La Connessa restaurant is located in quite Potrero Hill neighborhood. This is our neighborhood and the relatively new Italian place we have been looking forward to checking our since they opened on Mariposa Street across from Jackson Playground, next to Live Oak School and directly across the street from the Anchor Steamer Brewery. We normally would have walked to the restaurant but given it was my birthday and VERY cold for San Francisco peeps we drove. Parking is NOT a problem and we found a space close to the front door on Mariposa. Yay! We had scoped the setting a week before while have a quick casual lunch at Original Joe's next door. We were told the owners and the same restaurant group that brought Spruce to the city and own the donut shop adjacent as well. Given this was my birthday we made reservations for 7 pm on mid January Sunday evening. La Connessa host prompt and pleasantly welcomed us to the crowded restaurant. Despite our reservations we were informed they did not have a table available and asked if we wanted to start the evening at the bar while we waited for our table. . We accepted their offer and ordered our cocktails and wine from the nice bartender. We took in the beautiful and stunning bar area with high ceilings of wine bottles stacked to the roof (see photos). Our beverages arrived promptly and we chatted while waiting. After about 15 minutes our host share our table was now available and we proceeded to be seated in the middle of the restaurant where we could see all the surroundings and take in the sounds of a very busy Winter evening. Our waiter was very attentive and we order an appetizer and entrees. They were exceptional. Perfect in every way. We were very impressed by the entire birthday experience and appreciated overall wonderful first visit. We will highly recommend LA Connessa to our neighbor in Potrero Hill, San Francisco and around the world. read more

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La conessa delivers a really solid Italian dining experience with some standout dishes. We started with the focaccia di Recco, which was rich, cheesy, and comforting -- definitely a highlight. The Belfiore burrata was fresh and creamy, paired nicely with the accompaniments. For mains, the carne mista was well cooked and satisfying, though a bit straightforward compared to the pasta dishes. The agnolotti del plin had great texture and depth, and the spaghettino al limone was bright, balanced, and refreshing without being overly heavy. Overall, the food quality is strong and thoughtfully prepared. Service was superb and the vibe was amazing! While not every dish wowed, the flavors were consistent and the menu feels carefully curated. A great spot for a nice dinner, and I'd definitely come back to explore more of the menu. read more

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Mediocre food at high prices. Good service and lovely ambiance don't make up for gummy pistachio cake, salty/tasteless squid ink pasta.

Really enjoyed dinner here. They have an elegant menu that's not too long, but all the dishes are spot on and intentional. I was astonished with how quick food would come out of the kitchen, waitstaff constantly refilled waters and came by to check in on the table. The manager even came by with the "how was everything tonight" quality assurance check. You can tell they run a tight ship that leads to a great dining experience. read more

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We came here before a Golden Warriors game. We sat at the bar and the bar is massive here running in like an inverted L along the full length of the restaurant. Open kitchen with pizza oven and the place is gorgeous. We loved the "windows" for bar shelving. I loved all the patterns from chairs to floors to walls it's this great aesthetic and in a ton of details which is what I want to write about. Service was the best we've had in forever the bartender was amazing she gave us a full menu walk - we heard her doing this for every guest and each time she was highlighting different things. I love this - it made me feel like we were getting a real experience not just a generic script she read to everyone. The other bartender or maybe barback was also great. We had a few rounds of drinks, apps, entrees et All were good - loved the chicken liver mousse - they only brought a few pieces of bread but kept refilling it as we ate it so it was always warm and fresh which was nice. The chicken dish was amazing I loved the plate ware read more

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My wife and I wanted to try something outside our neighborhood and we're big on Italian so we made a reservation on a Saturday night. I think the best thing is the vibe and the look of the restaurant. When the sunlight goes down, the inside has a really comfy and warm feel. It reminded me of some great places in Chicago (where we're from originally). The service was also good. Our server knew her stuff, had good recommendations and was a great guide for our meal. But this is a restaurant and the food is where they fell short. It was just good, but for the price of great. The focaccia di Recco was good but then little gems was a let down. The leaves were way too large so they just got went with the dressing and kind of ruined each bite. The crust on the pizza was done right but the sauce and toppings were somewhat bland so again, not a great bite. I think if its just drinks, this place is awesome! But maybe it was a night off and things are better on other days. read more

