was a cloud on an otherwise delicious meal in a delightful environment.

Nice restaurant right next to the mall. The strawberry margaritas were quite strong, very good. I tried 3 tacos with chicken, asada, carnitas. All 3 were good and unique. The salad with grilled chicken was huge and full of flavor. Casual, relaxing service and atmosphere. They make a great guacamole so I recommend that.

I don't get this place. Great ambiance, awful food. We had carnitas, ceviche, and esquite. The carnitas was bland with sweet notes that felt out of place and did not have that crispy exterior you'd expect. It just felt microwaved and gross. The esquite was also way too sweet, like condensed milk and nobody could eat more than one bite. The ceviche had mostly cheap ingredients, strange corn fritters, and almost no fish. We are never going back- service was fine but also notably did not see any customers there who seemed like they would know anything about Mexican food.

I've seen mixed reviews about Flores, but I absolutely love it here and am pleasantly surprised by how good it is. In my opinion this is easily the best restaurant around the Hillsdale Mall. Their neighbors don't come close when it comes to the food quality and customer service. The interior is also well thought out and interesting. There is also outdoor seating. They have locations in San Mateo, San Francisco, Emeryville, and Corte Madera. I was also told that their menus are a little different on the weekdays compared to the weekends. Plus the dinner menus can be different too. I went on Mother's Day for weekend brunch and made a reservation on OpenTable. My family and I were happy with the experience. The hostess was very friendly and so were all the waiters/waitresses. They were all super attentive and asked for feedback often while also giving updates on our order progress. Great communication all around. What we ordered: Ostiones ($3 each), Guacamole and Chips ($13), Carne Asada Bowl ($17), Coctel de Camaron ($16), and Carnitas, Carne Asada, and Pescado Tacos (3 for $19). For appetizers we had the Ostiones which is raw oysters and they were unbelievably fresh. I also appreciated that a staff member came by and told us there would be a bit of a wait for the oysters just because of how many orders they were getting for the oysters that day. The guac and chips is also a must. The chips were fresh and warm. The guac was delicious with a generous amount of lime juice. They also come with three selections of salsa as well. I got to try a little bit of the Coctel de Camaron which is shrimp with avocado, cucumbers, red onion, cocktail sauce which a side of tostadas. This dish is a bit spicy and the spice definitely creeps up on you. I loved the shrimp and the tostadas were fried perfectly. It's definitely more of an appetizer, but it has a really refreshing taste. I love their bowls. They're kind of like the Taco Bell cantina bowls if they were actually good and had fresh/good quality ingredients. I got the Carne Asada Bowl and not gonna lie this might be an unpopular take, but their Carne Asada is more tender and better seasoned than some taquerias I have been to. It melts in your mouth and it goes with the bowl so well. They have some great beans and the ratio of the ingredients were spot on. Their tacos are pricy for restaurant tacos, but they were still really good. I chose three with Carne Asada, Carnitas, and Pescado (fried cod). The tortillas tasted fresh and I'm impressed they didn't rip or fall apart at all. I liked the crisp of the fried cod and they have some great pork too, but the Carne Asada reigns supreme. I really enjoyed my experience at Flores. I would return in the future whenever I want a nice weekend brunch and want to hang around the Hillsdale Mall.

Came here for a company lunch and it was a refreshing upscale Mexican restaurant. The interior of the restaurant pays homage to the hispanic heritage. The bowl was a great option to get a little bit of everything. Steak was seasoned and cooked well! The side of esquite was surprisingly flavorful. The tamarind Jarritos was a great surprise as I haven't found that flavor in a long time. The food is like a "cleaner" take on Mexican food! Our server was great and very accommodating to our large group. The service was quick and never waited too long for any of our items. Definitely would come here again!

The ambiance here is really good. Very happening and buzzing vibe. My husband and I enjoyed it. They gave us some fryums kind of thing which they refilled a few times. My kids loved this! We got the chile relleno and the veggie quesadilla for my husband and I. Both dishes were tasty however the portion sizes were just average. If you have a slightly bigger appetite, order 2 things. Both the dishes were pretty tasty though. We got the sundae which was not to my taste because it had a cinnamon flavor but nonetheless still pretty good. Coming to the service, our waitress did go above and beyond even though she was busy. It was top notch service.

Yum yum yum! Gorgeous fun space, with delicious bites and friendly staff. They explain the menu well, and parking is plentiful nearby. This is a nicer spot after a day of shopping or taking a special group. Pictured are some of the salsas and ceviche with corn cake.

