Maria Isabel: Dinner Table for 6 ($48 deposit required)

The restaurant is located at 500 Presidio Avenue.

Maria Isabel is an elevated, contemporary Mexican restaurant located in San Francisco’s Presidio Heights neighborhood. Named in tribute to Executive Chef Laura Ozyilmaz’s mother (Isabel) and sister (María), the restaurant offers a refined, coastal Mexican dining experience that bridges the regional culinary traditions of Guerrero and Sinaloa with seasonal Northern California ingredients.

The restaurant is helmed by the high-profile culinary duo Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz, who are also behind the acclaimed Presidio Mediterranean restaurant Dalida. Laura, a Top Chef Season 21 finalist who trained at the Culinary Institute of America and worked at renowned kitchens like Eleven Madison Park and Saison, draws deeply from her childhood upbringing in Acapulco and her family’s roots in Guerrero and Sinaloa. Together with Sayat, the pair fuses disciplined fine-dining techniques with local California sourcing, house-nixtamalized heirloom corn from Oaxaca, and subtle Mediterranean nuances.

Popular dishes include

• Caviar Guacamole Buñuelo: A light masa buñuelo topped with guacamole, pistachios, and Kaluga caviar.
• Ceviche Acapulqueño: A bright coastal starter featuring poached shrimp, raw scallop, serrano chiles, and preserved sour orange.
• Sea Urchin Tamalito de Maíz: A sweet corn tamal paired with corn crema, Mexican vanilla oil, fermented habanero, and fresh Santa Barbara sea urchin.
• Duck Carnitas Enmoladas: Shredded duck wrapped in corn tortillas and served with two distinct moles—a rich mole negro and a fruity seasonal mole (such as cherry or rhubarb).
• Lamb Ribs Barbacoa: Succulent lamb ribs served with lamb consommé, fermented carrots, and fresh tortillas for building tacos.
• Choco Ta-Corn: A playful dessert reimagining the Choco Taco, crafted with a masa waffle, corn ice cream, corn chocolate, and a touch of makrut lime.

The restaurant earned an inclusion in the MICHELIN Guide, highlighting its elevated approach to coastal Mexican fare.

We’ll be ordering the chef’s tasting menu, which is $90 per person, and includes 6-7 courses. (With tax, tip, and fees, that will be $122.)

Menu
You can also see a sample tasting menu here
Infatuation
Eater

Description generated with the assistance of Google Gemini.

Costs
The restaurant charged a $48 per person deposit (random, I know) when I made the reservation, so I will collect that from attendees about a week before the event by Venmo, Zelle, or Apple Cash. The deposit will be deducted from what you owe at the event. Drinks and add-ons will be the responsibility of the person(s) who ordered them. Please be prepared to split the check at the event and pay via cash, Venmo, Zelle, or Apple Cash.

Taxes and Fees
Dining in San Francisco has a sales tax (8.625%) and the restaurant charges a 20% service charge and a 5% mandate.

Parking and Transportation
Muni 1, 1X, 2 to California Avenue and Presidio Street; 43 to Presidio Avenue and California Street
Street parking is something I know nothing about