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An amazing restaurant with PLENTY of parking - it's pretty much all you can ask for at an SF restaurant! The wait staff here is incredible, attentive, and can provide recommendations to delicious dishes. My table ordered SO MANY appetizers I struggle to remember them all but here are some that stood out: Chicken Liver: I am not an adventurous eater but this was extremely tasteful, smooth and silky, I couldn't resist eating most of it. Focaccia: they call it focaccia but it's not your traditional style. Rather than being a fluffy bread, it's more of a flat cracker-like dish (just make sure to read the description!) Entree: Lemon spaghetti: everyone loved this. It is extremely refreshing, light but not too light, and had this amazing flavor that we could not put our finger on what it was! I highly recommend either ordering this for yourself or for the table, nobody would be disappointed with this Tagliatelle bolognese: it's a like a warm hug (as described by our wait staff) and it was correct! Soothing, comforting, with very QQ (or bouncy) noodles, this is a great dish for the colder weather we seem to have been getting. Dessert: Pistachio gelato: while I didn't have any, this one dish seemed to be a bit controversial on our table while some loved it and some others did not. It does come in an almost martini like looking glass which threw me off a bit but the presentation is beautiful. Chocolate: yummy! It's quite a bit for just one person but to share, it's perfect. It has a similar taste to Nutella or hazelnut! Tiramisu: a very good/decent tiramisu: you get what you ordered! read more

I am absolutely hooked on this place. This is my 2nd review. Our food was once again amazing. Cooked our bavette steak for 2 exactly as requested. I was hoping the amazing Brigid was behind the bar but she was on the floor this time so instead we got to meet the wonderful Linda. I am always so impressed with the wine suggestions - totally on point. And I can't get over the beautiful ambiance. Just love this place ! read more

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I debated leaving this review. We really need to keep this place hidden. I enjoy being able to walk in at 5pm without a reservation. The parking is easy. The ambiance is elegant. The drinks and food are first class. And if you have kids, the same owner owns the burger spot next door and the manager helped us order for the kids from the burger spot. Phenomenal customer service. The focaccia was absolutely amazing as was the fish. read more

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Oh man. I really want to like La Connessa but sadly it's super disappointing! After having the best mushrooms risotto at Perbacco a few months ago, I had craving for it tonight. So I ordered the risotto at La Connessa. It's too salty that I had to send back to the kitchen and got replaced with the house special bolognese. It's wild beyond my imagination that the chef send out a COLD plate of tagliatelle bolognese! I'm sure it's good but by this time, I am unhappy with the poor quality of food service. The tiramisu and cappuccino were delicious! One Yelp star is for the beautiful restaurant and the second Yelp star is for the tiramisu and coffee. I probably won't return as Flour n Water, Delfina, Bottega, La Traviata, Berretta are nearby. read more

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didn't realize they were under the same family as spruce, but with a more italian inspired cuisine. we got the: - picaroon ($16) - arancini ($16) - agnolotti dal plin ($32) - funghi pizza ($30) - flank steak tagliata ($56) - strawberry crostata ($15) - buttermilk panna cotta ($15) the steak was more medium than medium rare (we ordered the latter), but it was still tender. the agnolotti filling was a nice chicken pork veal blend! the pizza was simple but delicious with the mushrooms and white sauce, and the bread was nice and chewy. the picaroon cocktail was pretty strong but fruity and refreshing. read more

La Connessa - strawberry crostata - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

