01/23/07

Great atmosphere, horrible food

by mraim

I had been wanting to try Ottimista for quite some time and finally got around to it last weekend. The atmosphere was great, the waiter was nice, and the wine was good (very overpriced). Then our food came. We started off with the ravioli. It is a good dish but is barely big enough to share. (3 smaller pieces) After that came the risotto. It was awful....soggy, overcooked, and the taste was off. We barely got through a couple bites. Our waiter never even asked how our food was. Our third dish was the panini. It was ok, but very bland and definately not worth the money. When our bill came I was shocked at how much our very mediocre meal cost. Needless to say I will not be returning.

• Pros: atmosphere
• Cons: food, price, no reservations

10/11/06

WENT FOR THE WINE, STAYED FOR THE FOOD

by actool

WOW! Ottimista is officially my favorite wine bar. The atmosphere is the best I've seen. We went with another couple and it was perfect for an intimate night on the town. Started off with 2 fabulous bottles of Italian wine and ended with the Ricotta Doughnuts. In between were great salads and an amazing artisan cheese plate. The waiter/bartender had great recommendations for pairings and knew his wine. Besides one rude customer with a chip on his shoulder, this place dominates. I will definitely visit Ostimitta on my next trip out West!

• Pros: Ambience, food and wine pairings, knowledgeable staff

08/08/06

Dissappointing

by mkrause1

I went to Ottimista last week with a few girlfriends expecting a nice exploration of Italian wines; however what we got was quite disappointing. The wine and food parings recommended by our waiter were "interesting," definitely not ones we will try again. The food selection was small and insufficient. The wine list was decent, and included many Italian wines that we were excited to try, however our waiter either did not know the list or was not willing to waste time making appropriate recommendations. What was suggested was far from what we described as our desired type, and we were given attitude when this was mentioned to our waiter. The decor is nice, and the place has lots of potential, however neither myself, nor my three girlfriends will be going back any time soon.

• Pros: Decor
• Cons: Service

06/24/06

Fantastic wine experince

by twentynine

Walking into the place I felt like I was home. The bartenders and the rest of the staff were so welcoming and friendly. I really knew nothing about Italian wine and the bartenders were so knowedgeable and willing to teach, I felt like I took a trip to Itlay. The menu is small but the food is incredible, and the wine parings with each plate are perfect. I highly recommend for anyone who likes wine or wants to learn about wine.

06/24/06

Best wine/food bar in SF!

by kellysmithsf

Ottimista is definitely a favorite spot in the city - great food, great wine! The owner has an amazing palate and an extensive selection of fine wines from all over the world at a more than reasonable price! Definitely ask for recommendations! The food complements the extraordinary wine selection and is great for both lunch, dinner, after work or whatever! A very classy establishment with lots of character and a very comfortable atmosphere! Highly recommended for any occassion! The staff is great, highly knowledgeable and consistently maintain a high level of service, quality and value that will exceed your expectations!

• Pros: extensive wine selection, great value, exquisite food
• Cons: the occassional stereotype marina idiots who infect the vibe with their idiotic ways

06/16/06

Rude Bartender/Owner Ruins Experience

by kittyjewl

I walked into Ottimista hoping for the best. I love wine and Italian food, so what a perfect combination. But what I got was a major disappointment. The wine list was decent, the food average. However, the biggest factor in my not recommending this place was the incredible amount of rudeness and lack of respect that my party was treated with by the bartender, whom we came to learn, was actually the owner. Maybe he was having a bad night, but there is no excuse for him verbally and almost physically accosting us. He just lost 10 well paying customers that live a stones throw away (and who will happily tell all their friends to not go there as well).

06/06/06

A pleasant surprise.

by epicurious_sf

I admit I had low expectations of this place. It seemed a little trendy inside, and although the wine list was fantastic, I was starving and thought the dinner selection would not match.

In fact, it was excellent. I think they have the right balance - a great selection of by the glass and bottles from around the world, and a nice selection of small plates for snacking. They had 4 "large" plates that I would say were entree-sized, and they covered their bases well - a fish dish, pork, pasta, and vegetarian. Everything on the table was great. Steak cooked and seasoned well (and nice portion size), excellent pork and fish. Good salads and pizza.

Service was good, if perhaps not quite as knowledgeable about the entire wine selection as they could have been. But attentive, friendly and professional. The only complaint is that the backless chairs are uncomfortable.

• Pros: wine selection, many food choices, service

05/26/06

Absolutely Fantastic

by lita1234

I could not have asked for a more perfect wine bar. Finally a wine bar that has great wine as well as great food. The service was amazing. I am, to say the least not the most knowledgble in wine, also my server was helpful, kind, and patient. I will defintely be going back

04/23/06

Love this place

by tialombardia

Wow what a nice surprise. We stopped in for a glass of wine and stayed for the food and then had some more wine. We sat at the wine bar and had a great bartender who was very knowledgeable about the wines we tried. The food was the really nice surprise. I had the gnocchi with fresh peas and my boyfriend had the steak...both delicious. For dessert we had the ricotta donut holes-really amazing. It can get packed but we have been back numerous times and always had great food and wine.

• Pros: food, wine, atmosphere
• Cons: crowded, no reservations

04/18/06

Said that they can call themselves a wine bar

by bruegel

Although the food is tasty the wine is lacking. Horrible by glass choices and everytime we try to order a bottle conveniently they were always out of that bottle. I ordered a glass of wine and when it arrived it had dust and pieces of cork floating around in it. The waitron couldn't believe I wanted another glass/pour. Service is not their forte.