This was my second visit to Abrazo. Last time I gave a five-Star review. This one is 4+. The food was very good. We had the lamb entree (4.2), roast chicken entree (4.7), and several tapas sized plates: bread (4.9), carrots (4.5), butter lettuce (4.2), beets (4.2) and meatballs (4.8). The service is very knowledgeable, attentive and efficient. I did feel slightly rushed by the server. (4.2). If the server was slightly more relaxed it would be a 4.8+. The restaurant was emptying out as we were leaving. I was looking for either the host or server to say "thank you" and they were nowhere to be found. The ambience is simple and urban with views of an iconic San Francisco street corner (4.1). The slightly lower level of warmth on this visit by the staff affected the ambiance score down. Overall, it was very good experience and I would be glad to return. read more

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We have a 'supper club' in our Russian Hill high rise and meet every month at a local restaurant. This month it was Abrazo and we were impressed. Chef/Owner Michael Pawlik put us in the back room, where we could talk to our neighbors, and pulled together a delicious menu, served family style. Everyone felt this was one of our best meals. read more

Abrazo was a true gem to find. My fiancé and I dined there for the first time on a Friday night and it was a memorable experience. Each dish from appetizer to entree was perfectly seasoned and the flavor truly felt like a culinary Abrazo(hug in Spanish)! The ambiance was perfect for our date night but most importantly the service was outstanding. Chef Mike came to our table and indulged us in conversation of his background and passion for food. He is truly gifted and we will surely return! read more

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Service was very good and dishes were unique. - Miyagi Oysters (good oysters, only thing was sauces took away from the natural flavor) - House Cured Salmon (good salmon though flatbread was a bit disappointing) - Bacalhau (soup flavor was very nice) - Bone marrow - a bit rare but fine - Roasted carrots - nice bit of sweetness on outside - Charred octopus - amazing octopus and amazing potatoes read more

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Delicious tapas spot! We had the patatas bravas, gambas, octopus and paella. We went for our anniversary and they greeted us with champagne which was a great touch! Excellent service, and very romantic ambiance. Also would be nice for friends to share the tapas. All the food we had was bursting with flavor! Looking forward to going back. read more

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Ok y'all listen up. This quaint neighborhood place had a lovely Spanish vibe, from the modest furnishings to the old butcher shop meet racks that adorn the ceiling of the back room. Service is friendly, warm, and meticulously prompt. The food is fabulous. Grilled stone fruit and duck salad, bone marrow, bacalao, and house bread. All amazing! Don't miss this spot. Now go get ya some. read more

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I made a reservation at Abrazo to have a nice dinner before attending the Juanes Concert taking place down the street at the SF Masonic Venue. We were sat immediately by very friendly and polite staff. I am a big fan of all things with Spanish influence. One person in our group had one of the best Gin and Tonic's of their life which was a nice surprise. We ordered family style and basically shared all of the following... 1. Beef tartare - I don't have a lot of basis of comparison, but it was a nice presentation and tasted very fresh. 2. Cheese Board - not usually my thing but it was a great appt to share 3. Paella - was delicious. We were scraping the pegao from the pan to get every last bit of rice. 4. Lamb Shank - fall off the bone, juicy, and served in a tasty red sauce 5. Steak - Cooked very well, tender and tasty. They were a great little spot and met all of our expectations and made for a great start to our night. read more

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Delicious. Great friendly knowledgeable service. Front room is gorgeous. Back room and bathrooms are weirdly murder vibes.

It's lame. They always close early. Some Internet sources say they close at 9, some 9:30 but I just called at 8:30 and they said that they were wrapping up. This is San Francisco, a city. I don't understand why businesses close early and post incorrect hours. read more

Abrazo was an incredible, intimate, charming Spanish/ california restaurant. We ate tapas and cocktails first and then entrees and wine. We sat there for 3 hours and all the staff was fun and sweet. The chef, Mike, came by multiple times and is a talented genius. Fan favorites were the Black Mission Figs, Chicken and potato soup, and the seafood paella. The restaurant is small but really cute and cozy. Definitely felt like i was back in Barcelona. There's additional seating downstairs, but the vibes are more intimate there. Highly recommend and will be back again! read more

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Awsome people and amazing Food Must try if your in San Fran Amazing time wonderful atomophear would go again and again read more

