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- Hours:
Tue-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
443 reviews for Pauline's Pizza
Review Highlights
"And the butterscotch pudding is so rich and flavorful."
(in 37 reviews)
"The thin crust is so light and airy."
(in 52 reviews)
"The pesto was unlike anything I've ever seen or tasted."
(in 98 reviews)
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443 reviews in English
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Review from Liz H.
San Francisco, CA
1/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
I have been to Pauline's twice now and loved it both times! It was great both as a place to catch up with friends (visit 1) and a place to grab dinner with a date (visit 2). In addition to their regular pizza menu, there is always one meat and one veggie special. Between my two visits, I tried three of their regular pizzas.
Their pesto pizza is AMAZING! I'm not usually a huge fan of pesto pizza, but with Pauline's it was a different story. The cheese is actually the bottom layer with a generous layer of pesto on top. The veggie combo pizza is also really good. The mix of veggies and garlic give the pizza great flavor.
I liked their meat options as well. The italian combo is a great mix of salami, sausage and veggies. Despite the number of different toppings on this pizza, I found there was a great balance between quantity of toppings and cheese/crust. I hate when you either can't find the toppings or feel like the crust can't support the weight of excess toppings -this pizza was the perfect balance.
Additionally, Pauline's has their own garden in Berkeley and their own wines. If you are in the Mission/ Hayes Valley area, this is definitely the place to go for great pizza! -
Review from Denise L.
San Francisco, CA
1/13/2012
We finally made it to Pauline's! We typically do not eat white flour or cheese but my husband was having pizza craving and what is a girl to do but to appease his urges and take him out for some good pizza.
We always hear about Pauline's and after calling around they had the shortest wait, none! We ordered the special salad and their specialty pizza, The Pesto Pizza. Yum and yum!!!! We enjoyed it. As a matter of fact we order a lager size so we could take some home for breakfast. I cannot wait!!!!!! -
Review from Stephanie T.
San Francisco, CA
12/18/2011
I think I could probably eat here almost every day. This is a good thing since I live above it. Despite its close proximity I've managed Pauline's only a few times but each of those times I've been extremely impressed.
Standard order is the 50-50 meat vegetarian special. It's different daily and yet unbelievable how tasty it is every time. Like the CSA of pizzerias, you don't have to know what you want to get what you want. (And much of the time I've actually never heard of the vegetable on my pizza so could not have selected it.)
Don't ignore the special salad or seasonable desserts, either - all our fresh, well prepared and nicely presented.
If you don't feel like waiting, phone your order in and Pauline's will give you a very accurate (and reasonable) pickup time to retrieve your food. -
Review from Christina Y.
Santa Monica, CA
11/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Thank you Thai place down the street for being closed on a Tuesday and requiring a group of my girlfriends and I to search for other dining options! I was charmed from the instant I walked into this casual, clean and cozy space. It's one of those little hidden spots that I'm glad a ton of people don't know about.
The pizza and wine were pretty spectacular and definitely hit the spot on a cold night. The service was stellar also. The salad we shared was pretty pedestrian, and I wished that there were a few more original pizza topping combination options, but I have to say it was verrrrryyyy close to a five star experience for me. And as I have good friends who live just down the street I'm sure I'll be able to stop by again soon to see if this becomes a favorite! -
Review from Sarah A.
San Francisco, CA
12/5/2011
The only thing that I really appreciated about this place is that they seated a party of 9 after a 15-20 minute wait on a friday night. They have a large upstairs section that seat large parties, which seems to be impossible in most of this city.
We were all relatively famished when we got there and didn't get the requisite bread/olive oil/butter I feel like should be a mandatory at any Italian restaurant. We asked what appetizers they had and she said none, except they had brussel sprouts as a special. No thank you. The menu didn't mention appetizers at all but I guess you can get breadsticks - at $1.00 a piece, but they are cold and don't offer any dipping sauces, even when asked.
