About
Introducing Cocina Mayah: A Hidden Gem of Mayan Cuisine
Nestled in the heart of San Francisco's vibrant Mission District, Cocina Mayah is an enchanting culinary destination that captures the essence of authentic Mayan flavors. This Latinx-owned eatery offers an inviting atmosphere with its cozy indoor seating and delightful outdoor options, perfect for those looking to savor a memorable meal.
Cocina Mayah specializes in breakfast and brunch tacos, with a variety of options that cater to every palate, including many vegetarian choices. From their delicious El Yucateco, featuring scrambled eggs with vibrant tomatoes and onions, to their satisfying Chilaquiles Verde, every dish is a celebration of flavor. The dishes are crafted with fresh ingredients and a passion for authenticity.
The menu goes beyond breakfast, featuring house specialties like Pollo Asado and Carne Asada. The grilled chicken, infused with annatto seasoning, paired perfectly with homemade tortillas and hearty sides like rice and refried black beans, offers a comforting taste of tradition.
Patrons rave about the Panuchos, a culinary delight that combines corn masa with refried beans, fresh toppings, and tantalizing meats like poc-chuc and shrimp. Each bite is an explosion of flavors that transports diners directly to the heart of Mayan culture. One reviewer fondly mentioned, “The meat was tender, flavorful, and juicy,” showcasing Cocina Mayah's commitment to delivering quality.
For those with a sweet tooth, don’t miss the House Flan, a lush dessert that finalizes your meal on a perfect note. Cocinay Mayah is also accommodating with features such as wheelchair accessibility, outdoor seating for pooches, and catering services, making it a wonderful choice for any occasion.
With happy hour specials, alcohol options, and a no-frills ordering system, this charming spot guarantees a delightful dining experience. The welcoming ambiance and speedy service complement the incredible food, making Cocina Mayah a must-visit for both locals and visitors alike.
So if you find yourself craving vibrant, authentic Mayan cuisine, make your way to Cocina Mayah. With every bite, you'll discover the rich culture and culinary artistry that brings this cozy corner of San Francisco alive.
“ I love looking for new hole-in-wall eateries, and being in the Mission, I just had to find a good Mexican place. Usually, my go-to's are La Taqueria and El Farolito, but I just wanted to try something new since I always come there. And luckily this spot came up. This was a fantastic spot. I got the Ranuchos since I've never had those before. It's essentially a Masa tortilla with refried black beans, lightly fried lettuce, cabbage, tomato, pickled onion, avocado, and a choice of meat. I ended up getting the camerones and the Poc-Chuc meats. The camerones was so good. The amount of things they put on top of the masa tortilla was delicious and filling. I love shrimp anything, so eating this was a little treat for me. And the Poc-chuc, which is culturally a Mayan pork meat, was delicious and it had a good chew to it that wasn't too dry. I wish it was a bit more tender but the overall flavor of the ranuchos was really good. Everything combined was delicious and I would definitely make my way back here again! ”
“ Fantastic spot, no frills, order at the counter, plenty of seating inside. Food came out in like 15 minutes. Got two salbutes - one poc chuc and one carnitas. Both were amazing with chunks of delectable pork. Also got two tamales which were good but not the main attraction. Very good option for Mayan food! ”
“ Delicious homemade food in this hole in the wall spot. I was in the area with my dog looking for a quick bite. I came across this restaurant that supposedly had outside seating, but there actually wasn't anymore. I called in and they still allowed for me and my very well behaved doggie to eat inside :) Cochinita pibil Panucho (5/5) I'm still dreaming about this. The flavor in the meat was sooo flavorful and it was melt in my mouth. It starts with corn masa shaped like a sope. It had refried beans, lettuce and tomato. Next time I'm here I'm ordering 2 of these for sure. Empanas (5/5) I can't remember what meat I got but I throughly enjoyed these as well. HIGHLY recommend this place for a quick and affordable meal. ”
“ Amazing hole in the wall spot. The panuchos are so so good. Great flavor and texture. Not dry at all. The chicken soup is rich and hearty. The combination of flavors is delicious and ingredients are fresh. We also got some juices which were refreshing! There is ample seating inside and service was good. It wasn't too crowded when we went for a Friday lunch. Highly recommend trying! ”
