La Playa

“Best tostada ever” -my girlfriend I’ve been here several times and consistently get great service and delicious food, prepared as requested. Prices are very reasonable, portions are generous, and overall experience is good. My only criticism is the noise level indoors. When the restaurant is full it’s louder than I like, but I don’t hear others fussing about it so it might just be me.

A lovely authentic Mexican restaurant on the beach. Delicious food especially fajitas that you can order with veggies, chicken and prawns. A little bland but could source it up with delicious salsa. The spicy one is really hot, so much it up with regular salsa to normalize the heat. The portions are quite big and may be good enough for two to share. Side of chips and salsa is offered for no cost. The drinks are mostly variety of margaritas and mojitos. Mango chilli margarita is the best which was served with a 50ml of Don Julio dripping in the glass. Very strong drink that is perfect for hot dinner days. The service is impeccable. Pedro is a cashier and a server who has worked here for 33 years. That reflects that this is a home business which cares about it's workers. I appreciate such restaurants and will always recommend visiting them. La playa is a must visit in Pacifica. The devil's is traditional Mexican which reflects authentic Mexican culture and vibe of a decent restaurant great for families and friends alike

Last day is this Sunday 12/21 🌮🇲🇽🌯 Come on down and experience this fantastic local joint. Some random chain entity will move into this pace in 2026.

This is a 4 star restaurant but they regularly deal with rushes with grace and keep their head above water. The employees are great and do their best. I came here to give them a 5 star rating after casually observing over a couple hours. Sure they could improve but they CRANK it out when they’re busy and still have a smile

La Playa has a fantastic cheeseburger—juicy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. Do yourself a favor and get it on the sourdough roll; it takes the whole thing to the next level. Simple, satisfying, and absolutely delicious. 🍔👏

Pacifica local here. The carne asada is the best thing on the menu $22 for pure seasoned skirt steak when you are in the mood for steak. Chimichanga, aka fried burrito, for 2nd place. Add a massive side salad for only a bit more.

Burgers are huge! Shrimp quesadilla is fabulous, never had a bad meal here!

Solid mexican spot for post surfing dinner. Great fajitas, big portions!

5/5 stars for their margaritas. It's strong, has the right amount of tequila and orange liquor to balance it out. I really enjoy their grilled chicken burrito. The chicken has a good charred flavor and the other ingredients like tomatoes and onions tastes fresh. I like to get it lathered with enchilada sauce and scoop it up with chips. The owner and waiters here are super friendly. They remember us even though we don't come too often.

Got the Carne Asada salad with the tomatoes and avocados and it was so much food! The carne asada is a huge portion, super tender, and has a great flavor. They don't skimp on the tomatoes or avocados too. I got mine without cheese, but there is usually a cheese crumble on top. For being a salad, the carne asada portion alone almost dominates over the lettuce. The service is always great. Even with the place being almost fully packed (all watching the World Series), and a bit noisy, the food came out promptly and all orders were accurate. If you're like me and love some additional heat, ask for their special habanero salsa.

Great authentic Mexican food. Cadillac Margarita was fire!! I'm picky about my refried beans and theirs tasted like Mom's Oh and the green salsa they use for their green cheese enchiladas?!?! On point! Savory, spicy and oh so amazing!! Can't wait to go back!!

My fiancé and I had a little get away weekend and were craving Mexican food. Walking in we were greeted and told we can grab a table then return to the counter the order, simple enough! The staff dropped off our chips and salsa + our drinks. The service was quick. The atmosphere was chill even when it was football Sunday which was nice. We absolutely loved the food. Each item we ordered was flavorful!

Parking tight today because nicer weather and surfers in wet suits taking many mall parking spots. Beef enchilada was good, sour cream and guacamole on top in bed of tomato sauce. Chile relleno fill with cheeses inside of Anaheim chile, with sour cream guacamole on top in tomato sauce bed. A little doughy but okay. Fish n chips were still crispy, several pieces of cod, sauces (3) tartar, vinegar, catsup was very good. Flautas (3) rice n beans was very good, crisp, sauced well. Pollo Verde was tasty, sauced with tomatillo sauce, rice n beans and flour tortilla on side. Self service ( get table, get menu, make your order at order desk, pay, get number, server will bring order to table). Ambiance is casual, indoor and outdoor seating.

