Puccini & Pinetti

My husband and I stopped in here for an early dinner. We were seated promptly, and continued to have attentive (but not overbearing) service throughout the meal. The cocktails and food were very good, and overall we enjoyed our meal.

Pros: excellent service

Posted 07/15/09

Great waiters who remember you, good happy hour, close to powell, good food, newly remodeled recently, if you work in the area there is a 20% discount.. overall a nice place with good food

Posted 05/04/08

I visited Puccini and Pinetti on the advice of a friend, and what a great recommendation! The ambience is joyous yet calming, with very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Our server offered good descriptions of the wines by the glass which resulted in perfect pairings. P&P has a fine choice of appetizers. We chose the baked goat cheese with sun-dried tomato relish and crostini, which was a delicious balance of zesty spiciness and creamy richness on the palate. We loved the Bibb and baby arugala salad with apples, walnuts, and gorgonzola. We enjoyed the entrees very much. We shared the Crab-and-Ricotta-filled Ravioli, which was sublime, and the chicken breast marsala with forest mushrooms and garlic mashed potatoes. The service was attentive, even as it became rather crowded by the end of the meal. I will go back again, for sure!

Posted 03/16/08

Went there the other night and sat at the bar. K. the bartender took excellent care of me. I wanted to eat a wholesome salad with lots of different veggies, but they didn't have it on the menu. So K. asked the kitchen for a special order and I had a faboulous healthy salad. I also had mussels and a glass of wine. The food was delicious and not "fishy" at all. They serve fresh bread with a tomato/olive in oil. It's faboulous. I spent around 30 dollars and walked out fat and happy.

Pros: great food/ service

Cons: decor, noisy

Posted 03/09/08

I was visiting the City with my husband last weekend. We stayed at the Parc 55, just across the street from Puccini. It looked like a cute place to get some tasty Italian food. What a disappointment! This place is a total tourist trap. The hostess took her sweet time seating us, even though the table was ready and waiting. Our waiter brought out each person's food at different times (we were with a group of 7 people)...the soup was cold, the salads tasteless and the service just unacceptable. I don't think I've had worse service anywhere! We all ordered either a salad or panini...there is no reason there should have been a 20 minute gap between plates being brought to the table. I was embarased for this restaurant! We imagine that the only way it surives is through the coming and going of tourists...who surely do not make the same mistake twice!! DO NOT GO HERE!!!

Posted 12/09/07

This was probably the worst dining experience I have ever experienced! It took the hostess about 30 minutes to "set up" our table. Once we finally sat down, the service was not good. It took forever for the food to come, all the soups came out freezing cold. When we complained they took them back and brougt new ones, also cold. The soups, salads and drinks came out all at once, not before the entrees. 2 people in our party waited almost until the end of the meal to get their salads because supposedly another server took them to another table instead. All the food was mediocre at best. Please take your money elsewhere! This is a total tourist trap and probably only services from people visiting San Francisco and then never coming back.

Pros: Nothing

Cons: Everything about this place

Posted 12/08/07

I just had the most amazing dinner tonight, I came in and was greeted and sat promptly, my server was attentive yet completely not overbearing, and have I said any thing about the food yet? It used to be a little boring and not so great but they have a New chef who seems to be jazzing things up according to my server and jazzing it was. We started with the polenta and calamari the sauce on the polenta was amazing and the calimari perfectly cooked tender and deeee lish! Entrees were perfect we both had the fish, one salmon and the other the halibut ( local I hear...even better ) and at the end of it all we still managed to share the chocolate cake and the gelato makes it all the better! AMAZING>

Pros: convience

Cons: crowded

Posted 05/01/07

I made a reservation for my boyfriends birthday with a small group of friends... to start the night off the menu outside the front door of the restaurant (the one I based my reservation on) was no longer available! We made do & ordered off of the new menu... We ordered a few appetizers that were average - nothing to rave or rant about. When my friend ordered the fettuccini with clams for dinner we were informed that they did not have clams. They were able to substitute the clams with mussels though - which was fine. The portions, however, were small.... really small. My friend ordered the ravioli & got 4 small ravioli's for $18. Everyone elses portions were no better... I think it took us something like 7 minutes to finish our meals! The only thing good about this meal was the wine - it was excellent!

