My friend snagged a same-day reservation at Luisa's Restaurant for Saturday evening. This was surprisingly 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! read more

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Really solid Italian restaurant with surprisingly good gnocchi. 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. read more

This place is phenomenal! As longtime SF residents, I was shocked we hadn't been here before. Incredible food, attentive service, and a pleasant ambiance. The fact that the 97 year old owner, Luisa, was there to greet us was an added bonus! Our family of 3 had the following: 1) Garlic Bread to share - tasty 2) Meatballs - delicious (we appreciated the fact they are not made with cheese, which made them accessible for my cheese-free husband) 3) Shrimp fettuccine- my husband enjoyed this 4) Gnocchi in vodka sauce - amazing! 5) Paparadelle -excellent We enjoyed our glasses of wine (though were a bit surprised they didn't have house wine by the glass on the menu) as well. The staff was friendly and attentive, though the service was a bit slower than we would like at times. The space is spacious and welcoming. Overall, we had a fantastic meal here and look forward to returning! read more

Thank you, Luisa, for your wonderful hospitality and for sharing your years of passion and craftsmanship with my friends and me. The experience began the moment we stepped into the restaurant in San Francisco, where she personally greeted and cared for her guests, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The Bruschetta was the perfect appetizer, a delicious, soft bread and fresh flavors of tomato, garlic and basil. For the entrée, I highly recommend Luisa's famous gnocchi with pesto sauce. Unlike the typical flour-heavy gnocchi, these potato-based dumplings were incredibly light, tender, and practically melted in your mouth while pairing beautifully with the savory pesto. To finish, the Cannoli Alla Siciliana provided the perfect balance of crunch and sweetness, with a hint of chocolate chips. Every dish shows the passion and tradition behind Luisa's cooking, making for a truly memorable dining experience and reflecting the diversity of San Francisco! read more

Delicious Caesar salad and gnocchi with half pesto and half vodka sauce - yummy! The gnocchi was incredibly soft/tender and melt in your mouth. Great waitstaff and charming decor/ambience. read more

Decided to try this place out since we were in the mood for Italian and it had great reviews. We definitely understand why now. When we first arrived, it wasn't busy at all (Monday evening), and the lady at the front greeted us with a genuine smile and sat our party of four in the corner table looking out to the street. We started with the bruschetta and meatballs, with extra bread on the side. The homemade bread had a light crispiness and was nice and soft in the center, which I loved since I'm not a huge fan of the bruschetta having really crunchy bread. The meatballs came with two but were large enough to cut in half and share among the four of us. They had good flavor, but the rich flavor of the sauce is what really did it for me. I even started adding it to my side bread instead of using the olive oil and vinegar that was provided. My gnocchi was delicious, but I'm not really confident in knowing what it "should" be like so I'll just leave it at that. Would definitely come to this place again. The staff is so welcoming, provides great service, and the food is good. read more

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Beautiful little restaurant just off of Valencia in SF. The owner Luisa is the sweetest old Italian lady around and really tries hard to make everyone feel at home. She made sure the restaurant staff really took care of me and I truly appreciated everything she did. I had a brief chat in Italian with her after my meal and apparently she is 95!!! And still actively involved in the restaurant. Most of the few 95-year olds I know are not matching her energy, that's for sure... All of the food was amazing -- I ordered the tutto mare linguine as well as the tiramisu. Would not hesitate for a second to recommend this place to all others who are interested in good authentic Italian in SF. I need to go try the other location they have in North Beach now! read more

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We recently had dinner at Luisa's to celebrate my parents wedding ceremony. They were playing nice music for the ambiance - Juan Inglesias (some chill tunes). There are a variety of appetizers and salads, your choice of pasta and pizza. We ordered the caprese salad, meatballs and I got a chicken parmigiana. Luisa happened to be in the restaurant. She's very charming and was sharing her passion for Italian food. She shared how her gnocchi is made and that the ingredients are all Italian. I enjoyed hearing her stories and how much care she puts into the recipes. The main chef has been the chef at Luisa's for 23 years. The caprese salad was great and fresh and we enjoyed the moist meatballs. Get these! The tomato sauce was excellent. I enjoyed the sweetness of my chicken parmigiana. The sauce was sweet and delicious. The chicken was moist and I loved the fresh cheese on top. I got a cannoli for dessert. This was crunchy and delicious sweet in the inside. We enjoyed our overall experience. I'd come back again. Staff were a joy and so kind. I loved the environment. read more

