La Michoacana Restaurant

This restaurant is now closed. Business was down and the owner decided to close the doors after over 20 years of operation. This was one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area and I am very sad to see it go.

And save room for Flan!

I thought I’d be a little adventurous and try something different on this visit, and boy am I glad I did! «BAM» as Emeril might say. I tried the Chef’s Special and braced myself. Oh what succulent and tender meat. It was something different for sure, but the preparation — reminds me of a «RELLENO» (that’s a stuffed bell pepper for those who aren’t familiar) only in this case it was a stuffed veal (?) smothered in a light yellow sauce. I like my Mexican food spicy, so I asked for the HABANERO version — whoa, that was a double BAM, BAM (as the Flintstones might say). But the real treat, oh and what a special!, was what they called a Chamoyada de Jamaica — OMG!!! I couldn’t get enough of this light, tangy and flavorful drink. Michoacana, you out did yourself this time. Oh, and price, well, that’s the best treat of all. I’m bringing Mom here for mother’s day (I got a special Mother’s Day coupon when I paid). Imagine that, a treat on top of a treat!

We wanted to try something new since we are regulars at Tres Amigos and Pancho Villa so we decided to try La Michoacana. The chips had good flavor, they are a little thick, I prefer them light and crisp. The salsa was good, however for me a little spicy. My husband ordered two crispy tacos, he said they were okay. I ordered a tamale and a crispy ground beef taco. The meat in the taco was just okay. The beans and rice were average. The tamale was small, thin on the corn meal side which is how I like it, the pork was okay, but the mesa in the tamale was not very flavorful, slightly on the bland but salty side. The food came out rather quickly, which made me think that the food was premade. The lettuce/​salad that comes with the meal was brown. The prices are reasonable. Parking… well what can I say, it’s downtown, good luck. The service was fair and friendly, there was only one wait staff. Probably wont eat there again for the most part.

Food was bland but fresh. Great location right on the main street avenue area.

The pupusas are pretty good, but the cabbage is a little lacking in flavor. I’ve had the chile verde and it was tender and tasted as it should. The flautas are a good size with a decent amount of meat. I tried the banana empanada and it was delicious and had sugar sprinkled on top. I’ve only been here for lunch and the waiter is an older gentleman and he’s always very friendly and attentive. It feels like a friendly neighborhood place and we’ve never been disappointed.

Went with some girlfriends for dinner on a week night. Place was pretty empty, despite the fact that it was a pain to find parking around that area.
Food was ok, nothing special tho. I ordered the chili verde burrito along with a combo pupusa. I had never had a pupusa before, and have read that they make the best ones in the area, so I was looking forward to trying it out. I was a little disappointed. It was pretty bland and altho I thought the combo was with meat and cheese, I tasted mainly potatoes. The burrito I had was good, altho I found myself adding more salsa with each bite.
Perhaps I ordered the wrong stuff, my friends’ plates looked good. Would I go back there? Probably not anytime soon, since there are so many other good restaurants around that area.

So we came here at night with some friends to get pupusas (one of my favorite foods!). The place is pretty dark. could use some more lighting. The server was friendly enough. The pupusas were good but I still cannot find a place that tops Amelias in RWC for pupusas. They were kind of bland and not enough cheese inside. Our bill for 6 came to $ 118, be careful because with 6 or more they will add the tip on there already.

Long week. What better way to remedy for it but with a Unilocal trip to a new restaurant?!
My friend and I decided we wanted to have a break from Middle Eastern/​Mediterranean food (a short one of course) so we ended up here after reading the reviews. Looked tacky from pictures but actually had a cute and dim ambiance. Service was kinda awkward; I didn’t feel like the waiter was too hospitable. Ordered a horchata which was really tasty. Ordered the combo plate papusas & they were good. I think I expected too much from reading the reviews. There wasn’t anything too spectacular, like any fireworks exploding after my first bite. My friend had the chicken fajita which was good but again, ordinary. I personally like the tortillas from Chevy’s better and my friend preferred the chips from Chevy’s as well. Hmm. what does that say about the restaurant? Well, it satisfied my stomach and made me very full.

Went here to escape busy reality & take a SHORT break from Mediterranean/​Middle Eastern/​Spanish & Asian food. We wanted something in San Mateo, «hole in the wall”-esque & Latin American. Reading the Unilocal reviews of the place. it seemed like the spot to hit!
I expected it to be a little tacky, from looking at the pictures. But actually, the environment was very cozy dim and had some hospitable décor. Unfortunately, the food didn’t amaze me. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t heavenly DELICIOUS. Papusas were decent… warm and cheesy, chicken fajitas were decent… not as juicy & flavorful as I hoped it to be & the chips didn’t have that «fresh out of the fryer» vibe to it. Horchata was yummy though, but then again. Horchatas? Always yummy.
Dare I say… but I’d choose Chevys over La Michoacana. Oh yeah, this place is a filler. I was actually full after one plate, and trust me… that is a miracle.

Great family owned restaurant. I loved their fresh squeezed juice and guacamole and chips as starters. I had the Chicken Mole and tortillas which were the best ever. I have lived in San Diego and traveled to Mexico but these were the best. My partner raved about the Sangria and said that it is a must have.
Now I have to go back soon and try the Papusas and fried Plantains as soon as possible!

Decent Pupusaria with outstanding service! Super homey place with a friendly server.
The chicharon, bean and cheese filled pupusa hits the spot washed down by a glass of sangria.

