Came here with my wife without a reservation but hoping for the best. Friendly staff all around from front of house to the bar area to the general wait staff. We sat in two open seats at the bar counter which was perfectly fine. We ordered three items for dinner followed by a dessert. 1. Gnocchi Carbonara 2. Spaghetti alla Chitarra 3. Bone-in Beef Steak Tagliata with Soft Polenta *Dessert* Spumoni Gelato Sundae I want to make it clear that I know this place is newly opened and I intend on making a return trip probably in a month after this place has had a chance to truly settle in. 1. Gnocchi had nice texture. Sauce was flavorful, rich, and smooth. Portion was on the smaller side but I understand that pricing includes labor, skill, and ingredient choice. I would have liked a larger portion but this was fine provided you come with the mindset that it isn't likely going to be your only dish. However... the issue of this dish was the saltiness. It was very salty. Admittedly I tend to put less salt at home when cooking, but my wife who is a fan of strong flavors also found this to be very salty. Reducing the salt a touch would take away any real gripe against the dish. If I were to apply a 1-10pt scale on just the salt issue, with 1 being no salt, 10 being dangerously salty, and 5 being just right... I would say this was a 7. 2. Meat ball and sausage were well seasoned and had good texture. Same with the sauce. Same with the noodles. Texture and general seasoning-wise was very enjoyable. However, much like the gnocchi above, the salt content was 'impressive'. If the man serving us at the bar happens to read this comment, he may be able to identify me in this comment by the fact that I kept saying the word "impressive" after a few bites because I wanted to avoid saying anything overtly negative... but I was saying "impressive" because the salt level in the spaghetti dish was noticeably higher than the gnocchi which was already strong. If I were to apply a 1-10pt scale on just the salt issue, with 1 being no salt, 10 being dangerously salty, and 5 being just right... I would say this was approaching 8.5. 3. The steak was an excellent medium-rare. The balsamic based sauce was a good choice and, color me relieved, this dish was not salty like the first two. It was well seasoned all around. I would get this again but possibly with a different side. I chose the soft polenta more as a curiousity than as a known-favorite. I think it was decent given what little I know of polenta, but I will try something else alongside next time - this one is on me and does not impact my general view of the dish. Again I would come here for a second shot and order the Spaghetti again just to see if my experience tonight was a one-off on the salt level. I would then order two other dishes to get a fuller scope of the food. I am keen on giving the Pork Bistecca and the Eggplant Parmesan a try on my next visit. read more

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Service was good. Food was ordinary. Portions were small. For the price with the level of food, we were disappointed.

Don't worry about tip, gratuity included for 2 ppl (20% tip + 9% sf tax). Yeah... no. Very small portions and service was whatever. Hand food and disappear until the bill. Maybe this place just isnt for me though. read more

The restaurant has been opened for about 6 months and finally gets a chance to try it. The waitress was very hospitable and knowledgeable about the menu. The atmosphere is great and the food was excellent. There is a family menu on certain nights so you can share different dishes. read more

Food, Service and Ambiance all fabulous! Had the Steak Tagliata, Soft Polenta, Tiramisu and C is for Cookie. Will return! read more

Ofena - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

So happy to see this place in the neighborhood. The food and drinks were all delicious! We loved the pickle juice martini. The rigatoni with clams and the steak were both terrific. Looking forward to visiting again! read more

Seriously wanted to love this place since it's in my neighborhood. The first thing that was off-putting was the STRONG fish smell as we entered the restaurant. I must say that the chicken was excellent. The salad and green beans were decent but not spectacular. I was not fond of the dark interior. Wine by the glass is $13-20. Ouch. Servers were very friendly and effecient. Sadly, there was no WOW factor and I doubt we will return. read more

Food was great, service was amazing, & cocktails were stellar ! My new favorite Italian restaurant in sf. read more

Ofena - Figurati, Rum, Chamomile Liqueur, Melon, Lemon, Chamomile-Green Tea Simple, Milk-Wash - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The food, service, and ambiance are excellent! Super attentive staff and creative drinks. Will definitely be back!