Luisa's Restaurant - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We stopped by Luisa's for a late night dinner after attending a family event nearby. It was a quiet week night. We gave them a call and showed up 5 minutes later. A table for 6 with a "Reserved" sign was ready and waiting for us. We ordered the garlic bread and the "5-star" meatballs to share. Having tried and been disappointed by the Luisa's at the North Beach, I think the meatballs here were much more flavorful and served at a warmer temperature. I ordered the Pollo Piamontese, chicken breast wrapped in prosciutto, served with Alfredo sauce and mushrooms. This dish was super flavorful and the Alfredo sauce was probably one of the best I have had. The owner Luisa was there during our visit. I ordered the "5-star" tiramisu for my dessert per her suggestion. It was delicious. The waiters were super attentive and friendly compared to the North Beach location (to be fair, that location was busier during our visit). Overall, both the food and the service made this a much more pleasant dining experience. read more

I was walking around the Mission with a friend when we stumbled across this place. We were able to grab a table with no reservation, which was great and the service was really warm and helpful! The lasagna was super decadent and flavorful, and I appreciated the burnt edges from the baking dish (my fav way to prep lasagna). They also decorated for Valentine's Day so I would recommend Luisa's for a nice date :) read more

Luisa's Restaurant - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We got takeout from Luisa's, pizzas and salads. All was great- I especially enjoyed the spinach salad with balsamic honey vinaigrette- super yummy! All ingredients tasted fresh, food was ready to go quickly too. We need to try sitting down to eat there next. read more

Very sweet little neighborhood spot that's charming and has some good food. The service was excellent -- our waitress was kind and attentive. Started getting a little busier around 6:30pm with several couples on a date. Enjoyed the pizza, but the pappardelle bolognese was especially solid. read more

I had late afternoon dinner with my mom here last Sunday. There was only 2 tables seated so it wasn't too busy. I ordered the spaghetti carbonara and it was delicious. The sauce was so tasty and creamy. Also ordered the chocolate gelato for dessert and it was also great. A nice, firm feeling as I was slicing and eating it with my fork. Our waitress, Sonia, was friendly too and answered questions we had about the menu. read more

Luisa's Restaurant - Spaghetti Carbonara - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Good old school Italian food & the tiramisu... well, it too saves me a trip to north beach . Service was attentive & friendly & atmosphere was homely & down to earth. Will be back for sure. read more

Made a reservation for 4 on a rainy Friday evening and although it was a bit quiet it was a fun dinner with friends. When we first arrive I saw in the furthest booth some feet in the air which was a bit shocking. Slowly the person sat up and saw that it was the grandma! A little off putting at first but I guess that's the charm of this place. 3/5 Bruschetta - 4 pieces and decent 4/5 Meatballs - 2 large balls with sauce - delicious 4/5 Lasagna - with vodka sauce, very good, like someone's Italian grandma would've made 4/5 Gnocchi - so soft and tender - I couldn't choose so I got half pesto and half vodka sauce. Looked so 4/5 pretty and tastes even better! 4/5 Lobster ravioli - also very good but ravioli is never served with enough pieces! I wanted more! 4/5 Tiramisu - also very good. A slice is big enough for all four of us to share! Would def recommend! I'd come back for sure! read more

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Thanks yelpers for helping me make this great decision yes the food is fantastic the vodka sauce was delightful. The raviolis were perfectly cooked and it was a lovely portion I also got the burrata salad at first I thought it needed a little balsamic in addition to the pesto but it turned out to be fine perhaps just a tinge more pesto on it would have been nice. I had the food to go so I can't speak to the ambience of the restaurant but I did notice on my receipt that my order taker/server was Louisa I'm assuming the woman who owns this lovely establishment. I'll make a point to try to get to the restaurant and have food next time. read more

