Cafe Capistrano in Half Moon Bay - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Delicious stop in half moon bay, don’t skip. Very fresh tasting, friendly and fast service, cute homey ambiance. Chicken adobo was amazing!

If you’re looking for authentic home-made Mexican plates, Cafe Capistrano is it. 10/10 everytime.

For the first time I tried cochinita pibil, and I really liked it.

Excellent soup “Mexican Chowder” with shrimp. It was delicious, though a bit expensive for a bowl of soup.

We’ve been coming here for years. This is the perfect place to go to after going to the beach. It’s dog friendly and has amazing food. Their Panuchos and Chicken Adobo are 🔥. You can never go wrong eating here.

Really nice food. The signature seafood stew is awesome.

Absolutely delicious and so fresh! I loved my garlic prawns.

Everything was so tasty. We ordered the chicken adobo quesadilla, Poc Chuc, veggie fajitas, and steak asado. Everything was delicious and freshly made. We enjoyed the fresh cabbage salad and mango salsa.

Super fresh and authentic food! We ordered the chicken adobo plate and veggie quesadilla. The guacamole, salsa and all our sides were fantastic too.

My husband and I were looking for a quick, gluten free dinner by the beach and I’m so happy we stumbled upon this lovely establishment. We shared a shrimp taco plate which I was delighted to see had a variety of vegetables. The guac was particularly fresh and tasty. Honestly, I couldn’t find anything wrong with the entire dish. Everything tasted fresh and delicious. The establishment seems home-like. I felt as though I was at a friends house and their family member was cooking a special meal for me. Tables are close together but we didn’t mind. I believe our server was the owner and service was fantastic. We showed up 40 minutes before they closed and ate so quickly we left after 30 minutes. Also, get the sangria if you like red wine and pineapple!

Best Mexican food I’ve had in the broader Bay Area by a long shot - tasty regional cuisine and great people

It’s a quaint little place in a house with extended outdoor sitting area. Offers vegetarian options with a decent service. Highly recommend bean enchiladas. Pumpkin flan is very interesting. Veg chimichanga is wrapped potato deep fried and served with sour cream and guacamole. Chips and salsa are good. Their special mojito is on the sweeter side. Service could be more welcoming.

Amazing quality and taste of food. Everything made fresh. The steak burrito was amazing.

The food there was so DELICIOUS it was one of the best foods I’ve tasted true service was really good we got our food really quick because there weren’t a lot of people there but over all everything was so good

A good experience, the food you order has a very good homemade taste. I will definitely return to this place

Food was 5 out of 5 . i ordered chicken adobo . my family ordered ribeye steak burrito and fish burrito and loved them .

Absolutely love this place. Great food and great portions. Staff is incredibly kind.

Great spot for a quick bite! The food was extremely fresh, quick service, and authentic atmosphere

Didn’t know what to expect and was very pleased. I had the fish tacos that were recommended by the server and they were amazing I never had them so fresh see attached pictures. The hot sauce was perfect very flavorful and not over powering the taste of the meal

Incredible! Try one of the specials, truly one of my new favorite restaurants.

We ordered Panuchos, Pork Adobo. This spot is one of two Mayan/Yucatan restaurants run by Merida immigrants in Bay area as far as i know. Panuchos is incredibly delicious. You can see very thin layer of black beans between two deep-fried tortillas. And deep fried, the shell is so crispy, and then you’ve got that thin layer of salty, nutty black beans on the inside. Pickled onion, house made habanero salsa complement the flavors. The main ingredients used in Pork Adobo, Cochinita pibil must be Achiote. It has a slight peppery and lemony taste to it. It was a truly incredible experience to learn, eat traditional Mayan food!

Four of us had dinner. We were seated immediately. While the specialty is Yucatán and myan food, the menu offers a diverse selection of Mexican options. We stuck to the myan options for our order. The food came quickly and the presentation was excellent. All four of us enjoyed the meal. The great flavor contrasts and clean taste elevate this better than most Mexican restaurants. They have their own hot sauce and frankly it was better and hotter than anything I’ve had in Mexico.

Incredibly delicious and authentic food in Half Moon Bay! The food was so fresh and flavorful, highly recommend. Also they have a house made habanero sauce- definitely try it.

In our third and last visit in Half Moon Bay we come across this little cafe - that seems to be a simple family home from the outside - and we couldn’t hope for a better finding. This mayan-mexican food is just great. We took nachos - they were still hot - with guacamole, a burrito and an enchilada dish. Everything was fresh and tasty. Other things: traditional and cool location (the bathroom too), very chill waiter, good prices. Just go!

Large portions and delicious food! My girl and I enjoyed it and such a friendly atmosphere. Also love that hot sauce!

