My husband took me here for my birthday one year. Though it is a Michelin Star restaurant I wasn't too impressed. I think it could be because I was sitting so close next to the couple next to me and I couldn't hear my own husband. Food was okay not the best. read more

SPQR - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

My daughter found out their Sat and Sunday special donuts ( beignets). We tried all different kids of beignets. Mushroom, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and strawberry jam. They were delicious. Perfect with coffee. No smell of oil at all, light , fluffy, and great flavors. Better than one from Louisiana. I would like to try their set dinner next time when I'm visiting my daughter. read more

A solid Italian restaurant in the cute Lower Pac Heights area. I made a reservation about 2 weeks in advance for a Friday night dinner. This place is popular so be prepared to wait if you're aiming to do a walk-in! We ordered: - Smoked fettuccine, smoked bacon, uni, quail egg: This was delicious! So creamy with complex flavors. I could've eaten 3 more orders of this. - Spaghetti with abalone: This also was a good dish. My boyfriend enjoyed this more than the smoked fettuccine. We ordered a dessert as well - some type of chocolate cake with ice cream. We waited quite a while for this dish to come and actually ended up having to remind our waiter. She was apologetic about the wait. We got our dessert shortly after and our waiter came out with a second dessert (biscotti with ice cream) on the house as an apology - much appreciated though we were so stuffed we barely ate this one! read more

A phenomenal Michelin dining experience. We began with the truffle 'sformato al funghi' antipasti, a white creamy custard paired with a variety of mushrooms, each prepared in different ways. This dish was insane. The different textures of the fried, roasted, and sauteed (?) mushrooms perfectly contrasted each other and complimented the creaminess of the custard. The truffle-y, woody, and sweet flavor of the mushrooms was incredible with the smooth, rich custard. For mains we went with the lemon abalone 'alfredo' and the squid ink corzetti with octopus and mussel. The lemon alfredo was fresh and light, yet rich and creamy at the same time. We were blown away. The pasta was a perfect al dente, and the bouncy noodles along with the smooth and buttery abalone were fireworks in our mouths. There was not a single drop of sauce left in that bowl. The corzetti was also delicious. Packed with fresh seafood and smothered in a flavorful marinara. Although we had food packed to our throats, we couldn't turn down the snickerdoodle and black pepper gelato our server kindly recommended. The dessert was delicious - the cookie wasn't as mindblowing as the rest of the meal, but the black pepper gelato had such an interesting flavor, I loved it! All in all, an absolutely phenomenal night. If Italian's your thing, don't skip this restaurant!!! read more

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Delicious! And try their donuts on Saturday & Sunday AM #simpleperfection. I would recommend for a splurge night! read more

Closer to 3.5 stars. Came on a weekday night around 6pm and able to snag a seat at the chef counter table. They were offering a pasta tasting menu for $68/pp. We opted for this as pasta was the main reason for coming to the restaurant. They also offer still, sparkling ($7) AND tap water (complimentary). 1) Squid ink corzetti, octopus and mussel, black olive crumb: good squid ink, very olive forward flavors, mildly spicy 2) Fazzoletto, chanterelle mushroom, stracciatella cheese: mushrooms added good umami flavors, stracciatella cheese was a bit heavy. Probably my favorite pasta of the night. 3) Risotto, "bacon and egg", smoked maple foam: very rich and creamy flavors. Would recommend sharing this one as it may be quite heavy for one person. . 4) Pecorino cheese ravioli, charred tomato braised tripe, mint pesto: the mint flavors do come out nice and the tomato braised tripe were great. 5) Dumpling, red cabbage, duck confit and prosciutto: probably my least favorite dish of the night. Well-cooked, but a tad boring. 6) Torta Al caffe, coffee cream and burnt honey gelato: surprisingly, it might have been my favorite dish of the night. I'm not usually a dessert person, but this was just mildly sweet and the coffee cake was well complemented by the gelato. There's been a lot of mixed reviews regarding the pasta and after trying five of them, I understand the different opinions. Overall, the pastas were unique, but the flavors were not mind blowing especially given the price. Service was much slower than I was expecting throughout the meal and very rarely did anyone come by our table besides giving us the dishes.. After finishing the last pasta, it took about 10-15min, before we were asked about desserts. read more

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Fantastic place for ladies who brunch. I know this is an older Michelin star restaurant and does not get all the visits as it should but for the price point and the quality of the food, absolutely the best you can get for Italian in this town. The pastas are all very tasty, and the photos are too cute to not post on Instagram and you know you got something when your chefs followers hailing all the way from Germany and Scandinavia liked them all. Are they trying to steal some ideas? Seven eight months ago a good story on NYT surfaced about how to dine cheaply in Michelin star restaurants in NY. I know this may not be Le Bernadine or Jean Georges, both Michelin 3 star restaurants, but for what the restaurant prepares, I think it's close. The most important things to remember about this restaurant is that go for the varies pasta dishes, it's Italian. And then the rest will follow. Skip the long lines in those overly crowded "it" places, book your brunch here and eat in peace. Well worth the price. read more

