Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Il Pollaio

    4.4 (453 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Argentine
    Closed Closed
    Updated 1 week ago

    Il Pollaio Photos

    Business Info

    IL POLLAIO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Il Pollaio

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Salad
    Steven S.

    The dinner I had here at ll Pollaio was unbelievably delicious. The half rabbit with some potatoes was finger licking delicious. The service was very friendly. The ambiance of the place looked cute as well. I highly recommend this place for lunch or dinner. I give them 5 stars !

    1/2 chicken and fries lunch special $21
    Amy W.

    The reviews for this place have been excellent for years, so we decided to stop by for a light lunch before a heavy dinner later. My husband and I split a half chicken with fries, and we asked for the chicken well done. Do not expect a Costco-sized bird here. These are smaller chickens, but they are well seasoned and flavorful. The fries came out exactly as requested, very crispy and satisfying. Overall, it was a good meal, and I am glad we had the chance to try it.

    Menu 6/9/25
    Allena C.

    This restaurant has been around since 1984! Now, that's saying something to be in business for that long. They're doing something right! I've been meaning to try this spot for their grilled chicken, and finally got to try it. The waitstaff were welcoming, attentive, and accommodating. The place is cozy and intimate with some tables along side the windows for a street view of Columbus Avenue. ***OUR PICKS*** WHOLE CHICKEN ~ A small, but moist and tender chicken with crispy skin seasoned perfectly! Tasty chicken that's finger licking and bone sucking good!!! Loved this! 5/5 LARGE COMBO SALAD ~ Romaine, cabbage/slaw and bean salad. The slaw looked premade and not fresh looking with some leaves turning brown. But they gave us a few salad dressings, so that was nice. Nothing special, but as a starter, it did the job. 3.5/5 We didn't want to have a heavy lunch, so this fit the bill. The chicken was delicious, enjoyable and memorable that I would return again for the chicken! I've had chicken that's moist, but over brined or seasoned. Not the case for Il Pollaio's chicken. One of the best I've had! If you've never tried their chicken, you're missing out!

    Fries
    Chris R.

    We wanted to get another spot nearby, but it was too crowded and the wait was too long so we settled on Il Pollaio. Their specialty is chicken but it looks like they have other Italian items. We came as a group of 3 and ordered the Italian sausage, whole chicken, and fries. It looks like they cook their chicken to order. I wasn't sure what to expect, but our whole group walked out pretty satisfied. The chicken was very flavorful and moist. The Italian sausage was just OK in my opinion. My other friends liked it. The fries were good, but be warned it comes with no salt. I used their salsa which was really good. I couldn't get enough of that stuff on the chicken and fries. The servers were chill and the space was clean. I'd come back!

    chicken
    Sydney C.

    I got the chicken. The flavour was good but it was just very hard to eat and kind of dry. Our food took forever to come even our sides. Everyone got a free tableside of bread beaodes our table for some reason. The fries were good at least. Also the house sauce was very spicy but still good. Theres plenty of seating too for a saturday.

    Whole roasted chicken with very crispy skin.

    Was walking by and saw Chicken take out. We walked into the restaurant and were happily greeted by Paula. She explained the menu and put zero pressure to eat with them. We decided to eat and Paula served us. She was awesome and gave us direction on the menu. We shared a whole chicken and a large salad. We only ate half the chicken but finished the other half this morning. A wonderful family owned restaurant and a breath of fresh air being this is in the heart of overpriced tourist traps. Not this one. A gem in the heart of little Italy. We are going back today. The pork chops look amazing and the mixed salad. Bring it on.

    House green salad
    Pamela G.

    An old favorite in North Beach! Delicious lunch -- and a real bargain. Get the delicious, marinated and grilled chicken and a green salad to share and you won't be sorry. The French bread (and butter) is really exceptional. You might even want a glass of wine. Sit by the window and watch the world go by and pretend you're on vacation in Europe. Lots of regulars and friendly server. A regular spot on our rotation for good reason.

