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Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Western Addition/NOPAMon-Sun. 6:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.
"Blue Light is your neighborhood bar, that offers a comfortable vibe, with a straight talking tap that will always put you at ease. I enjoy…" read more »
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Went here on a last minute whim. We were able to get right in and sat at the bar. The food was excellent, a little pricy though. As we sat down they presented us with a snack from the chef which was excellent. We shared a salad and the flatbread. It was perfect for a light dinner. The sommelier recommended the perfect Oregon Pinot Nior for us too.
Definitely would go back. If you're on a budget sharing a few things is the way to go!
I wish there were more restaurants like NOPA--large and expansive--second level dining in San Francisco--which is almost rare as a dodo. I can only think of fewer than a half a dozen.
There is a certain ambiance that comes from a warm environment, great service, a delightful menu and very well edited wine list. I went early and enjoyed the snack menu--a swordfish nibble. Then came a simple burger--pickled red onions, a spicy aioli and perfectly crisped fires. And within easy reach was a beautiful flake sea salt. An very thoughtful touch. I also had the grilled broccoli, lemon, breadcrumb and anchovies--perfectly prepared--this is a dish that many restaurants over cook.
I had a Portuguese wine (Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca) with generous acid and supple tannins--well suited for food. And I had a glass of Mendocino Charbono which by the glass is almost never seen let alone poured.
The service is good and could be excellent but watching the server to table ratio made the service a bit more challenged. Though the table assignments were high the server was friendly and attentive and listened to what I needed in almost symphonic fashion.
I wanted a dessert but could eat no more. I was delighted to see a Sopaipilla on the dessert menu--a rarity in Bay Area. There were six desserts on the menu and was impressed by the kitchen that could produce this nightly.
NOPA is a great San Francisco experience.
Outstanding. Excellent value. Perfect balance of high end restaurant with relaxed service.
Got there on a busy Thursday, prepared for a wait. Wasn't disappointed in that regard. We were told about 45 minutes to an hour. Kind of a stinger, but considering we just spent 20 minutes looking for parking, not much of a problem.
Pulled up to the bar and got drinks for the crew...g&t for the wife, Ron Zacapa neat for me, Syrah for Turbo. Even though they were slammed, there was no hint of pissy-bartender-syndrome going on. Poured my Zacapa with a heavy hand, almost like a little attaboy for not making him muddle a mojito or ruining such fine Guatemalan nectar with any fillers. Cheers to the barkeep!
Still not disappointed with the wait, but you cant fault the restaurant for that, now can you? Sat at the communal table, ordered another round, and BS'd with the locals. Table came up presently and off we went.
Suffice it to say, everything was excellent, and quite reasonably priced. Apps, entrees, and 1 drink each for three people was only $120. Way to go Nopa. We'll be back!
I have wanted to come here since it opened. It's nice to have a nice restaurant right in my 'hood. Last night, I got the chance for my birthday.
We started with drinks at the bar. The drinks were good, but service was slow. We waited 10 minutes to get the bartender's attention and another 10 for our drinks. But as I said, the drinks were good -- we had the blood & sand and the pisco sour.
We were seated upstairs, which is nice because there's a better view and it's less noisy. However, it got pretty hot up there, and it probably didn't help that we were right above the kitchen. At one point I had to step outside for some air because it was really warm in there.
We started with the bacon flatbread, which was really great. A little greasy for my taste but I guess that's what happens when you have bacon and melted cheese.
I had the pork chop and my wife had the tagliatelle. Both were excellent, but I think the pork chop was the best. It was not transcendent, but it was solid and very yummy.
The service was decent, the food was good. This place is solid and I'd happily come back.
Definitely a SF must. Every time I eat here I feel like I'm eating an artistically crafted, perfectly tasting creation. You can taste the slightest ingredients and how the complement the other flavors in a dish. I think it really is gourmet dining for fairly reasonable prices. They have several staples on the menu that change slightly in preparation and in ingrediants based on seasonality. They also have several items on the menu that are either seasonal specials or specials of the day. The service is good, and the wait staff really know there food and drinks. They have some super inventive, seasonal cocktails and their wine list is great, too
Most recently their amuse-bouche was housemade almond butter (!!!!) with pink lady apples. The calamari is really unique, and the white beans are delicious- dense but not overly so. For entrees, I've had the tagine, the swordfish, and people that I've dined with have had the burger, pork, and rabbit legs. All outstanding. The ginger cake was a total left field delicious surprise. So perfectly done, not overly spiced, and paired with creme anglaise. Mmmm.
