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Cesario's
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
601 Sutter St(at Mason St)
San Francisco, CA 94102
Neighborhood: Union Square
(415) 441-9898
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 12 pm - 10 pm
Fri 12 pm - 11 pm
Sat 9 am - 11 pm
Sun 9 am - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
66 reviews for Cesario's
Review Highlights
"Truffle Gnocchi paired with a glass of red did it for me."
(in 5 reviews)
"Luckily we got a window seat overlooking Sutter."
(in 6 reviews)
"My chicken parmesan was the best I'd ever had, to be..."
(in 3 reviews)
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66 reviews in English
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Review from Saliha B.
Mountain View, CA
11/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
After a tiring yet fun day hanging out in Muir Woods my friends and I headed to the city in pursuit of yummy Italian food. Unfortunately we didn't do our research ahead of time and kind of got lost a bit looking for parking and ended up in the Union Square area. After looking on yelp for some close by restaurants since by then we were starving, we ended up here at Cesario's.
Our reception and service here was very cold first of all. I think our waitress never did crack a smile and neither did the host. The waitress was efficient but not welcoming. I felt like I was intruding in the restaurant even though I was there to give them patronage. Super weird. At one point we removed a huge candlestick in the middle of our table since we couldn't see each other when we were talking, and the host came back a few minutes later noticing it was moved and without saying anything or asking us if it bothered us, he just moved it back.
The food was tasty and satisfied our carb craving at the time. Albeit a bit pricey, we came in here knowing that we would probably be forking over more money for the location of the restaurant than for the price of the actual food, and of course we were right.
Won't be back even if we end up lost in Union Square again. God willing next time we will plan our city adventure better and look up where to eat ahead of time. -
Review from Michelle V.
San Francisco, CA
12/6/2011
**Delivery Review**
I like the food here but it takes about 1.5-2 hours for it to arrive when seamless says 30-45 minutes. I've actually tried ordering from here twice (because the food was good) to give them the benefit of the doubt, but the food came so slow both times.
I called after an hour to find out where my order was and before even taking my name, the man told me that it would be here any minute. Then I asked him when the driver left with my food, he asked my name and said "yes, it will be there any minute". I asked him what time the driver left and he said that they do not keep track of these things. So clearly, he knew for sure that my food would be here any minute. 45 minutes later, my food arrived, cold. -
Review from Anthony A.
San Francisco, CA
8/26/2011
It's easy to overlook Cesario's given the concentration of eateries around Union Square. I've walked past here plenty of times on my way into the Marines Memorial Club, so I figured a stop here was long overdue. This place makes good use of its limited wall space by packing in a lot of decorative posters, giving it an Italian feel that doesn't seem artificial or forced.
I had the clamshell pasta in light cream sauce with Gorgonzola, tomatoes, and spinach. My, my, what a delightful dish. Even total strangers at the next table were curious (envious?) and I suspect they ordered it themselves after I departed.
This place is good for a date and is very reasonably priced. -
Review from Douglas D.
Chinatown, San Francisco, CA
1/22/2012
Bolognese was out of a jar level taste. Caprese salad was bland and the tomatoes were not ripe. Plus the mozzarella was tasteless. The crab soup was super fishy and the color was brown instead of a light beige. All in all not worth the money and I would encourage someone to just get a slice of pizza around the corner.
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Review from Cynthia O.
San Francisco, CA
1/13/2012
What a terrible place! I arrived 5 minutes before Noon and the owner refused to let me in and stated that the restaurant did not open until Noon. Once inside, he asked me in a very unfriendly tone if I had a reservation, which I did. One member of my party was unable to attend the lunch, so the owner moved us away from the window and stuck us in a dark corner of the restaurant even though there were no other people there. The service was very rude and the food came out slowly. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. If I could give zero stars I would. Absolutely hands down, one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had!
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Review from Matt V.
Dorchester, MA
1/15/2012
Walked in on a Sunday night and was seated right away with no wait. The restaurant wasn't empty, but there were a few extra tables.
The bread was nothing special, but was okay. We definitely appreciated that the butter was room temperature and whipped, instead of butter wrapped in tin foil and straight from a refrigerator.
