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Came to Sotto Mare for a birthday celebration and here are my thoughts: FOOD: Cioppino (8/10): The broth was mildly bland and a bit more watery than we expected, especially considering all the hype. I wouldn't call it the best cioppino I've ever had, since I've definitely had better, but I did enjoy the seafood in the dish. The portion was very generous and could easily feed two people. Surprisingly, it tasted even better as leftovers the next day, after the flavors had more time to develop. I'd honestly recommend getting it to-go and eating it the next day if you can. You'll also avoid the 2-3 hour wait if you don't have a reservation. Scallop Sauté (10/10): DELICIOUS! The scallops were perfectly cooked, and the garlic sauce was rich, flavorful, and packed with flavor. I'd definitely come back just for this dish! East Coast oysters (9/10): definitely tasted sweeter than the West coast. West coast oysters (10/10): Had a creamier texture which I really liked, but both oysters were delicious with the cocktail sauce and Tabasco that came with it. SERVICE: Definitely make a reservation for groups of 3 or more to avoid a long wait. The staff could be a bit quicker with seating guests, but the service was good overall. AMBIANCE: The restaurant had a fun NY like vibes and was surrounded by lots of other food places that are worth trying. Guests can sit indoors or outside. We were seated indoors in front of the chefs which was a bit hot but still fun to watch them cook. Overall, Sotto Mare was a fun place to celebrate a birthday. I probably wouldn't return specifically for the cioppino, but I'd definitely come back to try some of their other seafood dishes.
I love Sotto Mare. We came 3ish years ago for the clams and 3 years later I'm still loving the clams! Whenever I'm in the area I will make the effort to eat here! The service is fast and efficient~ the shop is small so where they can sit us is where I will eat lol I think we ate 20 clams and 6 west coast 4 east coast oysters (to us east coast did taste better, they were bigger and sweeter)
Great customer service, great food, great vices! A very busy restaurant because it's that good! It can get a bit loud because it's tight inside the restaurant but they do have outdoor seating. 10/10 East Coast oysters. I tell my partner that the smaller the oyster the better the taste. The red sauce they provide with the oysters make it better. Beautiful taste without the sauce also! 7/10 Lobster Ravioli. They give you a huge plate with large raviolis. Cooked perfectly! The star flavor is obviously lobster but I wish there was something else that heighten the flavor. My partner did say that it was hard to distinguish between the pasta and the lobster. We came 30 min before closing (I know I'm sorry) but when we asked for a table, they were unsure but advised us to check in again at 8:50. We hung out at the bar next door -- and honestly the whole block was a vibe because everyone was out!
The food was incredibly flavourful, perfect portions and fresh ingredients which is obviously key in a seafood restaurant. The service was fast and friendly and we did not have to wait very long to be served which was nice. The restaurant is a long hall shape so it can be tight and intimate but that's SF so no surprise there. Decor was fun, very coastal and Italian. Definitely would go back to try their signature dishes next time as well!
Finally made it to this institutional SF restaurant after over nine years living here. They don't take reservations, but you can arrive at the door and book one for later in the day. It's very busy so I recommend arriving early if you want to be sat right away. We wanted to sit outside because it was a beautiful day so we put our name down to come back in an hour and went to a nearby bar for drinks. - clam chowder - solid clam chowder and something nice to start with, but was maybe the weakest thing we ordered. Not necessary. - clam pasta - wonderfully cooked clams, but I did think the pasta itself could use a bit more salt - seafood risotto - assorted seafood, cooked with rice. Personally, I felt like it was a bit salty, but the seafood was very perfectly cooked. - cioppino - you're basically see this on every table. It serves two people. Loaded with seafood as well as some penne. Robust flavor with plenty of bread to enjoy the sauce with. Seafood was cooked exceptionally well. Crab was pre-cracked so it was easy to eat. Overall, a really solid experience. There's a reason so many people like it. I felt like they were both tourists and locals visiting. I personally don't think I need to go back, but I would definitely take someone who is visiting here.