I hadn't been in a while, but went recently and got a carne asada salad to go. It was delicious as usual, but I was dismayed to open the bag at home and find a plastic fork. I don't remember getting plastic utensils in the past, and I hate it. We have a plastics problem! And I have silverware. (I'm not eating in my car; probably some people are, but they can surely request utensils.) Pacifica also has an ordinance requiring restaurants to ask before handing out plastic utensils. Restaurants should know better, especially ones near the ocean.

The food is fantastic Its a local place they took order just as you arrive and before you get seated so you have to place your order then find a table! The order line gets busy easy as the only person taking in person orders are also in charge of taking phone orders. The feel and vibe is very nice and super noisy. Overall its fun place to eat with friends. They do have bar as well. Keep in mind that The food portion is pretty big.

Food **** (nice mole sauce, cuts of meat were on point, no gristle or marathon chewing) Ambience *** (I could smell industrial-strength cleaners being used while we were eating, otherwise a 4-star.) Chips and salsa were good not great. It's self-serve, so I don't think the service merits a rating. A little pricey for Mexican food in my experience, but this was a very tasty meal. The mole was a lil smokey and not too chocolatey. I'll be back.

Giving a 5 to compensate for all the neggos out there. This place deserves to be a 4. Good, authentic food.

La Playa is the best Mexican food joint in the sleepy little beach town of Pacifica. The quality of food and chill atmosphere make for an enjoyable experience on any evening or weekend, and the staff does a decent job of servicing the register and bringing dishes, chips and salsa, and drinks to guests after they're seated. It can be on the expensive side for Mexican food, but the dishes come with all the accoutrements - rice, beans, guacamole, salsa, lettuce, and really fluffy corn or flour tortillas. The restaurant is situated in a small strip of store fronts and food spots off Highway 1, right by the Pacifica state beach. True to its name, and because it's got a fairly large parking lot for the 6-7 businesses that occupy the space, sometimes it can be tough to find parking on a nice day where everyone wants to be by the water. Still, during regular weekday business hours there's no issue finding a spot to park and walk in. Similarly on a Friday or Saturday night the restaurant can be quite busy, especially since it has a bar area where people can stand and order drinks without being seated, but I've not seen this area become so busy that it's a nuisance to guests who are there to dine. I've read some other reviews complaining about the staff, but I haven't experienced any negativity first hand. The handful of times I've been to La Playa, the man at the front register was smiley and friendly. It should be noted that not all the staff speak English, and that might be the source of some of the "service-related issues" that other reviews complain about. But for me this is a good thing, as I like a Mexican restaurant that employs people who truly get the Mexican food experience. Of course, the food is the spotlight. I typically get the chile verde dinner plate and not only is it quite enormous, but it's some of the best chile verde meat I've had in recent times. It's tender and flavorful with just the right amount of kick. Since it comes with all the sides and some delicious tortillas, I end up eating 5+ tacos that I make myself off the plate every time I go. It's delicious and I leave satisfied every time. Pro-tip: chips and salsa are free, so keep asking for more and more and they'll keep bringing it out. Don't feel bad gorging yourself on their tasty chips.

Superb Mexican food. Even the salsa is wonderful. Carne Asad salad. Shrimp tacos, chili colorado,.... all great!!

Owner can not take any criticism ! Needs to learn to be respectful Needs to take customer feedback like a professional

Great staff, great environment, great food, great times. Get the Tex mex on Thursdays but call before you go, it's the best ribs for your buck in all of the Bay Area

I should have read the Yelp reviews before I walked in. Thank God this place is going to close in 2 months. These were the nastiest carne asada nachos and tasteless burger I have ever had. The nachos were so dry. The carne asada was dry. The burger patty had no seasoning at all. So Bland. This place will not be missed. People are too drunk too notice how bad the food is. Let's hope it does not open anywhere in Pacifica. The place is nasty. The owner cannot take criticism by looking at the other Yelp reviews. The only reason I am giving 1 star is because I cannot go lower than that.

