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Ristorante Bacco
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
737 Diamond St(between 24th St & Elizabeth St)
San Francisco, CA 94114
Neighborhood: Noe Valley
(415) 282-4969
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Sun 5 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
240 reviews for Ristorante Bacco
Review Highlights
"Declicious, gluten free pasta options and great service."
(in 9 reviews)
"The tomato lamb sauce is to die for."
(in 7 reviews)
"The apple tart dessert was great too."
(in 18 reviews)
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240 reviews in English
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Review from Raani R.
San Francisco, CA
12/27/2011
If you are gluten free- this place is a must! If you aren't gluten free, this place is still a must!!! Amazing house made pasta. Amazing warm and inviting ambiance. Feels like you are at an old friend's house, not a restaurant. Food is fantastic!
We have come here twice- never disappointed. Great for group dinners.
But here is why the place is my new absolute favorite place:
Christmas dinner is around the corner, and my BF and his mom are both Celiac, so no Gluten, but traditional Italian big dinners call for Ravioli. For years, that has meant that my BF and his mom can't partake in the Ravioli course. But not this year!!! I emailed Bacco asking if there was any way that I could order 6 servings of Gluten Free Ravioli, and their wonderful and gracious Manger Luca replied YES! And a list of the different fillings they could do. I made my order, received an email letting me know when it was ready, I went and picked it up on Christmas Eve, and Ta-Da! No one was left out at Christmas!
I am so grateful that Bacco could accommodate us! Special shout out to Luca Zanet for making the whole transaction so smooth and easy!
Bacco is definitely a place I am proud to support and recommend. -
Review from Tom D.
San Francisco, CA
1/13/2012
Went there on my birthday at the end of December with a gourp of five. We made a reservation through OpenTable earlier in the week for 8:30pm. When we arrived and gave our name, the hostess at first tried to seat us a table for two. We reminded her that we were a group of five and she quickly and graciously found and cleared a larger table. The waiter was attentive and helpful and the food was good.
Our biggest complaint was with the ambience of the restaurant. By 9pm the hostess was seated across from us, apparently done for the night and eating her employee meal. Right next to her was the manager/owner(?) parked at another table with a cup of coffee, his laptop and a pile of paperwork. Soon afterwards, they started putting chairs on all the tables that were no longer occuppied. By 9:30, when we received our entrees we all felt that we were intruding on the staff and should hurry and leave so they could close the place. With all the employee activity, it was difficult to relax and enjoy our food and wine.Then, when we were finishing our food, the check appeared before the waiter asked if we would like anymore wine, desert or coffee. Having worked in restaurants myself, I understand the desire to close up as quickly as possible so the staff can enjoy their evening too, but when it takes away from the experience for the customer, then the employees need to be patient and less conspicous when it comes to closing the restaurant. And if they want to close at 9:30, don't take reservations for 8:30. -
Review from Scott V.
Philadelphia, PA
1/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
First time here. I had the rabbit pappardelle. They no longer have the lamb pappardelle which was previously recommended. Overall excellent, a bit salty. My friends had the penne with sausage and spaghetti with meatballs. We had the chanti "I sodi del paretaio" which went well with the rabbit and sausage. Service was adequate...perhaps a bit hurried at times although it was busy.
We came on a Wednesday night. Service was fast and attentive. We had a manager oversee our dinning expirence to make sure all was well. There is an option of getting gluten free bread for olive oil dipping. -
Review from Hannah C.
1/6/2012
First time I ordered gnocchi. I love butternut squash so I ordered the butternut squash gnocchi with sage butter and hazelnut. It had great flavor but it was a little sticky and doughy. It was too glutenous for me. I'm not convinced that I will like gnocchi or will ever order it again.
Salted cod with polenta. I was hoping to get pan fried polenta rather than mushy blob. I should've asked. The cod which was on top of the polenta was really salty. Go figure "salted". Still it would have been nice to have maybe toast to balance out the saltiness and mushiness. A lesson learned. Ask before ordering.