Sotto Mare was the choice for dinner with two friends who had never been there before and really wanted to try it. We made a reservation, but when we arrived, there was a minor mix-up, so we had to wait a bit. To their credit, the staff acknowledged the mistake and did their best to seat us as quickly as possible. We chose to sit outside, which made the wait a little easier. By the time we were seated, we were definitely hungry, so we started with a bottle of white wine to relax a bit. Our server, a very friendly lady with a great sense of humor, recommended the Fiano from Orsi Family Vineyards in Sonoma, and it turned out to be an excellent choice. We skipped appetizers and went straight for the main event. The four of us shared the cioppino, sea scallop sauté, and linguine with seafood, which our server also recommended. All three dishes were flavorful, well prepared, and more than enough for the table. Between the good food, the wine, and joking around with our server throughout the evening, we ended up having a really enjoyable dinner and a great overall experience.
This is my personal Michelin restaurant. Would travel just for this place. Went 2 days in a row because it was so damn good. Service was amazing. Each portion is HUGE. I'm a big eater and I couldn't even finish a full serving. And the prices are extremely reasonable for the portion and the fresh seafood they use. Tip: Ask if you can sit in front of where they cook the food. You get to watch the chefs (I call them artists) creating the masterpieces Recommendations from what I've tried for far: Cioppino - huge portions enough for 3+; I switched out the penne for linguine Seafood Risotto - great with the broth from the steamer Muscle and Clam Steamers Combo - dip the bread in the broth Skip: Clam chowder - normal Octopus salad - didn't enjoy the dressing Can't wait to visit again and try another dish!!
One of my all time fav spots in the city! Was super lucky to get a reservation for 8 the evening of, and was seated in the basement area which is always super cozy. Food highlights: - West coast oysters - Seafood cioppino (meant to serve 2, absolute must-try!) - Sea scallop saute (might be my personal favorite but I am partial to scallops) - Linguine with white sauce and seafood - Bread on the house :)
My husband and I have been wanting to try their world famous ciopinno. We went on a Thursday around 2:30 and got seated right away! The restaurant is small but cozy. We ordered the ciopinno and house salad. We were given some lovely fresh bread and butter while we waited! Our house salad came out pretty quick and we were disappointed. The salad consisted of only shredded iceberg lettuce and 4 tomato quarters. The dressing was a thousand island one. It was a very simple salad and I was hoping for more variety. It certainly is not worth the $7. The ciopinno was the star of the show and arrive in a big bowl steaming hot! We loved all the seafood including oysters, clams, squid, crab, shrimp, and scallops! The tomato broth was so comforting and had a nice garlic flavor. I really enjoyed this dish and loved dipping my bread into the broth. Yum! All in all, Sotte Mare makes great ciopinno but their house salad is a miss for me next time!
BEST CIOPPINO. The cioppino is where this place shines. I'll be dreaming about this for awhile and will be back very soon. There's a TON of seafood - clams, shrimp, crab legs, squid. The sauce is delectable, and when dipped in the bread, it's just *chef's kiss*. I do wish there were more noodles, or that they'd give the dish with a side of noodles. I could've probably asked. It's shareable between 3-4 people easily! Came here on a weekday around 1 and our party of 3 was able to get seated right away. Food came out quickly. It's a more casual restaurant, with limited seating in/out doors. I can expect it to be busy on weekends. I can't wait to be back to get this again and try more of their seafood! read more
I attempted to go here once for dinner and the wait was over an hour. Came back on a weekday for lunch and no wait at all. Sitting inside on a warm day though is tough since it's not air conditioned and can get a bit uncomfortable. The cioppino was really good. Unlike other places, there is pasta in there. The broth was super clean and seafood was fresh. read more
4 months ago
Cioppino and risotto were both flavorful and were large portions. Felt it was slightly overpriced for what it was, not a lot of crab, mostly mussels, clams, and squid. Indoor and outdoor seating. Inside can be cramped. The service seemed to be easily annoyed. Had asked to switch from indoor to outdoor seating and the hostess reacted poorly. read more
I did a clinical survey of cioppino choices at Sotto Mare vs Scoma vs Anchor and chose to dine here. Not sorry though the $$ will keep me from trying the other two places. The tomato sauce, or "gravy" as we call it in Upstate NY, really is the key and these folks do it well. Generous amounts of many briny creatures. Crab was actually less interesting than the mussels and clams because it's out of season and therefore frozen and a lot of work to eat. (Though the pieces are nicely pre-cracked.) If you are a solo diner eat at the bar way in the back, where you can see the food coming out on the pass. read more
