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"Talk about a go-to. This is my favorite lunch spot go-to. Today's menu - (like alot of days) was the chicken parm sandwich. It's big,…" read more »
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I like Scala's. You will, too, if you go with a smile and the hope that service, menu and a very typical SF din-ery is what you wish for.
More often than not, I am in SF on business, solo. I can usually get a seat at the bar, or proximate to the bar. Then, with eyes-wide-shut (oops, open), engage with the staff, select my fave-bev and start with great dipping bread and make my own concoction of vinegar and oils. If I just want soup, salad or apps (pasta) I get it good. Thanks Scala's.
Average food. Good service. The only thing that blew us away was the olive oil--the one thing they didn't actually make. I had the fig and gorgonzola pizza. It was good conceptually but far too sweet. There were three sweet components that threw off the balance of the dish. Balsamic reduction, carmelized onions, and figs. While all good, together it was overkill. Without the balsamic sauce it would have been much better. I was also really not that impressed with our appetizer, fritto misto. The fennel was delicious and really stood out, but everything else was average. I guess the rock shrimp was good too bit you can't really mess that up.
My dining companion had the halibut which was nearly $30 and overcooked. There was no complexity to the dish. It was halibut with a red tomato paste like sauce. Our waitress was nice but the food was not worth the price. There are so many other places to try in the area. I won't be going back.
Dreading the start of rainy season? Get thee to Union Square and soak up the last remnants of Indian Summer!
I'd walked by this location a zillion times--it's between Saks and the hotel with the Beefeater bellmen. Each time, I mentaly sniffed, snap judging it as too touristy.
In late 2008, Scala's hired Top Chef alum Jen Biesty as the Executive Chef. Suddenly they became much more interesting...
Although I've managed to miss the sold out special dinners, including cook-offs with Jen and other Top Chefs, I finally made it in for lunch.
Decor is total old school--Gold Rush San Francisco surrounded in polished wood panels. Embossed tin ceilings add a dash of New England and a further dusting of old money. Floor to ceiling windows offer great people watching opps that include, yes, tourists.
Ambience is excellent, food is good. The duck carpaccio bruschetta (above) was short on duck flavor and long on olive oil that left our fingers greasy for the rest of the meal. Hubby didn't love the duck bolognese--although the pasta was clearly homemade, the duck was overwhelmed by the sauce and could have been anything.
Stick with the orecchiette and italian sausage-lovely homemade pasta with spicy calabrian sausage in an enormous bowl. Oh yeah, they sneak some tasty greens in there, too.
Stuffed, but not ready to give up our sunny window seat, we ordered the Chocolate IV dessert. Imposing name, a chocoholic's dream.
It may even be enough to bring us back on a rainy day.
Wasn't impressed by this Union Square Italian spot. The only word I can use to describe the experience is, "unmemorable". Nothing really stood out to me. Average food, ambiance, and service. I can hardly even remember what I ate. Just recall that nothing was that great. The location is good, located steps from Union Square, but other than that, for the price of the meal was really disappointed.
Back when we had a slush fund we used to take people here for their birthdays - and the whole small staff would go. I've always enjoyed the food just fine. For downtown, it's not overpriced, they give you a nice hearty meal, and the service is top quality. It is a bistro and is on the noisy side but it's possible to have a long relaxing meal here.
I've really enoyed the little gem salad, the duck bolognese, and the lunch orchiette with italian sauasage here. The filet mignong sliders and the burger are also top quality. It's not the type of place I'd place in my personal top ten destination restaurants - there is a corporate feel about it - but there's no question Scala is a safe bet, and a better meal than you'll get in a lot of places.
My wedding party and I came here after our ceremony and, honestly, the experience did not live up to my expectations. My friend and her boyfriend (both were in our wedding party) had previously come here for a Valentine's Day breakfast and kept saying how great the food was, so when I couldn't find a upscale place to celebrate our intimate wedding I opted for here. Three out of five of the wedding party had seared filet mignon sliders; another person had the roasted chicken; and I rounded up the tab with linguine and clams. We received complimentary champagne because it was a wedding party which would've been cool if I wasn't the only drinker at the table... five flutes, three had to go to me and two remained untouched (c'mon I could hear my mum in my head giving me a lecture for wasting something of such expense).