Came here for brunch. We had a party of 7 and while service was warm and friendly, you can tell the service staff was stretched thin. As it got busier, it was really hard to get service. However, you can see the waitstaff really trying hard. Also, they were quite accommodating and was able to issue separate checks, which was super nice. Beautiful space and you can tell people enjoyed coming here. I was looking forward to trying the food but super disappointed when my pescadro fried cod tacos came out absolutely anemic. The piece of fish was so much smaller than past pictures on Yelp so not sure what happened. I'm used to Lu Lu's generous portions so this was quite a let down, especially at almost $8 per taco. Flavor wise, it was good. Just wished they wouldn't be so skimpy. This was not the case, however, with my friends' carnita bowls. Awesome portions which made my meal feel even more over priced. I'd recommend skipping the fish tacos and trying other dishes.

We have been to Flores twice now, and there is delicious food, refreshing drinks, and a kid-friendly atmosphere. From the moment we walked in, the vibrant setting and friendly staff made us feel right at home. The highlight for the adults was undoubtedly the drinks menu, with the Margaritas standing out for their perfect balance and refreshing taste. They were an excellent prelude to the culinary delights that followed. The enchiladas were super delicious and filling. For the kids, the steak enchiladas were a delightful surprise. It's not often you find a children's menu that goes beyond the basics, but they managed to create a dish that is both kid-friendly and delicious. The steak was tender, the portion size was perfect for little ones, and it was served without any spicy elements, making it a hit with our kids. The service was another aspect that made our dining experience so enjoyable. The staff was attentive and friendly, always on hand to offer recommendations or simply ensure we had everything we needed. Their ability to engage with children and make them feel welcome was particularly appreciated, adding to the relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere of our meal. We'll be back soon!

Randomly decided to try this place out with my wife for happy hour. The menu and ambiance is an upscale Mexican cuisine restaurant. The service from start to finish was excellent. The happy hour is limited but enough. We got HH two tacos ($4/ea.) and 6 HH oysters ($2/ea.). we also got the fish ceviche that was on the regular menu and this was so tasty. It was fresh and the fried corn crispy they add to it was amazing. As for drinks we did a margarita and michelada both strong and refreshing. Highly recommend this place to try out

I was excited to finally get to try Flore's after wanting to dine here for a couple of months now. We got 8:30 p.m. reservations for 7 of us on a Friday night. A few of us arrived about 15 minutes early to the pleasant surprise of getting seated within minutes even though the place was pretty packed. I never really understood the concept of not being able to get seated without your entire party being present, especially with a reservation, so this was a plus for Flores that this is not the policy here. Early arrivals tend to order drinks and apps while waiting so imo, always a benefit to the restaurant. We ordered some chips/salsa and drinks while waiting for the rest of our party to arrive. Our server was quick and attentive. The restaurant has a good and upbeat vibe although a bit too noisy for regular conversation. We mainly settled on getting the tacos. I tried the carnitas, grilled fish and fried fish tacos. I enjoyed all of the tacos even though the carnitas was a tad dry. Both fish tacos were excellent! I also had a paloma and shared a pitcher of fresa margarita with a few others. I preferred the margarita over the paloma. For those of you familiar with the inKind app, you can get $300 for $249 (or more to save more) and use the app to pay for the meal. Overall a great experience and yummy food but a bit pricey for Mexican food. I am looking forward to returning to try the other dishes.

Stepping into Flores, you can see and feel the different vibe and atmosphere it had about it compared to the other nearby restaurants at the mall. It had this colorful and rustic Mexican vibe to it and I liked it! Went with my wife and we wanted to sit at a nice comfy booth so we were near the bar area. The service was very friendly and attentive. We asked the server for some recommendations and we went with the following: Guadalupe drink Ceviche mixto Flautas 3 tacos (2 fried fish, 1 carnitas) All dishes were very tasty! The tacos had lots of protein especially the carnitas where the meat overflowed the taco shell. The fried fish taco was full of flavor. The ceviche was yummy but we wished there was a but more fish. There was just enough food for the 2 of us but we did that on purpose to save room for the churros that Yelpers had raved about. Unfortunately, the churros were not as good as advertised. We took a few bites and noticed they were a bit dry. The server came by to ask how everything was and I was just being honest and said that the churros weren't as good as expected. To my surprise, she said she was sorry to hear that and would take them off the bill. That was so nice of her and we really appreciated it! We're not drinkers but the bar area was nice and would be a nice place to have a drink and chill. Give it a try!

This place is fantastic! I'll definitely return. Every dish was delicious, and I savored every bite. We arrived around 4:30pm, so the menu options were limited, but I really wanted the corn, which wasn't listed. However, Jose, our server, checked with the kitchen, and they graciously made an exception! Thanks Jose! The Esquite (Corn) was phenomenal. The carnitas (pork) were incredibly tender and flavorful. While I'm unsure of the size of the place since we were seated near the hostess, one thing is certain: the food is absolutely amazing.

