Iluna Basque

I read some reviews before going to this restaurant, but ignored the bad ones about horrible service. Don't make the same mistake... I went on Friday August 15th with my friends for a surprise bday party. My main complaint is about the service, the food was good. The server seemed pushy right from the start. We all arrived at different times and it seemed like every time another person showed up, the server got more and more impatient. I guess they wanted us to get through it already, i don't know... Well everyone ordered just fine, but when it came to me and my boyfriend, we only ordered one plate to share (we were there for the drinks mainly). Apparently he didn't like the idea too much so he's response was "one for both?!" and rolled his eyes sideways going "oooooookay...." Seriously... what kind of server does that?!? especially at this kind of restaurant... we didn't even order any more drinks, and I should've canceled our only plate too... ON TOP OF THAT... after the 18% gratuity that he did not deserve, he actually charged an extra $15 on my friend's card without permission for extra gratuity... who does that?!? SO BOTTOM LINE IS... don't bother coming here... they lack honesty and professionalism

Pros: ambience

Cons: everything else... they should seriously consider their customer service problem....

Posted 08/18/08

Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
This restaurant is not worth worth any stars for service. If you want tapas go to the one on Haight called "Cha Cha Cha "
The waiter was very impatient. He should know that it would take up some time for everyone to order, especially a group of 12 people. What restaurant pushes underage girls to drink? We had people that were the age of 21 and up and people that were 19-20. Yet, they still wanted them to purchase their expensive drinks. They also try to push and make us order more food because they felt as though it wasn't expensive enough?! That wasn't the worst part, the worst part was CAKE FEE!! What restaurant charges costumers for CAKE FEE?!! We didn't purchase a cake from them, we brought the cake our selves and they charged us $51.00!!!! To cut the cake?The cake was only $20 for crying out loud. They didn't tell us that there was a cake fee, they didn't have it written in the menu, nor did they tell us when they took the cake in to cut it. If they told us and had it written in the menu, we'll be more than happy to pay for it. But not when they didn't even breathe a word about it, would we want to pay. After arguing with the waiter and the manager, they couldn't even speak English so it was hard to understand. They raised their voices, and instead of just dropping it, they still had to charge us $20! What type of restaurant is this? They were so disrespectful, they said that every restaurant charges CAKE FEE and they looked down at us like we've never been to a good restaurant. Come on! We've been to plenty of nice restaurant, and they would help us cut the cake as a gratitude to say thanks for coming. We would simply just leave more tips. But this restaurant was just over the top RUDE & does not know how to manage their way of running the restaurant. Maybe they're just hating because of our race.

Pros: awful thumbs down

Cons: thumbs down all the way

Posted 07/17/08

What do want from a restaurant? Friendly, helpful service? Excellent food? Great location? Good prices? Fun menu choices?

This is the place to experience all of that.

They have a very good menu of small plates and petite entrees. My wife and had a wide variety of excellent food and a bottle of wine for under $70!

Posted 01/11/08

Did the owners of the place get all their friends together to nominate this place as the best N. Beach restaurant??? It's alright, but nothing special. Been three separate times, twice for dinner, once only for dessert. The dessert is the reason I gave it two stars instead of one. Last time I went the waitress that didn't really ever pay attention to us got our dessert order wrong. We ended up with three desserts instead of two because of her f up. So it was one of those rare occasions where I actually tipped more because of waitstaff incompetence (typically it's because I feel bad for the clumsy, shy waiters that seem like they need a rest).

With all the options within 5 or six blocks, I could easily name 20 N. Beach restaurants that I'd rather go to than this place.

Posted 08/09/07

This is a pretty good place for some unique tapas choices. I would suggest just doing the tapas rather than ordering a main course as I think all the small plates are better. They have some tasty salads and wines too. the atmosphere is nice and service is good. Nice place to start an evening in northbeach with a group of friends but overall nothing too special.

Pros: unique menu

Posted 07/21/07

I visited Iluna Basque last Thursday and was sat immediately, which was great since I was really hungry. The menu is small so I was hoping that they were all really good. The favorite was the seared tuna and the roasted pepper. The food was wonderful but the service was lacking. We only saw the serve once at the beginning of the night. She didn't offered any suggestion and she rushed us to place the order. The food was out quick and hot. The mussels were not very good, they tasted and looked like they had been frozen for to long.

Overall, I would visit again and would highly recommend this restaurant. Hopefully next time the service will be better.

Pros: Great Ambience and Food

Cons: Poor Service

Posted 11/25/06

Tasty, unusual tapas but way too expensive for what you're getting. Service was slow both times I ate here and I didn't feel the food warranted the long wait for a table. Add to that to the parking situation in North Beach. Not fun. There are a lot of other tapas places that have better quality and value.