We ordered the vegetable special pizza - but they were out of some ingredient and needed to substitute it with something else. We also ordered the garlic pizza which had an uneven distribution of garlic leaving some slices extra garlic-y and others as thought they were just cheese slices. Finally, we ordered the pesto pizza which was ridiculously salty.
I dunno - didn't think this was anything special, but at least you can draw on the paper table cloth!
Also, they posted a sign relatively early that they were out of dough and would open up at 5pm the next day. If pizza is really your main attraction - how does that work? And don't you have flour & water handy? -
Review from Craig I.
San Francisco, CA
11/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
never had a bad pizza here. from their pesto to their specials i always expect it to be satisfying and they deliver (the satisfaction not the pizza). The service was good each time i've been there. I say that because I can't remember it being bad. So then I have to equate that to a good server.
The restaurant itself doesn't seem that big, until you go upstairs and they really pushed the walls the limits.
This would be a really good place for large parties and those with kids. I believe u need 8+ for reservations. -
Review from Harriet W.
San Francisco, CA
11/30/2011
At first, I thought pizza is pizza, they all taste the same. But my boyfriend insisted that I try pauline's pizza because it's one of the city's finest.
We took to go since my boyfriend lives right around there, and it was just faster to call in the order first. I don't remember what we ordered, but it really was one of the better pizzas I've ever had. Although the pizza is pretty good, I'm not truly sold for the price. I feel like I could settle for a cheaper, slightly lower quality pizza and it wouldn't be too much of a difference. -
Review from Amanda G.
9/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
After seeing Pauline's on Check Please a few years ago, and reading so many positive reviews we finally had dinner here recently.
We went on a weeknight, and although they were busy, we didn't have to wait for a table.
Our server was a little forgetful, but really friendly, and she gave us some good recommendations.
Unfortunately, the quality of the food wasn't so great....
We ordered the Chef's special salad, which featured heirloom tomatoes. I had read about their farms, so we were expecting incredible tomatoes. If i hadn't known better, i would have sworn the tomatoes came from Safeway. They were AWFUL. Bad color, bad flavor, bad consistency. I really think if the product is that lacking, it just shouldn't be served.
I like that you can get different toppings on each half of the pizza. We chose: ricotta salata, housemade chicken sausage (one one half), housemade Italian sausage (on the other half) and Polli pepper sauce (on one half.)
I love that they make their sausages in house, and I also liked that they weren't greasy at all,and the Polli pepper puree was a nice touch, (suggested by our server.)
All of this being said, the pizza just wasn't that good. It was also much more expensive than I felt it should have been. Total cost of one medium pizza, (and it was a smallish medium) : $30.
If i lived in the neighborhood, i might return, but otherwise not..
I've had much better pizza, and for a bit less money. -
Review from Marcella T.
Sunnyvale, CA
10/28/2011
Service was so-so. Pizza was mediocre, a slight notch above franchise pizza due to its freshness and medium crust, of course. Ambiance, size and decor make the dining experience seem really confined and a bit uninviting.
Would I come back? Most likely not. -
Review from Emily M.
12/12/2011
A friend and I met at Pauline's for some much needed beer and pizza. We had half and half Italian/veggie. The pizza was excellent, the service was very attentive, and the butterscotch pudding was amazing. This was another place that had been on my bookmarks list forever, so I'm glad I finally got to try it. It's probably a good thing for my waistline I don't live too close by!
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Review from Chuck k.
10/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
The pizza was pretty good, the toppings interesting and the waitress recommended some great combinations (pepper spread and sausage was great). I also appreciate their sourcing of local ingredients.
That being said, the tomatoes in the salad were sub par, to the point of being tasteless. And the price for one smallish pizza -$30. That's a little much. -
Review from Seong P.
9/2/2011
Tintin said I would be crazy to give this place anything less than 5 stars. We had the special salad, 2 small pizzas, 2 glasses of wine and a sundae. We didn't finish everything but it all tasted damn good.
