Andalu

Paid what I consider a fair price for the smaller plate of roasted cashews, the small plate of delicious butternut squash ravioli (I even went carnivore for a night and ate the tasty prosciutto), an ample tumbler of sangria, and satisfying donut holes and rich hot cocoa for dessert. With tax, everything came to about $22. My server was the delightful Oona. Attentive but not intrusive. I like the interior design of the restaurant, as well as the sophisticated atmosphere. Parking was not an issue for me, as either the #49 Muni or BART whisk you down to Mission/16th in no time.

Pros: Food, Atmosphere, Service

Posted 01/04/05

I've been to Andalu four times. The first time was wonderful in every way. Friendly and efficient waitress with great food. The second time the waiter was simply hateful. Others have complained about nasty wait staff there. Still, the food and ambience was so good. Third time and fourth visits were average, pricey experiences. If you like ginger, try the ginger-infused soju (korean rice wine) mmmm!!

Pros: Food, Drinks (esp. sojus)

Cons: Inconsistent Service.

Posted 10/11/04

For 7 out-of-town guests, Andalu was a great choice.
Una was phenominal! Fun and informative with out being obtrusive. Ask for her.
She recommended a Pinot Nois, a Merlot and a full-bodied Zinfandel served throughout the meal, explained the menu and how best to order. Experience the Grilled Portobellini, the tender Ribeye w/chimmichurri and the Camazola cheese fondue w/Fuji apples, Asian pears.
The service was remarkable.
Table always cleared of empty plates-never cluttered. Small plate tapas-style dining allows everyone in the group to be interactive with the food and each other. Great fun.
Una was very discreet in allowing me to slip her my credit card after taking our dessert orders.
BTW, order the Dulce de Leche sundae!
Highly recommend paying the $8 for valet parking. Save the aggravation looking for that non-existent street parking.
Andalu made our evening and the start of my guest's SF experience the best fun.

Pros: Inexpensive, Great Food, Great Service

Cons: , Poor Street Parking

Posted 10/02/04

I have eaten at Andalu twice and have not been disappointed. The food is excellent and the atmosphere is great. I think the prices you pay are much better than other tapas style restaurants, because of the absolute great tasting menu. I have eaten at other tapas style restaurants and spend a lot of money, but feel a bit cheater because the food is not all great. With Andalu you are getting good value for your buck.

Pros: Food quality, Atmosphere, Good Value

Posted 10/01/04

I have to say the parking was a bit challenging. We went around serveral times before finally parking three blocks away. I sugguest if making reservations you might want to take into account how long it will take to find parking. We didn't have reservations and was surprised that we actaully got a table as soon as we did. The food was good, the ambiance was casual and cozy and the service was just fine. I would recommend this restaurant.

Posted 09/27/04

I checked out this place after hearing some good reviews from friends but I totally disagree. The hostess was a snob, and portions were tiny and it was overpriced. There are so many other good places around (like Picaro down the block) in the area so don't waste your time on this one.

Cons: , parking

Posted 09/17/04

Not a good place to go for large groups (more than 4). Parking was horrible. Rude hostess. The tapas plates were incredibly small and the food was only mediocre. Everyone raves about the desserts but there really wasn't any reason to. Stay away from Tartar tacos, mussels, short ribs, donut holes, and baklava. Would not go back. Try A Cote in Berkeley for a place which "knows" tapas.

Cons: , price, food quality

Posted 08/26/04

This is a quaint place... nice decor, warm & casual yet sophisticated. They have a lot of small plate variety, and good drink choices. The food is tasty, good size for small party sharing. Definitely worthy of going.

Pros: food, decor

Posted 08/23/04

The food was fantastic, a little expensive, but that might have something to do with the wine. The list and pairing options were excellent. Of particular interest was the duck, and the cambizola fondue. Service was prompt but not overbearing.

Pros: food, ambiance, Service

Posted 07/14/04

The building was nice. The atmosphere was nice, but not the obnoxiously loud laughing woman 2 tables away. The food was ok, but 2 lambchops for $13 was disappointing. They were tiny. Over $20 for a pitcher of Sangria? Was it because of Valentines day? There are other Spanish restaurants such as Cha Cha Cha where a pitcher of sangria is only $10 and have better and cheaper food. It's a bit pricey for what you get. Hope this helps.

