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Krivaar Cafe & Catering - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants Greek Restaurants Mediterranean Greek, Mediterranean [Edit]
475 Pine St(between Belden Pl & Kearny St)
San Francisco, CA 94104
Neighborhood: Financial District
(415) 781-0894
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
96 reviews for Krivaar Cafe & Catering
Review Highlights
"The Babaghanouj and hummus were both excellent."
(in 48 reviews)
"6.99 for a HUGE gyro plate with TONS on it."
(in 21 reviews)
"They stuff that pita bread full."
(in 11 reviews)
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96 reviews in English
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Review from Elle B.
Oakland, CA
4/22/2011
I was quite sad to see this gem go. I walked past by and it was gone without a warning.....poof......
Hopefully we will meet again Koko along with your wonderful gyro plate, hummus and bountiful hospitality.......
Just don't wait too long....FIDI needs some good, genuine and affordable eats where the gyro is not microwaved putty as in other places... -
Review from Hayley W.
3/30/2011
OH SADNESS! Krivaar is closing tomorrow. The owner, however, is looking for a new establishment... So keep on googling them in the coming months.
What a loss! -
Review from Nelson W.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 4/15/2011
Closed. RIP
This was a wonderful place for many many years. Casual with excellent food. The people that worked at Krivaar were always nice and helpful.
I can recall several conversations with different people behind the counter here more than a few really wonderful lunches here besides all of the take out I've had here.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/9/2007
I've been going to this place on and off for 15 years. The service is good, the place is very… Read more »
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Review from Marti L.
8/6/2010 1 photo
I think we're all in agreement when I say most places now serve their gyros in lavash bread instead of pita bread. I do like the use of lavash bread since it provides a bigger portion of food. However, I'm not a big fan of this burrito-looking object mushing and wilting the meat and vegetable.
Then one day, Miss Karen Y and I decided to venture to Krivaar Café and both opted for the lamb gyro. As we watched them make our food, our jaws dropped. Instead of piling everything on the lavash bread, the lady stuffed a layer of food inside the bread. Then proceeded to pile on the rest of the ingredients and finish with some tahini sauce. Rolled it up and the result was a gyro bigger than the size of our forearm.
It was beautiful. Loosely wrapped so the ingredients are visible. Lady-like, Karen worked her gyro with a fork and knife while I picked it up and ate it like a drumstick. Really enjoyed being able to taste the crispness of the vegetables. The lamb was baked into a meatloaf then sliced into pieces. Soft and fluffy! Yum! Very filling too! We both couldn't finish it.
Best of all, $5.50 before tax! =)Listed in: Hole-in-the-Wall & Cheap Eats
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Review from Carla S.
San Francisco, CA
8/8/2011
I cannot believe this place closed. This had to be one of the best little Greek places downtown (if only). They had the best hummus, rice pudding, and oatmeal. It's sad to see this place gone. I hope you re-open somewhere soon Coco. You were a true gem in SF.
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Review from Adrienne g.
San Francisco, CA
7/22/2009
My mgr raves about Krivaar's falafel so had to give it a try. Outcome? This place is A-OK
Falafel was a bit dry but tasty; Tahini sauce was mild & I prefer a spicier Tahini but it was flavorful. I still think California Golden Cookie's falafel ranks as my #1but this is a good alternative
What I really enjoyed was their Cheese Triangle - feta baked up in a good old phyllo - it was a good size pastry & they use lots of feta which always scores points w/ me
Prices are phenomenally decent & this makes me an instant fan - add that to the super-nice staff & I'll be a repeat customer for sure
Next time, I'll definitely be sure to try the Pita & Hummus plate since lots of raves about the hummusListed in: F-A-LAF-ELS Rock!
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Review from Valeria R.
San Francisco, CA
8/7/2008
I used to get takeout from Krivaar frequently until I jumped on the Baladie ship a few years ago and kind of forgot about it. Then Ryan D mentioned it in a talk thread earlier this week and I realized I was long overdue for a visit to the flirty man who runs the place.