We started out by ordering the polenta fries. They were actually very good and we both enjoyed them. Lightly fried and nice and creamy inside. For our entrees, we had the pesto linguini and the chicken parmesan. Both were pretty good. We did think that the food could have used more salt, but in general we were pretty satisfied with our meal. We would definitely revisit this restaurant. -
Review from Doug G.
Los Altos, CA
1/31/2012
One of the worst chicken picatta dishes we have eaten. Cold vegetables, dry rice that they call rissoto, ceasar salad with wilted small pieces of romaine, wonder bread slices with whipped margarine????? Nice server but incredibly bad food
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Review from Sarah A.
San Francisco, CA
7/27/2011
I ordered a mixed green salad to start. The balsamic dressing was terrible, too heavy for the leaves making the salad wet. For the entree, the reason I came, I'd I sought butternut squash ravioli. It was cooked in a very bland almost flavorless red sauce with fruit flies on the side. No sage. And even though the sever offered the other table Parmesan she didn't offer any to me. When I asked for it she stated brusquely that I hadn't wanted extra cheese on my salad.
Skip this spot, there is great Italian food around the city! -
Review from Beatrice E.
Union City, CA
8/7/2011
Had reservations for 7:30 with my friend and was running late. I called in and let them know and they were alright.
It took forever to get our orders taken, which was agonizing since we were both starving. We started off with the polenta fries. I ordered the chicken parmesan with mashed potatoes. I can't remember the name of the dish my friend ordered but it was spaghetti noodles with sun-dried tomatoes and shrimp in a "light cream sauce."
The polenta alone took 20 minutes to come. Very annoying. And four pieces for $7? Ugh, I was expecting more. Oh well. It was too hot and burned my tongue but once I let it cool down, it was pretty standard fare.
Another 10 minutes and our food was there. My chicken parmesan was the best I'd ever had, to be perfectly honest. Good consistency for the meat and the marinara sauce was just right in terms of flavor. Vegetables were steamed well. One thing that was strange was that my mashed potatoes were under my chicken--what? Oh well.
Service was kinda hands-off--our waitress didn't come by to ask how we were doing at all. She was pleasant though, and the place was busy, so it's not a big deal.
For two dishes and an appetizer we were set back $55. I guess that's standard for a place that advertises itself as having "fine foods."
Sure, the food was good, but the service didn't live up to my expectations. For the same price I got better service at another Italian place in the Inner Richmond area. If I'm in the area I guess I'll go back, but maybe at a different time. -
Review from Jonny A.
4/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
My family and I were in the city on Christmas Eve doing different things. Half of us were watching the Forever Tango show that was in town, the other half doing some Christmas shopping. When we all got back together we were starving. We did a 360 to see what was around where we met up at, and we saw Cesario's. We decided to give it a chance. Great decision.
I believe our server's name was Katherina. She was phenomenal. I have always dreamed of the perfect server and my dreams were a reality that day. She was genuinely kind, incredibly sweet, suggesting all kinds of things for us to try (which we did by the way), and overall just knew exactly what fine dining is all about.
The restaurant was surprisingly empty and we were seated instantly by a kind gentleman. It was smooth sailing from here on out. Delicious appetizers, amazing entrees, great desserts, you name it. We had no qualms about the place whatsoever. The service was excellent, speed of the food coming out was perfect, and food quality was superb. I highly recommend coming here if you want a great dining experience because Katherina and everyone else there will give you one. -
Review from Amy E.