First time trying this restaurant and it is a really cool space! I love Potrero and was excited to try it after a friend recommended this. The drinks are really tasty! I tried one off the menu and then another classic martini and both were excellent! The food was a bit hit and miss. The burrata appetizer was really tasty, but the pizza left me wanting a more. It just looked better than it actually tasted. I wonder if they are better known for their pastas. We sat at the bar and the bartenders were constantly checking on which was great. This is worth a try, more for cocktails, not sure if I would come back for food though. read more

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Food, ambiance, drinks AMAZING. Service was also great. Will come back. Made early dinner reservations and it was packed for a Wednesday evening read more

Food was amazing and fast but service was okay. Our waiter took on a table of 14 during our service and was forgotten about for at least 20 minutes. No one else stepped in or checked on us. read more

La Connessa - Lemon pasta with crab - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Gorgeous interior, terrible value, OVERPRICED (ripped off). The food quality and presentation do NOT deliver. I would recommend to come for drinks, skip the food. I really wanted to love La Connessa because the interior is absolutely stunning. If you're looking to impress someone with ambiance alone, this place delivers. The decor is great and the vibe is definitely upscale romantic. BUT... and this is a BIG BUT... the food is wildly overpriced for what you get. Poor food quality and presentation and tiny portions. What we ordered: Eggplant Caponata ($18) - Okay taste, small portion, overpriced. Halibut Carpaccio ($24) - Super bland, and I could tell from the fish texture and taste, that the fish wasn't fresh (red flag!) Agnolotti del plin ($32) - Actually decent but still overpriced for the portion Bodega Bay Rock Cod ($38) - THE WORST. Literally just fried fish with garlic butter veggies. I could make this at home for $8! Our server said they are going to remove this from the menu soon, that's why we ordered but this dish is the worst value among all. Service was also meh. Our server told us to "take our time" then disappeared for 20+ minutes. Look, I get that you're paying for the atmosphere, but when you're charging these prices, the food better be exceptional. It's not even close. My advice: Hit up their bar for cocktails and appetizers max, then go literally anywhere else for dinner. Your wallet (and taste buds) will thank you. Would I return? Probably, but only for drinks, never for a full meal. read more

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La Connessa was amazing! I had dinner here with a few friends. It was the first time for all of us, but we'll definitely be back. Food was delicious, service was nice, and the ambiance was perfect for a nice dinner with friends or date night. We tried multiple dishes family style and everything was done very, very well. My fave pizza was funghi and fave pasta was the ravioli. Highly recommend La Connessa! read more

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Really great interiors and ambience that stands out in a neighborhood with not many other formal dinner options. We were in a bit of a rush so after waiting for a bit, we got the margherita pizza to go. The menu looked good overall but definitely more expensive than other comparable Italian places in SF. I wasn't too impressed by their sister restaurants Louie's / Magic so I kept expectations low and that was probably for the best - the pizza was decent but not great by any means. It's not something that I would crave to come back for necessarily. I did see a lot of corporate dinners happening and I think this is a really great spot for that given the good vibes and lack of other options in the area - so definitely try it out if you get to go on a company outing, but otherwise don't go out of your way for it. read more

La Connessa - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

From the moment we walked in, the service was top-notch. The staff was warm, attentive, and incredibly accommodating. Our server SITI took the time to explain the menu, offered great recommendations, and checked in regularly without being intrusive. Every detail--from the timing of the dishes to the genuine hospitality--made the experience feel personal and thoughtful. It's rare to find a restaurant where the service truly enhances the meal, but this was one of those places. Highly recommend and will definitely be back. read more

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It was our first time, and the food was delicious + flavorful. However, what tied the experience together is our server (didn't get his name unfortunately) and our host, Naomi. ABSOLUTELY impeccable service. They made our special day even more special and I can't wait to return to La Conessa. read more

La Connessa - Gelato - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I came here with my friends. We had booked seats in advance, and we found seats as soon as we arrived! read more

