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Emmy's Spaghetti Shack
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
18 Virginia Ave(between Coleridge St & Mission St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Bernal Heights
(415) 206-2086
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 11:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Dive-y, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
980 reviews for Emmy's Spaghetti Shack
Review Highlights
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"the spaghetti and meatballs is sooooo tasty and yummy." In 545 reviews -
"The garlic bread is great as well, so is their dessert." In 91 reviews -
"I'd have a beer at the bar next door if I had to wait..." In 52 reviews
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- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
980 reviews in English
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Review from Megan P.
San Francisco, CA
5/22/2012
What do they put in that spaghetti and meatballs to make it so wonderful??
Yes, you can wait. It's worth it. Just go to the adjoining bar and wait it out.
One caesar salad, one garlic bread, one spaghetti and meatballs. This is plenty for 2 people. I'm embarrassed to say we never have anything else. But why mess with a good thing? :) -
Review from Parkson S.
San Francisco, CA
5/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Hole in the wall, just like how I like'em.
Spaghetti and Meatballs is a must! 3 meatballs and the portions were hefty. Marinara sauce was tasty, meatballs were good but could have more spice to them.
Ligunine with english peas and panchetta in cream sauce, good but too heavy.
Small order of garlic bread was ok, bread was too crunchy and thin.
The pulled pork risotto looked real good, might have to try that one next time.
I'd go back if I was in the area. -
Review from Jayne S.
San Francisco, CA
The spaghetti really is as good as everyone says it is. Very tasty but not too sour or salty like most other spaghettis are. It was the BFs dish but I kept digging in as it was delicious!
I had the Mac and Cheese and omg it was soooo good! It was served like a slice of cake with a pepper on top. I think this is my favorite Mac and cheese in the city considering the size and price.
I also had a blackberry mojito that was really strong.. I loved that it was strong but someone else might not appreciate the strong alcohol taste.
I would definitely come back here and the rating is more like 4.5 but the wait was a little long hence the non 5 star rating. -
Review from Sharon K.
San Francisco, CA
5/24/2012
I'm usually not a fan of spaghetti with marinara sauce but I came on a friend's recommendation. Since it was my first time and the place is called Emmy's Spaghetti Shack I had to order the spaghetti and meatballs. I also ordered a side of garlic bread but that was just okay, it was really crunchy.
overall it was delicious spaghetti and meatballs and huge portions! I would definitely go back again and if there's a long wait, head to the bar next door. -
Review from Bob K.
5/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great neighborhood place in Bernal/Outer Mission! I wish my neighborhood had this place!
You can just tell when you walk in that everyone here is nice. And then it gets better. Enjoyed a pirate cocktail with a salt 'n' pepper rim and some nice focaccia with olive oil & balsamic while wating. Garlic bread was pretty basic but hit the spot. Mixed green salad was fresh and lightly/nicely dressed with some crispy tart apple slices.
The spaghetti - it's just really good spaghetti!! And the enormous meatballs are savory, tender wonders. Excellent traditional sauce. We also tried a carbonara style dish - rich and delicious. Didn't have room for dessert...will have to exercise more restraint earlier in the meal to try.
Staff was super-friendly and genuinely happy to be there. That says a lot. We look forward to going back. Might actually make me think about moving to Bernal :-) -
Review from Vivian L.
San Francisco, CA
5/18/2012
Came here with some friends the other night. Had some garlic bread, spaghetti with meatballs and another pasta dish. The meatballs were ok, not the best I've had. I actually thought the meatballs were a bit salty for my taste. Service was great though!
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Review from Linda L.
San Francisco, CA
5/16/2012
A solid place! Small little place that looks pretty dive-y. When you look around at you start to notice the aprons or something hanging on a clothes line across the top of the restaurant or the hand written alkies on the chalk board.
Portions are quite large for my taste hence why i love doing family style here. I am not a huge fan of meatballs but the balls here are de-dumplie-umcious. The garlic bread was a hit with the boys. Caesar salad is good. The pulled pork risotto was very flavorful. The linguine with pancetta was so awesome. The rock cod stew piping hot. Should have passed on the steak. Meatball sandwich is always spot on. Mac and Cheese was ehh. Yeah we pretty much ordered everything off the menu.