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I dined at SPQR on a Saturday night. The restaurant was packed so I recommend making a resy ahead of time. Having read previous yelp reviews on the spacing of the tables, I was praying that I would not have to sit in one of the tables in the front where tables are spaced inches apart. Upon entering, I spotted a 2 seat table in the back. Luckily, They were able to seat me there after I requested it. One of the things I wanted most was the foie gras. With the new ban on foie in SF, I was pleasantly surprised to see this on the menu. The waitress mentioned that they had a loophole where they could still serve it because of how it is prepared. The foie gras "terrina", black sesame "bruschetta," pineapple and fresh hibiscus was my favorite dish of the night. The foie was nice and buttery and paired well with the black sesame. I wish I could have ordered another one. Our other appitizer we ordered was the wagyu beef "pastrami", smoked and crispy potato, black radish. The beef indeed had a pastrami texture and I thought it went well with the creamy sauce and potato. I had high hopes for the pasta dishes after such amazing appetizers. The first dish was the yukon gold potato gnocchi with sunchoke creme and mizuna. The dish came out luke warm. The flavors were subtle and it was nothing special. Our next pasta dish was the squid ink mezzalune served with sea scallop and black ink sauce. The pasta was undercooked and there was no flavor to the sauce. The scallops were also over charred and burnt! After the waitress asked us how our dishes were, we told her and she took the dish away. For our main, we ordered the berkshire pork "costoletta" served with parsnip, kale, kumquat and pancetta sauce. After the horrible pasta, I was scared for this dish. There were only two options for the secondi course, the pork and the scallop. The pork came out and the presentation was surprisingly unappetizing (look at my pic). The pork was cooked perfectly though. This was one of the most tender pork I have had at a restaurant. The pancetta sauce was so bomb. The kale chips were amazing as well. I am pretty surprised at how this restaurant has a Michelin star. The pasta here was one of the worst I have had. Moreover, when we received our check, the squid ink pasta was still on the bill! The waitress (which was excellent the whole night) looked so shocked when I asked her about it. She had to bring out a manager and I was so over dinner by this point. Also, don't expect this to be a quick dinner. There was a good 30 min between every course which I do not understand. The waitress did warn us that this was going to be a long dinner in the beginning. I'm glad I finally checked SPQR off my list, but i'm still sad that the food did not live up to the Michelin star. read more

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On the night of Valentine's Day, we ended up in front of SPQR, but near closing we opted to postpone it for the night after.. But, ended up here two Fridays ago. And my boyfriend had told me his friend worked here and I didn't realize that his friend actually owns the place.. - We had already made an order for the: 1) Squid Ink Spaghetti (red wine braised octopus and mussel 'puttanesca' with black olive crumb) that my boyfriend really loved. 2) Cocoa Bean Rigatoni (mushroom and black garlic 'stroganoff' and bianca riccia): this one was really strong. Even though my boyfriend picked this one he preferred my choice above. ^ I do wish the pasta dishes we ordered were a bit hotter though. The Squid Ink definitely came out steamy, but didn't taste hot. But I would recommend the Squid Ink if you like seafood. I might have liked the Cocoa Bean Rigatoni more.. I'm not exactly sure which one I have more of a preference for. - And then the Chef hooked us up with really two really great wines that paired really well with the food (a white and a red) and some great dishes (and he asked what we liked or didn't and if we had any allergies): 1) A sandwich: that wasn't on the menu and it was the best sandwich I had ever had in my life. The cheese and everything was just divine. 2) A meatball dish: that might not have been on the menu.. To which my boyfriend really liked. I enjoyed the pasta and sauce that was in this dish. 3) Endive & Citrus Salad (fried ham, avocado, pink pepper vinaigrette): The vinaigrette was great and so were the endives and fried ham and avocado. - And then we placed an order for The Coconut and Brown Sugar Torta (passion fruit caramel and coconut sorbetto): The caramel was really strong on it's own, but it was delightful medley all paired together. - Tip: They definitely know which wines pair well with which dish so I would ask and it'll for sure enrich your experience at SPQR. And the same goes with food if you're not sure what to order.. 2nd Tip: early on, the server told us to order at least four dishes which is what patrons usually do here. But, me and my boyfriend just ordered one dish until each we ran into the chef. I would say just order with whatever amount you're comfortable. But, if you want to be full: I would at least order four things. You could do like one antipasta and three primi/secondi or two antipasta and two primi/secondi. ***Matt's (the chef) excitement was really refreshing and I loved that he was so into the process of picking out our dishes for us. I told him I didn't like the super strong cheese and I'll eat anything, but capers. ***Also the ambiance here is really nice. read more

We were all excited to get down on this Michelin star restaurant. It was my wife's bday and their was a total of 6 of us. 3 of them had their first Michelin that night. It was a great choice for popping that v card for a Michelin restaurant. 5 courses for $85 sounded like a steal. We all made our choices and each plate was an experience. Michelins usually are. Lol. We also opted for the supplemental truffle dish and that was bomb. Our friends also got 2 glasses of wine and another friend did the wine tasting. It was nice to go and have an incredible dinner with friends to share my wife and I's passion for Michelin's. We hoped to have more than a reservation of 6 but it seems with Covid times that would be the max. That was the only bummer that we couldn't have more than 6. Another bummer was our server. It seemed he had an accent and through the mask it only muffled it more. We could barely understand him. Also when we asked about the dishes, it was funny because all he did was explain the dishes as it was written on the menu. Literally verbatim. We were hoping for more clarification. All that aside, the ambiance, food, and company was what made the night. Another Michelin checked off the bucket list. read more

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Very attentive when we first got there. Our food had an interesting flavor and texture. Some tasted salty, spongy ( the Canederli) wasn't sure what exactly suppose to taste. No flavor, dry and so spongy! Wouldn't mind trying them again maybe different menu. Wines were really good, although findt help taste of the food any better. Dessert has a good touch to it. Service was good. read more

3.25 I stumbled upon SPQR when I craving some good Italian food. The ambiance here is definitely great. The atmosphere feels upscale and the service was great. Upon sitting, I got the octopus appetizer that contained pistachio, chickpeas, and vegetables. The piece of octopus tasted pretty good. It had a nice texture and I was just wishing I had a bigger serving! For the main course, I got to try two dishes, and I'll talk about the Meyer lemon linguini with abalone alfredo first. This was.. just okay and I felt there was not anything special to this dish. I felt the lemon was a bit strong and the abalone's texture was not the best here. However, I do have to say the other dish I got, the squid ink pasta with "Fruitti Di Mare", tomatoes, and arugula was pretty good. Squid ink pasta is one of my go-to dishes if it is on a menu, and I was not disappointed. The squid ink flavor on the pasta was just right for me and I devoured that dish! You definitely get your money's worth with the atmosphere and service here. It is very professional and I enjoyed my time at SPQR. read more

