01/23/09

The plates may be small, but the flavors are huge at this chic Mission tapas bar.

by Contributor

Under a vaulted sky-blue ceiling painted to look like the sky, window booths give way to intimate tables for two and a zinc bar. Servers are efficient and quick with recommendations of small plates drawn from Asia, Latin America and Europe. Mini ahi tartare tacos are given some kick with chili and lime, then topped with a sweet mango salsa. Beautifully textured filet mignon carpaccio, dressed with lemon aioli, fennel and mushroom salad, is a standout. The moist, slightly sweet Coca-Cola braised short ribs are balanced by a savory white bean salad on the side. Finish the meal with stellar made-to-order doughnut holes, which are accompanied by petite mugs of rich, creamy hot chocolate for dipping.

08/22/08

Go here!

by foodieSS4K

I?ve been here before and each time, I have had a very pleasant dining experience. On top of that, did you know this restaurant is teaming up with StreetSmart4kids? It?s actually really cool what they?re doing. I just heard about how SS4K is a nonprofit organization that helps underprivileged teens stay healthy. They are running their ?Dine Out and Donate? campaign here (as well as approx. 70 other restaurants in SF) during October and early November. After having a fabulous dining experience, just fill out the donation form when paying the check (minimum donation $3). This is perfect for people like me, who love to eat out all the time and also like to give back to the community. Check it out for yourself on the StreetSmart4Kids website!

03/20/08

Great Portions, Great Service, Great Fondue!

by DefyGravity

We went here on a Thursday night around 9:30pm, which is half price Sangria night, FYI. Our waiter, Morty, chose some great options! We recommend the Fondue!!! The olives are mild but delicious. We also had the Sea Bass, Short Ribs and Sliders, all which were delicious, but the Sea Bass was our favorite. All the portions were great size and we were even too stuffed for dessert. I could see how it would be crowed and too noisy on the weekends, but the food definitely makes this place worth visiting. We will be back. PS? watch out for the fondue gas.

• Pros: Great food, great portions, Sangria on Thursday
• Cons: Parking, valet is is expensive

11/17/07

Above-average brunch w/ annoying little surprises

by mcmu

Picked this place for solo Saturday brunch based on the "free doughnut holes" enticement. The holes were excellent -- tasty and hot -- but two's all you get. If you want more than two, you pay. (Groan.) My ham/chorizo/egg scramble was delicious, and so were the polenta fries that came with it. Portion size was decent. Coffee was above average but it's all French Press, and you pay by the cup. Note to management: Brunch without free refills on coffee is annoying. Got a bloody mary. Lots of stuff in there, including a whole celery stalk, a pickled green bean, several cocktail onions, and a lemon wedge. Showy but tasty. Service was friendly. The place was 85% empty when I arrived at 1:00, and the floor smelled very heavily of cleaning fluid. I'll probably go back. But I think I'll try a few other places first, as I'm pretty new to SF and wasn't bowled over.

• Pros: tasty brunch fare
• Cons: no coffee refills, "free" doughnut holes limited to 2.

07/17/07

bad food, bad service, forget about using the rest room

by foodcritter

We ate here for a birthday party... bad choice! The service obviously knew they were getting the "18% gratuity for parties of 6 or more". We waited for drinks, watching other tables get served second rounds and food before we were served water.

The food arrived cold, when expected hot, warm when expected cold... forget about complaining. No server to be seen! The bathroom was so poorly maintained, I seriously have seen better restroom conditions in gas stations on the way to Tahoe, Friday night at 11:00pm. Needless to say, filthy toilet... no TP... no paper towels. This room is only a few feet away from the tables. I sent a complaint letter to the manager. No response. I really don't understand how this place remains in business... it must be those darn "mac & cheese sticks" which are truely devine... if they arrive warm!

