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Golden Boy Pizza
Category: Restaurants Pizza Pizza [Edit]
542 Green St(between Bannam Pl & Jasper Pl)
San Francisco, CA 94133
Neighborhood: North Beach/Telegraph Hill
(415) 982-9738
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11:30 am - 11:30 pm
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 2 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Dive-y, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
1129 reviews for Golden Boy Pizza
Review Highlights
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1129 reviews in English
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Review from Melody C.
San Francisco, CA
drunk or sober, sleepy or awake, golden boy pizza is the shit. after a night of crazy partying i will stop here, eat a slice, sober up and then walk home. on a sunny afternoon i will grab a slice and eat it in the park. when friends are in town i will take them here.
my personal favorite is the combination. pepperoni is a bit too greasy for my tastes. even though the clam and garlic pizza is delicious, i shy away from it because it has the worst aftertaste and you burp up garlic-infused air for the next 6 hours. no thank you. -
Review from Andrzrej K.
Brooklyn, NY
Planning a trip back to west coast and Im thinking- "yea, what was that slice I dogged out there late nite, stuff was good, why cant you pump gas in Oregon, it had a big neon finger, multi variable calculus, good cheese and tasty spices"
So I search yelp and YES, got it! This place is great, very happy to find a tasty, unique slice on the West Coast. After treading through the rest of the state to find a regular pizzeria with a good slice, figures that it takes me to Joe D's hometown to find it. -
Review from Michelle P.
San Francisco, CA
Golden Boy, how could you?
You were a late-night snack staple of my life when I was in college. After hitting the bars in North Beach my friends and I would wonder over for a thick, yummy slice and recount the evenings antics.
Last Saturday night I convinced my boyfriend (who already despises North Beach anyways) to go for Golden Boy Pizza before going home. I was nostalgic. We'd been out late at 83 Proof (Best Bar Ever, btw), and nothing was open in the area.
Golden Boy, we even took a TAXI to come see you.
We waited in line, patiently.
Then we saw your employees nearly assault a customer. He was behind us, in line, when the woman who was working slammed the door, shutting us all out. We didn't know why she had closed the door, or if she intended on doing window service (she had not opened the window at that point.) The guy behind us asked if we knew what the deal was, and when we didn't, he stuck his head in the door (as another customer was leaving) to ask. We heard her yell at him and slam the door, on his FINGERS. He yelled and flailed, and they told him to get lost. He walked away (after yelling and cursing at them, as anyone would do, right?)
Incredible. But wait...there is more.
We continued to wait for pizza, and when we got to the window, a very drunk, very sloppy woman pushed passed us to get to the window. We told her that she couldn't cut, the EMPLOYEES of Golden Boy gestured her over to the door, opened it, and let her in! I guess it's ok for them to treat anyone else with contempt, but their drunk, rude friend was allowed inside.
But still, I waited. When I got to the front of the line, I tried to explain what had happened to the guy who got his fingers smashed. They totally dismissed me, saying that he was "out of control."
So this is what I learned, Golden Boy. Your employees are jerks. They are unprofessional and rude and will assault your customers, but will gladly let their sloppy drunk friends disturb everyone else.
Never EVER again. Pizza's not that good anyways. -
Review from Eric B.
It's Hip To Be Square!
In the case of Golden Boy Pizza, the slices are square, thick, and full of fluffy and well-balanced goodness that nicely compliments a cold IPA. My home State of Iowa also serves square pizza, albeit in small pieces over the entire round thin crust pie.
I stopped in last night before a Gogobot party of which I was advised to eat before as not to be part of a food scrum directed at the promised light bites. That sort of advice is solid, although this time around there was no scrum and plenty of Golden Boy Pizza was available at the Party!. So in 20-20 hindsight, maybe I could have skipped my stop here at this quiet stretch of North Beach. However and as with the Party, hanging out and enjoying the diverse clientele was well worth the price of admission. -
Review from Yumi H.
Fremont, CA
3.5 STARS. If you're in the area late at night and want to get your pizza on, this is a good place to grab a slice. The Sicilian type of pizza reminds me of school lunches... and also of working in the cafeteria so I could get a free lunch everyday. Sorry it just made me think of my traumatic child/adolescent hood. The interior back-bar seemed kinda shady-looking, which reminds me of the past too!