Unfortunately, Mr. Flirty Owner Guy wasn't there today. I found consolation in an insanely huge gyro plate. When I popped open my takeout container, I immediately knew why I had heard 2 other people order it in rapid succession in the few minutes I was there. We're talking: blackeyed pea/zucchini/carrot salad, potato salad, lavash sandwich, babaganouj, hummus, tabbouleh, a big dollop of rich sour cream, a decent amount of gyro meat and a pita and a half for $8.
Ahh, the hummus...the hummus was so, so good. Definitely worth buying by the pint if you like it smooth-style.
Sidenotes: My lunch companion pointed out that the non-divided takeout container caused the various components to collide, and we agreed that the gyro meat was not quite as good as Ayola's and Baladie's around the corner.
I was amused by the mini-garage sale arranged against one wall. A mish-mash of used blenders, peppermills, cookbooks and kitchen gadgets, plus bottles of wine and olive oil. A homey touch.
I'll be back soon for a pint or two of hummus and some of those tasty-looking dolmas. -
Review from Ryan G.
San Francisco, CA
1/31/2008
Easily one of the best places to get lunch if you are working downtown in the FiDi, playing tourist in China Town or Nob Hill or just need a fix of some good Greek food. Krivaar while a bit hidden is a cinch to find. Right before Belden Lane, a typical deli A sign frame pointed to the small cafe.
Please do not walk by, you surely will miss a great meal. Better than that of the nearby McDonald's or anything taking up space on Belden. Even better, is the lunch time options are very affordable. The Wowee or Gyro plate comes to about $7 and change. Which includes a lot of good food. Gyros, their famous hummus, pita, bean salad and potato salad smothered in a great deep, rich topping.
Plenty of room to sit in this cafe, grab one of the errant newspapers and enjoy your food. Recommend the Gyro by itself and a side of humus and pita as a safe bet. Place is vegetarian friendly. Owners will make you feel like part of the family. -
Review from Michael S.
San Francisco, CA
5/22/2008 5 photos
I like happy people. I like fake smiles from unhappy people. I like feta cheese. These are the things that hold me together in life. I didn't get any of these things.
This place was decent, I really wasn't sold on how awesome it was from the other reviews. I probably wouldn't walk the distance to get to this place again in the near future.
The lady making the food didn't seem to be very happy with me since I can't eat yogurt. She had to make another gyro platter for me (again thank you).
The gyro meat wasn't very fresh, it felt like it had been heating since the night before.
I didn't get any olives with platter either, just a lot of potatoes and what looked like fava beans (http://en.wikipedia.or...). -
Review from matthew r.
San Francisco, CA
2/27/2009
I have nothing funny to write about Krivaar. This is not a laughing matter.
Today at lunch, I paid 8 bucks for a Gyro plate and received in exchange enough food for two people, probably. All of it was excellent.
The lamb was tender and seasoned well, and they're generous with the tzatziki.
The Babaghanouj and hummus were both excellent. I don't think I can eat trader joes hummus anymore.
I don't like tabouleh but I like their tabouleh.
The vegetable wrap thing and even the strange yellow beans that came on the side were good.
My only complaint was that putting the pita bread underneath the hummus and babaghanouj made it get soggy pretty quickly. The fact that they give you and extra piece of pita bread after the plate is assembled suggests that they've anticipated the problem and have a good reason for doing it this way.
I'm not joking around here. Go to Krivaar and get a gyro plate. This is serious. -
Review from Jack S.
San Francisco, CA
5/29/2008
This is a story. You might think, judging from the context, that it's a story about Krivar. And you wouldn't be wrong. But really, it's a story about humanity. It's a story of hope and desire. But it's also a story of disappointment and loss.
This is the story of Mike S.
Mike S. recently decided that we needed to try a new place everyday for lunch. That wass all well and good -- I appreciate diversity for lunch (see my Mehfil review: http://www.yelp.com/bi...), but there were a few problems. First and foremost is the fact that he'd been working here a lot longer than I have, so places that I wanted to try weren't new to him. Second, he's lazy (or, more generously, has a really nerdy engineer's obsession with efficiency) and so didn't want to try anything too far away or that makes you wait too long, further limiting the options.
