Tommy’s Restaurant

BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT EVER! If you have doubts for some reason, STOP. Everything is perfect. The food is beyond amazing!!! The customer service is so awesome! My favorite Mexican restaurant and I live in Stockton, Ca! I would recommend everyone here! My boyfriend and I would make this date trip here a holiday if we could, yes it’s that great!

My girlfriend and I were really looking forward to dinner at Tommy’s. But the food and experience overall were just lacking big time.
The restaurant was really dirty to start, with some trash on the carpet near our table.
Chips and salsa came first, and the green one looked great, but had no flavor except for being spicy. The red one tasted better, but was nothing special.
My girlfriend got chicken soup and a beef taco. The taco was covered with the same weird salad mixture that we got as salads with the meal. The salad looked like some veggies with red salsa on top.
I got this broiled pork meal, and the pork was good, but sorta bland. Average tortillas and black beans to go along with it.
The check came and they didn’t add up the entrees correctly, so we were overcharged $ 6. I got this corrected, but that was the final straw.
I bet Tommy’s was good a few decades ago, but the food and experience are overmatched by other Mexican restaurants in SF.

Overpriced for so-​so food and Margarita and not-​so-​prompt-​nor-​so-​attentive service.
Safe to say I’m never going back again. Sorry but not sorry.

Ok food. Terrible service and horrible bathrooms. The stink almost made me puke, and food after that didn’t help me wonder what goes in the food.

Carne asada and camarones something are superb! Fresh, juicy, fantastic! Paired with Siete Leguas margarita — and we are in heaven! Very smooth and flavorful! Great service, loud and comfortable at the same time atmosphere! Thank you!

Wow. It’s been a while since I’ve been here. Bad service that old man who was our waiter needs to retire. Go home and rest old man! Our food took a very long time to come out. There was only a few tables. Food came out cold? I had the special, under my meat was a hunk of fat they passed as meat. My wife’s meat was over salty she said they must buy the cheapest cut and use salt to mask it. We asked for ice water got no ice. Asked for lemon wedges for my beer got non. Never came by to check on us. I guess it’s only about the tequila as only the bar was full. They must be riding on their old fame when it was good. Too bad once businesses passes to kids they f it up. Tommy must be turning over in his grave. Sorry Tommy. I won’t be coming back and unless you’re only wanting to try the tequilas don’t come for the food.

Not the best meal I’ve had here. The rice and beans were lukewarm. The enchilada was warm but tasteless. The taco was full of shredded beef which needed more shredding. On top of that, they were out of sangria at 5:00 pm. But what totally destroyed the mood, was a table of inebriated and loud patrons behind us.

Wildly inconsistent!
The chips are half of the time stale… The salsa is definitely different spice levels each time I have gone. They are also incredibly NOT accommodating to people who eat vegetarian; like they are very confused when you say you want a bean burrito instead of chicken or beef.

If you’re old enough to remember 1980s Tex-​Mex chains that predate the abysmal Chevy’s, like Chi Chi’s, Marita’s Cantina and Casa Lupita, chains so bad that the food would be unrecognizable to an actual Mexican and that more closely resemble airplane food or frozen «TV dinners,» then the food at Tommy’s will bring back some serious nostalgia.
Here’s the reason these restaurants have all but left the US market but that Tommy’s, maybe providing the experience of one of these old restaurants, still persists:
— salad that consists of bagged iceberg-​and-​carrot salad with bottled salsa as salad dressing
— rice that tastes like it was seasoned with a small, silver packet that you’d find in a package of ramen
— unsettlingly liquid refried beans
— salty canned-​style enchilada sauce
— $ 9 small margaritas made with house tequila
The food wasn’t inedible or anything, just unremarkable and not up to par with even smaller and much less expensive taquerias (yes, the food was very expensive, especially considering the quality). Even the placemats are full of stereotypical Mexican images that were rife in the 1980s and are laughed off today.
The plus? Friendly staff and convivial atmosphere.
We decided we’d come in every decade or two for an experience that recalls our childhoods but, really, you don’t come here for the food.