My favorite was the capellini with meatballs. The marinara sauce was on the sour side but the meatballs were tasty and delicious and the capellini was cooked al dente. I also got my veggies for the day with the side of brussels sprouts & pancetta.
I didn't like the dessert which was chocolate ice cream sandwiches. The cookies had a dried up brownie texture and they were too sweet. Also there was hardly any ice cream between the cookies.
Service was prompt and attentive almost to point of rushing. -
Review from Katie B.
San Francisco, CA
2/8/2012
Just wonderful. I was thrilled to find a gluten-free pasta place in SF, and Ristorante Bacco does not disappoint. The pasta is delicious. What's more, they also have gluten-free bread; they'll bring you your own little basket and a separate olive oil and pesto dipping sauce to avoid cross contamination.
The ambiance is lovely--cozy, romantic--and the staff are so friendly and accommodating. Bacco is a neighborhood gem, and we plan to dine here for years to come. -
Review from rick l.
San Francisco, CA
2/2/2012
This is an honest review from neighbors that have lived in Noe Valley for 15+ years.
We went to Bacco before it was Bacco. We witnessed the transition, We know the owner and the manager.
We love this place. We love the food. We love the people. This place is wonderful. The food is fresh. The wine is great. The prices are reasonable.
We always bring our friends and relatives here.
Well, we always write a review on Open-Table and new we have written on on Yelp.
We expect this review to be posted and to stick and be available for people to read for at least 5 years from February 02, 2012. -
Review from Adrienne g.
San Francisco, CA
12/1/2011
Sis had received some bad news so a last minute dinner spot was needed to drown away all our worries.....enter Bacco
The waitstaff couldn't have been friendlier & we had a great bottle of wine at our table before we knew it - then the deliciousness really began
Starters included Squash Soup for the bf - it was made w/ chicken stock ( veggies beware! ) & he said it was thick & creamy & all kinds of good
Sis & I shared the Buratta & it was a nice creamy bloop of mozz on a crispy toast round w/ sundried tomato jam - scrumptious!
Entrees included
BF - pasta with clams, mussels, & scallops in tomato / saffron sauce - he said the pasta was cooked perfectly & the seafood was a nice variety & a lot of it
Sis got the Gnocchi w/ basil, tomato & scamorza -- she's a huge fan of the red sauce paired w/ her gnocchi & the little pillows were firm, a bit chewy & had a great texture
I opted for the special of Squash Ravioli - this was a combo of Squash & Artichokes & it was light, just a bit pumpkinny-sweet yet & tart from the chokes
Tiramisu for the table to finish off the meal & by that time, we were well stuffed & laughing the night away.....mission "fun night" accomplished!Listed in: Ode to Pumpkin - the Savory…, Just say Yes to Gnocchi
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Review from Mark S.
1/12/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Went here with five friends for NYE this past year and had an excellent meal. Great wine selection, excellent food, and even when it got really busy (it was NYE after all) we weren't rushed out at all. They make their own pasta every day, so make sure you have some!
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Review from JODY S.
Las Vegas, NV
1/5/2012 Seated via OpenTable
I made dinner reservations for Bacco for NYE 2012 and it wasnt a bad decision but i feel i could have done better.
Bacco is a nice little spot nestled in between a very residential area in Noe Valley with a kind of dark entrance and location so be aware if your not totally sure what your looking for as you can miss it. Parking is on the street like most things SF so dropping off your dinner partners and parking a block or two away might be the norm for eating here. Upon entrance the dining room is dim lit but smells wonderful, with about 20-25 small tables and a small welcoming wait staff. Initially my service here was attentive with my first waitress who promptly took orders and was on point till she left.
When the food came out i had ordered the pappardelle pasta with short ribs and it was infact quite taste. Very tender meat, well seasoned and the pasta and sauce was also well prepared. Im used to having very wide pappardelle pasta when ordering so when it came out only about 1/4" wide i was a little disappointed as i love noodles but the flavor made up for the lack of carbs which i was okay with. The rest of the food on the table seemed enjoyable to everybody with little to no complaints.