Honestly one of the worst experiences I was hoping to have a great time at. Long story short I went there for my girlfriends birthday and they forgot one of our main courses (the pasta) after waiting 45 minutes in between from the 2nd course (remember we were paying $100 for a 6 course pre set menu). We sat there after they mistakenly put my entree there while she was in the bathroom and then tried to take it away then put it back on the table while they gave us our pasta...like what. I wouldn't have gone here unless I've heard great reviews and it was the opposite of what I expected. I then got a voicemail from a Melissa wanting to "talk" about this feedback and I just got a 4 minute voicemail of her partying. Absolutely pathetic staff and a shame to the Michelin star. read more

Food was not good - corn ravioli- shame on us for getting it. Shame on SPQR for serving the pork "tenderloin" on its pre fixe menu. Said it was roasted for 24 hours it was so tough and paradoxically under cooked, maybe they can adjust oven temp and/or cooking time. Or just sell better cuts of pork Service started ok but got a bit wonky. 2+ hours in we still hadn't been served our entrees. Finally delivered the devils spawn but didn't do any quality control or follow up. They must have been overwhelmed seeing the undercooked gristle left on our plates when they came to check on water. Won't be going back read more

Creativity - 4/5 Value - 4/5 Ambiance - 4/5 Service - 4/5 I think the chef is worthy of her Michelin star. read more

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My first experience in a Michelin star restaurant in the US and what an experience it was! Got the foie grass and chicken liver to start with both of which were delicious and we enjoyed it despite the tiny portions. Also got the truffle risotto which was the special of the day. This literally melts in your mouth. The ambience and service here is great too! Reducing a star because I think it's a bit too overpriced. Nonetheless a great place for an occasional splurge. read more

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I can't tell you how much I love this spot it's so special from the front of house to the kitchen everything is top notch every time we go our taste buds are taken on a spectacular ride Chef Carrino is one of the best his whole team whips up the most delicious Italian plates they also have one of the best wine menu from beginning to end it's a wonderful food experience you must try! read more

SPQR - Dessert n Prosecco - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've had this place on my Bookmark List for a LONG time, we are talking since 2015 here. At the time, this place had a Michelin star, was on SF Chronicle's "Bay Area's Top 100 Restaurants", and featured in a lot of newsletters that I received. To say that I am incredibly confused would be the biggest understatement of the century. It was my dad's birthday and my sister was coming early for Thanksgiving in order for us to celebrate. It was White Truffle Week and I saw on OpenTable that this restaurant was participating. I knew my dad loved white truffles so we decided to come here. Even if the truffle dishes were too expensive, we thought we would be fine with the regular menu. Let's start out with some good points of this place. The wine is definitely on point with this place. They have wines by the glass from different regions in Italy so you can definitely go on a wine tour without having to resort to buying bottles. The ambiance is definitely nice for a couple or family wanting to have a nice meal out. (Note that I did not say nice layout... stay tuned...) However, beyond the aforementioned, everything else just fell completely flat. The menu was full of dishes with interesting ingredients such as Cornish hen, sea urchin, etc., but if you can't execute, then what's the point? For a restaurant that's Italian, I expected a lot more flavor and for a restaurant that has "French flair", I expected a bit better with the presentation. While the individual ingredients may speak for themselves, none of them blended well together at all. The only decent thing I had was the chicken liver mousse, which would make sense considering the lack of additional ingredients. Additionally, the only dishes they had for white truffle week were two pastas with a white cream sauce and shaved white truffle on top for $80 each. Really? The service also left me scratching my head a little bit. We were often not seen by our waiter by long periods of time, which is a bit unusual in a restaurant of this ambiance. The restaurant's layout was also a little cramped, which is typical for SF, but I do wish they spaced out the tables a little bit. Overall, given all of its awards and accolades, I expected so much better from SPQR. They are no longer on "Bay Area's Top 100", so maybe I shouldn't be so surprised. I just feel that there are so many better Italian restaurants in the Bay Area. read more

My husband and I visited late on a Saturday night earlier this month and sat at the bar. We started off with rose' before moving on to wine for myself and whisky for him. The restaurant is cozy and romantic. For an appetizer we shared the charred octopus. It was the BEST in my life! The flavors, texture and details were out of this world. The chickpeas and pistachios was such a pleasant surprise. A table in the nook opened up before we ordered dinner. Our server Dia was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. She suggested the special which was egg yolk ravioli and I don't regret it at all. It was a true piece of artwork. Im still dreaming about it now!! My husband loved his King salmon and said it was better than anything he's had in Boston. Dia was superb and checked on us all night and made great recommendations. Thank you for making this such a memorable meal and ending to our vacation. read more

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Really wasn't worth the price. Flavors were pretty bland. The best thing was the complimentary donut. The wagyu tasted like smoked jerky.