Food: good. Love the focaccia bread, pork chops, gnocchi carbonara with duck is unusual & superb, Service: excellent, explained dishes well Ambiance: comfortable & roomy We'll be back read more

The food was great and wonderful service. Good place for friends to get together. I ordered the Fried Chicken Cotoletta and was surprisingly really good. I thought it was just another plain fried chicken with some topping, but the flavors came together really well. It was a huge portion, but it was so good i finished it. Will definitely come back and try other food in the menu. read more

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This is a super cute place on ocean Ave. The music and vibes were really chill ...would say it is a nice date spot. The wine that was recommended to be paired with the bone in beef steak tagliata and cannelloni best was the Pinot nero I loved it! The service was great the food came out really quick also water was always full. I would say come back for the wine and the beef steak tagliata but forget about the cannelloni. read more

off to a great start!! overall good and service great food some constructive feedback: - consider some more sauces with the meats (we had the chicken and pork, chicken cooked perfectly pork a tiny bit dry) -don't wipe tables between courses with rubbing alchohol cloths/wipes, no reason for us to breathe those strong alcohol vapors while we eat -a little too pricey for us other than special occasions -great neighborhood addition we will be back to check on things soon read more

They've just started serving lunch on the weekends! Excellent food, service and price in a lovely setting!

Excellent taste & presentation (gnocchi carbonara, polenta, yellowtail, smashed potatoes and all the desserts were very very good) Excellent service (staff knows all the details and availability of items on menu and shares her honest recommendations) Owner responds cordially & promptly read more

We had a really great lunch here! The sandwiches were so good and their soup of the day was unbelievable. Their dinner menu looks amazing and we are looking forward to returning for dinner. read more

Excellent dinner last night at Ofena. It was our first time there and I promise won't be our last. Our server Steven was very helpful in making all the right choices for dinner. Our special evening, celebrating an early Galentines Day with dear friends of 30+ years, was even recognized by the Ofena staff with a special greeting on our table!! Thanks for a happy memory and delicious food!! read more

Ofena - a bottle of wine and a card on a table - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

We had a total of 10 people Birthday dinner celebration last night on 6/6/24 in a private room. The food is authentic, fancy Italian, delicious and consisting of many different courses from appetizers, salads, pastas and the main courses with many interesting side dishes. Service was excellent and friendly. The ambiance was nice and pleasant. read more

The Stemware at Dolores is the best martini I've ever had in my LIFE now I think every drink should come with a little cracker lol. The food was amazing as well, I just can't get this martini out of my head. I dream about her read more

Ofena - Stemware at Dolores - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was a little disappointed. After waiting over 25 years for that space to reopen as a restaurant, I couldn't wait to try it. It was my birthday, and they gave us a lovely table up front at the window. The place was clean and has plenty of space. We ordered the Funghi Misto Arancini and although they were on the small side, they were very good. Then came the red onion and chard cannelloni. The pasta was very gluey tasting, the chard lackluster in flavor, all topped with a cheesy marinara that just weighted it down. I was hoping for a lighter pasta dish. We split the steak with the crispy smashed potatoes. It was good, but not worth 49 bucks. I really liked the "tiramisu" though it was more like a piece of chocolate cake with a creamy/coffee topping. The wine is on the pricey side, but the Prosecco was a good deal at $12 a glass. The service was good, but they automatically add a 20% tip to the check which does not bode well with me. I don't know if I will go back. read more

Huge portions. Great service! The milk washed tequila is delicious and so was their persimmon dish. We had an amazing date night and will be returning soon! They come and change your plates, utensils, and clean up crumbs consistently. Never had to wait for a server to come around. Must visit read more