I had come here for dinner with a long time friend. Making reservations was easy and parking is plentiful since it is located in a mall. Once you step into their venue, the ambiance gives off an upscale vibe. We were seated quickly and our server was great and prompt to get us settled in and help us through the menu. We ordered a few things off the menu that included : -Totopos (Chips and Salsa) -Queso fundido -Tacos - Chicken tinga and carnitas - Arranchera Plate (Skirt steak plate that comes with tortillas and crispy totatoes and veggies) - Churros -Tres Leches -Beverages - Mi Passion Everything came out fresh and hot. Although the ingredients were fresh, there was something missing in the overall flavors of the food that didn't quite hit the flavor mark. A little bland. The Quesofundido was probably the biggest disappointment for me. I will say the cocktail was delicious! Highly recommend getting the "Mi Passion" as it was perfect blend of flavors and not too strong. Overall, our experience was pleasant and the staff was so nice and great. They get 5 stars, however, the food is just ok. The venue itself had a great ambiance. So I would suggest this spot if you are looking to go out for a first date or a birthday and want to give an overall nice ambiance and impression. If you are looking for really good Mexican food that will hit your taste palate, then I would not recommend this place. Will come again to entertain guests, but to satisfy a mexican food craving, I will prob stick to my other go-to spots in the area.

Came in for a Friday happy hour! However, we weren't notified until after we had a couple orders that happy hour was only seated in the bar area /: Our group ordered guac and chips, ceviche mixto, queso fundido, esquites, tostaditas de cangrejo, mole poblano, parrillada, and carnitas. Our food was pretty good, but standouts were the queso fundido, crab tostaditas, and carnitas. The queso fundido is only good while hot and had such a good cheese pull and flavor. The crab tostaditas are a must order here, and the carnitas were perfectly seasoned. I also love the tortillas here, and I wish they gave more. The mole was a little disappointing, however, because it lacked flavor and had a weird taste to it. We also ordered each of their desserts, and I really enjoyed their tres leches cake! It absolutely savored my cravings and was perfectly sweetened. I would skip on the churros because they were a bit hard and dense. Had to dock some points for service. We were seated in the back, and it was incredibly difficult to flag someone down if we needed something. Although we were a larger group, our server didn't check in with us unless food was being brought to our table.

So good! The freshness of the ingredients comes through each dish. Pretty much everything we have tried here is good. It's best to come with a larger group so that you can order more things. It's a good thing the dishes are meant to be shared family style. What we would definitely order again: * guacamole that comes with chips and salsa * sikil pak * carnitas - I can't decide it this is my favorite. It's definitely the best carnitas I've had. The crispy parts are amazing. * chile relleno - this might be my favorite. If you normally find these to be too cheesy, you will love this. It is veggie heavy, in the best way possible. * lubina entera a la talla - both the red and green adobo were great. Not bad but not worth it versus other things: * ceviche - a bit too acidic and not as balanced as others out there. * mango panna cotta - panna cotta is good but the mango flavor was hard to find. It was very busy on a Thursday night. But you can make a reservation on yelp. Service was still very attentive.

Located in the newly renovated area of the Hillsdale Mall, this restaurant is a cute addition for mexican food with a nicely decorated interior. I came here on a whim and there was no wait for a table for 2. Actually the restaurant was fairly empty for a weekend afternoon. Upon entering, the host and the server were very friendly and welcoming. I believe they have a brunch menu for the weekend, and then a smaller menu for dinner (they have a fuller menu on the weekdays). The food came out pretty fast after ordering. I ordered the chilaquiles + carnitas and the esquite. The chilaquiles were delicious, but I wasn't the biggest fan of the elote, it was a little too sour. My friend ordered the guac and chips, steak salad, and an oyster. She wasn't a fan of the quality of the oyster but enjoyed the steak salad and chips. With two drinks, our total came out to under $130 with tips. Servers were very friendly and attentive.

My friend and I came here for a late lunch today, we arrived at 1pm We were surprised that it wasn't busy. I ordered carnitas bowl with the pico on the side, the carnitas were super flavorful. They were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The rice was so good and tasty, the black beans were cooked perfectly. I would have liked some guacamole instead of the avocado. My friend had the pozole, it was a little bland, but she asked for hot sauce. After she added the hot sauce it was a lot better. For it being slow there today the service was not what I normally received here. We had to find our server to refill the ice tea. The other thing I would change would be lowering the music, it was so loud I couldn't hear my friend from across the table.

Went and checked out this new spot and loved it!! We came an hour before our reservation and still were able to get sat immediately and were kindly greeted! My margarita was perfection and the food was so amazing! We got the 6 tacos for 36$ the enchiladas and queso and lived all of it. The vibes in there are very trendy and nice and I will be coming back again!