Overall: The food was fine, but given the price, I would honestly pass. You can get much better pasta in SF for less than half of the price (either a Mano or Barzotto). Booking: It's pretty hard to get a reservation during peak dinner time. If it's just you, I recommend walking in to sit at the bar. Otherwise, book a later time reservation and wait for last minute cancelations to open up. I was able to move our reservation from 8:30PM to 7PM from calling the night before. Location: The interior is cute with nice artwork on the walls. However, the seating is super tight. I was between 1-2 feet away from tables on both sides and could barely pay attention to the conversation at my table. Do not recommend for an occasion where you are trying to catch up or an early date. Maybe it would have been better if we had a table for 4. Service: The waiter was very attentive. He changed our place settings between each pasta and our glasses were always full. Courses came out slow and were uncoordinated. First course took 15 minutes to come out; the next two came out together 25 minutes after. Accommodations: My husband and I wanted to do the tasting menu, but unfortunately they were unable to accommodate eating restrictions. For the price that they are charging, you would think that they would be able to make menu alterations to please guests. Food: Since we couldn't order the tasting, we ordered three Primi dishes. The acquerello rice risotto was very good and not too heavy. The tubetti mint pesto didn't meet expectations - the pasta was too heavy and the meat was slightly over cooked. The smoked burrata "canederli" was flavorful and super filling. read more

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4.5 STARS Everyone has two sides to them. There's sweet Cherylynn that will go out of her way to help someone and can never say, no. Then, there's Cherylynn who will "want" to knock you out if you disrespect her or the people around her. There's nothing like wanting to go ghetto on someone at a nice restaurant in Pac Heights no less. More on that later. Opening in 2007, SPQR has been on my mental list but was quickly forgotten because there were a lot of mixed reviews. Who wants to waste money on mediocrity? And then came the announcement of the 2013 Michelin Star Recipients. SPQR was awarded their first Michelin star along with Keiko a Nob Hill (my review: http://www.yelp.com/biz/keiko-%C3%A0-nob-hill-san-francisco-2#hrid:ohoY_j9Jbr35PDhwzVI1BA) and All Spice (my review: http://www.yelp.com/biz/all-spice-san-mateo-2#hrid:Sme_zVD7_ufq2ZSqQ37bDQ). Ok, sold. LEGOOOO! Although Michelin starred restaurants hold a lot of weight in the restaurant industry, I came in with no expectations as I've been disappointed on numerous occasions with those holding those coveted star(s). I have to say, SPQR blew me away! The food was absolutely phenomenal. Exquisitely presented, all the innovative dishes we had were perfectly executed with well-balanced flavors and textures. F O OD *Bone Marrow Sformato w/ Short Rib, Brussels Sprout & Candied Horseradish ($19) - 4.5 STARS http://bit.ly/RlUJ0B The combo of the rich, beefy bone marrow flan and the hearty chunks of short rib were sublime with a touch of zing from the horseradish. *Smoked Fettuccine w/ Sea Urchin, Smoked Bacon & Soft Quail Egg ($20) - 5 STARS http://bit.ly/TcBJ2v At Atkin's go to hell dish, this was by far the BEST pasta dish I've ever had! The ménage a trois of the creamy uni, fatty bacon, and decadent egg yolk caressing each al-dente fettuccine strand was orgasmic. A MUST ORDER! *Suckling Porchetta w/ Apple, Chanterelle, Chestnut & Black Garlic ($28) - 4.5 STARS http://bit.ly/TDql6h Step aside Roli Roti, there's a new porchetta in town! Deliciously crisp on the outside and tenderly moist and flavorful, each bite of the pork roast had me salivating for more. The apple puree had just the right amount of acidity to cut through the richness of the porchetta while adding a subtle sweetness. *Local Swordfish w/ Blood Sausage, Citrus Butter & Pea Shoot ($29) - 4 STARS http://bit.ly/TIj0MP I'm not a fan of cooked fish but Mr. NSS is. He really liked the delicately seared swordfish which was moist and flaky but he especially adored his blood sausage; all 6 inches of it (two 3 inch sausages). *giggles* *Fig Leaf & Oatmeal Custard w/ Mission Figs, Caramelized Milk & Brown Butter Ice Cream ($10) - 4 STARS http://bit.ly/SzqB1F A winter masterpiece on a platter, this dessert tasted as delectable as it looked. Everything worked wonderfully together; the silky custard, the creamy sweet brown butter ice cream and the subtly sweet blown torch figs satisfied my sweet tooth nicely though I wish the custard had more of a nutty oatmeal flavor. S E R V I C E Professional and refined, the staff at SPQR was knowledgeable and attentive at the right times. However, I can see the attentiveness fading when it got busy. Food service was well timed with no more than 10 minute increments between courses. A M B I A N C E / D E C O R Contemporary and cozy as you would expect from a neighborhood restaurant but way too cozy for comfort. You can't eat ambiance and décor but in this instance, I'm knocking off .5 stars because of it. Had we not been sitting at the Chef's Counter watching the young and extremely talented chefs create magic in the kitchen (Kudos to Chef Matthew Accarrino and his team), my experience would NOT have been as stellar. As other reviewers have stated, the tables are extremely close to one another; SO close the person next to you will be breathing on you. Unless Mr. NSS or Magic Mike is giving me a lap dance, I like my personal space. Thank you. All was well while were thoroughly enjoying our dinner while listening to Notorious B.I.G. bumping from the kitchen until this pretentious lady arrived and rudely said to us, "Uhh can you move a seat down so we can have more room?" This ain't AMC Theater beeyatch, there's assigned seating! Even if it was possible for us to move once seat down the Chef's Counter, a simple "please" would have been nice. But as any classy girl would do, I kept silent. I then looked at her, rolled my humongo anime eyes at her, and completely ignored her request. Honey, you don't want ghetto Cherylynn coming out. *Snaps 3 times making a Z in the air* read more

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Came here for a birthday celebration with high expectations but I left with a bitter taste. Not only the fixed menu items kept piling up on our table as if the kitchen\server wanted to get us out of there as fast as possible but also the server managed to spill wine on my girlfriend as he was opening the bottle we orders. Spilling wine on a costumer is as bad as it gets for a server working in a fine dining restaurant. Sent an email about the accident to the management and they never got back. Sorry but with all the incredible options SF has to offer don't support bad service and poor management here at SPQR. read more

