Hola! says the service provider at the cash register with a moustached smile, dimples and sweet curly brown hair prepared to take my order in Spanish or English at the beginning of the long line stretching along the kitchen's glass counter out the door. From the grimy streets of Mission to the bathrooms in the back, the thin rectangular El Farolito #1 is decked out in yellow plastic table tops, blue plastic benches and faux wood tables and benches. El Farolito serves an eclectic group of Mission District locals and knowing passer byers.
Some argue about whether El Farolito is good or really good. It's definitely typical in the Mexican burrito scene and a notch above the alot of them in San Francisco in price, culture, and taste. Most are quite satisfied with their fresh tomatoes, whole avocadoes, sour cream dosage and meats.
El Farolito #1 is recognized for its convenience. It is open from 9am to 3am during the week days and until 4am on the weekends. Situated right next to the 24th and Mission BART station it is a highly popular destination for all walks of life inside and outside of the Mission District.
Today, couch surfing on Mission, I walked 1/2 a block to El Farolito. I waited in line along the burrito making Spanish speaking kitchen while taking in the sun glinting through the broken glass window splayed out like an animated spidery sun ray explosion. The guy before me in line read his newspaper while I noticed the bus squeak, screech and beep on the street letting out dozens of locals out the back door, a couple pouring into El Farolito. I asked a question of one of the kitchen preparers and he gave me a quizical look, a gesture of "uh", wanting to help he eyed the kitchen to the left and right, resting upon asking the order taker to understand and answer my question when he walked this way.
In tacquerias such as El Farolito and the thousands etched throughout the Bay Area, it is common to have mostly Spanish speaking employees. The guy at the cash register of El Farolito was happy to switch between Spanish, English and a Spanish-English mix for each customer's specific needs in communication.
I bought a vegetarian super burrito for $4.25 and broke down to have a bottled Coca-Cola imported from Mexico. I swear the formula is different, the water source not from the USA, and I'm quite nostalgic to drink out of the old school glass bottles.
El Farolito is a popular destination any time of the day can be quite a life-saver when starving after dancing all night in a club, or drinking without having eaten dinner in the first place. It hits the spot.
El Farolito serves burritos, tacos, tostadas, tortas, carne asada (grilled steak), pollo (chicken), enchiladas, quesadillas, agua frescas (todays natural seasaon flavors were cantelope, strawberry and the creamy horchata), sodas and mexi-sodas.