I came to Flores for a birthday dinner and was looking forward to it but was slightly disappointed by the end of my meal. My mistake might have been that I was comparing everything I had to other versions of the same dishes from other restaurants and the dishes at Flores felt subpar. We started with the esquite and queso fundido without mushrooms due to allergies and both of these appetizers were good but not super special. Esquite had a good taste and had a citrusy flavor. The queso fundido was extremely cheesy and came with tortillas but we were also offered chips (pretty good but the cheese solidifies after a while so you have to eat it quick, which we were warned about) For our entrees I had the enchiladas and my boyfriend had the mole poblano. I enjoyed my enchiladas but it wasn't a dish that left me feeling satisfied and wanting more. The ambiance of the restaurant is definitely very aesthetic and would be fun for a group dinner or a special night out. The downside was that i found it to be very loud and where I was seated, the table next to us felt super close and made me feel like they were part of any conversation I had. Overall, if you are looking for aesthetically pleasing restaurants with nice lighting and decor this is the place for you. As for the food, I wasn't extremely impressed and don't think I'll find myself craving to come back again but it was nice to be able to try a new place!

A nice option added to Hillsdale. Cute and festive. Great if you're craving a margarita for happy hour. Service is decent, started off okay but then it took a while to flag down our server towards the latter half of our visit. One of the servers recommended the Sueno Tropical cocktail which I really liked, has a kick to it. The different salsas are nice and we only tried a couple things from the bar menu like the guacamole (on the small side) and flautas (which can be pretty spicy with all the salsa on it). We also had a pitcher of Palomas which was not bad.

I have to give Flores the credit for a great and delicious lunch. The tacos were delicious and the bartender's customer service was the best to date.

Another great meal, lunch this time and outdoors because it was nice and sunny outside. Colorful umbrellas helped provide some nice shade. We enjoyed the jicama with hummus and fried plantains as starters along with no-nojita NA cocktails. Shared the mixto salad with carnitas and the quesadillas, my favorites topped off churros for dessert. Attentive staff, they put a candle on the dessert plate and comped it as we were celebrating a birthday. A very nice touch since lately when we've been out to celebrate it seems they either give you a scoop of ice cream or give you the candle only

My friends took me out to flores for my bday, I was really excited :)The atmosphere is popping with lots of good energy! The drinks were outstanding, staff were great but The food was a different story :( I can't say that it was great food but I can't say it was bad, it's was a solid B. The ceviche was yummy, parrillada was okay, guacamole was all right , dessert was okay also. Would I go back? Yes, I'll give another shot it's a great place to socialize.

Drinks are tiny -- I've never seen such a small pitcher! Is this for a dollhouse? Also be sure to check website for dinner service hours (there are very few choices available on weekend afternoons, as we learned to our dismay).

Food was ok, really enjoyed the warm tortillas and the atmosphere. We got the margarita classica, carne asada taco, pescado taco, flautas, queso and ceviche. Happy hour was fairly priced compared to the regular menu. Tacos are $2 off. Queso is a lot for 2 people so I suggest ordering this if you have more than 2 people. Ceviche was good but was missing avocados or something creamy in the dish. The corn fritter was amazing though. We came here for happy hour, had a reservation via Yelp at 3PM (which is when happy hour starts), I receive a text 10 minutes prior that my table was ready. When I checked in with the hostess, I asked if we could get happy hour and she indicated that the seats in the front of the restaurant (round tables), bar seats and the high tops were all happy hour designated areas. So we chose to sit at the round tables and were handed a happy hour menu along with the regular menu. The server came and gave us water, was attentive to us and asked if we wanted anything to drink. I pointed to the happy hour margarita ($8) and then he asked what kind of margarita and flipped the regular menu to point out that there were other options. I said classic (because that was what the happy hour offered) and he put in the order. This is when I realized that it wasn't 3PM yet, but since we were presented with the happy hour menu and I even pointed to the server that I wanted the happy hour margarita, I assumed that I'd be charged the happy hour price. But nope, I was charged the regular price, yes, it's only a $5 difference from the regular menu but I honestly expected the server to be like hey wait, it's a few minutes till 3, I can come back and then place the order or tell me that I can't order happy hour yet. With a sort of upscale restaurant, that's something I expected so my bad for not paying attention to the time. So for those going to Flores specifically for happy hour, even if they seat you in the happy hour section and is presented with a happy hour menu, make sure you're ordering after 3 or you'll get charged the regular price without any notification.

