Why Loló Remains a Special San Francisco Place

The energetic and eclectic Jaliscan-Californian restaurant in the Mission is the complete package. It’s the food and beverage. It’s the people. It’s the vibe. It’s everything.

You feel it from the moment you see the restaurant on Valencia: There’s a hip crowd. Some are dining in the parklet sipping on natural wines, while others are cross-armed, patiently waiting to get into the restaurant. You peek inside the colorful and chaotic dining room—it’s packed, it’s buzzing. The music is loud. You put your name down with the host and beeline it to the bar, dodging servers carrying cocktails and trays of tacos along the way.

You do the hovering thing, trying not to be annoying to those dining at the counter, yet placing yourself within eyesight of the gentle giant behind the bar that is Leon Vasquez, Loló’s bar director. He’s furiously shaking cocktails while simultaneously taking orders. He catches your eye and hands you a menu.

Everything sounds good and interesting: A dirty mango martini? A midori sour? But you decide to play it safe and get a margarita—it’s the first item listed on the menu, and Loló’s is a great bet. The house Tequila changes often and is always quality (tonight it’s Cimarron Blanco). It’s green and bright, and a good way to start the night.

You look around as you wait for your drink. Your eyes slowly scan the baby blue wall near the entrance top to bottom. There are aprons hanging one side, and there are ceramic dogs in crates on the opposite side. On the other end of the dining room is more eclectic chaos: dustpans and spoons and plastic fish over stove burners arranged in a repeating pattern on the wall. If you’re new here, you might find yourself asking: What the hell is going on here?

The restaurant actually acts as a gallery for artist and co-owner Lorena Zertuche. Everything that dawns the walls comes from her creative mind, with special meaning. The back wall, for example, is meant to symbolize a home kitchen, directly across from the restaurant kitchen, where the cooks and crew are cooking up a menu designed by Zertuche’s husband and co-owner Jorge Martinez and their partner Juan Carlos Ruelas.

Speaking of the kitchen, your table is ready and so is your drink. It’s your lucky day. Vasquez hands you your marg, and you follow your server, who hands you a menu as you sit down. If you think you had trouble deciding what beverage to imbibe, just wait until you see the food menu. You’ll want everything, and everything isn’t a bad move.

The menu changes fairly frequently and is divided into Starters, Tacos, and “More Than Tacos.”

I couldn’t imagine coming to Loló and not ordering the fried avocado tacos. Fried fruit (yes, avocados are a fruit) have no business being so good, but when coated in panko breadcrumbs then topped over a flour tortilla with melty cheese and spicy aioli and salsa, it’s just something else. They’re so, so good.

I also couldn’t imagine coming to Loló and not getting the tuna tacon. These fish tacos have been on the menu since Day One, and feature neat long rectangular pieces of high-grade ahi tuna that barely kissed the plancha. They are served with a creamy bright orange shrimp aioli as well as a sticky thick dark salmon bone reduction sauce—it’s like an oceanic blast in your mouth.

The taco tropical also shouldn’t be missed (did I mention how I love Loló’s tacos?). These feature crispy fried shrimp, a pineapple-spiked relish, and a drizzle of chipotle aioli all over a thin and almost translucent circle of cool and crunchy jicama that act as a tortilla. It’s unique. It’s delicious.

[Pro tip: You can order half orders of tacos in case you want an extra or care to try more things.]

There is of course so much more to the menu than just tacos. I’ve always loved the zippy fried Brussels sprouts, which come with pumpkin seeds and a red wine vinaigrette to cut through all the richness. I also love the chicken tinga tostadas—they’re super rich and savory. They come two to an order to make for good sharing.

I rarely order from the large plate section of the menu, but that’s just me. You see, I’m a creature of habit when it comes to Loló. Maybe I’ll change it up next time. Maybe.

Omar Mamoon is a San Francisco-based writer & cookie dough professional. Follow him on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.