If you enjoy square-shaped and soft pizza, definitely swing by! -
Review from Erica S.
Walnut Creek, CA
So good! It's pretty rare to find pizza this delicious in slice form. The crust is definitely the best part (and I'm usually a thin crust fan). I only wish there were more seating inside...and an east bay location!
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Review from Ursula U.
The BF raved about this pizza for so long that when my daughter and I finally tried it - it was OK. I mean we weren't blown away are anything.
Our favorite pizza place is Settebello in Henderson, NV. (where we live)
Anyhow, I wouldn't say that we wouldn't patronize Golden Boy cause I would- I'd try other pizza with different toppings - maybe the other toppings would add to my flavor bar. We just got a cheese for me and a cheese and pepperoni for my daughter.
I think it was about $3.50 to $4.50 per square (no slices here) and you can always get it heated up.
Now, the BF on the other hand is a huge Golden Boy fan and I believe will be one till the day he enters SF 49er Heaven.
*** Small place with a line outside (in SF that means almost always in the cold) and you can't help but notice that the bar is completly covered in random stickers of or about everything & anything.....*** -
Review from Roy N.
What night or day of barhopping in North Beach would be complete without at least one stop at Golden Boy, either at the end or along the way. Hot, heavenly slices with plenty of toppings on square foccaccia bread (rumored to be from Liguria bakery!), it is the perfect complement to fun, alcohol-fueled, good times!
My good friend treated me here at the end of the night and I had a slice of the clam & garlic and a slice of pepperoni & sausage. Delicious as always and the girl working behind the counter, Laurie from Fresno, was so friendly and sweet. This was the final stop of the evening, stop #7. The perfect ending to a most fun evening of drinking in North Beach.Listed in: Foodie Finds!
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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10/15/2009
Popped into Gino & Carlo's (bar) late yesterday afternoon. Said hi to some friends, had a couple… Read more »
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10/15/2009
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Review from John M.
It's easy to find great slices that are different from Golden Boy but hard to find great slices that are better.
I celebrate the differences, but more importantly, I celebrate the descent of a pepperoni pizza slice into my belly. -
Review from Shirleyanne Z.
San Francisco, CA
Hit or miss. Sometimes they make the pizzas really savory and there are a few times when the taste of the bread fell flat. I think the dough/bread makes or breaks a pizza. Sometimes also, there's not enough topping so I feel like I'm just eating flavored bread. I'm not sure whether the times I thought their pizzas were really good was because I was extremely drunk....but it seems to frequently happen that way. I love it when I luck out and get a slice that was really new. You could tell if it's a brand new pizza when the bread is very fluffy and the meat toppings are still juicy.
Usually if you go later in the evening, when the drunk monkeys are stumbling out of the bars, the line is obnoxiously long and there's nowhere to sit inside. When the line is really long, I try to avoid this place because in my opinion it is definitely not worth the wait. If you don't mind standing in the cold to satisfy your drunken munchies, it is worth a try. Well....at least once. -
Review from Brett L.
Oakland, CA
I went to Golden Boy for the first time Saturday night, but *NEVER AGAIN* after seeing how their employees treat their customers. We saw them assault one of the customers! Read on for the details...
We got to Golden Boy somewhat late (around 1:20 a.m.), so there was quite a line. My girlfriend assured me that the line would move quickly, so we decided to stay. After waiting for 15 - 20 minutes, we were almost at the front of the line when an employee suddenly shut the door and put cardboard over the window of the door. No explanation, nothing. I figured they might be switching over to window service, but I really wasn't sure. The guy behind us was a little confused, so he tried to pop his head in and ask as a customer was exiting. The employees yelled at him, and one of the female employees slammed the door shut *on his fingers*. When he tried to tell them what they had done, one of the other employees rudely pointed for him to leave. Talk about adding insult to injury!