Can't wait to go back!
I don't get over to the panhandle much so was shocked to see such a vibrant late night eating crowd! Every dish tries to leverage the simplicity of fresh and locally sourced ingredients, banking on the pairing to carry the dish to stardom. It works in some instances (calamari, flatbread, pork chop), but falls flat elsewhere on dishes that beg for more pizazz.
Tomato-Bread Soup & Parmesan: It felt more like a chunky marinara than a soup. The bread was in the form of garlicky croutons which had a pleasurable texture contrast of a soggy outside and true-to-form crispness inside. They were definitely too miserly on the parmesan and it seemed more like powder from a canister rather than freshly grated.
Wood Fired Calamari, Smoked Tomato, Chickpeas and Grilled Bread: Loved the smoky flavor that was absorbed so well by the non-breaded calamari. The contrast of fresh chick peas and deep fried spicy chickpeas made a fun co-star. The tomato base was a tad lackluster.
Flatbread of House Smoked Bacon, Melted Leeks and Gruyère: You had me at bacon! The leeks are often under appreciated, but gave a good kick without being overpowering. The bread base was crispy and fresh. I did miss that there was no tomato sauce, but thankfully had ample chunks leftover from my soup.
Country Pork Chop, Sweet Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts and Mustard Seed Vinaigrette : This must have came from some big pig because it was huge! I enjoyed the vinegar glaze, but couldn't taste the promised mustard seed. The yams were a tad boring, just roasted with the skin on. I liked the crispy outer shell of the braised brussels sprouts and especially appreciated their choice of smaller ones which aren't as a bitter.
Roast Rabbit Loin, Thumbelina Carrots, Toasted Barely and Lacinato Kale: Most rabbit I've had has been in the form of slow cooked stew, so I enjoyed a leaner loin cut. The white meat was tender, but lacked a strong flavor so could have used a strong glaze or marinade. The toasted barley was semi-creamy and a much more exciting starch than overplayed rice. The kale was heavy on the oil or butter so it was tastier than kale I normally know. The carrots were ok, but seemed like a tease to the poor rabbit we were eating!
Ginger Molasses Cake, Spiced Poached Quince and Oloroso Crème Anglaise: I thought Oloroso was that chick from The Apprentice, but according to Wikipedia it is a sherry. The cake was a bit dry, but I enjoyed the heavy molasses flavor. The quince was nice, but I learned that I prefer paste over poached. Not enough crème was provided to compensate for the dry cake.
I'm adding a review here because I think this place needs more business! Only 1,500 reviews?!?
Cool open space. We had a group of 7 at one of the upstairs tables overlooking the kitchen. A little loud, but cross table conversation didn't have to be shouted.
We started with some apps. Little Fried Fish, Warm Goat Cheese, Sausage Flatbread, Mussels, Giant White Beans with Feta and Breadcrumbs. These were decimated within minutes. We asked for some more bread to make up for the small amount of crostini that came with the Goat Cheese. Sensing our needs the server didn't bring bread, but instead brought out a double helping of crostini! Score!
I came to NOPA with a single minded purpose. The Pork Chop.
I failed.
I let my mind wander and there was a duck special on the menu so I thought "hey, I can get the pork chop any time." The duck was good not great. Well trimmed and not too fatty. It was a little under-done and the portion was kinda small. (Not that it mattered with how I'd stuffed myself on apps!) I was reasonably satisfied, if not blown away by my choice.
But then a friend gave me a piece of his pork chop . . . I was stunned. That was a sinfully delicious bite! Moist on the inside. Slight crusting on the outside. Perfectly seasoned! I vowed to never eat anything else on their menu again!
My g/f is a recently convert to pescatarianism so decided to go for the Veggie Tangine. Watch out if you're a cilantro-phobe like we both are (tastes like soap) because it comes with a nice dousing. After working around this, the rest of the dish pretty yummy, especially the lemon yogurt.
