Magic Flute has earned a permanent spot in my brunch rotation. It's warm, unpretentious, and finding a last-minute table is rarely a problem. A small miracle in this city. The Classic French Toast is my go-to. Served on brioche as it should be, light enough that you leave satisfied without feeling like you overdid it. Yes, French toast at an Italian restaurant. It just happens to work. The mimosas are a nice touch. If you can snag a seat on the patio, do it. It's lovely and surprisingly peaceful for a city brunch spot. If you want something more substantial, the menu goes in some unexpected directions. The Chorizo Chilaquiles being the prime example. My friend, who happens to be Mexican, ordered it and gave it his seal of approval. I'll take that as the highest possible endorsement. I also tried the Prosciutto Cotto Benedict, which turned out to be an education. Prosciutto cotto is cooked ham, not the dry-cured kind most people picture when they see "prosciutto" on a menu. Worth knowing before you order. Looking closely at the menu, you'll wonder what type of restaurant you're actually eating at. Italian, French, Mexican, American. It's somehow all of it, and nobody seems to mind. Great food and a beautiful setting that won't put a hole in your wallet, unless you decide to add the Quintessa at $550 a bottle. For those looking to impress without a reservation, keep Magic Flute on your radar. read more

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I met my colleagues here for lunch. The restaurant was cute and very comfortable. We were seated by the window, which was nice! The staff was welcoming and patient while we decided what to order. I ordered the vongole pasta, which was okay. The pasta was slightly softer than I like it, but it tasted pretty good. There were a good number of clams and the portion size was perfect. My friend liked their dishes. It's a nice restaurant, but I'd probably choose somewhere else if I wanted to eat Italian again. It's really difficult to find parking around here these days! read more

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Magic Flute Ristorante should be able to get more than 5 stars! I'm not a breakfast person, but hands down amazing. I only wish I lived here to come back at night for their dinner. Service was top notch. I believe the owner sat us and he was very nice. He took us out to their patio and it was so pretty back there and relaxing. Perfect place to have a bite to eat and chat with your friends. We started with their beignets and the mascarpone and jelly were the perfect compliment to them. I ordered the avocado toast Benedict minus the hollandaise sauce. The egg was cooked perfect and the avocado had the perfect amount of seasoning. We couldn't believe how big the slice of quiche was. People who tried said it was the best one they ever had. My husband had the Cobb salad and it was really good as well. I recommend reservations and if the weather is nice out ask to be seated on the patio. read more

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Came by here yesterday around noon for brunch. I was recommended this place a while ago by a friend saying it's the perfect Mother's day brunch spot. She also recommended the outdoor back patio. I'm so glad we came to check out this spot. The restaurant is located in laurel heights. It was probably the coldest day so far this winter so we opted to stay inside. We got a cozy spot in the front corner by the window. It was not crowded at all and we were seated right away. Immediately on the menu there were several things I wanted to try! Luckily I was with a friend who was down to share. We split the prosciutto Benedict and the orange blueberry french toast bake with honey and ricotta. The food was really good! I would come back. I enjoyed both fishes and there are other items on the menu that look good. We also got drinks. I got a latte and she got a mocha. There is a lot of great coffee in the city and these drinks were lacking a bit. They were fine but not exceptional. It may better to stick with black coffee. I think a lot of brunch spots in SF are hyped up and have long lines to get in. They are often overpriced and waste hours of your weekend. And for what some eggs? If you're tired of lines and looking for a place serving up some great food, check out the Magic flute. read more

Like another review stated, it seems this restaurant might only have one waiter for most or all of the restaurant. Importantly, the waiter on the night we visited really hustled; constant motion. The Clam Chowder was amazing, and a salad for an appetizer was great. My companion had the penne pesto chicken--absolutely delicious. I had the ravioli special which on this night was butternut squash. It was bland. For food and ambiance, I would give this place three stars. However, our waiter was unwelcoming. I appreciate that he was busy. But he literally ignored my partner who was speaking to him, thanking him for seating us without a reservation. He also seemed to stalk us as we ate our appetizers. We felt we were inconveniencing him by simply being there. For the poor service, I give this place two stars. read more

good italian restaurant in a quiet neighborhood. definitely must stop by if you are in the area. read more

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Super cute spot for brunch, and I loved that they have an outdoor patio area in the back--really quaint. Their savory breakfasts are definitely worth trying. My friend and I shared the PROSCIUTTO COTTO BENEDICT and the SMOKED SALMON LATKE BENEDICT, along with fresh-squeezed juices. High recommend a visit. ENJOY! read more