Flores has nice new place at Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo. They opened a couple of months ago. There's ample free parking available and I recommend you make a reservation. Our party of four came for happy hour (3-5pm) on a Friday afternoon. We were seated at a booth shortly after we arrived. The noise level is not too bad and we had a good time savoring their food and having a great conversation. Our server, Noe, was too notch. We started with Totopos (tortilla chips) served with a trio of salsa of different levels of spiciness. We also tried their Guacamole which is a creamy concoction of avocado, onion, tomatoes, queso cotija, cilantro, served with tortilla chips. We also tried Flautas de Chorizo con Papas. It is made with their house made chorizo, potatoes, poblanos, lettuce, and served with avocado tomatillo salsa. There are two flautas for each appetizer order. For our main entree, we shared the Parillada, which is a large plate enough to share. The skirt steak was a little tough, the chicken, chorizo, gulf shrimp, shishito peppers, potatoes, and salsa molcajete were all good. It came with warm tortillas. We also had Fish Tacos (grilled and fried cod). These werereally tasty but will probably ask then to go easy on the sauce next time. I might ask to get sauce on the side. My husband liked his Mojito and I enjoyed my non-alcoholic drink Pina No-jito. Churros came with five house fritters dusted with cinnamon sugar and served with cajeta (Mexican caramel) and chocolate sauce. The Tres Leches cake was soaked in sweet coconut milk and topped with almonds and cream cheese frosting. This went well with freshly brewed coffee. We will definitely be happy to try other items on their menu next time!

Came here for a business lunch. Killed two birds with one stone as I had been meaning to also stop by to check out their "private dining room". It's really nicely decorated inside! Spacious. Not finicky cheap Mexican. We had guacamole, ceviche and salad to start. All yum. Love the assortment of salsas. My coworkers devoured the corn fritter. For our entrees, we had the veg quesadilla, chicken bowl, and cod bowls. All were hearty and filling. Bowls had a good amount of black beans and rice, pickled onions, feta. We were the first ones to arrive at 11:30 so it wasn't crowded. Apps came out quickly! Definitely happy with the lunch service Give them a try!

Aesthetically cute restaurant! Brand new with beautiful decorations, large bar top and ample lounge seating. It's of room for regular dining. I came here for lunch on a Tuesday and I'd absolutely come back in the evening on a weekend! Service: everyone was so polite and kind. From the host, to the manager, to the bartender. I really appreciated how attentive everyone was. Food: came for lunch and got the set of 3 tacos: Fish, carnitas, and asada. VERY GOOD. Tortillas are handmade and the salsas were not too spicy or salty! My friend got the salsa verde salad and it was so fresh! And light! I had a few bites. Bar top/beverages: drinks were unique with fresh Latin ingredients! No pre-mixed cocktails. They also over pitchers for a decent price! Overall great experience for an early lunch on Tuesday. Looking forward to comming back when it busier and maybe more exciting:)

This restaurant is so beautiful, from the decor to the dinnerware. This is now my second time here & everything I've had has been delicious. Our server Lucas was super friendly & welcoming. He attended to us & kept checking in making sure everything was good. The highlight of our lunch was the corn fritter that is served as a side with the ceviche, I'll definitely be asking for an extra one next time I come. If you're in the area, give this place a try. Like I said, everything I've had so far has been a 10/10.

When I saw this place as I was on my way to pick up my sister, I told her that we should try this place since it had good ratings on Yelp. I made a reservation for Monday night for 6pm. We were seated in this cute little area that feels like we're in a little hut. It was cute. Our servers were attentive and friendly. There were two as one of them was shadowing. I remember his name which was Luis because I thought he was handsome. Hahaha.. We ordered the Queso Fundido, Carne Asada Tacos, Flauntas, Fresa Margarita, and Tres Leche. The best thing was the Tres Leche as it was perfectly delish. I wish the the Queso Fundido came with chips instead of tortillas. I felt like the margarita was small. Everything else was okay. I really wanted to like this place, but unfortunately we didn't really like it. =/ I really liked the vibe, decor, and the service.

Pros: - Location is great with plenty parking. - Restaurant ambiance and decor/setup is perfect. A great vibe for a dinner or happy hour. - Sauces are tasty. Spirit selection at the bar is unique. They know their liquor and beer selection. - Fish and Carne Asada tacos were good. - Service was good. Didn't have any issues. Cons: - Poor price to quality ratio. Don't come here to drink or have a big meal. Plates are higher than other places. Margarita pitcher was expensive and small. Carnitas was way too sweet/fatty. Wouldn't mind paying if the product matched the price. Here, I felt slightly robbed as there are much better options in the area (they also add junk fees on top of menu prices). - Food is decent but it's tailored towards a certain audience in San Mateo.You won't find any bold flavors (at least from the plates I had). Overall, good to try once for dinner but most likely won't come again unless it's happy hour.

A fiesta of flavors at the new Flores in San Mateo! From the vibrant ambiance, refreshing drinks and appetizers, to the variety of entrees, it was a celebration of Mexican cuisine! The Ceviche Mixto was a seafood lover's dream with ono, shrimp, squid, and creamy avocado. Lubina Entera a la Talla - a whole grilled branzino that was a symphony of flavors, paired with beans, rice, and fresh tortillas. Tacos Trio - Carnitas, Carne Asada, and Pescado, each one packed with authentic Mexican zest. Quesabirria - a cheesy, beefy delight with a soul-warming broth. To drink, Mi Passion cocktail and Watermelon Agua Fresca were the perfect accompaniments to this feast. Flores is definitely setting the bar high for Mexican cuisine with amazing service and ambiance in the Bay Area!

