Alioto's

underwhelming, overpriced, mediocre daytripper trap. Can't let our recent, incredibly disappointing and inarguably overpriced meal at Alioto's go unreported. We had 3 days for a getaway in SF parlayed with work. Time was tight, we were on a mission to enjoy as as much of what the City has to offer. On our last day there, we returned from a ferry trip & needed to find somewhere for dinner. All the freebie guides pointed to Alioto's as a culinary fixture, with reliably good food. We were tired, and hungry, staying close to the Wharf, and didn't want to overthink dinner. In hindsight, we should've headed to the Eagle Caf…

Bum Treatment. Family arrived from out of town and we were hoping to make a memory; so we decided to have lunch at a SF landmark. We splurged and took the limits off and ordered to our hearts content, including Lobster Thurmadore! We were having a great time until it was discovered that the Lobster Thurmadore (which cost $50.00) only had 10% Lobster and 90% Mushrooms and filler. So we brought it to the attention of the Manager, who proceed to treat the matter in a very unprofessional way, deminishing our experience.…

Waiter Albert R., Asian, fraudulently overcharges bill to increase tip. I dined at Alioto's tonight and the waiter Albert R.., an Asian who said he was Dutch by origin, altered the final signed debit card bill to increase his tip without my knowledge by almost $15. This is in spite of the fact that my Mom and I dined at this restaurant last week and left the same waiter over a 20% tip. I am contacting my bank, business bureau, restaurant, and will never dine here again. A distasteful experience leaving a bad fishy taste in my mouth.…

What's not to like?. I'm not sure where all the bad reviews are coming from. We walked in early on a beautiful Sunday evening without reservations. It wasn't crowded when we arrived, but it was packed when we left. We were given a table by the windows with a spectacular view of the fishing fleet and the sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge, which got interrupted by the even more spectaular rolling in of the fog. The wait staff was nothing if not professional. Not rushed in the least, but very attentive. The salads were crisp and fresh, and the cioppino, fish stew, and calamari were excellent. The stews were steaming hot, and the broths were worth mopping dry with the warm fresh bread offered. I can't say I had the highest expectations going in, but I thought it was excellent. The wine list has a Wine Spectator award level, and rightfully so. It covers everything you need without having 1000 selections, and is reasonably priced. What's not to like? Good food, good service, great view, reasonable prices. I'm baffled by the negativity. Maybe I caught them on a good day...…