Destino

Gary where have you gone? We left Noe Valley for Colorado in 03′ we always talked about you and your excellent menu and service. We’re back in the Bay Area and I’ve traced you from Millie to Somerset to Destino, only to find you’re gone — poof!
Let us know where you are! We want to come by and see you, no matter what you’re cooking up these days!
–eric & emily

Not that it matters since Destino’s is now closed… but their drinks and hh appetizers were always good, and I found their menu to be creative in it’s offerings. Too bad… it had potential.

CLOSED! Destino is the latest in a long line of failed restaurants at this location, which seems cursed.

Great tapas, amazing drinks, great service. Will definitely visit again.

Had amazing tortilla soup. Tried to go back this past week and found the space available for rent. Its sadly closed and gone now.

My gal and I decided to give this place a try. Just so you know this venue is very odd. The restaurant is located on multiple levels which I always felt challenged the vibe and killed the feng shui. Knowing this I opted for bar seating. The bar is located on the entry level and has a few high tables, a long bar and TV screens.
We sat at one of the high tables by the window. The server brought over jicama sprinkled in chilli powder, very cute and way better than chips. We ordered the Anejo Sour and La Otra Paloma which were both phenomenal! The Anejo Sour called for another round and will likely elicit a repeat visit.
To eat we had the Sopecitos de Chorizo which I thought were amazing. We also shared the Baby Butter Lettuce Salad which was huge and delicious. Lastly, we had the Quesadilla Milpera which I didn’t really care for, the filling was good but the tortilla was too thick and flavorless.
The service was attentive and the drinks were amazing. I will likely come back to try some of the platillos fuertes.

Forget about it. i have been three times, i live within walking distance and work within spitting distance. i want someplace new, i was excited for it… was beyond optimistic. but… all three meals were forgettable. i wish something could succeed in this cursed location… but it seems this will not be it.

Caveat (s): This is my first review since 2008, and I went to this restaurant several months ago (so this is from memory).
I live right up the hill from Destino. Naturally I was quite excited that another restaurant was opening within walking distance of my house, and that fact that it looked to be an upscale Mexican /​Latin sort of place made me even happier, as the Grand /​Lakeshore area has a limited number of upscale restaurants and this was a welcome addition.
My girlfriend and I were pleasantly surprised as we walked in. The space is very welcoming, elegant, with wood floors and high pitched roof that gives the front of the restaurant a spacious feeling. We were seated in the back. I noticed they have what looks like a great patio, but it was closed when we were there.
We ordered cocktails — I have a weakness for a good sazerac. It did not disappoint. I think my girlfriend had the cucumber cocktail which she enjoyed as well.
The food on the other hand, well… it was pretty and well presented, I’ll give it that, but there was nothing particularly wrong with it, it just was rather forgettable, so forgettable that I actually forgot most of it. Like other reviewers here, I remember it being a bit bland, and it felt overpriced as it slid down into my belly. The grilled squid was good. I forgot whatever else I ordered (oh, the baby lettuce salad with beets… overpriced for what it was, but functional, boring).
When a restaurant charges a steep price for an entrée but they really nail it, I forget easily about the price. If it’s just okay, I take issue.
Destino hadn’t been open very long when we dined there, so I’ll give it generous bit of understanding (it takes a minute for a restaurant to get up and running properly), so maybe they’ve tightened, and flavored up some of their dishes by now — I hope so, Having that empty building vacant for so long was a eyesore — I really hope Destino sticks around and will be back — but only because it is down the hill from my house, or maybe because they do have a bar and their cocktails were solid.
I’ll amend my review if my opinion changes.

Pros: Service lovely, good strong cocktails, nice to kids. Beans and rice delicious, Guacamole good.
Cons: food was blander than bland. I got sick from the fish. Enchilladas looked like they from trader joes, place was dirty, banquets covered in grease stains. Drinks at $ 11 for well is naughty. Slippy floor and outside steps. Be careful. Generally overpriced.
Is this space doomed? It could be so great. just freshen and zest up the dishes and don’t gouge the punter.

No idea why this place has 4-​stars. I had high hopes! We ordered the tortilla soup, the chorizo corn cakes, barilla & tequila prawns… sounds delicious right?! The food was very bland though, terribly under seasoned.
On the plus side the service was great and the specialty drinks were very good. Although the drinks were a bit expensive, $ 10.50 each. Ouch! Not sure I’ll be back.

Certainly enough choices for veg diners as well as meat eaters. The guacamole was yummy as was the Chile relleno. The veggie quesadilla was really great. Tasty beet salad with pumpkin seeds too. We were a party of four and we were all satisfied with our meals. Maybe the only ‘meh’ was the white rice and I heard the prawns were just ok. The sauces look rich but are quite delicate. The margarita was good too. Not too sweet and not so much tequila that it overwhelmed the rest of the drink.
I will definitely be back and so will the rest of my party.
An interesting aspect of Destino is that it is a multicultural mix that is unique in this area. This has Argentinian food, a dash of Central American dishes and some of the Mexican classics. Don’t expect tacos and burritos necessarily. This is not a taqueria.
Good ambiance for a date or families.
Most of the best Mexican restaurants are in areas of Oakland where you may not want to leave your car. Not the case here. Plenty of parking on the street and in neighborhood.