Our waitress was MIA for most of the evening - and when she did make an appearance it was usually to apologize for something.

Since it was my boyfriend's birthday - we brought a cake. We had no idea there was a cake cutting fee of $3.50 per person (they could have mentioned something when I made the reservation & told them it was for a birthday)! The cake that cost us $15 to purchase was going to cost us $21 to eat!!! We left - hungry and with our cake in hand.

I would suggest that people not waste their money on this restaurant - go somewhere where you actually get a plate of food and good service... it's what you're paying for afterall!

Pros: Excellent wine

Cons: Price vs portion sizes

Posted 04/16/07

Wow, what a fantastic place! (And we're locals!!!) From the time we entered to the time we left, the experience was superb. There was a bit of a wait but it was worth it. I recommend making reservations. The staff was so friendly and fun! That Mary-Alice should be doing stand-up! Her sister, Katy, was our server who offered an extensive knowledge of the winelist helping us choose a wine to compliment the lovely pasta special of the day. We befriended two girls, Christyn and Stacey, who brought us our food and drinks. They were fabulous...made us feel at home. I highly recommend, to tourists and locals alike, this dining delight.

Posted 10/12/06

One of the few Italian restaurants in the city that serves decent Italian food. It is very busy and noisy but the food is good real Italian food. Don't go to North Beach.

Pros: Good Food

Cons: service

Posted 07/10/06

Great place, worth the higher prices for the higher quality food & service. I had a large party and they had space for us at the last minutes when our first reservation at another restaurant got lost.
Everyone had a great tiema nd loved the food and drinks. Will definitley go again.

Pros: Fantastic food, fun atmosphere

Cons: noisy

Posted 04/27/06

I went with my brother, his wife, and their two sons (age 7 and 10). One of my nephews ordered the "build your own pizza" for kids, and he had a lot of fun with that. Every item on the menu, including the appetizers, had meat, dairy, eggs, or other animal products in it, except for the minestrone soup (which I "assumed" was vegetarian; I didn't ask), and the roasted veggie platter with marsala mushrooms, green beans, sauteed spinach and seasonal vegetables. That's what I ordered, and it was delicious! So if you're vegetarian, there's only one option on the menu for you, but it is REALLY GOOD! Puccini & Pinetti turned out to be the perfect place for my brother and his family to eat on their first night here in California.

Pros: Kid's Menu, Union Square Location, 1 great veggie entree

Cons: Food=Nothing Special, Average Overall, Only 1 veggie dish!

Posted 03/17/06

If you have kids - this is THE place. Unlike chains, tehy really seem to want you to bring the kids here and the staff bent over backwards to make sure we were happy. They sat us down the moment we arrived (with reservations), brought the food fast, were exceedingly cheerful and gave us so much extra special attention I felt like a celebrity without those annoying paparazzi. Take a kitchen tour! make your own pizza! Order fun fruity drinks! Yeah, we adults had a great time, too. Kudos to a remarkable staff.

Pros: Exceptional staff, quick service, fun for kids

Cons: noisy, make reservations

Posted 01/29/06

sat off/away from the bar area. Happy, loud and social. Layout of the facility is fine if you want to be away from the buzz. Waitstaff in constant motion and attentive. Rissoto was bland. Entre of chicken marsala on a bed of herbed mashed potatoes and spinach was very good (7-8). cheese manicotti was very good/standard. Certainly satisfactory. Merlot/sangiovese wine by the glass was stellar. Worth it if you are in the area. Consider the bar area during happy hour for drinks and pizza. I will next time.

Pros: noise, layout, food

Cons: noise

Posted 01/13/06

The food here is great! The portions are very generous and the prices are reasonable. Everything I have had here is great, especially the spaghetti and meatballs and caesar salad.