Delicious seafood, healthy portions, friendly service. Sotto Mare is nearly always packed, so we had to come right when they opened to secure a spot for lunch. During Christmas time, they decorate the place with lights and table decor, creating a festive, cozy vibe. We ordered their west coast oysters, cioppino, and lobster ravioli. All the seafood was very fresh. My favorite out of everything we ordered was the lobster ravioli because the sauce was absolutely fire. Paired it with the complimentary bread they offered and it was just chefs kiss. Cioppino had lots of crab, clams, mussels, scallop, and squid. I had to add a bit more salt myself to the soup, but after that, it was perfect! read more
There are some among us who besmirch neighborhoods like North Beach and restaurants like Sotto Mare as being "touristy." Touristy being synonymous inauthenticity, vapidity. Someone once told me they prefer Chinatown Oakland to that of SF due to the lack of tourists in the former. And I get it, it's sickening seeing people browse through Golden Gate Bridge keychains for the one with their name on it. But you have to understand something: tourists appear in places that hold the city's mythology. Take Los Angeles for example. Imagine promenading down Hollywood Boulevard and encountering all the fools taking pictures of the famous names on sidewalk. Even the most charitable among us feels a mote of disgust toward these fools. But guess what? Brush away the chicanery and find Musso & Frank's and the Roosevelt Hotel, vital and Profound Hollywood mythology. So the Redditors call Sotto Mare touristy? Approach the hostess stand on a cold winter night. Christmas lights strewn about. Plaster fish hung on the walls. An open kitchen buzzing, it's range a great conflagration. A dining full and buzzing (You really need to get a seat upstairs; downstairs is far too subdued). Scant few places will make you feel more like you are in San Francisco than Sotto Mare. That the ghost of Joe DiMaggio is at a nearby table. That, while they're are no TVs in the restaurant, you can envision Montana hitting Rice on an out-route from an imagined screen hanging from the back corner. Maybe Keroauc ambles by the door frame, lugging a rucksack on his way to a drink and confab at Vesuvio. Of course you order cioppino (chee-oh-pino or cho-pino, your choice). A tomatoey microcosm of the ocean itself: mussels, clams, shrimp, bay shrimp and scallops, and of course Dungeness crab. San Francisco in a bowl. Perhaps a few oysters while you wait. And a bottle of wine. Scallops are fattish but underseared. Sand dabs look nice and come many to a plate. The risotto? You're better off making risotto at home. It looked stodgy and lacking of all'onda. read more
What a great place! I found this place on Yelp and Google Maps. Both resources told me that it was going to be great and it was. We arrive for our 5:30 reservation on time and the lovely hostess noticed my eyes park up at the side of an open table outside. I knew my wife would prefer that on such a beautiful evening. And the hostess was nice enough to let our party of occupy an outdoor table. We were glad we went earlier because as the night were on, there was a line stretching out the door of people trying to get seated. I highly recommend reservations. Sotto Mare opened in 2007 and has been serving the best damn cioppino ever since. Two in my party of four had never tried cioppino before. The other two have made it several times using their grandmother's recipe. So we spend the gamut of experience. Our server was amazing and took great care of us. She was so busy that we didn't get her name, but she was great. All of us enjoyed our meal, the bread, the soup, the fettuccine Alfredo, and the swordfish special that night was the best I've ever had. Absolutely delicious. San Francisco is blessed to have a restaurant like this. Bring the kids they have bibs for them and the adults. It's a family place and it shows. We felt welcome and enjoyed the great hospitality and amazing food. read more
Sotto Mare has been on my SF restaurant bucketlist for a while now and I finally recently got a chance to try the famous Cioppino here! We got here early for Saturday lunch and were quickly seated at the counter. In addition to the Cioppino, we ordered a crab salad to start which was a nice lighter side, mostly salad with fresh crab meat on top. The real star of course was the Cioppino which was so flavorful and rich with a ton of seafood (shrimp, clam, crab) and absolutely delicious! The crab was the best part but a bit hard to eat without getting broth everywhere. There's also pasta in the soup which was unexpected but it helps make it more filling and it was more than enough to share between 2 people. I'd definitely come back just for the Cioppino, one of the best in SF! read more
1 month ago
4 months ago
Sotto Mare lives up to the hype. Ordered the cioppino, seafood risotto, and scallops--every dish hit. The cioppino was rich and packed with fresh seafood, easily the star of the night. The risotto was creamy with generous clams and seafood, super comforting. Scallops were perfectly seared and buttery, paired well with veggies. Portions are big, great for sharing. Cozy, lively North Beach vibe--perfect date spot or night out with friends. If you want classic San Francisco seafood done right, this is the place. read more