The menu changes I think seasonally so there is always something new to try. -
Review from Annalise F.
San Francisco, CA
5/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
If I could give Emmy's a 3.5 rating, I would. Come on Yelp! Where are the half stars!???
An old co-worker of mine has raved about Emmy's forever. Two years later, I gathered up my boyfriend, and my father, and we headed across the city for dinner at Emmy's on Friday night.
Thanks to fellow Yelpers- we were aware that the wait could get long- super long. Either lady luck was on our side, or the other 800+ people that have reviewed this place are crazy- but we snagged the parking spot directly outside the front door, and were promptly seated at 6:21 p.m.
There are a few things you should know about Emmy's up front:
This is NOT Italian food. I've been to Italy, I'm Italian- I feel like I have the right to say this. To compare Emmy's spaghetti to oh say, a dish in Rome, is NOT OK. This is AMERICANIZED Italian food. Got it?
Secondly don't be scared off by the atmosphere. It totally reminds me of a sketchy tattoo parlor. Get over it and enjoy!
The menu, while short, is hand written, which makes it slightly difficult to read. No big deal, we managed, but the when we asked for clarification on a few things, the bus boy/host was less than friendly. He's part of the reason my review is not stellar.
Our server, on the other hand, was friendly and attentive. He also was GREAT at appeasing my less-than-easy-to-please father. Way to go you!
The salad can easily be shared by 3, and is yummy. The boyfriend and I split the spaghetti and it was PLENTY for two of us! It's definitely a good, hearty, flavorful meal, but did it knock my socks off?
We also ordered the garlic bread (meh- where's the spongy bread goodness? Why is this sliced sourdough?) and my dad ordered the linguini. It was good, but slightly bland.
In the event I ventured back to Bernal Heights, I'd go pay Emmy's a visit, but I don't think I'd travel across the city just for some of their spaghetti. -
Review from Chris H.
Hayward, CA
5/22/2012
Soooooo....what can I say.....you want some good eats, then come to The Shack. Me and my sister was so addicted, we were there at least 3x a week. The spaghetti and meatballs are great, seasoned just right! And Barry's Ceasar Salad is a must get!!! The fish and chips is by far the best I've ever had....no joke. It's a small cozy restaurant and their staff is great. Satisfied every time we go. Oh yeah, if you go around dinner hours ( 7ish - or later), you will run into a line of folks ready to get their eat on too.....they're that good that folks will stand in line and wait. I've done it because it's well worth it.
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Review from Melody T.
Updated - 4/20/2012
Upping my review to a solid 5 stars.
They have this new, awesome, iphone app that takes your resso and will text you when your table is ready. UM, wow. thank you..amazing. Go get some necessities at Safeway, aka shop while you wait!
Great service - everyone very friendly.
The spaghetti and meatballs + garlic bread are just ridiculously GOOD.
Also, spaghetti portion is big so 2 girls can easily split one + garlic bread and have a $20 bill.
Where is that even possible in SF these days? AMAZING.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/8/2011
YUMM YUMMM YUMM. Nom nom nom.
I almost never order spaghetti when I'm eating out. Why pay for… Read more »
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Review from Jon R.
San Francisco, CA
5/11/2012
Emmy's is my go to place when I want to eat a lot of awesome food. It is also one of those places where I have only tried one of the things on the menu. This is simply because the Spaghetti & Meatballs is soooo good that I haven't been able to bring myself to try anything else. Sure, some appetizers- and they have all rocked also. But, when it comes time for dinner, to order the entree itself, I just can't not order the best spaghetti & meatballs I've ever had.
Go try Emmy's if you haven't already. Let me know if you try anything else there better than their spaghetti & meatballs; for now, I'm not sure it exists. -
Review from Gino B.
San Francisco, CA
5/2/2012
Love love love this place!
Not too keen on the lines but its well worth the wait. Oh those garlicy meatballs...yum!!!
My only complaint is I am always trying to support small, local business and get them into my office for regular catering (once a month @ $1500 a pop) but I can never seem to get a call back or flexibility on menu choices for catering.