Flavors were good, but some of the dishes felt too noisy, like there were too many different ingredients trying to work together and some of the choices/textures felt off. Desserts leaned a bit salty for us. We were two people, ordered both add-ons, and ended up with too much carbs. Very filling and too pricey for an SF dinner. Fun throwback playlist and nice ambience though, and we enjoyed reminiscing about one of our first dates at SPQR years ago. 3.5 read more

I'm not a Math whiz but I do know this: SPQR + brunch = happy yelper Where do I even begin? It's difficult to come up with the right words to justify my love for SPQR -- from their market fresh salads, scrumptious baked goods, strong Blue Bottle coffee, delicious Eggs benedict and.... the amazing pasta. * Le sigh * If you're craving for sweet items they have Italian toast or cornmeal pancakes on the menu as well. I have a mad crush on beets and whenever I see it on the menu, I order it. Their beet salad with toasted walnuts, gorgonzola, baby lettuce and pickled onions was just uber fresh, with the greens having that deep, just picked color. The Pink Lady apple cake is a must try for apple fans. Moist insides with crisp edges, this had generous apple slices on top dusted with powdered sugar. The bf had the same eggs benedict as before, but this time it was perfect. But, the SINGLE most amazing thing that I had from the menu (and consistent with my last visit) is the pasta. The linguini al cocoa was done al dente, mixed with wild boar ragu, fava beans and grated pecorino. This had a slight kick to it from the chili oil and thanks to this dish, I was in a pasta kinda mood for the next couple of days. So while of all of you Pac Heights people are waiting for your seat at the Elite Cafe or squeezing yourself in between tables at The Grove -- I'm enjoying my time here. I may not be good at math, but I DO know brunch and SPQR is simply amazing. * I just used amazing 3x in a review. This usually doesn't happen. Just go. * read more

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Was lured in by the recent: *Michelin stars *photos posted of all the eats *the unique menu as read on their site I should have paid attention to: *the cramped dining area, our two top was basically a four top *location = standards of food are lower *how long this has been a bookmark of mine, over 6 years, usually if I wait too long, I should just give up on going all together The service is SPOT on here. Very impressive. Professional, polished, warm and no nonsense. The food was really unimpressive, definitely NOT Michelin worthy and disappointing when you are driving in from the East Bay. My favorite thing was the duck liver, super smooth, with interesting components that worked: finger lime, kiwi and coconut granola. And even then, the challah seemed dry and put a damper on the full effect of the dish. A close second would be the hen of the woods and ham appetizer, there was a lot of texture, fresh and had a balance of flavors, working well together. To summarize, you may just want to stick with the ANTIPASTI. The pastas were either too dry, too rich, bland or had a weird stale taste. Should be mind blowing when they are $30 a pop. Didn't like any of the wine selections during the evening, instead of a nice pairing with my meal, ended up just helping to digest and breakdown the fats from the meal. Plating is beautiful but that doesn't make up for taste. Not a fan. read more

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Because I can't cook even the simplest of things, not even Rice-A-Roni (seriously), I end up eating out all the time. Thankfully places like SPQR offer good food (sure beats fast-food) and don't make me feel awkward when I'm dining for for one (me). My waitress Natasha was professional and friendly, and not once did I feel rushed, or that I was taking up space. She even asked me if I was a chef. Bless her heart. I can't barely make a salad on a good day, and the only thing in my refrigerator is coconut water, salad (pre made), dressing, and milk for cereal. I felt at ease, and with her calm voice, she explained the specials with a smile. She also kept checking to see that everything was okay, and was on top of things throughout my meal. I opted for their special black truffle pasta ($48) and their chicken liver mousse ($12) as a starter. The chicken liver mousse was really good, and it came with a nice toasted garlic bread. The truffle pasta was also delicious. I probably could have eaten 3 of them. The reason for the 5 stars (which means top notch in my book) is because when I left, I accidentally left my credit card, and the manager Jerimiah tracked me down and handed it back to me. Thanks SPQR! I'll be back again! read more

SPQR - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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They are pushing the bottom line of revenue by offering "tasting menus" that they only offer on special nights. Or that's how they try to sell it. In fact, they have two expensive tasting menus. The hostess and the waitress tried to push them on us and it was overwhelming. The tables are right next to each other and it corroborates with the fact management is trying to earn every dollar possible. It didn't bother me last time until they aggressively pushed the tasting menu. So tacky! We had 7:30 p.m. reservations last night and I was starving. But they did not have enough help since our waitress look forever to get back to us between getting us water (which she was not the one to get it for us) and ordering entrees and dessert. Our waitress forgot our bread and we had to ask someone else. The wait staff other than the waitress were great at clearing tables and filling up water (there's the one star). The average wine price is $15-18. I felt like everything from wine to dessert was severely overpriced. They got rid of their octopus appetizer and the waitress said nothing really replaced that savory dish. We went for the bluefin crudo ($20 for about one ounce total of THIN slices), which was ok. The price was way too steep for the stingy pieces they gave us. Again, they are trying to make as much money off of the food by providing stingy portions. They left the cheaply made chicken liver mousse and added a duck liver. Their appetizer dishes did not impress anyone. The pasta entrees were pricey for the portions ($26!). They serve their pasta entress in dishes with holes in them that provide for tiny portions (they are half the size of Perbacco's servings but more expensive). The squid ink and the buckwheat tagliatelle tasted similar, which was disappointing. Same heavy, salty and chunky sauce. But the pasta was cooked perfectly and there was enough uni in the squid ink (second star). The coffeecake was pretty bad. It tasted stale since the edges were hard. Hobee's coffeecake is 100x better. The gelato was not tasty. Of course, the portion was consistently stingy even for the coffee cake, which was about the size of two small fingers. SPQR is obviously trying to rake in the money, take advantage of its patrons and capitalize on its Michelin Star. Not all San Franciscans are that stupid. Even if you do offer a free cube of marshmallow at the end of the meal. Go to Flour & Water or Perbacco for better service and food. read more