Eugene, OR
12/22/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Really "meh" experience both in service and food. Went with my bf and his parents be because we wanted to get dinner near ACT before a show. First, they couldn't find my reservation (made and confirmed through Open Table). Our waitress was cold and awkward and couldn't answer even basic questions about the menu. Other tables got bread and we had to ask, which took like 10 minutes of contestant trying because she avoided eye contact and rushed by (even though it was NOT bwhenev 5pm) whenever she was nearby. We finally ordered, and she forgot to ask what starches we wanted with our dinner, so my bf went up to the front counter to tell her. She was standing there with the owner, who was counting money. My bf politely mentioned the starches, and the owner loudly and rudely SNAPPED at him to go sit down. Ok... the waitress came over 5 mins later and took our side/starch orders. When the food arrived, my bf's plate had mashed potatoes instead of risotto! He told her that he had ordered risotto, and she acted weird and promised that it would be right out. 15 minutes later (!!!) when we're well into our meal, the risotto arrives, and it is just as lackluster as the other food. It looked more like a very dry rice pilaf. The other food was bland all around. My meat lasagna was dry and tough with what looked and tasted like canned tomato sauce. Nobody liked their food, all very bland and overbooked. The one bright spot food-wise was the callamari appetizer -- tender, perfectly cooked pieces of calimari. Skip the greasy polinta fries though. The wine we ordered arrived 3/4 of the way through our meal, so we drank it fast and got the hell out of there. Aside from the charming decor and yummy calimari, it was one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. 2 stars because everything was technically edible, but really, you can do better (try Fino!).
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Review from Joseph L.
Irving, TX
9/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ate here on the first night of a 4 day stay in S.F. Its is tiny and seating a bit uncomfortable. You forget all about sitting in your neighbor's lap as soon as you wrap your lips around anything they serve. The food was incredible. The service was very good. You do have to be a people friendly sort of person though. If you are the type to place your bag on the seat next to you so little old ladies cant be seated then this is not the place for you. If you are warm, friendly, like people and love to eat, then step right in.
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Review from Trish B.
Oakland, CA
8/28/2011
Truffle Gnocchi paired with a glass of red did it for me. I was sold! We stumbled upon this place while trying to avoid the sudden rain storm that hit. Glad we ventured in. Superior wait staff. Our waitress was super friendly and knowledgeable. She recommended a great wine and was just delightful. It is a little small so don't bring anything bulky. Truly an authentic taste.
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Review from Gemma J.
1/24/2011
5 stars for Katherina, who was the loveliest waitress I've ever had the pleasure of being served by. I cannot stress how much of a difference it made to be waited on by such a sweet and attentive person. I would come back just for her! In fact, it was almost closing time (on a Friday evening) when we arrived, but they were very welcoming all the same and opened the kitchen up again just for us.
The food and quality-price ratio were both decent (3 stars?)... My Cappellini Al Pomodoro was tasty, but not spectacular, for $14. The calamari and accompanying dip-sauce were, however, delicious! The location is ideal and the restaurant itself is very quaint, which makes for a delightful and intimate experience.
I highly recommend Cesario's for a simple, romantic dinner on an otherwise "meh" weekday evening. -
Review from Joe G.
Henderson, NV
8/31/2011 1 photo
Good service. Food good. Window seat people watching is excellent!
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Review from Tiffany P.
El Dorado Hills, CA
1/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
We came in on a Saturday night and were seated pretty quickly. Service was attentive and friendly. The bread was served right away and super fresh. Thank goodness...we were starved!
Now for the food...absolutely divine. I had the polenta lasagna and it was the best I've ever had. It was served piping hot and a huge portion. I can't wait to try another dish the next time I drop by when I'm around Union Square. -
Review from Jane F.
San Francisco, CA
2/6/2011
3 stars for the food. 5+ stars for the service.
The food is pretty good. We were greeted with an abundance of fresh and tasty bread. The calamari appetizer was tender and tasty and my simple pasta dish was also satisfying. The price point is reasonable and I could see coming here on a semi-regular basis if I lived in the neighborhood.
Our server, Katherina, was phenomenal. She is one of the most genuinely attentive and nice servers I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. On the spectrum of service, from downright rude, to disinterested, to courteous, to excellent, to cloying, Katherina hits the sweet spot in a way that few others have done in my experience of SF dining. I think perhaps she genuinely enjoys what she does. Wow!
The personalized touch made all the difference. Thank you! -
Review from Chris M.
Alameda, CA
5/26/2011
I am sad to say that my father in law had a cockroach run up his leg at lunch. He is such a gentleman that he did not say anything while dining - but that crap is totally unacceptable! I left a message for the GM to call me but no response as yet.
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Review from Ivy R.
4/18/2010 6 photos
We were the first people in the joint on a Saturday morning. The waitress was so sweet from start to finish. I just wanted to bring that up first because she deserves a big shout out.