3.5 stars for upscale Mexican, tasty, at times pricey, friendly but slow (and very confused) service. LOVED: * GUACAMOLE ($13) - so fresh, flavorful, topped with cojita, and served with fresh, crunchy tortilla chips and a side of 3 salsas. * CEVICHE MIXTO CAMPECHANO ($16) - flavorful, tangy - I could eat bowls of this all day! * TACOS ($) - Grilled fish (pescado) was yummy, with lots of textures, fresh veggies, and flavors - best topped with the salsas paired with the guac! Even though I don't like corn tortillas, I thought this was so tasty. * SAUTEED CORN - YUM! * SUENA COCKTAIL ($14?) - Had mango, chili..... tangy, balanced, strong. With ice in a salt rimmed glass - so good! GOOD: * LUBINA ENTERA - Branzino ($46) - Good, large portion but expensive. I prefer more buttery fishes and would have gotten something else for the price. * MI PASSION COCKTAIL ($14) - Pisco, passion, ... good cocktail in a coupe glassfor $14, but a little too sweet for me MEH: * CHURROS ($10) - comes with chocolate and caramel sauce. Caveat: I'm not a big churro fan. * QUESABIRRIA ($18) - Did not enjoy at all... very oily, soup dipping sauce was very flavorful, did not taste like much, very mushy. * Side of arroz and beans .... left untouched.

This is a good restaurant with a nice ambiance and clean kitchen. We loved how fast they're in service. But tbh I felt like this was a commercial Mexican restaurant with only making money in mind the waiter kept pushing us to get more and more things, and he also kept insisting to add more add ons to our order to up the price of the dish from $16 to $26 the surprising part was that he made it look like he was adding everything for free. Everything was pricy there. Let's talk about food. We ordered nachos trio salsa I'd give 3/5 Quesadillas- 2/5 Moley chicken- 2/5 (missing flavor )

Had dinner here during their grand opening and it was packed! Reservations are easily made on yelp, however I seen a few parties that were able to walk in without waiting. Service was great, we came early and were still sat immediately on arrival. Love the decor and bar area here. Our server was friendly and check in on us often. It was quite loud with chatter, nothing obnoxious. It was still easy to hold a conversation with my date. Drinks - tried the sueno tropical, it was slightly spicy however the mango and pineapple balanced out the drink (3/5). Consistently was a bit thick in my opinion for a fruit forward cocktail. The Fresca margarita and classic margarita were both great (4/5)! I asked for a spicy margarita (off menu) and it was extremely bitter, however our server replaced my drink without any questions. I really appreciated that. The michelada was also something I would order again, a good level of spice (4/5). Apps - chip and guac came with all three salsas to try. Would recommend! 4/5. The ceviche mixto was really good, loved the corn fritter! It could have been less dense though and I wished it came with more than one piece. One small pet peeve I had was how the veggies in the ceviche were sliced, pieces were way too chunky 4/5. Entrees - the pazole was a solid dish and comforting. Not sure I would order it again, it just didn't stand out 3/5. The quesabirria was really good, only came with two tacos but the flavors were amazing. The beef broth was better than most places and also less oily (4/5).

great happy hour! $8 margaritas and discounted appetizers and $4 tacos. the margarita was pretty strong and tasted good. the happy hour area is more off to the side and towards the entrance so it was a bit cramped. the server was super nice and checked in on us frequently. the tacos were big. flautas were mediocre but the salsa it came with was super delicious. i love green salsa. i wish there were free chips but alas no, it was $3. probably wont come back unless for happy hour cuz the rest of the normal menu is quite pricey. but perfect for a quick drink or 2 after walking at the mall.

We came here on a Friday night at 7:30pm. I really like this place and hope it does well. Our family of four was seated at a booth across from the bar. The place was lively and full. One thing to note: They ONLY take reservations and I was told when I called that they don't save any tables for walk-ins. If you do walk-in, you have to hope that someone didn't show up for their reservation. We ordered the following: Chips & Guacamole - I give this 4.5 stars. The chips were just how I like them: crispy but not too thick. They also had just the right amount of salt. It also came with three different house salsas. The green salsa, in particular, was good. Somewhat spicy but also really flavorful. Ensalada Mixta - Again, a 4.5 star item. Perfectly dressed with a variety of ingredients to compliment the gem lettuce. I guess I like quinoa in my salad. Who knew? Platano Macho - Fried ripe plantains with spicy crema (5 stars for this one) Queso Fundido - I think the rest of my group would give this dish 4.5 stars. I'm not a huge mushroom fan, but that is just my deal. Bistec - We ordered this medium rare but parts of it came out more like medium or medium well, which was too bad. The steak itself was well seasoned, though, which I like. And it came with these great crispy potatoes. The four of us shared everything family style which was perfect. I didn't order any alcoholic drinks this time since I felt a little under the weather, but will almost certainly get a couple drinks from the bar next time. One thing I'm not certain of is whether you need a reservation to sit at the bar. I don't think so but will need to check and will update my review when I find out. The only thing holding me back from giving five stars was the service. To be fair, I think our server was relatively new and still learning the ropes (since they just opened a little while ago). She was very nice though. Again, I'll have to update my review after coming again. But for now, I give this place four stars.