Emmy, you're awesome and your concept is brilliant but if you're interested in growing, please consider working out a lunch/catering portion of your business. People want your food and want to support you! its not that hard ..I'll even take on catering management for you!
xo -
Review from Allison S.
Manhattan, NY
4/6/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Been here a few times.
First, be ready to put your name in and wait. Go next door to the overpriced bar and work up your appetite with a few dark and stormies.
Second, be ready to eat. Portions are beyond generous. The garlic bread is delicious: buttery with lots of garlic. Like everything else here, it's clearly home-made. The wine is affordable, and decent.
I will admit: Emmy's made me ditch vegetarianism for a night. Their meatballs just looked too good, and after some hemming and hawing about whether or not my stomach could handle it, I ordered, and boy, I was *not* disappointed. Very well flavored, and perfectly cooked. Of course, their spaghetti is also fantastic, and the sauce is flavorful without being overwhelming.
Go for it! -
Review from Kevin W.
San Francisco, CA
4/13/2012
Usually, this place is off the charts.
Tonight however--their customer service was lacking. After walking in and waiting for five minutes with no acknowledgement from staff other than eye contact, a couple walks in, forcing me to move away from the door, and the host immediately approaches them to take their name for the wait list. I was disappointed to say the least. Usually when I'm here, the service is top-notch.
Double suck because I was really craving their spaghetti and meatballs.
Perhaps next time the service won't be so deplorable. -
Review from Brooke C.
San Francisco, CA
5/11/2012
On the outer edge of Mission, this quaint neighborhood restaurant serves up what I would call my comfort food. A chef myself, I am often disappointed at the "you get what you pay for" ratio, but not here! Made-from-scratch meatballs and perfectly cooked pasta fill my plate and belly each time I go here. I love the way you feel like you're in grandma's kitchen with the aprons hanging from the ceiling, a hint of Austin architecture with the corrugated aluminum on the walls, and the feel of Mission with the tattooed and friendly waitstaff. Definitely go here, it's worth the wait (especially if you grab a drink next door!)
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Review from Quail T.
Palm Springs, CA
4/12/2012
Emily's rocks.
Have a couple of cocktails in the bar next door while waiting for your table and then dive into the bliss that is Emily's. I don't know if it's the lighting or the outstanding pasta or great sauce, but there is something so comforting and uplifting about Emily's, it's one of the city's really great experiences. It's a neighborhood joint, which I find even more endearing.
Garlic bread, salads, pastas and entrees all done beyond the scope of expectation. -
Review from Spike S.
San Francisco, CA
4/7/2012
Finally showed up on a night when the line wasn't bad, so we waited for ten or fifteen minutes at the bar next door. I like their cell phone notification system.
The food was decent, especially for the price. Nice big meatballs in a good-sized plate of spaghetti. I make better ones at home, but these are pretty good. The salad was very good also, maybe a bit under-dressed, but otherwise fine.
The problem was the service.
Now I'm sympathetic to the demands put on restaurant workers at times. The single waitress was working the entire room, but dealing with it pretty well. The tall bald dude was greeting and seating, clearing tables, and doing a good job.
The problem came when I ordered a drink. I ordered right when the spaghetti arrived. The waitress took the order, but the bartender wasn't interested. He was chatting with customers, showing them specific bottles, and obviously having a good time doing something other than paying attention to the rest of the room. The waitress went over and said something to him and came back to let us know. He continued to talk, wandered over to the screen with the orders, stood there for a while and walked back to the bar. We finished the spaghetti (and we weren't eating fast) and I told the waitress to cancel the drink.
This is when it got really interesting. When she told the bartender, he didn't seem to care, just waved his hands a little, like "great, now I can talk more." I flagged down the tall bald dude, hoping he was the manager. He went and had a chat with the bartender, and offered a free drink. I told him we were done and that I didn't want a drink for desert. He reduced the bill. He does a good job.
However, if the pony-tailed guy is bartending, I recommend going to the bar next door, ordering enough drinks to last the whole meal, and carrying them in, which you can do. You will be able to enjoy a drink with what is a good meal. -
Review from Tom B.
San Francisco, CA
5/13/2012
Emmy's consistently provides excellent food, cocktails, and service.