I understand that they have to deal with a bunch of drunken idiots every night, but this guy was being respectful. We had been talking to him earlier in line, and he certainly was not one of the many obnoxious drunks we experienced while waiting. But regardless of the situation, it is NEVER ok to assault someone (yes, that is assault, my friends). I didn't get a chance to talk to him after that (he was so angry, he stormed off), so I have no idea if they broke one of his fingers or not. If they did, I hope he sues their asses.
When it was finally our turn in line, my girlfriend tried to talk to the employees to tell them that they had really injured the guy. They couldn't have cared less and started arguing with her. At that point, we simply left and vowed never to return. I cannot and will not support a business that treats people so poorly. So if the owner is reading this--you need to fire those employees. -
Review from Kenneth Y.
San Francisco, CA
This place is like Golden like the store name says. yummmmmmmmy. super delicious pizza.
I didn't know this place existed until one of my coworkers took me and after one bite. my head exploded like a warhead candy. Wow super good. This place always gets busy and once you are in the aroma of pizza will make you crave for more like a drug.
They have bar seating and usually have a game on the flat screen so you can enjoy pizza and watch the game.
Their pizza is square and smaller than your average slice of pizza; don't share because you can't resist wanting more.
Overall, this stuff is super duper good.
**parking**
will suck since it's on green between Columbus and grant street. Lots of bars left and right and it's always pack. Park farther away and walk is my best bet, but if you brave enough u might be able find parking around golden boy.
***CASH ONLY*** -
Review from Benjamin K.
San Francisco, CA
The fact that this is so highly rated makes me really pessimistic that there's actually good pizza in SF. Sorry, I'm from the Northeast where there's no excuse for bad pizza. I know there's tons of East Coast transplants here so I still have some hope that something either exists already or finally will someday.
That said, this place isn't bad, so long as theres no line, and there always is. -
Review from Johanna M.
Alameda, CA
Delicious-oney!
Golden Boy Pizza is an excellent option for those who want to spend $4-$6 dollars on a solid piece of pizza. I have gone to three *strictly* pizza joints in North Beach and as of now, GBP is my favsies.
Don't laugh, but my friends always laugh at me for eating pizza with a fork and knife. I don't know where I picked-up the habit, but the good news is..Golden Boy's pizza is PERFECT for us fork/knife users. The crust is a crispy, sourdough parcel that balances well with a sweeter tomato sauce; add your choice of fresh ingredients and be prepared, it's hot!
The staff is always super friendly and upbeat. And oddly enough, I find the eating area (or feeding troff) super festive and moderately comfortable, which is a bonus for a small pizza place.
GO if...you are on a budget, in North Beach, not on a diet, want something quick, and/or beer buzzed.
ENJOY! -
Review from Anri T.
San Diego, CA
One of the best slices I've ever had!!!!!
What makes their pizza addicting is their crazy good dough, in my opinion. Itt flufiness and flavor are just heavenly. Just thinking of it right now makes my mouth watery...
My husband's fave is Garlic clam. Mine is combination. Both are much try and cost only $3.75 a slice. -
Review from Nique F.
The clam and garlic pizza is many a magical thing: it's the perfect soaker-upper of booze, the ideal tool for sabotaging your Paleo diet, a sure-fire way to prevent smooching and/or close-talking, and the best $3.75 you'll spend in North Beach (except perhaps for a cup-o-gelato).
The crust is fluffy and foccacia-like with a crispy edge, a perfectly moderate amount of sauce and cheese, and then...the potent sprinkling of clams and garlic. It's like biting into a savory, odoriferous cloud of carboliciousness.
Seriously, when you're friends insist on interrupting your pub crawl to wait in the seemingly eternal line for a square slice of Golden Boy grub, follow them. And then, stop at the corner store for some breath mints, gum, and toothpaste. They may be able to put a dent in that clammy-garlic aroma you'll be living with for the next 2 days.Listed in: Frugal & Fab, Late Night Grubbin', Pizza Love
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Review from Ayall S.
San Francisco, CA
Good pizza place in North Beach.
I don't think it lives up to most reviews, but place is good for late night pizza slices and definitely hits the spot. -
Review from Daniel D.
San Mateo, CA
Hands down the best pizza place in on the planet. If this joint was a woman she would have me wrapped around her finger for life!
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Review from Joyce H.