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Came here for a weekend dinner with some friends after a day spent exploring the city. It's located in a cute neighborhood, and the atmosphere is a definite plus, nicely balancing old-world European through elements like the rustic iron-and-rope chandeliers and exposed wooden beams with the airy brightness of a modern SF restaurant. Miyagi Oysters - Beautifully presented and served along interesting toppings. The gazpacho granita is quite salty so use sparingly! Cured Meat & Cheese Plate - As the most expensive appetizer on the menu, I honestly expected a little bit more in terms of the cheese and meats (two small portions of each). They piled on the filler, but I would have liked to see a third selection to really make you feel like you are getting to try a solid variety. Saffron Tortellini - This was my entrée, and it was pretty average. The pasta was cooked for too long to the point where it was a little soft and mushy. The sauce was tasty but too thin to actually coat the tortellini. I really enjoyed the flavor added by the Garrotxa cheese but it was used sparingly in the dish and only came through on a few bites. New York Strip - Delicious and definitely recommended. Two of my tablemates ordered this and were kind enough to share some with me. We all gave it glowing reviews. The steak was cooked to perfection, and the saffron potato puree and pearl onions were an excellent accompaniment. All in all, we had an enjoyable evening at Abrazo and it is definitely worth a visit! read more

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Food was mediocre but the worst part was the staff making my date wait for me in the bathroom area so they could clear the table. We didn't linger either. Average food and atmosphere, would not recommend. read more

It can't be easy living in the shadow of one of San Francisco's formerly favorite tapas restaurants. This was our first time returning to the restaurant since it was Zarzuela. But Abrazo stands on its own and we are looking forward to returning soon. Everything about Abrazo is fabulous. They recognize they are standing in the shoes of a giant (because they took over their space) but they even pay tribute to the old decor (find the painting of the bull fighter). We felt welcomed from the time we walked in. Because it was our anniversary, they had two glasses of champagne waiting for us. The cocktails are excellent. I had something that reminded me of a Tinto Verano and extremely tasty, only it had bourbon. My wife loved her drink. I can't remember the names of the drinks because I got drunk and the current website doesn't have them on the drink menu. I attached the pictures. Maybe I can fix it later. We ordered from the tapas menu and everything was done to perfection. Our favorites were the Charred Octopus (a clever play on Zarzuela's signature Pulpo a la Gallega) which was fabulously paired with the carrots, and the Scallops. The Steak Tartare and Gambas Al Ajillo were also perfect. My wife says, and I agree, that the food is so delicious that it will stop you mid-thought and make you make you pay attention to its deliciousness. I'm paraphrasing. I got the opportunity to tell the chef that while I had been searching for Nana's flan for 40 years and still hadn't found it, his was the next best thing. I meant it. It's a damn good flan and perfectly paired with a glass of tawny port. If you are a fan of flan, do not miss the flan. Perhaps even if you are not. The service -- fantastic. Do I miss Zarzuela? Maybe I just miss the memories. You need to eat here now. read more

Abrazo - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

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great place to enjoy paella with a very dear friend of mine who loves eating different kinds of foods just like I do. anytime we hang out just because it is the thing to do at times to just talk, talk, and talk about life I love trying out different places to keep myself from getting dull. Abrazo was a good place to go try out just because. And, just because we tried it out it ended up finding the food yummy, the service was great, the table was clean and not filthy at all. Cleanliness counts. I found the table very clean and so was the silverware. read more

Amazing food and fantastic service! One of the best meals we've had in a very long time! We had 5 app, 3 different meals and 4 desserts. Loved everything! Definitely coming back! read more

This was an unusual place to wait for Santa on Christmas eve, and made for a perfect evening. Abrazo is a cozy Spanish-inspired restaurant, located in one of my favorite neighborhoods along the western shoulder of Russian Hill, at Hyde and Union. Of course the location means you might hear the clang of a cable car bell while you're there. For me, the mere prospect of this adds to the charm on a brisk early winter evening here, though I suspect not so much for those who, living nearby, hear it more often. This corner at Union and Hyde begins a very stylish area along Hyde before it heads downhill rather steeply to that inexplicably perennial favorite SF bar, The Buena Vista. The building at one time housed a meat aging and storage business, and for effect some of the overhead racks and tracks are still in place, lending a bit of history to the interior. There's plenty to choose from on the menu, which apparently changes fairly often. To start I had the small plate bacalhau, a tomato-based soup full of complexity and a sprinkling of mussels to accompany the fish. This last had been prepared well enough as the saltiness was all but gone, however the texture wasn't as soft as I've had it when prepared as a main course. Not sure what difference that would make except it does require a lot of work to prepare the fish and I can imagine it being easier when you're cooking a larger quantity. The main course for me was the seafood paella, which killed. Also ordered by others at the table was pork loin and petrale sole, both of which looked quite good and reports confirmed the appearances. Wine was a fresh vinho verde type white. All in all Abrazo made for a great evening. Good thing, too, as my Christmas stocking was otherwise quite empty this year. read more