WOW - SPQR delivered the experience that deserves a Michelin Star! The only world I would use to describe their pasta is "perfect"! As an ardent pasta lover who needs to have pasta every week, this is by far the most interesting pasta restaurant I've been to in the city. And if you like to venture out of your pasta comfort zone - tomato/meat/white sauce pasta, this is your paradise and 2 pasta dishes stand out the most. Smoked fettuccine with sea urchins, bacon and soft quail egg The best of the best pasta!!! Sea urchin flavor exploded in every bite. This is as tasty as the sea urchin pasta I had in Rome. I'm so happy that I don't have to go back to Italy for my favorite pasta! Bludnudlen with Blood Sausage Ragu and pig's foot This is truly a hidden treasure! This dish could either make it or break it for the experience, and I'm glad I decided to try. The ragu is extremely flavorful! Every bite of ragu and pasta together had the perfect flavor + texture balance. The only complaint I had is the portion is small! But on the bright side, I can clean up the plate with bread without feeling guilty :) It's truly a special place in the city! read more

SPQR - Bludnudlen with Blood Sausage Ragu and pig's foot - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I've been eyeing this 5 course tasting menu for a few months and finally pulled the trigger, this was my second visit but my first was years ago and this new format of dining for spqr caught my eye. The ambiance & Food were good the pasta dishes were on point and the apps were tasty and playful...the steak was amazing cooking and the flavors were perfect, service was good for a busy Sunday night. But I had to knock off one star because of the seating, the restaurant I knew was small but are table was literally next to another table that the backs of ours chair touched the whole night, with that being said the food is amazing read more

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Learned quickly after moving to SF that pasta is a big deal here. SPQR had been on my list of top pasta spots to try for a while. Would say ambience and service definitely up to par for dinner with out of town parent, which was my situation. Server recommended a nice wine pairing and was helpful and polite without being overbearing. Appetizers were interesting though not outstanding for me. Got the ricotta salad which I thought was lacking, the octopus which was tasty though not the best texture that I've had, and the wagyu beef "pastrami" which we liked..but all were really just opening acts for the main event..the PASTA. I understand the menu changes pretty frequently, but I don't think you can go wrong with any of the pastas. I had the "white bolognese" which was awesome and I tasted my dining companion's which was just as good. Come for a semi-special occasion and save room for the pasta! read more

I had really high expectations of SPQR, but the bf and I felt unsatisfied when we ate here. The service was great, we were seated when we came in. It's a pretty small restaurant, and we had a very small table (the table had to be moved so I could be squished in to sit). I didn't mind the small space as most of my Paris experience was getting up close and personal with our neighbors. The menu is a bit overwhelming, lots of fancy words that I couldn't figure out, but the waiter was happy to explain it to us. We ended up ordering two specials: the truffle stuffed hen and the pasta fatta. The truffle stuffed hen was delicious! But very small. The bf really liked the dish so I let him eat most of it. The pasta fatta was a bit disappointing. After watching Masterchef, I really wanted to try a ravioli with a raw egg yolk in it, and was super excited to hear about it on the menu. Unfortunately, there was way too much ricotta cheese in it! The ratio of cheese to everything else was just too much. It felt like I was eating tons of ricotta and nothing else. When I finished my plate, I had a bunch of ricotta left over because there was just too much of it. Overall, we didn't think the food was that great and we weren't feeling very full from our meal. We were pretty disappointed considering this was the most expensive meal of the weekend (because of the two truffle dishes we ordered). Maybe we just ordered all the wrong things, but considering how many restaurants there are in SF, we don't think we'll be back. read more