Wow. Our pre Christmas family meal at this place hit it out of the park. Not only is it near where my daughter lives but it had plenty of easy parking on ocean ave. Not sure if this is because it was two days before Christmas, but I think it's because there are not a lot of restaurants on this couple of blocks so most all the stores are closed at night. Right there that is a major plus. But besides all that, if the food was not good then who cares you say. And I say you are right. So now I'm saying EVERY dish we ordered was fantastic. Now you say... whoa. Thats right. You should say that. You know some restaurants you go to only have a few things on the menu that may appeal to you. Well at Ofena virtually every dish, including apps, salads, entrees, pastas ALL sounded great. And this was not just me saying, but everyone in the group said the same thing. So this is not an old school Italian place. This is a chef driven one. BUT they have a few old school dishes kicked up. So my litmus test for any new Italian place I try is a pasta bolognese or meatballs if they have it on the menu. And sure enough Ofena. And here they had both in one! And it also had Italian sausage. All on rigatoni. This dish was top 5 of all time. And yes I've been to Italy a bunch too. While this however is NOT a true Italian style bolognese, it was a perfect American red sauce classic. Dense in flavor and the perfect balance of acidic and sweet with a touch of fine olive oil and fat from the tender meat. Perfectly seasoned. The sausage was not hot but very flavorful and the meatball. Woah... It was an amazing. And of course the rigatoni was perfectly cooked al dente. Bing, Bang, Boom... Ok, so enough about the dish some people would say is so basic why would you order it. (Well I'm glad I did.) Here is the rest of what we got. Focaccia. In itself a simple version but fresh and ready for what's next... BUT it was the roasted garlic/olive oil and balsamic dip on the side that put it all to shame. And then... the fresh ricotta with sliced mortadella was in another orbit. Jeez. Get them both. House Salad. Larger very fresh leafs of two kinds of lettuces with roasted tomatoes. Brilliant vinaigrette dressing. Simple but perfect. Chilled Artichockes. A nice dish with flavor all around from the marinated peppers and olives. Artichokes perfectly cooked. Swiss chard/onion Cannelloni was also a unique winner. Lots of baked cheese and a very light yet flavorful tomato sauce helped make this a special dish. The flavor of the chard and onion were able to shine thru this and it all worked. Gnocchi Carbonara was also awesome . Very filling and rich but super flavors all working together to eleveate it. Rigatoni Vongole with clams was a hit as well with the clam affecianados at the table who shared this. Some elevated flavors going on from Spumante butter helped and the clams were super fresh. Romano Beans as a side were fantastic. A great sauce on them made them a dish I dont typically see but now want more of. The crispy smashed potatoes also made everyone happy as well with the right amount of "heat". To full for desert so no comments on that. But something tells me the would be great as again, they all sound awesome. So we will be back. The prices are reasonable by SF standards for the quality of the food and unique perfect preparations. Service was friendly and efficient and the food all came out super hot from the kitchen with the owner/chef bringing a couple of the dishes out too. He was roaming the restaurant to make sure things were going well and indeed they were. And did I forget to mention a reasonably priced wine list with some great bottles without the normal crazy markup you normally see. Congrats on an elevated yet accessible Italian restaurant in a city of both great old school places and great chef driven ones. And a city with plenty of not so great ones of each as well. Ofena hits it on all sides with all cylinders and im coming back next time I'm in SF and my daughter as a local and former restaurant owner who is pretty fussy also will be back! That should tell you something. read more

Everything was mouth wateringly delicious and so beautifully presented. Service was exceptional. I am so glad this restaurant opened nearby. I can't wait to come back again and again! read more

First off, great customer service however I wish they didn't have to change out our plates and utensils in between meals so much. We were fine with our current dishes to be honest. Also I would prefer that they sanitized our table with wipe after we finish dining and not during, there was a strong alcohol smell. The food on the other hand was good/decent, the fried mozzarella was my favorite, very crispy, freshly made and cheesy. The steak was okay, was a bit too salty and tough. The rigatoni may possibly be fresh but lacked a bit of flavor. The gnocchi was obviously freshly made, it tasted like pork meat and not duck meat? The potatoes are not bad, crispy but needed a good sauce to compliment it. read more

