This place is definitely busy. We were able to get a reservation on a Saturday night and were seated next to the window. The decor of the restaurant is cute but they definitely cram you into a small area. Our table was barely large enough to fit the food we ordered. I'm not a huge fan of garlic but even for me I thought the dishes were lacking in the amount of garlic flavor it has. read more

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Wow, what an amazing experience we had at the stinking Rose. After a series of letdowns at both formal and informal dining establishment on our trip in San Francisco, the stinking Rose made up for it with a top-notch staff and food to boot. The kindness started with Diana at the front desk, who was accommodating, even though we showed up last minute. For dinner we ordered an order of the garlic pesto fettuccine, as well as the fettuccine Bolognese. Both were absolutely divine, but the real stars of the show were Carlos and Jose. Throughout our meal, we always felt tended to. Every interaction with Carlos and Jose was sincere and warm, which really made a difference in our overall dining experience. The hospitality and warmth that we felt from the entire staff truly made our dinner at the stinking rose truly fantastic. Can't wait to come back again next time we're in SF! read more

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As a lifelong Bay Area resident, I had somehow never been to The Stinking Rose so when a credit card promo came up, I figured it was finally the time to check it out. Located on Columbus Street in North Beach, street parking can be hit or miss so we ended up at the North Beach Garage (There's also the Vallejo Street Garage right across the street). From there its a very short walk. When we were seated promptly and if you're a garlic fan, this place is absolutely your kind of restaurant. Here's what we ordered: - Bagna Calda - basically a garlic lover's dream appetizer - Roasted Italian-Style Baby Back Ribs - just okay for me, a bit on the dry side - Dungeness Crab - very good, full of flavor - Prosciutto San Daniele with Fontina, arugula, and red pepper oil- Also very good with a nice little spicy kick. Overall, it was a good dining experience and the prices were about what we expected for the area. Service was good as well though Im not sure I'd go out of my way to come back just because SF has so many amazing resturants to try. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area and want something unique and garlicky! read more

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This place was the cutest thing, it actually looks quite fancy on the outside (inside it's a bit more casual), the tables outside are nicely decorated with dim candle that gives a romantic vibe to it. As you enter, the hostess greeted us in the nicest way, it's a 2 level restaurant so plenty of space for small or big groups. Inside there's so much eye candy on the walls, decorated with many trinkets and lots of garlic cloves hanging (hence the reason behind the name) it was nice and clean which is a big plus. Even though the place is big, you still get a sense of coziness inside which I really enjoyed. The menu had a nice variety of meals, garlic is the main component which made me a bit hesitant about what to order, however, everything I got ( gnocchi & chicken with mashed potatoes) including the soup of the day, were so tasty, absolutely delicious! Our waiter was really nice and attentive, he kept checking on us which is always super appreciated. The place was on the pricier side so be ready to spend some coins. Drink wise, they had a decent list of wines and beers, non-alcoholic a bit limited, mostly water and coke products which is the norm and of course coffee. By the time we finished with our dinner, I was so full so I didn't get dessert but I was very satisfied with how the food was so flavorful and now I'm ready to go back and try other items in the menu! read more

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Made a reservation on resy a few days ago. Luckily found parking on a Tuesday night at 7pm. We sat inside and we knew what we wanted. Ordered Caesar salad for appetizer and it was decent. Salmon avocado wonton chips were okay as well. For our mains we got mussels and ribeye. Mussels were good and garlic-y. Ribeye sauce was not it. Can taste the wine. Service was good. Our water was never empty. Server was nice checked up on us twice. Bill was $136 not including tips. read more

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Don't go here if you have three people. They sat every couple or foursome groups before us. It took an hour to get seated then they rushed us. I am only giving this two stars because the garlic was good. I highly recommend passing on this place. There are lots of other great restaurants in the area. read more