Two other folks had the chop and were similarly blown away. The burger and pasta also got two enthusiastic thumbs up.
The service here was excellent. Friendly, there when you needed them, and addressed any questions/requests courteously and with a smile.
Service: 4+
Food: 4-
All the buzz about this place is true! And I enjoyed myself immensely enough to give it 5 Stars even though I was on a date with a guy that did his best to make it the worst night possible.
He was drunk, talked down to the waitress, kept slipping the names of the owners in hopes of getting better service, and was tormenting a group of German students sitting next to us. Luckily he paid.
The atmosphere of the restaurant is lovely, busy, cozy and well lit. I ordered the chicken with the watermelon salad on the side. The chicken was cooked perfectly and melted in my mouth.
I sipped a nice glace of wine, enjoyed my chicken, and I did my best to pretend that my date was not there. :)
On my recent trip to SF I was ahead of the game for once and got reservations at the spots I really wanted to try and NOPA was a must on the list...
We had a 730 res on a PACKED Friday night and we were seated almost instantly by a very friendly front host staff. If you can't tell from my earlier posts I'm really big on a pleasant host staff, I mean they are your first and last impression of a place.
As they walked us thru a very cool looking dining room, huge windows, high ceilings, open kitchen looking out to the dining room, a very loud, fun atmosphere. I noticed they were taking us upstairs, this worried me for about a second until I realized we had the best seat up there, overlooking the entire place, great for people watching as well as peeking at the kitchen work their magic. If you can, request a table upstairs, its worth it.
We started off with a bottle of Pinot Blanc and got right down to business, I had the mussels for an appetizer, served in a vermouth, garlic and spinach broth...WOW I easily could have had 2 orders of this for my entree and the broth was so good that the hunk of fresh bread you get with it was not enough. If I wasn't in public i would have gulped down the remainder in the bowl.
Entrees, we had the pork chop which I guess is a specialty there, they brine it and it was really flavorful and tender and we also had a homemade tagliatelle with lamb sausage that was also homemade and that too was really good. Not a heavy cream or tomato sauce, just a simple garlic and olive oil based sauce. I'm not a desert guy but we had a slice of ginger molasses cake which was awesome, warm and tasty.
Service was outstanding, food was solid and the overall exp was great. Next time I'm out there i will for sure make another trip
oh NOPA. by far one of my favorite restaurants, it is comfortable, unassuming, cozy. the food and drink always deliver - without breaking the bank, you can get an excellent gourmet meal that will leave you going home satisfied and full. for whatever reason, it's rare to find this combination of inventive and tasty food for such a reasonable price.
pork chops, rotisserie chicken, crostini, flatbread, and the hamburger. why can't i find those pickled onions anywhere else?
ps. i always wondered why people continue to pile on review after review, even after amassing hundreds of reviews (1,500 reviews in this case!). so i don't really know what i'm contributing to this set of reviews other than to say that i like this place, very much.
I went with a buddy to try out the one of "top 10" in SF burgers, and it was indeed a damn fine burger. I got mine medium rare with blue cheese and their bacon. Their burger is the thick, but smaller circumference style and it does work. Great bun and damn fine texture/firmness coupled with soft juiciness. Not too crisp on outside as well. The fries rocked, in fact the chili cheese dip for them made me eat too many and fill up too fast - my advise would be to avoid the fries mostly until you finish the substantial burger.
The only downside was that the service was a little slow and not often around when needed - maybe a function of being upstairs, but the view is to kill for just above the kitchen area!
Though I'm new to Yelp, I am not new to dining out in San Francisco. I've sampled a number of this fine city's eateries and all pale in comparison to this gem on Hayes and Divisadero.
My boyfriend and I had 6:00 reservation on a Saturday (they were the only ones left when we called a week ahead of time. If you want something later you'll have to call well in advance). We were seated by the hostess in the balcony area. Great table and great visibility of the whole restaurant for some people/ kitchen watching.