Pros: Nice place

Cons: , $13 for tiny lambchop

Posted 02/26/04

With so much fanfare from reviewers I finally went to Andalu with great anticipation, what I experienced was not up to the hype. If you're hungry and want savory food/tapas that are unpretentious then go to Picaro's a few doors down, you'll be much happier. Still, Andalu certainly has a very good drink selection worth going for alone and the ambiance is nice, crowd is equally attractive.

The food on the night I went was nothing to recommend. Like the reviewer before me the fancy donut holes with hot chocolate were nothing to recommend either. A prime example of fancier definitely not equating to better, but hey, go and try it anyway your experience may vary. At least you can say you've been there.

Pros: Ambiance, Decor, Drink selection,Soju!, People watching

Cons: Food nothing special, Poor value, Worst parking

Posted 02/17/04

I had somewhat high expectations given the what i'd read here and the buzz, but Andalu fell short. Maybe it was an off-night. It was a low-key birthday dinner mid-week for us and the place was not busy -- but the service ranged from indifferent to condescending, which is unacceptable in any realm, but particularly in what is supposed to be a fun, hip, tapas place. An attitude adjustment is needed from the the front door to the back bar.

The food was mainly just ok - lots of interesting sounding things that didn't dazzle upon arrival. A couple of good plates. The wine list was the one saving grace...so we enjoyed that and made the most of the evening.

We'll probably give it another shot. I want to like the place but it may drive us all the way across the bay back to Cesar for our tapas.

Pros: wine list, fun location, interesting menu item

Cons: service, service...., service, overall value

Posted 01/13/04

I have never written a review about a restaurant but I had such a bad experience I wanted to warn others.

I love salty food. I add salt to fries. But two out the six dishes I ordered I couldn't eat because they were sooo salty. I had about 6 glasses of water to wash down my dinner.

The dessert plate was also disappointing. My husband has NEVER left dessert on a plate but he did at Andalu. The tasting platter consisted of a few donut holes and some peanut brittle. It was not bad but for a fancier night out we expected a better dessert than what you can get at any Donut Times.

Pros: Good variety of food, Good space, Attentive server

Cons: Food is waaaaay salty, Awful dessert platter

Posted 10/06/03

Given everything we ordered-- although the food was excellent-- our overall bill was pricey considering what we ordered-- but that certainly won't deter me from returning. The duck is excellent-- as well as the fish tacos and lamb. The fires are the perfect side for any small plate you order. And the white sangria is a must to wash ecerything down with.

Pros: food

Cons: parking

Posted 09/29/03

My girlfriend and I went to Andalu on a Friday night. The food was not very Spanish or Andalusian (as the name suggests) but adventuresome and mostly really good Californian fare: Rabbit Sogu, Portabellini, and Crispy Mac Cheese were the best. Waiter was friendly and knowledgeable but service was very, very slow. We had to ask for the bill twice and the restaurant wasn't even that busy. Two things we ordered were also forgotten but we were fortunately not charged. Their myriad wine tasters are generous and intriguing.

Pros: Wine Tasters, Shared Portions, Reasonable

Cons: Terrible Parking, Uncomfortable Chairs, Wine and Beer only

Posted 09/20/03

The minute I stepped into this place I loved it. The thick, lounge-like, velvet curtains hang from floor to ceiling giving the restaurant a cozy and comforting feeling. After looking at the menu and getting a hold of my jaw, I wiped the drool off the table and ordered crispy macaroni and cheese followed by the scallops. Oh and how could I leave out the ribs smothered in a coca-cola based sauce? Doesn't it sound strange? Yeah, it's amazing. To end the meal you must, must, must get the donut holes and dip them in the hot chocolate that's provided. I can't say any more, my glands are salivating just thinking about it. See you at Andalu!!!
p.s. soju is the new "it" drink and they're the only ones that have it. get it while it's still relatively unheard of.

Posted 08/12/03

there's just something about andalu that keeps me going back...the melt-in-your mouth creative cuisine, the fab wine list and the sangria option, and the perfectly cool atmosphere come to mind. i also LOVE the food-wine pairing series...these are NOT to be missed...the nest kept secret in town!