Working within these constraints, it was hard to find new places, but we did find Krivaar. Coincidentally, it was next door to Best 'O' Burger, the previous new lunch stop we tried, although we didn't realize this till we got there. Best 'O' Burger was mediocre. The burden of success for the workweek, of success for the whole idea of trying new places everyday, lay with Krivaar.
You could tell Mike really wanted to like the place. He took pictures to post on Yelp. He smiled about the "People love us on Yelp" mailer they had posted. He commented on the cool vibe. He didn't mention the borderline-long walk (despite having complained about the exact same walk the day before for Best 'O' Burger). He announced, on his first bite, "Verdict on the hummus is good." He even went so far as to say, "See? We found a new good lunch place!" as if I had tried to convince him to never eat anywhere but Snack Depot, Mehfil, or Fat Dog ever again.
I wanted Mike to like the place too. I had tried to order a chicken platter, but they were out of chicken, which kind of ruled out my second-place order of chicken sandwich as well. I ended up going with the smoked salmon wrap, in the spirit of trying something new for lunch. Something about combination the marinade and the smoking seemed a little off to me, but I decided to write it off to being new. It retrospect, the salmon had just been lying there a little long. Fish, of course, really needs to be fresh to be tasty. Even Wahoo's gets that. But this was a Greek place. Judge it by the lamb and hummus, right? And this was Mike's mission. If Mike liked the place, I'd be damned if I were going to ruin it for him.
But something happened as we finished our meal. Mike stop talking about how the food was good. He started talking about how the lady at the counter seemed hella pissed when he told her he didn't want yogurt sauce. Then, devastation. The absolute final straw.
He wrote a 2-star review on yelp.Listed in: Lunch at the Yelp HQ
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Review from Marsha Z.
San Francisco, CA
10/19/2006
Their falafel sandwich was not very appetizing, especially compared to Tomato & Basil and Baladie around the corner. The lettuce reeked of kitchen smell. There's seating indoors, but the place is so small, you may as well be eating on top of each other...which, might not be so bad, depending on who you're with...
The prices are decent--I'll give 'em that--and they seem like nice folks. There's plenty of sides and plates to choose from, but I probably won't be running back try them out any time soon. I'd give them another star if there weren't other options in the area. Unfortunately for them, there are.Listed in: The Requisite FiDi Lunch List
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Review from David A.
2/11/2010
This is more of a quick take out lunch place than anything else although they do have a few tables in the back.
Krivaar is one of a multitude of Greek/Mediterranean options in a 2 block radius. What is doesn't have in quality, it has in quantity - they like to pile on the food. You won't be hungry after you finish their portions.
Note that Krivaar does not accept credit cards so bring cash. -
Review from Kerry P.
Updated - 8/19/2008
Holy Price Increase Batman!
Out of Eggplant? Out of vegetarian sandwiches?
Dock -emListed in: I Would Be Richer if I Brought…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/3/2007
God this place rocks. I had to throw together an impromptu luncheon for work and they rallied for… Read more »
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Review from Megan L.
San Francisco, CA
11/20/2008
This place is great! It's got such a great family feeling and its perfect to eat in or take out! I had the gyro, which was so good, the meat was perfectly cooked and the yogurt was such a great compliment to it!!!! I like how they are selling all these random things in the store. They have a nice variety of beverages but will gladly give you a cup of water. Every one who came in and employees knew each other by name, that makes me think ever higher of them because you know they care about their customers.
Ill be back, so many other things to try!!!! -
Review from Fannie S.
12/2/2009
Gyro plate for under $8.00?! *w00t!*
Gyro plate = lamb, bean salad, babaganoush, potato salad, yogurt sauce, etc. Oh, pita! And I did not finish it...it's enough for two people! Great flavors. And healthy. *drool* I'm eyeballing the leftovers....
Very friendly service! I love the guy, and I'm willing to spend a few more lunch meals here. lol Cash only!
I'll be back. :D -
Review from James C.
San Francisco, CA
11/18/2009
I always get the lamb gyro here and even though the pita does indeed fall apart, it's still so good! I end up eating the last third in fragments, getting yogurt sauce all over my fingers, but I don't care! It's so good! There are generous portions of savory lamb, along with vegetables that make me feel healthy. What's really good is if you add jalapenos and carrots to it, which gives it a nice kick.