From spaghetti and meat balls, to flat iron steak- Each of Chef Barry's seasonal menus is better than the previous one. I only wish that the pork ribs would stay on the menu year round!!!!!
Emmy and her staff are a sure bet!!! -
Review from Kelly K.
5/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Sometimes you want to enjoy a meal with friends in a more casual atmosphere. Emmy's booths are as welcoming as their waitstaff and the food is teriffic, and large! We enjoyed a trio of house cocktails, all delicious and unique. The bartender delivered them himself as we dug into a large order of yummy garlic bread. Next up was the little gem, green apple salad, which whetted our appetites for pasta. The spagetti was a fine plate of tomato based sauce and noodles topped with three enormous and delicious meat balls. The dino balls were like a fine meatloaf, some bread, meat , spices and garlic and onions. Two could easily share this plate. The pancetta with peas was a cream and parmesan bonanza, fabulous and unfortunately for me an offer to share was taken at face value. The linguine disappeared into the maw of my significant other. Oh well, less cholesterol for me. We arrived at 5:30 and found street parking and were immediately seated in a booth. Go early and eat lots! That's what we call a kimball party!
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Review from Anjali V.
San Francisco, CA
2/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
I didn't want to like this place. Really, I didn't.
The idea of paying someone to make me a bowl of pasta seems ludicrous especially if it's not the Delfina/Farina-type gourmet-so-freshly-made-it-melted-in-my-mouth kinda deal.
* Their menu is simple, short+sweet.
* Their interior is kitschy-cute & cosy w/ the obligatory clothes line & undergarments dangling overhead.
* Their wait time is horrendous & you can't make a reservation, but the 'El Amigo' bar next door was playing great 50's tunes & made a mean filthy martini.
* Their service was good & their food simple+amazing. Between 3 of us we had:
- spaghetti w/meatballs
- an alfredo sauce pasta dish
- bowl of bean soup
- bowl of potato leek soup
- large order of garlic bread
(& one person got a nice leftover lunch packet to take home).
The next time I'm not feeling particularly housewife-y, I'll be back in line at Emmy's...
...and so will you! -
Review from Autumn B.
San Francisco, CA
3/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
I came here with a friend last night. Actually, I met a friend here last night. The rule about the whole party needing to be present really irritated me. The site did mention it... but it also said to arrive early. I was waiting for a friend and almost didn't get a booth because I had to wait at the bar for her to get there.... Maybe they sell more cocktails this way since everyone at the bar seemed to order one? Who knows.
The food was good. I figured I should get the spaghetti since it is a "spaghetti shack." My friend got the cream sauce penne, which was much better than my spaghetti and meatballs. One thing I can say is that my portion was MUCH larger in comparison to hers.
The atmosphere is cool... there were lots of young families and lots of couples. It was a great atmosphere and I liked how cozy it was. Great wine and great customer service too.
I'll go with my husband next time and get the penne. -
Review from Jen W.
Wow. I am still full from the massive spaghetti and meatball meal I had last night...and I think I also devoured an entire romaine lettuce patch. No joke.
Wifey and I have been wanting to check emmy's out for awhile...grabbed the sister last night and headed towards bernal heights. The restaurant was really easy to miss...if you passed Safeway, you went too far! Haha.
Started off with their drink special of the day...a berry margarita. It was a super heavy pour...wow...a couple of sips and I was good to go. Thank goodness wifey and I shared it. Sister had the freshly squeezed lemonade...yum!!!
We ordered an arugula salad with pecans and blue cheese...pretty basic...we also ordered a Caesar salad. The Caesar was monstrous!!! I loved how the romaine was served as a whole leaf rather than being chopped up into pieces. Each leaf was dressed with dressing, cheese, and pepper. It was delish!!! I was pretty gosh darn full after the salad already but we had more to come!
We ordered garlic bread thinking 8 pieces would be 8 small slices...instead, enough bread came out to feed a large family. The bread was like an oversized yummy garlicky crouton. Mmmmm...perfect to slop into some of the spaghetti sauce!