We got a small half veggie special, half regular special, and a small pepperoni. The veggie had squash, garlic, basil and fontina cheese. The regular special had pepperoni, purple potatoes and rosemary. The veggie was my favorite.
The special salad had red and yellow tomatoes, spinach, watercress, 2 kinds of cucumbers with a light vinaigrette, and was really refreshing and light. It was the perfect size for sharing. The sundae had vanilla and mint chip ice cream with brownie bites, which we got without the chocolate sauce. That was devoured in seconds.
Service was not excellent since we had to ask for refills of water and wine, but it was fine overall. We didn't have to wait long for our food and when we asked for anything, they got it to us right away. Since Tintin loved it so much, i know we'll be back. -
Review from Pamela L.
8/27/2011
The pizza is great, and they have a lot of interesting toppings to choose from! We got one with roasted peppers, gruyere, and sage. Super tasty!
I do like the lightness and crispiness of the crust but it doesn't have a lot of flavor. There always seemed to be one extra crusty slice with minimal toppings with each pizza though... interesting.
VITHIET in particular enjoyed the crayons. -
Review from Lina K.
Alameda, CA
12/2/2011
Little Star & Pauline's are definitely my two favorite pizza restaurants. Not only does Pauline's Pizza taste good, but it IS pretty healthy. Great customer service. Love it. Highly recommended.
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Review from S. M.
San Francisco, CA
10/28/2011
I couldn't have asked for a better Birthday celebration for my boyfriend... Huge props to Paulines for your awesomeness!! They have an amazing upstairs dining area for large parties, very spacious. My server John Kelly was truly the best ever... he was so accommodating to our every need and so so PRECIOUS! The salads were great, and the all the pizza's were delicious (pesto pizza was SUPER YUMMY!) Four pizzas fed my whole party. For a party of 10, the bill was not even that much! What a delight! They also brought out the cake and turned the lights down low to sing Happy Birthday, and everyone on the top level participated. Truly memorable.... Thank you Paulines for being so good to my party. Thank you John Kelly for your superb service!
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Review from Jose L.
San Diego, CA
7/30/2011
This place is amazing. Went in for dinner and we were promptly met at the door and seated.
They their own wine that comes by the glass, half-bottle, or full bottle - and it's actually great! Their standard wine was a blend of three grapes and matched the pizza perfectly.
And onto the pizza - easily the best pizza I've had in San Francisco. Super fresh ingredients, and a very balanced and flavorful pie. We opted for their "meat special" of the night - with rosemary, ham, and some sort of magical cheese.
Our server was very helpful and attentive - we never had to wait too long for anything even though the place was bustling. With a great "build your own" pizza selection, wonderful house specials and a great wine and beer list this place should be on your radar for great pizza. -
Review from Randi B.
I rarely crave pizza, but I will be craving this place a lot! This was the freshest, most delicious pizza I have ever had. They grow all their own ingredients in their garden and I could totally taste the difference.
Three of us split a large, half garlic and half pepperoni. AMAZING. It was the perfect portion for us, alhough I was stuffed after three pieces, so my friend had the last one.
Affordable prices, friendly staff, great food!Listed in: Road tripping up North
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Review from Kevin F.
Brooklyn, NY
6/11/2011 8 Check-ins Here
The boyfriend and I eat here at least once a week... and pretty much all of the waiters know our order so it's like our Cheers moment. The garlic pizza is highly recommended for people who like their pizza without a lot of toppings (and vegetarians) while the Italian Combo is recommended for the meat lovers out there.
What you'll love:
- they grow a lot of their own veggies
- they make their own wines which are reasonably priced
- friendly, attentive service
- unpretentious vibe
One tip: If you're a child-hater then you should go after 8 or so as they are very kid-friendly and if you go any earlier you will see more children than you knew existed within city limits (slight exaggeration). -
Review from Walter C.
