Tres Agaves Mexican Kitchen & Tequila lounge

If you want the real deal on all levels go to Tres Agaves. I recently went with a group of friends for margaritas and some various dishes. We really enjoyed the fish tacos and the guacamole was insanely good! We also had some of the slow cooked carnitas ? mmmmm?.so good. However you have to try the tequilas. We had a tasting party and learned about the real history of tequila. No shot glasses here, all tastings were served in appropriate spirits glasses. We had a fabulous time.

Pros: Excellent sipping tequilas, super great authentic food!

Cons: really busy after a ball game!

This place has gone WAY downhill since my last visit. Even on a ball-game night it wasn't filled.
Totally overpriced, service mediocre, the only thing I enjoyed (at not as much as I used to) were the margaritas. We would have been better off eating at Chevy's. I won't return.

So, go there and get a bite. Service is pretty lame, but not awful. I wouldn't go here on a weekend or with a date I was trying to impress, but for a casual meal and some tasty, potent drinks, it'll do. I also wouldn't come looking for enchiladas, fajitas, and the like as they are nowhere to be found.

I have to give it one star because the food was good. However, after I sat down, a group of 4 to my right and a couple to my left got their food way before we did, and I got there first! I asked the waiter what the problem was and he said that a group takes priority over my date and I. I sat there for 30 minutes without drinks or food. I kept asking for the appetizer and they kept saying 5 minutes. In fact, when the food finally came, the appetizer came AFTER the main course! That's not the worst part: I kept asking for tableware and a napkin and never got it. After 45 minutes, I HAD TO GO TO AN EMPTY TABLE AND BRING TABLEWARE FOR MY DATE AND I!! There are much better places with the same quality food in San Francisco. Try Zazil in the Westfield Mall, Tommy's Mexican Restaurant and Colibri. You'll get better service and the tequila is just as good.

As a note, my bill for TWO people was $134.00. Not worth it for the horrible service I received. Go there for drinks, but avoid dining. Best to sit at the bar. Believe me, I told all my friends about this experience.

- Carlos Rios

Pros: Good food, good drinks.

Cons: HORRIBLE service, rudeness, not worth the trouble. No valet parking on a Saturday.

I went here after a Giants game at AT&T park, which is walking distance. The food was really good. I had pastor tacos and they were solid. All of the food is served family style with shared sides. The portions are huge. I think I've got a huge appetite and there is no way we could have finished it all. And the price was just right. Dinner and 2 beers each for 2 people and it was under 50 bucks. I'd go back. Twice.

Pros: Kitchen open late, reasonable prices, good food, friendly service

Cons: The beers made me drunk. WTF?

Although after arriving, I realized not the best place to dine alone - I still had a great meal and time.

The tequila is great - but the food AMAZING. I enjoyed the beef entree' it was an amazing blend of spicy and cool. The peppers and cilantro were amazing. I truly enjoyed it. I enjoyed the Mexico Margarita as well, a wonderful complement.

I have to say, being the only solo diner in the restaraunt, on game night as well - I was treated incredibly. My server Dino - was amazing. Making sure I had what I needed and checking in on a regular basis. Never onlce making me feel awkward for being alone, actually using it as a ploy to get me to order dessert. It didn't work, the food was too good.

Thanks to the staff and chef for a wonderful experience. I can't wait to bring my friends my next trip to SF.

Pros: Good food - Incredible Service!

Cons: Not a great place for a "quiet" dinner

I must say I was highly disappointed with my recent trip to Tres Agaves. After reading mixed reviews, I decided to try it for myself as I love Mexican cuisine. Upon being seated we waited a good 10 minutes before being greeted by a server, which happens, I can overlook that. What I can't overlook is the luke warm water, extremely long wait for food, drinks and the bill, confused server and mediocre food at best. The server kept blaming things on how "busy" the restaurant was, which is always unprofessional. For one, we made reservations at 5:45 and the restaurant was not busy at all, yes there was a Giants game, but isn't the restaurant aware of this ahead of time?? Moving on, once I received the margarita I ordered, I was pleasantly surprised, however not enough to enjoy my overall experience. The margaritas and location are the saving graces of this establishment. Overall, I was disappointed and will not be back.

