Haltun Mayan Cuisine

I think this place is closed now. Stopped by Friday for dinner and place was shut down, no lights or sign anywhere mentioning the restaurant. Too bad because I was looking forward to it. Going to check out poc chuc instead

I stopped by on Wednesday at 3pm and they were closed even though Unilocal said open. No signage at door-​not even business hours. Called and no answer.
Food was great but definitely dropping the ball on customer service.
We went to Kuuup a few blocks away and it was delightful!

The fam an I arrived early on a Saturday morning. There were seven of us.
There was one man in the kitchen and one server/​server/​bartender/​runner/​etc. Whoopsy!
We are originally from Yucatan so, WE KNOW a fugaise when we see one (insert Italian mean mug here).
The meals were not only authentic tasting but the staff busted their tushies in getting our meals ready. Seriously, one man. Seven dishes + appetizers. Kudos!
I recommend the Panuchos and the cochinita pibil. If you’re a foodie like myself, you’ll walk across the street to the mini mart and buy some bolillos (French bread) to dip in the Cochinita Pibil sauce. Yums!

Went there on a Bloomspot voucher (took 3 phone calls to book). Waited 50minutes for food — no chips and salsa, no tea, no wine, only beer and water. Noticed other disgruntled waiting diners. The guy serving didn’t want to be. When the food arrived, there was a nice taco on the platter, but the rest was poor. Chile relleno was pathetic and the tilapia smelled and tasted off. While still nibbling at some of the rice the guy serving asked if we wanted the check. The deal said we were due 3 courses, but we were happy for the chance to escape. Mayan, maybe not.

Good food, okay service, unique atmosphere. In the bar/​lounge area adjacent to our dining area, the regulars were most definitely engaged in a big game of poker, and somehow that actually contributed to feeling like I was in a foreign country.

Food is amazing, I have no idea why it is so slow but the food is incredible, so I don’t mind the wait. Cochonita pibil is my favorite.

Had a nice dinner here the other day. Started with the sampler platter, then we shared the prawn fra diavolo and the citrus pork. It was a lot of food and we wound up taking some home.
Everything was pretty tasty. We both really liked the prawns (which had a little heat, but not too much), and I was a big fan of the open-​faced taco-​type things from the sampler plate. The chips and salsa were also very good. The pork, while perfectly fine, wasn’t all that special — probably wouldn’t be in a hurry to order it again.
Service was very friendly, by both the waiter and the owner’s son (who brought us the bill).

Went here with a
voucher and decided we would travel down to the Mission to give it a try. So my wife made us reservations on
. We showed up and there was no one else in the place except for some guys drinking at the bar and cheering as they’re watching a Mexican soccer match on TV. At first we thought this was probably as authentic as it gets.
My wife and I ordered some food and drinks and everything was really pretty good. My dish wasn’t quite what I thought it was going to be, but it was pretty good. My wife’s appetizer and meal was also pretty good. We also enjoyed the chips and salsa though I don’t think refills are complimentary, which is probably just as well that we didn’t fill up on chips. Based on the food I probably would have given a four star review.
The trouble started when we went to pay our bill and the waitress came back with our
voucher and told us the owner said we couldn’t use it because we had made a reservation with
. I asked if we could cancel the opentable reservation and use the
voucher because we were the only ones there and they obviously had the room. She said that because
charges them and they could not cancel the reservation once we had checked in, so they could not honor the
voucher. I objected and the waitress said there was nothing she could do. My wife noticed during this whole conversation the owner or manager was watching this from the kitchen, but never came out to try and help and expected the waitress to deal with us. I didn’t think it was worth fighting over and we’ll exchange our
voucher to try somewhere else.

…have been 10 times now… live nearby… always had very good to wonderful & fun new food… many authentic items, and some not, but all are deliscious… and do folks really go to this corner in the mission for «service»…they get the job done and never are haughty when you flag ‘em down… i enjoy going here…
…you can’t go haltun if you must get your daily allotment of green leafy vegetables… then, again, who goes to this corner in the mission looking for that…

I’m no expert on Mayan cuisine so forgive me if this was authentic and the best of some dish or other outside of your grandmother’s kitchen but all I have to go by is whether the things on the menu tasted like what they were described as being.
The poc-​chuc pork was tasty but the escabeche was kinda not. And based on the description in the menu, I’m not sure that I even got what I ordered. It didn’t resemble anything on the menu, actually. And I should have asked but there was a soccer game on and everyone was so darned interested in it (the other patrons, the server, the kitchen staff) that I didn’t want to ruin their good time. It was the last time some players from Mexico and some other players from Brazil would ever play each other, apparently. I dunno. I don’t really care about soccer too much. And I’m not crazy about meatloaf and shredded turkey boiled in hot water with a dollop of pickled onions, either.
But it wasn’t so awful that I’d never go back again. I just might try a few more Mayan restaurants for perspective before I return.