Really enjoyed this place. Small little hole in the wall restaurant and great service! The chef came out and talked to us about some of our orders and how we liked it even! The food was incredible as well, definitely recommend the charred octopus and croquetas. For desert the ricottas churros were super addicting. After ordering one plate we ordered another! Overall a great experience and great food, definitely earned the 5 stars and we hope to be back soon! read more

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Abrazo, where do I start? Tuesday night, heavy rain, parking 99.9% non-existent, and the restaurant is a few blocks from Lombard St., so the streets surrounding the restaurant were dangerously steep. 20 minutes of going around in circles and almost giving up and going home - all worth it - to eat at Abrazo! Researched Abrazo on Yelp for my wedding anniversary with my wife. When we found parking, I called the restaurant to let them know we were late for our reservation because of parking. Gentleman on the phone was very understanding and nice. Walked 3 blocks and entered the place and was greeted by Mike, the executive chef and owner of Abrazo. He was the same person on the phone and That means a lot when the owner themself greets you and has a positive disposition. Got seated and treated to one of the most amazing meals we've had! We ordered two appetizers, one charred octopus $17 (I think) and some smoked salmon $17. Both divine and delectable. Octopus was not chewy but tender. Flavor was phenomenally balanced. Smoked salmon was soft and very flavorful with some tostadas to eat with. My wife approves! Next, we both had the New York steak $44. The quantity could have been more, but the sliced medium-rare steak paired with veggies and secret sauce was magnificent. I am slowly turning my wife away from "well done" to a "medium rare" level of done-ness - and now she appreciates not having to chew forever on a steak. Dessert was heavenly: panna cotta and dulce de leche ice cream. $10 and $4 respectively, but they could have charged more because it was top notch dessert! I feel like everything was priced well and fairly, especially with the level of quality and flavor. I'm very easy to please when it comes to food. My wife, not so much. If she says it was delicious, it definitely IS delicious! Decor and indoor setting was great: they had vintage car photos on the walls and other things. The space felt intimate because it wasn't huge. It was fine dining at its best! My word of advice for those venturing to Abrazo: just ride-share. Unless you live close by or love driving on steep roads and looking for tight-spaced parking, just take an Uber or Lyft and enjoy the stress free dining at Abrazo! PS: I hardly do reviews anymore, so for me to drop a review for Abrazo means I fervently recommend this one! read more

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Came here for a birthday dinner date. The selection of food was great. I would highly recommend the charcuterie board. The pork lion And the lamb shank were both flavorful and arrived piping hot and cooked correctly. The service was great. We got seated promptly. It was cold inside, so I wish they had put on the heater. Parking is difficult to find. read more

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So so impressed with Abrazo. This restaurant was perfect. Food was amazing, service was personable and timely, and the setting was awesome. Nice low light, not too loud. Just hit all the right notes. Bummed I haven't been here until just recently, but will definitely be back again and again! read more

Abrazo is a beautiful, atmospheric place to grab Spanish tapas- it's great for date nights or larger gatherings. The highlights for me were the patatas bravas, butter lettuce, and croquettes. My guest and I also shared a paella which is perfect for two. While the rice lacked the crustaceany goodness of a seafood paella, the mussels and clams were cooked to perfection- not overdone and extremely fresh. Overall I was impressed by the quality of the ingredients and the warm, friendly service here after a long day of work. I'll be back! read more

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I'm happy to finally be writing about Abrazo! My fiancé live in the neighborhood but had not checked out Abrazo - our neighbors sought to change that right away. They go frequently and we all decided to have dinner together. And I'm now a huge fan and thrilled that this hidden gem is just a short walk away. I can't remember every dish we ordered but here were some highlights (I'm adding pictures - apologies for the lighting, the lights were romantic and intimate but it resulted in dark pictures!): * House bread: I'm not a fan of olives but I really liked this bread! * Octopus: If I see octopus on a menu, I have to order it. This was cooked and seasoned to perfection. * Scallops: I loved the combination of flavors for this dish. Everything just works! * Patatas bravas: Simple but delicious! * Croquetas: Another favorite of mine. The truffle adds a nice richness. We also ordered drinks. I had a taste of my fiancés G&T, which tasted exactly how you'd expect. I had a sangria and really enjoyed it. A 2023 goal of mine is to become a regular at Abrazo and try the whole menu! read more

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Ambiance was nice. Food was good but not great, for a $260 dinner for two I wish it was better. Service was attentive at first but fell off towards the end which was disappointing. If I was in the area I might sit at the bar top for some oysters and a cocktail but that's it. read more

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The food, service and ambience were exceptional. The owner was gracious and took the time to ensure that our experience was superb!