We got a window booth seat with our backs against the wall so we could check the place out. A window seat here is highly recommended because the people watching is fantastic.
At first we didn't think they had cocktails, but they do. My husband went with the Bloody Mary and the waitress talked me into the Pomegranate Mimosa. Talked me into it, Ha! so she thought.
The waitress asked if we were interested in Breakfast or Lunch when we got there. I was in the lunch mood and the man was in the breakfast mood.
So she had to provide two different menus. They should just combine the two and save some space.
We started with an appetizer of Mussels & Clams. It was in a delicate tomato-y broth that was excellent with the bread provided. This isn't on the menu but it was one of the specials.
I had the Grilled Chicken Club: Greens, Tomato, Prosciutto & Gorgonzola Cheese . It didn't have Prosciutto but it did have bacon and I looove me some bacon.
I got a side salad and they have a yummy homemade dressing that was light and tasty. I don't like mixed green salads so much, well I hate red lettuce so I ate the green parts out with the tasty dressing.
My husband got the regular Eggs Benedict. The eggs looked perfectly poached. He got a side of Fresh Fruit and it had Papaya, Honey Dew, Cantaloupe and Kiwi. A great fresh breakfast start, because I kept stealing pieces from his plate.
About the time we were done the place started filling up with more customers. I recommend coming early so that the dining experience can be quiet and relaxing.
Maybe Tom R. and Daniel L. should check this place out for their next brunch excursion? -
Review from Katrina N.
San Francisco, CA
9/10/2010
Your food will take forever to come to your table.
Your servers will be attentive cause they have to be...Because your food wil take almost 45 minutes to come to your table!
Speaking of the food...I have had better meals at Olive Garden. It is really not great. Red sauce has the quality and taste of Ragu and really, and the bread....just buy grocery dinner rolls...cause they are basically the same thing.
Go to North Beach and find an Italian restaurant. Not this... -
Review from Caryn M.
Brea, CA
7/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
We decided to eat here since it was across the street from our hotel. I love my Italian food...this place is good, not great. I ordered the penne pasta with eggplant and hubby got the sea bass. Good experience.
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Review from Katherine N.
Santa Monica, CA
6/18/2008
Once upon a time I lived really close to this place and actually enjoyed a meal or two here... I always ordered the same...veal scalopine with mashed potatoes with a nice mushroom gravy.
They had a decent cook and a very nice waiter named Angel. A doll.
So good times on quiet afternoons catching up with friends back east on my cell.
However, whenever the owner was around I could feel a change in the entire waitstaff. No more personal conversation , no talk , no nothing . I later heard that he was hated by all , paid them duggets and treated them like dogs..
This guy strikes me as one of those old Mexican wannabe patrone (master/ lord) types ! .
He hulks in with a scowll on his face and gives everyone including the customers the evil eye!
I couldn't believe how he treated his staff, always with a disdain that cuts with a knife. He would even scowl at me everytime he saw me.
Probably thought I should be out in a field, pregnant and cutting some kind of plant all day long, And he owns 3 other restaurants in the area!
Roxanne Cafe at 570 Powell,
El Sotano at 550 Powell
Piraat at 696 Sutter.
Each and everyone of these places are a joke. The reviews are horrible on Yelp for every single one of them except Cesarios !
I have personally eaten at all of them and won't waste my energy on reviewing the rest so I decided to do one review for all.
And my opinion is... in this day and age of commercial rent being what it is off Union Square in San Francisco ( ENORMOUS)....
How can these places make the monthlys with bad food and mediocre service ? ! ! -
Review from Luis C.
10/28/2008
So many restaurants have closed in 2008, yet this place remains open. It's a mystery to me.
- The inside looks old and needs to be cleaned more often.
- A grouchy guy seems to be the owner.
- The staff looked depressed and shows little enthusiasm to provide service.
- Food portions are moderate.
- Air combat with one or two very stubborn flies is annoying.
- In my opinion, except for the carpaccio, prices are high for what u get.
- Food quality doesn't match menu prices, similar to generic hotel food.
- The only good meal I ever had here (pasta), was more than 10 years ago. -
Review from Uncle Fishbits Aeneas X.