We originally wanted to go to Burger Board but due to the area being so close to the beach, it was extremely busy and there wasn't seating for our large party. So we decided to go to La Playa instead because it was a bit emptier. When you walk up, they tell you to order at the counter and then find whatever table is available. You block the exit as you're standing at the counter looking at the menu so lots of people will be sliding by you to leave, which is okay, but you can't help feeling a bit in the way. As a Type 1 diabetic, I asked if there was nutrition information available so I could count carbohydrates correctly. I was shut down immediately with a "No. We don't do that here." That was a little off-putting to me, especially with the rude delivery of the man standing behind the register, but I shook it off and proceeded to order the Grilled Chicken dinner plate with a salad (which they only charge 1.25 for and it is good!!!) If you're lactose intolerant, beware that they do add cheese to this salad, yet another thing they don't put on the menu that could cause a problem for those with food sensitivity. My family pushed some tables together and we were able to sit comfortably and enjoy the ambiance of the restaurant while we waited. The food came out pretty quickly and the food runner was amazing, dashing around and handing everyone their orders. Those of us who ordered waters did have to wait an additional five minutes after the food was served to get our drinks, even after reminding the food runner, but he was so busy that it was understandable that he forgot. He seemed to be the only person coming out from behind the counter to help guests so shout out to him! Our table ordered a variety of dishes: the nachos, the burgers and fries, and the bean and cheese burrito. I have to admit, the food was pretty good! 7.5/10. However, the service is why I knocked my review down to three stars. I think this restaurant could benefit from a more traditional, sit-down kind of service and it would allow the awesome food runner to become an even more awesome server and receive tips for his hard work. Secondly, the front of house guy who takes orders needs a bit more customer service training because his gruff demeanor and dismissal of me when I asked for help navigating my disability is the thing that I will remember the most from this experience. For those with diabetes, food allergies, or other sensitivities - this might not be the best spot for you as they will not provide any nutritional info about what they're serving. For those who can process food regularly and aren't looking for a dining experience where you have a waiter - you will enjoy yourself! Edit: Based on the other reviews, I knew the owner was rude but wow! Dropping my review to two stars. You clearly took what you wanted from this review rather than reading the facts stated. 1. It was carbohydrate content, not calories, that I needed. 2. There was no line out the door. There were people leaving the restaurant, but my family were the only people coming in to order. We were nothing less than kind and patient, it was your employee who was curt. 3. If you cannot accept constructive criticism about your business without becoming defensive and rude, you are going to continue to lose customers and get horrible reviews. Your explanation about a lack of employees makes sense (especially based on the way you're accused of treating them) and would have sufficed without the "don't tell me how to run my business" tacked on the end. I hope God continues to bless your business and move in your life because the attitude that you have is truly deplorable.

When you enter, you pay first then seat yourself. Pay in cash to avoid a 4% charge on your card. There is 2 separate lines, one for the food, the other for the bar in the back. Bring another person with you at the bar if you have more than 2 drinks or the pitcher for help to bring back to the table. As for the food, I thought they would be small but they're actually big which is great but I should have just ordered one super taco. Taste is good & crunchy. The design of this restaurant is cultural & nice.

A little pricey but these are the best burritos in town. The portions are huge! It's a must have every time I'm in Pacifica visiting family. The ordering line can get a little cramped. It's a well lit casual family taqueria. Order your food "here or to go" get out the way and wait. The service is adequate enough. I will also say I get the feeling the staff deals with alot of customer crap in this area. If you know - you know.

Just no. If you're looking for good Mexican food this is not the place sorry. The service could be better.

First impressions walking into this place seemed a bit sketchy. It's a bar full of very loud people in a room that echos. Although the walls are painted beautifully, it seemed like there was dirt marks on the walls. The place looked a bit old and dirty. There's no service available here, you buy your drinks from the bar and order food from the cashier. While there they also cleaned the restrooms, which was nice to know they were clean. But the smell of bleach filled the whole restaurant and was very unappetizing while eating dinner. I was pleasantly surprised by the food! It was very delicious! Everything tasted home made and reminded me of authentic Mexican food. The food made up for the lack of appearance. The chips were stale but the food was hot. I got a green chile platter with rice, beans and fresh tortillas on the side. The beer was also served by the pitchers or in bottles and they had a lot of cocktails to choose from.

$18 for essentially poverty nachos. greasy and processed tasting, how can you taste FAKER than the taco bell a block away? honestly saltines with microwaved cheese-whiz would've been better.