San Francisco, CA
7/17/2011
Randy Nathan visited me after the Alameda County Grand Jury issued it's report on the City of Oakland's Building Services Division. He was there to tell me that the report had merit, that he had had a terrible experience with Code Enforcement. He had taken substantial time out of his life to make this trip. And I listened because I'm responsible for Building Services among other activities in Oakland.
At some point, this fiery, interesting entrepreneur with a great smile got to how he raised goats, made wine and cultivated organic greens and vegetables. And he told me that he also owned a pizza place, Pauline's, which used the greens and vegetables and sold the wine. Quality? Who knew.
Last night, we visited Pauline's for take out. Ordered the vegetarian pizza, Pauline salad with vinagrette dressing and a bottle of the Randy Cuvee (2006/$23 Bottle). The salad was among the best anywhere. Period. Our teenage son ate salad. The pizza also was delicious: great vegetables (tomatoes!), perfectly cooked. And the wine.....excellent. Pauline's takes San Francisco pizza to a different level. Go there.
We want an Oakland Pauline's! (or at least the greens and wine!). -
Review from Art A.
San Francisco, CA
8/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Very good experience here a few weeks back with fabulous wine, terrific pizza, and amazing service.
I look forward to coming back and trying out a few more dishes! -
Review from Mina D.
Menlo Park, CA
8/17/2011
Delicious and fresh pizza! Love their thin crust, it's perfect :)! Getting spoiled by the North East's pizza I didn't think I would find a good/satisfying pizzeria in SF... BUT there it is :)!
I've been here two weekends in a row and couldn't be more satisfied! both times we got their specials (what every body recommend to do) and it was great! we also got their home made wine and desert and were all great and reasonably priced :)!
I also saw the pesto pizza on the neighbors table and it looked amazing! -
Review from Abby c.
San Francisco, CA
7/27/2011
We were a group of 10 when we came here and they accomodated us very well. My husband and I were the first ones to arrive and we were informed that they wouldn't be seated until our whole party arrived. This wasn't a problem for us. If you are waiting for the rest of your party, you can go to their bar in the bar, around the corner. It was more cozy and romantic. We sat at the bar and listened to reggae while we drank a bottle of their red wine. The husband owns and manages the winery while the wife takes care of the restaurant.
The ambiance of the restaurant itself is very casual. You can draw on the table while you're waiting for your pizza. We liked the pesto pizza the best. Thin crust and very tasty. We didn't have to wait long and our server always checked on us.
Note: Parking is hard to find so give yourself time to park well before your reservations. -
Review from Emily D.
6/2/2011
I have a strange family. Thats not news, exactly. But sometimes we do extra strange things.
So we decided to fly home to see Momma D. and get my awesomesauce cat Butters and ship her up here.
But that involved packing and getting to the airport.
You'd be surprised how easily we can screw that up.
Needless to say, it was screwed 6 ways from saturday, and we were late, going to miss our flight, and Jesus Christ if someone hadn't gotten me food in about 1 minute I was going to cut a b.
El Suz googled the closest pizza place to my house, called it, and ordered and extra large vegetarian special for us to eat in the car.
Fun surprise, it was THIRTY DOLLARS. FOR A PIZZA.
And was it worth it? YES. -
Review from Amy J.
3/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place looks fancy but the prices are really reasonable. The pizza here is really tasty too. I got a combo pizza with a friend and the medium was the perfect size to split between two people. It has a nice atmosphere where you can sit and talk without having to yell (at least if you go at a non-peak hour). The selection is really good too.
Not bad. I heard the desserts are good so I'll have to check it some other time. -
Review from Misty M.