I had the pork cochinita pibil burrito and it was delicious! It was not overpowered by the typical sour cream, lettuce or cheese. The chicken adobo was exquisite! The chicken was so flavorful, tender and juicy! We will definitely come back to try other dishes. Thanks Chef Arturo for introducing us to Mayan/Yukatan cuisine!

Wonderful place. I had the Fish Burrito.

This hidden gem in Half Moon Bay is fantastic! Very warm and friendly staff, delicious food with generous portions and a very spicy in-house bottled hot sauce. Patio seating as well as inside. Mayan cuisine was just incredible. Can't wait to go back!

Thought it was odd that on Friday at 1pm no one was there but it was great. Fish tacos were the best and service was great too. I'll be back for sure. Was a little hard to find as it's not a regular restaurant space, it's in an old house on church street but it's fantastic food.

Delish! And vegetarian friendly :)

I had a steak asada and my wife had a veggie burrito. My food was disappointing, the steak had no flavor and was very chewy. We also had chips, guacamole and salsa. Those were good. My wife loved her burrito and the service was ok.

More Mexican than Mayan. It's quite disappointing.

This converted-home establishment is worth stopping by whenever you're driving by.

Revisited after several years and this place is as delicious as ever. The Poc Chuc Panuchos were particularly good and would broadly recommend them. Definitely the best Yucatan food I've had in the Bay Area. I will try to make my way here more often.

The fish burrito was one of the best I’ve ever had. Anywhere.

Muy agradable lugar para los que saben apreciar, y su comida muy deliciosa, mis huevos rancheros eran muy deliciosos y bastante comida... el lugar estaba limpio, su personal muy amable y atento

The food was awesome, and well thought out. Super cute little home converted into a restaurant. Always served with a smile and good energy.

Owned and operated by a dear friend and his family Very much a home like atmosphere Services top-notch And I have been eating his food for decades

2nd time here and it still doesn’t disappoint! It’s totally unlike your typical very Americanized Mexican food. Had the most colorful and scrumptious appetizer to share and each of us ordered pork, steak and chicken dish separately. Amazingly each grill meat tastes aromatically different. The lady server was very friendly and we even went back to the kitchen to discuss with the also very friendly Mayan chef. He showed us the sauce used to marinate and cooked the grilled chicken with. We left satisfied to our taste buds and not feeling too heavy or too rich. Besides, the dishes are so vividly colorful with all natural ingredients! This place is worth coming back again and again.

Fish tacos were so good. We’ll be back!

It was the perfect sunny autumn day to sit outside on Cafe Capistrano's patio. The veggie fajitas (vegan) and sangria were delicious! We will be back again soon.

Pork adobo burrito with habanero salsa was perfect

Awsome place, friendly, fun and delicious!! Not very busy too! Only because there a hidden gem!

Fantastic, authentic food in an adorable and quaint setting. The panuchos were fresh and delicious, especially with their homemade habanero hot sauce added!

Delicious authentic yucatecan cuisine. Very reasonably priced as well!

This hidden gem...My family had the best experience at Cafe Capistrano! The service was so good. We sat on the patio of a home that had been converted to this restaurant. The Ordering was easy and they had no problem making 3 orders completely VEGAN. All of the Mayan items tasted great. So good, I will fly back to eat here again!

Great Burito! Accept dogs in outside sitting

Mexican with a Mayan/Yucatan specialization. Attractive and tasty food. We tried three different Mayan specials and we were all happy. Not large portions but still plenty of food.

Great food, small great place. The food is fresh and amazing. The salmon plate was amazing.

Beautiful little restaurant in Half Moon Bay -- service is friendly and welcoming, food was incredible, and atmosphere was really cute in this repurposed house. My kids loved it as well.

Having Celiac with Allergies to Wheat, rye,soy, barley, Love that it’s always safe for me to eat here and with so many dishes to choose from that do not contain soy and gluten . I love this place it’s so good and healthy it is my #1 favorite place to go on the pacific coast. Beautiful atmosphere really authentic Mayan dishes and absolutely fresh and delicious. Love the Owners and crew and the fact that it’s a family ran business with all the comforts and feeling like home only but better with five star food by a talented borne chief of a family of chiefs in my opinion , really amazing food.

Delicious and very kid friendly!

I cannot believe the reviews for this place are so positive, the food was bland, the service lousy, and the setting, eh. Its a house in HMB. I ordered the fish taco platter, large portion of fish, flavorless everything. Wife had the chicken taco platter, and we guess they ran low on chicken that day. Seriously, Taco Bell has better tasting food and probably less costly. The Malbec they served was excellent, but cannot recall the name.