Posted 08/04/03

I have had the great fortune to visit Andalu on many occasions. With a date, a small group, and quite often a large group, my reservation time has always been honored without a wait. The staff is consistently very accomodating and friendly and the servers are knowledgable about wine pairings and are perfectly generous with their time. My favorite drinks are the delicious soju cocktails! Very tasty. Watermelon-feta salad is ingenious and I can't get enough of the fondue. I've tried most everything on the menu and am amazed that it ALL tastes fantastic, fresh, and adventuresome. I have never once been disappointed. It seems they add new flavors all the time, so if you catch the wild boar on the menu, don't pass it up!
Andalu has earned the distinction of my favorite restaurant. The entire experience is effortless and completely enjoyable.

Pros: Excellent menu, Friendly Staff, Happy Hour

Posted 07/29/03

The food is so-so, not bad but not fabulous enough for the price. The fondue is yum, but the other dishes were not memorable--but the hefty bill was. For good tapas, try going round the corner.

Cons: price/value

Posted 07/18/03

For the first time ever I am at a loss for words in describing a restaurant. Nevertheless, I will try. To start the food was great, albeit small portions. I loved the cheese fondue, cheese plate and ahi tacos. The tartar and Watermelon salad were nice. On the downside the service was pretty bad. We waited over 15 minutes until someone came to our table. The waitress did give us a free helping of sangria for the mistake. The restaurant's vibe is really strange. I can only explain it is as if it were a private club and we did not have a membership. All six in our party were a little turned off by the uncomfortable vibe from the entire staff. It's too bad for Andalu.

Posted 07/14/03

Deep fried macaroni and cheese? Watermelon salad with feta? Id heard about fish tacos and donut holes, but this place blew me away. Lets just say this is not your grandfathers tapas restaurant. I didnt try the sangria, since the waiter talked me into a flight of half glasses of wine. I had the California, starting with champagne, then white, then red. My girlfriend had two mojitos and was tempted for #3. Not the cheapest place, but well worth the outlay.

Pros: the food, cocktails, big bar to wait

Cons: little noisy

Posted 07/11/03

Travelling on business more than I'd like to admit, I am fortunate enough to dine out often. Andalu was a disappointment. The food was marginal and the service was an abomination. Food comments - Miniature portions are fine if you're dieting or seeking just a bite, but if you're looking for a meal, move on. Choose your food wisely as price does not appear to indicate better dishes. If you like overly-salty dishes try the polenta. Service comments - Wed 8pm, we were seated promptly but with only two waitresses covering the whole place, your patience will be tested severely. If not for the pleasant company, my evening would have been a total loss. Do like us and go down the street to have crepes/coffee for dessert. Conclusion - I won't be back.

Pros: location, valet available

Cons: bad overall value, loud, no full bar

Posted 07/10/03

I'll admit that the food is pretty good - not excellent, but still good. Everything else about my experience at Andalu has been bad. I went there once for a friends birthday. We didn't get seated until an hour after our reservation. In addition, when we went to check back about the status (maybe 20 minutes after scheduled reservation), the hostess was rude.
Since the food was good, I thought I'd try again. I went back on a weekday as a walk in. We were promptly seated. Everything was okay until a server spilled melted cheese on my coat. He never apologized, the host never apologized... the only person to say something was our waiter. He deducted our dessert off the check. I would expect more - not so much in monetary value, but a sincere apology would have been nice. I won't bother going back.

Pros: fish mini tacos, desserts, wine "flights"

Cons: service, courtesy, value

Posted 05/29/03

I went with a party of 8 and got to try a lot of their dishes. Most were pretty good, though nothing to go back for. I agree with another poster...donut hole dessert was the highlight. I don't think the food was inventive...just smaller portions from a lot of different cuisines. For example, osso bucco and ahi tacos all on one menu. With 2 pitchers of sangria, we paid $23/person.

However, the service was very slow. We waited what seemed like an eternity between the time we finished our food and the time we got the dessert menu.

Posted 03/22/03

We eat out A LOT. Finally decided to try Andalu since we live in the neighborhood and we were incredibly disappointed. The portions were teeny, which would have been fine had the prices matched. Way too expensive for what you got. Waitress was aloof and not helpful at all. Beans were undercooked and the "hot" chocolate that came with the donuts was cold (donuts were too doughy as well). We won't be back. If you're looking for small plates, there are a million better places to visit in the bay area.

Pros: great wine list

Cons: milquetoast servers, inconsistent food, bad value

Posted 03/18/03

been to andalu - always thought food and ambiance amazing, but agree that sometimes it can be more than you think $wise. However, with a little help from the server, you can have an amazing meal at an incredible price.

