Great food and great service. Everything was fresh and service was quick. We waited 20 minutes on a Sunday evening maybe even less once we put our names with the hostess.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Laura Tapley
I don’t really understand the great reviews. We got the halibut, which seemed fresh, but there wasn’t much to the dish other than a side of mushy wilted spinach. We also got the scallops, which was described to us as grilled, but were served smothered in an overly salty sauce that we weren’t told about when ordering and didn’t like at all. There was also a long black hair on the plate and in the food. Obviously pretty gross. We had asked for sharing plates and they gave us two small very wet plates. Just unappealing and not a great meal. 3 stars because the fish seemed fresh and not overcooked but we would not go back. Maybe it is a tourist trap.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Ori Kim
I found a thumb-sized stone in a shellfish dish.
When informed, staff responded that this “happens” and did not apologize or offer remediation. I understand shellfish can contain debris, but serving a hazardous object without acknowledgment or corrective action is concerning, especially for diners who may swallow it accidentally. This is a preventable safety risk, not just an inconvenience.
Food quality was “touristy” at its best, and safety handling and service response were not acceptable. I hope the restaurant improves inspection procedures and trains staff to handle incidents seriously.
Service: 1
Esau Rodriguez
This place was highly recommended for its Clam Chowder and it was a big disappointment!! Whoever think their Chowder is even decent is mistaken. My family and I were extremely disappointed with Chowder and food overall. We have the Seafood risotto and was not good either. I was going to try their Chopino but decided not to after trying their salads, risotto, and chowder. I don’t know if we came in the wrong day of the week and the cook was having a bad day, but this was an awful experience. We were celebrating my two daughter’s birthdays today and it became sour! There is no sour bread bowl for the chowder, the chowder itself was sour! I guess they mix the chowder with sourdough after all!
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 2
Garad Gurhan
It's really great sea food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ashanti Green
I’ve never been inside the restaurant before, but I always DoorDash and My goodness, the lobster ravioli is so good in their pasta.. I’ve tried lobster ravioli at other restaurants, but this one is the best
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kimball Warren
Sotto Mare is a fantastic spot for anyone who loves fresh, flavorful seafood. The dishes are generous, well-prepared, and full of authentic taste, from classic seafood plates to daily specials. Portions are hearty, and the freshness of the ingredients really stands out in every bite. Service is friendly, welcoming, and attentive, creating a relaxed and comfortable dining experience. The atmosphere is casual and lively, perfect for enjoying a meal with friends or family. Overall, Sotto Mare is a reliable choice for delicious seafood and a memorable, satisfying dining experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Yingyi Li
FOOD WAS GREAT, the staff and the host were nice too. BUT
I had a very uncomfortable experience with one of the waitresses tonight. I initially checked in alone for a table of three because my husband was parking the car — which is normal in San Francisco. I clearly told staff I understood the seating limits and was fine starting at a table for two.
About 10 minutes later, when my husband arrived and there were still multiple four-top tables open, I politely asked the host if switching was possible. Instead of listening, a waitress came out and loudly told me, “We don’t do that,” in front of other guests. The tone felt dismissive and unnecessarily aggressive. Being spoken to that way in public was embarrassing and disrespectful.
I don’t know if it was a communication issue or bias, but the interaction left me feeling singled out and unheard. A restaurant can enforce policies without raising their voice or shutting customers down. Basic respect and professionalism should be the standard.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 1
T
Had a very warm welcome by staff and was seated in the downstairs banquet area. Atmosphere is lively and the food was so fresh. We started out with the crab salad and it was super refreshing. Crab cioppino was what we came for and each ingredient was so fresh and cooked perfectly. We got the halibut from the daily fish special and it flaked perfectly. The risotto was surprising -- so fresh and packed with flavor! We had an amazing time and will definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Najoua Himdi
I ordered the sautéed calamari, but the garlic was burned and tasted very bitter. The scallops were served in a generous portion, but they lacked flavor and weren’t cooked properly. The menu was also disappointing, with many pasta dishes based on heavy cream, and honestly nothing about it felt truly Italian. Overall, I really don’t understand the hype around this place.
Located in the heart of Little Italy, North Beach San Francisco. This is my favorite place for classic cioppino, fresh oysters and marinated Dungeness crab! They offer raw oysters either on the half shell or as shooters, west coast or east coast species with a spicy red sauce. Be sure to ask for their fresh horseradish. For starters, we also love their bay shrimp Louie salad, which is big enough to share with 2-3 people. I also recommend their marinaded, cold whole Dungeness crab, which comes in an olive oil, lemon garlic sauce. Be sure to order their marinaded”Best Damn Cioppino” , which is served in a large bowl: Dungeness crab, mussels, clams, squid, and scallops.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David Menchini
One of the best meals I’ve had in a longtime. I got the crab fra diavalo and loved it. Christy was my waiter and was so nice. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Beullah Escalante
Such a local gem! Our good friend took us here for my partners and i's pre engagement lunch! We got the signature crab seafood soup and tye risotto and omg, was it heavenly! My partner also tried some oysters. You can tell the quality of the seafood in one bite! I highly recommend going there for small or moderate size groups but I think they have a banquet space in the basement.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Henry Wang
Super good Ciopinno. Friendly waiters and cool environment. The seafood risotto and linguine were good too, lots of aromatic flavors.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: The Best Damn Crab Cioppino with Seafood Enough for Two, Seafood Pasta, Risotto
Great food and great service. Everything was fresh and service was quick. We waited 20 minutes on a Sunday evening maybe even less once we put our names with the hostess.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I don’t really understand the great reviews. We got the halibut, which seemed fresh, but there wasn’t much to the dish other than a side of mushy wilted spinach. We also got the scallops, which was described to us as grilled, but were served smothered in an overly salty sauce that we weren’t told about when ordering and didn’t like at all. There was also a long black hair on the plate and in the food. Obviously pretty gross. We had asked for sharing plates and they gave us two small very wet plates. Just unappealing and not a great meal. 3 stars because the fish seemed fresh and not overcooked but we would not go back. Maybe it is a tourist trap.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
I found a thumb-sized stone in a shellfish dish.