I really wish I could give them a better rating since the owners were very pleasant and accommodating, but the food we got was just really subpar. Worst Yucatecan meal I’ve ever had.
The place was empty when we came in for dinner.
That should have been a clue. It was late, so we decided to give it a try. We ordered drinks and munched on complimentary tortilla chips (factory made) and hot sauce. All the food served afterward was below average.
The only dish not overcooked that night was the Haltun platter ($ 16.50), it’s a sampler of every appetizer: Tamal, Panucho, Salbut’, Empanada, Pol-​Can, Dzoto-​bi-​chay, Kot’s-dzito.
Strangely everything was topped with the same red sauce and some shredded cheese. Most Yucatecan restaurants have a similar sampler dish, and normally each item has their own special sauce or topping, including guacamole and crema. Our plate didn’t have any of that. Also comparing old reviews, we got 2 less food items. Poc Chuc restaurant on 16^th street, makes a much better version.
Our Yucatecan grilled pork was replaced with an off-​menu item, steak ($ 14.50).
We asked for medium, but the steak was cooked well done. Also the cook forgot to add the side dishes, no rice, no black beans mole, and no tortillas. The food was so poorly prepared and overcooked, that we didn’t bother to ask for the missing side dishes.
My Tikin-​Xik’ (fish filet with anatto and sofrito, cooked in banana leaves) was also overcooked.
The filet was so incredibly dry, that even with the rice and veggies, I couldn’t finish it.
I can only assume that maybe the higher rated reviews happened when a more competent cook was working in the kitchen.

I lived near here for nearly two months before discovering the «fast» window — yes, next to the restaurant and open when the restaurant is closed, Haltun offers a small menu of delicious and cheap items for takeout, including their delightful tamales ($ 3) and burritos ($ 6).
Really, all I need to say is om. nom. nom. Their tamales are perfectly spiced (and not too salty), and cooked to order. Though I haven’t tasted the burrito yet, my dining companion appeared to be in a state of bliss throughout the meal. Awesome.

Lunching today:
Chile relleno with beef — tasty and filling.
Skip the overcooked, chewy mahi-​mahi.
Free chips and delicious green habanero salsa!
Sloooow… service.

I was meeting some friends of mine here for dinner and as I was getting off the bus I ran in to some other friends I hadn’t seen in a long time.
«Oh you’re going to Haltun? You’re going to love this place!»
I was surprised to find the place empty except for the three of us. They were in the process of doing some remodeling and there was a «change of ownership» sign on the window. Despite the warning signs I sat down with my friends ad we proceeded to order.
The pork dish we shared was tasty albeit a bit dry. My main course which was mahi mahi in a black bean sauce was delicious.
This place is apparently a well loved local iconic spot. I am looking foward to coming back here when things have settled.

This is a casual and family-​owned restaurant, with a bar, and futbol (soccer) on the Telly.
I had dinner with a group of friends on an early Saturday evening. The items at our table included Poc-​Chuc de Puerco, Conchinita Pibil, and an assortment of appetizers.
Everything was excellent, from the food to the friendly and personal service.
Poc-​Chuc is sort of like chopped steak (pork) and the meat is tender and flavorful. The portion is generous.
Conchinita is meat in a sauce: a big hit with everyone at our table.
I haven’t found an appetizer at Haltun that I don’t like.
Also their Haltun salad is great — good, fresh greens and vegetables in a light, lemony dressing.