Very authentic and good Spanish food. Just like I remembered from nice restaurants in Madrid, Spain. He got a little early, and Mike, the bartender, made the best gin tonic I ever had We shared many tapas and every one of them was superb. We had a bottle of the regular Cava Sparkling wine, that went very well with it. The dessert was so good, two of us ordered double Amanda, the waitress, went out of her way to make sure we got everything we needed. read more

The Petrale sole was so fresh, and perfectly cooked and seasoned. It's so hard to find a chef that can cook fish perfectly. I would also recommend the seafood Paella, again the seafood was so fresh and perfectly cooked, along with the rice. Keep up the amazing work. Thank you. read more

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Came here with friends but thought the ambiance would be great for dates as well. Overall the food is great. I loved the Charred octopus, which was perfectly cooked with potatoes. The tagliatini is great for people who don't like super creamy or cheesy pastas. The oysters in general is fresh but a little small. The main reason why I gave 4/5 stars is bad service. My friends and I didn't all order drinks at the same time because some of us weren't sure if we wanted to drink. The server gave us a lot of attitude and it took a long time to get the drinks. Sadly, 20% service charge is added to the bill automatically. I would only go again if they fix the service problem read more

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What really sets abrazo apart is it's extremely accommodating service and ambiance!! Was shortly visiting SF and had a reservation here to celebrate my partner and I's anniversary but was running late after driving around the block struggling to find parking for a long 20 minutes. Michael answers the phone and immediately helped, actually meeting us outside providing us a spot right by the restaurant !! The ambiance of the restaurant felt perfect for our celebration, our dinner ended w a candle served with our dessert, a small detail surprising and sweet enough to make this night feel even extra special. we later found out that michael was the owner and felt even more moved by the sincerity and kindness he showed us that day and found it extremely reflective of the kind of service you'll receive at abrazo read more

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This place is friendly and the food is pretty good. Nice wine selections, cool little bar with nice ambiance all around. read more

The food didn't quite taste Spanish, nothing to write home about. The Octopus plate needed more balance to it. A bit more acidity to balance out the flavor. It def needed more octopus. It was filled with potatoes and maybe at most 4 small pieces of octopus. The Paella was a bit bland and didn't have that Spanish flavor. The service was great and the ambiance was romantic. So if you are willing to sacrifice good food for a more romantic ambiance then this could be your place, but not mine. read more

Overall, my experience was not what I was hoping at this restaurant as it came highly recommended. The waitress was quite rude and way too inappropriate explaining the menu as "this one is fine, this one is chill". Our experience with the waitress for the night made the ambiance uncomfortable. As for the food, it was way overpriced for what it was. We chose the chard octopus, speciality bread, and paella and everything was bland and did not tase authentic to Spanish cuisine. For an almost $70 tiny plate of paella I would have wanted the lobster to be a lot more tender and for the shrimp to have more flavor. The best part of our meal was the Sangria. On top of the food not being great, we came here on Valentine's Day and they up charged the exact same menu they usually have which we were not expecting. read more

Abrazo - Paella - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

Charred Octopus is the best thing ever. The chef is incredible and their bar game is impeccable! The Picasso prints create a romantic ambiance for special occasions like anniversaries, b-days, etc. read more

Abrazo looks like a small restaurant, but they have space in the back which is fantastic since there is usually always space to seat walk-ins. Their drinks are delicious, and so is their food. I got the seafood paella, which I really enjoyed but was a tad lackluster. The portions are super generous, though; it can feed two, or you can pack it up and have a whole other meal for lunch! The seafood was fresh. I wish there was a little extra oomph to it. The presentation was beautiful, and the service was excellent, too. No wait times, which is refreshing for San Francisco. Would come again, but I would not get the paella! read more

Abrazo - Seafood Paella - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

Outstanding from start to finish. My wife and I have dined at many of SF"s best restaurants, including some with Michelin stars. We both agreed that Abrazo is among the best. Each dish was perfectly prepared. The sauce accompanying the meatballs was amazing. The pork chop had the perfect amount of sear to enhance its natural flavor, and the butter lettuce salad had more flavors than I expected. Yes, as a bit of a carnivore, even I was raving about this salad. I noticed some reviews mentioning the parking challenge. There is some street parking a couple blocks away towards Polk. That being said, using Uber or Waymo isn't a bad idea. If you do, you'll still end up spending less than many restaurants that are not near as good as Abrazo. Also, the personal touch from the wait staff and chef / owner, Michael Pawlik, was the finishing touch to a very special evening. read more