Please make reservations if you go on the weekend! We still waited about 30 mins even with a res. The waiter was amazing and the whole staff was on point and on top of everything! Our food was delish. We ordered the pan of garlic, bruschetta, the ribeye, the sea bass and fettuccine pasta. Dessert was the crème brûlée cheesecake which was so good! My fav was def the pasta! I could eat it everyday! People watching was so fun on this busy street facing the window. It is on the smaller side but they get everyone in! I would recommend going there for great Italian food! read more

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Making up my mind last minute to eat at this restaurant was not a good idea. My hotel was on the edge of China town and North Beach. I showed up at dinner time and had a long wait at the bar before getting a table. Why this restaurant? Because they have baked dungeness crab on the menu. While visiting I told myself that I would enjoy as much fresh dungeness crab as I can while here. Why dungeness crab? Well because its delicious and indigenous to California. Well how was it? I ate every morsel of the sweet crustacean. I also enjoyed a plate of gnocchi with a Bolognese sauce which was equally satisfying. read more

The Stinking Rose - Bar area at the Stinky Rose Restaurant - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

We chose this restaurant for a work dinner with fellow co workers. We started with bagna culpa....yummy garlic cloves in garlic oil and fresh bread to smash the garlic cloves on...so good! We also ordered the bruschetta de Aglio. Tomatoes, Garlic, pesto, garlic, green onion, and reggiano and garlic! So good but the garlic was most prominent. Loved it. I ordered the ravioli with bolognese sauce. The ravioli has short rib filling. I didn't think I would be able to eat it all but I did! I also ordered the Stinking Rose Garden Salad.... Different types of lettuce and acacado and cherry tomatoes.. yummo! Someone else ordered the handmade fettuccine that was amazing. Another ordered ravioli with Alfredo sauce..probably one of the best Alfredo sauce I've ever had. Finally someone ordered the BBR ribs.... Tender and meaty, served with garlic mashed potatoes. Sadly we don't have room for dessert. I LOVE this restaurant' read more

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we got such a cute table on the 2F overlooking the bustling crowds on the bottom floor. it was a fun, delicious date night. the stinking rose lives up to its garlicky hype!! definitely order the bagna calda (and would even recommend adding extra garlic). the roasted garlic is the best we've ever had and pairs well with every single item. we were hoping for a roasted potato sort of dish for the Yukon potatoes but it is actually a mashed potato dish. however, it was still delicious and, of course, add garlic!! everything was flavorful, garlicky, without being too overseasoned or overwhelming. the ravioli was delicious, we added jidori chicken but would skip next time as it didn't add much to the dish. portion sizes were the decent, the 2 of us were able to finish the 5 dishes we got and weren't stuffed but satisfied. highly recommend this experience! read more

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Drove from LA just to visit SF & try this place ! Yes 6 hours and it was worth it. It's my girlfriend's favorite spot so for her birthday weekend we had to make a stop here. We got the Italian Garlic Pot Stickers (8/10) Filet mignon (9/10) Garlic chicken (9/10) read more

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The Stinking Rose is a well established restaurant in San Francisco. I slipped minutes before close on a busy weekend, and were welcomed by great hospitality by the manager. We tried their Bagna Calda (garlic and bread), mussels and shrimp on a hot skillet, and garlic ice cream. As a garlic fan, this meal hit the spot. If you're looking to celebrate a birthday here, do it! The wait staff sing in a roaring unison the birthday song to make sure the entire room knows you're part of the birthday group! read more

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Garlic lovers will feel right at home at The Stinking Rose. We met friends from out of town, and the restaurant's garlic-themed décor and menu lived up to expectations. We started with Bagna Caldo, a rich garlic-infused olive oil with fresh bread, followed by garlic-stuffed dumplings and mussels, both flavorful but not particularly unique. For entrées, we chose chicken Alfredo and fettuccine in garlic sauce, both delicious, with the garlic sauce being a standout. The service was fast and attentive, and the staff was friendly and welcoming. This restaurant stays true to its theme, offering a fun dining experience with bold flavors--just be prepared for plenty of garlic! read more