Now onto the spaghetti and meatballs...it was perfect. Exactly how I like my plate of spaghetti to be...the way I describe it is...that there is a perfect amount of sauce to cover the noodles enough to make it dry...does that make sense? Well, it does in my head. Haha. 3 meatballs...3 huge meatballs were sitting on the bottom of the plate covered with the spaghetti...topped with cheese. The spaghetti was al dente...freakin delish...the portions were huge! I looked around and didn't see anyone finish their plate. It was just massive...
Sister ordered the meatball sandwich...nothing to write home about as the spaghetti stole the show. But I have to say that the fries were yummy!
Spaghetti and meatballs craving? Emmy's is the winner...$12 for a plate of goodness. I love the ambiance...it is really indeed a shack...and my go to place whenever i'm craving some uber yummy spaghetti! -
Review from Daniel L.
La Jolla, CA
3/5/2012
Drinks were good "i love ricky" and the bartender was awesome (Kate). Loved the Spag and Meatballs, garlic bread and the caesar salad.
While it a cozy setting it's a good one.
Im not a local but felt like one that night.
Cheers! -
Review from Cindy S.
San Francisco, CA
2/27/2012 2 Check-ins Here
This place is a charm! It has the whole grungy "shack" feeling down! While at the same time, it has a cozy warmth to the place. Lots of random art on the walls, the menu looks like someone just put it together in a 4th grade art class, the stereo system is always bumpin' good bass, and there is a hip bar next door! It's totally cute!
I've been coming to Emmy's for awhile now! Their spaghetti is FRESH. The sauce is fresh! That's what makes GOOD spaghetti! Given to you in a heaping twirled pile on a white plate, covered with parmesan cheese and basil. The sauce isn't watery..the way I like it! Their menu changes from season to season with special salads, soups, desserts etc. But of course, the spaghetti is always on the menu!
I don't go here on the weekends, as the weekends can be quite busy! One major bonus about this place is that they will still seat you even though they may be closing in 15-20minutes.. never have I felt rushed to eat or get outta there. Closes at 11pm? Perfect because I'm hungry at the time of the night..(especially after yoga).
I really appreciate this place because it is casual and you don't have to worry about it being a particular crowd. I really find this place to be romantic and intimate as well. Go on a date here on a weekday night... sit in one of the booths...notice the twinkling lights along the wall... all the wines written in chalk on a board above the kitchen... and slurp on some home made spaghetti together!
Bon Appetite!! -
Review from Henry Joe P.
San Francisco, CA
4/26/2012
Consistently AWESOME.
We've been going here for years. Since my son was about 2 years old. This place never lets us down.
Families: get here at 5:30 right when it opens. There's no wait, and usually a number of other families there, too. Staff is great with families, we've never gotten any attitude at all for bringing the little guy.
The staff in general is very low key and nice. No hipster pretense here whatsoever.
The food is always great. I'd love to comment about all the other things on the menu, but honestly the spaghetti and meatballs is so good it's hard NOT to order it. The few times I have strayed from the spaghetti were very good. Skirt steak. Meatball sammich. Various pastas and appetizers. But 9 outta 10 times I'm getting the spaghetti and meatballs and not regretting one bite of it! -
Review from Alison F.
Civic Center/Tenderloin, San Francisco, CA
4/10/2012
This place is great if you want to eat pasta and look cool. It's also fabulous for those who love waiting hours for a table with hordes of hipsters and tolerating an uberly obnoxious Italian bartender... all for a plate of overpriced, overrated pasta. Seriously? I don't get it. There is much better and more authentic Italian food to be found elsewhere in the city. Don't waste your time here.
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Review from Michelle M.
San Francisco, CA
2/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
LOVE LOVE LOVE Emmy's. This place is so awesome that it's our anniversary spot. Their food is always consistently yummy. Emmy has a simple menu...everything on it is really good. Of course their specialty is the spaghetti and meatballs. The meatballs are the size of tennis balls! I always order a side of extra sauce too.
The decor matches the over-all theme. They serve great food at reasonable prices....awesome combo for SF. Only downside is the wait...they do not take reservations so my suggestion is to go early or when the rush ends. -
Review from Joy A.
12/29/2011 3 photos
Emmy's Spaghetti Shack is truly one-of-a-kind!!