Luisa's Restaurant - Burrata Salad - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I had the pleasure to meet Luisa Wonderful lady in the restaurant business and every time I come here I am amaze how the food reminds of back in. Italy .her specialty is Gnocchi Cannelloni Bread pasta lasagna with special sauces which she had from 3 generation and thing you see on the Menu is authentic with Italian ingredients . I like the place is very cozy and service is excellent . I give it 5 star Because I can not find anything wrong with the place read more

This was our first time dining here, and we're already planning to come back! The food was absolutely delicious--every dish was bursting with flavor. The service was equally impressive; from the warm welcome by the hostess to the attentive waitstaff and talented kitchen team. Highly recommend! read more

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Stopped by North Beach to get some Italian food. My friend recommend Luisa as one of the nicer Italian places he liked since he lived there. As I looked at the menu outside of the restaurant, the 5 star gnocchi caught my attention and I knew I had to come and try it. The gnocchi had a variety of sauces as options and I decided to go with the meat sauce since I was feeling a bit more of a hearty meal. As an avid fan of gnocchi, I had high expectations and Luisa's did not disappoint! The gnocchi had great texture and the sauce was so flavorful! It was definitely the best gnocchi I had here in SF. Another star item was the tiramisu! I love tiramisu and always order it after every Italian meal, but this was my favorite tiramisu I have had in SF! The ladyfingers were not too soggy and the cream was not too sweet, just right. Would make the trek out here just for the tiramisu alone! read more

Luisa's Restaurant - 5 STARS HOMEMADE TIRAMISU - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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On this rainy evening the ambiance made us feel cozy, warm and at home. The server pointed out suggestions but let us come to our favorite menu choices. Louisa, the 94-year-old owner, just so happened to be sitting in the booth beside us. She came over to our table and sat with us for a few minutes to share in some colorful laughter and history about herself. Her presence made this visit unique and special. Come to Luisa's for the Italian ingredients and atmosphere. read more

Luisa's Restaurant - Family enjoying the little moments at Luisa's. - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

I'm so glad we finally had the opportunity to have dinner at this local spot with a couple of friends. It was our first time and we enjoyed every bite of our dinner, and every minute being there. read more

In the mood for some authentic Italian food and food this spot. Glad that we did, it was pretty tasty. We were also able to meet the owner Luisa who was at the restaurant at the time. I was happy to try the food here. read more

Luisa's Restaurant - LASAGNE ALLA BOLOGNESE - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Had an incredible meal - my kid said it's his new favorite restaurant! We had the lasagna bolognese with red sauce, gnocchi with pesto & Gorgonzola, and chicken piemonteze. And the for dessert the tiramisu, spumoni, and lemon sorbet. The food was all delicious, and the service was top notch. I don't always like gnocchi, but the texture here was so light. And I've had some disappointing tiramisu, but the one here was perfect temperature & balance of moisture. We're already talking about when we can come back! read more

Delicious food, charming ambiance! We came here for dinner. I ordered the burrata and arugula salad, which was just the right amount of salty, and had a giant egg of burrata on top. We also ordered the gnocchi with Gorgonzola sauce, which was outrageously good - soft and pillowy, good cheese flavor, and the lasagna with spinach and mushrooms with vodka sauce. my daughter had pepperoni pizza, and ate all the crust which she never ever does, anywhere. We had an excellent tiramisu and lemon sorbet to finish our meal. The owner Luisa was there that evening and she was absolutely charming. We will definitely be back soon.! read more

The was very delicious. I got a chicken dish forgot the name of it but it was rich and delicious. My husband got the seafood pasta and he really enjoyed it. We also got the garlic bread and that was good as well. I will definitely be back. read more

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My family and I had dinner at Luisa's tonight; we found it by a Yelp review. I am *so* glad we came! The restaurant is a family owned, neighborhood place, with great ambience, *delicious* food (nothing "pre-pared", but cooked fresh), and wonderful music playing softly. The restaurant's owner, and namesake, Luisa came to our table to greet us and offered some great menu suggestions when we asked, "What's good?". Luisa is a treasure: gracious, warm, inviting, and so interesting to listen to. I had to go over to her table before we left to tell her how much we enjoyed our meal there. This is *definitely* a place we'll return to! read more

