Garaje - San Francisco

Omg. Their zapatos, pretty much chunky burritos are addicting! I come here once a month. It's reasonably close to my work, and as long as my colleagues are looking to indulge here, we come! Sometimes we balance it out with a healthier option lol. Worst case, I come solo. Pro tip, order ahead if you're in a rush and/or don't want to wait for your order. During lunch time wait times are longer. Everything is good btw, but Zapatos are best!

This place has been one of a kind for over a decade now. It's a must visit if you find yourself in the city. This place isn't a traditional Mexican American eats place. Per the name and the decor of the place, I think what they're after is the kind of fast food shops you'd find in SoCal or the Bay Area that are often near auto garages as well. I dunno that's what springs to mind in my head. But as you look around the place it'll become clear that while the design is clearly an ode to some passions of the founder, the presentation is a bit more tasteful than just your average burger shack. The real draw of Garaje is the food and all of it is delicious. Tacos, Burgers, and their own Zapatos, a pressed burrito kind of thing, are all fantastic. Even the Mermaid taco, a veggie creation using auliflower as the base, is good enough to make you not have FOMO for getting something with meat. The all star here forever has been their carne asada fries and to this day it's difficult for me to visit without getting an order of these for the table; they are the perfect end product of this love affair for the old school mexican american taco and burger shack. They have a bunch of good beers on tap too, and a more smoothy like sangria that's very refreshing. Note this place gets incredibly busy at lunch so come before 12pm if you actually want to grab a seat in here during the hour.

Ambiance and decor inside is cool it's like a grungy garage vibe, hence the name but food was lackluster. They're known for their zapatos which are like flatter grilled burritos. I got the surfer vero zapato which has battered fried fish, fries, and avocado. Despite the ingredient list sounding super flavorful, it was a surprisingly bland burrito. If there was any sauce in it, it tasted like it had none it was very dry. Fish and fries both had no flavor and had a very firm almost stale texture. I could only finish half and had to take the rest home and eat it by dipping it into sauce on the side. The seating inside is fairly abundant but kinda uncomfortable imo. It didn't feel the cleanest either but the dimness of the restaurant helps you not notice it as much. If you're looking for a good riceless burrito go to La Taqueria the Mission!

Came here with a few friends, and the rock vibe was interesting, with dark lights and signs and various decorations. They also had some Christmas rock music playing since we came a few days before Christmas. I ordered the Steak Zapato and Baja Fish Taco. The Steak Zapato gave off a Taco Bell crunch wrap vibe, minus the crunch. It was creamy, mainly tasting of steak and avocado. I felt it could've used a fresh salsa or lettuce and something with crunch. I would have really liked some spice too, and I guess there was supposed to be salsa or sauce, but our table didn't have a bottle so I didn't know at the time. The Baja Fish Taco had two massive pieces of fish, super crispy, but it taste like it might've been fried a bit too long. More sauce would've been nice; it tasted better with one piece of fish rather than two. My friends tried other zapatos and seemed to enjoy them. Overall, it's a decent spot. I'd probably order different items next time and make sure to get the sauce. The taco, though, is a good deal if you're after a sizable portion.

Garaje is a FOR SURE place to go for some yummy eats! My girlfriend and I normally order the Cali Steak Zapato and the 1995 Zapato and trade one of the halves with each other. We also order the Asada fries as a side. The flavors are always on point and it isn't too greasy or oily. I like the addition of the fries in the Cali Steak. The Asada fries are a bit on the more expensive side but it's delicious and I have a weakness for fries. The cheese has a good creaminess to it that reminds me of mashed potatoes. The zapatos are decent in size and there's a sauce bottle at each table to pair with them to spice things up (it's a bit similar to a vinaigrette). You order at the counter and they bring you the food to your table. The water is self serve and there seems to be a good variety of beers you can choose from. It does tend to get a bit loud with the music and everyone talking. Definitely a great spot to try in the city.