Posted 11/23/06

I arrived relatively early, about an hour after it had opened, but the moment I walked through the doors, I swear I felt hipper than ever. A richly colored and moody place, Iluna Basque specializes in Basque (French/Spanish) tapas. Young, baby-faced chef Mattin Noblia had stepped in as host for the evening, and he showed me to my table with a smile. (Apparently he's done modeling, according to his profile) The flip-top menu read simply, but my mouth watered. Flash-fried shaved potatoes weren't pommes frites, but rather thin, crisp little fries, infused with the flavor of fresh basil, which, to my surprise, were also delicious deep-fried. Served with a tiny ramekin of red pepper aioli, and they put me in artery-clogged heaven. Smooth butter lettuce was tossed with sweet fresh pears and given a refreshing splash of flavor from segmented grapefruit. A Basque chicken and chorizo saute was hearty, warming, and full of soul, giving me the impression that this was something akin to what Mattin's mother may have prepared for him. Chanterelles make me swoon any way, and in a beef stew with scrumptious red wine sauce, they prove to remain one of my favorite edible fungi. Don't miss dessert; the simple pineapple "carpaccio" with raspberry and vanilla bean sauces or strawberry mousse are delights. The service ranges from exuberant to gruff, and this is a place to linger, so tell your server if you're in a rush.

Pros: Great small plates and "petite entrees, " simple, delicious desserts

Cons: Unpredictable service, street parking (like the rest of SF)

Posted 09/24/06

"I am going back to this place! Not only is the food delicious, but the service is so friendly. I went last night with a friend and we had a great time eating and chatting up a storm. We were happy that the service was easy paced so we could catch up eachother's lives.
The waiter was SO ADORABLE! Always made sure we were satisfied with the food and we were enjoying ourselves. The Spanish tortilla and the prawns were my favorite very tasty and tasted just like when I was in Spain. MAKE SURE YOU GO CHECK IT OUT SOON! ^_^"

Pros: Sevice food ambience

Cons: parking but its worth it

Posted 08/02/06

The tapas were very average and the service wasn't great too.The servers gave a feeling of being disconnected.And the desert was a even bigger diappointment. It was one of those meals when after you are done you have absolutely no satisfaction at all and you think that coming here was a completely wrong decision.

Posted 07/15/06

I tried this place on a whim, craving tapas and finding myself rather lost in North Beach. It was perfect. We were seated right away, and the friendly server recommended the perfect dishes to try. Their red sangria is to die for, the perfect balance of wine and fruit. Try the cheese platter for dessert- traditional and unique cheeses alike are a perfect conclusion to a great meal. We split 5 dishes between 2 of us and were stuffed. A great place for a date, quiet, dark, and romantic.

Pros: Good food, ambience

Cons: Not much

Posted 07/02/06

We went here on a week night and had a great time. Very great ambience and the food is definitely good. The service was a little lackluster and kinda disappointing but all in all the restaurant is great. We also had their red sangria and for someone who doesnt like it normally it was excellent

Posted 04/12/06

for the price, the tapas was not worth it. our server was lovely and the ambience was great, but the food was not memborable and was far too expensive.

Pros: service, ambience, wine

Cons: price, food not worth price

Posted 03/13/06

Granted, the ambience is great. The tapas concept also is nice, but the quality is just decent although some are pretty tasty (cheese plate).
However for this price range I expected much better from the food and ESPECIALLY from the waitstaff... I've had better service in low-end diners!
So if you like to sit down in a nice place, go for it... otherwise there's plenty of good restaurants in North Beach!

Pros: Decor

Cons: Parking, Service, Average Food

Posted 03/02/06

Great food. Open Late. Few items were hit or miss but overall a great dining experience.

Pros: Food, Cocktails, Service

Posted 02/19/06

My friends and I made a reservation for a relatively large party, and confirmed same by phone that very morning. We arrive (on time and hungry) to find that there is simply no table for us, despite our confirmed reservations. Rather than apologize profusely, comp us a glass of wine, or even give us a ROUGHLY estimated wait time, the hostess (who really could not be bothered) shrugged and said, well, people are eating and talking and that when a table was available, they'd call us. No thanks.

Cons: Poor scheduling;, bad attitude, unprofessional servic

Posted 02/05/06

Made it just 5 minutes before the end of Happy Hour and were graciously obliged to take full advantage of the promo - Buy a drink, get 1 tapa free! With two drinks in hand my boyfriend and I tried the Crabmeat Croquettes and Paquillos Peppers w/ Salt Cod. Both were delicious, esp. the salt cod, which I was kind of nervous to try, but delighted in the end. Ordered the Roasted Mussels, Ribeye Steak, Seared Tuna and the Crisp Potatoes. Definitely want to try the Seared Tuna for the deliciously creamy Bleu des Basque sauce. What a nice complement to the tuna ~ not overwhelming in flavor, but just right. Service was excellent! Must request for Emily ~ French jewel in this Spanish restaurant. NEED TO KNOW ~ small servings (meant to sample and share), relaxing ambiance, best in groups, and view of Coit at tables near windows.