Happened to find out about Luisa's by the location and decided to try a takeout order. When I went to pickup the order at the restaurant I was greeted by a fabulous woman sitting off to the side asking me if I'd like to be seated and I told her I was there for a takeout order. She said they would be right with me, and asked me what I ordered. When I told her what was in my order, she said "those are all really good things" and said I'm Luisa. We had a wonderful conversation about the restaurant and her desire for people to feel joy when eating the food there. I can tell you the Cheese Manicotti and the Lasagna Bolognese are both very good and the Meat Balls 5 Star on Yelp pizza is flavorful and has a nice crust. While I didn't stay there for dinner, I will say that the decor and General ambience are the place is very nice and I hope to have the opportunity to have a sit down meal there one day soon. All the best to you Luisa! Chow! read more

Luisa's Restaurant - Such a charming woman (Lusia). Hope you find her sitting near the door when you walk in. - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

We had a wonderful meal at Luisa's restaurant. We enjoyed sharing stories and laughing with Luisa. Excellent service and delicious food. read more

Luisa's Restaurant - We had a delicious meal at Luisa's restaurant tonight, 5/25/24. We enjoyed our chat with 94 year old Luisa. - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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LOVE LUISA'S!! This cute neighborhood style eatery in South mission is a great spot to go to for Italian food. They accommodated for our large party! Highly recommend papardelle, gnocchi, and lobster ravioli (do note there are 6 ravioli dumplings) The staff was super friendly, and Luisa was also in the restaurant at the time and she has such an incredible energy. She shared a bit of her story about her journey the US and the background of the restaurant, what a wonderful woman. They also gave us a free tiramisu, highly recommend checking it out too. read more

Luisa's Restaurant - GNOCCHI 5 Stars On YELPGnocchi - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We were celebrating my daughter's success with a late dinner here. We ordered most of the menu and were delighted! The staff were exceptional and very attentive. The location was ideal and the decor was charming. Felt like family. We will be back every chance we get. read more

Didn't enjoy our visit here very much. It was pretty awkward, start to finish. My partner is immunocompromised and we mask indoors. We stepped in, masked, to ask for one of their outdoor tables. Immediately, the guy who I assume is the owner/family of said "you don't need to mask" and interrupted us. We brushed it off and sat outside but I'm kinda wishing we'd left. The folks at the next table set the bar high, telling us this would be the best Italian food we'd ever had. It was not. I got a glass of red that was slightly vinegar, definitely had been open too long. The complimentary bread was pretty dry and reminded me of all the mediocre restaurants in Europe. We shared a margarita pizza (which the menu said was thin, neopolitan style, which is my favorite) and the gnocchi. The pasta was good, the highlight of the meal. The pizza was atrocious. The cheese and crust were burnt, not neopolitan style at all and there were unripe slices of tomato on top the finished pizza. So weird. Not good. We split a cannoli for dessert which was also not bad. Upon going in to use the bathroom, I saw a sign for an open position of pizza maker. So... Maybe wait on this one for a bit. Wouldn't recommend read more

Gnocchi mix with vodka and Alfredo sauce. It was delicious! We went to this restaurant to celebrate a special moment. The staff there were so polite, attentive and prompt. We even had the pleasure to interact with the owner. Love this place! read more

Luisa's Restaurant - Gnocchi mix with vodka and Alfredo sauce. - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Let me start this review by saying I eat for a living. I work in multiple restaurants, and I run a food blog. I don't say this to be pretentious, I say that because when I tell you this is THE BEST LASAGNA IVE EVER HAD, you know it's coming from a fat guy/ reputable source! Hands down, even better than when I was in Italy, best lasagna I've ever had. Luisa was there and like any legendary restraunteur she effortlessly struck up a conversation and told me about some of her other wonderful menu items. Her wonderful conversation was politely accompanied by a shot of limoncello from Sorrento. Overall my experience was fantastic. The Chianti was full bodied. My caprese was fresh and not over oily or peppery. And when I tell you I would put this lasagna up against ANY lasagna you've had or your nonna could concoct, I'd be flabbergasted if Luisa's wasn't the winner. ‍ read more