Belvedere Tiburon, CA
10/24/2008
The mid westerners next to me could not stop talking about the chicken. Maybe I take ours for granted.
The wine was okay. Suggested by the staff.
I had a caeser and spinach salads.
Yeah two salads... what up? That's how I roll.
They were shrug your shoulders "meh".
There are so many restaurants! This is fine. Go to Colonial. On a lark. It is a street down, and probably the same price and a little better. Atmosphere is MUCH better.... because the cramped seating in the street corner open to smokers and cab waiting people and loitering hooligans with nothing better to do than end up bathed in the halogen glow of the streetlamp. -
Review from Cat R.
Castro Valley, CA
10/28/2007
Worst experience ever!
If it was legal to light restaurants on fire this would be the one I choose to light match to wood.
It started out all fine and dandy. My friend and I got a nice little window seat. At least it was nice until the free window show came. She/he was tall and skinny and lookin` for lovein` in ALL the wrong places.
Anyway, we order our appetizer, garlic bread, it was nothing special. What we were really looking forward to was the "fresh" oysters with pasta. We waited, and waited and when it got to the table it was cold. There was no steam coming off of it at all. The only thing that was warm was the noodles. Even the dish was like ice. We had lost our appetite.
We decided we were going to return the untouched dish of cold food and pay our bill and not cause a scene and just go some where else to eat. So I casually go to the waiter/owner/boss guy and tell him our situation. He takes the dish of food away and gives us our bill.
He did not remove the item from our bill. So I tell him politely to remove it from our bill since we did not eat any of it. He then says quite loudly that I am just trying to get a free meal. So I shout out, "To get a free meal I would actually have to eat something!" He still would not take it off the bill. So I said bring the food back I will eat the uncooked fish and when I get food poisoning I will come back and sue him.
By this time two other tables had gotten up and left. My friend tossed $40 (for two glasses or wine and garlic bread) in his face and we left.
So please don't go here. Thanks. -
Review from Renee G.
San Francisco, CA
11/6/2008
Boo. I wanted the butternut squash ravioli, and they were out, which I suppose is not entirely their fault given that I rolled in at like, 9:53pm. So I had the truffle gnocchi instead. It was considerably subpar. (Funny thing about subpar: when you think of it in a golfing context, isn't that actually a good thing? Don't you want something to be subpar? Odd.)
Anyway. I did not finish it. Which is highly uncommon. Then I ordered the chocolate gelato for dessert, which proved to be plain old chocolate ice cream, and it had that crystalline texture you get when you stick your ice cream in the door of the freezer and then proceed to open and close the freezer a number of times so it melts and refreezes and melts and refreezes and generally becomes gross. I was not impressed. -
Review from Scot K.
Lynnwood, WA
11/24/2009
I was in SF for business and was looking for a decent place for dinner. I love small intimate Italian restaurants and this was only a couple of blocks from the hotel.
I had the veal piccata with a spring greens salad.
I thought it was a small starter salad when I ordered it, but when it came it was served on a dinner plate. I loved the dressing, but the waitress should have mentioned the size.
The veal was excellent, with a balanced flavor of wine and lemon. My compliments to the chef! It was served with a wedge of very flavorful polenta and steamed veggies.
The only drawback was the limited selection of wine by the glass. Since I was by myself, there was no way I could drink a whole bottle for dinner then function the next day.
Price wise, it was moderate. I got out of there for $40, which was a great value for what I had.
If you are in the neighborhood, I would highly recommend it. -
Review from Daniel P.
San Mateo, CA
5/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Went here with the fam on vacation. We had been here once before and weren't too impressed. However, we were pleasantly surprised tonight. It was great! I had the linguini carbonara which was so great! We also ordered a bottle of red wine. The hostess was so kind! We will definitely be back when we come through SF again!
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Review from Maxine H.
2/20/2010 1 Check-in Here
Despite all the 1 star reviews, I actually really liked this place. Maybe I was just lucky :]
The boyfriend and I came here for our last dinner while in SF. We got there early so there were plenty of tables to choose from. Luckily we got a window seat overlooking Sutter. The menu was simple and to the point. I ordered the Ravioli Alla Fiorentino and the boyfriend ordered the Penne Alla Bolognese. Both were superb.
