Fayala

These guys know how to run a great food business. Awesome food, owner is busting his butt making sure new customers have a great experience and get to try all the food out. Impressed.

New spot in the south of FiDi and already one of my favorite lunch spots from the city. Despite being several blocks from my office I find myself going back several times a week.
The sandwiches and wraps are definitely the way to go. I have yet to find one which I dislike. Personal favorite is the sea bass sandwich, with the spicy fayala sandwich and wraps a close second. All the ingredients are fresh and full of flavor (the pesto is amazing!).
The owner is remarkably friendly and welcoming as well. Definitely a 5 star SF experience.

I come back to Fayala everyday since they opened for lunch because I love fresh, quality food and i always get my food quickly from the buffet. The buffet is never the same from one day to the next (even if just slightly different), which keeps me from getting bored. The owners are attentive and generous people. The staff is relaxed and handles the crazy lunch rush.
Finding a seat can be rough so pull up a chair with a stranger and get comfortable.

This place is new, the food is fresh and tasty and I found out about them when we catered a lunch. The wraps are so delicious, I had SOMA chicken wrap, the chicken was marinated to perfection, the pesto mayo was just wow and it was grilled to perfection with melt d cheese inside. The Chaplin kabob sandwich is just delicious too, but they run out of this quick so get it while you can. Note its on the spicier side.
I’ve also been here and made my own salad for $ 10. You can load up veggies, healthy bites and protein for a filling lunch. Compared to the $ 14 bucks I’ve dropped at Mixed Greens, this place gives you more food for the buck and more flavor. The space is open and spacious and the vibe is really relaxed.

My coworkers and I came for the salad bar, which was quite disappointing. Looks like the specialty here is rather for the sandwiches… I“ll have to come back, but in the meantime:
Salad bar review, price by weight:
Right side salad bar (very small, little options. what you’d expect at a school cafeteria):
— Cold typical salad items (corn, spinach)
Left side salad bar (more items, similar to Lee’s deli style but not as varied):
— vegetarian items: orzo, couscous, roasted vegetables, potatoes
— meat items: an asian-​tasting chicken with mushrooms, tilapia, fried sea-​bass, ‘empress chicken’
Vegetarian items weren’t anything out of the ordinary and the meats were pretty disappointing. I wasn’t sure what kind of cuisine we were getting — seemed kind of like a hodge podge. Healthier /​fresher looking than the buffet-​style bar at Lee’s, but likely more expensive.
Definitely get their bread by the utensils, super fresh and tasty. Will have to come back to try a burrata sandwich.
** Tip 1: don’t forget to check-​in for a free bag of chips /​soda **
** Tip 2: half off salad/​hot bar after 2pm **

This is my favorite lunch spot in all of SF. Not only is the food amazing, but the customer service is beyond great. It has a real cozy and chill vibe.
Ive been to Fayala multiple times already and I love their buffet. The quality of food is exceptional and expect to find items such as fried sea bass and beef burgounion, similar dishes you’f find at a French restaurant. The veggies are fresh and flavor is just tantilizing.
if you’re not in the mood for the buffet their burritos are delicious. They have a special right now called the birria which is a spicy, well marinately beef.
And if the burrito doesnt get you full then try one of their panini sandwiches or gourmet wraps. My favorite is the spicy fayala.
Great lunch spot, amazing food! Highly recommended.

I work construction in the downtown area and always love checking out the great places to eat. We stopped here when they first opened and man been hooked ever since. So rare you find quality food, friendly faces, and reasonable prices all in one place but they deliver on all 3. Was there today and it appears that have made things even better !! They are pairing up with Caviar (a food delivery app) and now you will be able to get their awesome food even when you may be a bit out of walking distance. The thing I truly love the most is they open early and are very respectful and kind to us working men which is harder to find than it should be. Truly amazing people and a great spot that is reasonable enough to be the daily spot too !! Two thumbs up and 5 stars is my opinion

Delicious, fresh, and healthy food options here. Plus, the manager/​owner was very nice. Since this is a new location, he offered me anything from the salad and hot buffet bar free with my entrée. Also don’t miss their ½ off after 2pm deal (though the food is already super reasonably priced)! Fayala has definitely made it on my lunch spot list.

I have only gone to this place for there buffet. They have a good selection of items and a fresh salad bar. The owner is really nice and tries hard. He is also really friendly and cause of that I plan on visiting this place at least once a week for lunch. Interesting layout that seems to work for them.