East Bay, CA
7/10/2011
Went here last night for my friends birthday. There were 15 of us. Didn't realize there was seating upstairs. Was there for a few minutes before I figured it out. Was never greeted. :/
Our server was nice to bring my little man some breadsticks (asked for) and misc. munchies (didn't ask for) while we waited for our food. :)
Our salad took a long while to come out, our pizzas just a moment later, and the breadsticks just after the pizzas arrived. :( :(
The pizza was pretty good. Had a vegan veggie, garlic, regular veggie & pesto. The pesto was unlike anything I've ever seen or tasted. :)
They offer a vegan crust you have to preorder for $5 per pie. Not sure what the add to the standard dough that'd make it not vegan. Both crusts looked and tasted the same. :/
They grow their own veggies and make their own wine. :D :D :D
Their housemade red wine was pretty tasty. :D
Our server didn't check in with us enough, needed more wine. :(
Didn't get to try any desserts. :/
Salad, pizza and drinks came to $20 per person. :)
The downstairs bathroom was hilarious. :)
All in all 3 stars. Would have happily given it 4 if our food was properly timed and if our server had been more attentive.
(Just updated to 4 stars, the service didn't wow me but it wasn't that bad... I've had much worse and realistically the food was super yummy at a decent price and you have to give it to a restaurant growing their own veggies and making their own wine. My apologies Paulene's... you now have 4 stars). -
Review from Halina Y.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 6/25/2011
2nd time here! Both times fabulous! Service attentive, informative and very friendly! Last time, John! This time, Eliza:)
Let me start by saying, I don't usually like unusual ingredient combinations...
Started with delicious arugula/mâché salad, topped with strawberries and red beets! Then a large 1/2 meat (from the regular menu) and the other 1/2 was the veggie special (white corn,shallots,fontina cheese and red beet greens!) Both delicious! My husband was surprised to enjoy the veggie side as much as he did and I felt the same about the meat side. The thin crust is so light and airy? I think the large is around $23! Very comparable to other places but far superior in quality and flavor! The wine, that is their own is great!! Skipped dessert this time, too full! Only negative, parking:( Totally worth the hassle, in my opinion:) enjoy!!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/8/2011
Delicious! Wine, salad, pizza and dessert, ALL fabulous! Did I mention service? John is friendly,… Read more »
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Review from Juan R.
Oakland, CA
6/3/2011
Pauline's offers fresh ingredients, and a medium thick crust. The service is efficient, although not overly friendly.
Everything about Pauline's is good. That's just the problem, they don't really do anything really well that would set them apart from the competition. -
Review from Stuart M.
San Francisco, CA
5/17/2011
I just posted a bad review of Four Barrel Coffee, so I need to even it out!
Pauline's Pizza is awesome. Super delish everything. Good prices. Good wine. Everything is local.
Super-nice staff, too! -
Review from Melanie N.
San Francisco, CA
12/2/2010
Once again I will state I really wish there were half stars because I would give Pauline 3.5...but I'm feeling kind today so I'll round up.
This was stop #2 on our Tour de Pizza and Andrei Z, Gene X and I were excited to try this place out. It was a rainy Saturday night so we were hopeful that the rain was keeping people inside so we wouldn't have to wait. And sure enough, the main room was pretty empty when we got there. While Andrei and I were looking for Gene we noticed that they have a huge upstairs area, including a back room for private parties. Definitely something to keep in mind as they also have their own wine bar next door.
But I digress, we're here to talk about the pizza! After a somewhat slow response to our being ready (we actually used the crayons on the table to draw a "We're Ready!" sign on the paper table cloth), we ordered the Italian Combo from the menu and created our own of pepperoni, san marzano tomatoes and gruyere.
The Italian combo came out first and woah, was there a lot of garlic on here! Being from the garlic capital of the world, I do consider myself a garlic connoisseur of sorts (promise I don't stink) but this was a bit overboard, even for me. You couldn't taste much of the italian sausage, green onions or mushrooms....all you got was the garlic. We were later told by the server that you can ask for it without the garlic....so if you order it, that's my suggestion. Or better yet, Pauline's - cut the dose in half or better yet, just remove it. You know Italians consider garlic to be the poor man's herb! ;-)
Next came our own creation and we really enjoyed this. Great flavors and taste, the crust was delicious! Somewhere in between Italian and deep dish, it was cooked perfectly with a good crunchy crust.
