Velvet Cantina & Revolution Cafe

Last night, the boyfriend and I decided to go out at the last moment. It was a strangely gorgeous June day in the City and the evening seemed just right. So we took a walk down to 22nd and Mission and popped over to outdoor Revolution Cafe (on 22nd between Mission/Valencia).

Revolution Cafe serves some cocktails (I think) and a bunch of different kind of beers - some cheap, some Belgium, some mid-level. They have food too - though I've never ordered it.

It really was the perfect setting for a few games of backgammon and a coupla beers. I felt almost as if I were sitting in a bar that was simultaneously in Mexico and the Czech Republic. Spending enough time looking around though, you notice that almost everyone is sporting the Mission Hipster look to death and you get over it pretty quickly. But with the breeze and the beer and the bustling cafe vibe, I was so perfectly happy to sit there and hang with J until I got hungry.

We packed up when the band of aging hippies got on stage (no comment on the quality of music, we really didn't stick around long enough to have an opinion - I can say that they all seemed to know how to play their instruments and they could harmonize).

Lucky for us, Velvet Cantina is located just a short block up on 23rd (between Mission/Valencia). I've been here twice before, the second time for my birthday. Before going into details, let me just say that every single person who was at my birthday party has returned to the Cantina since, and some more than once. I think that speaks volumes.

While the service does have some rough spots as they work out the kinks for this newish restaurant, the personality of the wait staff, the price, and the cocktails entirely make up for it. If it's busy, things can take awhile, but unlike some SF restaurants - the waitstaff always recognizes this, apologizes and more often than not has thrown a yummy plate of nachos or dessert at my table to make up for it.

More restaurants need to learn this customer service trick - if you have a potentially unhappy client, give them something to make them happy and make them return. A plate of nachos, or a free glass of wine costs a restaurant about a dollar - so worth return business and good word of mouth.

I digress. We had some EXCELLENT Mango and Raspberry margaritas, ate some yummy chips and salsa, ordered their house quesadilla (with ham) and their Ancho-Chile Steak Tacos. All good - the steak tacos were the highlight (of course next to the margaritas).

Velvet Cantina is not the best Mexican Restaurant I have ever experienced. HOWEVER, I love going there. The price is spot on, the cocktails are excellent, the service is super-friendly, the food has some interesting preparations and is quite good, and the atmosphere is comfortable and fun.

It was a good, easy-breezy night. I highly recommend this outing.