Californios
Val Cantu's two-star modern Mexican tasting.
355 11th St, San Francisco, CA 94103 · open Tuesday through Saturday · arrival between 5pm and 9pm · tasting menu only
Sign in or create a free account to see pricing and book this table. Joining is free — you only pay when we land your reservation.
It is not a Tock problem. It is a drop-day problem.
Val M. Cantu and his wife Carolyn opened Californios in the Mission and moved it to SoMa, holding two Michelin stars across the move. The seventeen-course tasting menu is one of the most ambitious Mexican rooms in the country, and the dining room seats about thirty.
Tock releases seats in monthly drops. The drop window is the window. The kitchen runs no waitlist outside Tock; the path in is being at the drop hour on the first of the month.
How we work this room.
Pay when we get you in.
Your card is authorized when you submit the request. We charge it only when we confirm your table. No confirmation, no charge. Ever.
Authorize, do not captureThe host is expecting you.
You walk in to Californios and the table is yours, held for your party at your time.
Confirmed for your partyOne posted price.
One number, every night, every party size. No auctions, no surge, no Friday markup. Whatever the room is doing, the price does not move. Sign in to see it.
No auctions. No surge.Californios, the FAQ.
How do I get a reservation at Californios?
Name Californios and the night you want. We book it on your account the instant a table opens or a cancellation appears, and you only pay if we actually get it.
Why is Californios so hard to book?
Californios is one of the most in-demand tables in SoMa. Prime-time seats are claimed within seconds of release, and many never reach the public at all, so refreshing on your own rarely works.
When do Californios reservations open up?
Californios releases tables on a set schedule, and seats also reappear when other guests cancel. We watch both around the clock and move the instant one opens, so you never have to refresh at midnight.
How much does it cost to book Californios through The Elusive List?
One flat fee, charged only when we confirm your table. No table, no charge. Sign in to see the exact fee for Californios.
Five steps, start to seated.
You ask.
Tell us the night, the time window, the party size. Two minutes on this page. Card on file, not charged.
We confirm the request.
An operator reviews the request, checks the room, and sends a confirmation that we are working it. Usually within thirty minutes.
We work the room.
We reach the floor manager directly, by phone or by text, depending on the night. We make the call.
You are confirmed.
We charge the card and send your confirmation — the time and the name to give the host.
You eat.
Walk into 355 11th St, give your name at the host stand, sit down. The room takes it from there. We do not see you again until the next request.
Modern Mexican tasting, San Francisco, Tier III.
7 Adams San Francisco
Birdsong San Francisco
Bix San Francisco
Tonight, tomorrow,
or three months out.
We work this restaurant every day. You pay only when we confirm your table.