As newcomers to San Francisco, we're always on the lookout for cozy neighborhood Italian spots—and this one checks all the boxes. We visited on a Tuesday evening, and the place was buzzing with families and couples of all ages, giving the clear impression that it's a beloved local favorite. One person in our small group ordered the branzino with calamari, a nightly special that was cooked and seasoned to perfection. The rest of us opted for pasta dishes, which were equally satisfying. Nothing disappointed—we will be back many times.
Lisa
Always great and friendly service . Came in early , had my pick of tables . Relaxing and delicious visit
Pat
Very enjoyable experience on all counts! Wonderful house made pasta, good house wine, friendly and attentive service. Great cannoli and cappuccino!! Would definitely recommend it!! Would go again.
Amy
The restaurant was quite understaffed for a busy Saturday evening. The manager was also seating tables, taking orders, and running food. He asked us for our reservation name three times before we were seated. Once we were seated, multiple people asked for our drink orders before we were able to get bottled water. There was no real service experience, just order taking. The specials were quickly run through before the manager/server left the table to attend to the front door. We started with the antipasto (meat & cheese) platter, which was somehow more expensive than either of our entrees. I got pasta and my partner got pizza. Both were ok, not great. On the website, their photos show a full bar, but only beer and wine were available. Based on the service, food, and general chaos, we opted not to stay for dessert.
Rolf
We had high expectations for a highly recommended local Italian restaurant. The best part of the meal was the Sangiovese wine. The burrata was improperly seasoned and spaghetti and clams were poorly prepared. The clams were not even close to fresh and the pasta was way less cooked than al dente. I do not recommend.
DeEtte
The food and experience was amazing. Authentic Italian for sure. Felt like we stepped into a little place in Italy. 10/10. We will be back!
Kathleen
Wonderful authentic Italian food. Good service and great atmosphere. Would highly recommend.
Gabby
Service wasn't the greatest. Slow to bring extra Parmesan cheese and slow in general to take our orders. The cacio de Pepe was too salty but everything else was good in terms of the food
Angela
Great tucked away spot with delicious pastas and flavorful meals! Our group who was visiting from out of town enjoyed our dinner and conversation.
Sally
Amazing calamari, excellent pizza, spaghetti with clams are amazing dishes. Plus the wait staffs are attentive even though the restaurant is full.
Another excellent meal. The staff are delightful, the food is stellar. The pasta was amazing - we had the special, and the recommended wine was a good fit. Highly recommend, we're looking forward to visiting again.
Åsa
Wonderful restaurant. Great food. Great staff. But the acoustics were terrible – it was so noisy that it was hard to hear the person sitting across from me.
Christine
This is a hidden treasure! Absolutely delicious unique Italian cuisine in a quaint atmosphere. Wonderful service too - we will be back!
Ben
We came in on a Sunday night at 8:30 pm. The place was nearly empty, and the service, while very friendly, was very uneven. We were led to a table that had not been cleaned off, we got asked 3 times which kind of water we wanted, and my pasta dish came split in two plates. Overlooking these minor inconsistencies, the food was just ok/good but not great. We tried a house salad, pizza, cacio e Pepe, and chicken dish, and all were very average. For $100, we felt the food quality and value was very much lacking. We are bummed because we wanted to love it as it was our first time in North Beach.
pamela
We have gone to Ideale for years. The food is always excellent. Their pasta and daily specials are truly special. We also like the grilled calamari and their salads. Their tiramisu is house made and excellent. Everyone who works there is warm and welcoming, like old friends. Ideale is our very favorite restaurant in San Francisco!!
As newcomers to San Francisco, we're always on the lookout for cozy neighborhood Italian spots—and this one checks all the boxes. We visited on a Tuesday evening, and the place was buzzing with families and couples of all ages, giving the clear impression that it's a beloved local favorite. One person in our small group ordered the branzino with calamari, a nightly special that was cooked and seasoned to perfection. The rest of us opted for pasta dishes, which were equally satisfying. Nothing disappointed—we will be back many times.
Always great and friendly service . Came in early , had my pick of tables . Relaxing and delicious visit
Very enjoyable experience on all counts! Wonderful house made pasta, good house wine, friendly and attentive service. Great cannoli and cappuccino!! Would definitely recommend it!! Would go again.
The restaurant was quite understaffed for a busy Saturday evening. The manager was also seating tables, taking orders, and running food. He asked us for our reservation name three times before we were seated. Once we were seated, multiple people asked for our drink orders before we were able to get bottled water. There was no real service experience, just order taking. The specials were quickly run through before the manager/server left the table to attend to the front door. We started with the antipasto (meat & cheese) platter, which was somehow more expensive than either of our entrees. I got pasta and my partner got pizza. Both were ok, not great. On the website, their photos show a full bar, but only beer and wine were available. Based on the service, food, and general chaos, we opted not to stay for dessert.
We had high expectations for a highly recommended local Italian restaurant. The best part of the meal was the Sangiovese wine. The burrata was improperly seasoned and spaghetti and clams were poorly prepared. The clams were not even close to fresh and the pasta was way less cooked than al dente. I do not recommend.
The food and experience was amazing. Authentic Italian for sure. Felt like we stepped into a little place in Italy. 10/10. We will be back!
Wonderful authentic Italian food. Good service and great atmosphere. Would highly recommend.
Service wasn't the greatest. Slow to bring extra Parmesan cheese and slow in general to take our orders. The cacio de Pepe was too salty but everything else was good in terms of the food
Great tucked away spot with delicious pastas and flavorful meals! Our group who was visiting from out of town enjoyed our dinner and conversation.
Amazing calamari, excellent pizza, spaghetti with clams are amazing dishes. Plus the wait staffs are attentive even though the restaurant is full.
Restaurantji Recommends
Another excellent meal. The staff are delightful, the food is stellar. The pasta was amazing - we had the special, and the recommended wine was a good fit. Highly recommend, we're looking forward to visiting again.
Wonderful restaurant. Great food. Great staff. But the acoustics were terrible – it was so noisy that it was hard to hear the person sitting across from me.
This is a hidden treasure! Absolutely delicious unique Italian cuisine in a quaint atmosphere. Wonderful service too - we will be back!
We came in on a Sunday night at 8:30 pm. The place was nearly empty, and the service, while very friendly, was very uneven. We were led to a table that had not been cleaned off, we got asked 3 times which kind of water we wanted, and my pasta dish came split in two plates. Overlooking these minor inconsistencies, the food was just ok/good but not great. We tried a house salad, pizza, cacio e Pepe, and chicken dish, and all were very average. For $100, we felt the food quality and value was very much lacking. We are bummed because we wanted to love it as it was our first time in North Beach.
We have gone to Ideale for years. The food is always excellent. Their pasta and daily specials are truly special. We also like the grilled calamari and their salads. Their tiramisu is house made and excellent. Everyone who works there is warm and welcoming, like old friends. Ideale is our very favorite restaurant in San Francisco!!
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