Our waiter was attentive but did not attempt to rush us at all. We lingered, enjoying our drinks and food for almost two hours, and never felt pressured to free up the table. He was also super knowledgeable and had suggested great wine pairings for both of our dishes. My boyfriend loved his wine so much he had two glasses.
And now for the good part.... We started by splitting the oven baked egg. So good. Great flavor from the smoked tomato and nothing too heavy so that we felt satisfied and ready for our main course when it came. For the main course, I had the pan-seared swordfish. So incredible. My boyfriend, who isn't a fan of fish in general, admitted that he would even consider ordering that next time. It was delicate and complex and the vegetables served alongside (brocolli and squash) were the perfect complement. My boyfriend had the lamb. What an incredible cut of meat. It was juicy and tender and not covered up by to many other flavors. Perfectly cooked.
Unfortunately, we didn't have any room for dessert at this point and were on our way to another engagement. Next time (which I hope will happen soon) we'll try not to stuff our faces with our entrees so much so that we can sample some dessert.
If you haven't been there yet, go now. You'll thank me (and the other 1500 reviewers) later.
Nopa is one of the places I think of first when I think of my favorite places to eat AND drink in SF.
The food is superb and also creative -- lots of veggie-friendly options as well. Their cocktail mixology is awesome -- they even made a cocktail recently with locally procured and hand-made bitters. They used Nopa-true ingredients for this, like eucalyptus. This was the first place we tasted Creme de Violette in a cocktail and we've been making yummy Aviations since. Every time I go, I also find the staff warm despite being ALWAYS WAY BUSY.
A great last-minute (if you're lucky) choice too, because of the long bar and big communal table -- but it gets really really packed.
It's a great experience (yeah, the food too - not JUST the drink!)
While Nopa takes reservations and is generally booked solid, they do serve their full menu at the bar and have a large communal table that is available on a first come basis. Because we had a party of five we arrived there 10 minutes before Nopa even opened so as soon as the clock struck five we were able to secure a place at the communal table (I think there's about 12 seats at the communal table). Had we got there just 10 minutes later we would have been out of luck as the place filled up rapidly fast and soon there were groups waiting by to snag any open seats.
As they don't serve the dinner menu till 6:00 we started with some bar snacks and drinks. The cocktails are great, leaning more on interesting liquor combinations than seasonal ingredients (loved the blood and sand). The bar snacks were inventive and just $4 each (fried chickpeas, potatoes with tomato and crème fraiche, etc.).
Between the five of us we sampled a good portion of the menu and there were literally no duds. Some highlights were the celery root and Chanterelle soup, all the salads were great, and the baked egg had an amazingly smoky flavor for a vegetable dish. As far as entrees, the rotisserie chicken with brussel sprouts and onion cream (mm, onion cream) was finger licking good and the grilled pork chop was one of the best I've had.
The desserts were also delicious and the friendly service and atmosphere rounded out the meal for five stars.
Can't wait to go back!
I had almost forgotten what good food tastes like....until I was back in California. NOPA is a great example of California cuisine. Eclectic, seasonal, and fucking delicious! Way to go guys you remind me why I love SF so much, and why it certainly is the best place in the country for dank ass food. I loved my meal, the service was great and I would definitely come back many times. WORD.
I really loved the drinks too!
How best to illustrate my feelings regarding the FRENCH FRIES (came with burger)...
I'll quote B. Stinson: "i love this ____ so much, i want to sew my ass shut."
Came here for Sunday night dinner and the place was packed! I felt like I made a mistake and walked in on a Saturday night. I've heard glowing things about the food here, esp the pork chop, so my expectations were high.
Started with the gigante beans, the baked egg and the flatbread. The flatbread was my favorite, with the extremely thin crust, fennel sausage and cheese. I would have been satisfied just having that for dinner!
The pork chop was good, nicely seasoned and not dry. I wasn't blown away, but then again I have pretty high standards for food. The roasted chicken was also tasty, but really could have stopped at the flatbread and called it a meal.
Mike K. and I dropped in here on our way to Asia. I can't remember what we ate but it was really good, and the space was fun and there were people in shorts and hats and people in suits.