Quick Review: I really liked this place! Another SOMA salad bar spot with fairly cheap prices and a Mediterranean flare. Fast, heathy and unhealthy options (hot sandwiches and burrito options). Since they just opened, with my sandwich order I got to get anything from the salad bar for free!
FOOD:
Spicy Chicken Sandwich: $ 10.78 (w tax)
Salad Bar: free normally $ 7.99 per pound
For the salad I took advantage of not having a weight restriction. I tried only meat, which was really good. Also, there is something that looks like mashed potatoes but it actually tastes more eggy. Super good! I loved the sandwich! The chicken has a lot of spices and is flavorful on its own. Choice between 3 different types of bread (focaccia– I ordered this, sourdough roll, and wheat bread). Other ingredients include spicy pesto mayo, red peppers, arugula and pepper jack.
SERVICE:
Great! Very friendly staff, they are trying to get their name out there and provide discounts or free items.
AMBIANCE
Not overly crowded, tables to sit and eat, a lot of space if there was a large crowd to get food. There are 2 salad bars on either side, straight ahead is where you order sandwiches, to the right of that are burritos.

Everything we got from the buffet was delicious! It was great having so many healthy options. We’ll definitely be back soon.

If I could have designed the type of restaurant to appear directly outside my office, it may have been something like Fayala. Here are its 3 components:
1. Sandwich Station
Today (and yesterday) I had the seabass sandwich on ciabatta, which was warm, had the perfect crunch, and very filling. I’d probably just eat that sandwich for the bread. For ten bucks! Not bad, especially considering options for pescatarians in FiDi are not great for lunch. I’ll also be trying the veggie sandwich soon.
2. Hot/​Salad Bar
This is not your grandmother’s salad bar. Items today included tilapia, fresh guacamole, and orzo. And if you go after 2 PM, the salad bar is half off! The head chef let me try some of the offerings my first day there, and the roasted potatoes and butternut squash were perfectly cooked.
3. Burrito Station
Okay, I’m a bit skeptical about this part, but willing to give it a try. The ingredients look fresh, and the prices are reasonable. There are also no legitimate burrito places near my part of FiDi, so eventually I’ll give in. They do also make breakfast burritos, so that’s something.
Two days in, I’m hooked. What a score for the neighborhood.

I catered lunch from Fayala for a company meeting of 10 and the food and service was amazing. I got many compliments from my staff. I would recommend them any time! It’s a great lunch spot!

The people who run this place are incredible. The level of customer service is unparalleled in the market of cheap lunch spots.
They have a wide variety of food, and everything I’ve eaten is delicious.
Next week I’m going to show up in the morning for a $ 5.25 breakfast burrito…
Their buffet is also 50% off after 2pm, which is a genius way to prevent food waste, and to serve a different clientele from their corporate lunchtime rush.

Note to existing Chez Fayala customers: This location does not offer made-​to-​order/​tossed salads (only self-​serve buffet-​style salads). This was a compromise they had to make in order to operate right around the corner from Café Venue.
I used to love going to the Chez Fayala on Pine, but stopped going because the location was a bit out of my way (and I heard they breached a couple of health violations x:). However, I recently heard that this new and super clean Fayala opened up really close to my office, so I decided to give it a try (:
Customer Service (⁵⁄₅): If it’s your first time here, they will let you «sample» any of the items from their hot food buffet by filling up your take out box! I didn’t tell the workers that it was my first time, but I guess they were very observant and saw that I was a noob (I was staring at the menu for days, and kept walking in circles cause I didn’t know whether I was supposed to place my order first or pay at the register first. Turns out it doesn’t really matter as long as you do both). If you don’t look like a noob like me, be sure to tell the workers that it’s your first time when you’re placing your order!
Quality of Food (⁴⁄₅): I ordered the California wrap, which comes with turkey breast, avocado, tomato, red onions, pesto mayo, and cheese. You can choose from plain/​whole wheat/​spinach tortillas, and are free to substitute any ingredients you don’t like. The wrap was delicious; I loved the warm, grilled/​pressed tortilla and their homemade pesto mayo! As for the hot food buffet items, I tried the roasted potatoes, grilled veggies (brussel sprouts, carrots, celery, zuchini), and butternut squash. All of them were warm, fresh, and delicious. The roasted potatoes in particular had the perfect crunch to them!
Quantity of Food (⁵⁄₅): My wrap was so large, I was perfectly stuffed upon finishing half of it! I let my friend/​human trashcan enjoy the rest of it.
Cleanliness (⁵⁄₅): The facility is newly remodeled and all the ingredients seem to be kept in a clean and organized manner. Hope it stays this way!
Tip for calorie conscious folks: Plain tortilla wrap (~330 calories), Whole wheat tortilla wrap (~390 cals), Spinach tortilla wrap (~440 cals). I only know this cause I took a look at the nutrition labels on the tortilla packages. I knew wraps were high in calorie but not THIS high D: So if you care about them calories, you’d probably only want to order a wrap on your cheat day!

This place is great! When you walk in, it’s a little confusing at first where to begin, but the owner/​manager is on it and sends someone up right away to get you where you need to go. Per the reviews here I got the Spicy Fayala Sandwich (on Foccacia) and it was AWESOME. I wouldn’t call it spicy, per se, but perfectly seasoned and quite tasty. Since they’re new, the owner/​manager said that he’s letting anyone who gets a sandwich or wrap go ahead and sample the buffet, so I snagged some of their beef bourginon (tender and not dried out at all — delicious!), some dolmas (again, really good), and a few of their salads.
I will definitely be coming back here again. Friendly, attentive manager/​owner, clean environment and really really good food.