The only issue i had with the evening was the lack of service after the food was delivered to the table. We hadnt seen our waitress in 15-20 minutes after finishing our dinner course and were trying to obtain a dessert menu to finish dinner off. After flaggind down (which i shouldnt have had to do) our new waitress she brought the menus and explained why there was a delay with no apologies and took the dessert order. Out of Cream Brulee on NYE knowing you are going to have a ton of tables and this early in the night (8:30) thats a no no. Went with the Tiramisu and have had much better in countless places and could have done without especially with the added wait and lack of service.
Overall the dinner was great in terms of quality and taste, i would have loved to have maybe a little more on my plate 20-30% more to be satisfied but it wasnt a small portion by any means. Service could be improved upon especially on a night where you know you will have alot of tables and you only have one waitress from what i saw at a time. I wouldnt return the next time im in the city but i wouldnt say it was a horrible experience at all. -
Review from Mary D.
Daly City, CA
1/5/2012 Seated via OpenTable
What a nice place. The decor is simple and pleasing as is the service. The food is very good with large portions and reasonable prices.
Hubby and I went there early the other night and ordered the grilled, fresh sardines filled with mashed potatoes as an appetizer. I ordered it because I had never had fresh sardines. They were quite good! Then for entrees he ordered their specialty, risotto which came with smoked salmon and pink peppercorns. My husband makes the most incredible risotto, so this was a dicey proposition. I ordered the appetizer portion of mezzluna: ravioli with ricotta and cod in a saffron butter sauce. I really like that you can order any of the pasta dishes in an appetizer size. They were delicious! Fresh, fresh pasta dough and just enough of filling not the least bit "fishy" just a hint of the cod.
Now, back to the risotto: it came on a large plate and was a sizable portion for one person. He ate ALL of it! They use the rice common to Venice rather than arborio rice, which is most common for risotto. The grains are smaller and very creamy.
It was a great dining experience and we will return. -
Review from Jordan C.
San Francisco, CA
11/20/2011
Great atmosphere, perfect service, great food.
I came here with an old friend for some good old fashioned Italian comfort food on a cold San Francisco night and we were not disappointed. The waiter was friendly and knowledgeable, and helped me select a good wine after my frist selection was sold out.
We ordered 2 appetizers to share, a salad and thinly sliced beef with salad. Both were superb, and the salad included chunks of fine cheese and cubes of panchetta. The beef was something like dried coppa.
For the main course we shared some rigatoni with meat sauce and a filet of bread veal. Both were absolutely superb, and they said the rigatoni recipe was the same they've been making for 15 years.
FOr dessert we were pretty stuffed so we just got tea and espresso. A perfect experience, no complaints, great food, excellent service. -
Review from Rachel G.
San Francisco, CA
12/16/2011
Bacco is like your favorite sweater: cozy, warm, familiar. After walking by it so many times, we finally tried it last night, and it has firmly cemented its place as my go-to spot for some comfort food in the neighborhood. The service was great, and the food was absolutely delicious. My hubs and I split two appetizers (the grilled baby octopus being the standout - the texture was just right and the sauce was to die for), and each got the smaller portion of pasta, along with a shared order of brussel sprouts with pancetta. It was the perfect amount of fantastic Italian fare, and at a reasonable price, to boot.
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Review from Albert L.
I made a last minute reservation for a party of 3 on a Sunday night for 8:15PM. When we got to the restaurant, our waiter seemed less than pleased to greet us and tell us of the specials and whatnot. Probably because they could have closed at 9:00PM but I'll never know forsure..
Bacco Salad [http://s3-media4.px.ye...]
Coming from a true carnivore, this salad was pretty good. Big bites of [REAL] bacon, quail eggs, cheese crumbles, and walnuts. Oh, and the salad with a nice vinaigrette , of course!
Polpette (Slow Braised Meatballs) [http://s3-media1.px.ye...]
Our second appetizer, but this one was a disappointment. For $12, you get only three bite-size meatballs and despite being "homemade and slowly braised", it tasted like any other regular meatball.. blah.