Eagerly anticipated but didn't hit the mark for me due to service. Service - 2/5 Quick to take order but was MIA for the rest of the meal. VERY slow and inattentive. Server was always busy chatting with other tables and we couldn't get his attention for any help. We tried to stop other servers for help but we didn't get help from them either (ie we asked for more chips and they never arrived). Our server eventually came to check on us near the end of our meal and by that point, I no longer wanted more dishes or drinks, though he did finally bring the chips we asked for, again. Honestly not likely to return due to frustrating service experience. Hostesses at the front were friendly and welcoming. Ambiance - 4/5 Very lively! Beautifully decorated - loved the long bar, booths, textiles, etc. Huge bar and nice selection of cocktails, including delicious non alcoholic options. Music was way too loud for me for dinner and I found everyone had to shout to be heard which then raised the decibels across the entire restaurant. My voice was hoarse after dinner from all the shouting. The music/atmosphere was more like a restaurant inside a club; I wasn't expecting that and can't say I loved it but it was certainly lively! Food - 3-4 of 5 Food arrived fairly quickly after ordering but didn't seem to be coursed so our table became overwhelmed with plates. Food was fine but entire meal felt very chaotic between the loud music, not being able to get service attention and having to juggle plates to have enough space to eat. Fish was cooked quite nicely and not overcooked. Parking There is a drop off loop outside but parking is part of Hillsdale mall. Plenty of free mall parking within a block walking distance.

Beautifully decorated and delicious new place in Hillsdale Mall!! For food I got chile relleno (no avocado, personal preference) and esquites. I loved the chile relleno, the sauce was amazing. I'll say the menu said it was spicy, but to me it was a 1/10 spicy (and I usually order mild). The esquites were super good and the perfect size, it had the perfect amount of cheese and crema so that they weren't heavy. I also got a drink, Granadita I think was the name, mezcal + pomegranate. Big big fan, I'll definitely come back to try the other drinks! Service was also great :) Can't wait to come back for brunch to try their chilaquiles!!

Delicious upscale Mexican restaurant! They are BUSY so definitely make a reservation. Outside seating is so nice on a warm day. Great for groups. Food is fantastic! Staff are polite and very informative.

So excited to see a Flores open up in the peninsula bay! It's located at the hillsdale mall with plenty of garage parking. The service was good and the food was delicious. My husband got the strawberry margarita and I got Mi Passion. Both drinks hit the spot. For apps we got guacamole which came with a salsa trio. We also got the ceviche mixto which was my favorite! For the main course we got the 6 for $35 tacos and mixed and matched the meat options. We will be back & bring some friends/family next time!

Food is incredible. I love their tacos and salsas. Service is awesome. First time they were very nice and welcomed our dog and the second time they moved us to another table because it was too cold next to the window.

I loved the Flores location in the Marina, so I was super excited that they were opening a new location in San Mateo! Dinner reservations were booked up during opening weekend, so I opted for a Sunday reservation around lunchtime. AMBIANCE: It's a little cozier inside than I imagined, but everything about the decor is beautifully done! It's like you're transported to somewhere that isn't San Mateo, haha. I loved that the seating options varied from more intimate seating to longer tables for larger groups. SERVICE: It was a bit slow in my experience, so my guess was that they were a bit short staffed that day. Despite the speed, our server was very friendly. I also noticed that the neighboring tables who ordered after us received some of their orders before us, but maybe it was the cadence of cooking in the kitchen? MENU / FOOD: Drinks looked interesting, but I wasn't in the mood to drink so I took a mental note to try them next time! The selection of food isn't the largest, but enough that there's something for everyone. To start we ordered the Queso Fundido and Flautas. Flautas were hot, crispy, delicious, and the sauce that came with it complemented the flavors. However, I honestly thought the flautas were good on their own! The Queso Fundido was cheesy, oily, and oh so good. The added mushrooms gave another level of flavor but I think my absolute favorite part of this dish was the salsa molcajete - we ended up keeping the container of salsa for the bowl we ordered! Note that the order of flautas only come with two pieces and the queso fundido comes in a small shallow pan with four small tortillas. Easily shareable between two people, and nothing more unless you ordered a variety of different appetizers. For our mains we ordered the Carne Asada Bowl and the Pancake de Elote. I had ordered the Pollo Adobo Bowl when I visited the Marina location, so I wanted to try out the carne asada version. It was good (especially with the added salsa molcajete from the Queso Fundido), but I was bummed to see that the portion size of the meat wasn't that big. Perhaps next time I'll try ordering the pollo adobo version again? The Pancake de Elote on the other hand was SO GOOD. I would hands down order that again! The texture of the pancake, the maple crema, the berries - the entire thing was *chef's kiss*! Also I was shocked that the berries were sweet because berry season is definitely not right now. THE VERDICT: Overall, I would definitely come again to try different items on the menu - maybe in the future after the hype from newly opening dies down. For sure I'd be back for brunch for the pancake, but I would love to try dishes on the dinner menu, dessert menu, and even their cocktails. Some things are a bit on the pricey side, but you can taste the quality.