We had the french toast and the chorizo scramble. The toast is plush with just the right amount of cinnamon. Side of bacon extra crispy is a must, they double cook it and the result is incredible. The chorizo scramble was beautifully spicy, my mom struggles with food thats too hot but the chorizo is all flavor. The place got quiet once people got their food because everyone was focused on the deliciousness. Sweet family business with the father behind the grill and the sons charming and kind service. Beautiful decor artwork. Chairs with small cushions built in. You wont regret a visit.

A group of us with dogs came by and ate in the outdoor patio. We had great service. They even bought out bowls of water for the dogs. Everyone ordered something different, and everyone loved their choice. I had the breakfast quesadilla with chorizo. The portion were large and the prices were reasonable. The group agreed we would definitely go back when in Half Moon Bay.

Great place a bit out of the way of downtown, delicious Mexican and south American food, fresh and reasonably priced. The empandas were great, so were the fish tacos. Plenty of parking, note they only accept cash. Outside dining is on plastic tables and chairs just to set expectations.

Great food. Perfectly cooked, spiced, and attractive. Tastes home cooked fresh. Great choice.

The breakfast quesadillas are THE BEST!! 100% recommend.

Delicious fresh and authentic Mayan cuisine!

Cozy little restaurant with friendly staff and absolutely amazing food. Reasonably priced. Pork adobo, cochinita pibil, and enchiladas were fantastic. Highly recommend!

Delicious, fresh, and authentic Mayan food!

Took my kids here after a walk at a nearby trail. Super fast and friendly service. Kid friendly menu. Delicious food. Recommend and will be back. Bonus: sell organic farm eggs for $8!

This place is so so so good. If I had a tv show on the food network I would come here first.

Waiter was lackluster greeting us when we asked for a menu, then we couldn't find him to get a table. The waiter was just going through the motions, likely not wanting to be there. Ordered the Cochinita Pibil, and received greasy pulled pork with no flavor whatever. Ask our waiter about the banana peel mentioned on the menu and he said that is how they cook it, whatever that means. Bathroom was as attentive as our waiter, clean on the surface, but lift the seat and seems the bottom of the seat showed someone had a disagreement with the food. Won't be back.

Waiter was lackluster greeting us when we asked for a menu, then we couldn't find him to get a table. The waiter was just going through the motions, likely not wanting to be there. Ordered the Cochinita Pibil, and received greasy pulled pork with no flavor whatever. Ask our waiter about the banana peel mentioned on the menu and he said that is how they cook it, whatever that means. Bathroom was as attentive as our waiter, clean on the surface, but lift the seat and seems the bottom of the seat showed someone had a disagreement with the food. Won't be back.

The tacos were on point and the mayan flavors excellent. They went out of their way to hand us out take out since we had a baby asleep in the car. When I walked in the restaurant the staff and the guests all seemed happy to be there.

I think is over priced for the food they serve. My plate was a chicken enchilada and the amount of rice was ridiculous, little spoon of rice , the quesadilla is more than over priced.

My wife and I had the Yucatán Style Eggs - they were fabulous! We also tried Sikil-Pak (pumpkin seed sauce with chips), that was unusual and also very good. Highly recommended for breakfast if you can get here when it opens at 11am since breakfast stops at noon 🙂

Really good Yucatan cuisine. Pumpkin seed dip was really unique and tasty as was all the Yucatan dishes. The shrimp and garlic was cooked perfectly.

Fish taco plate was great. Great service and the ambience is like a Mexican home

Most delicious Mayan food and wonderful owner and son at this authentic place.

Really Amazing authentic Mexican food. And nice vibe and decor

In a town with a dozen Mexican restaurants how do you distinguish yourself? It's Mayan, which means more braised meats, and lighter iterations with lots of colorfully flavorful toppings.

The fish tacos were great. Love the mango.

We wanted Mexican and seafood, and we found this Mayan restaurant! I don't think I've ever had Mayan cuisine before but it was very good. The nachos were yummy and I highly recommend the fish tacos. We got nachos, fish tacos, cochinita pibil, cochinita burrito, and garlic prawns. Everything was fresh and delicious. The fruits and veggies were a great combo and I liked making my own mini tacos. Everyone was full and happy - great portions!

This place was delicious! I find cilantro to taste like soap and they went out of their way to give me options on the food without having to ask. Great service. Delicious food.

I recently visited Cafe Capistrano and was blown away by the quality of the food and the exceptional service. While the restaurant is not fully vegan, they do have a great selection of vegan options that are just as delicious as their non-vegan offerings. We ordered the veggie fajitas and veggie burrito and both dishes were absolutely fantastic. The vegetables were fresh and perfectly cooked, and the flavors were well balanced and delicious. But what really stood out to us was the outstanding service we received from our male server. He was incredibly welcoming, friendly, and professional, and went above and beyond to ensure we had a great experience. Even though this was a takeout order, he took the time to chat with us and offer suggestions on where to visit in the area. He even reminded us to order a drink to go when we had forgotten! Overall, I cannot recommend Cafe Capistrano enough. The food is amazing, and the service is truly exceptional. If you're looking for delicious vegan options in the area, this restaurant should be at the top of your list!