Luisa's Restaurant - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Hands down, this is my favorite Italian restaurant that I've been to in San Francisco so far. I thought I have had gnocchi before but omg when I tell you this gnocchi is so good, it's better than any that I've ever had. The pasta I had was delicious and fresh as well. The sauces were CRAZY delicious and truly I'm not one to obsess over Italian food usually but it was so so yummy and memorable. The service was so kind. She let us try a few wines before deciding on the one we were going to get checked on us regularly, but not too much and it was just really really good service. Luisa her self was there as well sitting in a booth and it was really cool to see her just hanging out while I was enjoying her and her family's delicious recipes. the ambience of the restaurant was so cute and quaint and I can't wait to come back. read more

Luisa's Restaurant - GNOCCHI 5 Stars On YELP pesto - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This is my favorite Italian restaurant in San Francisco. I'm from north Jersey so I have high standards for Italian food, and this place reminded me so much of home. It's a cute old-school Italian restaurant just like the ones I grew up going to; there are old family photos on the wall and you will be greeted by the owner, the lovely Luisa, upon entering. We had the lobster ravioli with vodka sauce, the gnocchi with pesto, and the cannelloni. The ravioli was perfectly cooked and the vodka sauce was delightful. The gnocchi was so silky and melted in our mouth, and the pesto tasted incredibly fresh (just like the sauce my mom used to make with basil from our garden). The food was perfect, I honestly have no notes. I savored every bite. Additionally, we ordered a bottle of Luisa's sauvignon blanc and it was fantastic. It was crisp and smooth, with just a little touch of sweetness. It complemented the food so well. The service is wonderful and the staff are so friendly and attentive. The atmosphere is perfect for any occasion, whether that's a night out with friends or a dinner with your parents or a date. I can't recommend Luisa's enough! read more

Luisa's Restaurant - LOBSTER RAVIOLI with vodka sauce, GNOCCHI 5 Stars On YELP with pesto, and CANNELLONI DE CARNE - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

We have been working our way around the neighborhood to try different Italian restaurants, and this one is by far the better choice if you're looking for authentic Italian food in a cozy dining experience. The meatballs are some of the tastiest we have had with a generous serving of marinara, though not ideal for the gluten intolerant or sensitive. I appreciate that they offer gluten free pasta and gluten free pizza crusts. Wonder if they would consider making a gluten free gnocchi. That would be amazing to be able to enjoy without digestive concerns. Thank you, Luisa for keeping this long established restaurant serving delicious food throughout the city! read more

I've been missing the gnocchi for the 25 or so years Luisa's old restaurant moved out of the Castro. Last Friday I discovered that It was as good as I immortalized in my memories! Basically the food is terriifc. ITALIAN. Delicious. Top-notch Caesar, excellent house wine. Wonderful! The new incarnation of Luisa's on Guerrero is also excellently decorated, comfortably simple. We were there on Day 9 and Luisa admitted that she needs more staff... she didn't expect that so many customers would show up that quickly! But, she pitched in by welcoming new arrivals, helping them open the awkward front door, and making sure that they were seated quickly. She also took the time to visit most of the tables, check in, and tell stories. If there is another 94-year-old opening a new restaurant, I hope they do it 1/4 as well as Luisa! read more

Luisa's Restaurant - Luisa showing a bottle of her house red which pictures her a few years earlier! - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Service was amazing, the young lady who waited on us was so friendly, warm and welcoming! The food was SO SO SO good! We had the Gnocchi with pesto and vodka sauce with a side of parpadelle noodles and a half meatball and half salami pizza everything was SOOOO SOOO Good. 100% will be coming back. read more

Perfetto! Charming place, lovely people with perfectly presented, and properly apportioned, highest-quality fresh ingredients and handmade pastas. We were just in Rome a few months ago, and craving a cozy contemporary romantic (what Romanesque used to be called) restaurant, so it was a real bonus treat to return home and discover Louisa's only a few blocks away. Also, I should add, it's an amazing value for the quality and service, all around. Cheers & molto grazie read more

Lovely space and friendly service! The cannelloni, meatballs and lasagna were all amazingg. The garlic bread and bruschetta were very fresh, but could use a bit more flavor (perhaps cheese or acidity/balsamic). We will definitely be back! read more

Luisa's Restaurant - Cannelloni & garlic bread - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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