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Food is excellent! Bar staff is great! Ask for Mikey or Brandon they make good drinks, nice dudes. -Vinny read more

The ambiance at Ofena was very charming and welcoming. The hostess was very nice, we were seated promptly and it's great to have a new restaurant in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, the food was average for the price point, it lacked flavor and arrived lukewarm. There is an automatic 20% gratuity that is added to your bill regardless of party size that the restaurant failed to mention or note on their menu. read more

Inventive antipasti and fresh pastas are backed up here by well executed classic main dishes. The sides were very fresh and in season. I was very happy with the vegetarian options, especially the persimmon mushroom plate and the bean dishes, but there's not a lot on the menu for vegans. The service is beyond what you would expect for a neighborhood joint, and the dining room and bar areas are cozy and relatively spacious. It's a fabulous upscale addition to this stretch of Ocean Ave. that complements the more casual lunch places nearby. read more

Ofena is a great new spot for a special dinner in the area. Highlights were the focaccia, the broccolini side, and the Steak Tagliata. So much flavor! I definitely suggest taking the servers suggestion share items so you can try more things. Pasta dishes were in the smaller side for a main entree, but perfect when shared with apps and an entree to split. The staff here are incredible as well. Very warm, knowledge about the food/wine and extremely welcoming. Amy was our waitress, and she was fantastic and deserves a special shout out for such great service. The hostess, whose name we didn't catch, was so nice as well! We can't wait to go back already. read more

We found this place at random after visiting friends in the neighborhood who omitted to serve lunch. What an incredible surprise. The Nonni sandwich for $17 was probably the best sandwich hot or cold I've ever eaten in San Francisco, and my partner said his gnocchi (which I tasted, and which were super good) was the best pasta-type dish he'd eaten in his life. Service was very welcoming without a hint of attitude. In space formerly occupied by a restaurant whose sign is still visible in a cute 1950s era shopping district that one wishes had more places like this. read more

We went there last night, the restaurant was pretty busy. The foods are great, servers are friendly and attentive. The prefix menu for $45 with three courses are worth for the price! read more

Have been here a couple of times now and the experience has been great every time. Excellent food and drinks and very friendly staff. Definitely a new go to in the neighborhood! read more

Wonderful addition to the neighborhood. Great attentive service and delicious food and drinks!

Nice restaurant with good service and interesting menu items. Didn't try their specialty drinks but I am told they are good.

Fantastic place and perfect addition to ocean Ave! For a restaurant that just opened, they are doing a fantastic job. read more

Food was typical for an Italian place, but it was more on the pricey side, which didn't necessarily match with the quality of the food that was presented. read more

Food and service were exceptional. Quality of ingredients showed up in every dish. I've always enjoyed Chef Tim's cooking and this was no exception. Thanks for another great meal! read more

Wonderful upscale dining experience. Excellent wine list and attentive service. Recommended: tuna crudo, steak, focaccia w/anchovies&butter, summer bean salad Our only complaint was the pasta dishes being heavy on the lemon read more

I was very happy to see a brand new restaurant open on Ocean Ave. In the Lakeside neighborhood. It's been at least 10 years that this previous site has stood empty so I was anxious to sit down with my family for dinner at Ofena. This is an Italian restaurant with a broad selection to choose from. The food was very good, but the servings were small. I can't say the same for the prices. You're charged $5. for a small serving of bread. $3. For garlic flavored olive oil and $4.00 for butter. Need I say more ? The service was great, and the atmosphere was very nice. This restaurant will attract first time customers but I can't imagine very many return guests. There are plenty other excellent restaurants in San Francisco. So sorry this welcome addition to the neighborhood is a disappointment, read more

Wine was expensive but good. Loved the gnocchi and broccolini but the eggplant Parmesan was over breaded and not very good. Nice place and nice wait staff. read more

Beautiful addition to the neighborhood! Classy staff with a great attention to detail without being in the way. A lovely experience. really enjoyed the yellowfin tuna tuna carpaccio appetizer, (delectable) and the gnocchi carbonara, (delicious). read more