Luisa's Italian Cuisine

Recommends

Logan969

Joined 5 years ago

Best pasta and warm atmosphere. Being a pasta lover, I know what I?m talking about. We opted for the gnocchi and fettuccine so we could share a bit and believe me the portions are more then adequate to split up. My sorrentina sauce was fantastic and my wife?s fettuccine was exceptional. The menu has plenty of authentic choices, but I gotta have my pasta. If you want more of authentic Italian taste and feel and less of corporate restaurant, Luisa?s is a must.

Recommends

ramyc

Joined 6 years ago

A real Italian Ristorante. We were surprised to find a real Italian cuisine in this area. Not ?American Italian? but genuine Italian delicious dishes as we had several months ago in Rome and let me tell you that the prices in Rome are higher and in Euro :) The place is noisy like a good Italian restaurant, friendly and each dish we tried was the best. We were four people and tried the Tomato and Minestrone soups (wow), beef carpaccio (cannot go wrong), salads and fish ? red snapper and salmon ? all real good. The tiramisu was the best we had outside Italy! The owner joined us during the meal and then we learned that this remarkable 79 years young lady cooks the food herself in addition of buying more and more restaurants in town and managing her business on her own.

If you are looking for real Italian food in SF ? try Louisa?s.

Recommends

blkestin

Joined 7 years ago

Delicious and authentic without the attitude. We've been to Luisa's twice now, and had a terrific experience each time. The service was friendly, responsive, and prompt. The food is very authentic and delicious. You can almost imagine a bunch of old ladies in the kitchen, making food that they make for their own families and that was made by their grandparents before them. The eggplant parm is among the best I've ever had. The meats, salads, and desserts are all wonderful. Reservations are easy to get, but you may be able to get in simply by walking in off the street. The atmosphere is warm and cozy - perfect for a chilly and/or rainy night when, personally, I crave Italian comfort food. Yum.

Doesn't Recommend

mamcart

Joined 11 years ago

Why bother?. This isn't so much a restaurant as a vanity project, and it shows in the lackluster food and harried service. I wouldn't call the cuisine particularly authentic, the restaurant felt cramped and loud when I was there (and the restaurant was far from full!), and the decor, with its Chianti bottle theme, was like a silly Disneyland interpretation of an Italian restaurant!

San Francisco is a great town for Italian--you can do much better for cuisine and price *anywhere* in North Beach. This place is just not worth the price or bother.

In addition, this "restaurateur" buys up little independent restaurants all over SF, forces out the previous tenants, and then inserts her own average Italian place. I can't stomach giving money to someone actively trying to destroy San Francisco's great restaurant scene.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Romantic getaway in the form of a cozy, family-owned and operated restaurant in the Marina.. In Short
Empty wine bottles hanging from the ceilings tell the story of birthdays and anniversaries that have been celebrated over an authentic Italian meal and a glass of red. Black-and-white photos of owner, Luisa, and newspaper clippings about the well-established eatery don the walls of the dimly lit dining room, giving an old-school vibe. Regulars often order the veal, seafood and homemade pasta dishes, like the capellini con gamberi (angel hair pasta with prawns and asparagus in a lemon, light cream and garlic sauce).

Recommends

girlyfreespirit

Joined 6 years ago

Authentic as you can get. Honestly, the best italian I've has in the city. One thing is for sure, it does not rest on its laurals like some of its North Beach competition. From the charming atmosphere with the wine bottles decoratively hanging from the ceiling and respectful staff to the gastonome triumphs, Luisa's is definately not to be missed for those who are Italian or simply adore the authentic cuisine.

Recommends

qadude

Joined 8 years ago

Excellent place to eat. My fiance and I love coming here because of the excellent food. Their saltimboca is fantastic, and we always try to make room for our favorite dessert - the tartufo (a nice chocolate bomb to end the evening). We had a reservation at 7pm, and they were very busy because of the Oracle conference, so they couldn't seat us immediately. Usually you can just walk in off the street at that time and get a table. While we waited, Luisa came by and greeted us. After a couple of minutes we were seated and enjoyed our meal. It's the only restaruant where I've seen the owner walking around the tables, talking with everyone and making sure their meal was good. We always keep coming back.

Doesn't Recommend

afmilella

Joined 7 years ago

awful management, shoddy service and average food. I do not normally write reviews of restaurants, but our experience at Luisas was so offensive that a negative review is a must. The rude customer service begins the moment one enters the small, tight entryway that spills into the small dining space. Customers waiting for tables hover over those trying to enjoy sparse meals. And to complicate matters further, there is no process for seating customers and the openly hostile and disorganized owner, Luisa, seats patrons as she pleases, ignoring conventional rules of etiquette. There is no one point person at the door and with an obvious communication problem between the owner and her staff, chaos ensues. The restaurant desperately needs a polite hostess, or a simple pad of paper and a pen. Writing down customers names as they arrive may help to make Luisas a better spot to dine, but because the problem at Luisas begins with the owner, I would not give the place another look. The food (which we experienced a few times in the past) is not worth the poor, ill-mannered service. This fine city of ours is filled with plenty of good Italian restaurants with courteous and decent owners. Luisas is not one of them.

Recommends

lisadhop

Joined 7 years ago

Very Charming Place. Went here for dinner on a Sat night and it could not have been better. Very charming place, with lot's of charecter. The food was very tasty and fresh. The wine list is kind of small, but the reserve chianti was excellent. I think you should get a reservation as this is a small place. Great place for a special date.

Doesn't Recommend

bjk2005

Joined 8 years ago

Bad Experience Renting Private Room. Poor management, unprofessional service, lack of staff communication and a handful of various problems describe my experience renting out Luisas backroom for a private party. What had the potential to be a very fun and memorable evening (the space is ideal for private parties) turned into an unpleasant evening where we were made to feel unwelcome and taken advantage of - since we had paid and brought our friends in to

spend money at her establishment. I was appalled at how rude Luisa was to the party coordinators in front of guests and customers when HER staff hadnt communicated with her about the party specifics. Aside from poor service, the jukebox was broken and the bathroom door didnt lock.