BEST. AFTER PARTYING PIZZA. EVER.
I don't care what you say, New York pizzerias, I will stay loyal to Golden Boy's. Thick crispy crust, melty gooey cheese, oil dripping everywhere, delicious toppings...the smell enough while waiting in line is enough to make me go crazy. Slices are huge too!
Only minus is that there's always a line and you have to wait out in the cold :( But even then, the sacrifice is WORTH IT! :) -
Review from Stacey L.
San Francisco, CA
If you ever get the munchies in the North Beach area then you'll most likely end up Golden Boy Pizza. Their lines are out the door , so expect a 5-10 min wait. Eat-in or take-out.
6" by 6" Pizza slices:
Cheese $2.75
Pepperoni or Sausage $3.25
Clam/Garlic $3.75
Pesto/Vegetarian $3.75
Combination $3.75 -
Review from Paolo V.
Emeryville, CA
This is my favorite pizza by the slice place (in SF). If you ever get the craving for just a solid slice of pizza, this is it....definitely it! The slices here are made well. Nice and greasy too! I like how the slices come in squares, I even like the nice checkered to go paper wrap your order comes in. They're of good size, and well priced too! Open late night!
Man, I can do a slice right about now! I'm fiending for that oh so cheesy goodness!
Paolo says: Perfect for late night drunken munchies!! 5 slices of what ever please!! -
Review from Lexie S.
San Francisco, CA
Pizza by the slice?
Definitely stop in after you see the pizza in the window calling you.
They have a large assortment of pizza, a selection of beer too. Its very casual so leave your black tie and evening gown at home.
The times I have been here, I find that its good for grabbing a barstool and pouring on some red pepper flakes, washing it down with a beer OR getting something to walk around North Beach and munch on while out on a stroll through San Francisco' Little Italy.
They do have a large selection if you are going for meatless pizza. -
Review from Lilian T.
San Francisco, CA
1 Star for a really great pizza
1 Star for the right amount of ingredients--got the one with all the toppings and it wasn't too overwhelming with ingredients just the perfect amount.
1 Star for the bottom of the pizza--nice and crunchy but not hard or burnt--just a nice crunch to it.
1 Star for the cool stickers to look at while you're eating your pizza
1 Star for customer service and price.
I have to say I'm pretty picky with pizza because it's hard to stand out but Golden Boy Pizza has done that. There's just something about the atmosphere, nice warm pizza, and beer that makes you feel relaxed. Worth a try esp. for the price. -
Review from Jay P.
San Francisco, CA
I stopped by Golden Boy Pizza with a friend the other weekend. We were craving a simple snack, and I was definitely not disappointed. In fact, I've already returned! As another review already mentioned, the Garlic Clam/Clam Garlic slice was delicious. The pizza slices are fresh, the ingredients are of high quality and the setting is unique. I also appreciate the small squares. It reminds me of how a lot of thin-crust pizzas are cut in Chicago (the rare moments when you don't opt for the deep-dish.) The bar style is a nice touch in North Beach on a busy night as well. The prices are not ridiculously expensive, unless you consider a few dollars to be highway robbery. The service here is also efficient and friendly.
I asked a strange tourist if I should tip or not. He looked at me with glazed eyes and muttered "Yuuuuuuh." Was that a yes? That can give you an indication of the clientele. However, if you do stroll in here with your Financial District suit on, no one will really care. So as I was leaving, I dropped in a bit of change because I thought that we definitely got what we paid for. -
Review from Jess H.
San Francisco, CA
Love. Love. Love. Dammit. Love. So. Good.
Still the best pizza. And, still the best pizza by the slice. All of it. Lunch or late night; it's a delight.
Hot pizza, cold beer and rock 'n roll perfection.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/10/2008
Best damn pizza this side of the Mississippi.
This place is all about the combo slice, a cold beer… Read more »
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12/10/2008
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Review from Stephen R.
Alameda, CA
One of the best slices of pie in the city. The line and seating situation can be challenging, but seems to be worth the hassle. Cool ambiance and I have it on good authority that NYC-pizza-elitists approve of this place.
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Review from Christine L.