I've heard of Sotto Mare and was told it is a staple in San Francisco so I'm glad I got a chance to try it. The restaurant has an outdoor seating area, indoors, and then also additional seating downstairs as well. The service was quick and our waitress was extremely friendly. Collectively as a table we ordered: Oysters - 10/10. They tasted so good and fresh. Can never go wrong with oysters in my opinion Fettuccine - 8/10. It's kinda cool that they let you order the pasta dish in half size. This pasta was great. It tasted super garlicky for a fettuccine pasta but it was still very good and well seasoned Crab Cioppino - 10/10 .The Crab Cioppino was very tasty and the portion was huge! They say it's enough for two but we shared among 6 of us and it was more than enough. Granted we did order other food. The dish came with clams , mussels, crabs, squid, and penne pasta. read more
9 months ago
If you are looking for seafood and Italian...look no further! Sotto Mare serves up exceptional dishes that are simple, classic, and delicious! The linguine seafood was outstanding with perfectly cooked pasta, great flavor and a mixture of seafood that was fantastic but not too heavy. The mussels and clams steamer had exceptional broth and flavors and was the perfect appetizer. The fish of the night was the Alaskan halibut and it was simple yet had great flavor and taste and was perfectly cooked. Highly recommend checking out Sotto Mare for the food, the family like service, and comfortable atmosphere! read more
6 days ago
3 months ago
The reviews were spot on! Awesome food, great atmosphere, and super nice staff. We couldn't make an online reservation but called ahead of time to do so. On a Friday night, there was a line but not more than 20 minutes. read more
Everyone has to be there to be seated. I got the cioppino since they are known for that. It is more than enough for 2 people. It was delicious. We had to ask for a crab shucker to open the crab legs. The crab legs had so much meat so that was great. You can even sit at the counter and watch the cooks. The staff was very friendly. read more
It's been a long time since I've been here but an out of town friend wanted to try something well known in SF so we chose this restaurant! It was a very warm day and the inside was extra warm we were sweating while we were eating. The food is great don't get me wrong and the portions are huge. But for the price is don't think it was wow-ed enough. I was hoping it would showcase how amazing the seafood is etc but yeah it was nice a tasty meal not as wowed as we hoped. read more
We finally made it here and have been trying to go during crab season. There is always a line so either come for lunch or early dinner. The vibe of the restaurant is really great - fast paced, mom and pop shop. The crab was good as expected and oysters are well in season (so tasty!). The cioppino was a huge portion and meant for sharing. I think it has a good amount of seafood and the soup itself was not too tomatoey. Yum! read more
This was an incredibly disappointing visit considering this place had been on my list to try for a long time. I've heard all the hype and read the stellar reviews only to be completely shocked at how bland every dish was and how very low quality the ingredients were considering the price tags on the menu. I felt that the clam chowder wasn't even up to standard as in you can find way better ones along the pier. The mussels in broth didn't make me want to keep eating them they were so lackluster. Some of my scallops seemed undercooked and the sauce it was in had a bitter flavor like the wine wasn't cooked out or an ingredient was burnt. The service was average and could use some improvement in terms of friendliness and an overall welcoming vibe. read more
9 months ago
Came here again with new friends!! I consistently love this place - the seafood is fresh, the dishes are cooked to perfection, and the service is great! Only downside is the smaller seating area, and if you sit indoors it can get quite hot, but otherwise it's quite cozy and I love the experience of coming :) This time my friends and I got the seafood risotto, cioppino, and scallop/prawn saute! Everything was delicious, and I love coming back again and again for amazing seafood dishes! read more
1 day ago
I've been wanting to try the cioppino at Sotto Mare forever and I'm so glad I finally did! There was so much seafood in it, my favorites were the crab, clams, and shrimp. We also ordered the grilled salmon, which was super flavorful, and a mix of east coast and west coast oysters -- I wish I ordered more because they were that good! The staff were so friendly and checked in on us often, and the decor inside is so fun, just so many little knickknacks to look at. Cozy, lively, and delicious definitely worth the hype! read more
5 months ago