P.S. Maybe "Eric" should spend more time fixing the glitches of his restaurant and less time refuting negative reviews.

Pros: Margaritas, location

Cons: Staff, luke warm water, Service

This is one of the few places in the city that can comfortably accomodate big groups. The private room is really great for big big groups, too. Service is always pretty solid. Their house margaritas are pretty good. If you go during baseball season, you're likely to run into huge groups of fans who take over the entire bar area. The food is really pretty good and authentic.

i've been reading alot of "bad and stuff about this place" so i decide to take a few freinds there and check it out.

Tres Agaves has become successful not because it's trendy, but because the quality of the food is always good, and the tequila drinks are of the highest quality. We always are served promptly, though this place is often crowded now that the after-work yuppies have found out about it. I highly recommend it and have been there literally dozens of times.

Pros: great food, great tequilas/margaritas, fast service

Cons: crowded, parking is scarce, on the expensive side, esp. for Mexican

Since I work in the neighborhood, I go there pretty often. Love the place, great margaritas and food... YUMMY! Love their Fish tacos, Carnitas, Carne Asada.... Pretty much, everything they make!
I always recommend for group of friends, any celebration, bday, etc...
Great vibe! You'll love it!

I do not understand this place. The food, not great. The drinks, okay. The service, hideous.
Management??? I will not be returning. Potential is great here, just the space itself, but they do not come close to being an upscale mexican restaurant.

I had heard many good things about TA, and was excited about going. It definitely lived up to the hype. The food was succulent, and the tequila selection was great as well. I would definitely recommend a margarita instead though. It was a little loud, so wouldn't be ideal for a romantic date, but fun with friends would be perfect.

Pros: Food

Cons: Loud Ambience

In the bar: the drinks are delicious and so is the guacamole. There were plenty of people filling our water glasses but it took forever to find anyone to take our drink order. In the restaurant: the food was completely mediocore and a total let down.

Pros: the tequila

Cons: food & service

A wonderful dining experience. I was with a group of eight people and all of us had different meals. The food, while mexican, is not your local taquaria. This is highlands food that is served in the best restaurants in Mexico. I can't think of another San Francisco restaurant serving this type of food.

The tequila selection is massive and the bartenders are well schooled in the different brands.

Great place.

Pros: Thumbs up

My hubby and I tried Tres Agaves after seeing one of the drinks on TV. We're big fans of tequila, so we thought we'd give it a try and were looking forward to how a bartender could best showcase tequila. We made reservations and were seated promptly enough. Our waiteress was okay, not the friendliest and certainly not very attentive at all. We ordered three drinks throughout our meal and enjoyed them. That was the only highlight. There were plenty of low lights from the disappearing waitress (it's hard to order a drink if you can't find a person to place it with) to uneventful food. We've had good Mexican, Spanish, Latin food and as most people, we've less than favorable fare. The food was whatever. It wasn't good and it didn't make us sick, but it wasn't the best part of our experience by any means. My work picked up most of the tab, which made it bearable to pay the prices that we were... but after reading the reviews posted here and the responses from management, it cements our decision to never go back. Service is key to a good dining experience. If the food is going to be bland and boring, it makes sense to at least make patrons happy by having friendly waiters and waitresses. It seems like Tres Agaves banks a lot on its location and drinks to draw people in, but I just can't see why people would want to spend substantial time here. For the tequila naive, it's a sticker shock moment to see how one drink can cost $14+. Without any sort of effort to educate patrons or give a little dog-and-pony show, it's a shame Tres Agaves doesn't utilize its one big selling point. Oh wait, you might get drunk from a few drinks and stung by the bill, leaving patrons to stick around until they're capable of getting up. My recommendation is buy one high-end tequila drink and then go elsewhere for a better time out.

Pros: Fine tequila drinks

Cons: Service, food, attitude, management

The food was mediocre at best, it was bland and the steak was chewy. The TINY servings of salsa are a joke. Margaritas were too sweet with A LOT of ice. The best part was that we almost left without paying because our waitress was so out of it that she never came back. Don't waste your time.