La Connessa - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Ate here with friends that are regulars. The manager came to say "hello" and was extremely cordial and pleasant letting us know she appreciated us dining here. We sat at the bar and service was fantastic. Ordered appetizers and loved the Tuscan chicken liver mousse, kampachi Crudo and delicata frito-cannot go wrong with any of these choices. Moved to dinner and ordered the Agnolloti del Plin and it was amazing. Heard rave reviews on the spaghettino al limone as well. And, dessert was amazing, the manager treated us to an "after dinner" Amaro that was very good. Very cool interior and lighting that created a very nice ambiance. Overall a winner. read more

Dined in with several friends and we ordered some varieties food and cocktails. In my option, the food was a bit underwhelming but the cocktails were delicious. There are lots of other Italian restaurants in the city that I would like to try before coming back to this place. The atmosphere was nice and beautiful, and the service was great. I think they need to improve on their quality of food. read more

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Food is amazingly delicious, but the portions should be bigger given the price they charge. I was still hungry after eating a 3-course meal, that's why only 4-stars. Friendly staff, nice ambiance. read more

I stopped by La Connessa for dinner with a friend a few weeks ago and was honestly disappointed with the food. I started my meal with a glass of wine and the beets and burrata ($22, cara cara orange, candied hazelnuts, sherry vinaigrette) which were great. I then ordered the Spaghetti alla chitarra ($34, frutti di mare, saffron, bottarga) for my entree. The pasta was overall very bland (I couldn't taste the saffron and bottarga at all) and the seafood was not fresh. I was also expecting a greater assortment of seafood for $34 but that was not the case. My friend ordered the same thing and agreed. The interior is beautiful with high ceilings and an expansive bar, and the service was also good. But the food was unfortunately quite disappointing - maybe it was an off night? read more

La Connessa sells itself as a Californianized Italian trattoria. The decor is attractive, but overdesigned and sterile, trading warmth for polish and modernity. A well-stocked bar dominates the floor plan, and the slightly cramped seating follows trattoria norms. The cocktails are good, but the program, like the food menu, is focused. We ordered the broccoli antipasto, agnolotti, and pollo al mattone. The broccoli was well-cooked, but the bagna cauda, typically a dip, arrived pre-dressed on the broccoli. The agnolotti were neatly made, but slightly overcooked in the typical American mode--the filling was good. The pollo al mattone was a real standout--cooked to perfection with crispy skin and excellent seasoning. Entrée portions were satisfying and pricing was reasonable given the high quality. Service was competent but without distinction. A very good meal was unfortunately undermined by the tiramisu dessert. At a high price point, it was a particularly poor execution of an Italian staple: lackluster presentation, sparse ladyfingers with barely any coffee and liquor (the menu suggested that it was rum, but it was hardly detectable). Poor execution, poor value. Overall, the restaurant succeeds at being a high-quality trattoria experience. The kitchen knows its fundamentals. Skip the tiramisu--it's an expensive disappointment that sours an otherwise commendable meal. read more

La Connessa - A disappointing Tiramisu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great service! Great plates. Knowledgeable staff. Beautiful space. We are new regulars!

Wonderful bar and restaurant in lower Portero Hill. Friendly high quality service. Has a great local vibe. High quality food and drinks. Will definitely go again to explore more of the menu. Pizza is fantastic. read more

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5 If you're in the San Francisco area, I highly recommend La Connessa! The food, the service and the ambience was quite the experience indeed! read more

La Connessa - What a wonderful experience! The food was incredible and the service was amazing! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here with my roommates and had a reservation and got seated right after getting there! Good - Nice staff, and beautiful interior, it's like a diner but upscale - The food was all sooo good we got 6 dishes total including dessert, and they gave us a free ice cream for our roommate's birthday - The polenta fries were amazing - crunchy and not too fried. - The ragu pasta was solid, and the mushroom pizza was larger than expected - super savory and really tasty - The sourdough ice cream was pretty cool, it had breadcrumbs baked into it Bad - Wait for the food can be pretty long Overall we had a great almost 2 hour dinner here and the time flew, the food was great. read more