Pros: Emily, Reasonably priced

Posted 11/01/05

The food was super. however, the restaurant promotes, or tries to promote late dining. We were the only table after 9:30 pm. At that point everything was fine until the busboy changed into his street clothes to re set the room while the chef sat at the bar drinking some concotion that our server ( who we were trying to flag down) was shaking for him. Service at best was tolerable. Until.... my date went to the restroom and they began to discuss her physical features. I guess they thought I was either a complete idiot or that I couldn't hear them although we were the only table in the restaurant. Must haves are the roasted bellpepper and tuna. Can afford to miss the crass and abonoxious staff

Posted 09/19/05

Order the Sangria - we preferred the white but the red was very tasty. Good food with a view of busling city street and coit tower at our corner window side table. Be sure to talk to the server about the various tapa dishes because it be disappointing to order 5 dishes if you don't like 3 of them. We love the roasted red pepper and manchego cheese plate, loved the mixed cheese plate, also the steak on bed of garlic was tender and delish. Less satisfying was the spinach plate and the prosciutto plate, and the chorizo empanada.

Posted 08/05/05

Last Friday night, my friend and I walked into your restaurant. The staff was very helpful and our server/barlady was absolutely amazing. We truly enjoyed the unique food (with some recommendations from our server). It was the highlight of my visit to San Francisco!

Thank you and more success!

Pros: Friendly staff, Ambience, Great food

Cons: Parking

Posted 07/24/05

The service was top rate. The owner/chef and waiter were the best. Very receptive to customer comments/suggestions. The wine was absolutely perfect. We owe our joy to Evan. The food was so-so. Duck was disappointing - a strange combination of flavors. The roasted red bell pepper w/ mushrooms was wonderful. The eggplant was weak, relying on its excessive amount of cheese, which I welcomed after I downed half a bottle of vino. The cheese platter was great. However, the membrillo was severly under par. I can get you better for 2 euros at the local european grocery store.
However, all in all, like I said, it was a pleasant experience. The service was absolutely top rate, the wine was great, & some of the dishes were quite delectable. Yes, I'd return. I will return, in fact. Mattin is a good kid. Peace out, the Spain4Life crew.

Posted 06/12/05

I'm very disappointed. After a wonderful experience at Iluna Basque about a year + ago, I recommended your restaurant to many people and in fact, have wanted to go back since my first experience. Well last night was my first time back and I took out of town guests. Wow, has a lot changed in the past 1 year! The only redeeming thing about the restaurant is the ambience, but that gets a low score because the service and food takes away from it. The service was rude, or non-existent, and the food was terrible. I will have to circle back to people to whom I've recommended this restaurant, like my boss, and have him scratch it from the list. I sure hope you make some changes and soon, or I doubt you'll remain in business for long!

Posted 05/31/05

People always have means thing to say when restaurant are very busy!!
I think thats a lovely little place in North Beach. Excellent restaurant for the food, service and atmosphere and reasonable prices. Anyway Ive been there three times now, in fact I was there last week and I had great time and an amazing meal. I totally recommend that place.

Pros: Food, wine, price

Cons: service, parking

Posted 05/26/05

Want a refil on your water glass? Forget it! You'll be lucky if you even get a glass of water in the first place...
The food at Iluna Basque is decent (although certainly not exciting) and the service (slow, inaccurate, and RUDE) is quite possibly the worst that I have ever experienced. Do yourself a huge favor and find another resturant next time you want to eat in North Beach.

Pros: Okay food

Cons: Horrible service, Slow, Crowded

Posted 05/21/05

Overall, this restaurant and it's food was average. The atmosphere is good and their Happy Hour deal is great. If you order a drink from their HH menu, you receive a complimentary tapas plate. This gives you the opportunity to taste more of their selection. Based on our orders, there was nothing that was overwhelmingly good, but still pleasant.

Pros: Service, Atmosphere, Happy Hour Menu

Cons: Portions

Posted 02/17/05

I have some family in the Basque region so I get to go there often, and I can assure you that Iluna Basque is real Basque cuisine after all the dining experience I had there.
I'm gonna tell all my friend about that little Basque corner!!! Fantastique

Pros: Ambience

Cons: ??