Definitely worth checking out if you haven't been here. It's also close to several bars so you can start the party here and carry on into the Mission... -
Review from Andrew W.
San Francisco, CA
12/9/2011
Hands down, my favorite pizza joint in SF. Perfect crust, great daily specials, pretty good wine selection. The servers are friendly, but can sometimes be overwhelmed.
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Review from Raquel R.
Alameda, CA
10/6/2011
I first came here in a large group of like 25 people. They have party rooms and everything worked out GREAT!
I later came with my family and we order a goat cheese pizza and it was to die for. Great salads selection too.
I loved it. -
Review from Minh-Chi T.
San Francisco, CA
4/26/2011
MmmmMMMMMMM!!!!! I loved their pizza!!! This is a cute place that is not as expensive as it looks like it would be. The people that work there are down to earth and understanding when me and my friends get water an no appetizers. (you know, we ain't all rich)
I like the cute atmosphere and the crayon scribbling on the tables is an extra bonus. Oh yea, and the pizza - locally grown ingredients and cooked to perfection. You better believe I will be back. -
Review from Catherine L.
San Francisco, CA
9/25/2011
This place is consistently wonderful. It is great for groups up to 4 people for a casual dinner. Excellent pizza, the pesto is a must-try.
The wait isn't too long, certainly doable. Every server is very knowledgeable and helpful, and they know their wine well.
This place is a great spot for an inexpensive, stress-free dinner. Just know before you go in that you will leave stuffed! -
Review from michael p.
San Francisco, CA
9/28/2011
I have been wanting to eat here for years and have had so many friends recommend it ... finally the opportunity came to try it this past Saturday night.
I called and they told me that they don't take reservations for parties of less than 8 (we were only 3) which was fine with us. SOOO I called when we were in the car on the way there (5 minutes away) and they told me that it would be about a 5-10 minute wait ... again not a problem.
We got there and put our names on a list - they said it would be about a 10 minute wait. I joked with them about it (really 10 min?) and the very nice server/hostess said she was sure.
I asked if we could wait in their wine bar (next door) and she told me that it was rented out for a private party that evening ... no problem (again) as we found a seat for my 77 year old mother right in the lobby. After about 5 minutes we ran into some acquaintances who put their names on the list (2 people) - we chatted for 10 minutes and they were seated.
Now we were about 15-20 minutes into it and I asked the server/hostess how we were doing ... she said that it was just a couple more minutes and explained that they have an upstairs room but were "slammed" because that room too was taken over for a private party ... GEE that was the first I'd heard about "slammed" and it just might have been nice to know that up front, eh?
After 30 minutes and being told twice that we were next and it would just be a minute or 2, I asked if we could at least get a glass of wine ... they said sure and then promptly did nothing about it.
After more than 45 MINUTES we were finally seated!!! We got a sort of lukewarm apology - maybe a free glass of wine or appetizer would have been nice!
We ordered quickly and the food came in good time. The waitress was very pleasant. The salad (3 cucumbers special that night) was flavorless. The pizza came next and it was quite good ... not the best in SF but a very god pizza all the same.
HOWEVER, had they just said on the phone or during our ridiculous wait (with a 77 year old in tow) that the wait would be 30-45 minutes, I would have simply gone to another nearby place (Another Monkey is yumm and just next door) or had a pizza to go.
I never plan to return to this place not because the food was bad but because they should have told me about the 2 private parties and predicted a realistic wait time on any of the multiple times I asked
I dine out for good food but also for good service and to support businesses with integrity ... Paulines comes up very short on the last 2. -
Review from Ann L.
12/23/2010
We went to Pauline's Pizza for the 25th anniversary party on Tuesday 12/21/10. FREE pizza in the Mission - Yippee!