Service was alright. My burrito was dry, could have thrown in some hot sauce but didn't. Overpriced. There's better places in Pacifica. Not here.

We love this restaurant. The portions are so generous and food is very flavorful and we always have such a great time here watching games

No nonsense place, just good food and drinks. Fish and chips are excellent. Good cocktails. You order at the entrance and they bring the food to you. Sometimes it is hard to find someone to wait on you but it is worth it.

This time, unlike the last, I remembered to take out my camera before l dug into eat my meal, and the fellow at the table next to me asked if he could take a picture too, to send to his girlfriend! Once again, l could only finish half, so l'll have more for the next day again.

I saw the owner guving someone a hard time, telling them to get a lawyer and sue her as loud as she could. This is not the first time I have witnessed such extreme reactions from her. It makes for a lousy dining experience for the rest of us!

Fun and friendly place. When it's busy, there will be a little bit of a wait to order. Great for game night.

I had a Muy deliciosa shrimp cocktail and my friend enjoyed shrimp tostada. The shrimp cocktail was one of the best I've had! Food and Ambiance were great! Had to wait almost 10 minutes though after our food was prepared. Saw it on the counter. But there was only one serving. "Very nice guy." Need more help....

Four stars: I had a good time and my niece was full when we left. Visiting some family so we came here for drinks and food. It's a little touristy, but the people we were here with are locals. Food was good, not great. But no complaints. I had a carnitas chimichanga. Didn't finish it, but that's because it was so large and not because it wasn't good. Staff was ok. Service was quick. They have a counter service format. The rating in this plave feels low, should be 3.8 or 3.9... maybe a 4.0

The food was great, portions great, my service was great! Unfortunately, the couple behind me was verbally abused by the women (I believe she was working the bar). The couple ordered and sat down after I had received my food and they sat behind me next to the window. The man got up to get something and his partner asked him to bring some hot sauce (we were sitting right in front of the restaurant). Apparently, he stepped (one step) to far into the counter space. The women told him to get back (very loudly), he said okay and that he just wanted some hot sauce. She told him to get back to his table, he apologized and headed back to his table. She followed him, all the while carrying on about how they had rules (don't talk back to her, don't yell at her or across the restaurant, don't go behind the counter...), and if he didn't like it to get out. They said that they have been eating there for years and have never been treated this way and that they knew the owner, and he has always been very nice. He apologized again, said that he didn't step behind the counter, and they didn't yell. (Seriously, I didn't see or hear them do anything inappropriate). She said she didn't care and they that could leave if they didn't like it. They asked for to go boxes, she continued to carry on all the back to the bar, then proceeded to complain to a couple sitting there about the couple out front. Loud enough you could hear her across the restaurant. This has to be the worst example of how NOT to treat customers (or people in general). I actually thought I was on an episode of "What Would You Do?" If he did stepover the "counter line" there are so many other ways to handle this professionally. I did hear the couple say they would not be back, and I know that's not the ambiance I want to spend my time or money in. It's unfortunate because the food was great, and the guy at the counter was great too.

This place was OK ten years ago, now it's a Dump. I ordered a fish taco. It looked like and tasted like it was deep fried the day before. The guacamole was brown, obviously not fresh. There was NO salsa, I asked for salsa on the side, that would be an extra $3.85 I was informed. I could not eat this crap and threw it away. This might explain why there were only 2 other customers. If they are trying to go out of business they are on the right path. I will Never go back again and will tell others to not waste their time. Read what this Bitch has to say, nothing but vile slander. I hope you go out of business soon. You will never get money from me again for your rotten "food"

I ordered take out. The portions were very large. The carne asada plate was so good! I loved the pinto beans as well. We ordered a tostada. It had a large amount of avocado on it and it was delicious. The fish taco hit the spot. My daughter ordered a burger and fries and loved it! I can't believe we haven't been here before.

I love coming here to share brunch or dinner with friends. The bean dip, chicken flautas, chicken tortilla soup (with big pieces of avocado), and chilaquiles are favorites. They don't serve coffee, but their house margaritas are strong and hit the spot. Sometimes they have sangria, which is the BEST! I wish they had it year round. The team on the front end are good at their jobs and fun; they are always open to laughs.