Normally I'd write a lengthy review but this is one of the few places that the reviews are pretty even and frankly It's all that it's cracked up to be per the other 5-star reviews. No reservations for parties less than 4 and wait times during prime hours are 30-60 minutes. You can't get much more San Francisco than this place and their Cioppino. The two of us couldn't quite finish it. Delicious and great bang for the buck in a city that is otherwise very expensive. One of those places you will eventually start coming back just to explore the rest of the menu. A seafood lover's dream here! read more
9 months ago
Upon recommendation of a friend, we came to try and it didn't disappoint. The Cioppino is a must order. It's a regular on every table. Menu says it's good for two but six of us had a good size portion. Its umami flavor is perfect with the crusty bread. Pasta and sole fish were very delicious as well. The restaurant is super crowded. We were led to downstairs seating for bigger groups. There were only two servers at the time we were there but they worked very efficiently and fast. Food came at a reasonable time and still hot. read more
You can't visit to Sotto Mare and not order their famous cioppino. I daresay it's a *steal* these days at $54.95 for a HUGE bowl that will feed two. (The two of us even had leftovers). Chock full with crab, bay scallops, clams, shrimp, mussels and some penne pasta thrown in there too cuz why not? The broth is sooooo good. The best part was sopping it up with the bread. We also started off with a couple of clam shooters which were fresh, tangy with a good kick. Service was nice and efficient. The wait wasn't bad on a Saturday evening (we waited about an hour). Not a big fan of having to leave my physical credit card in exchange for the beeper that works within a one block radius. read more
Yummy for my tummy, yum yum yum! Came here with some friends that were visiting from the east coast and had to show them some good SF living. So where? Sotto Mare of course! Made a reservation for 6 around 6:30pm on a Friday and had a pup with us - so plus one on outdoor seating! Bill came to about $60-70 a person, but that's app, entree, drink and a 20% tip. Atmosphere - family style, loud and animated - I'm here for it. On top of that our wait staff was amazing. You can tell this is her turf and she runs her section. Love it, WORK BB GIRL! What makes it even more enjoyable is that she knew her menu and what to recommend. She was attentive and asked all the right questions. On to the food -- as for me, a glass of red and scallops with veggies. Since I've been doing lumen I've been watching my carbs, but those scallops and veggies sure did the trick. Anything swimming in butter lemon sauce I will literally drink from the plate (LOL). Although, we did recommend the Cioppino to our east coast visitors. How can you not have SF's own dish? As the found came out, bibs came on and we were all feasting like savages. That salted lemon butter sauce was divine. As the night progressed, food devoured and lightly sauced up it was time to bar hop in good ole north beach. You never do us wrong. Thanks, Sotto Mare! read more
It was a busy Sunday evening, but thankfully we called in for a reservation ahead of time. Parking was crazy per usual but thankfully one person in the party arrived in time to let the hostess know to hold our table as most of us were late due to SF parking struggles. At first I thought they gave our table away but little did we know that they have basement floor with more seating for larger parties. We ordered the cioppino, clam steamers, linguine with seafood, and the fettuccine with smoked salmon. The food came out with some fresh bread and butter prior to serving the main dishes. The service was pretty quick, ~20 minutes, with the staff being attentive despite being further away from the majority of the other customers. Our personal favorites were the linguine with seafood, and clam steamers. The bread they served at the start goes really well with the clam steamers! I would recommend the linguine over the fettuccine, (personal preference) as the dish came with greater diversity of seafood. I was not really certain of what I expected from the smoked salmon on the fettuccine, but it seemed like the salmon was almost cooked through by the time it was served. read more
What can I say? It's not Rice a Ronnie. But this place IS a San Francisco Treat! Tucked in the heart of SF's little Italy area known as North Beach. Though I grew in SF and I've never seen a beach anywhere close to there!! lmao Entering this establishment is like walking into an old SF that I grew up in as a child. When SF was a mighty tourist destination and you would take out-of-town friends and families to popular sights, you would also take them to taste a piece of SF. This is the kinda place you would go to. A small hole in the wall romantic feeling that is warm and charming. (but don't sit to close to the entrance bc SF is ANYTHING but warm ever) I'd say try to sit on the main floor. Downstairs is cozy but a lil claustrophobic for me. The food is great and definitely fantastic to share. I'd order a great variety so that you and your party can taste as much as possible. Then when you find yourself still hungry, order round TWO and unbuckle that belt!! Because its gonna be a tight fit. The place is also a tight fit as the tables are small and closely packed in. The food was all fantastic, I'd say. I esp enjoyed scallops and cioppini. How can pasta go wrong? It can't so order any of them. They're all satisfying!! read more