TL, DR: There are so many restaurants in the city, so I'd suggest considering other options in the neighborhood. I think this one is ok in a pinch, but maybe try a different dish and keep your expectations low. The host/waiter checked their watch when I arrived at 7pm - it felt like I was unwelcome even though they didn't close til 8:30pm. It was a Friday night, there were other diners in the restaurant, and there was a party as well. Two of the other servers were kind and welcoming during my visit. I thought maybe the one I had was just having a bad day so I continued to be kind. Ultimately, they turned a little bit of a corner at the end of the visit which was nice to experience - sometimes kindness does really win people over. On the food - it was ok, not great. I had the garlic cheese bread (yum!), butternut squash ravioli (meh, lacked seasoning...which seems to be common at restaurants these days), and the beignets (overpriced, but tasty). The actual restaurant seemed nice as far as atmosphere goes, and it was pretty empty when I arrived so it seems like you can generally get a table when you want. Happy snacking! read more

If you're looking for a quiet dinner or brunch in a lovely spot, this is for you. The crowd is a bit older, but they know good food. Everything was delicious and beautifully presented. The waiter accommodated my allergies and preferences. I'd never had anchovy stuffed fried olives before. They were awesome. Sometimes you just want delicious food and not a loud energetic environment. read more

Magic Flute Ristorante - B Bucatini all'Amatriciana - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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A favorite spot. They dress their side salads perfectly with an ideal dressing no one else has quite the same recipe for. I love the garden scramble, each component ideally seasoned and cooked just right. French toast was also lovely and not too sweet. Staff are professional and kind. Had a great time as usual, thanks! read more

Great food and sweet ambience. The server was wonderful and we had a really special evening. read more

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Everyone was so friendly, which makes a huge difference. We came for brunch. The food was very good (a little expensive, but not crazy for SF) and the service was great. Marina was extra thoughtful! read more

I've been coming to Magic flute since 2007. It has always been a great experience. Since the owner retired it has gone down hill. I ordered the arugula salad and the prosciutto was absolutely awful. Dry, tasteless and stale. The prosciutto/arugula pizza (yes, I love arugula) was horrific. I say this because it truly was.. the crust was extremely bland and again, the prosciutto was gross. Waiter was attentive...he's been there a very long time. I paid the bill without mention because I probably won't be back anytime soon. It's so sad. The entire restaurant was almost empty and now I know why. read more

Cute little hidden gem! Came and had the spicy sausage pasta, a nice bottle of spritz , some garlic bread, and a delicious salad. It seemed like a cozy spot for locals and regulars. Sitting outside on the patio was a vibe. read more

Magic Flute Ristorante - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

TL;DR beautiful outdoor patio space and great for groups, staff is friendly and helpful, however appetizers, entrees, drinks were just average. Came here for a group lunch and started with tons of appetizers to share. The standout were the fried olives, which were savory, crispy, and perfect way to whet my appetite. We also ordered various drinks, mimosas, cran-mosas, Pom-mosas, etc. the ratio of champagne to juice was a little off as there was barely any bubbles and was a little too sweet. For the main course, I ordered the MF burger, which I enjoyed but wasn't anything special. The beef was char broiled, which gave it its smoky flavor. the prosciutto gave a nice touch of crunch, albeit it didn't add any umami flavor that you'd usually expect. What brought it all together was the brioche bun, melding together all the different ingredients that I found quite delightful. The burger also came with a generous pile of fries, which were under salted but still crispy so I can't complain. For dessert, we asked for tiramisu to share, but was surprised that an Italian restaurant didn't have it. we ordered beignets instead, they were sugary and crispy, but unfortunately didn't leave a lasting impression. Overall, this place was not bad. if you live in the neighborhood, I would recommend coming here for coffee or light snacks to enjoy the ambiance esp on their patio. However I wouldn't go out of my way to dine here again. read more

Magic Flute Ristorante - M.F. Burger and cran-mosa - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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When you eat this hamburger there's nothing better. It's excellent. It's the best Burger Caramelized onions Toasted bun That's it! -Mirsada read more

Some restaurants are more ambiance than anything else and it certainly applies to this restaurant. The food is so-so but they have a lovely garden area that I like and take friends to on occasion. read more

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Everything at this restaurant is delicious! I've never had something I didn't like. I don't eat burgers often but they cook it perfectly and it's one of the best ones I've had recently. read more

Such a beautiful ambience at the lovely outdoor patio! The food was delicious and it was a perfect place for brunch. read more

Magic Flute Ristorante - Patio - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The Magic Flute is a great old-school Italian. The outdoor patio is like a romantic hideaway, the wine list is great, the staff is knowledgeable and friendly and do not miss the pastas. Yum! read more

This place is such a hidden gem and the charming back patio is a very rare find in SF. Do not miss the standout menu options: saffron arancini, fried calamari, quiche, burger, prawn scampi, chicken marsala & salmon picatta. The service is friendly and knowledgable. Check it out! read more

Food: 2 stars Ambiance: 5 stars (for outdoor back patio) Hostess: 5 stars The brunch food today was 2 stars. The Orange French Toast Bake was beautiful, but terribly undercooked and low on flavor. It was actually soggy... I also had to request maple syrup to make up for the poor flavor. The ambiance in the back patio is 5 stars (well heated, soothing water feature, pretty ivy). But the French Toast was awful (the worst I've ever had in SF), so I sadly have to give this place 2 stars. read more

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Always great quality and service. Love the beignets with cinnamon cream. Better than NOLA.