Ambiance:
The website portrays Emmy as a free spirit, and her resto shack perfectly reflects that. What other resto combines an eclectic & artisticly designed menu, leopard print tables, a laundry line of clothes dangling right above us, hip-hop music playing in the background, & random chinese take-out boxes used for leftovers?
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Libations:
Drop Kick Lemonade vs. Orange Blossom Martini. Hands down, the martini was the winner! (One more round, please?!)
Starters:
The beet & goat cheese salad and bruschetta topped w/ mozzarella & sun-dried basil tomato were good. I was hoping for heirloom or regular tomatoes instead of the sun-dried basil though.
Entrees:
*Spaghetti w/ Meatballs. Our waiter didn't lie when he said the portions were big. Imagine two deliciously steaming chunks of meatballs kerplunked ever-so-nicely on a bed piled high of spaghetti noodles. Observed, this dish was a costumer fave.
*Fettuccine w/ spicy italian sausages. It was served w/ roasted cauliflower, parmesan cream, & topped w/ bread crumbs. This was my personal fave! I loved the crisp in each bite-sized cauliflower, the crunch in the bread crumbs, & the spice in each italian sausage.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Bottom Line:
Fine Emmy, you got yourself another repeat customer! I am so glad I came and will definitely come back again.
Tips:
*No reservations, so come early or prepare to wait!
*Parking- street parking (free) on Virginia St. or metered parking (bring quarters) on Mission St.
*Order the Orange Blossom Martini to start & the Fettucini w/ Spicy Italian Sausage as your entree.Listed in: Hole In The Wall Eateries
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Review from Andrea c.
4/5/2012
dude, my mouth is watering just thinking about this place.
fiancee and i went here with another couple and legit feasted. like roll me out of this place thanksgiving style feasted.
there was quite a long wait on a saturday night (just over an hour), so we planted ourselves at the bar next door and had a few drinks. before we knew it, our table was ready, we were buzzed and ready to eat! we split some garlic bread to start (it might have been dripping in butter, but boy was it good) and when our meals arrived, we devoured them.
clearly, the spaghetti is the standout here. it's amazing. the meatballs are moist, mouthwatering and meatbally (yep, but you know what i mean, right?). the house made marinara is perfect. however, i'm pretty confident i was full for about 3 days after our meal with these portions- they were ridiculous. and this isn't exactly light fare- it sits heavy in your stomach. but everything on the menu is so good, though! you can't help but to overeat. emmy's has a fun atmosphere- fun, warm and inviting. a solid go-to for delicious comfort food and a ginormous meal with leftovers for a week to come! -
Review from Mandy H.
San Francisco, CA
2/23/2012
I like the ambiance and the idea of the place - simple menu with only a dozen items, casual beach/highway shack decor, tattooed hipsters at your service. The enormous size and decent price compensate for the mediocrity of the food.
Word of caution: the margaritas are STRONG. -
Review from Quinn S.
1/17/2012
Unimpressive for all the hype, and I understand having a small menu if you are going to change it up frequently, but why are there only four items on the menu if they are always the same?
My steak was overdone; medium rare shouldn't be beige in the middle. The spaghetti and meatballs were fine but way overpriced for the quality. I really liked the alfredo and the Caesar salad was decent.
The service was friendly and the atmosphere was great, plus I really appreciate the staff calling us from El Amigo and letting you bring your drinks over. -
Review from Amy L.
1/9/2012
Emmy's is an unfortunate triumph of hipster-y style over substance. I left disappointed and don't plan on coming back.
We sat down and followed our waiter's recommendations to order the signature spaghetti and meatballs, along with the squash gratin appetizer and cod entree. The waiter warned us the kitchen was running slow, and then proceeded to ignore us for the next 40 minutes. (We did manage to order drinks directly from the bartender, who helpfully let me taste a couple of different wines before deciding.)
When the food did finally arrive, it was...disappointing. The blue cheese on top of the squash gratin really didn't mesh with the assertive allspice kick at all, and the squash was more roasted than gratineed - really missing that textural contrast between the crunchy topping and creamy interior that's the signature of a good gratin.
Also disappointing were the spaghetti and meatballs. The meatballs seemed to be all beef, instead of a more tender and unctuous beef/pork or beef/veal mixture and the sauce lacked a vibrant tomato flavor (I diagnose too much tomato paste). The cod was the best part of the meal, but even that was overcooked.
