Awesome old school bar. Spent hours here and wish I could relate all about it but between what I don't recall, what I know better than to put on the 'net and what should stay off the record...awesome old-school bar. read more

Love Love Love coming here. But if these walls could talk I would cut its tongue out. I bet it would some great stories. Very vintage feel and classic jukebox. The last few time i was in there, you were able to smoke because the owner was bar tending. But I don't know if that still applies. read more

Tosca Cafe - Richie the BarTender of Tosca - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

It's a same that the relaunch of Tosca got postponed by the COVID19 epidemic but, in true resilient fashion this establishment it turning out great meals that are available for pickup and delivery. Chef Nancy Oakes has taken over the kitchen and is doing a splendid job too! She was previously at Boulevard forever and y'all know how lovely that place was in its heyday. We ordered the Chicken Cacciatore Dinner for pick up. It included: LITTLE GEM SALAD - creamy italian dressing, butter beans, cucumber & red onion. ROASTED CARROTS - carrots roasted with agrodolce. HALF CHICKEN CACCIATORE - tomatoes, stewed onions, capers & sicilian oregano. DANDELION CHOCOLATE & COCOA NIB BROWNIES - dried cherries, salted caramel whipped cream. It was so good. Like, so good. Do yourself a favor and order one of their meals during SIP, you won't regret it. Oh also, 100% of the proceeds go to the staff. Double win! read more

Went here one night with a bunch of friends and had a great time until I asked the waitress (a middle-aged blond-ish woman) if the piano was still playable. She doesn't even look at me and says 'no' and then pushes me aside. I was so surprised by this act of rudeness that I stood there for a bit wondering if that actually happened. So because of her, I will never go back to this place because of the horrible service. I don't care if she was having a bad night or that the place was almost empty and she had to count her register or do her paperwork at the end of the night. The point is, I was still a paying customer and I didn't deserve to be pushed aside. So in conclusion, the drinks were okay but just one act of rudeness was enough to cancel that all. Go here at your own risk. And watch out for the waitress that I described above. read more

Brunch fail! We were excited to hear the Tosca started serving brunch so jumped on a reservation and showed up ready for a great time. - the reservation system made everyone choose their dish a week in advance - the payment system debits the person making the reservation for the entire meal in advance, so it's hard for a brunch party to pay separately - THE FOOD WAS UNDERPAR - You can tell that Nancy Oakes had nothing to do with this meal. Her usual attention to detail was obvious when we had dinner at Tosca last November after she took over the kitchen. We were expecting another great experience, but no... - The salad was okay, but what was billed as "foccacia" was sliced bread fried in oil - yep. It wasnt bad, but it was definitely not foccacia and not worth $7 for 3 pieces of white bread - My advance order was for the baked eggs with guanciale. Three small pieces of tough cooked bacon arrived in a bowl of tomato sauce with what appeared to be raw eggs. Super unappealing and I didnt feel like asking for more time in the oven, since it took a while to get to the table. - the "bomboloni" were fried the day before and had gotten a bit stale. Instead of the traditional jam or crema della nonna, there was a bland lilac colored whipped cream with blackberries as filling. Didnt finish it. The service was good, and the charm of eating in North Beach is always a draw but for what they charged versus what we got for brunch. Not festive. Not well made, not worth it. read more

Tosca Cafe was something. The sole reason for our visit is the interesting pig parts featured on the menu. After Animal in LA and Commonwealth in SF, I had not seen anything exciting that was executed well in restaurant that is not heavily Asian influenced. My philosophy for food is that nothing should go to waste. If you are going to kill the pig, why let the ears and tail and all the inner organs end up in the dumpster? At the end it wasn't only these 'adventurous' dishes that really impressed. (Granted their Pressed Pig Ear was enjoyable and the Pig Tail was absolutely sinful.) It was that one simple meatball that completely captivated us. It didn't hurt that everything else from service to their creative cocktails were also throughoutly delightful. read more

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What a great spot! Dim lighting, but not too dark; dark wood, great vibe. My friend and I showed up for dinner on a Thursday night around 8:30 p.m. - no reservations or anything, and the wait was over an hour. But food is served at the bar, and the bar is first come, first served; we found a couple of seats at the bar and were able to sit immediately. We had prosecco, the speck and citrus salad, bucatini with guanciale and cauliflower gratin. Both the bucatini and the cauliflower gratin were both so great. The bucatini had some good bite and chewyness and not overly saucy. The cauliflower gratin was rich but somehow you feel okay eating it because it's cauliflower... I don't find myself in North Beach very often, but if I did, this would be my go-to spot for drinks and bites. read more