The team at Abrazo makes you feel so welcome. The view of the cable cars is fantastic and it feels so very San Francisco. The food is very typical Spanish tapas and fun to share with friends. read more

My special lady friend and I were blessed that this popped up in my Yelp search and served as our first meal by the Bay together. I rarely give out 5 stars but hands down from start to finish, this dining experience set the bar for future meals to come. The location is lovely as the restaurant occupies a corner where wide windows let the city in and make San Francisco another guest in the space. The main dining room is rich with atmosphere and through the careful placement of shelves, the walls feel carved in light and shadow endowing the tables with a sense of intimacy yet openess due to the floor plan. The Picasso images of bull fighting patterned with accentuated bottles and serving jugs make it feel like your in a welcoming kitchen space. There is another dining area towards the rear of the restaurant that makes it feel like a gypsy type cavern where dining or Flamenco dancing may break out. We came as walk ins and Paolo working the bar immediately made us feel welcome and at ease with his humor and pleasant nature. My special mujer had never had oysters so we had to try them. They are served here with this grilled lemon still warm from being kissed by flame, this richly pungent red wine minerette (hope I spelled this correctly), and this incredible gazpacho preparation where it is in a frozen crystalline form. The combination only enhances the oceanic flavor of the oyster--you still feel the kiss of the sea as it goes down. We next had the steak tartare which was as visually striking to the eyes as it was to the tongue. The rectangle of beef was layered with tiny mushrooms, a yellow aoili, and these other herbaceous notes that were really pleasing to my pallette. I absolutely loved the rice shell-like blossom on the plate atop a dark streak of fermented garlic I believe. I used it as a tortilla to ride both to my mouth. There was this subtle heat to it that warmed your mouth in a pleasant manner versus a traditional type of jalapeño burn. A truly inspiring preparation. The croquetas were crispy on the outside yet mousse textured on the inside flavorful balls that worked well with the tartare. I really enjoyed what they brought as a fried appetizer to my meal. We shared a main course of the saffron tortellini and this was my favorite dish of the night (my fellow connoisseur favored the tartare as reigning Supreme). The dish was earthy and rich from the beef but had this uplifting note of brightness from the mint and as later revealed by the chef, a squeeze of orange. This was a revelation to me in that I was delightfully flummoxed by something very Italian looking yet still in play with the Iberian influences and richly reflective of California. Dessert was the final master stroke with a flan that when combined with a scoop of vanilla ice cream riding a fruity compote and sweet, nutty crumble that satisfied and was worthy of licking the plate. I also ordered a blackberry sorbet that was so richly fruit forward that I relished every spoonful till the end. From door to table, host to chef visit, that first swallow of oyster to last spoon swirl of purple pleasing sorbet, I truly was enamored with this dinner. We left supremely delighted from entrance to exit and the warm embrace of Abrazo is a memory we'll cherish till we return for our next meal. Provecho! read more

Abrazo - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here for brunch and was really excited to try it! I got the jamón serrano benedict. Service was good though we were not asked how our meals were and our waters were not refilled until the end. I really love benedicts but this one unfortunately fell flat. The avocado was mostly brown and I felt they could have done a better job using a better avocado. Very disappointing because it really tainted the meal. The jamón serrano was just okay but I don't think it pairs well with the hollandaise sauce. It was a bit bland for my taste. I also think the dish could have been warmer. Perhaps the hollandaise sauce was also a bit lukewarm. I loved the potatoes though! These were very good with the red peppers and the onions. Very crispy which I liked. I think the eggs were poached well but maybe needed a little more time. Some of mine had a tiny bit of runny egg white. Overall, I really wanted to like this place but was pretty disappointed with the avocado and the combo of the sliced Jamon Serrano and hollandaise. read more

Abrazo - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

Cozy restaurant with great wine and super delicious food! All of us had a great experience. Definitely will come again. read more

My favorite restaurant in the neighborhood! 1) The staff are so fun and friendly 2) I love a restaurant where you want to order one of everything 3) I love even more a restaurant where you can close your eyes and point at the menu and know you'll enjoy what you get 4) Sharing plates is the best way to dine - and there are so many excellent small plates! We always get: the octopus, albondigas, croquetas, and the butter lettuce salad. Half the time we just ask our server to round it out with some of their favorites. For the large plates, the chicken and the steak are fantastic. And if they have cheesecake for dessert - do it, even if you aren't a dessert person. I also had my birthday dinner and sat in the back room, which we had to ourselves. Michael curates a stellar family style dinner that makes dinner with a big group so easy! read more

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