I love this place!
I’ve been going here since 1998 when I was a summer Intern at Webcor down in San Mateo.
La Michoacana has the BEST sangrias I have ever had! You’re best off buying a pitcher. It is the perfect blend of flavor, texture and sweetness. Don’t leave this place without ordering at least one Sangria.
Their papusas are excellent too. In fact, everything on their menu is excellent!
Their papusas aren’t greasy even though I prefer the heart attack inducing greasy papusas. This is the only place that makes the more healthy conscious papusas that still is full of flavor.
The best waiter their is Juan. He is a very friendly, funny guy that is an incredible waiter.

Based on the reviews, I guess I should have tried the papusas, but my friend had them and didn’t seem too thrilled either. I’d like to be able to give this place a better review, but no can do.
Service was friendly and prompt, but food was average at best. Chile Colorado was OK, but not special, beans tasted like basic canned Rosarita refried beans, but runnier, rice was nothing special. The hand made corn tortillas were terrific, but not enough to make me an overall fan of the restaurant. There are so many good alternatives up and down B Street and elsewhere nearby that I’m not sure they’ll get a second chance.

I dont’ know what Sally S. is talking about, writing a review just for a bad coke? comon. I was at La Michoacana 2 weeks ago with my wife and I gotta tell ya the food was way better than Chevy’s. The service was great. I ordered the chicken enchilada dish, the beans were excellent, the rice was also good. My wife ordered some pupusas. The pupusas were so good my 2 year old son ate almost one by himself. The Salsa was fresh and so were the chips. What I like most about La Michoacana is the decoration. It is authentically decorated. Just cause you have a bad coke doesn’t mean the rest of the food is gonna be bad and by the way I had two cokes and they tasted great.

Walking by here with a hangover I noticed a faint chalk marking on the lower front of the restaurant:
V V V
_​_​_​
/​\
| ! |
\_​_​_​/​
While this may be inscrutable to you, this is a hobo sign indicating «great papusas». It was only due to my days riding the rails in El Salvador that I recognized the glyph.
Thus prepared, I went in and ordered a meat papusa, a cheese papusa and a pork tamale (hangover, like I said). Both papusas were delicious and less greasy than any I have had in the bay area. The dough was not as delicious as other places, but the fillings were generous and well seasoned. The pork tamale was no slouch either. My hangover companion had the mexican omelet, which, miraculously for a latin american place, was undersalted but tasty. Addition of some table salt made for a tasty stomach coating. This is probably the reason for the other «tasteless» reviews — I consider it a plus that you can allot as much salt as you like rather than have the food default to dead sea status.
Prices are reasonable — papusas a la carte are $ 2.00 and most entrees are $ 8 – 10 bucks.

I wish that I could give this place a glowing review. This restaurant has so much heart. The mish-​mashed décor is very endearing. The menu items look very appealing. The waiter is very friendly. Alas, the food is just average.
The chips aren’t as tasty as I’d like. Perhaps they lacked salt. The salsa, on the other hand, was above average. I ordered a chicken flauta. It was good, but not mouth-​watering. The beans and rice were also average. My gf ordered the menudo. She said that she’d had better. The horchata was good, but too sweet for my gf.
The highlight of the meal was the tortillas that came with the menudo. They appeared to be homemade and very fresh. I’d go back just for those tortillas, but I’d have to try a different dish this time.
If you’re looking for something with a nice local feel, reasonable prices and decent food, then this is a great spot. I hope that on future visits I’ll be surprised with some outstanding dishes.

La Michoacana is a great, and authentic, Salvadorian restruant in the heart of the Penninsula. I’ve lived in the area for 25 years and tongiht was a first (but definitely not the last visit I make).
The Papusas are great, and not greasy at all like some of my favorite spots in the city (I don’t mind the grease though). The waiter was nice, but with a full house he was spread a little thin. The Guac was AWESOME!!! Just like being back in the forests of Central America… good stuff! Oh and they’ve got Salvadorian beer, which is always nice to try something regionaly specific and/​or new.

Chile colorado to die for! the most tender, juicy flavorful oinker ever *drool* The salsa is good but I wish the chips weren’t so hard, I’m a fan of lighter, crispier chips not crunchy ones, does that make sense?
Nice little place but the service could use a little bit of pepping up. It’s usually the same pleasant guy waiting tables but he moves pretty slow. You practically have to stand up and nearly walk out just to get the check.

I just had some great pupusas yesterday at La Michoacana, a Mexican and Salvadoran restaurant in downtown San Mateo. The pupusas come filled with cheese, beans, chiaharrones, or «revuelta» which is a combination of everything. I got two cheese and beans ones, which had just the right combination of cheese and beans (that is, light on the beans). They were pleasantly not greasy and looked like perfect little round packets. They were served with curtido, a pickled cabbage salad, which was umimpressive by itself, but complemented the pupusas well when I took bites of both together.
I misunderstood the pricing of my pupusas and thought I was getting a steal with my lunch only costing $ 1.95. Well I was a little wrong about that. The pupusas are actually $ 1.95 each. Still, lunch under $ 6. How often does that happen?
Their complimentary salsa and chips were quite good. The chips were good and thick and not at all greasy or salty. The salsa was definitely way above average.
I can’t wait to return to try the pupusas again and also to try some of their other Salvadoran dishes such as their $ 3.95 Empanadas de Leche (three lightly fried plantain shells stuffed with milk).