Prubechu

Prubechu’s patio has all the elements of an ideal backyard get-together. Someone’s car might be randomly stationed in the corner. Tropical greens reach out from planters, string lights twinkle, and reggae beats pump from the speakers. And if you feel the urge to do groovy things with your body while holding a punch-colored cocktail in hand, it wouldn’t be weird if you stood to do so—there’s plenty of elbow room.

At this particular outdoor hang, you won't find any finger food platters, bowls of kettle chips, or tubs of Casa Sanchez salsa. This Guamanian spot in the Mission serves knockout Chamorro dishes. Between the floral tablecloths and the occasional pig roast , it’s a full island party.

This is the only restaurant in San Francisco spotlighting the cuisine of the indigenous peoples of Guam and the Marianas Islands. The food is a mix of traditional Chamorro dishes with Spanish, Japanese, and American colonial influences. Whether you order a la carte or go for the $96 fiesta table, everything is served family-style. Fluffy achiote-seasoned red rice and spinach braised in coconut milk come alongside crispy empanadas, fried egg-topped tamales, and lemon-marinated chicken wrapped in coconut flatbread. The plump ko’ko’ wings coated in a secret blend of salts and spices are served with a small ramekin of lemon-vinegar fina’denne’ sauce. Your lips will pucker from the acidity.

Make a reservation ahead of time for a spot on the patio—dinnertime gets packed. Assemble as many people as can fit around a picnic table, go order-happy, and pass those plates and bowls around like a relay race baton. The only thing missing at this hang is a pool, and the friend who usually arrives two hours late. Everything else you need for a laid-back meal is already here.

Food Rundown

Fiesta Table

This tasting experience mainly includes new and one-off dishes, like oysters with fina’denne’, chicken sausage covered in coconut milk, a fried soft-boiled egg in chalakiles rice porridge, and sizzling grilled lamb. The fiesta table is $96 per person for 11 courses, including rice, and dessert. It’s mostly served family-style. The only downside to this option is missing out on the other dishes that we love at Prubechu like the ko'ko wings and tinaktak. If you have FOMO, go a la carte.

photo credit: Erin Ng

Ko’Ko’ Wings

Eat these juicy chicken wings once and you’ll probably find any excuse to drop them in casual conversations randomly—they are the GOAT of wings, thanks to the sweet and salty spice blend they’re coated in.

photo credit: Erin Ng

BBQ Pork Ribs

Prubechu used to serve barbecued plates with red rice and vegetables, but now the barbecue is a la carte. A minor inconvenience, but one that doesn’t deter us from ordering the pork ribs (chicken skewers, brisket, chicken kelaguen are also options). They are fall-off-the-bone tender. And the sweet sauce is sticky and slightly crunchy from the sesame seeds. We only wish the portions were bigger, for the price (roughly five small pieces for $22).

Chicken Kelaguen & Coconut Titiyas

Prubechu’s version of tacos, and two per order. The base is a Chamorro-style coconut flatbread, which is topped with shredded barbecued chicken marinated in lemon juice. Finely grated coconut and a creamy aioli-like sauce round it out. We like this dish, but prefer to order the full bowl of just the chicken kelaguen because it’s easier to share.

photo credit: Erin Ng

Tinaktak

What we want after an over-stimulated day of toggling between eight different screens. This bowl of homemade egg noodles is the comfort food equivalent of Bob Ross’s voice. Cherry tomatoes, button mushrooms, green beans, and coconut-braised beef complete this creamy concoction we always get.

Fina’denne’ Sauce

Fina’denne’ is a Chamorro vinegar-based sauce used primarily to add flavor to BBQ, but the condiment can go over rice and anything you want to have a zesty touch. There are two here: Black fina’denne’ (soy sauce, onion, and vinegar), and white (lemon juice, scallions, vinegar). We always transform into a mother lion protecting her cub if the server tries to prematurely take the sauces away—we love them so much. Order a few for the table.

photo credit: Erin Ng

Spicy Hot Tamale Gisu

The star, as it should be, is the super soft and tender masa steamed in a banana leaf. We don’t know many places that serve tamales with a fried egg on top. Get this. Like the ribs, this is now served by itself.

Roasted Japanese Yams

The many subtle textures and flavors here makes our minds go haywire. The roasted yams are huge and have a crunchy outer later. Each one sits atop some creamy golai hagon suni, and is finished with charred scallions and caramelized soy sauce. This starchy dish also goes for presentation: All four pieces arrive like a present on a round wooden board.

Chamorro Potato Salad

If you like potato salad, you will like this version with olives, bell peppers, and nori powder. It comes in a very small bowl, so “shareable” here means needing a few orders if you’re with more than two people.

‘Bunelos Aga’ Banana Donuts

When presented with dessert, the choice is banana donuts all the way. The draw here—aside from the puffy sugar and cinnamon coated fried dough—is the super airy whipped cream infused with roasted banana.