Wow, the outdoor patio was serene and relaxing. The servers and the Boss were genuinely kind, helpful, and patient with me. The cappuccino was deeeeefreakinlicious! The Quiche had a nice flaky crust and the mixed greens had a sherry vinaigrette... they were yummy! I wished I could've said the the same for their tiramisu. I prefer lots of mascarpone cream. This one is housemade and came in a cute jar but barely had any cream in it. I'll definitely come back for Brunch. read more

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Great location and service. Love the backyard patio for dining. Good Italian food. Have been a fan of this small gem in Presidio Heights for decades. Great for weekend brunch with family and with friends. read more

Overall very good birthday meal, marred slightly by some rough-around-the-edges service. Came here for my wife's birthday as there's a great range of Italian bistro like menu items. Teens really enjoyed the pasta Bolognese. The pork chop was delicious, tender, and just right. Had a short rib feel to it. Overall very good. Risotto was excellent as well. And really good reviews on the chicken piccata. Pie for dessert was also really good. Only issue was the service was a bit overly personal (touching, over-friendly contributions to our table conversation) and the hostess had a tendency to bang around the wooden floor in the restaurant with her hard shoes and call out loudly at the staff which created a bit of an unfortunate ambience in the place. Server also warned us immediately when we sat down about a large party in the back and suggested that we order quickly. Nice, I guess, but overall created a rushed feel to the meal. Also, I had left them a voicemail earlier in the day about it being my wife's birthday, and if they could do something special. Didn't want anything free, but would have been nice to have maybe a candle in her pie or even an acknowledgment. But, didn't get any of that. Honestly, expected a bit more given the price point and the Tock reservation platform. read more

Magic Flute Ristorante - Gilled Pork Chop - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

My last visit to Magic Flute was about 35 years ago. Not sure it's changed since then. Is that a good thing? Depends on your perspective. The food (beet salad app followed by lamb burger) was good enough (although the overflowing yogurt sauce on the burger made for a messy eat), and the service was fine and attentive. But the menu and atmosphere felt tired. We ate indoors and had the weather been better, maybe al fresco dining would have left a different vibe. Nothing wrong with the meal, but- especially with all the nearby options - I might let another 35 years pass before my next visit. read more

We came here for brunch. The food was fine, but the service was excellent and the backyard we sat in was beautiful. Their breakfast sandwich was enormous so if size is what matters to you, go for that. Usually I'm not a fan of non-free bread but the focaccia here was definitely worth it. Would be more interested to come back for dinner, I get the feeling their specialty is something other than eggs. read more

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The 8 of us had lunch here yesterday. I loved my blacken salmon salad and Bellini. However, it was freezing cold in the back room before the outdoor patio. Due to covid, the doors to the rear outdoor patio had to be open at all times. Even the waiters looked like they were cold. They gave us two heaters for our party of 8 but it was still Cold as we never took off our jackets during dining. I order the blackened salmon salad. It was wonderful. The salmon was cooked perfectly. There was a large amount of arugula and some pretty radishes and avocado. For dessert we each had a beignet. It was freshly cooked and very soft!! I liked the preserves we dipped it in. Please be aware that we were notified we had 90 minutes to complete our meal from the reservation time. I also wondered why we were not served bread when other diners were. read more

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The food was good. The service was excellent. They were able to modify the dishes to accommodate our requests. The servers were very friendly. We'll go there again. read more

Very cute Italian restaurant in the high end Presidio Heights neighborhood. Family run, it's been around for many years with solid food. We sat in the back patio for Mother's Day, which was cozy with umbrellas, fountain, kitschy decor. They have heaters but only in certain areas of the patio, so the breeze made it a bit chilly. I had the chiliquiles, which were delicious with crispy chips, perfectly fried egg, cotijo cheese, spicy chorizo and avocado, with a side salad. Husband had quiche with hickory bacon, carnelized onion, and Swiss and said it was light and cheesy. Good wine list, had Prosecco and mimosas. Service was fast and friendly. They did require a $20 per person deposit for special occasions, which they credited toward the meal. Recommend for a special brunch or lunch, though would recommend sitting inside for dinner. read more