Anyway, back to the food, I took a bite of my husband's slider and it wasn't as flavorful as I expected filet mignon to be. My linguine was very sweet which isn't the flavor genre I like my pasta to be in, but luckily there was pepper on the table and it took a lot of it to cancel out the sweetness. The desserts were amazing and probably what saved the meal from being an epic failure. The hostess was really nice but our waiter was quite indifferent and you could tell he hated waiting on some twenty-somethings. I enjoyed the European style of eating (no rushing you to the next course) and we took advantage of it for being there for almost three hours - not that there was a line out of the door anyway.
Overall, I didn't have a fabulous or horrible experience at this place but when I pay the tab that I did ($150) I better get food to match - I would recommend Venus in Berkeley if that's the caliber of restaurant you're looking for.
I had dinner here with a party of six. I expected a much better experience. I'm holding this place to a higher standard -- thus the three stars (In places like Santa Cruz it would be 4 stars) -- because this is how they market and price themselves. My details:
Service: 5 stars (Kudos to the entire staff - fabulous)
Food: 2 stars (I've had better - much better. Kind of bland)
Ambiance: 2 stars (CAN YOU SAY LOUD - omg, put in some rugs or reduce the number of tables)
Overall = 3 stars. I just wasn't that impressed. I tend to go for the smaller, more intimate places. You may feel different.
e found ourselves in Scala's by accident for lunch. We had about an hour and a half to kill before a tour and we stopped in the first place we saw to get a nice meal. While it was visually appealing, unfortunately, the food was a bit of a letdown.
We chose items off the prix fixe menu, but even for the reduced price, the food left so much be desired. We both got mixed greens salad for starters, but the greens were so bitter that I could not eat it. I had to request a caesar salad, which they were nice enough to substitute. That was on the bland side, but at least it was edible. I had the agnolotti, which was oddly flavored and unsatisfying. My fiance got a chicken dish that was tough and served on a bed of flavorless polenta.
The service was extremely slow. Even though we gave ourselves a long period for lunch, we had to request the check while eating because it seemed to take so long for everything to arrive. The server was busy, but not excessively so that would explain the delay.
We walked out with a much higher check than we would have liked and stomaches that, while full, were not entirely happy. We will not return here on future trips to the area.
Went here today out of desperation. We were lined up at Sears right across from it for a much needed breakfast but the place was packed!
I'm giving it a 3 mainly for the location since it's close to Union Square and we were seated right away.
It is a 2 stars for service and the weird tasting Corned Beef Hash.
I ordered the Traditional Corned Beef hash and was so disappointed when i tried it. It was sweet! It came with two eggs on top of it. The waiter forgot my toast and I had to remind him. I mean he asked if I wanted the toast in the first place-and then he forgot about it!
Paradise ordered the poached eggs with Hollandaise Sauce and I heard that it was good. About $30+tip for two.
BTW they stop serving breakfast at 11:30 am.
4.5 stars for sure!
Went to Scala's last night before heading to the A.C.T. for a show. We were running late for our reservation and the hostess was very accomodating. I liked the comfy dining atmosphere and elegant decor. The service was good--it took about 15 minutes to just get water but after that, everything was quick and smooth, she made sure we were able to finish in time to get to the theater.
The food was amazing! Between 3 of us was ordered:
calamari risotto
lamb chops
short ribs
Boston creme pie
apple tartlet
Every dish was excellent. All of the proteins were cooked perfectly. The Boston creme pie was fantastic--should be renamed the SF creme pie because of how different it is.
Will most definitely be back!