Maiale (Center Cut Bone-in Pork Chop) [http://s3-media3.px.ye...]
My mouth was watering when I read this on the menu, but again, it was a miss. It was Pistachio crusted on a bed of greens and paired with a nice smooth and lumpy mash potatoes, but the porkchop itself was overcooked and dry. Perhaps it was because all our entree's came out at the same time, but it just didn't work out.
Tiramisu [http://s3-media3.px.ye...] [http://s3-media2.px.ye...]
Really, I'm a sucker for tiramisu and with that being said, I've eaten a ton of tiramisu in my day to say that Bacco's was forgettable. It looked very unorganized with the ladyfingers and insides oozing out. Of course, it was still good, but I definitely had better.
The food was either a hit or a miss. The highlight of the meal was my girlfriend's Handmade Penne Pasta dish, which was delicious! The service was a tad slow and felt rushed, but it was a Sunday evening after all, and we didn't see that waiter that "greeted" us when we got there by the end of the night (probably jetted home). The madame also comped one of our desserts (Ganesh Cookies [http://s3-media2.px.ye...]), which we didn't really enjoy, so that was very much appreciated.
I'll definitely have a second go at Ristorante Bacco in the future. -
Review from soraya s.
Pacifica, CA
1/3/2012 Seated via OpenTable
My fiance and I came here for NYE dinner, we were greeted promptly. I came here because of the gluten-free pasta dishes they have. I had a delicious gluten free pasta dish with braised beef while my fiance had regular lasagna. They even had gluten free dinner bread! The atmosphere was warm and lovely! The staff and service was wonderful! Defiantly a must if you are or aren't gluten free!
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Review from Bob W.
San Francisco, CA
10/14/2011
Vincenzo, Vincenzo, Vincenzo
Wish you could of taste the food tonight! The chef was off a bit.
Bacco is truely a neiborhood joint. Not ready for prime time.
Service was great and ambience is reasonable. Wine availability is adequate.
The beet salad was small, sprinkled with chopped lettuce?
But the pasta Lamb sauce was over Salted, portion small compare with Divino. The Paste quality is second to none. Dessert was off also. Pennecotta was too milky and Apple Tarte too under cook.
I would probably not come back again, the food prep quality needs to improve.
Ciao, till we meet again. may be back at Divino. -
Review from neek w.
San Francisco, CA
5/14/2011
Yet another awesome spot in noe valley!
.. So I came in here early on some saturday evening for dinner. Customer service is excellent, food is on point and it's an overall very pleasant experience! A little expensive, but I would definitely come back again.
For starters, I ordered the meatballs and my date ordered pasta. I don't remember the exact names but both of them had that "melt in your mouth and melt your heart" sort of thing going on. Then, I got some ravioli (sooo good) and my friend had some steak (medium..it was perfect).. and finally to what I was dying to talk about.. THE DESSERT.. was just mind-blowing!!!! The apple-tarty ice cream pastry caramely thing was just orgasmic. I am still thinking about that thing. Wishing we did NOT share our desserts because I did NOT get enough!!
It does appear to be a little but more on the pricey side, so be prepared to spend at least $100.00 for two without drinks. I definitely won't become a regular here but this is a great treat! -
Review from Daniel D.
Updated - 5/19/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Seriously I've been going here almost every month or so as long as I have the money to spend. It's worth every penny.
Brief Summary
-- Still the BEST Italian I've ever had in my life
-- Awesome customer service and wait staff
-- Pasta made fresh daily
Just came here again for another outstanding dinner with my GF and her Mom. You can order anything on the menu and it's going to be delicious.
This time I ordered the Rigatoni, one of my favorites. Great meaty taste. The sauce wasn't overbearing. The tomatoes didn't take over in taste. Portions are plenty enough and you're satisfied when you leave.
GF had the Vermicelli with meatballs and it was delicious. The meatballs are very tender and tasty. They aren't hard like other meatballs that I've had before.