Great place to sit and relax, close to the beach and shops across the street. The food is delicious and they serve big portions. My the carne Asada plate can serve two and the plate is so tasty. rice, beans, salsa, avocado lots of meat and of course tortillas. Lots of food. Cocktails at the bar as also good. The house mango margarita are huge and delicious. Pay cash and avoid the service charge. When ever I drive to Pacifica this is one of my go to places.

Awesome burger! I don't normally go to a Mexican food place for a burger. But after I read the positive reviews, I had to give it a try and I was not disappointed. It's hard to find good charbroiled flavor on a burger. A+! Also, the service was timely. The only reason it doesn't warrant five stars is the price.

Pretty solid sit down Mexican restaurant with tacos, quesadillas, burritos, nachos, as well as some burgers and such. Have had the Carne Asada Super Taco and the Grilled Pollo Chicken Super Taco which is quite large and can definitely fill you up for lunch. Super Taco comes with Sour Cream, Cheese, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole. Comes with a tray of chips and salsa usually. Stiff Margaritas which are made pretty well by THE MAN Pedro. He's a one man band who does it all, from taking your order, collecting the monies, serving the chips, serving your order, making the mean Margaritas. Great man indeed. Love your work Pedro, don't ever change!

This place is amazing! Idk what people are talking about them being pricey. Prices are fine and food is great! I highly recommend this spot!

The food at this place is always very tasty and consistent. From there traditional Mexican food to there wonderful Burgers. The workers are always very friendly and very happy to please you. My husband and I go there at least once a week if not twice a week. But we've had a few bad experiences there when the owner is there. She's been very rude to my husband when picking up to go orders and last night I saw that she was very rude to her employees. She should understand that if it wasn't for them working their butts off she wouldn't be open. The way she was talking to her employees made me loose my appetite. I gave them 4 stars because of her. I wasn't sure how many stars to give them. I wanted to give 5 stars for the food and for the employees. I wanted to give 0 stars for the owner. This was a very hard review. The owner should change her attitude or just stay away.

I wasn't expecting great mexican food in Pacifica, so there is that . The food was what I expected , meeeh but the service was even more horrible . The owner is beyond rude and acts super entitled. 3 other business owners in the area put me on game how rude she is and is not very liked in the community for that reason .

I was not inclined to come here due to the low yelp rating but that was far from the truth: solid pollo verde enchiladas with the rice and black beans. Hidden gem and I would come here again when wanting a hankering for Mexican. Kudos to bartender Pedro for the banter conversation whine having lunch here for the first time!

Rude staff with overpriced subpar food. The place is a dump and there are far better places in Pacifica to get a taco.

Hello fellow yelpers. I'm giving La Playa a two star rating for " questionable ethical business practices. Buyer beware! This is the second time ordering from this establishment and had the same cashier with questionable ethics ring me up a more expensive item. I came both times upon opening which is 11:30 am. The establishment was clean and was near empty only with staff and employees. The first time I ordered, I ordered two burritos. The cashier never asked me if it was a regular or super so I assumed it would be a regular. The Restaurant cashier's usually give the option and ask the question to qualify it. So upon paying for the order it nearly was 40.00 dollars!!! Right????WTF!! So I asked about the price and the cashier nonchalantly said..."You ordered a super burrito ." Which I responded in the negative and said, No I did not! The transaction error on La Playa part had to have the manager come out to override the transaction in order to correct the order. Okay....lets let that one go.....So today, approximately 3 weeks later. I get the same unfriendly cashier who took my order. I brought my friend with me along. I let him order first. In SPANISH! A regular burrito. I heard him say it. I was present. My friend then requested to use the restroom. No eye contact just a hand gesture with a "over there." My friend leaves momentarily and I place my order from the menu! I can't make this up yelpers please look at photo attached. A beef burrito. Give the man a cigar! You'd think that would be the end right??? Nope ...wrong! He got mine right but mysteriously got my friend's order wrong....a super burrito! And just like magic the over priced burrito showed up on the transaction. This was the second time that this happened. So there I was questioning the over inflated price for 2 REGULAR BURRITOS. So after correcting the cashier and advising that my buddy ordered a regular one he got flustered and suddenly had an epiphany of recognizing me from the last time with an "Oh yeah! Now I remember you line! In which I responded, "yes you overcharged me last time!" The cashier vehemently argued with me that I was wrong and that my friend ordered a super burrito. I wish I could have taken a picture of his face when my friend returned and said he had ordered a regular burrito. You talk about some really unethical practices of trying to jack up the total! No apologies or humbled behavior. The cashier got clowned and ultimately had to correct the issue. To make matters worse he had to have the manager override the transaction AGAIN and had egg on his face. In which case solicited a sarcastic response from the manager with, a "Just a mistake BRO!" In which I responded, Yes... this is the second time. Don't want to make a mountain out of a molehill but I do want to put it out there....Please double and triple check your orders. The burritos were good but the overall experience was not great.