As other reviewers have commented, this place has superb margaritas. The tequila flights are good too.

I read the other reviews before I went here for a birthday dinner, there were some good but mostly bad and most of the bad complained about the service. Clearly, this place quit reading the reviews because the service, at least from our experience, has not improved one bit. We had reservations and we were on time, we were told our table would be ready soon and we could get a drink at the bar. The bar was not crowded but the bar tenders seemed to care more about talking to each other than serving customers, that was the feeling of the other patrons in the bar area as well. Our table was ready in 10-15 minutes, before we ever got served at the bar. The whole attitude of the bar tenders was horrible. Our waiter wasn't much better, maybe it was because he didn't know what he was doing or didn't like his job, I don't know. He was uninterested and never came back to refill salsa or water. Our food was okay but by then most people were turned off by the overall attitude that the restaurant had. I love the space itself, its too bad the service is the way it is, because this would be a place I would like to hang out, but I will not go back and neither will anyone that was in my party.

Pros: The space

Cons: Service, management

This place has really great margaritas and awesome Mexican food. I've been there a few times now, and it's a great place to meet up with friends for a drink or for dinner. It's always packed, so you may want to make a reservation and plan ahead.

Pros: Great food, close to where the Giants play, not too loud to talk.

Cons: On the pricey side, but worth it.

Having grown up in Texas and lived in Southern California for a good amount of time, it feels safe to say that I know good Mexican food when I taste it. The food here was only okay.

I went on a Friday night, with a reservation, and was seated promptly. We had two servers (one was getting off work right as we ordered); the first server insulted my date and the second was fine. Service felt rushed though, we had barely been given our guacamole ($9) when our food showed up, and we were asked whether our entrees "were okay" before we had even had a chance to taste anything...after this our server disappeared until bill time. I suspect that the entrees might have been quickly reheated, because while the food was steaming, some of the garnishes looked baked on and, well...reheated.

Margaritas were again, just okay. House margarita ($7) was good, but very limey; Apasionada ($8) had a strange bitter taste to it that was too strong -- not fruity like we expected. Guacamole appetizer was good, but we could tell it wasn't fresh because the avocados were taking on a slightly mushy, watery texture, plus you could tell the guac had a heavy amount of citrus in it to keep it from turning brown.

Chile relleno ($17) was mediocre, tacos al pastor ($12) pretty good. It wasn't that the food, service or experience here were BAD, just that everything felt rushed, the value wasn't that great, and the entire night was mediocre...probably won't be back.

Pros: Vibrant atmosphere, good salsas, good place to have drinks with friends

Cons: mediocre food and service, not a great value

The carne asada was super tender, shrimp tacos got high marks at our table as well. Carnitas are always good too. And the margaritas are killer. Lunchtime is usually pretty well serviced because the crowds aren't huge. Great lunch.

Pros: good scene, great margaritas, good food

Best margarita I have ever tried. We ordered the house pitcher, and what a delight, you would think it would have been too light or too strong when made in bulk, but it was perfect. Menu is varied and could be a bit pricey, however, it's definitely worth it. The portions are huge, two can share a plate. The food is very authentic and great tasting. Comfortable seating, large atmosphere, great place to have a family dinner, night out with friends, etc

Pros: delicious food, great atmosphere, great margaritas

Cons: south end of the city, so no bar hopping here.

What can I say - I love Tres Agaves. I love the drinks, the food and the stylish atmosphere. I do wish the service was more consistent, but I am confident it will improve as the staff gels.

Importantly, the margaritas at Tres Agaves are outstanding. They are all natural - limes, agave nectar and the tequila of your choice - and they are seductively delicious. If you are not sure which of the hundreds of tequilas to try, might I suggest Pueblo Viejo, Don Julio or Partida, a new brand that tastes remarkable like Regional.

The bar also features some innovative cocktails, so it is not surprising that it is often crowded. Try the Cucumber Fresca (tequila, cucumber, ginger, lime juice and soda) or the Apasionada (tequila, passion fruit, mandarin napolean and lime) if the mood strikes.

