La Traviata

02/19/09

Ambiance, food, service, welcoming, A++

by ValMolina

Tastiest food offerings we've enjoyed in a long time. Quality ingredients, great preparation. Walking into this local favorite....very very nice. Wooden plank ceilings, great photos on the walls, exquisite music playing, beckoning aromas....every sense was awakened.

Most memorable... the food, so tasty, filling. Surroundings , service,...

We liked it a lot. Will go back. With more friends!

• Pros: A gem!
• Cons: out of the way

02/17/08

Take from me, it is well worth it!

by SienaKai

I guess that I am not surprised by some of the reviews that I have read. With today's concentration on restaurants going over the top with decor and menu style and price, the very young 30'ish crowd would not appreciate all that La Traviata has meant to the San Francisco dining circuit. Nor do they appreciate the late-owner, Zef who took tremendous pride from the mid 70's to his passing to ensure his guests were cared for with sincerity. Nor do they remember Eduardo or Ruben who opened the restaurant with Zef. They, the younger diners are too concerned with whom they have to impress and lose sight of the food. I for one, as well as so many others who I personally know that have dined at La Traviata have enjoyed the authentic and great Italian cuisine. I have been there since the opening day and over the years remember sitting next to politicians, Placido Domingo, Carl Malden, and many more who found comfort in the quaint atmosphere of Traviata. So, if you are looking for the glitz and glamor of a fine dining restaurant you will not find it here. However, you will find a very interested (small) staff who learned from Zef's legacy. After all, it is an Italian restaurant and speaks volumes of the food, while the operatic environment brings a warmth that other restaurants fail to do. If you are coming from the Union Square area of SF, or driving into the Mission, parking may be difficult. It is well worth the cab fare, or BART to 24th. The gnocchi and tortellini is a must! AND most of all, it is very reasonably priced despite its lack of glitz and glamor. Give it a try, and just keep in mind you are simply going for consistently good food. Ask for the owner and introduce yourself . . . it is always a good move in a small restaurant that has stood the test of time that have crippled those high-priced over the top restaurants that lure the consumer.

02/13/08

Like entering another world

by Sephene

The only thing better than the food at La Traviata is the service. Well, no, actually, the food tops the service. Well, okay, both are outstanding, and it's worth the hour commute both directions to have a meal at La Traviata. The waiters and owner are charming, helpful with suggestions for ordering, attentive without intruding upon the dining experience. We never feel rushed, nor are we ever looking around, trying to get someone's attention, feeling neglected. The food is incredible. You must try the eggplant parmagiana--it's not breaded and greasy. The eggplant flavor is there, and the sauce and cheese combine with it to make it perfect. The salmon in pastry shell is fantastic, too. And don't leave without having the fig & goat cheese green salad. Normally I don't like goat cheese, but the stuff they use is mild and tasty. The ambiance at La Traviata is hushed, elegant, but not pretentious. What an outstanding dining experience. I've been coming here for 20 years, and it just keeps getting better.

• Pros: Food, ambience, service, value
• Cons: Parking