Good food and a fun mix of SF people!
this is prob my fourth time here. always enjoyable. always crowded. i'd say it's worth the wait. this past time was a sunday nite. ~45 min wait which wasn't bad because i wasn't too hungry and the bartender was very nice.. had a couple of blue bottle martinis (which apparently chaya has starbucks version of and whose bartender insinuated that nopa "borrowed" the recipe from chaya- they're both good is my verdict)
split:
the grass fed burger (added gruyere) and fries //burger was tasty, enjoyed the super crisp fries and i liked the brioche bun...
country porkchop, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts and mustard seed vianagrette..//the vinagrette was a little strong for me, but maybe bc i don't typically like mustard, the porkchop was tender though//
service was great as usual. love that they have stranahan's colorado whiskey (2 types of it!)
Really I'd give it 3.5 stars, but it seems that I must stick to 3. The menu is actually 4 stars, but this place is always packed, noisy, cramped, and it takes a while for the servers to get to you.
So the curse of good food is that people flock to the location. The halibut I had there was among the top five halibut dishes I've ever had. Their menu is creative, fresh, and well executed.
You will however, have to shout at one another in order to have a conversation.
I truly believe this is one of the hippest, most comfortable, high quality restaurants the city. I have been here at handful of times and the place always impresses. Come here at 6pm or at 11pm... The place is consistently packed with a diverse urban crowd. NOPA's menu evolves all the time, so your food choices are always fresh, unique, and interesting. The same goes for their bar menu. Each drink was a sophisticated arrangement of body and flavor. NOPA really is an outstanding place. -Come here for the food, come here for the drinks, and come here for the atmosphere. You will wowed on all fronts!
As if Nopa needs another review, but our dinner was so delish I can't help myself. Third time here in the past couple years, all three times memorable, though this time double date night gave us several more dishes to try... There is a reason there are over 1500 reviews at 4 stars on yelp...
Apps:
-- Grilled broccoli side with lemon, anchovy and crunchy bread crumbs had a slight vinegary flavor that was extremely pleasing and the grill flavor was incredible. Tasted like no broc I have ever eaten.
-- Baked gigante beans, perfectly cooked, piping hot, from the wood oven, layered in flavors of tomatoes and italian rustic flavors.
-- Sardines prepared with lemon flavored onions, pinenuts and currants served with toasted baguette chips. Perfectly balanced.
-- Flatbread. Mmm. Incredible. With bacon, fingerling potatoes, and gruyere. Mmmmmmmm.
Already feeling filled to the brim, our party of four then had 3 entrees:
-- Pork chop with sweet potatoes, rutabaga (both slightly maple glazed caramelized). Is it even possible for pork to taste this good? Who needs meat/beef when you can have pork like this?
-- Housemade tagliatelle with spicy fennel sausage, brussel sprouts and delightful cream sauce. Incredible pasta. Some of the best I have had in ages. Comparable to Nate A's pasta from old SPQR. Also reminded me of tagliatelle type pasta at Ad Hoc in Yountville.
-- Rotis herbed chicken, grilled bread, hummus, persimmon and arugula salad. Chicken was ok, not the winner at all. Moist but not that exciting, skin not crispy enough. Grilled bread with hummus was a late-in-the-meal discovery, had a delightful layering of flavoring on wonderful chewy bread. Salad good balance.
Finally, we made it to dessert, sadly could only share 2 between us:
-- Sopapillas with honey butter sauce. 5 puffy soft chewy beignet mates with doughnut-like sugar-dusted delights. Puncture a little area, dump sauce on, consume with galore.
-- Ginger molasses cake, spiced poached pear, crazy creme anglaise. WOW. This one was a real surprise. Wonderfully moist, perfect amount of ginger in the cake. WOW.
And the coffee is french press, generous, HOT, and super strong.
Another great meal in SF. How I love this city!
Only con: after dinner, I was so STUFFED I had a difficult time walking to our bus stop in my tight jeans and heels.
Highlight: Thank you, Nopa for introducing me to the Blood & Sand cocktail. YUMMMMMMMM!!
Note to first time visitors: Be patient if service is a little slow .. they were super busy when I was there on a Sat. night.... but the drinks & food were so worth the wait. Just relax and enjoy the ride!