Love this place. Was tossing back drinks here before Al Gore invented the internet. Real people behind the bar. This is one of the last anchors of what San Francisco is really about. A friend has owned it for years and I hear Sean Penn found some investors to help her out. The scene? It changes all the time. Make your own! Opera on the jukebox and house cappuccino... read more

Tosca Cafe - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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You know that place where everybody knows your name? Well, that's sort of the vibe I felt when I came here to try the House Cappuccino. Right away, you see a line of House Cappuccinos at the bar, lined up and ready to go, as if they were mini-soldiers preparing for battle. You taste the alcohol first, then the warm cappuccino. Not too overwhelming. Kinda tasted like there was some sort of imitation Bailey's mixed in. It was pretty hot for for an alcohol fused bev. Not my cup of tea (or cappuccino) if you ask me. The bartender said it was their most popular drink though. BTW, it was only $5. It's not a cafe at all. It seemed more like a bar. The place is very dim but quiet. Despite the slight chit-chatter here and there, you can actually hear your own conversations. Seems like a good place to bring your friends. Or just to come on your own. Everyone deserves a little "me" time right? Overall, not too much to expect. Would I come back? We'll see. read more

Tosca Cafe - House Cappuccino - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

What a cool place. Dan B.'s review prompted me to try this place sooner than later...although it still took us a while but we finally made it in and only wish we tried it sooner BUT "better late than never"! It's just so old school, spacious and clean! Nothing is out of place and everything seem so perfect. The red vinyl booths are shiny and inviting whisper secrets in the dimly lit room. The two large antique espresso machines are shiny and adds to the feel. Besides all, I LOVE the old jukebox with all the fantastic songs...I was happy to feed it my quarters and enjoy the wonderful melodies and a sweet dance with my honey with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Patsy Cline or a quicker tune by Glenn Miller. Oh, have the House Cappucino - it's a wonderful mixture of hot chocolate and brandy. The Irish Coffee wasn't too bad but I think they skip the sugar so you can add it to your own liking. Love it! read more

Awful. The worst italian restaurant we ever been. We had the meatballs and we didnt feel good about it after 3 hours. Our chicken dish was undercooked read more

The 3 star average is insane. I knew nothing about Tosca Cafe until my buddy started talking about some bar he used to post at regularly that was a San Francisco institution reopening w/ a restaurant serving April Bloomfield's grub. Posted up at the bar for dinner. Here's the rundown: - Crispy Pig Tail - pass - Off Menu Meatballs & Foccacia - double yes - Radishes & Tuna Conserva - fantastic - Market Salad - perfect - Bucatini - a must - Roasted Chicken for 2: I rarely order chicken when I'm out to eat, but the salmon and steak weren't doing it for me. Chicken was great and keeping the feet on was a nice touch. Put this on your shortlist. read more

Tosca Cafe - Chicken as god intended - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Last time I was here in the mid-eighties the place was filled with cigarette smoke and they served no food. Things have changed. I was so glad to be able to wander into Tosca Café and be able to easily get a seat at the bar. I wanted a small-ish dinner and a couple of drinks. My bartender was helpful in explaining how she made her Manhattans (which I ordered...it was excellent) as well in suggesting a couple of plates for my light-ish dinner. I ended up having the cauliflower fritto (excellent!) and the market salad (good, though I'm not a big fan of pumpkin seeds). Overall, I loved the old-school feel to the place but the contemporary vibe. I'm looking forward to my next visit when I'm a bit hungrier so I can try out more of their food offerings (and to have another couple of Manhattans). read more

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I love this old dusty bar. It is though in need of some TLC. I hope they get their act together because it won't last that much longer if they don't. Sad really, what a waste. read more

Been going to Tosca for many years. It's changed ownership a few times. Definitely make a reservation if you want a table in the dining are, otherwise you can sit at high tops for two in the bar area. Sitting at their beautiful bar is also enjoyable. The crowd is usually lively and it can be a bit loud. I usually split one of their pasta and a couple side dishes. Last night we split the short rib rigatoni and it was delicious. The wait staff is attentive and manager came by and asked how everything was. read more