Try this - here's my current favorite menu for 2 people:

cambazola fondue ($9)
chopped romaine salad (but not if you don't like anchovies!) ($7)
Steak tartare (best in the city - i like it better than bistro jeanty's) ($9)
osso bucco ($9)
banana tart (i think pecan but can't remember for sure) with makers mark ice cream - YUM ($7)

comes to $20 per person for food. Wine is whatever you want it to be- prices are very reasonable vs. other restaurants.

i think a really good/solid value!! love tasting so many different things + i never leave hungry or poor.

Pros: valet available, amazing flavors, reasonable prices

Cons: valet is MIA a lot, no liquor

Posted 03/02/03

Food is great, no complaints about the service. Very noisy though. I was pleasantly surprised by the diversity of the patrons.

Pros: Original menu, Good drinks, Nice decor

Cons: LOUD, Crowded, Need reservations

Posted 02/21/03

Not bad tapas - good ahi tacos (one taco = one bite though), lousy ribs, excellent cheese fondue. The donut holes for desert made the meal though. $80 for two people

Pros: good music, good crowd, Donut Holes

Cons: needs spanish tapas, location, parking

Posted 02/20/03

Yes, the tapas were tasty & inventive. But three bites per plate? If you have to eat 5 plates to get a regular meal, this place is NOT cheap eats. In addition, the waitress seemed to want to be anyplace else but andalu...

Pros: inventive food

Cons: tiny portions, snooty service

Posted 02/19/03

I hosted a birthday dinner for my best friend here last week. Not only did I get barked at by the assistant manager when 3 extra people showed up, the waitress talked back, rolled her eyes, and swore under her breath the entire dinner. The food arrived in long drawn out intervals. The teeny, tiny portion size made this even more frustrating. Our party was so displeased with the whole experience that we left to go to a pizza place to finish up dinner. I was so stressed and embarrassed and will never eat here again.

Pros: fun food

Cons: horrible service, tiny servings

Posted 02/14/03

Went there last night and was very disappointed. We sat at our table for probably 15 minutes before we were greeted by our server. The hoisin chicken wings were terrible.

Posted 02/13/03

Food is simply sophisticated which is great since lots of restaurants tend to put more and more flavors to their dishes. Good blend of mediterraneen-californian cuisine. I'm not tired of the tastes. I've been there 4 times and will come back. However, be careful when you order, small plates small prices but they add up to big check!

Pros: ecclectic cuisine

Cons: noisy and trendy

Posted 02/08/03

The hostess told us that it would be a "45 minute wait, so go have a drink next door and we'll call your cell." Sounds good, right? Wrong.... An hour later, no call, so we checked in and they said 10 minutes. 20 minutes later, no call, so we checked in again and they had given our table away. What? So we continued to wait.... Eventually we were sat at a crowded table by the door and told we couldn't move to an open table further in because they were for guests who "have reservations, which you chose not to make." Are you kidding me? As if this wasn't bad enough, our waitress also had an attitude. We were two courses deep before the wine came, which was reportedly "in the cellar." In Napa? It is really too bad, because the food was excellent.

Pros: variety

Cons: service

Posted 02/03/03

Loved the osso bucco, the best I've ever had. Service was fun and casual, I'll definitely be back.

Posted 02/01/03

Andalu was a wonderful experience from the second we stepped in. Very good food, very good service and we didn't burn holes in our pocket!

Pros: Inexpensive, Creative Dishes

Posted 01/24/03

I agree with the other reviewers--the food was good, but it was overpriced. I would definitely recommend getting some smaller sides to go with the more expensive "main" dishes. I really liked the atmosphere and our waiter was very attentive.

Posted 01/12/03

Andalu, like Chez Nous, has small plates, but not as tiny as Chez Nous', and the food is more subtle. Flavourful without over doing it. Nice restaurant space, wine and friendly service, but they could be a bit more attentive on the service, though it's not bad, just not perfect.

Pros: food, nice place

Cons: small portions

Posted 01/03/03

andalu's menu is so fun; our party's interest was peaked trying to figure out what to get. our server was wonderfully helpful, intelligent and pleasant. the service was outstanding. we all enjoyed our picks immensely and left wondering what we would get the next time.

