Insider Pages Reviews for Puccini & Pinetti

4 Stars: excellent service (by cactusberry)

cactusberry — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:00:00 GMT

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.

5 Stars: Favorite (by Suzie G.)

Suzie G. — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:04:00 GMT

My associates and I eat here whenever we get to this part of the city. The food is fresh and the service is awesome. I always rate a restaurant on the restrooms and this place gets a clean bill from me.

5 Stars: Puccini & Pinetti (by Jacquelynn C.)

Jacquelynn C. — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 08:39:00 GMT

I frequently eat here because it is close to all the major hotels and Union Square. Between 4 - 7 pm there is a great happy hour. The restaurant is expensive but phenomenal. Servers and staff are exceptional. Highly recommend.

5 Stars: great place (by whoknowsme)

whoknowsme — Mon, 05 May 2008 09:00:00 GMT

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

5 Stars: Delightful dining experience (by DRodg)

DRodg — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:00:00 GMT

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!

5 Stars: great mussels (by kworthy)

kworthy — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 09:00:00 GMT

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.

2 Stars: slow service (by Natalie M.)

Natalie M. — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:52:00 GMT

Decided to eat here when my brother came to town. Never eaten here before, so thought we'd try it. They we fairly busy, but our reservations were postponed 20 minutes.

It took almost exactly one hour to get our food. Our waitress was indifferent about her job and service.

1 Stars: TERRIBLE SERVICE AND BAD FOOD! (by kinla)

kinla — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 09:00:00 GMT

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!!!

1 Stars: TERRIBLE! Take your money elsewhere!! (by ksarantakis)

ksarantakis — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 09:00:00 GMT

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.

5 Stars: AMAZING (by klm771)

klm771 — Wed, 02 May 2007 09:00:00 GMT

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>

3 Stars: Spend your money somewhere else! (by thered)

thered — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 09:00:00 GMT

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!

5 Stars: Cyril Magnificent!!! (by fosta00)

fosta00 — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 09:00:00 GMT

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.

4 Stars: This is real Italain (by kimura)

kimura — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 09:00:00 GMT

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.

5 Stars: Excellentexcellent (by cybelea)

cybelea — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 09:00:00 GMT

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.

3 Stars: Food is nothing special, but good for kids (by peacewithin)

peacewithin — Sat, 18 Mar 2006 09:00:00 GMT

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.

5 Stars: Best place ever! ^ year old food critic (by lulununes)

lulununes — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 09:00:00 GMT

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.

4 Stars: User review by setex (by setex)

setex — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 09:00:00 GMT

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.

5 Stars: Great Italian! (by amyandersen)

amyandersen — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 09:00:00 GMT

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.

5 Stars: P&P is delicious and fun (by mtisch)

mtisch — Wed, 15 Jun 2005 09:00:00 GMT

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.

4 Stars: Don't bring your mother-in-law (by thetanman)

thetanman — Wed, 15 Jun 2005 09:00:00 GMT

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.

5 Stars: most fun i had in union square! (by mrs_hollywood_bennett)

mrs_hollywood_bennett — Mon, 28 Mar 2005 09:00:00 GMT

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.

4 Stars: Valentine (by tsavio)

tsavio — Wed, 16 Feb 2005 09:00:00 GMT

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.

4 Stars: Not Olive Garden, THANK GOD! (by gmacaustin)

gmacaustin — Sat, 15 Jan 2005 09:00:00 GMT

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.

2 Stars: Caution (by virginiav)

virginiav — Sat, 20 Nov 2004 09:00:00 GMT

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

4 Stars: Great meal! (by chloe98)

chloe98 — Mon, 08 Nov 2004 09:00:00 GMT

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.

2 Stars: What's all the fuss about? (by luxie77)

luxie77 — Sat, 07 Feb 2004 09:00:00 GMT

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.

5 Stars: Great Place! (by thurss1101)

thurss1101 — Mon, 04 Aug 2003 09:00:00 GMT

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!

5 Stars: A welcoming place (by dblohm)

dblohm — Tue, 04 Mar 2003 09:00:00 GMT

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.

5 Stars: Fresh!! (by Boswald)

Boswald — Sat, 08 Feb 2003 09:00:00 GMT

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.

5 Stars: fantastico! (by hunt11111)

hunt11111 — Wed, 22 Jan 2003 09:00:00 GMT

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

5 Stars: Good Food, eh! (by secondform)

secondform — Tue, 21 Jan 2003 09:00:00 GMT

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

5 Stars: Fun Dining (by MTVpro)

MTVpro — Tue, 21 Jan 2003 09:00:00 GMT

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.

5 Stars: So good I named a pet after them. (by izelmorena)

izelmorena — Tue, 24 Sep 2002 09:00:00 GMT

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.

5 Stars: Great Food - Super staff (by Boomerdoc)

Boomerdoc — Thu, 27 Jun 2002 09:00:00 GMT

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.

5 Stars: great for groups! (by crazyforyou)

crazyforyou — Thu, 06 Jun 2002 09:00:00 GMT

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!

5 Stars: Two thumbs up! (by Nanette)

Nanette — Tue, 04 Jun 2002 09:00:00 GMT

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!

5 Stars: Family Friendly (by Jesse)

Jesse — Thu, 30 May 2002 09:00:00 GMT

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!

5 Stars: Good times.... (by Scarlett)

Scarlett — Sun, 26 May 2002 09:00:00 GMT

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.

1 Stars: LET DOWN (by smackers)

smackers — Wed, 22 May 2002 09:00:00 GMT

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.