West of Pecos Restaurant Review

West of Pecos Restaurant Review written by Culinary Guide, Emily Drevets

Put on your cowboy boots and yell yee-haw because you’re headed to the wild west, or should I say, the wild tex-west. West of Pecos is a kitschy southwestern restaurant in the Mission with food that impresses even the biggest outlaws.

The Place: Strings of dried chilis, carved wooden tables, multiple fireplaces, a bigger-than-life-size longhorn skull, and the most gigantic rattlesnake skin you’ve ever seen. No, this is not the prop list for a John Wayne western remake, but just some of the flavor that greets you when you walk into West of Pecos, even before taking a bite. It’s not uncommon to be seated by the owner, Tyler Macniven, in his characteristic pink snap-button western shirt, setting the laid-back and ultra-hospitable mood that provides the perfect back-drop for stellar food.

The Food and the Drink: To start, I enjoyed the creamy (almost silky) house-made chorizo queso (topped with sliced jalapeno) and perfectly thin chips. Luckily, I did not fill up too much to enjoy the pork belly flautas, which was a real knock-out dish. The flautas come two to the plate on a bed of lightly pickled cabbage and a side of chipotle aioli. Encased within a golden and crispy fried flour tortilla is slow-cooked pork belly with tomatillo salsa that bursts with flavor. The sweet notes of the pork are accentuated with a drizzle of honey on the out-side, as well as some queso fresco.

I paired it with a mezcal drink, as one should do when in the Southwest. It was the Ro-deo Ghost, with mezcal, amaro, and grapefruit-infused vermouth. The herby amaro complemented the smokiness of the mezcal. All that was missing was a trusty steed and a sunset to ride in to.

The Must-Do: If you’re there for brunch (and you should be), get the Austin Breakfast Taco and eat it with your hands because it’s a messy affair. Maple glazed pork belly, eggs, cheddar cheese, avocado, and chipotle aioli on a soft flour tortilla. Yumzers.

The Details: West of Pecos in the Mission District

Open for Dinner
Mon – Thurs, 5:00 – 10 pm
Fri: 5 – 11:30 pm
Sat: 11 am – 11:30 pm
Sun: 11 am – 10 pm

(415) 252-7000
550 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA 94110

Want to eat the Austin Breakfast Taco? Come join our Mission District Food Tour on Saturday and Sunday Mornings. Come Eat with Us!