There is more to the restaurant than the bar, and the exhibition kitchen is home to Joseph's marvelous cuisine. Modelled on specialties from Jalisco, entrees are packed with flavor, generous in portion and quite reasonably priced. I'm not sure which is best, but you can't go wrong with the Carne en su Jugo, the Pollo al Pastor or the fresh fish.

Go with a group, arrange safe transportation and enjoy Tres Agaves!

Pros: margaritas, all of the entrees, really fun atmosphere

Cons: appetizers could be better, margaritas could be less expensive

The margaritas here are awsome and so is the service. It can get busy, so you need to come early and stay late. The staff was very friendly and they will cater to all your needs. The food is good, but I really go for the drinks!!!

Pros: Ambiance

The margaritas are worth going to this place alone- they are the best I have ever tasted...
The food is pretty good too, I'm not sure why the last reviewer thought it was bland (different chef?) I ordered the tacos as well and they were very tasty- granted, most Mexicans I know (including myself) don't put pineapple in their tacos, but I went for taste, not authenticity. I really liked it and would order it again.
I agree that the chips were stale though.
Our waiter wasn't the best- hardly spoke to us, rarely walked by our table.
Otherwise, everything was great and I would go back again.

Pros: the best margaritas in SF, great ambiance

Cons: stale chips, inattentive waitor

This place has so much potential. Great ambience, beautiful decor and all the tequila you could ever want. Unfortunately, the food is dissapointing. I've given this place 3 chances. All of them the same even when ordering different items. There is no flavor. Very bland. I found myself covering the appetizers and tacos al pastor with salt and salsa for any kind of flavor. Even the tortilla chips are stale and greasy. The roast chicken was somewhat good, if you can move past the chewy roasted potatoes with again, no flavor. Maybe if you drink enough tequila, you won't notice.

Pros: tequila, ambience

Cons: food, overpriced

I used to be a regular here, and will not be returing due to extreme rudeness/ bad attitude of the hostess. I spoke with the manager and left with the impression that he also could care less. I will never return and caution other diners. This place is a waste of money and time.

Not recommended.

Pros: Not crowded, Easy parking

Cons: Rude hostess, bland food, Poor management

I really wanted to like this place, but after my 2nd visit I will not return. I could possibly overlook the high prices and small plates, but i will not overlook our waitress rolling her eyes when we were trying to decide if we wanted dessert. I know we had 8 people and you get your tip added into the bill, but at least try and work for it! From all the previous reviews, I can see I am not the only one that this has happened to. Maybe this is a management issue....

Pros: decor, Bar

Cons: Service, service, service

1. Four of us walked in at 6PM on Tuesday to a sea of empty tables. They still played the "we'll try to find you a table" game. LOSE

2. Stale chips. Fresh but bland guacamole. LOSE

3. House margarita rocked. WIN

4. My friend ordered a lemon drop, but they didnt have the ingredients. LOSE

5. Decent food. Roast chicken was moist and flavorful. Tacos al pastor were dull, the pineapple on top was unwelcome. Corn tortillas were house made, but inexpertly. Decent chile rellenos. Great aguachile. DRAW

6. Tequila cocktails: La Rosa (OK). Apasionada (MAJOR passion fruit flavor.) WIN

7. The bill: $150 before tip for a party of 4. Not a good value. LOSE

8. Service was fine. Not sparkling, but not rude. DRAW

Verdict: The house margaritas are great and a great value. Don't wait an hour+ on a weekend for dinner.

Pros: House margaritas, Tequila cocktails, Aguachile

Cons: Bar selection, chips

Three of us went on a Tuesday night at 7:30 without reservations and were seated immediately. We did not expect the food to be great, but it was just awful. The Tacos Pastor had to be sent back because they were cold, as were the tortillas. The grilled fish din't seem as if it was grilled. Every plate looked and tasted like a pile of slop.

I would never go back.