    Sausage sandwich with bell peppers and salad
    Serena S.

    Beloved neighborhood place for chicken! It's in our regular dinner rotation. Get extra salsa. But lately we've loved the sausage pesto sandwich with bell peppers. The mild has more flavor notes than the spicy which is just hot. No frills service. Great, cheap wines make dining in more fun;)

    Maritza Y.

    Will come back over and over. Best staff -- they work so freaking hard please tip well and do such a good job. The food is GREAT. Thank you for reminding me why I love this city so much.

    menu as of November 11th, 2012.
    paul k.

    Still great chicken after all these years! I like the potatoes and "green and bean" salad. Soups rotate so always ask!

    2 orders of pork chops
    Timber W.

    I was introduced to this place through my fiancé and now its a regular dinner spot for us. It has a limited menu but so far everything we've tried has been great. The chicken is delicious and definitely what hooked me but I keep coming back for my favorite, the pork chops. They also have a special salsa for the chicken that is a must. Its a small spot so it would be difficult for very large parties but its a great spot for a date night or a few friends. The service is great, and the food comes out quickly.

    Ribeye steak
    Xiu L.

    This place is such a neighborhood gem. Amazing Argentinian style bbq, great prices and warm and lovely people. We are regulars who love this place. My friends and I all have our usuals - lamb chops for me, ribeye for others. You can't find these prices for the quality of meat. And decent wine selection to go with everything too. The minestrone soup is also great. Don't miss this spot!

    Sunil R.

    We needed to grab something quick before going to Club Fugazi. It was the Saturday before Halloween and the scene was quite wild in the area. Luckily this spot was not busy. The service and food were solid. The menu is small...we had the full chicken, a Caprese salad, and an almond torte which were good.

    Free Bread

    See all

    Photo of Vicky L.
    1396
    1212
    510

    15 years ago

    Helpful 13
    Thanks 0
    Love this 10
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Don B.
    2845
    2408
    1744

    11 years ago

    Helpful 13
    Thanks 0
    Love this 11
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 0
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Gloria H.
    472
    1497
    12247

    17 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    20 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jon L.
    220
    1149
    1281

    16 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Luis C.
    1177
    1001
    3620

    18 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of N C.
    33
    92
    217

    15 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of DANIEL T.
    264
    131
    303

    8 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Carlos A.
    1642
    2037
    2716

    19 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mark K.
    30
    308
    22

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Al T.
    2
    239
    10

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    18 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Iris A.
    238
    536
    2536

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mike P.
    52
    51
    11

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ross S.
    779
    660
    2000

    9 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of D M.
    229
    13
    7

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 3 of 12

    Il Pollaio Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Il Pollaio

    Does this place serve rabbit meat? Also does this place accept Apple Pay?

    I do not recall seeing rabbit meat on the menu, but they do accept Apple Pay.

    Does this place serve Rabbit meat?

    Is the parklet still there? Would like to bring a dog.

    Yes it is still there.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Italian 96,855 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Itria

    Itria

    4.3
    (441 reviews)
    3.3 mi

    10/10 loved! The food was fabulous and flavors were unique and well done-- not just "good" food,…read morebut memorable. My favorites were: the chef's choice crudo, specially the tuna and hamachi(?). The tuna was rich and smokey in a great milky and fragrant fennel sauce. The hamachi in the root veggie wrap with a slight kick, awesome! And the scallop was good too! My boyfriend liked that one, but I thought the chip on top was over powering. My other favorite, the lamb pasta! Loved that texture. Flavor wise, savory and spicy. It was cold out and really warmed me up. Loved the experience. Our waitress was also awesome and patience. She let me try a few of the wine before settling down on a full body red that went very well with my pasta. Oh and the affogato, yum!! Exactly what we were looking for. Milky, almost sticky gelato, with a great bitter espresso