First class special last night. The chef Candy over did himself for sure. It was the best pasta, shrimp and scallops I have every had in my life. It was amazing . Going back for more before they run out.

I love their burrito!!! This place looked like well established and known for locals. Location is great near the beach and plenty of parking. The guys that work there are seemed nice enough. There were helpful during my visit and a good place to hang out.

Awesome Mexican food tonight, except we did not have any of it. Because we ended up going Celia's instead for dinner. This place gets a 5 star any other night. But tonight, we don't know what happened?!?! The snippy snappy cashier girl totally turned us away. She made it clear that she was too stressed out and the restaurant was stretched to its limits. We didn't feel welcomed by her at all. We felt disrespected by her horrible attitude. She was rude when we tried to order drinks with our food. She said "Not Gonna Happen, Not here, GO to the bar, you are not ordering from me." Then indicated right after that the wait for food will be well over half an hour. AS if she was deliberately discouraging us from eating there. Never have we ever had a server deny us from ordering a drink with our meal order. That's a first! If turning business away was her solution to her stress, then she sure accomplished it! But I am giving this place a 5 star because we love the food here. I guess we will have to come back when this super rude person is not at the register. Her attitude was totally uncalled for.

Brought my family to the beach (coming from San Leandro) and we were all craving Mexican food and we saw this restaurant on the side of the beach. We walked in and we're waiting to be served. There was 2 gentlemen in the front, he gives us the side eye and walks away with no words said to us. We were confused, are we suppose to sit ourselves down? Wait to be sat? Order there then sit? My moms asked one of the men if we wait to be served and all he said was "yes." Then continued doing his own thing. I've worked in customer service for 4 years being a restaurant manager, that first impression was the worst...lost a sale just because you couldn't greet a guest. I was expecting a simple "Hey guys ! Someone will be with you guys shortly!" But not even that. Ended up going to the burger spot next door, way better service. Competitor ended up taking your potential customer ! Also as a Hispanic, I thought I would receive some love being Raza but I guess not. Taco trucks in Oakland give more love lol. If you want bad service and mid looking food, stop by here

Delicious food, great atmosphere and prompt service. Amazing margaritas and nice bar area to watch the game

The couple of times I've tried La Playa's "Mexican" offerings (tostadas once and a chimichanga another time) they were just OK, the kind of food you expect in the two item combination plate with beans and rice kind of 87's vintage Mexican restaurants. Why you go to La Playa, in addition to them sporting one of the few full bars in the area, is because of the Gringo Menu tucked away on the last page of La Playa's menu. Their burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches are things of great beauty, served on crusty Raymond's sourdough rolls, with an expertly grilled patty or boneless chicken breast, and all the niceties like sliced tomato, shredded lettuce, and red onion. Substitute a heavily dressed but tasty salad if you're feeling virtuous; otherwise listen to the little devil sitting on your shoulder and go for the fries, a massive pile of thick golden beauties. Screw the Burger Bar, when in Pedro Point or Linda Mar Beach, this is where you get your burgers!

The food is alright... the cooks are fast and so are the bartenders but the cashier is garbage so rude. Acts like he owns the place and not only that but talks back to the costumer. The cash register straight up told me to go else. All just because of a misunderstanding. Places two different orders and tried to charge me as one order when I specified that it was two. July/02/24

Laplaya has such a good Mexican food, I love love love their nachos!! Also, if you like tacos, I always like to get a few chicken tacos and some black beans but this place is always very consistent.