Pros: the food, location

Posted 08/04/05

You must try this refreshing San Francisco Italian food venue. Portions are hearty and the tastes delight. The atmosphere is great -- very traditional San Francisco upbeat vibe notwithstanding its touristy surroundings.

Pros: knowledgeable waiters, value, group dining

Posted 06/14/05

This place is all about energy, theirs and yours. It's a double-shot espresso tossed back hot and fast. I've never seen it less than packed. Get to know your neighbors, make your waiter your partner in the experience and good things happen. The roasted mussles appetizer and the scampi; I'm good until next time. And there will always be a next time.

Pros: Energy, Decor, Great menu

Cons: Mom won't like it.

Posted 06/14/05

Everytime I come to Union Square I make a point of stopping at Puccini & Pinetti. Being a local in the city, it is nice to find a reasonably priced Italian restaurant in the center of downtown. The General Manager, Melissa and the wait staff are extremely friendly, knowledgable, and accomidating. I had the "chicken marsala" which was delicious! And my partner had the "Baked Snapper" which was served over fresh veggies in a pesto crust. When you go you must try the Rasberry Lemontini, just don't have too many! With so many restaurants in the city, this one you can always count on to have great food, and great service.

Pros: good food, great service, fun

Posted 03/27/05

We went there on Valentine's night and despite a crowd we we seated in the cocktail area. A violin player walked around playing . I had lamb with resoto which was outstanding. My wife had a beef filet with the biggest shrimp I've ever seen. Our friend had ravioli stuffed with truffles in a sweet white sauce which she enjoyed emencely. We finished our meal with grappa and a chocolet delight concocted for Valentines ,delious. The service was laid back and friendly no aires. Just a fantastic entertaining nite out.

Pros: great food, friendly folks, laid back

Cons: noisey

Posted 02/15/05

Not the best in the world, but definitely very good food. Service was great and the prices reasonable. Very nice place to eat, and the Italian Nachos are fantastic! Very creative.

Pros: Food

Posted 01/14/05

This is a restaurant for tourists,i.e., they are not counting on repeat customers. Service was so-so. Food was disappointing. Noise level was so bad that no conversation was possbile. Prices were very high for the quality and atmosphere. I would not recommend this place and would not go back

Pros: good location

Cons: , loud!

Posted 11/19/04

What a great restaurant- We were visting from out of town and took a chance and made reservations on line- we were not disappointed. Great atmosphere- excellent food and service. Casual but fun. It was a little noisy but overall a great dining experience.

Pros: Great Service, Good food, Moderately expensive

Cons: , noisy

Posted 11/07/04

I must say I am suprised about all the fuss on Citysearch about Puccini and Pinetti. In a city filled with outstanding restaurants, this place average to say the least- I thought the food was very boring and and not a great value for the price. Anyone calls this their "favorite" restaurant in SF has not been to very many restaurants here. Maybe it would impress someone from the Midwest or a small town but I personally cannot take a restaurant that serves "Pasta Nachos" seriously! It is good for kids though- the place is so noisy that you won't feel embarrased if your kids are loud, too.

Pros: good for kids, Union Square location

Cons: , not a great value

Posted 02/06/04

Without a doubt, this was the best place I ate at while in SF. My wife and I wound up here after not being able to get into First Crush. We were not disappointed at all. The soup was wonderful. The entrees (Chicken pasta, and chicken canneloni with spinach and walnuts) were excellent. The waitress, even though she was busy, never let our glasses get empty. The only set back to the night was a party of ~20 people who were really loud. All in all, we had a good time. If we ever go back to SF, we will be going to this place for dinner again!

Pros: Food, Atmoshpere

Cons: Large Crowds, Tight areas

Posted 08/03/03

P&P is everything that a restaraunt should be. They care about the quality of the food and they also care about the experience you have. The wait staff is outstanding.

Pros: Welcoming, Great food, Great value

Posted 03/03/03

The atmosphere, the staff, the food and the drinks - all Fresh! I had mussels as an appitizer and red snapper as a main course and it was excellent. Very fun place with great murals. Great location off Union Square. Totally fun place to meet freinds after work for drinks and appitizers, or for a romantic meal with someone special.