What stands out to me about this place is that it's always empty when I go, and I go during the lunch hour! I hope the business is doing well though, because I'd hate to lost it as a lunch spot.
Another cool thing about this spot is that the owner is very warm and friendly! Sort of in contrast to the dude at Baladie, who seems to just want to get people in and out. He's not really a man of pleasantries. -
Review from Doctor L.
Palo Alto, CA
11/25/2008
Pastrami + hummus = GENIUS!
That's known as the Chief's Special, and I'll admit that it's the only thing I order here, because where the hell else can you get a pastrami & hummus sandwich? This was one of the first places I came back to eat lunch when I started working in this neighborhood again.
The owner here is very friendly and seems to work 365 days/year. I also love how they sell all kinds of random bulk groceries out front for $1 or so (ie: bag of squash, gallon of olive oil, etc.) -
Review from Jonas T.
San Francisco, CA
3/21/2008 1 photo
Cheap, big portions, good. Delicious hummus.
JONASAPPROVED! -
Review from Lisa M.
San Francisco, CA
4/5/2007 1 photo
I really liked their Chief's Special sandwich - hot pastrami in pita with hummus, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and peppers ($4.99).
I love pastrami. And I love hummus. Especially the super tasty and creamy hummus at Krivarr. So I was in a happy daze while munching on this sandwich in my office.
Go for the hummus. Seriously.
(See accompanying photo.) -
Review from susan c.
Orinda, CA
5/3/2011
Krivaar was my go to lunch spot for many many years and am very sad to see that it has closed. Great wowwee plates, sandwiches, salads... and their fruit/veggies outside. It has been so reliable for so long, it's sad to see it closed.
I'd pick up a wowwee plate and a bag of ripe tomatoes for less than $9.
Everything on their menu was great but my fave was hummus and babaganoush.
If anybody hears of their new restaurant/deli, pls report back! -
Review from Carol K.
11/19/2009
Came for: gyro to go
Will come back for: gyro, krivaar sandwiches, and random farmers market offerings
As other reviewers indicate, this is a mom and pop cafe with the homey feel. Ok, not much frill to their dishes and the interior seems like things haven't been touched in a while. Yet, there is clearly a strong following, including yours truly who comes back at least once a week, especially when I've been tied up on calls and need a fill.
The jolly owner makes me smile with his ear-to-ear grin and his personable questions about my line of work. And yes, I agree that the other folks who prepare the food lack seem to lack the smile muscle. But, in my experience, their attentiveness to my request for "no onions but extra cucumbers" and in providing generous portions indicate that they are not apathetic as some reviews suggest.
I've been very happy with their warm lamb-filled gyro to try any of their other dishes, but perhaps one of these days I will. -
Review from AhLin C.
San Francisco, CA
4/11/2008
Portion is filling enough for lunch. They stuff that pita bread full! and it's only $5.00. Prices are super decent for the FiDi. The cheese turnover was quite excellent.
I think i'll be back for more!
FYI: if you don't like cilantro, remember to tell them b/c it doesn't say on the menu that it has cilantro in their wraps. -
Review from SF Luncher z.
San Francisco, CA
4/4/2008
I got the Gyro plate for $6.99 and the lady behind the counter was not playing around; she went through buckets containing the hummus, bean, potato salad, heat up my gyro, then went back and pile on some more hummus. I felt like I was stealing from the owner, underpaying for my privilege to enjoy this Greek feast.
See a video of the place @ http://sf-lunch.com/20... -
Review from Katelyn W.
San Francisco, CA
4/16/2009
Although the food is GREAT, I have to give them one star for lousy service!
I work for an organization based in Union Square and we have used Krivaar for catering for two events. Both times the food showed up more than half an hour late, even after being quite specific when placing our order (days in advance) the second time. They assured us that our food would be here at noon, and here it is, 12:30 and I have a board room full of executives with low blood sugar. Thanks a lot, Krivaar!
The falafel's great though. -
Review from Kathleen M.