“ Stopped into this restaurant while my car was getting washed across the street and I'm so glad I did! Got one poc-chuc panucho and genuinely I could have had five more if I wasn't trying to diet. I've never had a panucho before either but it was so delicious! The meat was tender, flavorful, and juicy and all of the other ingredients complimented it so well. The salsa gave it a refreshing kick as well. This is definitely a place I'd recommend my friends to try and am so excited to come back here and try more food ”
“ Flavorful conchinita, poc chuc and homemade tortilla. Delish. Definitely deserve a 5-star! ”
“ It's funny how walking on Mission Street from 24th to 16th is such a consistent cavalcade of activity from hot dogs sizzling on a makeshift grill to scooters that graze you without concern to the glut of shoppers perusing produce and cheap merch and narrowing the sidewalk path to practically nothing. It gets noticeably quieter once you round the corner eastward on 16th. I barely even paid attention to this Mayan spot until I saw someone in the window eating something that looked like menudo. It turned out it wasn't menudo but its hearty $21 Yucatanean cousin, Mondongo. It was a beef belly tripe soup with cilantro and diced onions on the side (photo: https://yelp.to/9mgYJIeA6X). It had real thickness and plenty of gelatinous tripe. I decided I should have something crunchier to have with the soup and ordered the $5.25 Carnitas Panucho. It was a masa tortilla shaped into a saucer with a lip and filled with refried black beans, lettuce, cabbage, tomato, avocado, and the slow cooked pulled pork (photo: https://yelp.to/g-ncg6ARus). It was a uniquely Mayan delight in just a few bites. The staff was quite nice and didn't speak any English. FOOD - 4 stars...homestyle Mayan specialties well turned AMBIANCE - 4 stars...a brightly colored lunch room SERVICE - 4 stars...very nice...se habla ingles? TOTAL - 4 stars...hearty Mayan dishes on a quiet block RELATED - Exploring the Mission? Here's my collection of places I've patronized and reviewed: https://bit.ly ”
“ Authentic mexican in the mission Super well-priced. A little but divey (but in a good way). 3 of us went for lunch - not crowded at all. I ordered the cheese and pork empanada and a panucho (with Pac Chuc - which is citrus marinated pork). Both were excellent and it made for a perfect light-ish lunch. I think they were both around $4.50. I also ordered a side of beans - they were good, but not as good as the mains, so I would skip the beans next time. I would love to try a tamale and or the Milanese entree. My sister had the chicken quesadilla and commented that they did not skimp on the avocado. We all commented that the cans of coke were as COLD as they could get! (LOVE!) Service was fast and efficient. Bathrooms were pretty clean. ”
“ Cocina Mayah came recommended from friends in the know and it did not disappoint. There's something on the menu for everyone but we went for the regional specialties for sure. We both had panuchos, which are like a tostada but fried to order from a fresh tortilla and topped with beans, lettuce/cabbage, pickled onion, avocado and a little tomato - with your choice of meat. I had one with cochinita pibil (succulent roast pork cooked with orange and achiote/annatto) and one with poc-chuc (grilled pork marinated in beer). Both were outstanding. The cochinita was juicy and rich.. and the poc chuc had excellent flavor from the beer and the grill, plus a really great smoky (not sweet) bbq sauce. A squeeze of lime and maaaaaaan... so good. Ask for extra napkins and don't sleep on the habanero salsa. It's spicy, so a little dab will do ya, but it really balances the richness of the cochinita and just elevates everything that much more. We also ordered the black bean and pork soup (frijol con puerco). The pork in the soup were ribs that just fell right off the bone. Spoon tender. Plus it came with fresh handmade tortillas on the side with an array of toppings for you to customize as you wish. Diced radish, avocado, onion, a habanero pepper, cilantro and more of the fantastic smoky sauce. It's a big serving and it was delicious. It would be the perfect thing for the next chilly day that comes along. Do yourself a favor and stop in to this little hidden gem. You won't be disappointed. Very friendly folks and great food! ”