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I was kind of disappointed. I was hoping the garlic flavors would be more prominent especially since we ordered the steak, the tub and the Dungeness crab. I don't understand why the steak was slathered in olive oil instead of butter it's very off putting. The crab was dry and just purely salty. read more

Lots of garlic and it was very juicy! They serve you free bread here as well, but came in a big loaf. Back in LA when it was opened, they used to give little garlic rolls (crispy garlic on top). The steak was huge! Definitely shareable amongst 2 people. We also got the fettuccine pasta with tomato Alfredo parmigiano reggiano cream sauce with chicken and shrimp ($40). Fresh pasta but a bit pricey for the amount. The garlic ice cream was good! Subtle but everlasting There is an upstairs and bottom! We sat at the top and it was very cozy. read more

The Stinking Rose - Ribeye steak - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Not to take anything away from The Stinking Rose but there are places in North Beach that are far better. Headed to one of those "far better" places* I got sidelined by the heat lamps on Columbus. It gave the place a romantic air even though I wound up dining inside. Once inside, the friends I was with remarked that The Stinking Rose was the place they'd been to more over many years than any other place in North Beach. I personally thought The Stinking Rose had closed years ago but I'd failed to note that they'd only moved across the street. The Stinking Rose feels like a place for tourists (and it is) and a place whose primary attraction (everything garlic-related) is long past. But the food proved mostly satisfying even if the whole experience felt dated and routine. The stars here were the lasagna ($30) and the Fettuccine with Bolognese ($25) sauce. A Caesar Salad ($17) sported a hefty shaving of cheese but no flavor of anchovy, sadly, and the Bagna Calda ($10) featured far more garlic than could be accommodated with the single bread portion that the 4 of us tried without success to make last as long as the garlic. I can't say my meal here was bad, only that I left wishing I'd gone to the place to which I was originally headed. * Sotto Mare and Caffe Macaroni read more

What a colossal disappointment. I think they're coasting on their publicity. Staff varied between disinterested and rude. The hurry up and order rush was annoying, but counterbalanced by the fact that service was non existent, our second round of drinks never arrived and there was no waiter for over a half hour after our poorly cooked, fatty, gristly steak was delivered. Beyond disappointing. I would avoid and put you dinner budget to a restaurant that cares. read more

This was my first time coming here after hearing about it all over the place. I really enjoyed the food, everything smothered in garlic, what more could you ask for. I will say the automated voice they have for making reservations was quite funny, so I definitely came in already excited for the experience. The interior was really nice and service was decent, highly recommend bringing some gum or mints for afterwards lol read more

My friends and I came here on a weekday evening and were seating immediately. The holiday decorations and trinkets among the high ceilings were worth it more than the food itself in my opinion. We ordered the Bagna Calda, Burrata Prosciutto, Sea Bass, Gnocchi with Garlic Brie & Mushroom Sauce, and Fettuccine with Tomato Alfredo Sauce and Chicken. While the portions were filling, we had hoped for more for the price and quality. The staff was friendly and attentive to our needs and poured our water often.My personal favorite was the burrata prosciutto, but I wished for more prosciutto with the dish. The meat options were limited with the pasta and the pizza, and both required adding meat for an additional fee. Overall, I had an okay experience at this restaurant and may try it in the future again. read more

The Stinking Rose - Bagna Calda - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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this place is great! the food wasn't as garlicky as i expected it to be, but what a vibe this place was. the decor is decked out in all things garlic, pasta, etc.! the servers are kind, helpful, and very proactive. it's always busy since it's kind of touristy, but i was surprised by the taste of the food even tho it was touristy. i got the prime rib, short rib ravioli in their brie and mushroom sauce, their garlic salad, the salmon and crab crostini, and the garlic ice cream. everything was solid read more

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Only tourists that don't any better eat here. Microwaved food. Soft sprouting garlic, yuck