San Jose, CA
10/23/2006
I think I got arroz con pollo here once. Boy that was a mistake. I can tell I'm running out of restaurants to review when I choose one I ate at once in 2000.
Dan Leone of the SF Guardian's Cheap Eats column likes this place so you can guess that this place is pretty suck-tastic. Of course I'm basing that on my misguided arroz con pollo order in a Mediterranean restaurant.Listed in: Eating for Cheap in the FiDi:…, Middle…
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Review from Jessica P.
Emeryville, CA
5/28/2006
Krivaar is so good. HUGE portions of food for a very good price. A little hole in the wall gem in the financial district. I've catered office lunches with them as well and taken unsuspecting vendors to this little Greek haunt for yummy gyros and spinach or cheese pockets.
KoKo the owner is always smiling and happy to see you. He's like the Santa Claus of shwarma. -
Review from Cory D.
1/23/2009
Me: Hello, I'm allergic to onions, do you have any suggestions on what to order?
Her: huh?
Me: Hi, uh does your salad have onions in it? Can you take them out if so?
Her: Oh, yes it's good. No, no onion it's good.
Me: Okay, I'll have that please, with no onions of coarse. Thanks.
Her: ... (silence)
I got it, and it was starting to rain like crazy so I raced back to the office. I opened it up and it was covered in onions. Covered! :-( I'd take it back, but it's pouring rain. $10 vs getting soaked...I might as well just stay hungry. Plus...I never got a receipt so I had no proof. Hey, that's weird to begin with, I just now thought of that.
Dang it!!!! Now I'm sad...and hungry, and upset, and blah... -
Review from Jessica B.
San Francisco, CA
7/16/2008
I think this place is great. After reading the review of Ms. Sage R, I had to run over there and check it out.
For $5.50 you get a falafel sandwich wrapped in pita, with falafel (of course), hummus, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, peppers, hot sauce (optional) and tahini. It was a ton of food, and all of it was fresh and tasty. And yet, I wasn't totally stuffed or food coma-y after eating it all.
I will definitely come here more often! Oh yeah, and they have vegan cookies for sale too. I will definitely check those out next time I'm in. -
Review from Rebecca S.
San Francisco, CA
3/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
The hummus and house-made pita chips WERE def yummus. SO SAD to see them go. Bye bye Krivaar. The oldest Greek restaurant in SF. I'll miss the smiley round-faced man and his father.
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Review from Leopold B.
San Francisco, CA
4/12/2011
I love this place. Greek food at its best. Amazing services always with a smile. Love the Gyro plate. Wish the place was little more updated.
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Review from daniel m.
San Francisco, CA
7/14/2009
Well, more than the food, the atmosphere of Krivaar is top notch. I like the food OK. It's not something I would ever seek out, though I really do love falafel. However, the atmosphere of Krivaar can't be beat. Maybe it's just that I am a sucker for family owned businesses? Maybe I just like places that sell the most random knick knacks around. Or it's just that places that make you feel like home-where the owner knows exactly what you want when you walk in and even starts making it before you have a chance to order. Maybe that's all I want in a place.
Anyway, Krivaar has all of that. And the food isn't bad either. It's not the best in my opinion, but it'll do. Especially seeing how it's located in an area with the most bland and tasteless offerings around (at least for the price). Beats Subway or Specialty's or whatever else is around, that's for sure. -
Review from Patricia H.
CA
7/28/2006
Update 11/20/07
I just had a gyro sandwich from there, and it was so disappointing. Dry lamb, dry pita that wasn't heated up, no hummos, no anything - just served dry with lettuce, tomatoes and onions.
Taking off two stars.
Krivaar is wonderful, and so is KoKo and the lady with the kerchief on her head - I forget her name. I always like to get one of the combo plates - dolmas, spinach thingies, tabouli - mmmmmm.....they also have the BEST rice pudding ever, just the thing for a hangover. And I love Koko's father, who sits out front selling bags o' things for a buck - mushrooms - avocados - fruit - all for a dollar. -
Review from Judy L.
San Francisco, CA
3/30/2007
At times I wonder what they sell at Krivaar besides breakfast and lunch. On the curbside, I'll see fruit to buy, then the next day, there will be onions, then sweet potatoes... then an old pair of shoes. Random.