Poor Service and food was ok.
We had 5 people ask us if we wanted drinks, but then after we had water we had to ask after about 20 minutes and empty glasses, for a refill.
My chicken taco was one giant pocket of meat. The beans and cheese were ok, but the plate seemed to be hot like it was in a microwave?
I also asked for additional soft tacos but they never arrived.
Once we were done we waited for the check, and waited, and waited. I didn’t see our waiter at all, and when I did he didn’t notice my wave. I asked a bus boy if we could get a check but he also never came back. Finally another different waiter succeeded in bringing us a check.
The whole time this was happening, someone, maybe a manager? Julio was right next to our table treating some out of towners to free shots of this expensive alcohol, and even offered to treat them to some more before they left. After he left their table he went to greet more friends. I guess you have to know the staff to have good service.
Meanwhile we are having some of the worst service of our lives. This is our third time here, the worst, and we will not be coming back.

If you travel to San Francisco 1 of the stops has to be this restaurant. Tommy’s is well stablished and locally known Mexican Restaurant — the service is always prompt and helpful with the menu. The prices are always reasonable for the great amount of food you get. The flavor of the food and the great tasting margaritas will make you want to come back for more when ever you have a Mexican food cravings.(I have the cravings of tacos tostadas tortas ha ha) I do wish they where a little more consistent with their weekly specials no consistency in this area. I think if you want to have a good shot of tequila his is the spot as well,
They have quite a menu been one of only few Tequila Bars on the West Coast.
I had a great time I ate some great food and I recommend it any time!
Hope you do too!

I came here for dinner last fall and found myself unable to believe what I was seeing and tasting. I kept asking myself if I was really in a Mexican restaurant in San Francisco, California? If Tommy’s were in a city in New England or some other region far, far away from Mexico, I would give them another star or two, but there’s no reason why Mexican food should be this mediocre anywhere in the Bay Area.
I feel bad giving two stars since the staff were all super friendly and efficient, but the food left me wishing for so much more. Not only was the flavor bland but the plate presentation was pitiful. I don’t know who in their right mind is giving Tommy’s four and five star reviews; y’all really need to get out of the neighborhood, head east and experience some tasty and colorful Mexican food. Whats more, you’ll spend a lot less money. Tommy’s ain’t cheap.
I know they have a great reputation as far as the margaritas are concerned, and one of my trusted bartending legends, Gary Regan, still praises Tommy’s for their tequila selection. I had a good michelada but wasn’t all that impressed with one of my companion’s margaritas.

I love this place. Service is always welcoming and menu has some cool options.
Out of the many meals I’ve had here there has never been a clanger. The desserts are especially good… as is the coffee… delicious.
Very solid, nice ambience… casual without being too casual for a nice night out with your love.

Experience: ⁴⁄₅
Quaint little place. I love the decoration and the feel of the interior place. There is art work you can buy inside lined all around the walls.
Food: ³⁄₅
Chips and salsa were decent.
I ordered the combination plate of Beef Taco and Chicken Tostada.
They gave me some type of salad at first? It was some type of tomato vinaigrette on top of salad and radishes. It was OK.
When the food came out, the same type of salad was on top of my tostada and beef taco. Kind of gave me some tomato vinaigrette overload on my taste buds.
The flan was good. Nothing amazing that I would rave about but not bad.
Customer Service: ³⁄₅
They were actually really awesome when we first got seated. Came to our table all the time and got us water refills, etc.
However, I’m not sure if my waiter left (we had 3 – 4 different people giving us food, refilling our drinks, etc) the service kind of dropped.
It’s understandable since they got a party of 6 and were probably trying to attend to them.
They gave me my check already even though I was trying to order flan as well (Tried to get their attention but couldn’t). The lady looked at bit irritated at me for having to order on top of the check.