I was so excited to eat stinking rose again since they closed the one in Beverly Hills almost during Covid. To tell you, I got my hopes up is an understatement. The 40 clove chicken tasted so different. I don't know if it was the way it was plated or the flavor but it definitely didn't taste the same and not at all. The Caesar salad is fine. That was good, but even the pan of garlic tasted like it's been sitting in the pan way too long and it wasn't fresh you can tell and garlic was old. They didn't even use fresh garlic for it. It's also a very small location. I remember the one in Beverly Hills being so packed that you had to wait hours for a reservation not to mention the menu is different here too they don't have the bone-in ribeye. The hype is just the hype. No comparison to the food, the service or even the ambiance and family feel of the one in Beverly Hills. End of a dynasty I guess. read more

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Visited Nov 25th. Horrible experience I wish the Beverly Hills location was still open. We ordered wine and cheese bread. Enthralled in our conversation we realized our steak and seafood plate had been taking longer than usual. Those around us had ate and left. The bus boy refilled our water. When I flagged down our waiter Jose M. said he had not brought the main dishes because we had not finished our bread. Which did not make sense he assumed instead of asking. I told hike he should have asked and not jumped to conclusions we wanted to eat bread with our meal. Visibly upset I tried not to make a scene. I told him if our food was under a heat lamp. It had been 45-60 minutes since he checked on us. We were going to leave but he assured us our food was coming out. Once he brought the ribeye out the juices were cold and the steak was cold in the center. Only the top was warm confirming my assumption. The seafood plate was also barely warm. We ate with dissatisfaction because he lied to us. He tried to make things better. We should have just went to the steak house we had reservations at but since we had been to Beverly Hills location we wanted to try this one. read more

The Stinking Rose - Outside - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

I took my partner here on a Friday evening to celebrate his birthday and we were seated immediately. We ordered the fettuccine pasta with chicken ($34) and Count Vladmir's sizzling garlic prime ribeye stake, which came with mashed potatoes ($50). Everything was cooked to perfection (we LOVE garlic), and you cannot go wrong with either dish. It is a tight squeeze in the restaurant, tables are def on the smaller side, and kind of close to one another. For example, I had a person sitting back to back with me and our chairs were touching but I did scoot in a little extra to give space. Our servers were attentive and consistently checked in about needing refills. They went above and beyond with his birthday celebration which completely made his day. Thank you to our server, Rigobert. It was a thoughtful, full of effort, and unforgettable experience. Can't wait to tell everyone about this spot! read more

We celebrated Father's Day here and my son and I were treated like royalty by our family as well as the staff here. The food was great and well worth dealing with all the commotion due to a SF North Beach Festival competing with Father's Day. I had the rib plate and it was outstanding! Everyone was pleased with their meal. I was too engaged in my own to remember what they ordered. It was a great dining experience!!!!!!! read more

They are at a new location that is smaller but there is a row of outdoor seating. The service was great. I got a salad with crab that was very good for $29. We got the pot of garlic in olive oil to spread on fresh bread and the relish. read more

If you love garlic, this place should be on your bucket list. I was lucky to get a seat right away as it's always packed each time I pass by this place. The service was excellent. The ambiance reminded me of an Italian speakeasy. The quirky vibes kinda drew me in here. For starters, definitely try the Bagna Calda. It comes with bread and generous amounts of roasted garlic-infused olive oil. I love how it spreads like butter. The gnocchi was good, pretty forgettable since I had better elsewhere. My only regret was not trying the garlic martini and their garlic ice cream. I had gelato around the corner beforehand since it was a 95+ degree day. If I'd known about the garlic ice cream, we would have saved room for it. Honestly, I wouldn't mind coming back here to try new items or getting 2+ orders Bagna Calda as the main dish. read more