Magic Flute Ristorante - Chorizo Chilaquiles - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We went here for my birthday and made a reservation. We were seated inside and asked to switch to outside and they were able to accommodate us. We ordered the calamari to share, which was just like any other calamari, nothing too special. We ordered 4 pastas between the 4 of us so I was able to taste a little bit of all the pastas. My pasta in order of favorite to least favorite: 1. Prawn Pasta: - bursting with flavor - giant prawns - lemony/ buttery - linguine pasta 2. Pesto Chicken Penne - super creamy - bursts of flavor and herbs - flavorful pesto pasta 3. Fusilli alla Bolognese - hearty tomato sauce - tasted home made - really good with bite size pieces of beef 4. Frutti di Mare Linguini - was looking forward to this the most but it lacked flavor - tasted watered down for some reason - small pieces of seafood read more

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The Magic Flute is simply wonderful. The food is great and the patio is charming. Be sure to order the quiche!

Not very magical... Went here for a lunch with my colleagues. The ambience is fresh and reminiscent of Italy, and the service is quick. However, the food was sub-par. There were limited vegetarian options to begin with. I ordered the salmon sandwich, which was overpriced for its ordinary flavor. It tasted like salmon with tartar sauce sandwiched between ciabatta buns - something I could have easily cooked at home. The side salad was very basic (I'd even say the ready-made salad packs at Trader Joe's are better). I had ordered the pomegranate mimosa, which was easy to sip on throughout the meal. We ordered beignets for the table to share - they had a distinct after-taste of the oil they were fried in, which isn't the best for a dessert... The one highlight of the meal was the fried olives - a unique appetizer that was prepared well. Overall, it was a decent meal for when I was hungry, I doubt I'd go here again. read more

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Beautiful room and patio. Service was pleasant and prompt - note: we were seated immediately after opening (so not busy). No side eye when we didn't order drinks, that's a biggie for me in these types of restaurants. Ordered the calamari - delicious, light and flaky - not salty as it often can be. Hubs ordered the Salmon Piccata and it was cooked perfectly (not overdone) presentation was gorgeous too. I had the Prawn Scampi. Flavor was perfect but the consistency of the sauce required that I ask for a spoon in order to get any into my mouth. Very thin, didn't cling to the pasta. Portions were adequate and appropriate. read more

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I've come here two times now and the restaurant is absolutely lovely and cozy! Definitely make a reservation -- there was only one time out of the many we've dropped by where they took walk ins. I'm a huge fan of this restaurant as a date night or a nicer dinner with pretty ambiance. I prefer their brunch menu over their dinner because the quantity and price is much more worth your money in my opinion. The brunch dishes are traditionally around $15-$18 , but they give a very large serving. The dinner prices were more expensive ($20-$28 per entree) with dishes such as pasta, but I did think the quantity was very low, especially for the price point. Despite ordering a appetizer and pasta entree each, my partner and I had to go eat somewhere after to feel full. That being said, it is such a lovely restaurant with a cozy environment. I would highly recommend coming for their brunch / lunch menu. read more

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Great Italian food in a nice restaurant vibe. The staff was attentive and the food was brought out together and warm for our large party. The fried olives are a must try and the chicken Marsala is a solid option to try read more

Magic Flute Ristorante - Chicken Marsala - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Ambiance wonderful. Beautiful rear patio, hostess warm, friendly, and welcoming, servers pleasant. Had lunch of shrimp scampi and the presidio scramble. Their shrimp scampi is good but think the pasta portion is a bit small for the price. Saw good reviews on the scramble so first time ordering it.. sorry to say meats used were not fresh. We did not complain but won't be back anytime soon. Should have stuck with the pizza or burger which we had before. Husband wound up with indigestion and skipped dinner that night. read more

Magic Flute Ristorante - Brunch Scramble - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Only one server working for the entire restaurant. There were 5 tables occupied in the front room and 4 tables occupied on the back patio. We had to wait several minutes for a menu and then several more minutes for water to be served. The server got our orders confused. My dining partner and I split a salad and when we asked for an additional plate to divide up the dish, the server was put out and explained they were low on plates. We both ordered pasta dishes and they were delicious. The ambiance would have been better if the lights were slightly dimmed as the room had very bright lights on, more what you'd expect for breakfast or lunch. The candles on the table were a bit out of order with the bright lights. We ordered two glasses of wine. Both came to the table already poured so we had no way to know that the wine we ordered was what was actually served. We had expected the server to pour the wine straight from the bottle at the table. read more

This place was so good that we went twice in one week! AND I got the same thing both times because it was so darn good! One reason for us going there the 2nd time was because I was with someone on a knee scooter (foot injury) and it's an easy place to get around. The service was impeccable and the food was absolutely delicious. Get the quiche!!! The back deck for outdoor seating was so cute and relaxing. For a while I forgot I was in a busy city! read more

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