Finally, I can say it. Type it? Yes! They have good margs. Exactly my sentiment. For years, I’ve been reading /​hearing about Tommy’s claim to fame, world’s best maragarita. I thought they were good, not great. The bar area ambiance would convince you otherwise though. Nearly impossible to grab a seat, granted it’s a tiny, closed-​off bar area where you have no choice, even with a small crowd, to not be elbow-​to-​elbow. I get it though, everyone wants their turn at selecting from the gargantuan tequila list and a VIP spot to view the bartenders in action.
We tried the house, upon recommendation from our bar neighbors. The first tasted significantly different than the second. All in all, a good spot when the authentic margarita craving kicks in. The Unilocal reviews encouraged us to stay away from the food so we took our appetites elsewhere.

Great Margaritas, very good food, welcoming friendly staff.
Well worth the cab ride from Union Square, will be back soon.

Their horchata is so nasty ! It’s not authentic for a Mexican restaurant! It taste like rice water with pumps of almond SYRUP! I got it Togo iced but it came in a hot cup… There was no cinnamon either. Don’t get it !

This is a re-​post from October 2011, because A) I can’t believe this place is still in business, and B) my original post disappeared for whatever reason.
In a nutshell — AWFUL!!! I implore anyone reading the reviews on this place to seriously read the 1 & 2 star reviews before setting foot in this place. And no offense to those of you who gave the place 4 & 5 stars, but I have to ask — really? Please go to Los Angeles and visit Paco’s Tacos, El Cholo, Pancho’s, El Coyote — or any of the other outstanding Mexican places around town — and then get back to me about Tommy’s.
From the moment my friend & I walked in, it was a miserable experience. The place was half full and we just wanted drinks & appetizers so we asked if we could sit at the bar. No, they don’t serve food at the bar. OK then, we’ll take a table. We were then directed to a small 2 seat table in the back of the restaurant, where there were literally more empty tables than people. When we asked if we could sit at a larger table, our surly waiter (one of FIVE surly waiters who attended to us throughout the course of the evening) said No, that table is for 3 people. Oh OK, I guess you’re expecting a rush of people at 8 pm on a Sunday evening. Whatever. He also left us with one menu which I guess we were supposed to share. Surly Guy #2 then comes by and we ask for another menu and order 2 cadillac margaritas. As he had no idea what a cadillac margarita was, Surly Guy #1 comes back and takes the drink order. Surly Guy #3 then comes by with chips and «salsa» — quotes around salsa because it tasted like watered down ketchup with some spices. And the chips — you can find better ones at the grocery store.
We had barely gotten the second menu when Surly Guy #4 comes by to take our order. Not ready but we wanted some guacamole so we ordered that. He had barely left the table when Super Old Surly Guy #5 comes by to take our order. Don’t these guys talk to each other?! Somewhere in between this mayhem, Surly Guy #1 comes back with the drinks. Now typically you get the Grand Marnier either floating on the top or as a separate shot, but was not the case with these two drinkies. After one sip we weren’t convinced they were cadillacs so we asked. Boy oh boy, don’t ever question Surly Guy #1 about anything! The guac then shows up and I have to say, I am white girl from the Midwest and I make better guacamole than the bland green glob we were served. Why we didn’t run out at this point is beyond me, but we were celebrating my friend’s birthday and as we’re both new to the city, we weren’t sure where else to go.
So we crack open our ancient, sticky, stained menus and decide we’ll just split something. Well between the glasses, plates, chips, and guac, there was basically no room on our tiny table for everything, so we started putting things on the «table for 3» next to us which was still vacant — as were all the other tables in the room that were vacant when we walked in. Anyway, the entrée arrives and it’s horrendous. Bland, sticky, overcooked WHITE rice, undercooked tiny portion of black beans and grilled shrimp that was edible but certainly not impressive.
The best part of this evening in Hell was the bill — 2 «cadillac» margaritas, an order of guac, one entrée that we split and a pitcher of margaritas came to $ 81.00!!! OUTRAGEOUS! I was going to not even tip, but we decided we would leave a dollar to each of our surly waiters.
Tommy’s — AWFUL, AWFUL, AWFUL!!!