San Jose, CA
I openly admit I am NOT a pizza fan, especially after smelling 5-dollar pepperoni pizza's from Little Caesar's every week for a YEAR (lil bro was obsessed)...
BUT GOLDEN BOY PIZZA, YOU HAVE CHANGED ME.
I never heard of this place before the Yelp Drink&Hunt event which led us to the bar next door, and since I was done drinking, I wandered outside to admire those beautiful crisp pizza squares in the window.
Remember that song about the little doggy in the window? I don't want a dog. I want Golden Boy Pizza. Right about now. I haven't even tried anything other than their combo and I want more. More more more! -
Review from Andrew D.
Fremont, CA
Real quick!
While I'm on the topic of awesome pizza. Golden Boy Pizza is arguably the best pizza I've ever had............past 2a and before 9a that is.
Who says square pizza doesn't taste as good triangular. While we were stationary at Gino and Carlo during the hunt, I had and cube of the veggie and an Italian sausage and olives. I was actually satified after the first one, but I was "forced" to costume the second quadrilateral since we were running low on time and struggling to decode the next clue. Finally, after much belligerence and debauchery, we were off to the next node.
As for the Golden Boy, I made it back here during SantaCon two days later to try the fabled clam and garlic pizza. UHHhhhhh, SO GOOD! Anti-breath freshingly fantastic!! It was definitely worth the wait in a huge line of Xmas revelers and tipsy reindeer! -
Review from Kaitlyn A.
Los Angeles, CA
I meant it when I answered the yelp "last meal on earth" question as Golden Boy Pizza. This place serves up perfection on the daily. I love the veggie and supreme (polar opposites, yes) the most. Fresh, garlic tinged veggies and the best round sausage balls. Crispy and chewy crust- on the thicker side. It should be mentioned they serve Sicilian style rectangular pizza, rather than the traditional round pies. Stepping inside, the overwhelming feeling of true SF pride comes over me. Sometimes I have to hold back tears- of joy and ecstasy!
Most always, there's a line congregating outside, but you'll notice it moves very quickly. The staff here is amazing, nothing but the best of what SF has to offer. Order, they toss your slices in the piping hot oven, and then in mere moments- voila, heaven awaits. Love it!
Not too much standing or sitting room, BUT if you want to really bask in the glory that is North Beach/Little Italy- take a quick walk over to Washington Square Park in front of Sts. Peter and Paul Church and have yourself a glorious picnic or romantic moonlit dinner. Ta-DA!
Thank me later. -
Review from Jane A.
THE AROMA GRABS YOU AND SUCKS YAH IN.. like a vaccum
(3.75 stars)
When you think North Beach, you think little Italy. When you think little Italy, you think food. When you think of food you think of fancy italian restaurants or pizza?! I've been to North Beach to those fancy Italian restaurants on dates years ago. WHY, JUST, WHY couldn't a guy woo me with a slice of golden boy pizza. I'd actually be satisfied. So yummy.
- Food, yummy
- Price, affordable
- Service, quick
- Ambiance, small
Friends and I use to hang out around the area Sunday evenings and I've always passed this place everytime I've circled the streets 500 times looking for gosh darn street parking. But it never dawned on me to GO IN AND EAT A SQUARE. After many years of seeing it, I finally came in. Was hanging out with some Elite Yelpers and playing the Drink & Hunt game around North Beach, our 2nd bar was next doors and instead of consuming alcohol on an elite discount price - some of us walked next door to eat instead.
HEFFER-STYLE STATUS.
Cheese ($2.95) - kept it simple. was hoping to try the clam one because i love clam pizza but it wasn't out on display. First time ever having this pizza and saw that it wasn't slices they were serving, they were squares. It was greasy, it was cheesy and gooie, the crust had a crunch. IT WAS DELICIOUS.
Will I be back? Yes. I dont think I can ever walk by this place without getting a square.
Until the next review.... -
Review from Kevin L.
It's all about the clam and garlic pizza! A big luscious Sicilian square of cheese oozing over bits of clam and misc. herbs. The crust is quite thick, but since it's all so fresh and piping hot, it's super fluffy soft. Also tried the combination slice. Not quite as special, but still a solid slice o' pizza.