• Pros: good mac and cheese sticks
• Cons: bad service, poor food service, filthy restrooms

07/08/07

We loved all of it!

by romanianpoet

Our foursome thoroughly enjoyed each of the eight dishes we chose - veggie, meat and fish - and saw many others on the menu that sounded equally appetizing. We agreed we'd need a return trip! With cocktails, wine and dessert our bill for the four of us was $160. The space has character and appeal, the waitstaff was knowledgeable and friendly, and the service was excellent. We passed three comfortable hours there, very enjoyably! Valet parking made us happy, too!

• Pros: Food quality and interest; service; valet parking
• Cons: A little loud

02/24/07

Great food, terriffic service, hip environment

by canna

I recently had dinner with a girlfriend of mine there. The place was super accommodating. We were able to make last minute reservations on a Friday night!! We called to say we were running late and they said they would still seat us. When we arrived, the servers were very friendly and brought us our food in a really timely manner. The fondue was amazing, the short ribs were delicious, and the banana lumpia ice cream desert was amazing. We will definately be going back. It's so rare to receive such superb service these days.

02/04/07

A "no" in any language

by lilren

My girlfriends and I were seriously looking forward to dining at Andalu based on all of the excellent reviews that we read about the place, the food, the service...and yet nothing stood up to the hype. First off, the restaurant was freezing cold, which never makes for a comfortable dining experience. Then the service was terrible, w ith our waitress constantly either chatting with the rest of the staff over by the bar or walking right past us. We had to beg other servers to bring us some water at one point. Perhaps all of this could have been overlooked had the food been decent -- but it wasn't. Our tapas were some of the saltiest things I have ever eaten. My mouth was actually puckered afterwards. The mahi mahi was dripping in oil, the shrimp had no flavor, and the crab cake was less crab, more fried breading. The much-hyped sangria was even sub-par, being that it was more juice than anything. We ordered desserts, hoping that our meal could be redeemed. The sorbets went over well, and the espresso-chocolate mousse wasn't too bad. The donut holes were just okay, though, even though several reviews raved about them. To top the experience off, the valet couldn't find our car for 20 minutes. We will NOT be returning.

• Pros: Large wine list
• Cons: Bad food, service

01/26/07

Fantastic Restaurant

by elaumakani

Andalu has consistently fantastic food and service. We have been there many times, both with small parties and large and have always found the food to be amazingly tasty and well prepared. The wait staff is superb and is excellent with recommendations. We have found Andalu to be an ideal location for large groups who are interested in a unique San Francisco dining experience at a reasonable price. While the wine list provides more than enough options, for a cost conscious group, the Sangria provides an excellent alternative. Our last visit there was with a large group of both San Francisco residents and out of town guests. Everyone left satisfied with both food and Sangria for (shockingly) around $20 a head. (We have always found it to be closer to $50 a head if you visit in a smaller group and prefer to stick to wine.) All from the last group visit are still quick to comment on the great food and atmosphere there whenever the experience comes up. Be sure not to miss the Cambazola Cheese Fondue with Fuji Apples and Asian Pears, though the Dungeness Crab Rangoon with Sweet and Sour Sauce and the Grilled Flatiron Steak with Chimmichurri and Fries are also worth the visit.

• Pros: Excellent service, Excellent for Groups, Good Wine List, Great Sangria & Food
• Cons: Typical of resturants in the city, they will not seat you unless more than 1/2 of your party is there

12/04/06

Big Portions

by theprofessionals

I must comment on the person who posted before me...I know they were understaffed because of a death and YEAH that shook up the staff...I have been there and the service has always been good. As long as u don't bust out your snobby attitude at any restaurant staff anywhere you will always be taken care of even if they do make a mistake. I know the place is in transition for a new owner so that could be partly why things seem unorganized. Also sometimes what happens when you make a reservation and have to wait for your table that is because there is still a party sitting there and they have not either paid yet or finished eating-it may be due to that party straggling in or being late so it backs everyone elses reservations up. That is probably why you had to wait so long for your table.

• Pros: big portions, fast service, valet
• Cons: blown out speakers