Julio and his team are outrageous!!! Best place ever to have a drink and socialize.
Miguel the bartender will make you a drink like you never had before. This place is professional and exceptional. Julio is one of a kind. His expertise of running a restaurant is above and beyond. Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant is absolutely the BEST!!!

Worst family owned restraunt I have ever been in. Service is awful. Food is hardly food. I really can’t understand how it has been he for 50years. I would avoid. Taco Bell is cheaper, faster and better!

We walked into Tommy’s almost five year ago after we moved to SF. We arrived in the City on a Saturday and went to Tommy’s on Sunday… and proceeded to spend about 4 hours drinking the fantastic margaritas.
On that day we met Julio. I can’t remember exactly how long it was in between visits, probably a couple of weeks. We walked in the next time and Julio not only greeted us, but remembered our names. Over the span of five years I can’t even tell you how many times we have been to Tommy’s…but every single visit was always so much fun.
For the people that give Tommy’s low reviews, they simply don’t get it, they don’t get what Tommy’s is all about. Somebody reviewing because there’s no windows? Seriously? It’s not just the food. It’s not just the Tequila. It’s not just the atmosphere. It’s the entire experience. If you need windows to make your dining experience, then you are completely missing the point (and I can only imagine what your other reviews are like). So many silly complaints.
You are going to a local, family run restaurant with no pretenses. You are also walking into one of the most world renown places in the world for Tequila. I walked in five years ago not drinking Tequila because of the same reason so many of us hate Tequila (bad Jose Cuervo Gold experience). I now have a solid understanding of what GOOD Tequila is, thanks to the education that Julio and the staff at Tommy’s gave us. This restaurant is a gem.

It’s a small little joint with no windows. I had the cheese enchilada plate. It was good. The margaritas were a little pricy but they were good.

Just went to Tommy’s again with three friends. We walked in and went right to the bar to say «Hi» to Julio. We sat down and had glasses of a rare tequila produced in 1995 — sorry that I can’t mention the name. If you know what you want you can get it, they have everything tequila-​wise. If you don’t know what you want, then ask Julio, but don’t be surprised if he won’t make a margarita with ultra-​fine tequila. Get a great one to sip and house margarita to quench your thirst.
It is depressing to read all the negative reviews: the food is too expensive, the salsa was too hot (really!), the chips were cold (huh?), they won’t let me put my suitcase under the table (egads!), not enough free refills (ha!). Notice that this place gets 5 stars for great food and drinks or 1 – 2 stars for idiotic complaints. The best complaint was that they use fresh lime in their margaritas.
Order the Yucatan specials, carne asada or tamales.

Ok I wish I could give this a higher rating. The Tequila selection and Margheritas are the BEST in town! I would rate the bar 5 STARS
However the food… eh…I had the special… Chicken Mole. Wasnt so great…
Im gonna go back and try something else on the menu… perhaps it was that dish.
The woman at the door… not so friendly. The entire restaurant was empty… my girlfriend was flying out of SFO that night and I was here to have dinner with her and friends and then leave her with her friend who lives in SF and she was going to get a ride to the airport with her. Of course we couldnt leave the suitcase in the car… because of the possibility of car break ins… so we brought the suitcase in. Although the entire restaurant was empty the woman at the door wouldnt let us put the suitcase anywhere except right at the door when you walk in… and hopefully no one would walk out with it. When I requested we put it under a table that was not being used or at the end of the bar the woman at the door got sarcastic with me and vetoed every alternate idea.
Guy behind the bar was super friendly tho…
So as you can see I had mixed experiences with this place.
But because the Margaritas were so damn good Im gonna give it another try soon and then Ill come back to this review and hopefully be able to change it to a better rating. I belive in second chances.