The prices are cheap. The portions are not huge. I really do love their pistachio desserts. -
Review from Emily C.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 6/15/2010
They made a GREAT decision and switched they compostable paperish to go box to an earth friendly recyclable to go box!! Now I no longer have to worry about all the wonderful goodness leaking through the box, through the paper bag, and onto my clothing! YES!!
As always, I got the gyros platter (why not? so cheap and so good), and this time the food was even better than last! The gyros was very nicely browned on the outside and all the other stuff was very fresh!! Mmmm...
I love this place! And it's such a great excuse for me to ride a fun cable car back to my work.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/13/2010
I am mostly Chinese. I work in Chinatown. I get tired of Chinese food.
I craved Mediterranean… Read more »
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Review from Tiara N.
San Francisco, CA
10/31/2007
I am pleased to add to my list of reviews a POSITIVE one!
I really am not that picky of a girl, but when it comes to hummus and falafel, I am quasi-militant about where it comes from and who made it.
I started going to Krivaar on my way to work every day for a side of hummus and pita. It wasn't long before the woman who works there (see her everyday, maybe an owner?) suggested I try a little tabbouleh with it. Also freakin' fabulous.
Once they had gained my hummus/tabbouleh trust, I moved on up to the falafel. Though I'm not thrilled that it is pre-made and then microwaved, it still tastes pretty good.
I have to give Krivaar 5 stars partially because of the hummus, but also because they are so darn nice! They are a nice part of my morning routine that I look forward to every day. And now I must go get some hummus... -
Review from Owen G.
Palo Alto, CA
7/30/2008
I love this place. Coco (the proprietor) still recognized me even though I hadn't been in there since 2003 when I worked downtown before. His eagle eye is always on the quality of the food. Even though I get the sense that some of the other family members here are a little less than enthusiastic, it's still a cool family run biz. Usually now I just get a couple tubs of hummus, tabouleh or baba ganouche (all of which are excellent and reasonably priced), a pack of pita bread and off I go. However, the prepared plates that I've tried here are all excellent as well. There are also frequent sales and specials on good foods, wines and implements. A great place!
Oh, and for all you folks calling it Greek, Middle Eastern, or whatever.....apostates! Krivaar serves good Armenian food. :-)
Seriously though...
Didja ever notice how everyone from the Greeks to the Turks to the Armenians to the Palestinians claims to have invented hummous? Not that I blame them...wonderful stuff. I'd like to take credit myself ... If I were Mediterranean I would! -
Review from Larry J.
San Francisco, CA
9/3/2008
I love the place!
The only thing I miss about my last job (which I hated) was that it was across the street from Krivaar Cafe.
I love their lamb gyros!
Their gyros are on par with the one's I've ate in Greece.
They are so full of flavor, moist and just an all around treat eating their gyros.
What is best is their prices!
I like the down to earth and cozy atmosphere of Krivaar Cafe as well. This is a down to earth ma & pa establishment and the people there are always friendly to me.
I have never had any problems with their service.
Now I have seen some stuck up, pretentious, prima donna customers demanding if they had (insert latest diet fad) on their menu.
Those kinds of folks were not given good service and they shouldn't have.
Greek food is very meat oriented so don't expect a large selection of vegetarian dishes. This is a place for those that like to grub on some real good food and not get hungry 30 minutes later.
Krivaar Cafe ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -
Review from J T.
San Francisco, CA
3/4/2009
Krivaar is SOLID if you are craving for Mediterranean food.
I had a hard time finding this place -- it's really easy to miss but know that it's next to the belden alley on pine street. it's narrow inside but when you walk towards the back, there are tables for you to sit & eat.
I don't normally like hummus but the hummus here was DELICIOUS.
Get the Gyro Plate and split it with someone -- $8 for a HUGE heaping of food that can fill 2 people. :O
The food was extremely satisfying! Thanks Krivaar. :) -
Review from Maximillian M.
San Francisco, CA
8/12/2010
The falafel I had was dry and bland, the spinach roll nothing special. But the hummus is outstanding!