The Stinking Rose - Bagna Caucda - I think I'm in garlic heaven - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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So excited that this place is alive and well! The LA location closed due to COVID, and my dreams of trying it out died with it. Very hard not to notice this place when you drive by, with blaring bright lights inviting you in. Indoor and outdoor seating available, a fun, warm and welcoming interior, greeting you with the bar area upon entry. Our waiter was very attentive, and the food as well as water refills and freshly grated Parmesan all arrive promptly. Garlic lovers heaven, but also has options for those that don't want garlic in their dishes but want to accompany their elite, garlic loving friends. All of the food was great! The bread: warm and crispy, served with salted butter which paired perfectly with the Stinking Rose salad and soup of the day which was tomato when I went. The soup was very creamy and comforting; the salad was delicious and light without being insanely garlicky; it did cost another $8.99 to add burrata though.. Also for appetizers and a little random, were the pot stickers. Traditional flavors but yet, done so very well. Some of the best veggie pot stickers I have had, cooked perfectly with a nice crunchy bottom. For entree: I'm not one to usually get gnocchi but this time, decided to try it out and I was not at all disappointed. Paired it with the garlic lovers sauce, and I swear, it tasted more garlicky than eating roasted garlic straight! Super delicious, creamy & buttery. Alas, the item I had been waiting for... garlic ice cream for dessert! Served with the shell chocolate drizzle. At first, wasn't sure if I was all garlicked out from the rest of the dishes that I could not tell if it tasted like garlic, but slowly you could taste the hint and it was so delicious. Similar to vanilla ice cream but not quite vanilla, obvi. Vegetarians! Beware of the Bagna Calda because it has a hint of anchovy/or fish, and cannot be made without it. Otherwise, vegetarian options are available. Whether you're an omnivore, vegetarian, or pescatarian, they have options for you! Maybe not many for vegans. read more

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It was fine, nothing to write home about. Definitely worth going once just to try the garlic icecream out. We ordered the garlic tub which came with bread, which was good. The fresh fettuccine pasta was just okay, and so was the pizza. Not a place I would revisit, as nothing was that memorable. The staff were really nice though! read more

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Went here on a friday night with friends. Started the night off with Espresso Martinis & for food, we ordered Italian Calzone, Prosciutto San Daniele, Fettuccini in Garlic Brie & Mushroom, 40 Clove chicken, Ravioli in Garlic Alfredo, Lasagna. The Short Rib Ravioli was so good & the 40 clove Chicken. Calzone/Pizza breading is very similar to Napoletana Style breading, reminded me of the Famous Tony's Pizza in North Beach. Everything was pretty flavorful & the staff is attentive. Could be a nice date night spot / dinner to catch up with friends. read more

The Stinking Rose - Cheese bread, bagna calda - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Tourist trap. Food is almost as bad as the service. Party of 7, all order at the same time, 6 dished come out in like 10 minutes, last dish arrives 15 minutes later. Everyone's food was now cold. The gnocchi is frozen and chewy. The pepperoni pizza is not even frozen pizza level, chick chicken sandwich and burger is on a baguette??? Hard pass on coming back here. Extremely loud setting. Strong fish smell through the entire restaurant. read more

I had an amazing experience. I love the district; it has a lot to offer. I walked to The Stinking Rose from Pier 43. It was very scenic. I stopped at Washington Square Park before eating. The staff is very friendly, I also love the decor. I had the vegetable soup, seafood fettuccine, and watermelon margarita. My dinner was phenomenal read more

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I took my mom here for Mother's Day since it's a pretty popular restaurant. I'd say that you should at least come here once for the experience, like the garlic hot tub served with buttery and soft bread, but that's about it. The food did not blow me away and maybe my expectations were too high but for a restaurant that went viral I was expecting much more. This is no reflection of the staff; they were nice. We had reservations and were seated immediately. Because The Stinking Rose is so popular, you should definitely plan your visit ahead of time as you may encounter a long wait time for a table if you just walk in. The cocktails were tasty--that red sangria was absolutely delicious and the watermelon margarita was pretty good too. I did enjoy my caesar salad--it's hard to mess that up. My mom ordered the salmon for her entree and I got the fettuccine. Pasta really doesn't excite me so I should've gone with my gut and ordered the garlic mussels and shrimp, maybe next time. My mom loved her salmon. We ordered the baguette with butter. The bread was not hot or warm and it was hard. You could tell it was not made fresh. I would not order this at all. Just get the garlic tub because the bread that comes with it is delicious. We could not leave without trying the garlic ice cream. It wasn't nasty but definitely an acquired taste. I actually found that the hard shell chocolate on the top of the sundae complimented the strong garlic taste rather well. I probably wouldn't order it again but at least I can say that I tried it. read more