Cons: food, inexperienced service

The ambience is fun, better than the smaller mexican restaurants out there but the service was so bad! First off the waitress was very rude. I asked if they had any fruity margaritas and the waitress looked at me as if I was crazy and said we don't do that sort of thing here. Then our food took 30min for the first dish and then another 20 for the next dish, by then I was soo full off the chips. I was with a large party and gratuity was already included in the bill so I figured she didn't think she had to work for the money. They are lucky to be in a good location.

Pros: location

Cons: service, quality

Placed a reservation for a late lunch. When we arrived the kitchen was closed so we were forced to order from the limited bar menu. We asked when the kitchen would be open and neither the hostess or our waitress knew! The hostess was rude and stand off-ish. The margarita was pretty good but not worth putting up with the staff. The food was terrible, while waiting for to order something happened with the oven and the whole place smelled like it was burning down. When our food came I was convinced it was our chicken that was on fire!

Pros: the decor

Cons: staff, food

Tres Agaves threw a FANTASTIC Cinco de Mayo party. Thank you! They did a great job. I was concerned that it would be too crowded, but it was really a perfect size crowd. The back patio and even further back in the outdoor area - was filled with festive decorations, food stations, margarita/bars. The mariachi performers added to the festivity. I have enjoyed this place for the food, margaritas and friendly service in the past and was very pleased with how they pulled off a fun event. Nice space, nice people, good food and great margarita!

Consistently good food and service. The large room in the back is great for holding a party and the servers have always been attentive...not sure what the other reviewers are talking about as we have been there at least 5 times.

Pros: food, ambience, service

Tres Agaves is not a bad restaurant. You can have a good meal and good drinks, and nothing about it is awful. However, for the price, I found it didn't measure up to my expectations. Maragaritas were good, though not $30/pitcher good. The queso fesco was dry, and didn't taste very 'fresco'. The tortillas were also quite dry, and I know you can get much better corn tortillas from countless bodegas in the city. The food was ok, ok, but didn't wow us, and for the money we spent, we expected more. Being Mexican and growing up eating fresh hand made food, I was hoping they would provide a bit of that quality, considering the prices. Unfortunately, for the $100 we spent, we got some good but not great food and ok margaritas. If I come back it will only be to sample the admittedly admirable selection of tequilas.

Pros: tequila selection, fun atmosphere

Cons: disinterested service, overpriced

good food and drinks. nice atmosphere...very lively and open. bar is fun to go to before and after baseball games

Pros: food, drinks, atmosphere

The bartenders are horrible! The services is defiantely lacking. It seemed to give off the attitude that they were too good for us. I had heard so many good things about it and was so disappointed! The atmosphere was great but if you can't get decent service, why go.

Those words should never be used together in a sentence, and that's just what Tres Agaves attempts and fails at. The appetizers all tasted the same, as they were all masa-based, except the crab soup which was just tomato sauce and crab pieces. The entrees were over-priced for the selection and amount on the plate. Rice was bland as were both types of beans. I ventured to order the capriotada, which was nothing more than a Mexican version of American bread pudding (dry and stiff as opposed to the pidding-like texture it should have. Margaritas were GREAT though! I recommend this place if you want a margarita fix after a Giants game; but skip the food and save your money.

Pros: Margaritas, Service, Location

Cons: Food, Noise Level, Price

I have gone there twice in the first 6 days. The design does a great job of melding SOMA and Mexico. The bar is hopping with world class bartenders, fresh squeezed drinks, and full 2 oz pours. Try the La Rosa and the Zapata Nuevos, and of course the best Margarita around. The kitchen whips out authentic Jaliscian food with a flair. No burrito's here, things like spit roasted chicken, carnitas, carna asada. The wait staff is knowledgeable about the food and the 100+ tequila's. All this, and the house margarita is only $7, and most of the entree's are around $15, with sides included served family style. If they keep this up, I will be there every week.

Pros: Great Food, Awesome Drinks, Good Prices

Cons: Noisy, Service can be spotty

A group of friends and I had a fantastic time at Tres Agaves last night! I highly recommend it for upscale Mexican dining and fabulous margaritas. I must say I was hesitant to visit after reading a number of negative reviews but decided to give it a try anyway. Well, the food, service, and ambience was super. The place was buzzing and at full capacity on a Sunday evening. Tres Agaves honored our reservation on time and sat us at a booth, as requested. Our waiter was helpful and friendly and the guacomole, carnitas/sides, drinks, and desserts fabulous! I will definitely be returning for future visits!