Pros: atmosphere, staff, food

Posted 02/07/03

The service was great - very attentive and friendly. The food was bursting with flavor and the overall presentation was fun and surprisingly elegant. Bravo!

Posted 01/21/03

Visiting from British Columbia and found the food and atmosphere fantastic, can't wait to come back again and meet the owners.

Posted 01/20/03

Love going to P and P. Melissa does a great job with the food. Pasta nachos unique and tasty. Staff is young and good looking. Their "we love groups" policy works great for me with work and friends - even last minute we went with a bunch of guys - 12 - after a game and somehow they got us in on a busy night. parking nearby easy. Price is always a deal. One of my favorite places in SF.

Pros: food, price, service, easy parking, upbeat lively atmos

Posted 01/20/03

I love this place. Everytime I'm in San Francisco I try to go here. Their food is always so good. Also, their staff is super attentive and very friendly. The atmosphere is so nice, and relaxing. Very romantic. Oh, and the Antipasti is soooo yummy. The location is sweet! Right off union square. Do a little shopping and have a great dinner. Oh, and yes, I did name my cat after this restaurant...or rather 1/2 of the name. My beautiful female orange tabby is named Puccini (Pucci for short). Great thing is that on one of their murals is a picture of an orange cat.

Pros: Great Pasta Dishes, Antipasti, Friendly Service

Cons: Parking

Posted 09/23/02

Just a great place to dine and meet and greet. Super great food and what a great staff Melissa Garbiras, general manager has assembled.
Shane the bartender is such a great guy with a wonderful personality.
Jesse, who served us was a stitch. She made our dinning very enjoyable.
David sometimes serves as a waiter and sometimes as a host. What a humorist.
Go to the restaurant and enjoy the food and staff.

Posted 06/26/02

My whole family & I had such a good time when we came to Puccini & Pinetti for my graduation party. They were all ready for us when we arrived, drinks came right away and all the food came soon after. The servers were friendly and so paitent with everyone in my family. I would recommend this place to anyone!

Pros: service, fun enviroment, great for kids

Cons: no parking

Posted 06/05/02

Definite find! Execptional service, great food and warm atmosphere. Had dinner last Saturday and was treated to a wonderful expereince- these guys have all the elements of a great restaurant- location, great service, great food and great vibe. You should definitely check this restaurant out!

Pros: Service, Food, Atmosphere

Cons: little warm, tables a little close

Posted 06/03/02

My husband and I had dinner here with our 2 month old and 3 year old last week. After reading some of the reviews I was surprised to see that this restaurant was not rated as kid friendly. This is one of the few restaurants in San Francisco that allows you to have a nice meal and still treats your kids as people. Our server asked us immediatly if there was anything they could get us for the baby. Then through out the meal they made sure the kids were entertained and didn't blink an eye at any of the chaos that surrounds young children. They even had crayons and a full coloring book for our 3 year old- there is no doubt that we will return here, with or without the kids. Keep up the good work!

Pros: kid friendly, attentive service, great price

Cons: difficuly parking

Posted 05/29/02

My girlfriends and I had dinner at Puccini & Pinetti last Saturday night and we had a terrific time. Our server was not only very attentive, but had a great sense of humor. The food was amazing- you have to try the seabass. Most of all it was really nice to go to a restaurant that has great food, great service and still maintains a personality. They were very busy and it was a little loud, but overall this is a great spot to have dinner in Union Square. I would reccomend that you give it a try- you won't be disappointed.

Pros: Great Service, Great Value, Personality!

Cons: little loud, no valet parking

Posted 05/25/02

I chose this resturant because it was recommended on the Curran Theater website. They must have paid for the recommendation because it was a huge let down. The food was bland, the service was fair and the drinks were watered down. It wasn't a great way to start off my night.

Pros: good location, good parking

Cons: bad food, bad service

Posted 05/21/02