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One absolutely can't miss out on The Stinking Rose when visiting San Francisco! Nestled in the heart of Little Italy, this fantastic restaurant is a paradise for anyone who loves Italian cuisine! Reservations are recommended but not required, to ensure indoor seating, I made a reservation. We stopped in for dinner and we were promptly seated at our table on the second floor. Choosing what to eat was the hard part ad there were so many delicious options! We ordered and enjoyed: Bagna calda Pasta- garlic alfredo with dungeness crab Creme brulee cheesecake Wow, both dishes were absolutely phenomenal! The Bagna calda was so tasty, and the garlic Alfredo with the Dungeness crab was bursting with flavor! It was an unforgettable dining experience! The creme brulee cheesecake was the perfect dish to end our meal with. Friendly servers and delicious food, we will definitely visit The Stinking Rose when we return to the area. read more

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Totally touristy fun in San Francisco. Definite advantage having a reservation and sitting on the 2nd floor as it was less peoply. But if you want to be in the action then downstairs. You could sit outside but all you get is Columbus traffic going by. 40 clove garlic chicken was good as was the gnocchi (&I'm not of fan). And of course the bagna cauda w the bread! Service was good and attentive but food came out fast as soon as we got our bagna cauda to enjoy then we had to push it aside to make room for our entrees. It was a fun treat when you want to play tourist or are a tourist. Definitely a place to go. read more

The Stinking Rose - Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My son and I had dinner here last month. The garlic oil dip was good. My steamed mussels were extremely overcooked and rubbery. Many of the shells were broken and some not all the way opened. Not worth it. The drinks were very small and expensive. Smallest Aperol spritz I have ever had! read more

One of my favorite places in SF: -Food: Good old the Stinking Rose food - Bagna Calda, Garlic Mussels, Lasgna, Bolognese and house pizza - 5/5. BTW, Burgundy house red wine is surprisingly good -Service: Always great. Most of workers have been there over 10 years - 5/5 -Ambiance: Love street tables for sipping wine and watching people - 5/5 read more

The Stinking Rose - Steet Table w/ Burgundy wine and Bagna Calda - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Passing through San Francisco on our way to Sonoma we had to stop at The Stinking Rose. If you love garlic and can't get enough, this is the place to stop. We didn't have reservations and were seated upon arrival by a very friendly man. There is outside seating available with heaters, but we opted for indoors due to the breeze and it being a cool day. Greeted by Meniko (sp), she was fabulous and so very patient with us. We were indecisive and she offered a few suggestions that were helpful and made for a great lunch. We ordered the Garlic Lovers Fettuccine, 40 Clove Garlic Chicken, baguette with the garlic- pesto dipping sauce and a few glasses of rosé. Of course, we had to try the garlic ice cream and honestly, it tasted like plain vanilla to us, but it could also have been because we had A LOT of garlic for lunch and it was all just blending in at that point. We truly had a fantastic lunch here and if garlic isn't your thing, there are options that are garlic free. Street parking only by meter and it was busy when we arrived at 12pm. We highly recommend a visit to The Stinking Rose! Cheers! read more

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It's at a good location and service is prompt but food sucks. I got a crab salad today and it came in a bed of mix greens half of an avocado and crab likely from a can that felt fishy. $25 Club soda is $5 and it was cold at lunch as it's in the shade even though it was 71 degrees. Bad food and the ambiance at lunch is cold. Not a good combo. Won't be back read more

The Stinking Rose - Crab salad. Not good - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

It's a nice Italian restaurant in san Francisco it has a nice environment and there's good food. read more

The Stinking Rose - Pizza - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California