Lovely ambiance that's refined but comfortable. Red cherry mahogany wood against warmly brushed yellow walls creates a rich warmth around the plushy booths. Food isn't quite as perfect as the venue, and service will be testy if you stay too late, but Scala's is all-in-all very respectable. The reverberating acoustics make the restaurant a bit noisy at peak times, but if you go late enough you might hear slips of jazz through lulls in conversation. Gorgeous coffered ceilings. Look UP.
Note: Scala's Bistro is American-Italian fusion... really better known for the "whole package" rather than the food.
++ | Miyagi Oysters |
Small/medium sized. Standard oysters are delicious nevertheless.
++ | Fritto Misto |
Calamari, tossed & plated with fried fennel, onion, green beans; aka Surf & Turf, har har. Loved the fennel, which was strong enough to levy the fried aroma. It's not too greasy, but trends towards the dry side -- be generous w/aioli & lemon.
-- Orecchiette & Italian Sausage
Overcooked pasta, bland sauce (if it had sauce at all). It has good color proportions, but unfortunately doesn't taste quite as nice.
Dinner for 2 sans wine = $85
Came for lunch great service very cool building. Scala's has a great ambiance place was jumping perfect for people watching OK OK onto the food. We split the Seared Filet Mignon Sliders they were good but looked way better than they tasted which was still good. The plate was picture perfect like something you would see in a fancy ad. We also split a Tramezzino Panini now this little sammich looked like hammered dog shit but was wonderful from start to finish I loved every bite overall a little pricey but worth the experience.
The moral of the story is it's not what it f*in looks like it's what it tastes like.
Scala's seems very "old San Francisco" to me. Came for lunch, left happy. I had the heirloom tomato salad which consisted of tomato, mozarella, pesto, olive oil, balsamic, and fried zuchinni "ribbons." Really nice presentation. It was delicious, a good size- not too big, not too small. The bread was really soft, and the olive oil that was served with it was extremely fresh tasting.
Good service, quick... good for business lunches.
Yum! Had lunch here over the weekend - started with calamari, my husband had the steak sliders, and the pappardelle for me. The calamari was excellent, nice and fresh, and I loved the green beans and fennel that came with it. A nice and delicious surprise!
While my husband enjoyed his sliders, he LOVED my pasta, and I had to fight him off it. Roast pork, chard, in a wonderful tomato sauce. Sooooo good. The pasta was incredibly fresh, and one of the best that I've ever had.
Service was great and attentive. Only weird thing -- bathroom was far and you have to go through the hotel to get there.
Jen does it again!
My parents were visiting last weekend and I decided to take them to this place for a nice dinner that everyone, including my picky-ass Mom, could enjoy. Not only did we all enjoy it, but Scalas Bistro definitely supplied one of the better dinners I have had in SF since moving here.
We started with the sardines, a tuna crudo and the bruschetta with duck prosciutto. I really enjoyed the crudo (served with some sort of balsamic drizzle and yellow and red watermelon) but my compatriots did not. Apparently, they are not down for the whole sweet and savory thing. I did not like the sardines, but everyone else did (I love that we could get sardines at all, but really, who fries something and then serves it cold?). But the real appetizer hit was the bruschetta. AMAZING!
For our mains, we had the linguine and clams, the pappardelle with sugo, and gnocchi with crawfish and some sort of lobster butter. They were all delicious, but the real hit was the linguine and clams. It was tomatoes based, which is somewhat unusual but really worked out well. In fact, my Dad declared that it was without a doubt the best linguine and clams he has ever eaten.
The actual restaurant was also very nice - I enjoyed the design and warm light, and I love the open kitchen. The only weird thing is the bathroom - you have to go into the hotel next door and up like three flights of stairs to get to it, and when you do, there is only a single person bathroom for the entire restaurant (one for girls and one for boys).
All things considered, I will definitely go back here the next time someone comes to visit and is based in Union Square.
I went to lunch here with my mom and a girlfriend yesterday... I have to say the service was EXCELLENT. I wish I new the name of my server so I could give him props...