Pros: menu, service, ambiance

Cons: location

Posted 12/29/02

I just cancelled my reservation. When I called a second time to check on my reservation they told me I had to have my party out by a certain time. Alright that means that they have too many reservations and that they they couldn't handle my group. They shouldn't have taken my ressie. Someone has commented about how I can't rate the staff having not been in the restaurant. Who are the reservation takers if not staff? The first person you talk to in any buisness can make or break your opinion, The person I talked to was rude and unhelpfull. If they had just been honest and said they couldn't accomadate me it would have changed my opinion of them. Go to Cafe Picaro instead, just down the block, excellent food better prices great ambiance and they handled my party at the last minute graciously and politley!!!!

Posted 12/12/02

Luckily it's not in the heart of the Mission (20th and Mission area), it's right where the good stuff begins. It's got a lovely romantic feel, despite being a little loud. The tapas are fantastic, with a great noveau flavor. The service was very helpful, without being condescending. It's a perfect spot for a spontaneous "special" night; cannot reccomend this place enough.

Cons: it is kinda spendy

Posted 12/06/02

I have to agree with the previous review: great food but the portions were awfully stingy with the prices they charge. It may work when the dot-com was still booming or if you want to impress your date. :-) Excellent service though.

Posted 11/27/02

Their eclectic food is excellent. Plates are small, but that's what tapas is all about. It's fun to taste a little of everything. Three to four plates per person is about what you should expect. My favorites are Petite Filet, Hawaiian Walu and Cheese Fondue. I didn't understand the big fuss about the Donut Holes until I had some. Unlike the traditional donut holes, it's very light and puffy. Excellent dipped in the hot chocolate that comes with it. Highly recommended. The dinning room is beautifully done with high ceiling long velvet curtain that gives the room a romantic appeal. Too bad the servic is terrible. It was difficult getting service while dining, as our waitress doesn't seem to look at the direction of tables. I do hope they plan on spending some time training their staff. That being said, I'd definitely go back for their food again!

Pros: Great food, Eclectic menu

Cons: Bad service

Posted 11/26/02

The food was very good, but the portions were ridiculously small and pricy. NOT a place to go to satisfy your appetite, but their bank account. The only spanish aspect of this restaurant were the music, the deco, and the noise. Tapas is a excuse for them to minimize the size of the portions while make it sound "exotic" or "spanish", while the menu hardly presents any Spanish-typical dishes.

Pros: decoration, tasty food

Cons: expensive, microportions, noisy

Posted 11/09/02

Great food. Great Fun! The tasting portions were perfect. What a great way to share a meal with the one you love. Kind of loud.

Posted 10/22/02

Dining at Andalu was a surprisingly fabulous experience. Few small plate restaurants know how to create such a great mix. The food is delicious, the white sangria makes you melt and the atmosphere is great. Aside from the massive mural on the wall - there's built in eye candy - just ask for Calvin.

Pros: Delicious

Posted 10/11/02

It saddens me to hear about some of the bad experiences people had here. Andalu is one of my favorite places in SF. We have visited ANdalu about 5 times in the past 4 months or so, and have been wowed each time - both by food and service. I can't say that I've tried EVERYTHING - but all that I've tasted has been creative and very tasty. Never miss the donut holes when you dine here, and always order Sangria. Sooo good! Service has always been great - but I have to say that we have always gone with parties of 4 or less. So maybe that's the secret? ANyway - I would recommend this place to everyone - it is such a find!

Posted 10/04/02

ANother tapas restaurant? This one is a little different.
Colorful space in this Mission haunt. Bright flavors in most dishes balanced by efficient and approachable service staff, make this a good date choice. The wine program is top notch!

Pros: Online Reservations

Cons: Parking

Posted 09/30/02

Fabulous sangria and friendly wait staff. Definitely try and make reservations on the weekend.

Pros: value, sangria

Cons: parking, loud

Posted 09/16/02

This is a great place to get together with friends ... lots of appetizer type dishes to share and great white Sangria.

Pros: great atmosphere, good food, variety of dishes

Cons: a little expensive, small portions

Posted 09/12/02

Andalu's food hit the mark. The white sangria and ahi tacos were just a couple of the highlights. The space was hip along with the crowd. Our server was fantastic and let us try different sangrias before we ordered a pitcher. The only downside was the miniscule servings. Luckily, the big taste made up for the small plates.

Pros: great food, great space, good service

Cons: portions too small

Posted 08/31/02