Movida
Restaurant · South Beach
555 2nd St, San Francisco, CA 94107
Highlights
Persian-Mexican fusion eats, craft cocktails, DJs, and Sunday brunch
Persian-Mexican fusion eats, craft cocktails, DJs, and Sunday brunch
"Pretending you can hear your date over the DJ set Chips and dip, sweet corn ribs, short rib birria tostada" - julia chen 1
"Just steps away from Oracle Park, this swanky restaurant-meets-lounge, complete with elevated DJ booth, is unique in more ways than one. Beyond the stylish space and earnest hospitality, the special draw here is a small menu that cleverly combines Mexican and Persian cuisines with surprisingly compelling results. Try halibut in a jade-green aguachile that combines tomatillo and green plum, offering a vivid, nuanced flavor; singular "tostadas" made with a crispy base of golden brown tahdig, topped with luscious beef birria accented with sumac; or a fried poblano filled with a savory mixture of rice, spiced lamb and queso Oaxaca. Drinks boast unusual savory combinations like mezcal with carrot juice and chiles, making for excellent accompaniments." - Michelin Inspector
"There are two distinct crowds at Movida: Those draped in their finest clothes looking for the best lighting and others wearing their good luck Giants attire, hoping a critical mass of prayers results in a win. Regardless, everyone's downing Persian-Mexican tacos with lamb koobideh before moving onto a big night out or down to Oracle Park. It’s the rare place in SF where glittery heels and a beat-up jersey can peacefully coexist, though we suspect the complimentary shots of tequila that often get passed around help maintain the harmony. Anyone looking for a good photo opp Saturdays with live performances and DJs" - julia chen 1, patrick wong
"Movida is a swanky, nightclub-like restaurant and lounge in South Beach—no, not in Miami—by Oracle Park where you’ll want to show off your silkiest, fanciest top. With extended hours until 12:30am on Friday and Saturday, a DJ that cranks the volume, and an audience that occasionally includes someone dressed in a suit, this spot feels totally out of place in San Francisco in the best way possible. While you could get a full dinner, the move is to stop by on the later side, grab a drink, enjoy a few light bites, and indulge in the fact that you can dig up that once-a-year nice outfit out of your closet." - julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez
"Faloodeh and baklava aren’t the first dishes that spring to mind when one thinks of Mexican cuisine for pretty obvious reasons. But Movida in SoMa writes menus weaving Persian fare into the mix, with dishes like agua chile with Persian cucumbers and pomegranate chicken tostadas as the result. Co-owner Bobby Marhamat grew up in Nebraska as a Persian American working in his parents’ Mexican restaurants; maybe serving chile relleno with basmati rice and lamb koobideh tacos someday was inevitable. Book a table on Resy." - Paolo Bicchieri
