Bossa Nova
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: (415) 558-8004
- Price:
- $$$
- Cross Street:
- Minna Street
- Hours:
- Kitchen: Daily 5:30pm-12am, Bar: Daily 5:30pm-2am
Editorial Review for Bossa Nova – by Roxanne Webber
The Scene
Though it has no sign, guests can follow the sound of upbeat Latin-jazz music to the restaurant's door. Waitresses in yellow-and-green-striped soccer socks navigate the small space, whose design conjures up the colorful culture of Rio--from an artsy shrine of religious decor to a giant glass shelf covered with lit candles and suspended by old motorcycle chains over a communal table. Behind the bar, an old black-and-white television plays a soccer match, while a DJ spins the namesake tunes on days that there is no live band to samba.
The Food
A crisp hearts-of-palm salad, accented with salty olives, sweet green peas and a thick vinaigrette makes a crowd-pleasing starter. Between courses, diners dip plantain chips into smooth salsa verde and nurse signature caipirinhas made with house-infused cahaca. An entree can be made out of a couple different churrasquinho (grilled meat skewers) or the large-enough-to-share Rio-style Moqueca--a steaming bowl of thick coconut-milk broth overflowing with mussels, fish and prawns. The tangy passion-fruit mousse and a shot of Brazilian espresso seal the deal.
Hits: Grilled corn on the cob comes slathered in a decadent blue cheese sauce. Cut into several pieces, it's perfect for sharing, but after a nibble, you may want to hoard it for yourself.
Misses: The no-reservations policy often means a wait; and, with no table bread, your stomach could be grumbling by the time your first course arrives.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
Know Before You GoThis small SoMa restaurant does not accept reservations, so arrive early or risk a wait.
Where to SitThe cushioned corner booth just inside the door is great for small groups.
Save MoneyStop in between 5:30pm and 7:30pm for $5 cocktails.
What to DrinkDon't miss out on the selection of cahaca, a potent Brazilian sugar-cane spirit.
Fun FactSome of the decor was made by a custom motorcycle builder.
When to GoNight owls rejoice: The kitchen stays open until midnight.
User Reviews for Bossa Nova
03/25/2008 Posted by wolfinlaw
Bossa Nova is a small, open restaurant with mostly two and four tables lined around the wall and a bar at the end. Soft lighting and quiet bossa nova music (what else) sets a nice mood. My wife and I went in around 7'ish and place was quiet (filling up as we were finishing). Area is a little edgy, so don't leave valuables in sight in the car. Getting there early was a break; happy hour goes to 7:30, and the capirinhas (very authentic) and the mojitos were perfect and inexpensive ($5.00). Service was simply terrific from the moment we walked in until we left. Anca, our server couldn't be more helpful without being over the top (as some servers can be). We followed her suggestions and all turned out to be great . Menu consists of mostly small, tapas style plates (8-10 on the appetizer menu), but there were four "main" course type items as well as four meat skewers (chicken, lamb, beef and shrimp) at about $8-12 apiece). We shared 5 small plates which were plenty for us. We had the ceviche, two skewers, one chicken, one lamb (both grilled and which come with a scoop of coconut rice), sweet mashed potatoes and the special vegetable (tonight was fried yuca, which contrary to its name was anything but). We finished it off with the coconut flan which was a little more solid and chewy than the typical Spanish flan but tasty. The only complaint we could find was that the benches and some of the chairs are hard, plain wood and after a while can be very hard. (Get some cushions guys). But, the food, the service and even the price, ($65 for the dinner which included 3 drinks) made this place a standout. We'd definitely go back, maybe on a Sunday when they have a trio playing music. (BG)
Pros: Food, ambience, service, price...great value all around
Cons: Some hard seats
10/19/2007 Posted by rakeshtondon2
I highly recommend this restaurant if you want to have a good time with a group of friends. Everythign here looks and tastes fresh and the place has a very festive feel to it with loud music and happy-go-lucky wait staff. Attention to detail lacks, and service is slow but I never chose to go to BossaNova for the service or the attention to detail. I like the feel of the place, and the Caiparinhias are well made and often quite strong. All the food is amazing, especially the Halbut cevice and the Jicama salad. Except, I would not order the fried fish which had quite a smell, nor would I order the croquettes. Overall, in my opinion, it was a very fun night with great food - highly recommended if you want a good time and a light meal!
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