GF's Mom got what seemed like a seafood medley of clams, scallops and mussels with linguine. She enjoyed it.
We ended the night with the Apple Tart and it was delicious, warm and fresh. You've got to try it.Listed in: My Favorite Food, Dinner Dates, When in Daly City..., San Francisco Spots
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/31/2011
This is the BEST Italian I've ever had!
BS
- Fresh and Delicious Italian
- Gets busy during the weekend… Read more »
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Review from Q L.
San Francisco, CA
5/20/2011 Seated via OpenTable
I've been here twice so far, and will most likely be returning.
My sister took me during the winter and I took my mom for mother's day.
My mom would give this place 5 stars for sure, her opinion of the place is that it's very italian. She over ordered, got an appetizer, pasta, and main dish. These are not small portions folks!
I had gluten free pasta both times. The way the pasta was cooked was perfect, each time...and I'm a fan of consistency. I was even brought gluten free house made bread to dip into olive oil....this could be worked on, the bread was 'eh ok'...although I SUPER appreciate the effort!
Do not be in a rush if you come here...it's quality...and just order a glass of wine and bring good company and be happy.
One note of gluten free improvement: have more dessert options for the gluten free crowd on the menu. If there were a weekends only special like, let's say, tiramisu...ummm I'd be there A LOT -
Review from RED B.
Grass Valley, CA
11/16/2011
We had the pleasure of dining here this past weekend. The atmosphere was fine, the food was excellent, but what stood out to us was the server.
There was a small error with the order of the table next to us. The server realized the error prior to placing the meal on the table, served the others, and brought something for the patron to eat while the replacement was being made. This allowed the whole table to eat while their dinners were hot without making anyone uncomfortable. Not only that, the server accepted full responsibility and blamed no one. We found this whole scene unusual in today's world.
We will return the next time we visit the city. We would also return based on the care the servers showed their patrons ! -
Review from L C.
San Francisco, CA
4/16/2011
I was so excited to learn that Bacco now had gluten-free pasta and bread! Over the years I had eaten here several times and always had good experiences. They were happy to work with me and find me something on the menu that was gluten-free, which usually turned out to be a steak. So it was very exciting to finally get to try the pasta that my family and friends always raved about. Our server was very helpful with my dietary restrictions and made sure everything was done right.
They brought out gluten-free bread with olive oil for dipping. It was warm, moist, and tasty, and it was so nice not to be left out of the bread course. I had the bacco salad with very fresh arugula and radicchio. For my entree I chose the tagliolini with shrimp and arugula. The GF pasta had a nice al dente texture and flavor. We were too full to try dessert, but it looked like they had sorbets and gelato for GF eating.
Overall, it was a great meal and I am so happy that this neighborhood favorite has expanded their gluten-free offerings. I will definitely be back. -
Review from Ash V.
Noe Valley, San Francisco, CA
12/17/2011
The Rigatoni and Tiramisu are must-haves!
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Review from Susan P.
San Francisco, CA
6/30/2011
My recent second trip to Ristorante Bacco confirmed my lackluster first impression: the food and service is mediocre at best.
It was early on a Tuesday evening, and my party of six was one of the few occupied tables in the place. A group of boisterous businessmen entered, and I couldn't believe it when the host directed them to the table right next to us when the restaurant was nearly empty. Fortunately one of the gentlemen suggested it might be a good idea for them to be seated elsewhere.
As for value, the restaurant is quite overpriced. We started with two orders of the meatball appetizer to share ($20 for six plum-sized meatballs). At that price, they had better be the best meatballs I've ever eaten. Unfortunately they weren't--while the meat was tender, the overly salty tomato sauce dominated the flavor of the beef.
Next, the beet salad: sigh. The beets completely lacked flavor, as did the olive oil drizzled over the plate. A dash of vinegar might have countered the bitterness of the arugula leaves. The goat cheese was the only thing on the plate that I enjoyed.
One person in my party ordered a steak, medium rare ($28). It arrived to the table medium well, with a charred, inedible hunk of radicchio and a tiny mound of mashed potatoes.