Service was amazing as well. The waitresses came by several times to refill water and our bread basket. Who could complain with service like this. Overall it was a great experience. -
Review from Chris B.
2/17/2009
So this is my first review even though I have been reading them forever.
We came here on Valentine's Day without a reservation around 9pm, but were seated within a few minutes. We were promptly greeted by this wonderful waitress, a beautiful blond who really knew how to give a fine dining experience. We ordered a half bottle of pinot grigio, I had the truffle gnocchi, and she had some kind of spinach ravioli.
We also ordered some garlic bread to start out with, and this is where Cesario's lost a star - they were out of garlic! They were out of garlic? Yes, an Italian restaurant that ran out of garlic. Even the aforementioned waitress was surprised by this fact.
So she brings out the wine and in true fine dining fashion, pours a taste in my glass for my approval, and then pours us both glasses. I love that. The food came out in a timely manner, and my gnocchi was delicious. Given I have never had gnocchi before, but I loved it. It was even missing the garlic so I could only imagine how much better it could have been. She enjoyed her ravioli dish, I tried a bite and it was pretty good but I loved mine so much more. We finished, and she tried her best to sell us on some dessert but we had to pass, drinking had to be done.
All in all it was rather expensive but I do suppose it is a tourist attraction more than a local spot. Would have been five stars if they had garlic. I guess we just were lucky to not have any of the horror stories I have read others experienced on here. -
Review from Jamie B.
Lee's Summit, MO
12/11/2010
Very surprised at how good this was. We expected "Olive Garden" type food but this was much better. The Pancetta Spinach salad was excellent as was the garlic break and Chicken Parmesan. Very quaint setting. We would suggest this to all our friends.
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Review from John L.
Moraga, CA
5/17/2011
Had lunch the other day; over-boiled pasta. Need I say more?
Their carbonara sauce was bland, and the pancetta flavor and aroma was completely flat. One of the worst Italian I've had recently. -
Review from Lily S.
10/28/2009
Oh ridiculousness.
We were starving when we arrived in SF, and our friend had dropped us off downtown so we could find sustenance.
And that sustenance came in the form of Cesario's. Yes yes yes, Italian goodness!
We ordered the eggplant parmesan (not the crappy fried breaded shit, but the real stuff) & the pollo alla piccatta. My friend Wendy ordered the truffle gnocchi and HOLY SHIT - everything was so. freaking. good.
And then we wandered over to Cantina afterwards (see review below).
YAY! -
Review from Sarcastic T.
San Francisco, CA
4/3/2007
We love stopping here after a nice exhausting workout on Sundays. The staff are very pleasant and the fact that they are actually OPEN during the 2-4 timeframe in the afternoon is worth one star (or more) to me!
The food is nothing to get too excited about - good quality but nothing that really makes it stand out from other Italian places in the city. The service and the hours are what brings it to the forefront. Prices are decent and fair for what they provide - portions are generous! -
Review from Sarah B.
Chicago, IL
8/11/2008
The food was good--I had a delicious pasta with a smoked chicken and white sauce. My mom had rack of lamb, also delicious. Creme brulee was just ok, and a bit cool/cold in the middle.
Wine prices and selection were decent but nothing to write home about.
With all this plus our prime window seat and relatively clean bathroom, this could have been a three-star, possibly four-star review.
But the service was just miserable. First, we waited ten minutes for a table to be cleared. Then we waited some more at the table for our server. Then we waited quite a while for our food (so much so that a table of two that sat down behind--and after--us was able to order drinks, entrees, pay and leave before we even got through our main courses). Then we waited to order coffee and dessert. And again, we waited for the bill.
I was meeting a friend after dinner, so my mom shooed me out the door. She waited another 15 minutes (what can I say? we're Midwesterners, we don't try to rock the boat) before getting up to ask the waitress for the bill. The waitress asked her where she was sitting. In hindsight, my mom thought she could have left and no one would have noticed.
keep in mind that this is a very small restaurant--about 4 booths, and 6 tables--so at most there can only be about 25-30 people dining here at one time.