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Better and better each time! We were the first group at the door at 5:30pm on a Saturday, right when they opened, and got their only table that seats more than 4, right outside. It was perfect weather at that moment, but it definitely got chilly towards the second half of dinner. There was a heat lamp, but it mostly helped the couple of people who sat further from the sidewalk. Service as always was very friendly and prompt. A little bit long of a wait between apps and entrees, but otherwise the timing was great. Cost: ~$44 total per person for 3 starters, 3 pastas, and 1 main. Their portions are fairly small (from a sharing point of view) so none of us were full after this meal and got a 2nd dinner nearby. We could easily have ordered more but just felt like something different. Must-Haves: Chicken liver mousse, Smoked Linguini, Duck Pansotti. PICCOLO Menu: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/spqr-san-francisco?select=UXp5_8n3uN4vZ8hM28agiQ#UXp5_8n3uN4vZ8hM28agiQ * Chicken liver mousse (w/ pear marmellata. $12) - 4.5 stars pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/spqr-san-francisco?select=UXp5_8n3uN4vZ8hM28agiQ#2Ak-vWFSCmPOaUxLC42wig Amazing! Rich and thick in texture. The bread is oily but crunchy and to die for. ANTIPASTI Menu: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/spqr-san-francisco?select=UXp5_8n3uN4vZ8hM28agiQ#YxRhQz7ITGjjZxkh8KTlcw * Sea urchin panna cotta (w/ tuna belly. $22) - 4.5 stars pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/spqr-san-francisco?select=UXp5_8n3uN4vZ8hM28agiQ#n9Pr2UwJbZcypYchmLzGHg We had to get this, it was so unique. It didn't disappoint, and the best part is, my bf who hates sea urchin actually liked it! The texture was soft and while it retained the sea urchin, it also was complimented well with the tuna and fava beans. * Bufala meatbal (wild rice, arugula pesto, cabbage shoot. $19) - 3.5 stars pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/spqr-san-francisco?select=UXp5_8n3uN4vZ8hM28agiQ#jFh-u3CcJnP68YQeTJq4cQ cross-section: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/spqr-san-francisco?select=UXp5_8n3uN4vZ8hM28agiQ#P2iA3jBuS24g8lmFYWAHQA This came highly recommended by our server, and yes the meat was soft and tasty, the pesto fresh, and there was this amazing green puree. But it was $19 for basically a single meatball and a lot of greens. Not fun to share between five of us. PRIMI Menu: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/spqr-san-francisco?select=UXp5_8n3uN4vZ8hM28agiQ#W4bv9H3IX1mRVf3GsF4KFg * Smoked linguini (clam, bacon, tomato, arugula pesto. $26) - 5 stars pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/spqr-san-francisco?select=UXp5_8n3uN4vZ8hM28agiQ#M76H4qfwm0xatfgX80UBCQ Absolutely delicious, by far everyone's favorite dish of the meal. The thick linguini, cooked to perfect texture, on the softer side and just chewy enough, coated with the perfect amount of sauce and the strong smoked flavor to top it all off - amazing! * Duck pansotti (apricot, pine nut, wood sorrel, saba brown butter. $25) - 4.5 stars pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/spqr-san-francisco?select=UXp5_8n3uN4vZ8hM28agiQ#HLr_Qt9xmnmQpgTIzUTQ5Q The 2nd fave of the meal. Much richer flavors than the linguini with the butter. I was hoping for a little more meat in the pansotti, and the pasta was a little on the hard side, slightly crispy even (though my friends really liked the texture). * Semolina gnocchi (lamb ragu, olive, parmesan, mint leaf. $26) - 3 stars pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/spqr-san-francisco?select=UXp5_8n3uN4vZ8hM28agiQ#SVgS70xOeqrF1EV9hi4l4Q Really not at the level of SPQR's other pasta dishes. The gnocchi was way too soft and fell apart too easily - if you like the chewy softness of potato gnocchi you will be sorely disappointed at this one. I also found the sauce to be watery and not very full in flavors. SECONDI Menu: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/spqr-san-francisco?select=UXp5_8n3uN4vZ8hM28agiQ#9LT7BNnDmKsDYhgKcpzHiw * Black cod, fish tripe "cacciucco" (gulf prawn, cannellini bean. $36) - 4 stars pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/spqr-san-francisco?select=UXp5_8n3uN4vZ8hM28agiQ#BVBWflwlMAaWaY8rFIdl3w Also highly recommended by the server - we were intrigued by the idea of a tender fish tripe. This was good and had a variety of seafoods, and the foam of course is all trendy now but I don't think it adds much to the dish. The broth was thin but had good flavors. I wouldn't recommend this as a must-have but if you love seafood broths then this is a good way to go. Sweets menu: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/spqr-san-francisco?select=UXp5_8n3uN4vZ8hM28agiQ#oKIB14L35xaSPNbd-D9rtg * Free marshmallows - 4 stars pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/spqr-san-francisco?select=UXp5_8n3uN4vZ8hM28agiQ#1srTgHM_LcGd5IT8M7DpYA Of course, we got a free dessert of tasty marshmallows at the end of our meal! Always a nice surprise & great way to round out the meal - soft, a hint of flavor, moist. read more

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WOW. SPQR is definitely going to be one of my top favorite places to eat. Not just the starters were on point but the entrees as well! They are known for their pastas FYI. I believe they change their menu quite often as well. They also have great wine selections. The service was great, but the food was better! For starters: - pig ear and pork belly, fried potato, goat cheese, black garlic, gremolata and pomegranate 2 - chilled mussels Main dish: - type of truffle pasta which wasn't on the menu - meyer lemon spaghetti, abalone "alfredo", american bottarga and garlic chip I would come back here again. Everything on the menu that I've tried was not disappointing at all. Definitely one of my top favorites!! read more

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Why had I not been to SPQR sooner and more often? I've passed by it so many times. SPQR is an abbreviated Latin phrase referring to the ancient Rome. Well, it definitely doesn't look like the ancient Roman days in here. This is a trendy looking restaurant, both inside and outside, which goes along with the neighborhood. The inside has a cozy atmosphere with pretty dark lighting. The tables are a little too close in proximity. Call it intimate, but it makes dining a bit uncomfortable. I forgot that as soon as I tasted the delicious food. Overall, I give it a 9/10. $15 Chicken Liver Mousse, rhubarb marmellata and balsamic gelatina: The garlic toast was perfectly toasted and good on its own. The creamy mousse was amazing. I was hesitant about the rhubarb and balsamic gelatina, but it was so good. The chicken liver mousse on its own was already very rich, but the rhubarb added a lot of sweetness, and the balsamic gelatina gave it tartness. It came together in one super rich, creamy, delicious spread. $23 Wagyu Beef "Carne Cruda", burnt flour cracker, horseradish jello cube and pickle: It was a good solid take on steak tartare, but I felt a twinge of sadness knowing that wagyu was ground up to make it. Oh well, it was really good beef. You could tell it was plated with a lot of care; thinly sliced cornichon rolled up into little circles; horseradish jello cubes strategically placed in a few spots; a couple dollops of mustard along with a little bit of mustard seed. It was packed with tart flavor. I could have done without one of those sour components since the horseradish jello cubes and pickles are plenty sour already. I'd rather it come with toast or crostini instead of the odd crackers. It looked like long, thick, fried pasta noodles, but didn't have any flavor. It was also an awkward shape to eat with the tartare. $29 Smoked Fettuccini, Sea Urchin, Smoked Bacon and Soft Quail Egg: one of the most amazing pastas This signature pasta dish has really gone up in price over the last couple of years. I would still say it's worth a try, but as it pushes near the $30 mark, it's getting super pricey. Still, it is a favorite of mine. There's something so satisfying about breaking into a runny egg. The quail egg was delicious, but didn't add much to the flavor profile, because the pasta sauce is probably already egg-based. The fettuccine was cooked perfectly and encased in super creamy sauce. The uni also adds creaminess but with a different texture. It doesn't seem like there is a lot of uni, but there's a good amount interspersed in between layers of pasta. Bacon added a little bit of savoriness, protein, and color to the dish. Variations of Buckwheat & Rhubarb: This is the strangest dessert I have ever had. I hardly ever make such extreme statements. Mr. Joy said he wanted to try this out of curiosity. I think from now on I'll be choosing the desserts. It's no longer on the menu and for good reason. I don't even know where to begin. I could barely keep up with our server when he was explaining the different ways buckwheat was utilized in this dessert. The spongy bits of buckwheat cake looked and tasted like cardboard. The strange fruit leather was odd and out of place. The ice cream and morsel of panna cotta-ish looking thing were the only redeeming pieces on the plate. None of the components came together and didn't look like they even wanted to be on the same plate. Good effort trying to be creative. The bill came with complimentary marshmallows, which were terribly disgusting. I stood up to leave, so I just tossed an entire marshmallow in my mouth. Big mistake. It was like eating a congealing eraser. Strange desserts aside, I still stand by the smoked fettuccine and chicken liver mousse. It's been a while, but I still crave them every so often. I would love to come back and try other delicious pastas. I couldn't help glancing around at other people's pasta dishes as the savory aromas wafted up to my face. I may or may not try a safer dessert option. read more