Flores is a restaurant with multiple other locations that just opened this location in San Mateo. Service was pretty good and prompt for having opened just a few days ago. Prices might be a bit on the higher side for a casual lunch spot, and the menu is surprisingly pretty simple, with not much variety. The food was pretty good. I liked the trio of salsas, particularly because they went pretty well with my entree of enchiladas. The enchiladas came in their own sauce, but the salsa definitely made the dish better. One quibble with the enchiladas - there was a chunk of bone in the chicken. Overall this is a pretty good and convenient place to grab a bite to eat if you work nearby. Expect to pay 20-25 per person for an entree after tax and tip.

Overall 3.5 stars but rounding up to 4 since it's their opening weekend. Was super excited to try Flores out so I made a reservation for lunchtime on the Sunday of their opening weekend! Got there a bit earlier than my reservation but the person at the front was able to seat us still! I would say service was a bit slow and that it took a while for anyone to come over to us, even just to give us water. I'm guessing they might be understaffed still? Eventually we were able to order and ordered the Queso Fundido and Flautas to start. Then we also ordered a Carne Asada Bowl and Elote Pancake to share. The Queso was very good and the oil really came out of the cheese. The mushrooms were also a really good savory addition to the queso. The flautas were overall good, but a little on the sweet side, rather than savory. Also, though, for $12 for two, not sure if it is worth it for next time. The Elote pancake was really good, you could really taste the corn meal which I really liked. I could do just a stack of those for brunch but it only comes as one, in a smaller or larger size. I definitely would get that again. As for the carne asada bowl, you definitely don't get a lot of meat; it's mainly rice and beans. For the price, you might as well go to Chipotle and get double protein. Overall I was overly impressed by Flores. The decorations inside were really nice and I like the vibe. I'm excited for how this will be in the summer since they have so much outdoor seating. I would come back but hope they could improve on a couple things until then!

TLDR; cute dinner spot in a great location, but service has a lot of kinks to work out. My husband and I came in on a Friday night around 7pm. There were a lot of people waiting, and when I asked the wait, the hostess told us about 45 minutes. We didn't mind since we didn't have reservations, and decided to walk around the mall to kill time. About 5 minutes after we left, we got a text saying our table was ready. Not a huge deal but it was a little annoying to walk halfway through the mall just to have to walk back. The decor is very nice and festive - we love seeing more businesses come into Hillsdale. To our surprise, there were a lot of open tables (although the lobby was filled with waiting guests). This made me wonder if they were understaffed. We were shown to a table near the back of the restaurant. We waited about 15 minutes before being greeted by anyone, served waters, etc. It seemed like the tables near us were also frustrated with the lack of service as they were waiting to pay their check. Our server was friendly but every single food and drink item we got was sent to the wrong table. The food did come out very quickly though. We ended up getting all our food, and it was tasty! I'd recommend the tacos, and pass on the plantains. Drinks were good, we had both alcoholic and nonalcoholic. I enjoyed the variety. No free chips and salsa, but we had complimentary puffy pork rinds which is pretty good too! Just FYI for those like myself that look forward to the free chips. Overall, we were disappointed with the service but had a good experience on other fronts. We are willing to try again once they settle in, but it's good to go in with a patient mindset if you're going in the near future (which can be hard if you're hungry).

overall: 5/5 came on a tuesday night at 6:30 before heading to the movies! we had a reservation so we got seated pretty immediately. i think the manager had taken our order as we knew pretty immediately what we wanted to get. inside was nice and clean a bit tight as they had a lot of tables in there but nothing too bad! chips & trio salsa: 5/5 loved the green sauce so much i got an extra one. chips are pretty fresh, not too oily! flautas: 5/5 so delicious! crispy on the outside, fluffy with potatoes on the inside and super flavorful! came with the same green dipping sauce as before ! sooo good def recommend trying this! carne asada: 5/5, meat was cooked perfectly, love the rajas con crema! never had that before but i thought it was pretty good! tldr: try the flautas and chip if you get a chance! give this place a try if you get the chance