Always a line, but it moves pretty quickly. -
Review from Joel V.
Who doesn't love GOLDEN BOY after a few drinks?? Golden Boy Pizza is right in the heart of North Beach in SF. It is easy to recognize as a giant red neon finger points down at the window. It is a by the slice type spot, with a line out the door on popular party nights in the city.
You walk up and they have 5 or 6 pizzas in the window, cooked in a square sheet. Slices are $3.25, and square and are about 5"x5". They are good when you are sober, and they are downright scrumptious when you are three sheets into the wind.
4.25 stars!Listed in: Best Pizza
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Review from Stella L.
San Francisco, CA
Golden Boy pizza is the definitive place to go for pizza in North Beach!
I decided to try this place after reading all of the positive reviews and was NOT disappointed. Thank you Yelpers!
There's something about that wonderfully golden foccacia crust that gets me every time. Thank goodness they don't post the calorie counts of their slices. My personal favorite is the hot-out-of-the-oven pepperoni but really, everything they have is delicious. Makes for a cheap tasty dinner after a long day at work.
Even though I'll be moving out of North Beach soon, I know I'll be coming back for my Golden Boy fix! -
Review from Nho H.
Came here a couple times already and couldn't be more happy with it! The clam & garlic pizza is my favorite. So much garlic with a slight hint of clam gets me jumping all inside. The dough is the perfect combination of bread and crunch. I don't know how else to explain it but SO GOOD! Perfecto!
Each time I've gone here has been either before or after the rush. If you are considering eating here, I would try to strategize the timing since the joint resembles a small alley with bar stools.
And all the times I've been here, I was sober so its the real deal ;) -
Review from Stephanie F.
San Francisco, CA
Soooo worth it!
Make the trip to North Beach for this pizza or stumble in on a bar crawl. If you're anywhere near it, the smells will lure you in.
It's a low-key pizza place with a pretty decent beer selection and plenty of wall graffiti to zone out at whilst devouring slice by slice. -
Review from Rat a tat R.
San Francisco, CA
LOVE this place! I never thought I'd find deep dish pizza as good as I experienced growing up in Chicago. Then I discovered Golden Boy Pizza. For ridiculously inexpensive prices, you can try out a variety of flavors, from the standard (cheese) to the more unusual (oysters). The line can get long, but the wait is worth it. And theyre open late!
I'm not in North Beach often, regrettably, but when I am the day is not complete without a stop at Golden Boy.Listed in: Bay Area Delicious Cheap Food
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Review from Jackie S.
Cute and delicious square pizzas. My husband and I ordered: 2 pesto vegetarian, 2 clams, and 1 combo. The pesto was good, but lacked some oomph compared to the other pizzas. Definitely come back for the clam pizza. Lots of clams, garlic, and parsley. YUM! My breath still tastes like garlic. My husband said the combo pizza was pretty good.
Total cost: $18.75. Cash only place. ATM is located in the back of the restaurant. -
Review from Margaret R.
San Francisco, CA
I really don't understand the hype. The pizza is decent...it's not amazing. People who rave about this place must come only when they are drunk.
I like to ask for the pizza to be extra crispy, which means they just put it in the oven for a bit longer. -
Review from Molly M.
Washington D.C., DC
Dear Golden Boy,
Landed in SF last night at 11 on Thursday. Hit North Beach at 12 and was very hungry. I got some of the very last slices and you were delicious.
I Came to watch the Bills at the North Star on Saturday, and someone brought some Golden Boy, and you were delicious.
I love you. When I visit San Francisco, I come to visit you. If you were in DC I would have to buy bigger clothes
Love,
Molly -
Review from Justin C.
Tasty late night pizza. This place was toward the end of Tony C.'s pub crawl and it was much needed. After a dozen or so drinks, I was famished and needed to get my munchies on.
This place hit the spot. After a five minute wait of staring at the beautiful rectangular pizza slices, I stepped inside and snagged a couple delectable treats.
I scarfed the pizza down with the quickness. Ooey gooey cheese and fresh toppings adorned the slightly crispy crust.
Bomb dot com.Listed in: Cheap Eats, Late night eats, Golf Pub Crawl, Little slice of heaven