Finally used my Groupon for this place and went here for lunch. It’s off the beaten path (a.k.a. Union Square) and frankly, the area around 24^th St. Mission BART is not one I like to frequent. I feel like I’m in south L.A. and while it’s nice seeing all the murals in the area, I don’t feel completely safe.
Anyway, despite the surroundings, Haltun is immaculately clean and tidy. I actually like the minimal décor and the big, open (minimalistic) feeling of the space. There was only one other table besides our own when we walked in, but service was very slow — but I can see that it would be hard to be one woman working both the main floor and the window, running back and forth across the big restaurant all day to serve everyone. So yes, service is slow, but don’t hold that against the woman, because she’s workin hard and she’s only human.
FOOD:
Chips & Salsa — half-​filled bowl of pre-​meal chips and two different types of salsa. I was surprised at how few chips were in the bowl, even though I already read on Unilocal that it would be a half bowl. Ah, it’s for the better anyway. The habanero (green) salsa = excellent. I love spice, and this has it. Mixing the two salsas and eating them together is great.
Horchata — the first (and last) time I had horchata was when I was in first grade, and I loved it. Haltun’s was very tasty =)
Haltun Platter — Seven different appetizers on one plate? That’s like eating the entire appetizer menu at once! I’d be crazy not to get this! Not only does the platter look pretty, but everything tastes good. And with two pieces of each item, it’s perfect for sharing. My fellow foodie partner in crime and I enjoyed sampling all the different flavors and textures, and got pretty full (this thing can me a meal in itself — almost) ;)
Cochinita Pibil — Glad I got this (thanks, Unilocal!) This is also a dish with beautiful presentation and great taste to match it. The pork is super tender (no knife necessary), and I can tell this place makes the meat like this every single time. Comes with homemade tortillas, but we enjoyed this dish more when we took it home, added lots of veggies to it, and ate it with rice. ‘Twas yummy.

I hesitate to give a glowing review of this place until I’ve gotten something that I can really sink my teeth into. It looks like I just got the wrong dish, but really, there should be no wrong dishes in a restaurant :) What I got was the ‘relleno negro’ which is something I’ve never had before. It contains chicken in a dark, spicy sauce, with a little meatball on the side. It strikes me as a self-​contained stew dish — everything’s in there. However, the sauce was just too much for me. I felt like I was eating out of a Weber grill. The predominant taste, to me, was charcoal.
If the dish had been served with other things that tasted really different to balance it out, I would probably have enjoyed it more. But it was just the stew.
Now I really don’t want to be mean. The fact is I didn’t like it, but I’m probably also stomping on someone’s childhood nostalgia dish and it’s possible that Haltun is one of the only places in the city that serves it, and perhaps the only one that does it right. I can’t say. I am from the wrong part of the globe to judge. But it just wasn’t for me!
Anyway, there’s better news. The appetizers are great and they have a great take out window that I would really like to peruse (probably a holdover from the old restaurant it replaced.) Try the panucho, kind of a jumbo taco with a colorful variety of meats and veggies on top.
I’ll come back, steer clear of the relleno negro, and see what other delicious things I can find. :)

Our friends brought Alex P and I to Haltun when they had a coupon for the restaurant.
We ordered a panucho and ceviche for an appetizer. I got the ahi plate and it was all delicious. The ahi was rare and the bean purée underneath went very well.
My friend ordered their mole dish. I tried some of the mole and it had a very unique smokey flavor. He said it was a little chalky textured and it could’ve used a side, but otherwise delicious.
They also have a very good selection of Spanish and Latin American wines that are reasonably priced.
I went back to their taco window and that was really delicous too. The barbacoa taco was one of the best I’ve had in the mission and their Aqua Frescas are some of the best I’ve ever had… really fresh and not too sweet.
The owner is really nice (I think it was the owner), but since it’s still pretty new, he admitted to still changing things up a bit.

During world cup we were looking for a place to go near my work, which brought be to Haltun. I had been wanting to try it since the remodel so this was a great opportunity. When we walked in, it was empty. I asked if they were playing the game and then they directed us to a back table where a little girl was entertaining herself with coloring books and toys. Sooo we quickly figured out that we were to share the table with her while we watch the game. Anyway, the food was great, the staff was very friendly, and they had decent prices. I got a salad that was full of yummy fresh veggies and my friends got different kinds of meat that came with black beans and rice. They also had an excellent salsa and guacamole.
This place has a window that you can also order items from, but the quality of food is much better when you sit down in the restaurant.
I keep seeing the sign for their Happy Hour, it looks like a good one!

Mayan cuisine is a nice twist typical Mexican food. I recommend staring with the sampler plate of appetizers to get an idea of their style of food. The food is hearty, healthy and tasty.
The restaurant is painted in warm hues — high ceilings — and rustic wood bar. The atmosphere is comfortable and clean, but not over the top.
Owned and operated by a family with roots in the Mission, the vibe is family but the service is professional. Even under pressure from the mobs at Carnaval, the food came out fast and the service was with a smile.
For food on the go, they have a takeout taco window.