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one of the best places in the city to get impeccably thought-out meals (4.5 stars). Great wine-by-the-glass. I always come to SPQR and local's corner without having any regrets. always the best ingredients. always there to delight. Onto the dishes: octopus, opal basil, panissa, green chickpea, cucumber and american ham - fantastic flavors and presentation. In great Italian restaurants, octopus is always the one to please crispy hen of the wood mushroom, padron pepper, caper leaf and prosciutto cotto - great contrast of soft and crispy, light, airy, full of fragrance. My friend also ordered the special pasta with white truffles and it was heavenly. read more

SPQR - Beautifully presented squid appetizer! - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've been wanting to try this restaurant for years and have heard great things about the fare from friends who are regulars. When I finally dined, I was far from being blown away. Open dining at the bar. Their seating is usually reserved unless you called in ahead of time. We tried and they didn't pick up. Menu offering totals 1 page and has the usual apps along w/ pastas and proteins. Wine list is a separate menu. I had the Sea Urchin Fettuccini while the BFF had the Bucatini. My pasta was salty. Perhaps it was the bits of pancetta or not but it was over seasoned. Not much Uni in there and the quail egg was too small to add much value although the pasta was already creamy. BFF stated her pasta was ok. Portions are small for the price. 2 pastas + 2 glasses of wine = $104. read more

SPQR - Bucatini - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The food here simply is amazing. The presentation is pretty simple but the flavor combinations and the creativity behind the dishes is excellent. The texture of the pasta and the creaminess of the sauce is bar none. Tried the Meyer lemon pasta and risotto. Both were amazing with the risotto being extra creamy and delicious. For starters, had the octopus and chicken liver mouse, again both were salivatingly good. Would I come back? In a heart beat! The ambiance was pretty perfect, the wait staff knowledgeable and friendly. Great job guys! Well done. read more

Came here as a surprise for my boyfriend and it was amazing. Made reservations for 730 at the chefs counter. Walking in, I could see why everyone said it was cramped. Tables are literally an inch or two away from each other. At the counter where we sat, there was definitely more space and it was cool watching all the chefs in action. We started off with some pastas: Smoked fettucine with uni and quail egg: 5/5: Extremely creamy and decadent dish. They recommend mixing all the ingredients in the pasta together before consuming. The egg made the already creamy pasta even creamier and throwing in the bacon and uni made it even richer. The creaminess from the uni makes your tastebuds jump in delight, and it did not taste fishy which is always a plus. One of the best pastas of the night. Squid ink chittara: 3/5: The noodles were made with squid ink and it came with a red sauce and calamari. Overall, It was decent but it did not impress me or blow me away. I think it was the fact that it tasted so plain and there was no difference in how the noodles tasted except for its color. Lasagne spaghetti with meatballs: 4/5: It was extremely cheesy on the inside and it had a perfect egg noodle encapsulating the cheese. the meatballs on top were delicious, they were seasoned perfectly and they weren't too big or even too small, just the right size. would definitely get this again! Beet ravioli: 5/5: this was a complimentary pasta that we received courtesy of the chef. It was an extremely nice gesture and we appreciated every bite. the beet was subtle yet sweet, it was also extremely rich and cheesy due to the fact that they put parmesean cheese on top and then they add ricotta cheese on top as well. It was so rich but we loved every bite. Maybe my boyfriend and I love rich pastas but this was one of our favorites, its just sad that i did not see it on the menu. =( Entree: Scallops: 4.5/5: These scallops were cooked to perfection. they were well seasoned and really tasty. The only downside is that they are quite small. the sauce that it came with was incredible it really enhanced the flavor of the scallops. And it came with some broiled kale, you can never go wrong with some kale on a dish! I would definitely get this dish again except i probably wouldn't share! Overall, I was impressed with SPQR and compared to Seven Hills pastas, SPQR is better in terms of taste but portion wise its a lot smaller. Do come try it out if this has been on your list and you love pasta, you won't regret it! I would come back here again for another special occasion! Total for 2: $140 with tax and tip. read more

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I have to say I'm surprised by the low ratings, really I am. The service was what you get at a very high end restaurant. I found the wines a bit overpriced, but the food was really really good, very fresh imaginative takes on traditional Italian food. I had the farro tagliatelle with fava beans, basil, pancetta and aged pecorino. It was so fresh and yet so rich and it was just the right amount of food. They could have given some complimentary bread. I did think it was strange to have no bread with some olive oil or something. I liked the interior and the artwork on the wall. I would go back. read more

SPQR - Tiberio pecorino wine - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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