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pizza and pasta place mainly. a cute italian restaurant in dogpatch area. tried the bolognese and magherita pizza. the pizza comes in a pretty big portion. I could not finish a whole pizza by myself. the drinks were delicious and strong. had to street park but found spaces fairly quickly on a saturday night. the bar area is so cute and aesthetically pleasing. read more

La Connessa - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Our experience was top notch. I initially made reservations for 8:45 pm the day before Valentine's Day but got lucky and was able to snag an earlier reservation for 7 pm. My husband and I were at an NBA All Star event prior to our reservations so we were starving! La Connessa is a beautiful restaurant, and they have an extensive wine/bar menu. Our waiter provided amazing service and we loved him. He made us feel right as home. We ordered a few of his suggestions and so happy we did. We had the following: Tuscan chicken liver crostini, Arancini, Line caught big eye tuna carpaccio (absolutely delicious), triangoli which was ricotta, brown butter, amaretti and amazing. We also shared the pollo al mattone which we couldn't get enough of. The sauce was wonderful and we asked for some bread so we can get every last drop of the sauce. We ended with the tiramisu and apple crostata. Dinner was amazing and I loved it. We couldn't stop talking about the meal the next day. I will definitely be back and will be bringing my girlfriends. read more

We were here for a private wedding reception so I can't speak on the experience of dining during regular hours, but we had such a lovely time at this venue as a wedding guest! The restaurant was closed down to just the wedding reception party and it was the perfect intimate setting for the group. Beautiful ambiance, clean, and inviting. The food and drinks were all amazing, but my highest rating goes to the service here. Everyone was great and we had one server in particular (I wish I got his name) who was so attentive to us and our kids, especially with handling food allergies for my son. He was always checking in and made sure it was clear that the food allergies were being safely accommodated. Eating at new restaurants and especially attending big social events like this is always a little difficult with ensuring my son has something safe to eat, but the server continued to check in on my son through the whole event. I appreciated this so much! Thank you!! read more

What a great new discovery La Connessa is. I recently treated my bestie here for her birthday. We started our dinner by having a drink at the bar. The bartender was super attentive and even brought us a complimentary glass of her favorite cocktail, Hugo Spritz to try. We also ordered The Avenue and Boticelli's Venus. Both were refreshing. At the dinner table once seated, there was a birthday card for my bestie. We split the following dishes: Tuscan chicken liver crostini - one of the best chicken liver mousse dishes I've ever had! Little gems salad - this was a glorified Caesar salad and was good, but nothing special. Spaghettino al limone - one of the restaurant's more popular dishes and has a unique summery flavor Tagliatelle bolognese - can't really go wrong with this as the bolognese was rich and flavorful Strawberry crostata (for dessert) - this was like a strawberry tart and I really enjoyed the crust Overall, service was excellent and attentive, except towards the end when the place got pretty busy. The restaurant was spacious but not oversized and the ambiance was perfect to celebrate a birthday. read more

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The atmosphere was amazing- dim lights, beautiful bar, small candles. The staff were kind and sweet. The food was just OK for such high prices. I was expecting high-quality dishes with flavours to match. Unfortunately, I was let down. The lemon pasta was absolutely a disgrace. It looked sloppy and under-sauced. It tasted like Costco spaghetti noodles mixed with too much olive oil and a hint of lemon. Their broccoli was too spicy (weird to put chilli flakes all over broccoli) and too fishy (anchovies). Their pesto pasta was the saving grace of the evening. It has roasted pistachios in it, which was an excellent touch. Additionally, their cocktails were delicious, with an extensive wine list. Overall, spent $400 trying their menu, drinks, and wines. I will not be returning or recommending it to others. read more