Overall, the experience was not good. -
Review from Jeff W.
Seattle, WA
7/2/2008
In town for the weekend, we were able to escape a lot of the noise of Union Square and were seated right in the corner window seat. It was fun to people watch and enjoy some fine desserts.
We didn't have entrees, only wine and desserts, so I can't back up any of the other comments here. -
Review from Candida R.
Fair Oaks, CA
1/22/2009
I stay in the city on a weekly basis for work. I am always up to try a new place. I passed by here a few times on my nightly strolls and thought I would try it.
My coworker and I grabbed dinner here last night. The place is tiny and if you are rather round, slight uncomfortable. We tried the $30 four course meal. Comes with soup, salad, entree and dessert.
We both ordered wine, a fair selection if you are not a big wine drinker. Better than some other Italian place that have only Chianti. Okay prices on the wine, a good deal on half bottle I thought.
We both had the French Onion Soup. I thought the soup was good. The Caesar salads we both ordered were not that good. The lettuce was more yellow that green, the dressing nonexistent. Ick.
My friend order the Eggplant Parmesan. She really enjoyed it. She also love food at the Cheesecake Factory - so that is open to interpretation. I ordered the steak. I ordered it medium-rare. It came medium-rare, which is rare. The mashed potatoes tasted like they came from a box. The steamed vegetable were very tasty though. The steak as fine. I do not normally order steak out, my husband is an excellent grill-master. I wasn't in the mood for pasta. So, I give the steak a 3. Pretty decent for restaurant fare. No gristle and not fatty.
I have read the other reviews on the service. Our service was adorable. She was attentive, soft-spoken and cute as a button. The manager was there, looked a little anal but didn't seem grouchy to me.
Oh - and the dessert was fantastic.
I do prefer a more sophisticated class of food, but for good, earthy fare, the place was good and the service was great. I would eat here again. -
Review from Mamma B.
Oakland, CA
1/7/2010
Nothing fabulous...nothing horrible...odd service.
I have worked nearby for about 3 years and avoided this place due to the constant emptiness and mediocre reviews. But today, I was craving Italian! So I crossed my fingers and walked in. Completely empty & well past any possible lunch rush...eye longed for one of the big plush booths with a great window view. No luck! I was told that those were only for parties of 2-4 people, I looked around, glanced at my watch. No luck...she stuck to her guns and seated me at a tiny table for two. Aside from the booth thing--her service was excellent.
I ordered the polenta fritte and linguini carbonara. The bread was average-the same type they serve at nearby Persimmon & Piraat (sam owner/manager apparently) and the whipped "butter" was kinda nasty. The polenta was yummy though could have been a bit more golden and crispy. The pasta was good, full of bacon perfect for this bacon-lover. The to-go box/bag was, well, oddly cheap and ackward for a restaurant this nice. Lunch for under $20 with leftovers would almost make me wanna give an extra star...but then I start thinking of the booth thing! -
Review from Sam B.
Santa Rosa, CA
1/3/2011
The place was clean and tidy and all but service was horrendous. Waitress was pleasant but disorganized and slow. Took forever to get coffee then again forever to have order taken and forever again to get served. When food it finally arrived arrived it was edible but not great.
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Review from Debra G.
Benicia, CA
7/30/2011
I had lunch at Cesario's on 7-28-11. They open at 12 Noon and I was the first one there. I was promptly seated and given a menu, but it took another 10 minutes before my order was taken because 6 - 8 couples came in after that and the waiter seated each of them and gave them their menus before he came back to me. I had a Chicken, Pear, Gorgonzola salad which was good. I didn't like that it included tomato as the taste, in my opinion, doesn't go with the rest of the ingredients in that salad. I also had a side dish of angle hair pasta with pesto. I didn't think it was going to taste good because it was not very green in color (thinking not enough pesto) but surprisingly it was very good. It had a pesto-cheesey-garlic flavor as I recall. The server never brought my check so I got up and paid at 1 p.m. and walked back to the hotel next door. I was late for my class after having an hour for lunch and going to the restaurant next door. That was disappointing. The restaurant is located at the corner of Sutter and Mason next to the Marine's Memorial. I thought it was okay and would try it again.
