I'm really sad francisca's closed because it was probably one of my favorite restaurants in SF and I wish I had gone more than twice. The food was unique, and the crowd drew young people and families alike. The churros were amazing and I felt that the plating was always great too. And lastly the atmosphere was lovely and intimate. I hope they reopen.

My friends and I stumbled upon this place before a concert and let me tell you... it was so worth it! We had no reservations, but they immediately helped us and they completely created a new table for us. The place is so beautiful inside, clean, and a calm romantic ambiance. Food was superb! Beautifully decorated, and just the right portions. My friends and I had a wonderful time and the service was just exceptional! I highly recommend it

When the bf's parents were in town, we went with his family for dinner at Francisca's. Yet again it was hard to resist that 4-course menu for $39, esp since so many dishes sounded good. One day though I'll try the arepa! Another satisfying meal. While I didn't like the dishes as much as the ones I had on my last visit (the soup and yucca gnocchi I had back then were phenomenal), these were still very good. Everyone was raving about the pasta. The bf loved the bolognese sauce (and really my opinion every time I've had Manny's food is that the sauces in general are outstanding) and his sister-in-law who ordered the carbonara pasta a la carte said it was fantastic. We also bought a bottle from their wine collection (which basically entails going up to a bookcase and looking at the selection which have little descriptions), and it was quite reasonably priced too and good. I picked a Riesling for the group bc the bf and I love those. And yet again, service was super friendly and great. When we exited, Manny was outside and he hurried over to us to shake our hands and say goodbye, so sweet.

Maybe I'm used to the high prices when dining in SF but I was just absolutely delighted to find an excellent tasting menu for $39. I have to give props to the new SF chronicle critic who put together an innovative Top 100 list that included the usual Michelin favorites as well as neighborhood gems like this one. The meal started with a nice fresh amuse of hearts of palms, followed by a nice Caesar salad (the fish roe on top of the soft boiled egg was a nice touch), then potenta with bolognese and a nice juicy cut of pork with beets and carrots as the man entree. Dessert was churros with berries and chocolate ice cream. It's a delightful and creative menu for $39. I wasn't too hungry at the time so this was just right for me. They also have a la carte options for those needing a little more. The space itself is well-lighted and modern. I also loved that they were playing 80s music (nothing better than fine dining while listening to "Material Girl"). Service was good and attentive. With tax and tip and a sparkling soda, this was $58 - an outstanding value in today's SF. Highly recommended!!!

I came here on a Sunday for brunch around noon. We looked through the window and almost walked away because the windows were super tinted and all I could see were empty glasses inside. They should change the windows or leave the door open so people know to come in! The owner (super nice guy) ran out to greet us and mentioned that they were giving out free mimosas if we wanted to check it out. Why not? We also tried a shot of some vodka-tasting wine. The owner infuses a lot of the alcohol here which is unique! The restaurant was almost empty (probably because it looked closed), which concerned me at first for a Sunday brunch spot. Did we choose wrong? The reviews on Yelp are good but why is it so empty? We stayed despite the hesitation. The brunch menu was fairly small (would've loved a few more egg-based, basic dishes). We ended up trying the veggie arepa, which is essentially an English muffin made with corn instead of flour (basically if polenta and an English muffin had a baby). The arepa was loaded with beets, an aioli-type sauce, turnips, potatoes...it was very good. Do I think it was worth $15? Probably not, but it was a unique flavor experience.

We weren't impressed with the service at lunch, but once the food arrived, it was good! THE WAIT: They apparently open at noon. We got there 12:40pm on a Thursday to an empty restaurant with one staff, who said we needed to wait 10 minutes for staff to arrive so we could order. Not a welcoming introduction to the restaurant. * Arepa with Beef Brisket - 3.5 stars Arepa was a bit too soft - needed more of a crisp on the edges and bottom! This had less sauce & flavor than the pork. * Tostone (patacon), on twice fried plantains, with Pulled Pork butt - 4 stars Good crisp to the plantains. This is a "fancy" version, two open-faced pieces (served like sopes). Pork had tons of sauce and flavor. Surprisingly liked this more than the Beef Arepa!

Tried the happy hour $35 tasting menu Missed the names/ingredients of most of these dishes but here we go... Soup: 5/5 Something pickled in there? Nice, complex flavors. So interesting your taste buds will not get bored Pasta: 4.5/5 Flavor that builds. Was filled with some lemon cheese filling? The citrus adds a nice brightness. Initially seems a bit too salty but as you eat, the flavor matures..maybe you just get used to the salt Salad: 3/5 Really mediocre. Greens were nothing special. Asparagus was good but asparagus is always good. The dressing was nothing special. And the chicken was covered in a nice salty crispy cheese? layer but the meat was so dry and flavorless. Really a let down as a protein course. :( The passion fruit Panna Cotta: 5/5 hands down. Delicious, rich and smooth, nice tartness and tropical flavors from the passion fruit. Delicious!! Overall ambience: 4/5 Modern overall but maybe a bit more casual appearing than the upscale feel it's going for with the food? So a bit confusing? Service: no issues Overall, good meal but I was honestly a bit dissapinted about the portion sizes. I felt like I was literally sampling a few things (for the main, the pasta and protein). They were right on with the soup size and dessert was generous though.

Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 Overall: a great place and I know I'll be back! This place will force you to let your guard down because your meal is up to the chef's discretion! The extended review... Food: this was the menu for the day... Scallops with green beans - this was my introduction to scallops and I couldn't have asked for a better one. Rabbit - whoa! Can't even say how good this was. For the first time I had rabbit that was not dry. This was moist, tender, and infused with rich flavor. Orange chocolate panda cotta - and I thought the rabbit was good! This was an amazing dessert. I licked it clear even with the odd shaped plate. Great mix of flavor. Service: we sat at the bar and was able to converse with the chef which was an awesome experience. Ambiance: cute spot and very chic.

Back in 2011, I was watching a late night episode of Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate", a show based on chef's favorite restaurant dishes. Celebrity Chef Chris Cosentino's pick? The $15 Tasting Menu at Mr. Pollo by Chef Manny. As I laid in bed inebriated after stumbling home, I was salivating at the perfectly browned arepa jam packed with pork and cheesy goodness. Thank goodness, UberEats didn't exist then because if history repeats itself, I would have ordered $150 worth of food like I did one night in LV and passed out before even eating it. Hey, it was LV...go big or go home! I've been following Chef Manny since his Mr. Pollo, Roxy's Cafe, The Palace, and Coco Frio days and was happy to see that his latest restaurant, Francisca was up and running (soft opening for now) in the former The Palace space (closed in 2015 due to a fire). I love Chef Manny's concept of essentially offering balling on a budget tasting menus created with locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. At Francisca's, it's a 3-Course Tasting Menu for $30 which is an incredible bargain in SF from someone who has a background from Michelin starred restaurants like Coi and Quince, and SF hot spots like A16 and SPRQ. In addition to the Tasting Menu, there's supplemental courses (may vary by night) like a Charcuterie Board and Seared Foie Gras. Wine pairing is an additional $15 and +$5 for foie pairing. If you're a wine drinker, I highly recommend doing the wine pairing. Each of my friend's pours were VERY generous and were almost the same as my $12 glass of sauvignon blanc. As a side note, I'm not sure if the format will be the same when Francisca's grand opens in July. I believe I read somewhere that there will be a 10-Course Tasting Menu and a A La Carte Menu. We both started with the Seared Foie Gras w/ caramelized figs, baguette, balsamic reduction (+$20): http://bit.ly/2sHEPIX. Sadly, the foie was burnt to a crisp and left an acrid taste in my mouth for most of the night. I love baguettes but I don't think this was the best vessel for such a delicate ingredient. It was a struggle to cut with a butter knife so some foie and bread flew off my plate as I was trying to slice it. For the price, I really enjoyed the 3-Course Tasting Menu ($30): *Seared Scallops w/ maitake mushrooms, beurre blanc: http://bit.ly/2sKDFx5 The scallops were sweet and tender (though a bit overseared on top) and the beurre blanc was deliciously rich and savory with a nice, meaty bite from the maitake. *American Kobe Steak w/ chimichurri, roasted market vegetables: http://bit.ly/2rNlCS1 The kobe was sous-vide so it was extra soft and tender, and the herby and lightly tangy chimichurri perfectly complemented it. My friend said it tasted like the Hainan chicken ginger-scallion sauce and did remind me of it. The asparagus were al-dente and the baby potatoes still had a good bite to them. To be nitpicky, I wish the steak had a seared crust and we had steak knives. *Sicilian Blood Orange Panna Cotta w/ farmers market cherries: http://bit.ly/2tkwPvl My favorite course, the panna cotta was velvety smooth with just the right amount of citrus and sweetness. It was a generous portion and I could have easily eaten a second helping because it was that good. Portion wise, we were both full because we both ordered the supplemental course. If you opt to skip the supplemental course and/or you have a large appetite, you may need a second meal afterwards. Considering they're in a soft opening phase, come with patience and good company. Dinner took close to 3 hours and there were long lags between courses (~45 minutes). A couple who were seated about 30 minutes after us, left before we could pay our bill. But, at this price point, it's easier to overlook than when paying twice the amount. Francisca's ambiance is a nicer than Chef Manny's other restaurants where ambiance was always an afterthought. It's clean, minimalist, and on the modern side. Like all his other places, expect to hear some Tupac, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and Biggie playing in the background. Good for a leisurely date night or a solo dinner at the chef's counter. Hope they consider getting jacket/purse hooks as I saw diners sitting on their jackets or holding it on their lap. It's the Mission so parking can be tough at times but we got lucky and got parking in front. The nail salon I frequent is nearby and I can always find parking on Bartlett (block away) or along Cesar Chavez. Our meal at Francisca wasn't perfect but it it's just the soft opening and you can't beat the price in SF where some places are charging $35 for similarly sized, pretentiously named main courses. You know, the same places that also serve $10 artisanal pickles foraged from My Little Pony Farm or a $12 deconstructed salad of two aquaponics lettuce leaves with two squirts of smoked foam dressing and a sprinkle of fairy dust. And, after spending $100+ without drinks, you still need a McD run.