Wow food wasn't bad!First course asparagus salad, second course spaghetti, third course chicken for 2 came out under cooked. Dessert was cannoli and peanut butter gelato marshmallow. But what was the worst was watching Chef Josh and his son come to the pass and sit where the food comes through as he takes a piece of polenta with his hands and a mandarin. Then butchers a dry age New York steak on the pass then passed it back to the kitchen. After this walks to the walk in grabs another Dry age New York strip and puts it on the pass. Without washing his hands fluffs up a salad with his raw dirty hands then proceeds to adjust Asparagus on another dish. Wipes his hand on his kitchen towels on his waist then touching more food. Just so dissatisfying that this chef is so clueless. Go back to New York and drink out of you Met's cup "DAD" You work in an open kitchen........ read more

This place considers itself rustic italian. Not sure what that means except it was interesting to try the pigs tail. Also had a polenta dish. Not sure why I got it since I am not a polenta fan. Wanted to give it a try but did not like it. Turnips however were great. The bar tender was top notch. I went for the tenders choice and we got two creative drinks. One was the chokehold. Wish I remembered what was in it but it was good. The other drink was Hotel National. Not quite as memorable. Worth a try. If the wait is too long for a table, grab a seat at the bar. read more

Tosca Cafe - Busy place. - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

The newly reopened Tosca is a dream. I made a reservation for my friends and I and we fell in love! The food is incredible. The seafood, the pastas, their plant based/ vegan butternut squash, the champagne and wine pairings, the vegan hazelnut gelato and honey ice cream were delicious! The service staff was equally incredible as was the decor and ambiance. From the beautiful plates to the overhead warming lights and gorgeous al fresco design it felt like for an evening the world was back to pre-covid times. By the way, everything was super clean and the staff wore masks, the tables were separated for health and also gave tons of privacy. My friends and I will be back!!! Highly recommend them! read more

You should definitely get the chicken, make sure to order when you arrive since it takes a while to come (1 hr) Meatballs and the salad was also great!! Do not even hesitate to come, it was a we so me !!!! read more

Tosca Cafe - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Awesome, charming old place. Old school prohibition era themed speak easy that serves specialty drinks like hot cocoa and brandy. I opted for Baileys in my hot chocolate. It hit the spot on a cold evening. Even the ATM is old school and covered in wood! Not a sports bar but they do have a massive projection screen that was showing the Giant playoff game. I didn't see the "Fratatellos" that Angelique L mentioned but we were there super early in the evening. read more

San Francisco Fresca - refreshing as a fresh pim's cup except without the cucumber House Cappuccino - hot brandy with coffee/chocolate(?), this one is a little more hard to sip, but with lots of sugar anything is possible juke box is a hit or miss, but totally legit because the songs are totaly hand written in. although it did eat one of our quarters, feed at your own risk old school cheap drinks, i would show this place to an alcohol connoissuer rather than your young group of hip friends read more

Came here around happy hour on a friday and had a great time. It's very spacious and our group had the place to ourselves. The bartender was extremely friendly, and very old school in his white jacket. Try the house special, it's brandy/steamed milk/and ghiradelli chocolate. it warms you right up! They also make a very excellent chocolate martini, and I don't tend to like those! read more

This is a classic old school SF spot and the atmosphere probably hasn't changed in decades. Bar is a cool place to hang out but dinner here is done in 2 seatings only so plan ahead early. We shared the meatball, fritto misto, and homemade bread as starters- all amazing. I had the bucatini which I thought was absolutely delicious- a bit on salty side but I was ok with that. Others had tried the chicken and gemelli which I thought were good but not as good as the bucatini. Did I mention I liked the bucatini? read more

One star for being open and serving food at midnight. Ordered the $32 pork chop which was over salted, fatty on the outside, served with a garnish - nothing else. Ordered bread ~ they serve focaccia- no butter or oil ; had to ask. Bread was meh. The real reason for the one star is the service. Really reeeaallllyyyy slow. So slow that we had to reorder and wait and wait and wait. 20 minute wait for bread - after asking three times. Meal was expensive; service non existent...don't go here. read more