The service also was a mystery, considering the lack of customers. We sat with our menus for quite a while before anyone came over to check on us. Once the entrees were delivered, our server vanished. My father-in-law, celebrating his 80th birthday, politely pointed out to a busser that he had inadvertently dropped his napkin on the ground. The napkin remained on the ground for the rest of our meal, and a replacement was not delivered.
There are better places in Noe Valley to enjoy quality Italian food at a reasonable price. -
Review from Lisa P.
San Francisco, CA
10/2/2011
Amazing, delicious, fresh, flavorful Italian food, including wonderful gluten free pasta and bread. Yum!
The atmosphere is nice but unpretentious, and the staff warm and welcoming.
But the best part is the delicious food, and what a treat to be given fresh gluten free bread to dip in the flavorful olive oil (as well as the house-made gluten free gnochi). -
Review from Nikki K.
Berkeley, CA
9/11/2011
Came here for a first date last night. I don't know if I would have chosen this place, but I don't think my date had actually been here before. From the outside it is a very cute location. A tree-lined mostly residential street with well-kept Victorians, the restaurant is nestled right between a church and corner market. It is low and flat and looks very upscale so I was glad I had dressed up a bit and not gone for a more urban look.
Inside its got a nice décor. Small but with white table cloths, yada yada. All so good so far, but the first sign that this is no Delfina is that the crowd seemed to be from an AARP meeting. Not to be age-ist, but I was surprised some of the diners didn't drop their dentures into their wine glasses when they were done with their meals to soak for a bit.
Okay, so it was more my nana's crowd than mine.
When we turned to the menu, it too seemed a little old-fashioned to me. But I went with it. My date was funny and I was happy to be on a date after a bit of a dry spell this summer.
We started with the calamari, which was nicely prepared. Not chewy. It was okay.
He had the vermicelli with little tiny meatballs, which after some Alec Baldwin on Saturday Night Live jokes, he let me have a taste of. Good little meatballs. Not heavenly but good.
I had the cod ravioli, which was pretty good. Well-prepared but a bit under-seasoned for my taste.
We briefly considered staying for the chocolate ganashe cookies with milk but I think he sensed I was underwhelmed by his choice of dinner spot and we decided to just move on to first date part two.
Overall, I would say this is a good place to go with your parents, maybe, but I would not recommend it for first date spots if you are under 50. -
Review from e m.
San Francisco, CA
11/16/2010
Nearly atrocious, and extremely overrated.
The ravioli was uncooked, under-stuffed and under-sauced.
The Rigatoni was redolent of a musky red pepper. We substituted the sausage for mushrooms, big mistake. The mushrooms tasted like a rehydrated chewy mess.
Overall unpleasant experience. -
Review from Paul H.
San Francisco, CA
3/30/2011
I think that for the money - it was expensive - you could do much better for this city (or even in the neighborhood). I enjoyed the pastas; but their veal scallopini was in a flavorless sauce; and the menu seemed rather uninspired.
The service was attentive, but I was not too stoked when I asked for the montepulciano (there are two on the menu), and the waiter naturally brought out a $60 bottle instead of the $30 one.
Nice ambiance and was hopping on a Tuesday night, but mostly full of the old folks that live in Noe Valley.
Pasta Gina next door has really, really good fresh pastas FYI. -
Review from christine c.
San Francisco, CA
9/13/2011
Delicious! Went on a Friday night for a late (9ish) dinner. The place was almost empty, but the food was great. He had the pistachio crusted pork chop and I had the lamb papperdelle. Both were terrific. I could have done with a few more veggies with the pork chop, but it was cooked perfectly and perfectly seasoned. We definitely were shutting down and we only saw our waitress to order, but we understand that SF is sort of an early-dining town and people want to go home. Would definitely return for an earlier dinner!
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Review from Steven C.
Berkeley, CA
12/1/2011
If your waiter is Giuseppe - your service may be lousy
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Review from Bren B.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2011
I had dinner at Bacco last night and it was AMAZING!