    Came here for dinner and really enjoyed the atmosphere. We were seated at the communal table, which…read moreended up being a fun place to people-watch. The standing area next to the bar was also a cute spot to wait while our table was getting ready. Food-wise, we tried the crudo tasting while the other crudos were fine, they didn't stand out nearly as much as the scallop. The corn and mushroom pasta was very tasty, especially the sauce. We also tried the pesto pasta, which also had excellent texture, but the sauce tasted a bit more charred than I would have liked. Overall, I thought the atmosphere and dining experience were stronger than any individual dish. The communal seating and lively dining area gave the restaurant a great energy. I can see why this place is popular, and the tasting menu is a fun way to try a variety.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Glazed Lamb Belly w/ date mostarda, warm panzanella ($45)
    Glazed Lamb Belly w/ date mostarda, warm panzanella ($45)
    Crochette Di Patate w/ roast pork belly, fermented radish, calabrian chili aioli (3 pc - $25)

    See all

    Crochette Di Patate w/ roast pork belly, fermented radish, calabrian chili aioli (3 pc - $25)
    Luisa's Restaurant

    Luisa's Restaurant

    4.7
    (184 reviews)
    3.2 mi

    My friend snagged a same-day reservation at Luisa's Restaurant for Saturday evening. This was…read moresurprisingly easy, considering we were a party of 6. The interior had simple decor and a swirl of little lights across ceiling. For drinks, we shared a bottle of Chianti, which was excellent. We also ordered a few appetizers for the table - Garlic Bread and Buratta. The Garlic Bread wasn't particularly memorable for me, but the Buratta was very tasty with the fresh pesto on top. I loved that most pasta dishes could be prepared with a choice of sauce, and ordered the Lobster Ravioli with Vodka Sauce. This was so tasty and surprisingly filling! My friends all enjoyed their dishes as well, including the Linguini Tuttomare, Penne Gorgonzola, and Chicken Parmigiana. Service was friendly and quick. Would happily return for more!

    Really solid Italian restaurant with surprisingly good gnocchi…read more Caesar salad: 3.5/5. To "anchovy" for my taste. Next time I will ask them to leave out the anchovies or pick a different salad. otherwise the salad was quite good. Spaghetti carbonara: 3.5/5. A solid version of this dish, but not exceptional. Great pasta, nice texture, but the meat could have stood out better. It sort of hid in the shadows. Gnocchi: 4.5/5. Since I make my own gnocchi this is a very high rating from me. Excellent texture and taste for this gnocchi and the vodka sauce complemented it really well. I would definitely have this again.

    Photos
    Luisa's Restaurant
    Garlic Bread
    Garlic Bread
    ORTOLANA PIZZA

    See all

    ORTOLANA PIZZA
    Emmy's Spaghetti Shack

    Emmy's Spaghetti Shack

    4.2
    (986 reviews)
    3.8 mi
    $$
    Gift cards during COVID-19

    We came to Emmy's on a Friday night around 10:30 PM after struggling to find anywhere still open,…read moreand I'm so glad we stumbled in. The service was incredibly friendly from the start, and the vibe was so cool -- think Italian hipster. Every dish we ordered was genuinely amazing. The meatballs, spicy Caesar and the Rigatoni Carbonara pasta were the standouts for me, but honestly you can't go wrong here. I'd come back every week if I could.

    Did Emmy's change ownership? The food was so appalling that I'm still stunned…read more The Cauliflower Balls were burnt. Still, we scraped the burnt part off one of them to try it. The white sauce that came with it was sour and off. It tasted like fish. The Spaghetti with 3 Meatballs was mushy. The meatballs were also mushy and filled with small green pieces, maybe lentils? The Semolina Garlic Bread was a toasted roll akin to French bread rather than the sliced semolina bread they've always used. We ordered it with cheese and sauce, but that didn't even happen. The Chocolate Truffle Cake was more like a fudge cake and had whip cream on it. This used to be a small cake and is supposed to come with a berry sauce and ice cream as described on the menu. This is the worst meal I've had in years. I've been a customer of Emmy's since they opened. I've eaten there, taken friends there, and ordered from there countless times. We tried a bite of everything and then threw it all out.