All in all, nothing I couldn't have made better myself, and in less time than it took them to feed us.Listed in: Bernalicious
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Review from G R.
San Francisco, CA
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is all hype. It's always a long wait to get in (staff is rude) - and once you do sit down you look over the menu and it's not all that. Come on, $10 bucks for a bowl of spaghetti? But after an hour wait (for two of us) and imbibing several martini's next door (the only upside of the wait), we were finally seated. We ordered the spaghetti with meatballs (with extra meatballs), we also split a salad and the bruchetta. The total was pricy for quality of the food. The noodles were soggy so the sauce was watery - the noodles we a bit mushy too - the meatballs were fine.
It was worth a stop just to check out they hype. I may go back; I am not saying I never will - but if fellow diners want to go I won't object. -
Review from Kathy V.
12/16/2011 2 photos
Literally a shack, as I walked in the first thing I noticed was the roofing from inside and a laundry line of clothes that went across the room of tank tops and sleeping attire wired with Halloween eye ball lights. Weird decor? but hey it's their restaurant. The shack started to get packed after we were seated, I happened to noticed their menu which was a messy work of art, with bright colors and scribble scrabble hand writing which made your eyes hurt LOL ....back to the food, ordered the beet salad, bruschetta, spaghetti with meatballs and their fettuccini w/Italian sausage.
Results: Beet salad-nothing special -fresh greens with chunks of beets drizzled with vinaigrette dressing.
Bruschetta- Ahem I didn't like it. Dried non fresh tomatoes onto of a thick piece of French bread with a big amount of mozzarella.
Spaghetti w/GIANT meatball- Average, I ate 3 bites and onto the fettuccini with Italian sausage-The highlight of my night besides my alcoholic beverage. Portion sizes are huge, and good for sharing. Too bad they change the menu every season, so they didn't have most of the pictures I saw on yelp =( -
Review from Lani N.
San Francisco, CA
1/15/2012
We've been dying to go here, and finally, we made it!!!
Small seasonal menus keep food delicious and priced well. It's cute and funky inside, hand-written menus, aprons strung across the restaurant, booths along two walls. Service was great. Food was delicious comfort food, portions are huge.
Garlic bread: buttered with herbs and garlic, crispy toasted. Not smothered in cheese, but buttery, garlic-y and perfect.
Barry's Caesar Salad: 3 of us shared this, it was HUGE. Dressed perfectly, with super crisp Romaine. It's a great salad to share between 2-4 people.
Spaghetti and Meatballs: Someone in another review mentioned the "meat boulders" which made me laugh... and then we saw the meatballs, they're HUGE. I really enjoyed the tomatoe-y sauce. The meatballs were delish too. A meatier-style meatball, it didn't seem to have a lot of bread inside if any.
Fettucine with Spicy Italian Sausage, Roasted Cauliflower, Parmesan Cream Sauce, topped with Herbed Bread Crumbs: really, really yummy. The cauliflower and spicy sausage balanced the richness of the dish. The bread crumbs were added some crunch. Yum.
Doughnut: So good. So good. So good.
Orange Blossom Martini: very nice. Not too sweet, citrusy and clean.
The High Roller: super nice. We could smell the vanilla, we could taste the lemon.
There were 3 of us: we ordered a small garlic bread and Caesar salad to share, 2 spaghetti and meatballs, one fettucine, and the doughnut to share. We went home with half of the fettucine and a whole order of spaghetti and meatballs, which is fine if you like leftovers (which we do).
The only thing: it was way too loud for us inside. I've worked at restaurants for years and years, including ones that always have the music too loud (the result is that I'm a little hard of hearing, I swear, and it was still too loud for me in there!!!). Maybe it was just that night? At any rate, we found ourselves leaning across the table and yelling a bit. If the volume of the music could go down a bit, I think that it would have made a unique and special experience the perfect experience. -
Review from Susy C.
12/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
If your wait is over 10-15 minutes, don't bother.
This place is so over hyped!!!!!
My wait was only 15 minutes or so because the couple in front of me got skipped. Why? The chick's boyfriend was still circling around looking for parking. You will not get seated unless your entire party is present, sorry!