I had dinner with a couple of friends almost 2 weeks ago. We had the table almost pretty fast (I had the reservation few day in advance). We ordered a glass of wine and then we started with the appetizer: gnocco fritto con prosciutto; focaccia di recco (it was good even though it's different from the one you really have in Liguria); and arancini (they were fine). Then we ordered the main course: for me spaghetti alla chitarra (I didn't expect the bottarga came in pieces, in Italy you eat grated bottarga, but beyond that pasta was just fine, not something extraordinary), and my friends ordered the spaghetti alla limone (I didn't try them because I'm note a huge fun of lemon, but my friends said they were good but normal). Overall, it wasn't my best Italian restaurant speaking of food. I didn't also really like the waiter, because he was like very distant from the situation about serving us. Restaurant is very nice speaking about decor. read more

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while the food was amazing and the staff were extremely kind and friendly, i ordered a pasta dish with corn/myshrooms and there were only 7 pieces of ravioli....yes 7....i counted because i was shocked lol. i am a super light eater and almost never finish my food but i finished the whole thing... i can't imagine if someone who was really hungry/ a big eater ordered this dish. again, it was incredible and just enough for me. but i would have loved to be able to share more with the person i was with or have some leftovers! 5/5 stars for the taste, ambience, and staff! knocking a couple stars off for the lack of a normal portion size. idk if it was just an off day for them or this is how it normally is but looking at reviews other people have complained about the portion size read more

Very convenient to book online and parking in this area was so easy to find even on a Friday night. Interior - very modern with open kitchen concept. The bar was very beautiful. Our seats were right by the door and the drapes kept opening and getting sun light into our eyes. Plus it felt cramped, people kept walking by and brushing and bumping into our seats. Service - great!! Our waiter was so nice, gave great suggestions for food too! Drinks - the spritz were just ok. Food - burrata was really good and refreshing. The carpaccio was fishy and the cuts of fish were way too large. The cod was really good, however the vegetables it came with were hard to eat. My gf got the Tagliatelle bolognese and she enjoyed it. read more

La Connessa - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We came for dinner and the ambiance was amazing. The tall colorful liquor shelves were super eye catching. The interior of the restaurant was beautiful. We had a reservation but it took us a while to get seated. The service overall was pretty slow and it took us a while to get our food that Friday night. The food overall was good and the pasta tastes really fresh. This restaurant is pretty pricey but the ambiance is good for a date night or if you're celebrating something. read more

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Really enjoyed my experience here! It was very romantic and dimly lit for privacy. It was cool to see kitchen bright and full of commotion. The cocktail presentation was so nice, ordered the Avenue. I thought it was refreshing but a little sweet with the passion fruit. If you prefer more spirit forward cocktails, I would not order this. Still an interesting choice! Our waiter was great at recommendations. We started with the appetizer Arancini. I loved how crispy it was and the hint of basil on the inside. Flavorful, think of a fried pasta ball with a breaded outside that is light and crispy. I'm so happy that the waiter suggested the agnolotti! Just pockets of so much flavor! The handmade pasta was cooked aldente. He picked the perfect wine pairing for me as well. We also ordered the tagliatelle bolognese which was tasty, but felt pretty standard. Definitely a solid choice though. read more

La Connessa - Agnolotti del plin - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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On an evening walk, my friend and I stumbled upon La Connessa. Entranced by the beautiful interior and peaking at customers' food, we swore to dine here on our next outing. We both left pleased and enjoyed our meal! La Connessa is a newer yet intimately stunning establishment. It's the ideal spot for a date night or girls' night out with a high ceiling, dim lighting, and cozy decor. We came on a busy weekend night, so reservations are recommended. Our waiter was knowledgeable and thoughtful. The menu has a variety of Italian food without being overwhelming. As a pasta lover, I couldn't pass up on the Spaghettino al Limone while she had the Funghi Pizza. The spaghetti was a perfect balance of al dente, fresh tastes, and hints of lemon without being tart. My friend enjoyed her pizza as it hit the spot. We also received a thoughtful complimentary birthday dessert. We're both happy to have come across this hidden neighborhood establishment. Located in Potrero Hills off Mariposa Street, there's plenty of street parking in the area. If you're looking for a night out, this is a great spot! read more

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