When informed, staff responded that this “happens” and did not apologize or offer remediation. I understand shellfish can contain debris, but serving a hazardous object without acknowledgment or corrective action is concerning, especially for diners who may swallow it accidentally. This is a preventable safety risk, not just an inconvenience.
Food quality was “touristy” at its best, and safety handling and service response were not acceptable. I hope the restaurant improves inspection procedures and trains staff to handle incidents seriously.
Service: 1
This place was highly recommended for its Clam Chowder and it was a big disappointment!! Whoever think their Chowder is even decent is mistaken. My family and I were extremely disappointed with Chowder and food overall. We have the Seafood risotto and was not good either. I was going to try their Chopino but decided not to after trying their salads, risotto, and chowder. I don’t know if we came in the wrong day of the week and the cook was having a bad day, but this was an awful experience. We were celebrating my two daughter’s birthdays today and it became sour! There is no sour bread bowl for the chowder, the chowder itself was sour! I guess they mix the chowder with sourdough after all!
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 2
It's really great sea food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’ve never been inside the restaurant before, but I always DoorDash and My goodness, the lobster ravioli is so good in their pasta.. I’ve tried lobster ravioli at other restaurants, but this one is the best
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sotto Mare is a fantastic spot for anyone who loves fresh, flavorful seafood. The dishes are generous, well-prepared, and full of authentic taste, from classic seafood plates to daily specials. Portions are hearty, and the freshness of the ingredients really stands out in every bite. Service is friendly, welcoming, and attentive, creating a relaxed and comfortable dining experience. The atmosphere is casual and lively, perfect for enjoying a meal with friends or family. Overall, Sotto Mare is a reliable choice for delicious seafood and a memorable, satisfying dining experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
FOOD WAS GREAT, the staff and the host were nice too. BUT
I had a very uncomfortable experience with one of the waitresses tonight. I initially checked in alone for a table of three because my husband was parking the car — which is normal in San Francisco. I clearly told staff I understood the seating limits and was fine starting at a table for two.
About 10 minutes later, when my husband arrived and there were still multiple four-top tables open, I politely asked the host if switching was possible. Instead of listening, a waitress came out and loudly told me, “We don’t do that,” in front of other guests. The tone felt dismissive and unnecessarily aggressive. Being spoken to that way in public was embarrassing and disrespectful.
I don’t know if it was a communication issue or bias, but the interaction left me feeling singled out and unheard. A restaurant can enforce policies without raising their voice or shutting customers down. Basic respect and professionalism should be the standard.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 1
Had a very warm welcome by staff and was seated in the downstairs banquet area. Atmosphere is lively and the food was so fresh. We started out with the crab salad and it was super refreshing. Crab cioppino was what we came for and each ingredient was so fresh and cooked perfectly. We got the halibut from the daily fish special and it flaked perfectly. The risotto was surprising -- so fresh and packed with flavor! We had an amazing time and will definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I ordered the sautéed calamari, but the garlic was burned and tasted very bitter. The scallops were served in a generous portion, but they lacked flavor and weren’t cooked properly. The menu was also disappointing, with many pasta dishes based on heavy cream, and honestly nothing about it felt truly Italian. Overall, I really don’t understand the hype around this place.
Restaurantji Recommends
Located in the heart of Little Italy, North Beach San Francisco. This is my favorite place for classic cioppino, fresh oysters and marinated Dungeness crab! They offer raw oysters either on the half shell or as shooters, west coast or east coast species with a spicy red sauce. Be sure to ask for their fresh horseradish. For starters, we also love their bay shrimp Louie salad, which is big enough to share with 2-3 people. I also recommend their marinaded, cold whole Dungeness crab, which comes in an olive oil, lemon garlic sauce. Be sure to order their marinaded”Best Damn Cioppino” , which is served in a large bowl: Dungeness crab, mussels, clams, squid, and scallops.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the best meals I’ve had in a longtime. I got the crab fra diavalo and loved it. Christy was my waiter and was so nice. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Such a local gem! Our good friend took us here for my partners and i's pre engagement lunch! We got the signature crab seafood soup and tye risotto and omg, was it heavenly! My partner also tried some oysters. You can tell the quality of the seafood in one bite! I highly recommend going there for small or moderate size groups but I think they have a banquet space in the basement.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Super good Ciopinno. Friendly waiters and cool environment. The seafood risotto and linguine were good too, lots of aromatic flavors.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: The Best Damn Crab Cioppino with Seafood Enough for Two, Seafood Pasta, Risotto
Good food.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
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