Food is good, I have no complains! Place and atmosphere is nice, dark and quiet. But do not, I repeat do not tell me that they have great Margaritas. Sorry folks, their margaritas suck! I have been here many times and had really good and not so good margaritas in other places but the ones they serve are straight up lime juice and ice cubes. Please, please add some tequila in it. I would pay $ 12 for a good margarita but it has to have some tequila in it. ALSO — turn on the heater on cold days. It’s like a vampire dungeon in there 98% of the time.

Straightforward Mexican cuisine with top quality ingredients. Chicken burrito — by default came with a ton of white meat chicken breast inside. Had more chicken than any other burrito I’ve ever had. Delicious. Beef enchilada. Tasty beef, not overloaded at all with cheese or anything else. Really good. And how can I forget the margaritas? We had several. This is why they’re on the worlds 50 best. And delicious. :).

Been going here since I was a kid. Same great food, same great peeps (for the most part, RIP Tommy). But fyi: for all you tech, transient, hipsters, this isn’t your $ 5 coffee, and $ 20 arugula salad spot. Expect a family-​style restaurant where the plates are massive and the drinks flow all night. Best margaritas in the city and one of the best nights you can have if you come in the right mindset. P. S. Tommy’s doesn’t care about Unilocal.P. S.S. I daydream of their chile rellenos… yum.

First of all, 300 kinds a tequila should be your first sign that this is the place for a margarita. Not just any margarita either, but the best you’ll ever find. Specially imported limes, perfect amount of agave nectar for that touch of sweet to balance the smoke of your barrel aged reposado. Mmmm, I want one right now! Julio owner/​manager is the official Mexican tequila ambassador to the US… seriously, that’s an official title. He knows all, tell him what you like and he’ll know just which tequila to pour. If he’s not there, don’t worry. Miguel or Grady will point you in the right direction. All the staff is very knowledgeable and helpful.
Food is great too. Authentic Oaxaca style fair. Be sure to save room for the flan.

WE VISITED ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2015 @ 7:00PM
It was three of us. The margarita was good. The waiters were nice and friendly. We had a chicken dish, beef dish and a shrimp dish and they were all good. The dessert was very good.
After leaving the restaurant, we all three notice got bited by fleas on our legs!!! That just ruin the whole evening! The restaurant needs to clean and vacuum the floors, get rid of those fleas! We didn’t paid good money to get bited by fleas!!!
I HOPE THE OWNER TAKE THIS FEEDBACK SERIOUS AND REACT TO THIS PROBLEM.

Tommy’s is a run-​of-​the-​mill mediocre Mexican restaurant that has authentic options. I ordered a carne asada burrito (simple, I know) and «plain» would be the best way to describe it. The meat lacked flavor and was rather dry. The salsa lacked flavor, but the heat was there. Their chips are worse than Tostitos. Nothing much else to say, it was my first (and definitely last) time here.
The service is what really upset me. Me and my friend were given some of the worst service ever received. The waiter (which seemed to change three times) would never come by to offer a refill, which is one of my biggest pet peeves (twelve ounces of anything is not enough to get you through a meal). It took about 15 minutes to have our drink order delivered after ordering (unfortunately, I’m not exaggerating). All around lousy experience.

Blech. Fifty years in San Francisco, so I gotta give it some cred but this is worse than mediocre Mexican. They have a huge selection of tequilas and I hear the margaritas are good so maybe that’s how they’ve kept the doors open.
It’s mysterious. I came hungry and yet nothing was tasty. Not the chips and salsa, not the salad that comes with each meal, not the meal itself! iThree people ordered a cheese enchilada dinner, a beef taco dinner and the Yucatecan tamale dinner. The taco itself was satisfactory. The sauce on the enchilada was interesting — ranchero is what my friend called it. But the tamales were so bland, I was shocked. The worst tamales I’ve ever had! How can that be?
We had enough to eat but this followed on the heels of a very disappointing meal earlier in the day, which made it worse. The service was good enough but we waited a long time after the plates were cleared for our bill. Hanging around waiting for the check when all the food and drink is gone is not my idea of a good time.