Food was incredible and I loved the upbeat, busy vibe. It was a PHENOMENAL first time visit!!
I ate here at 1230 am recently, which was the best LATE NIGHT meal i've had.
The atmosphere is the best part about NOPA. It was still packed and alive.
We ordered the olive oil poached albacore and the grass fed burger.
Both were great but the burger was a little dry, but it had really good picked onion on it and great bread.
Excellent service, waiter knew everything about the food and gave us a lot of detail about what we were ordering
After somewhat avoiding Nopa the last couple of years (mostly due to my mild outrage that a restaurant would actually name themselves after one of those not-quite existent in-between neighborhoods, i.e NOrth of the PAn Handle), I went there Friday evening with Beth and Todd.
Man, I felt like a fool. No wonder it was on the Chronicle's Top 100 list its first year. Very similar to the energy of Beretta in the Mission, it had the boisterous feel of a neighborhood gathering place. Featuring rich "rustic urban food" and inventive specialty cocktails, Nopa offers a large communal dining table where the locals can enjoy the food and one another's company, just like Beretta. We had our own table but felt like we were still part of the party.
As for the food, we started with the warm goat cheese with crostini, marinated cherry and sungold tomatoes (yum) and the flatbread of house smoked bacon, sliced zucchini, basil and cherry tomatoes (also yum). For our entrees, there was the Moroccan vegetable tagine which was mouth-wateringly good and the pan-roasted halibut and country pork chop were solid as well. But the stand-out for me was the malted chocolate ice cream & brownie, with chocolate sauce -it was so good, we ordered a second one.
Nopa is insanely busy. Hidden in an unassuming building. Crowded beyond disbelief. Often times I go to hyped up places expecting too much. And for me, there was one prevailing reason to come back, their pork chop.
Amazing! every time i come to NOPA i am reminded why i keep coming back. the service is wonderful, the food incredible! A lively beautiful atmosphere that's social and vibrant. A restaurant that has truly transformed the neighborhood.
you can't go wrong with the pork chop. whatever season it is dressed for it is made to perfection. the gigante beans are super jam packed with flavor. the latest Amy dessert creation. the orange pot du creme with candied kumquat is quite large and super yummy. although i'll have to go back to try the bread pudding :)
cocktails are on par with Bourbon and Branch and super fun.
Most people who like NOPA agree the food is solid and the ambiance is great. No arguments there.
But there's one star who I think may not get the credit he deserves. I have to give a shout out to the Yasuaki, the manager, because I had an engagement celebration dinner and he just did everything right in terms of helping us enjoy the night and making it feel special. By the end of the night, my fiancee was in full crush mode.
In short, if you have a special occasion to celebrate, go to NOPA, talk to Yasuaki, and enjoy.
I am cynical. I tried so hard to hate on Nopa, but they really are doing an excellent job. I have had expansive (but not as expensive as one would think) meals here, and I've had a burger for $13 here.
Whether you sit at a private table, or the communal table, service is excellent and the food is top notch and consistent.
It's amazing to see a place turn out the kind of volume they do and retain such high quality.
The wine list and cocktails are also awesome.
There are three restaurants that I consider faves in the city:
1. Gary Danko for the frou-frou fancy dinners
2. Starbelly for the ridiculously great value and casual fun
3. NOPA for the perfect middle-ground of elegant yet casual
The service is excellent. Hipster wait staff makes you feel like you're surrounded by the coolest group of kids on the playground. Still they make you feel like you're the special one.
The food is amazing, fresh, creative, memorable. I usually try to point out one or two menu highlights, but seriously everything is great. There's nothing on this menu I wouldn't recommend.
NOPA is still a great restaurant, has lasted through it's "hottest newest thing" phase and remains a perfect place for a special dinner with friends and/or family.
Yet another favorable review for NOPA. Excellent snacks at the bar [the duck was amazing], an amazing selection of alcohol including a very very good wheat beer. The food was also amazing [to keep using the word].... possibly the best swordfish I have ever had and really good lamb as well. Desserts were also quite good. Food may no necessarily overly creative but it is executed very well.
I love you NOPA, I can't get you off my mind. I was introduced to NOPA by a new friend and fellow food lover, I loved the food so much it took me awhile to put my thoughts into this review.