I had the braised meatballs appetizer and they were so moist and delicious. For my main entree I had the gnocchi made with butternut squash and a gorgonzola cream sauce-- probably the best gnocchi I have ever had.
My date has a gluten allergy so we were thrilled that Bacco offers gluten-free substitutions for several of their pastas AND bread...
I was raving about the food to the sweet waitress and she gave us a COOKBOOK with recipes from the Chef for FREE!!!!! Amazing. I have never had such great service, she was a doll and I can't wait to go back. -
Review from Eric A.
6/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a Solid Italian Restaurant in Noe Valley. It's a bit hidden since it's off Diamond. But I would come here again. My Rigatoni dish was really tasty and I would get it again. We had a few appetizers as well and I would simply recommend anything on their menu
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Review from Jody A.
San Francisco, CA
8/31/2011
A fantastic menu, which includes fresh, made-in-house gluten free pastas & breads! This is GREAT for the gluten free diners! The wine list is decent & the staff members are super friendly. Owner/manager is very nice & handsome, to boot! I highly recommend Ristorante Bacco!
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Review from Albert L.
8/19/2010 1 Check-in Here
I went here with my girlfriend yesterday evening, essentially on a whim. Liked it very much.
What we ate: Stuffed calamari, asparagus and proscuitto, fregola with mussels and clams, vermicelli spaghetti with meatballs, tiramisu
Pros: Service! Extremely warm and attentive. Luca seated us, recommended wines, and took our order, all with a personal touch. Couldn't have been better. As for food, the calamari and the pasta. Originally, we ordered the octopus antipasti but it wasn't available, and we were recommended the calamari instead. Good thing we were, because it was phenomenal! Three calamari "dumplings" essentially, stuffed with diced vegetables, accompanied by spinach and a delicious cream sauce. Very tasty yet not heavy at all. The pasta dishes were also very good, in particular the pasta itself which was cooked to perfection. Oh, and the tiramisu was fantastic, without question.
Cons: The asparagus, clams, and mussels weren't anything to write home about. I like the meatballs -- they were light and on the dry side, almost like turkey -- but I could see how others would expect something a little more savory. We were also disappointed about the octopus not being available, even though we were there at 6:30 pm for dinner.
On the balance, we had a great meal. The service was excellent enough to be distinct, and the food was delicious to the point where I would want to go again just to try the other pastas. Just as a point of personal preference, I would have liked a slightly more upscale setting, perhaps warmer lighting and better spacing of the tables and seats, while retaining the overall rustic-ness (rusticity?) of the restaurant. Then again, prices were reasonable and therefore not inconsistent with the more casual decor.
4+ stars. Go for the pasta! -
Review from Mark B.
Palatine, IL
8/24/2010
We were staying in Noe Valley while on vacation.
For our last night out, we decided to go a little up-scale.
Bacco was just the ticket.
We were early, so there was plenty of seating. Even so, there was a large and loud group right where we had been seated. The owner stopped by to say "hi" and even asked if we'd like to be moved to another area. We declined and enjoyed the ambiance.
The food was well prepared and tasty, wait staff was very personable yet professional.
Everything was so good we may have overindulged a bit.
Next time we stay in Noe, we'll be sure to stop by Bacco again. -
Review from Katie M.
San Francisco, CA
11/8/2011 Seated via OpenTable
After a lot of Yelp searching I chose Ristorante Bacco for my boyfriend's birthday dinner. I had high expectations, but unfortunately they were not met. The food was fine, but it was nothing extraordinary. Likewise the ambiance was ok, but we would have preferred something homier and cozier. With so many other restaurants to try, I doubt we'll be back.
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Review from Lauren V.
San Francisco, CA
5/12/2011
One of the few restaurants in San Francisco that offers gluten free pasta is BACCO Ristorante! Their authentic Italian menu includes eight excellent pasta dishes and each sauce can be made with their organic gluten free linguine or penne pasta for $2 extra. Many other items on the menu including the daily Risotto special naturally do not contain gluten or can be modified to be gluten free.
http://www.gfinsf.com for photos and the full review- also more gluten free friendly restaurants/bakeries in SF -
Review from Tammy C.