I’m hungover all the time, so it’s essential to start my day with a big old healthy meal. The breakfast burrito here is so so so perfect, big, fresh, tasty as all… get’s me fueled up for the day. If you’re not trying to eat away the pain, would be enough food for breakfast and lunch.

An unassuming place with very minimalist décor, but gosh is their food good. I stumbled in here by chance, as sushi fantastic’s line was out the door on this rainy day.
I’m glad I discovered a new local place with good options. There is a hot sandwich/​panini station, a Mexican grill station, and a hot and cold salad bar for $ 7.99/lb and half off after 2pm.
I was told the spicy Fayala (spicy chicken) sandwich was the most popular and I can see why. It’s freshly made, toasted, and pressed, the chicken is juicy and the Mediterranean spices are a dry rub. It’s not actually a spicy sandwich, but more a kick of flavor.
The gentleman at the sandwich station by the way is so friendly and approachable. While making 4 sandwiches at once, he managed still to ask me how I was doing today and recommended me this sandwich. Thumbs up.
I’d come back on another cold or rainy day for a good hot bite. I caught a glimpse of the burrata sandwich which I’ll have to try next time!

Time: 11:43am/59°F cloudy
Purpose: Talk to people at the Pine street location about year ago about possible expansion. Ever since then, I was following with them on the latest happenings.
Ambiance: Located in the Fremont street building, but entrance is on Howard street. Place starts with counter seating for three facing window for people watch. For group seating there’s a massive repurposed tree stump table along with some loose stools. Wheelchair ramp available adjacent to stairway. Total capacity is about a dozen with without violating fire inspection code. Upper section is all salad bar and hot/​cold food display counter. Couple of open air fridge with beverages. High ceiling with expose ducts and insulation deck out with blossom warming light. Rest of place just your basic standard set up of bakery rack, convection oven, prep table. Place is just enough for small chats without being too loud.
Staff: Most are newer workers with couple from old location. Pleasant to chat with while making my order. When ask if I can substitute? Not a problem! What would you like on it? You’re the paying customer. Oh dam like that dawg (fist bump)! Same experience from previous just carry over. Well trained group of workers focusing on CS as top priority.
Cleanliness: Grade A, the day I was here inspector sign off. Pass with flying colors now ready to open on same day. Workers wears latex gloves and hairnets. Self help salad area well kept wipe down continuously every ten minutes.
Eats/​Drinks: Spicy fayala sandwich $ 8.95 on sourdough. Whole slab chicken breast was use uncut seasoned with fayala special herbs and spices. Chicken wasn’t dry or dark looking inside shows a glowing healthy white. Some places hides it by coating it or and coloring, not here. Provolone cheese melted so good on chicken along with roasted peppers, and pesto mayo gives this sando a worthy try. It was spicy, but not fiery spicy. After sando was made you basically fill your box DIY from salad bar. I went with a little of what I think it’s worth going after. Two dolmas, boiled egg, kale greens, artichoke hearts, olives, pesto penne pasta. Some how the taste is the same as I had in other places. Safe to say, I think other business buy their goods from same vendor. At least fayala don’t lie claiming all ingredients are made fresh. They’ll let you know if ask. That’s the reason why I repeatedly coming back. Sick and tired of places that flat out lie to you. As a consultant with tons of experience under my belt. I know how to spot real food and its source.
Main Features: Chomp wrap, seabass and spicy fayala sandwich.
Products/​Services: Refer to posted menu. Assorted bottle/​can beverages, chip, CYO, daily specials, choice of tortilla, breakfast/​lunch, dine-​in/​to-​go, after 2pm half price salad bar.
Punch Lines: New, warm service, friendly, full staff, knowledgeable, efficient, seats are minimal, DIY/​CYO salad, counter ordering, drool-​worthy, always buzzing, imaginable toppings, lively atmosphere, causal and delicious, business lunch, family run, young professionals, minutes from Transbay terminal.
Tradeoffs: Location is gear for those on the go more than formal sit down, but carry the same offerings.
Final Thoughts: It’s not surprising to find personable service from new location. There’s no difference between the two. Just seating and layout of place everything remains the same. Great Fi-​Di spot with friendly service and well-​prepared food. Just another reason to hangout on days that you want to hide out. For those waiting for their bus, after 2pm salad bar is half price. I suggest grabbing a bite before heading out.

Fayala is great addition to the soma food market. The food is geared toward Hispanic and french combinations and will leave your taste buds very satisfied.
I had their Huevos con Pollo for breakfast and it was wonderfully seasoned to hit the spot.
The atmosphere walking in can use some more love but they just opened so hopefully that will improve in time.
The owner/​manager was friendly and attentive to newcomers which was appreciated.
Im going to go back to try their buffet, which looked promising.