People write that it's a hipster joint. Yeah, so? I don't care.
The food.
So of course you order spaghetti at a spaghetti shack. I opted for spaghetti & meatballs since people rave about it.
My friend also ordered the risotto.
The risotto was good, spaghetti - eh.
I don't know how people are willing to wait an hour+ for mediocre spaghetti.
I think I'll stick to making my own. I mean, if there's no wait (which is almost unheard of here) then it's do able but by no means is it worth the wait. It's okay spaghetti but not worth waiting for..
Does this mean my hipster card is revoked? -
Review from Chris T.
San Francisco, CA
12/29/2011
My kind of restaurant! Divey, affordable with surprising dishes!
Don't let the word "shack" turn you away. This cozy, colorful restaurant has some serious flavor. It's dark and easily ignored, which made my dining experience a bonus. I had no real expectations for Emmy's... who really makes spaghetti the key selling dish nowadays? With a town dishing out homemade, rustic oxtail ragus, beef cheek ravioli, and uni fetticcuni one would think spaghetti n meatballs was "blah-sé".
But I've always thought the key to a successful restaurant is the signature dish. One (or two) dishes that is always on the menu because it is the top favorite. Not just in that restaurant but in town! And people will keep coming back over and over again for that one signature dish. Emmy's could possibly have the best spaghetti and meatballs in SF. Three good sized meatballs with a heaping mound of pasta. Sweet, tangy marinara sauce and a handful of parm cheese. Simple, but perfected.
On top of that they make a surprisingly good spicy prawn risotto. I found it interesting that they used ginger instead of some chili to make it spicy. Rich n creamy n cheesy... the way a risotto should be.
Also, I'd pay for their table foccacia. Good buttery, olive oil flavor. Divine. -
Review from Jeremy G.
3/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
I wanted to love Emmy's. I found the interior of the place to be so charming with all the crazy writing on the menus and the aprons hanging from the ceiling. I found the menu to be rather small, but I figured that maybe they just do everything really well. I chose the meatball sandwich because I was told the meatballs are to die for. For $14 I can three times as much food elsewhere and it would taste pretty comparable. The fries that came with sandwich were pretty tasteless and scanty in quantity. The sandwich itself was fine and fell apart as all meatball sandwiches do, but I had a hard time equating the price with the quality of the flavor. As much as this is an adorable spot, I don't feel like paying at least $4 more for the privilege to eat in it's kitsch.
-
Review from Natalie G.
San Francisco, CA
1/19/2012
5 stars for the food! I tried a couple dishes and the spaghetti and meatballs were a favorite. They taste homemade and delicious. I loved the fish and chips even more than I thought I would. It came out piping hot, fried to perfection and the fries were really done right as well. I could have used more fries, but no biggie.
Minus one star for them messing up our credit cards at the end of the meal. How hard is it to split the bill? I got home and was charged twice. They told me I was declined (UGH) and then ran another card of mine, only to be changed once on each card.
Besides that, the service was friendly and the drinks were strong! -
Review from athena h.
San Francisco, CA
12/19/2011
I loved every part!
The atmosphere was of course the first thing I noticed, some say it is considered a "hipster" joint not sure where the hell they get that!
Far from it! I would say more of a combination of alternative/rockabilly/skater punk, definitely my kind of place! I came here based on the good reviews my husband read but after seeing the most recent reviews it is obviously not the sort of place for uptight yuppies!
The wait was long but well worth it, the staff was friendly and polite, they suggested we wait in the bar which mostly serves hard liquor ( no wine) but the bartender knows how to make a mean margarita!
The food was excellent! No dried bread sticks or bland french bread here, they gave a generous helping of delicious focaccia with a side of dipping oil.
I had ordered the flat iron steak, (comes with a fried egg on top but optional umm yuck no thanks!) The flavor of the steak was amazing, a prime cut and very fresh!
My hubby ordered the spaghetti and meatballs or should I say "meatboulders", so gooood!
There was more then enough food on just one order to share with another!
And there prices were fair! I will be coming back, but best to make a reservation first next time!
FYI I have noticed when a restaurant has a long wait it usually means the food is damn good!