When I arrived at the restaurant, I had a bubbly cocktail with some sort of jalapeño liquor. It was original and quite tasty, I'm not sure what it was called but very good if you like spicy.
To start we split a tomato salad, which was refreshing and tasty. I loved the simplicity of the salad and fresh taste. My main course was the Pan Roasted Blackened Cod, which was cooked to perfection, flakey and soft. I took a picture on my phone and find myself looking at it occasionally *and drools*. For dessert, the crème brulee was delightful. I paired this with a White Manhattan, because that's how I like it.
The food was amazing and service was awesome. I truly enjoyed myself and can't wait to go back for more. I'm told they change their menu often, so I can't wait to see what else they have in store.
My friend (a regular at NOPA) and I sat at the chef's table. The chef's table has a great view of the hustle and bustle of the kitchen (if you're into that.)
We had the:
wood oven baked egg - Delicious. The egg was cooked perfectly
flat bread with eggplant and sausage - this dish fell asleep flat for me
tomato salad - the tomatoes were so sweet
Warm goat cheese - first time having goat cheese... This dish has definitely made me a fan of it. The goat cheese was warm, creamy and just 'melt in your mouth' good
Bottom line: The service staff was very friendly and attentive. The food is delicious. The restaurant has a nice homey feel, but does get a little loud as it gets lower in the evening. I do recommend making reservations or arriving before the meal time rush. I can't wait to go back =)
NOPAssing Divis, no going to Popeye's because the line is shorter, no going home and making leftover meatloaf.
NOPAssing on the flat bread with goat cheese- you will regret it the rest of your life.
NOPAssing on washing your hands, because the sinks are outside the bathrooms and everyone can see if you're hygenically insensitive.
NOPAssing on writing this Yelp review because a place like this deserves some kind words.
We came here last night for my roomie's birthday and man, does NOPA deliver. We started off with some cocktails at the bar; I had the Wash House and the combination of basil and thyme made me down the entire drink in under 5 minutes. Classy? Definitely not. Starving and needing something to get me through the next 10 minutes? Absolutely.
We ordered the flat bread for an appetizer (must, must, must get this) and the sprinkling of cheese on top added to the already yummy flavors that lied baked in the crust. We also were graced with some hearty pieces of bread (AND!) slices of apples with almond butter and salt that you can sprinkle on top. Apples? Peanut Butter? Salt? You just combined three of my favorite food groups all at once.
We each ordered something different. I had the Baked Pasta with spicy fennel sausage (note: not really spicy), chicken, escarole and housemade ricotta. Yum! I didn't leave a drop on my plate. My friends had the burger, chicken, Moroccan vegetable dish and Pork Chop.
So let's talk about that pork chop. I don't normally eat pork (and no, it's not cause I'm a son of Jacob; just never ate it growing up). But gaw-damn people... if pork tasted like that, I'd pour it in my cereal and eat it for breakfast. So juicy and tender and it tasted like smoked bacon. Yummm.
We were dead set on trying out the desserts, but we were ridiculously full by the end of the meal and decided to pass. Bacon Brittle ice cream: you will be mine. Oh yes, you will be mine.
Loved the decor of this place: the enormously high ceiling, the fun bathrooms, and how the wait staff has to wear brown but can wear it anyway they want. Provides continuity and individuality all at once.
And just as ex-Senator Larry Craig said to his friend through that little hole in the bathroom: "I'll be back."
After hearing lots about this place I finally had to try it. My friends work in the restaurant biz and this place was open late enough to seat us at 11. A great time was had. We had a reservation and was seated when we arrived (despite not having the full party). The service was great. The food was delish. My friend and I split a burger. Because we all split a few appies. The calamari - YUMM. But the winner was the desert. Break Pudding. SUPER YUMM. The only down fall of the night was the annoying table next to us and that one of my friends plate was brought out early by mistake.
