Picaro Cafe

Contributor

Citysearch

The large, cheery yellow room of this self-proclaimed first tapas restaurant in San Francisco is often jam packed with bar hoppers and neighborhood locals digging into Spanish-style eats and swilling huge pitchers of fruit-packed sangria. Attentive servers bustle by with traditional small plates like spicy potatoes or mussels in garlic sauce and mains like the seafood paella. The short but selective wine list focuses on Spanish whites and reds. While larger parties push tables together to gab over their grub, a more intimate experience, and far better people watching, can be found at the few tables on the patio that spills into busy 16th Street. And there's always a spot at the bar for those who just come for the sangria.

High Marks
"They had the sangria flowing the whole time, food came out quickly, and prices were excellent." (yinnie919, Citysearch user)

"If you want the kind of tapas that came before "small plates" were all the rage, Picaro is your place." (FoodLusty, Citysearch user)

"Great atmosphere, wonderful tapas and sangria! Would gladly go back and perfect for large groups!" (daisy14, Citysearch user)

Low Marks
"I love the Tortilla de Patatas and Sangria, but be prepared for major Garlic breath well into the next day." (frepter, Citysearch user)

"This place had very little light towards the end of the restaurant and since we were seated there, I could hardly see what was on my plate." (lizahazarika, Citysearch user)

"Paella came out extremely dry, not surprising since it takes 30 minutes to make..." (clui, Citysearch user)