Sazerac yessir.
A sazerac is one of those wondrously odd drinks that has a cool hint of absinthe, the oomph of Peychaud’s Bitters and warmth of cognac or rye whisky. Destino had one on the menu and it pretty terrific.
The food was beautifully prepared — we ordered the squid dish and the sopecitos. Terrific small plates. Quite savory.
So why three stars? Service was very slow. Lots of servers moving around, but not a lot of food being served. Very expensive.$ 60 for three small plates and one drink is a bit over the top, even for beautiful food.
I would push it up a star if the service would be more prompt. Hoping for it to take off as a neighborhood restarant.

We went last Friday for date night, was underwhelmed by the drinks and food. The best thing of the night was the fudge chocolate cake for dessert. The Birria was under seasoned and bland. No flavor at all without the hot sauce that came with it on the side. My partner was very happy with the cod but there was nothing of note on the side that made the cod a meal… just some bland white rice with frozen peas and carrots mixed in. The house white wine was sour and the mixed drinks had little to no alcohol at all in them. The atmosphere is what made this place get the extra two stars, we loved the bold white rooms and the large floral arrangements. I feel the restaurant should reflect the food, not the other way around. Too bad the food was a disappointment.
Also– side note– the restroom was smelly and very dirty.

I have oodles of respect for folks who have a vision and are willing to take a risk to make it happen. Hence, when I read that the owners of the now closed Somerset opened a new restaurant in this seemingly cursed restaurant location I had to check it out.
First, I love what they did to the exterior. Maybe the awning was what gave the place the curse? A seemingly subtle change but it really changes the look.
The interior is warm and inviting with a very long and cozy bar and bar area, with a couple of bar tables that look out over Grand Avenue. We came late so we just had drinks and appetizers. The cocktails were first rate fabulous. As good, if not better, than many of those we have tried from the «100 best bars» list. The appetizers we had were fresh, well seasoned and prepared and just plain yummy.
These folks deserve tons of credit for bringing this well thought out menu of food and drink to give this spot a new life. I have high hopes that this is the restaurant that will finally be able to call this location home.
p. s. They do now take credit cards with no problem now.

Thought I would try out this new neighborhood destination. The restaurant building has seen many incarnations; hopefully Destino has the staying power. The place has been nicely designed with a front room with bay windows and a skylight.
I had the Pescado a la talla which was a couple of small cod fillets marinated with a delicate smoky chili sauce. The lime wedges gave it a wonderful taste, and the white rice with a few pieces of carrot and peas, together with the mini tortillas, allowed me to create my own tacos. It was good, but I would have liked some veggies to complete the dish.
So still a little less than full, I ordered the chocolate cake. It was layered with a large dollop of frosting and served beside a whipped cream with mint leaf flakes and a garnish of a couple of blackberries and a mint leaf. The cake was better than average, but I’ve had better. The whipped cream with it’s delicate mint flavor improved the overall look and taste. It was a generous serving and I took half of it home.
The menu is extensive, and I look forward to trying out more of their offerings.
Oh, and by the way, they do take credit cards.

One of the most frustrating dining experiences of my life! After receiving our bill we were told that they don’t accept credit cards. Had to walk a quarter of a mile to the nearest ATM and this is only after my girlfriend had to check the stores in the immediate area for an ATM. When I returned to the restaurant to pay my bill I told the manager about my frustrating experience he had the brilliant idea to take my credit card number! Why wasn’t this solution offered to us before? TERRIBLE MANAGEMENT!
That said the food was fine. Good luck Destino! I don’t think you’ll be seeing us, or any of our money again.

Finally, authentic Mexican food in the Bay Area! This place does what Dona Tomas used to do, only better and for less money. I’m still dreaming about the birria and the tortilla soup had everyone licking their spoons. Also I want to take a bath in the panna cotta while someone feeds me the chocolate cake. Yum. AND the cocktails are insanely good. I had a cucumber-​gin thing that is basically all I want to drink from now on.

Great food, great drinks, great atmosphere, love this place. Nice new option in the neighborhood :)

This is a great place if you are willing to have food with an authentic Mexican touch! I am from Mexico, and though there are so many places in the Bay Area that serve Mexican food, very few get it really right. This is one of the best! It is so good, it is worth going over from San Francisco.
We had the sopecitos with chorizo, the tequila prawns, the artichokes, the guacamole with home-​made chips, the steak and the two desserts available: panacota and the chocolate cake. I recommend them all! I am looking forward to go again and try some other things in the menu.
Bön appetit!

Just ate here. Was delicious. I had a wonderful tequila drink from Alex (of Somerset fame) and tortilla soup w/​a veggie chili rellano appetizer. Wishing you all well and welcome to the neighborhood.
«From the website: Destino Bar & Restaurant has teamed with Marisol del Rio from central Mexico. Her food knowledge started with her grandmother, who learned it from the Spanish colonial nuns in the 1930s. Later she was trained for 4 years in Mexico City at CESSA, a French school. Alex Aguilar will be behind the bar as usual mixing his specialty cocktails»