I finally tried NoPa last night after years of hearing rave reviews and I have to say, I was not disappointed. Let's cut to the chase
Food - 4 stars. Definitely try the goat cheese starter, the smelts were good as were the fries, the runner beans could be avoided. For entrees - lamb shank was succulent and delicious served with polenta and veggies. Sturgeon received great reviews as well but pork chop was OK at best. Dessert was fabulous all around - creme brulee deserves high marks, pear upside down cake was divine, sorbets were decent as well. The much raved about bacon brittle ice-cream was strictly OK........not much to write home about.
Ambience - 3 stars. This place does get loud and works well for groups but not for dates. The happy hour set up, with the long communal table is strange with few options in the neighborhood so I dont think I'll be hitting it up for drinks anytime soon.
Service - 4 stars. Our server was attentive (thanks, Bethany) without fawning over us which I liked. Also, she was kind enough to bring out a decanter for our wine when requested. Corkage is steep here at $20. Has nobody else heard of 10+% unemployment and the related recession?
I'd be happy to come back to NoPa for a large group dinner.
For the amount of hype NOPA gets, the food does not quite live up to its name. I went there last night at 12 because I was told it was impossible to get a table after 6 and before 11, so I was pretty hungry and I was really pumped. Perhaps for these reasons my expectations were bound for disappointment. I found the food to be pretty good but not fantastic.
I ordered a couple appetizers and the burger. The menu boasts about the large baked beans, but let's just say they're beans run size average. The burgers are pretty good. I loved their pickled onions, but they're fries were no better than an average Diner's.
Great selection of wines and drinks I must say, and the red wine I had was delicious. Sadly, the waiter knocked the dregs of a wine glass on me, but he was super sweet about it and gave the table chocolate cookies and this incredible sweet almond milk. What the hell was in that milk? It tasted like crack juice!
NOPA has a good ambiance, great drinks, and nice food if you're down to shed some cash. Also, they're one of the few restaurants that serve food late. Don't get your expectations too high, however, their reputation exceeds their quality.
I am very impressed with NOPA. We had reservations for 9:15, and I called to say that we would be about 15 minutes late, they said no problem, and when we arrived we had to wait only 5 minutes for our table. Their service was absolutely impeccable, and the place was packed, which is totally a testament to their efficiency (they are ridiculously observant and efficient, I would say bordering on OCD). The servers are always attentive, never annoying.
Although I wasn't super amazed by the menu options on paper, every thing we ordered tasted soooo good: the mark of a truly good chef. The fries with basil aioli were a-mazing, so was the runner bean appetizer and the tomato bread soup. I think my favorite was the baked zucchini with bacon and cherry tomatoes though, such a tasty flavor explosion! They are definitely using the freshest, finest ingredients.
Also, what is up with the portion sizes? I'm inclined to think you actually get what you pay for, which is insane for a restaurant of this quality. I expected the main dishes to be appetizer-sized as they so often are at reputed restaurants like NOPA, but they were huge. In fact, I couldn't finish mine because I had miscalculated my order in anticipation of the aforementioned tiny portions...oops! I will definitely return here.
So NOPA wasn't in my San Francisco budget in September 2009, but I had a culinary obligation to tell you that their Dessert menu currently includes:
BACON BRITTLE ICE CREAM
Did you read that?? Seriously. If you haven't been & you can, go. But only with scout's honour that you'll post a review and tell me how truly magnificent it was.
Loved NOPA! Local friend had discovered it ("I went 4 times in 2 weeks...") and so grateful she… Read more »
A few different seating options here: the community table, which is the giantic table to your left as you enter that seats like 15 or something like that; the "bar" near the chef, where you can watch the frantic concoctions or delectable cuisines going down; or one of the tables on the ground floor or better yet, a table for two on the second floor which affords a view of the clientel. The girl and I came here for our 3rd anniversary, got a table on the second floor. This was a while ago so I remember getting chicken and ribs, don't quite remember whose was whose but damn it was pretty dang good and tender. I tend to be overwhelmed by seasoning in american cuisine, even the fancy places, since i eat pretty bland, but the seasoning was perfectly balanced. I also had a beer and the girl had a cucumber gimlet which was a pretty tasty drink.
It's close enough to Alamo square that you can take a stroll before or after dinner as well. I have read that peoplle in the neighborhood come here regularly, which is great if you can afford it, the food is definitely worth it.
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