I'm shocked the overall rating is only 3.5 stars!! The food was FANTASTIC. F STANDOUTS: pig tail (wow! this could easily be their dish on 7x7 next year), bucatini, meatballs and foccacia, burrata special and the roast chicken for two. NEGATIVES: The service can be a bit slow and the space is quite loud - there is no where the sound to go and everyone just starts talking louder and louder. We ate at 6pm and the place was packed (dining space surrounding kitchen, there are tables behind the wall.. May be quieter back there?). If I were to come again I'd do a late late dinner or super early to avoid the noise level. It's a bit uncomfortable but doesn't ruin the experience - was close to knocking a star but kept it about the food.. We did 3 appetizers, 1 salad, 2 pastas and the roasted chicken and 2 cappuccinos with tax and tip was $200. The chicken easily feeds 3 or more if do apps. What a gem!! TIP: get the chicken lightly salted. read more

Best meal of my life. I ate here alone on a Wednesday, and the place was packed. Scored a table looking directly into the kitchen. Watching everyone work was a large part of my positive experience. Ate something from each part of the menu, plus dessert and the famous cappuccino. I don't know if it was intentional or coincide, but they paced/coursed it out perfectly. Giving me some time in between to relax before having another delicious plate presented. Can't recommend this place enough. The only word of caution would be if you are looking for a 'quiet' dinner, as it's full of lively conversation. read more

We were invited to check this place out by a friend who pitched it as a 100 year old San Francisco favorite. That got our expectations high. However, Tosca turned out to be an utter disappointment. We ordered the grilled octopus but the moment I started to eat it, I noticed a hair and had to return the dish. We also ordered the Lumaconi and the Spaghetti Chitarra which were both mediocre. I was surprised to find out that the Chitarra which the waitress pitched to us as Carbonara ended up tasting more like lemon than a Carbonara. The saving grace was the Braised Pork Jowl which tasted great but the cold service and other dishes spoilt the entire experience for us. read more

AMAZING pasta dish that I had. Truly Phenomenal. I'm a pasta lover so I can say that the pasta here is legit. The atmosphere was bustling and cute. Busy at night, you better make a reservation. Will be back asap for more pasta! read more

Good (but not really great) cocktails made for you by impeccably dressed bartenders served in a really awesome, retro, historical bar. Great for dates, though it can feel like a funeral parlor if it's not that busy. For a more lively space, head next door to Specs. read more

Food proportions are disappointing! We asked the waiter to explain the menu since there were categories. He mentioned the pastas being "Family Style" and "shareable" they are absolutely not. For $20 you are getting an appetizer size serving. I would rate the food 4 stars, but the portions are absolutely small. We all left disappointed and hungry. Will not be making reservations here, again. read more

Tosca Cafe - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Positives: (1) great story behind the revival of this restaurant; a San Francisco legend; (2) dark atmosphere, a wonderful throwback to yesteryear; nostalgic; (3) overall good food and service, 1-2 notches higher in flavor than most North Beach restaurants. Negatives: (1) Food is MUCH TOO SALTY (no wonder it's flavorful ... and don't tell me I didn't warn you). The tiny water glasses need to be continually replenished as a result of my need to drink all the time; (2) small portions (see pix), so don't expect the same larger portions you'd find elsewhere; (3) a bit pricey: 1 pasta dish, 1 meatball side & 1 famous capuchino = $50 + $10 tip = $60 read more

Tosca Cafe - Bucatini: flavorful but salty - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Yeah, we've seen Francis here. We've seen Sean and Sam here. It's that kind of place. Luxuriate in the big red leather banquettes at the red tables in the reddish room, past the giant bar with the huge mirror and enormous cappuccino machines... past the authentic Wurlitzer with vintage 45s... and if you're invited to the private back room, go. A friend claims Sam Shepard still owes him twenty bucks from a pool game there in 1985. While Sam Shepard may be long gone, the pool table's still there. Tosca's the perfect place to start or end any evening; always a hip spot. read more

Visited Tosca's when I first visited San Francisco ten years ago, it was a little run down, good for a steamer drink on a cold San Francisco summer day. Charming, old jukebox soundtracking an evening in North Beach. Then it got reboot, we had dinner, the vinyl seats had been patched, the kitchen was alive. We had wonderful dinner, high quality dishes, everything was on point. Thank you Sean Penn. Went back tonight on a whim for my birthday dinner. Music in the dining room featured Pat Benatar, Duran Duran, and Hall & Oates. I was fearing someone was queuing up the Top Gun soundtrack. All that money spent to fix up the atmosphere of the place and you aurally assault guests with 80's music. Speaking of assaulted. The food was overly salty. It would take a Mystic River to quench the thirst triggered by the seasoning. As Sean Penn once said "We bury our sins here, Dave. We wash them clean." We bury our sins with this visit to Tosca, at least for a few years. But then again, maybe I'm a little upset because it was my birthday and dinner was a little lackluster. I wanted to recreate my last visit, but maybe that's my mistake, I'm being salty. Did I mention how salty the food was? read more