A little taste of Mayan cuisine. I come here to eat Panuchos every time I visit Half Moon Bay.

Food was decent, atmosphere could be better. Service was fast!

This place was good with a sunny atmosphere and great service, but the food was not super memorable. I had the Panuchos and others in the group had chincinita, eggs Yucatán style, and poc Chuk. Overall, the breakfast looked the best (served until noon)

Nearly invisible in a remodeled house, the top-notch Mayan cuisine is worth a search. Fish taco plate = a moist, flaky, large Snapper filet surrounded by a wide selection of fresh and tasty taco ingredients. Yum! And don't skip desert! The cheesecake-like flan with a tiny cinnamon stick--perfectly sweet and tasty.

Best fish tacos in the Bay Area. I like fish tacos. I eat a lot of fish tacos. These are the freshest, tastiest fish tacos I’ve had the pleasure of putting in my mouth. The other dishes we ordered were equally tasty. The waiter was a delight. Entertaining and personable. The casual, in-home setting made it so much more enjoyable than a big restaurant. This will be the go-to meeting place for when coming down from the north bay to meet friends coming up from Santa Cruz.

Good Mayan inspired Mexican food. I would definitely go back

Our first time there and it's such a gem. Patricia was so welcoming and made excellent recommendations. Every dish was delicious. We're definitely going back.

Fish tacos were excellent, everyone in our party enjoyed the food. Black beans had great flavor and slaw was delicious.

El servicio es pesimo los cocineros no sirven para nada todo save horrible jamas volvere y si pueden evitarlo evitenlo no vale la pena deverian cerrar

3stars means good I had chicken fajitas. They were decent. No complaints.

Great ambience, as mentioned in the description, this restaurant is made out of a livable house. From outside it actually looks like a house. Food and service were decent. Close to half Moon Bay State Beach.

We are local and we love this little restaurant. The atmospheric is great and it's pleasant both indoor and on the terrace. The service is great and very fast and the food is absolutely delicious! We ordered pork fajitas this time but I cannot easily make up my mind .. everything is so good!

Authentic experience, feel like granma cooking for me, although I never had mayan grandma, but I would imagine her cooking to be like this had I have one. The beef quesadilla was really good. I felt the soup was only alright.

Great food quiet restaurant a genuine Mexican and Mayan place. The flan was great.

Wonderful little place with great tasty food. Mayan delicacies.

It was such a cute little place. My sister and I had a good time.

Definitely a hidden gem. I’ve never been a big fan of beans but the beans here are magical. My 5 year old daughter would be happy eating the kids bean and cheese burritos every day. My wife loves the fish tacos, I get the cochinita pibil. The food is always fresh. We’ve never been dissatisfied at Cafe Capistrano.

Great tasting food right off the main restaurant strip that is definitely worth a try!! They have a Michelin Star (more than one?) and they definitely earned it - the food is cooked to perfection, really fresh, and tasted amazing! Definitely a great place to relax after spending time on one of Half Moon's beaches enjoying the sun. You've got to at least try one of the dishes on the first page of the menu, the ones we tried were absolutely delicious and definitely worth the trip. The only area they could improve is the waters; the lime slice was plopped sadly in the middle, not on the rim which could've added just a bit more finesse. The place feels like a home (pretty sure it was a home at some point?) and the staff treats you like family. Would definitely visit again!

Delicious and authentic Mayan food! Stopped in after a beach day not expecting anything too special, but was pleasantly surprised by the quality and flavor. The cochinita and adobo were top notch.

Cafe Capistrano is a gem of a restaurant on the coast. Located in an old house with tables set up in the different rooms in the front, it has an immediate homey feel. Creeky floors and glass top tables with cool stuff to look at underneath including suggested conversation topics! Staff is friendly and very casual. The food is outstanding. The Cochinita Pibil and Adobos are so yummy, and paired with the great sides (mayan coleslaw and marinated onions, beans and rice are all excellent) make for a meal I crave anytime I'm on the coast. This is on the top of my list to take out of town guests as well, worth the drive for me.

Great fish and chips. Take home a bottle of the delicious habanero hot sauce too. Can't wait to try their Mexican dishes.

Wonderful Yucatan food! It's inside a Victorian - style house that makes it quite cozy.

Really great Mayan inspired food. Some gems are on the menu, but don't forget they also do breakfast. Great place to start the day and read the paper.