5 months ago
Theb Ciopppni was a hearty stew reminiscent of the Korean stews. Clab chowder was alright. Pasta was aldente. Place was packed read more
6 months ago
Located in the heart of Little Italy, North Beach San Francisco. This is my favorite place for classic cioppino, fresh oysters and marinated Dungeness crab! They offer raw oysters either on the half shell or as shooters, west coast or east coast species with a spicy red sauce. Be sure to ask for their fresh horseradish. For starters, we also love their bay shrimp Louie salad, which is big enough to share with 2-3 people. I also recommend their marinaded, cold whole Dungeness crab, which comes in an olive oil, lemon garlic sauce. Be sure to order their marinaded"Best Damn Cioppino" , which is served in a large bowl: Dungeness crab, mussels, clams, squid, and scallops. read more
Sotto Mare is such a charming spot for seafood in San Francisco! The inside has that cozy, tight seating vibe, but if the weather's nice, definitely grab a table outside--the people-watching is great. The menu has an awesome selection of seafood, and everything we tried was incredibly fresh. We started with the smoked salmon, which was so buttery and flavorful it practically melted in your mouth--amazing! For my main, I went with the prawn Louis, and it was exactly what I was craving: fresh prawns piled on crisp lettuce with zesty cocktail sauce and a side of thousand island. Light, refreshing, and delicious. We paired lunch with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, which was perfect for a sunny afternoon. Between the food, the wine, and the atmosphere, this was such a great San Francisco dining experience. read more
It was the day before Valentine's Day and we definitely wanted to try the Cioppino at Sotto Mare. We didn't have reservations and this place was absolutely slammed. I waited and put my name down and was told a very reasonable 45 minutes wait. Perfect. We decided to hang out and people watch while waiting for a slice to share from Golden Boy Pizza a couple doors down. Right at the 45 minutes mark we got seated and noticed the pizza move was being done by many tables. We already knew what we wanted. Cioppino to share, a salad and some chowder. Let's get to it. The Cioppino was very large and arrived piping hot. There was pasta in it which was a new thing for us. The broth was nicely garlicky and there was a good amount of seafood. The pasta seemed unnecessary but ok as we saw bucket after bucket coming out of the kitchen. 7/10 The chowder was ok and not quite hot enough. 6/10 The wedge salad was crisp and cold but not spectacular 5/10. Service was quite good even though they were SO busy. We needed some more bread but it was forgotten. No big deal. I'd say this is a good spot to make time for if you're visiting SF and the cioppino is big enough for three to share. I think next time we'll explore the menu a bit more. 6.5/10 read more
Finally had a chance to come eat at Sotto Mare, and our group of 3 arrived around 7pm on a Tuesday. Finding parking in the area is definitely a challenge, and when we arrived it was definitely busy - we waited around 15 minutes or so and luckily got seated in the back, downstairs where its a little less crowded that it is upstairs. Despite being spread a little thin, the service was still friendly and checked up on us relatively often given how we were a little far removed from the main action - honestly a little nice since there was a bit more room. It's a little divey but brightly lit and warm overall throughout the establishment. We ordered the cioppino of course, as well as the scallops. The waitress was nice enough to let us know that the cioppino comes with pasta in it, since we were considering whether or not to also order pasta - the cioppino is quite large so I'm glad she stopped us from ordering the pasta as it definitely would have been way too much. The scallops were perfectly cooked and the sauce was so delicious. The cioppino was also delicious and so full of seafood goodness in the rich warming soup. While the cost is a little high, you definitely get a generous amount of good seafood in each dish, and I really enjoyed our meal! Definitely a great place for special occasions if you have the time to find parking and wait for a table. read more
After years of wanting to try this place I finally made it with a group of four on a Sunday evening. The hostess was very friendly. We were seated almost immediately, which was great because there were a lot of people waiting outside. However, we were seated in the basement, which wasn't the most pleasant atmosphere and a reason for my deducting one star; we were the first table to be seated in the space and the person setting up the tables around us was extremely loud and disruptive while he was slamming dishes and silverware down on the tables. The atmosphere was dark, quiet, and a bit dingy feeling. The service was friendly. We ordered the ciopinno and the full order of crab over linguine. The food was good and plenty for the four of us - we had leftovers to take home. I'm happy I got to check out the place but I'm not in a rush to go back anytime soon. I do recommend checking it out though if you are in the area and a seafood lover. read more
