If you want to get away from the hipsters, fixies, and newly refurbished facades (and prices) of Valencia street's Mexican restaraunts, then El Metate is your surefire bet.

Tucked away in the inner mission on 22nd and Bryant, and managed by an incredibly sweet, gender-defiant she-man (who KNOWS hot sauce and salsa like the back of his/her neatly manicured hand), El Metate's is now Beef's Numero Uno Mexican Joint, and is arguably among the best on the west coast.

Winner of several local awards (SF Guardian's "Best Really Cheap Taco", 2004, "Best Quesadilla," 2003) Matate is renowned for its cheap prices and shit-kickin' food (plus a wide, wide, array of hot sauces and house-salsas).

As every food afficianado knows, a restaurant, atmosphere or not, ain't shit without good food. And while Metate is small in size, just a small room, really, with southwestern/mexican decor and two tables and two counters on which to eat, the food RULES. Every piece of it is cooked up to a speedy perfection: a super taco (just $2.50) is served on a soft shell, and can be ordered with all the regulars: carne asada, carnitas, pollo, pollo con chile rojo, chile verde, etc. The same options are available for Burritos ($4.25/$5.00), Tacos ($2.00/$2.50), Flatas ($6.25), Quesadillas ($5), and tamales (6$6.25). Please be advised that the Flatas, Tamales are PLATES, and come with EVERYTHING. They are gigantic. Plain burritos are just $4.25, don't even need cheese, sour cream or guacamole to be feel complete. But if you feel you need the extra dairy supplements, super burritos are merely 75 cents more.

In short, El Metate is OFF THE HOOK. Every burrito is cooked with just the right ammount of amazingness. Service is wayyy quick, and friendly...and it's fun to encourage the worker behind the register who is learning to read and write!

All in all, El Metate comes off the scales with 7/7 Hills.

Go forth, eat the burrito.