4/14/2010 2 photos
(See pics)
As fate would have it, I am at this part of the town, that Ed. U mentioned Bacco a couple weeks ago, and I trekked and walked off a few calories before arriving at this place.
I immediately like this place for its home feel, warm and welcoming restaurant.
For starter, I had BACCO salad which had fresh wild arugola, radicchio, roasted walnuts, gorgonzola cheese mixed with balsamic dressing. I like the light style of salad. The bread with pesto oil was also very good that I had to pace myself.
For the main course, I really wanted risotto and some seafood and they were super nice enough to make a special dish for me. The made to order Carnaroli risotto was very tasty with the light tomato sauce. The abundance of tasty seafood-- clams, mussels, scallops, fish and shrimps! The dish was rich, tasteful with very generous portions.
I also had a glass of 2008 Falanghina which was a good recommendation and they poured more than 1 glass.
I was too full to have any dessert but they were so sweet and served a complimentary Zibibbo! Such a sweet ending to a great evening.
Service was very very friendly and nice. They made you feel like home with fantastic service. Love the ambiance, people and the great food.
Food is a definite 4 stars of quality with 5 stars of quantity and also, the 5 great stars for the service. -
Review from M G.
San Francisco, CA
1/14/2011
Our party of 4 walked in on a Friday night (around 6p) without reservations and were seated immediately. Service was amazing, as it's been each time we've come: water glasses refilled, wobbly table fixed without asking, etc. Since we dine with a small child, we usually ask for the side area left of the entrance/main dining room.
The 'amazing' part - right after ordering, the bread/pesto arrived. And soon after (within about 10 minutes max), all of our entrees! Extra kudos for keeping a toddler entertained with quickly arriving food plates.
Everyone ordered pasta dishes and "seemed" to enjoy them. I use the word "seemed" because it's cold/flu season and 1/2 of our party had dulled senses, so I can't accurately comment about their tastebud experiences. I had the tagliolini with rock shrimp/arugula and loved it - perfectly cooked pasta and very light, which was what I wanted. Paired with a Sangiovese - delicious!
The kid (who has a good palate and is usually a good gauge of the food) sampled all of our dishes and enjoyed the rigatoni the most, followed by the tagliolini and the vermicelli/tuscan meatballs.
By the time we left, all tables (except one) were filled in our area. The main dining area looked pretty full too.
Minor critiques: Pesto served with bread could use a little more flavoring; check took a while to get once it was busy.
Overall: great service, homey food, cozy environment, kid-friendly. Be sure to ask the hostess (owner?) about the pear and tomato paintings... -
Review from Liz S.
8/16/2010 1 Check-in Here
Delicious! Was here last night with a friend and this is a great little intimate date night spot to eat at (if you don't have go pay since it is pretty pricey)! Sunday - Thursday they offer a three course pre-fix meal with a number of choices for the entree. I had the gnocchi that was in a pesto and rock shrimp sauce. The crostini appetizer was alright but nothing to make me consider ordering it again, but the tiramisu - YUM! very light and not overwhelming.
If you eat before 7 on a Sunday it might seem like nobody eats there but the staff is very attentive regardless, something that other fancy restaurants sometimes forget about when it's slow. -
Review from Statin Island V.
Cumberland Foreside, ME
2/1/2011
When I want honest Italian food; just really well prepared, comforting and tasty pastas and meats, this is where I send myself.
If you like crowds, the newest trendy ingredient ridiculous combinations, or some Chronicle reviewer's rave's about cutting edge cuisine, don't bother coming here. You will be disappointed by their lack of pretense and unnecessary innovation.
It's just delicious, reasonably priced food, with really good service in a tasteful dining room. Kind of like eating in Italy. -
Review from Hari B.
San Carlos, CA
8/30/2010
The food, decor and service was average. Really cramped seating.
Not bad - but not exciting.