We came here right when it opened after bay to breakers! The food was just what we needed after our long morning (we started at 4am). Super filling and heavy!
I asked him what I could get that was vegetarian and he said: vegetarian tostadas, vegetarian burrito, nachos, chile relleno, and cheese enchiladas!
I got the vegetarian tostada and while it was a pretty simple dish — cheese, beans, rice, and guacamole on a small crispy shell that didn’t take up much of the plate, it was pretty satisfying! I would come again if I was on the street!

Now this place was pretty relaxing, as you walk in, you are greeted by more than a handful of people (I’m assuming family members, only because I asked at the end if people here were related because the generosity and just the ambience and how caring these people are, they have to be family).
We just went in for drinks and we ordered the margarita pitcher, which is made with 100% agave tequila, and the pitcher consisted of 8oz of tequila I might add, along with fresh squeezed lime juice (not the bottles lime juice) there’s a difference in taste (trust me). This pitcher served 4 glasses and will cost $ 33 (includes tax) or you can purchase a single serving for $ 9. I’ll take the pitcher please.
What made it more interesting, is this bartender Griedy (I think I got it correct). Recommended some places to try in Santa Monica.(as I’m a talkative person and I like talking to everyone) I mentioned I lived near LA. So he wrote some spots down thats quite like this one (meaning they serve great tequilas) and I’ll definitely try them out.
As we were leaving, the bartender liked our tables conversation and our vibes that we were given two shot glasses with the restaurants named on the shot glasses as a souvenir (generous right).
All in all, the people, the environment, the drinks; were all amazing. I definitely will be back to see them (let’s hope they remember me) hmmmm .
Excellent job Tommy’s

Tequila is a very beloved & serious thing here. Which is why Tommy’s is synonymous w tequila. Not your run of the mill tequila, but really great tequila. The owner used to do tours of how tequila is made… in Mexico. It is said that the selection here is the best in SF. Tommy has passed away, but his son is continuing the family business & tradition.
The food is old school family Mexican. Large portions. I usually do the enchiladas, & the fajitas are above solid. Great salsas. Remember, old school fare. This is not Nopalito or Mamacita. And that’s just fine. A time & a place.
If it’s your birthday, & you let them know, they will pour a shot of tequila down your throat. Literally. In a very ceremonious way, they will have you tilt your head back (while you’re sitting down of course), open your mouth, & then they pour it down. My bf has done this, & I have it on video. But I can’t post it without her permission. #goodfriend.
A true family restaurant that became an SF institution.
4 stars.

Came here for a surprise birthday dinner. I had honestly never heard of this place before but it is clearly very popular! Its a huge restaurant with multiple rooms and a bar.
We had a group of ten of us and everyones dishes were massive! I got the shrimp ceviche and it looked like a gallon sized lettuce bowl for all of $ 10 or something. Crazy cheap! I couldn’t even finish it. You definitely need to eat this with chips or a side. It get old quick just having a huge bowl of ceviche. They were constantly refilling our chips and salsa too. We ordered some guac for the table while waiting for everyone to arrive and multiple pitchers of margaritas. I prefer their strawberry one with blended ice vs their house margarita that is just on the rocks.
Only issue we had was they forgot the birthday boy’s tequila and when we got the bill, we saw they charged us for it twice! Wtf! They fixed it after we told them but bizarre they would charge us twice for a drink they forgot to begin with. Also, no idea why everyone is raving about their complimentary salad. It is not good. Barely anyone touched it at our table.
Parking is hit or miss. Some people got parking right outside while another friend circled for 20 minutes and parked a mile away.