11/09/08

Yummmmoooooo - low key, lots of food, great prices and great staff

by hkgoddess

Seafood, as the name suggests, so if seafood is not your thing - you might reconsider. I love this place. A gem. Very simple in the interior and the menu, but delicious all the way. Sand Dabs are great. Considering they are hard to come by, their simple preparation is a pleasant and delicious surprise. The linguini is great too - esp the linguini with clams. Go with a healthy appetite, start with the simple yet always satisfying dungeness crab and oysters to whet the palate and move on from there. The atmosphere is comfortable and the staff friendly and attentive. What more can you want? Just know that it's cash only - but there are ATMs all around, so that should not be a problem.

• Pros: comfortable and casual, with a lot of ambience. Attentive friendly staff.
• Cons: can be loud - but it adds to the fun;

This Italian seafood spot lures in locals with buck-fifty oysters and old-school charm.

by Patrick Heig

Hidden in plain sight, Sotto Mare overflows with the maritime tchochkes, family photos and mafia-movie memorabilia you'd expect from a proudly Italian osteria right off a tourist strip, although the sheer amount of it is staggering. Fresh oysters, clam, sand dabs, and crab join chowder and cioppino made from scratch, best consumed at the long marble bar with a cold beer and an ear cocked to the foul-mouthed banter of the old-school tough guys who run the place. Most North Beach establishments look legit to tourists, "Oh look honey, it's a little Italian sidewalk bistro!" but serve up slop knowing most of their customers will never return, while this place looks like a tourist trap, but is actually full of locals eating great seafood at fair prices.

08/31/07

Pasta, Oysters and Little Necks

by newenglandtransplant

Good north beach spot if you like pasta, oysters and little necks. They have a decent wine list and the staff is personality plus. Belly up to the bar and enjoy! The sand dabs don't need a thing except a bit of sea salt. The oysters cost a buck each. You might wonder what kind of oyster you can get for a buck but I'll tell you they are terrific. We recently had the linquine and clams and it was terrific. The ambiance is OK and on occasion the music can be a bit loud.

• Pros: reasonably priced oysters, little necks and wine list, tasty pasta
• Cons: parking, sometimes loud music