Posted 02/15/05

Granted, every restaurant is very busy on Valentine's Day but this restaurant had the absolute WORST service I've seen, Valentine's or not. The service was the pits, they forgot which course we were on, didn't bring the correct food to anyone around us, and it took us three hours to get through the meal. Maybe this place is okay on a non-busy night, but I would NEVER go there again.... regardless of the "holiday".

Posted 02/13/05

I went there last weekend with some friend out of town we were 4 of us and we sat by the window, my friends loved the view of the coit tower.
I've been there before on weekdays I had a fabulous experience there both times the food and the service was excellent, very good wines from France and Spain mostly From Basque-Spanish side, also they have a very nice French waitress, that bring out the authenticity of this wonderfull restaurant. I recomend to go on the week days, because we had to wait 30 minutes before we could get our table, but is worth the wait.

Pros: Food, Nice on week days, Decor

Cons: Too Busy on Weekends

Posted 01/26/05

I would have to disagree with the previous reviewer on the food, my entire party of 4 thought the food was excellent. We loved the Piperade, Mache Salad, and Salmon Croquettes. Although I will say that some of the dishes were salty, so if you have an aversion to salt, you may not enjoy them as much. The atmosphere and ambience were great! And the prices are very reasonable - even with a bottle of wine. The one downside was the service. We were seated 30 minutes after our reservation without any mention to the tardiness. Our server wasn't the best either. At some points during the meal we wondered where he was..... Even with that, I will definitely go back for a return visit.

Pros: Inexpensive, Great Atmosphere, Good Food

Cons: , Crowded, Okay Service

Posted 01/25/05

After reading great reviews, I was disappointed with the food. We had the shrimp which only came 3 to the plate at around 9 or 10 dollars which they were ok. Also, we had the mussels which were underflavored. The peppers stuffed with salt cod was extremly salty- I know these are supposed to be salty but man! The sauce on it kind of tasted like airplane food. The crabcakes (and who can mess up crabcakes??) were very doughy.Oh and we had the special which was duck breast & pears or apples which was just ok also. Really, the atmosphere is very nice it's a really cute small place. The wine was very good also, but we were not impressed with the food. I would go back for cocktails only.

Pros: inexpensive, cool atmosphere, great wine

Cons: , plates are too small

Posted 01/01/05

Cozy little place, with a nice atmosphere, and delicious small plates. The roasted red pepper w/mushroom, and cheese is amazing! We'll definitely be back.

Pros: food, atmosphere

Posted 11/29/04

All of the 5 tapas plates we tried were excellent, and I'd recommend you get the stuffed red bell peppers w/mushrooms and cheese, the chicken axoa, and the txangurro crab croquettes. The wine list had many South American wine options which was a nice change. Looks like it would be fun with a group too.

Pros: Inexpensive, Nice atmosphere, Great service

Posted 06/02/04

The food was delicious especially the chicken, garlic soup, and seared tuna. It is nice that you get to try several dishes. Definitely, I would love to come back to this restaurant again.

Posted 05/04/04

I had the chance to go to Iluna Basque this week with three friends. Going with several others allowed me to try basically everything on the menu. Everything we ordered, someone at the table liked. Personally I loved the chicken and the prawns, but was not partial to the duck "pate like stuff." Personal tastes will have an effect for several of the items, but all were presented nicely and cooked well. They refilled our water non stop and the waiter was helpful about answering all questions. We had 4 different desserts, I would recommend the pineapple most of all, which was very unique.

Pros: something for all, great decor, basque cuisine

Cons: , not the best desserts

Posted 05/02/04

Although very small, all the dishes we tried were delicious. The tuna was especially tasty. The service was decent but too "efficient", clearing plates away before we finished eating.

Posted 04/01/04

The tapas sized portions allowed us to try several delicious entrees, and our waiter help us navigate easily through the menu. Make sure you try the crab croquets!

San Francisco was over due for a Basque restaurant!

Posted 03/29/04

Thanks Iluna Basque for bringing delicious Basque cuisine to San Francisco. The tapas were excellent, the crowd was young/hip, and the late hours are a plus. Zarzuela is great for Spanish tapas. When you want authentic Basque tapas, try Iluna Basque.

History of the tapas:

18th century weary travelers would disembark from coaches and saddle horses, to be met by eager innkeepers with glasses of wine covered with a slice of bread. In the Spanish language, this covering referred to as a tapas, from the verb tapas, "to cover." Tapas kept insects, and unsavory debris from settling into the wine and served to wet the appetite of the hungry travelers. Thus the tapa evolved. A slice of Serrano ham, bit of Manchego cheese with marinated olives, were added as toppings, as enterprising innkeepers vied to attract travelers interest and money by offering luscious dishes that induced another glass of wine.

Posted 03/08/04