El Buen Comer

El Buen Comer is a Mexican restaurant in Bernal Heights that promises “good eats” (their name means “the good eating”). And good eats—and more—are exactly what this homey spot delivers. Enchiladas, tacos, tortas, you name it. But their stars are the Mexico City-style guisados. They’re the best damn guisados in town and slow-cooked paradise in a ceramic bowl. Add the fact that this place is feel-good (like a housewarming party that never ends) and there’s no other place we’d rather be.

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

Why toil over the stove for hours when you can get guisados that set the standard for all future stews? Pork and chicken feature heavily on the guisado menu, and each one (available in small or large shareable portions, or as a plato fuerte with a side of rice and beans) is crafted by guisado experts who do it right—slow and low. The costillas de puerco en salsa verde con nopales is a tangy feat of greatness on par with Steph Curry in 2018. The rich, velvety mole rojo is the right balance of sweet-spicy, and the lighter vegetarian calabazitas ala mexicana is for anyone who would fill a hydroponic farm to the brim with summer squash. And no need to invest in your corn mill—El Buen Comer’s fresh, housemade tortillas (available on request), are better than anything you can find in a store. 

Take out the bowls of guisados and this place still shines. For example, the tostada de tinga features fall-apart tinga on top of a crunchy tostada, and the Mexico City-style rajas con cremas tacos will make the asada devotees in your life rethink their taco filling choices. Never pass on the quesadilla chilanga, a well-executed quesadilla full of huitlacoche, a corn fungus that tastes much better than it sounds, and an ingredient you don’t see in the city often. 

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

Family get-togethers, casual group dinners, birthdays, and even random high school reunions fit right in thanks to large tables and friendly staff. Diego Rivera paintings on the walls, decorative Day of the Dead dolls, and molcajetes on the shelves make the place look like a vibrant mural come to life. Livening the mood are gorgeous, over-saturated blues, reds, and yellows. The bright space sets the stage for the moment when you reach across the table to steal the last bit of mole from your second uncle. El Buen Comer will quickly start to feel like the best dinner party ever (minus the cooking drama) once the palomas from the fully stocked bar get flowing. 

The move at El Buen Comer is to come with group and order as many incredible guisados as possible—and big plates you’ll be thinking about for months. So the next time you're looking to spend quality meal time with all your favorite people, you know what to do.

Food Rundown

Guacamole and Salsas

A good way to start your meal but by no means necessary. You’ll get three salsas (two green and one red), guacamole, and some really nice freshly fried chips.

Sopa De Fideo

Simply an excellent tomato and noodle soup to start your meal.

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

Mole Rojo Con Pollo

A bowl of mole that’s so dark you won’t be able to see the bottom (the picture above is the plato fuerte mole). Served with a juicy chicken that’s the Luigi to this (mole) Mario.

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

Costillas De Puerco En Salsa Verde Con Nopales

Tangy, juicy, and mouth-puckering are some of the words we use to describe these tender costillas.

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

Tacos Dorados

There are two options—potato or chicken—and you can’t go wrong with either. Crunchy, crispy, and piping hot—just how we like it.

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

Huarache

The only thing on the menu to skip. On one visit, the masa was so tough that it was almost impenetrable even with a fork and knife (and the carnitas were dry).

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

Quesadilla Chilanga

A massive quesadilla. The cheese is nice and melty. Get the huitlacoche.

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

Pozole Verde

Great pozole is hard to come by. This is one of the few renditions we would go out of our way to get.

Milanesa de Res

Two big pieces of steak are breaded and fried. This is a hearty platter worth ordering if you have an appetite as big as a horse.

Taco de Rajas Con Crema

A sliced poblano is cooked in a corn cream sauce until extremely tender. Make this your new taco to-go.

Taco De Pescado

It’s a fried fish taco with some slaw and creamy dressing. It’s not bad by any means, but there are many other choices that’ll do you better.

Mexican Mocha

One of the many stellar drink options. Gething this slightly-spicy mocha drink is a move we wholeheartedly endorse.