Are experience was one that waranted posting a warning here. The food, service and overall experience are not worth going here. Save your time and try one of the other recently opened mexican restaurants that I believe offer much better food, drinks and service. Tres Agave is a chain waiting to happen.

we were craving for some good chilaquiles and huevos con chorizo for brunch on sunday and decided to go to tres agaves to satisfy our tastes.
our server, was awesome! he told us all about tequila and mexican food. our margaritas were tasty - fresh squeezed lime, 100% agave tequila, agave nectar, and ice. chilaquiles were quite spicy but tasty and so were the huevos con chorizo. the homemade tortillas were yummy too. the whole staff was friendly and i'll definately be back. ps. this place would also be great for large parties and special events.

Pros: service, food/tequila, atmosphere

Cons: none, none, none

I don't think Tres Agaves understands what a reservation is. We were sat 45 minutes after our reservation time. The hostesses didn't seem to have a clue and the front of the house manager wasn't helping. Our server wasn't much better. We basically flagged him down, gave him our order, and never saw him again. The food was okay but I expected more at such high prices. The margaritas are the only reason to go, however they are expensive and the bar area is too crowded.

Pros: Tequila Selection, Margaritas

Cons: Terrible Service, Boring Food

I went to Tres Agaves after work on a Friday and it was hard to get into the bar area but once we got our margaritas they were amazing. If you've ever been to Tommy's you know what I'm talking about. We didn't have any reservations so we had to wait about one hour for a table but the drinks made time fly by. My friends and I shared the jicama salad which had some chili powder, camarones, and carne asada. The food came with little side dishes and homemade corn tortillas. We left pretty satisfied. It's definatly a hot spot to go after work and meet some locals. PS: Make reservations!

Pros: margaritas, no hangover!, food

Cons: long wait

I have eaten here a few times and don't know how exactly to feel. The maragaritas are always great, if you are searching for a great margarita I would head in the direction of Tres Agaves if I were you. The food is good but not great. I think it's great that they focus on authentic Mexican food but the fish was the only meal that blew me away. I have never had problems waiting for a table but the service is a bit indifferent.

I will be returning in the future to see how the food and service improve . . . and I'll have a margarita or two while I'm there.

Pros: Great drinks, Nice atmosphere

Cons: Poor service

We dined at Tres Agaves last night for a friend's birthday. We had a group of 10 and no reservation but the hostess was accomodating and we got a great table by the open kitchen. We are all servers and bartenders and the service was EXCELLENT, our server, Kayla was one of the funniest, most efficient servers we collectively have had as a group, great job! The food was excellent, the margaritas, the best ever. Give this new restaurant a chance, it's worth it!

I dined at Tres Agaves with out of town guests recently and we all had a wonderful time. It was not at all what we were expecting from a Mexican restaurant but were nonetheless pleasantly surprised. The food is really light with good, clean flavors and not the least bit overwhelming. While we were expecting something more along the lines of Tommy's in the Richmond area, we were happy with the whole experience. The prices are a little steep for what you get, but it was fun all the same. The service was quite good as well. We'll be back.

We went last night, after being Tommy's regulars for over a year. Thefood was AMAZING. The service was PERFECT. Before we even thought of needing something, it was taken care of. BTW, Eric and Julio, our server's name was Rick N, give him a pat on the back. The margaritas are made with fresh limes and agave nectar, the way they're supposed to be. The hostesses were great, and even though we did not have a reservation, we got a great table. Interesting, if you are nice to people, they are more likely to be nice to you! Manners 101. Especially when you have to deal with people thinking they should have the perfect table when they walk in with no reservations. Bottom line, if you're looking for authentic food and margaritas, go here. Try the queso and gortitas for aps, we were super impressed. Good job Tres Agaves!!!

Pros: Great Food, Easy Parking, Great service

Cons: Noisy