If you like small portions of unreasonably expensive, pretentious foods, then this is your kind of restaurant. We had the: chitarra which was overly salted, too rich and too lemony;two other pasta dishes that were also too salty; the meatballs which were 15 dollars for three small meatballs in a boat dish and covered with a wine forward tasting marinara...also overly salted; and, a panini made with the stingiest amount of bread, meat and cheese that was hardly big enough to feed a small child. The polenta was burnt and...you guessed it....over salted. The only part of the meal that was good was the host who seated us and the dessert. We had two gelatos and a cannoli. The food service was mediocre at best. No point going into detail but suffice it to say I've experienced better. Paying for a great dinner with great service isn't an issue. Paying for a mediocre dinner with mediocre service is a problem. Lots of places to go in the city. read more

We came to Tosca Cafe actually by accident. Not familiar with the late night city eat scene, we found ourselves with very little choices within the Embacadero area. Well sometimes blessings are in disguise.... We were greeted quickly, seated promptly. Upon gazing at the menu I realized this may not be the best spot for me, mainly due to not really seeing the a-typical Italian fare on it. Our server Jenn ( well they really all serve you, you'll see ) quickly turned a 2 cocktail tab into a magnificent meal for 2, due to her knowledge of the authentic italian fare and ability to sell the menu....and it didn't stop there. The sauce? Best I've had. The sausage, Pork shoulder, and meatball were incredible. Perfectly cooked. Perfectly executed. A true late night 5 star eatery. We will return on our next trip! read more

Tosca Cafe - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

I really enjoyed Tosca Cafe! I ordered the lumaconi pasta and shared a caesar salad with my friend. The lumaconi was very tasty, had a nice texture, and a unique taste with the lemon that was included in it. The caesar salad was also delicious. I was also excited to learn that Tosca cafe has been around since the Prohibition Era, where the cappuccino machine served as a disguise for booze. read more

A wonderful place to enjoy a delicious meal. The wait staff was fantastic and the food was delicious. A little loud but that's because everyone was having such a great evening. Highly recommend! read more

Service was great, drinks were great, but this was the most expensive mideocre dinner I've had in the city. We had the bucatini (kinda bland and a lil overcooked) and the morel cream sauce pasta (weird flavor -- not sure if it was from the mushrooms or favs), which we could have done without. The focaccia, market salad and mussels & clams were great; the crispy pig ears were ok if you love fatty, rich foods (order a boozy drink to cut the fat). But honestly, come for the drinks, apps at the bar and the amazing staff. Food i read more

We had heard that the roasted chicken here was amazing so we had to go especially since my husband LOVES chicken. We had already eaten at Fog City and also Zuni (that's his fave) so the bar was already set high. The chicken takes 1 hr from ordering so we started with the Market Salad which we both thought was excellent! The greens were so fresh and the oregano vinaigrette married the Parmesan cheese and the toasted pumpkin seeds perfectly! Next, we had the fried anchovies. That was a bit of a disappointment because they had a slight bitter taste to them. I ordered a cocktail called Himalayan Rescue. I loved it!!! It had a lovely aftertaste of Absinthe which is my favorite spirit. So after 1 hour, the roasted chicken (1/2 chicken with bread spread with marscapone cheese and pine nuts) arrives (foot still on the leg). They also bring potatoes that we learned were cooked in pork fat. Now my husband and I don't eat pork so they kindly took the potatoes away and replaced it with broccoli rabe sautéed in anchovy sauce with garlic. That was very good. Then they came back as we are about to cut into the chicken and they say that the sauce on the chicken is made from pork fat. We were quite irritated but at that point we had waited for an hour for the chicken and did not want to wait any longer so we just sucked it up and ate it. It was very rich and almost one-note flavor. Hands up it didn't even come close to the chicken and bread salad at Zuni's. Next time we come here, we'll just sit at the bar and have drinks because that was the best part of the meal. read more

Tosca Cafe - Broccoli rabe sautéed with anchovies and garlic - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Pasta dishes lacked variety, wish they had more options. Appetizers were great though. The fried chicken was delicious.