Got there about 6:40pm and the were a line. People were inside either sitting at some tables or standing by the tables. The way it worked that evening was the pizza was cut up and brought to the table. Then people were just grabbing all the pizza they could get & standing around waiting for the next round.
I got a sausage slice; mushroom; cheese; & pesto. They were thin crust with the ends being more doughy. I liked them fine.
They have an upstair dining room too. There was a piano player playing some songs without sheet music - I love that.
I hope to go back one day to eat more pizza, daily special, try a salad & some desserts (Butterscotch pudding, chocolate mousse, olive oil gelato).
The unisex bathroom is a trip & so funny: It's pink & black like sitting on a throne. Seat covers facing the black toilet. Chandelier above the sink; penguin light switch cover.
Website:
http://www.paulinespiz.../ -
Review from tanuki c.
San Francisco, CA
4/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Stopped by on a whim and was pleasantly surprised. Great service and the food was fantastic. The butterscotch pudding threw me over the edge (in a good way).
I will be back :) -
Review from marcie v.
San Francisco, CA
9/3/2011
I've come here 3-5 times now and think the pizza is middle of the road. With faves like Arinell Pizza, Pizzeria Delfina and Little Star Pizza just a block away from Pauline's, there's tough competition in the Mission.
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Review from Kris L.
1/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
A and I saw this place on Check Please a few weeks ago and it looked really good, so we made a mental note to check it out soon. Well, tonight was the night. We found parking a block away after circling a few times. By the time we got inside, it was about 5:45pm on a Friday night. There were plenty of filled tables, but still plenty of room for more.
We were noticed, greeted, and seated right away. We ordered the salad from the specials menu right away while we decided on our pizza. The salad had lettuce, watercress, baby spinach, blue cheese, shaved kennel, and ruby red grapefruit. It was very fresh and tasty. The grapefruit definitely added a zesty punch to the salad, and I liked it!
As for the pizza, we decided to go for their signature Pesto Pizza. We both like pesto AND pizza anyway, so it was the perfect choice. It's thin crust and very crispy. There's crunch and then there's crispy. Their pizza was definitely crispy and it was good. Sidenote: I took the pizza home and warmed it up in the microwave the next day and that did not make the crust taste as good as it did when it was fresh.
Service was very attentive and all of our food came out quick. I mean, we barely time to draw any pictures on our paper table coverings with the provided crayons!
Just note that this is a super kid friendly restaurant. So kid friendly that you might find yourself with a woman sitting at the next table breastfeeding her child. That's what happened to us anyway. Maybe we could've asked her to refill our milk?
Bottom line, two yums up. -
Review from Rebecca O.
San Francisco, CA
7/6/2010 6 Check-ins Here
Pauline's stole my heart with its fresh organic ingredients. Many of their toppings come straight from their own farm. I seriously love knowing my food is real and not full of scary chemicals or worse. Pauline's purveys truly guilt free pizza - who knew that even existed? They get extra points for their ever changing, unique and innovative daily pizza specials. Last weekend we enjoyed the heck out of their tasso, feta, orange bergamot, strawberry pizza. It was seriously tasty and we demolished the whole pie.
Minus one star for the wait that's typically involved and because the ambiance, while casual and comfortable, is just not as inspired as the food. Take out is a great option, but call ahead 30-45 minutes or you will be waiting alongside the Mission masses. -
Review from Eric G.
San Francisco, CA
1/8/2011
Sure, Pauline's is a bit expensive for what it is. But with all the faddish pizza joints in SF these days, I think Pauline's still holds its own.
If the day's pizza special is something you can eat, I'd say go for it. They will not lead you astray with their specials here.
The strange thing about Pauline's is the pricing structure. The wine:food price ratios are about 1:1 instead of the usual 2:1, or even 5:1 at fancy restaurants. Get a bottle of the house wine and enjoy... but not too much. (Trust me, it's time to stop when you break a wine glass.)