    Photos
    VIBE
    VIBE
    Shrimp Scampi
    Shrimp Scampi
    Emmy's Spaghetti Shack

    See all

    Delfina

    Delfina

    4.0
    (2.3k reviews)
    2.8 mi
    $$$

    Delfina is always 5 stars. The ambiance and the friendly and knowledgeable servers are…read moreunparalleled. The pesto fazzoletti pasta was wonderful - the sauce wasn't too overpowering and the noodles were perfectly al dente. The beef cheek agnolottis were so fun and tender with a hearty sauce. But my goodness ... the porcini pizza was NOT it. When it originally came out, it smelled like I was in the Tenderloin and it was really hard to get over that. Once it cooled down, the smell tampered down but the taste was really "funky". We ate it, but the choices were: 1) eat terrible smelling pizza or 2) lukewarm and still not great tasting pizza. Sorry, but it wasn't a great end to our meal. :(

    I came in with a table of 6. We ordered 4 appetizers and 6 entrees. I don't recommend this spot for…read morepeople with big appetites, the bill goes up pretty quickly. The food is good but everything we tried is not worth a drive to the city for. Appetizers The pane a pala with the +$9 ricotta was delicious. The calamari was also tasty. The Chicken Liver Crostini was a big hit for the table. Many of us said it tasted like Vietnamese Pate. I'd pass on the Fresh-Cured Anchovies Nostrani. It wasn't anything crazy flavor wise. Entrees I wasn't a fan of the Bucatini & Fava Bean Sugo. My boyfriend said it was not bad. The Spring Pea Triangoli was good but the butter like sauce that's on the plate doesn't do much to complement the dish. The restaurant is very modern. They also have 2 restrooms.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Mushroom pizza
    Mushroom pizza
    Panna cotta

    See all

    Panna cotta
    Arcana

    Arcana

    4.4
    (270 reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $$

    If you love plants you'll adore Arcana in San Francisco because it's a beautiful sanctuary of…read moreplants and cool vibes. Located in the legendary Mission District of San Francisco, this wine bar is a great spot to catch up with friends and enjoy small bites and yummy crafted cocktails. Their decor is very chic and I especially loved all of the hardware, glasses, tables, and benches. This place was styled by a great design artist. Even though the place was pretty packed and can be kind of noisy, I still felt very calm amongst all the healthy plants and loved the sophisticated 70s inspired glassware. Another great feature of this place is that you can buy most of the plants because they have some for sale so after a couple of cocktails, I was ready to redecorate my whole house with all the plants. I ordered a yummy Rose blend that was super crisp. Also enjoyed the Truffle Fungi! A delicious Shiitake and oyster mushrooms with parmesan and arugula on toasted bread. Their Spanish inspired potatoes were delicious with their dipping sauce. They have lots of gatherings there and DJ sets on the weekends. Lastly, a photographer would die to take pictures here. There is no bad shot as the design artist made sure every section of this cute wine bar was picture perfect. Loved all my photos and videos. I look forward to returning to this exquisite wine bar!

    Came here on a Saturday night after dinner for a girls night out. There is a cool photo booth…read moreoutside, which was high-quality and even gave you a video of your session. I love the decor of this space! It is definitely intentionally and tastefully decorated. Loved the lighting and plants. They had Lord of the Rings playing on the wall. The vibe is artsy, warm, a little dark, and overall a cool place to mingle. The bathrooms and tables were kept clean. I liked it that the DJ was live mixing. Getting a drink was fast and easy. The high top tables were a bit wobbly, so we spilled half a drink on there. The drinks are strong. I recommend going upstairs to sit instead if you want to hear your friends better. The tables are bigger up there too. The rooftop was closed off but I'd like to check it out sometime.

    Photos
    Downstairs
    Downstairs
    Arcana
    Arcana

    See all

    Il Pollaio - italian - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...