What to avoid -- La Barca

I have no expertise when it comes to Mexican or any Latin American food, but I think I can share one place with you hounds that isn't worth the 11.95 for an entree.

La Barca claims to have been there on Lombard Street since 1963, and I believe it from the cheesy decor. I'm always hopeful though, and Mr. Smith had been wanting to try it. We've heard it's quite the "scene" on Thursday nights so we went on a Sunday.

We were treated to sodden enchiladas and overly seasoned, greasy meat. My "Francisco delight" was swimming in quart of melted cheese. While not expensive, it is ultimately forgettable, and some of it's outright bad. The chips and salsa were decent but not enough to make me go back.

La Barca
2036 Lombard St, San Francisco, CA 94123
Phone: [phone]

Postscript: I did a Ctrl+F search and didn't find anything under this name. If this has already been thoroughly discussed, please forgive me!

[Dustin_E]

after 48-or-some years, la barca is closing at the end of this month. snif snif.

[susancinsf]

I never ate there, other than eating their food on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant on October 17, 1989, but that is why I will always remember them fondly, and am also sorry to see them close after so many years:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/5607...

[grayelf]

Sometimes it's about more than good food -- thanks for the reminder.

[Dustin_E]

i visited last friday evening -- the place was quite busy. seems i wasn't the only person who wanted one last visit before they closed. decent food, decent service, decent space.

Before it was LaBarca's, it was an all-you-can-eat prime rib place. Really! My roomies and I would drop in whenever our carnivore cravings got the better of us. Perhaps this turned out to be not a viable business concept, but we hated to see that place go.

Anyway, I've been going to LaBarca's since before it was LaBarca's. I like retro restaurants, and this has properly kitschy decor and a very friendly atmosphere. The food, of course, has always been gringo-mex, but hey -- I like rellenos and enchiladas, and pig-out combo plates.

However, if they are now serving inferior versions of these kinda-hard-to-screw-up standards, I'm sorry to hear it.

We have gone to La Barca off and on over the past 20 years, although more often in the 80s when we lived on that side of town.

I can't disagree with your general assessment of the food. However what we really enjoyed there, and it's been a year or so, were the truly fresh margueritas, made from scratch with whole limes cut up and hand squeezed for each one!

Those, along with the chips and salsa and other appetizers, a very fun juke box, and a lively mix of neighborhood folks and tourists, made the bar-area a fun spot to visit from time to time.

They also used to have a wonderful, huge fish tank that acted as a divider in the bar area.

Your post encourages me to check it out again.

I didn't see a fish tank -- and the magaritas we did not sample (having overindulged on those on a recent trip and still wary about diving into that lime/tequila heaven quite so soon :) so good margs may be a reason to go. I was only commenting on our one dinner there, so there may be other enticements!

We have gone to La Barca off and on over the past 20 years, although more often in the 80s when we lived on that side of town.

I can't disagree with your general assessment of the food. However what we really enjoyed there, and it's been a year or so, were the truly fresh margueritas, made from scratch with whole limes cut up and hand squeezed for each one!

Those, along with the chips and salsa and other appetizers, a very fun juke box, and a lively mix of neighborhood folks and tourists, made the bar-area a fun spot to visit from time to time.

They also used to have a wonderful, huge fish tank that acted as a divider in the bar area.

Your post encourages me to check it out again.

regrettably, the restaurants on Lombard are far and wide to be avoided.
I'm hoping in writing this that it inspires replys as to the few really GOOD places on Lombard.
Anyone?
I should qualify that by saying the stretch between say, Baker and Van Ness...
Liz

Have you tried Allegria's on Lombard? A good tapas place. Most of their tapas are wonderful and the service is always friendly. Never been to La Barca but have always been curious about it...thanks for the post.

I'll second the endorsement of Allegrias...very good tapas. Any other place on Lombard should be avoided, you'd be better at KFC in terms of reliability. And that's not saying much now is it?