So glad they were able to seat us for dinner on a busy night with no resy. Happened upon this place by chance and it do not disappoint. We were so glad we did not get seated inside since it was packed and super stuffy. The outside seating area was perfect. Service was friendly and attentive and gave us the right recommendations. The cioppino is definitely their most well known dish and it was definitely tasty, but the highlight was the prawn and scallop saute which was fresh but also executed perfectly. Clam chowder was good but nothing crazy. read more
2 months ago
The best Cioppino in town . I love coming to this place for the crab Cioppino and clam chowder soup. The place is nice and cool . Service is great and fast . It's worth the drive. read more
11 months ago
I didn't realize I had already reviewed Sotto Mare, but I'm not surprised - we come here often because we love it so much. It's just a really lovely welcoming restaurant. I love this seafood restaurant. It has so much personality, and the food is killer! Parking is a little rough because it's SF. It's hard to find street parking, but there is a little lot across the street for $25. My dad and I have come here A LOT and it never disappoints! I do love their Cioppino, and it definitely is enough for 2 people. I think their best dish is the sautéed scallops. Those are to die for. Always get some oysters as well, they're so fresh and tasty here. This time I tried the sand dabs - can you believe how many came in my plate?? And they're all delicious, cooked perfectly. Even the vegetables have a great taste to them. You can sit inside, outside, or at the counter. The counter slopes a bit but you see the chefs at work so that's always fun. It's a little jammed pack, there is memorabilia all over the walls. But it's a great vibe. And everyone is always so nice whenever we come here. Truly, you won't find better seafood anywhere else. And I live 2 blocks from the ocean in SoCal. read more
More info about Sotto Mare
552 Green St
San Francisco, CA 94133
North Beach/Telegraph Hill
Directions
(415) 398-3181
Call Now
Visit Website
http://www.sottomaresf.com/
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Ask the Community - Sotto Mare
How to do the reservation?
You have to call them for rezzies. Leave a vmail and they'll return your call.
How would reservations work for a party of 2? Should I arrive early to put my name down, call ahead, or just walk in?
Hi Albert, Thank you for inquiry. Parties of 2 are on a first come, first serve basis. Depending on…
Is there bar seating?
Yes they were kind enough to seat my friends and I at the bar.
Is there valet parking for lunch on Saturday?
Parking is not easy. I'd take Uber or Lyft. No valet. Saturdays in North Beach are incredibly busy.
How to book a reservation?
Call them but they only take reservations for parties of 4 or more.
My husband is allergic to garlic, is he able to order the ccioppino without garlic? What about the clam chowder?
Hi, Yes there is garlic in cioppino, it’s in the tomato sauce. We can make the cioppino without it.…
Can we make a reservation specifically to sit outside for dinner? Also, is it likely to be chilly in the evening at the end of July?
You can request but it depends on your timing. Higher likelihood for an outside table if you get an early seating. SF weather is unpredictable especially summer months so bring or wear a warm jacket.
Can i call ahead and put my name down?
Yes - you are able to call ahead and put your name down for a reservation. As a note, Sotto Mare only reserves tables for parties of 3 or more. If it’s only 1-2 people, they will not reserve a table.
Open Friday, Nov 24th? And can deliver on specific time?
Yes we will be open on Friday, 11/24/23. Yes we can deliver on specific time.
Will they be open for 4th of July?
In observance of Independence Day, Sotto Mare will be closed on July 4th!
We plan to have dinner outside in July. Will we freeze? Are there outdoor heaters that will keep us warm?
We had dinner outside in May, yes it is cold. Bring a jacket
What is the average waiting time to order?
Depending on what you order, the average wait time is about 5-20 minutes.
How far ahead in time should I call to reserve a table for 3 for a sat?
2 day's
One review said the cioppino comes with penne. is that true? also do they make cioppino for one?
Yes! There's penne pasta under all the seafood. As for the smaller portion, I'm not sure...I only remember seeing the big bowl for 2-3 people.
1st time visiting SF in Feb - how likely we will be to get a table on a Friday night for 2 while celebrating a BDay. Would like set plans but understand their will be await. Are Fridays extremely busy?
I would definitely go very early. It's a very small restaurant with not much seating.
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
479 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
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Sotto Mare - seafood - Updated August 2026
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