They have housemade breads that make your mouthwater, divine olive oil....and oh my goodness, the menu :) It is the kind of menu that makes my mind start racing-- I wanted to order the frito Mista, beef carpaccio, Squash blossom pizza, but talked myself into the heirloom tomato appetizer with the halibut as my main...I drank water for once, but the wine list is splendid and so are their cocktails...
Scala's is consistantly wonderful and I wish I cam here more often....scratch that- I will come here more often, I had a great experience...and I have many things I want to try, squash blossom pizza? Hello!!!
Automatic star for being right next to my house of worship (Saks). When you are a shoppin' fool like myself, you gotta stay nourished and keep your energy up.
Scala's is the perfect place to recharge mid-spree. Solid salads, pizzas, and pastas. Quick, friendly service. And shopping is always more fun after a few delicious bellinis.
I love the cushy benches here! Nice and comfortable.
Ate at Scala's Bistro for brunch on my recent SF excursion. Everyone at the table ordered breakfasty stuff but me -- I ordered a pizza. It *was* 1 o'clock-ish, after all. Coppa salami with garlic, braised peppers, fontina and chili flakes. Delicious!
The server was a bit strange though. He was efficient, just a little odd. I left a single slice of pizza on my plate since I was full, and when he was clearing plates, he picked up mine and said, "Here comes the airplane, zoom zoom!" like he was the parent of a toddler, trying to get them to eat another bite. Okaaaaaay. See what I mean? Odd. Made for a good laugh though.
Beautiful place, stunning food. Try the Duck Prosciutto Bruschetta. Impeccable service. Small portions for the price though.
I dined here last night and I have to say the place was very nice. The atmosphere is great, although it's a little noisy. It's a cool building adjacent to a pretty cool looking hotel.
The food was very good! The service was great! I don't know why this place doesn't have 4-stars.
I had the rib-eye steak which was great. I was happy with the restaurant, and would definitely go again.
The bread they bring you before the meal is nice. It includes breadsticks and flat bread and the olive oil is soooo goood! I think it has basil in it.
The corn chowder was yummy, even though it wasn't very thick.
P.S. The pasta looked great and it looked like a lot of return customers were there.
Sign up for their email alerts! My boyfriend did and so we ended up doing a Top Chef dinner there tonight - two of the contestants (Jen Biesty and Stephanie Izard) created a 5-course menu for $65/head. It was a LOT more food than we were prepared for (we even had leftovers!). The two chefs personally came to each table and chatted up the customers - we found Stephanie to be the more affable one, though it may have been because Jen is the executive chef and didn't have as much time to talk.
On the menu:
Chilled Sweet Onion Soup with Crab Salad - I've had chilled soup before, so the concept wasn't new, but this was a bit of a miss for me, I would have liked a bit more kick/tartness/sharpness from the onion. It tasted quite mild/sweet, but with the crab salad mixed in, I think the texture kept the dish interesting enough.
Squash Blossom Handkerchief Pasta, Veal Polpettini, Favas, Fiddleheads, Nasturtiums - I liked this one, but felt like there was a bit too much going on with the course. It was kind of confusing. Also, the fiddleheads were AWESOME, I've never had them before and they look really funny to boot! The chardonnay chosen for this course was REALLY yummy, a very fruity (? not sure if that's the word to describe it by) chardonnay that I think went well enough with the course and would have stood its own quite well, too!
Seared Diver Scallops, Pork Belly, Cilantro-Pistachio Butter - I think the rest of the table really liked this course, but it was bit too rich for me, and I felt like the wine pairing was not very well suited. Scallops were very tender, almost so much that they tasted like fat - which the pork belly had a good amount of. I mean, I understand how someone could like a dish like this - thebut I couldn't stomach much more than half the course. The dish was veery fragrant though, I think just a little too salty for me.
Roast Duck Breast, Garnett Cherries, Farro, Baby Fennel, Hazelnut - Easily my favorite of the five. The duck was amazing, and the texture of the farro (which I've never had before) was really interesting. The baby fennel didn't look too baby to me (it seemed overcooked, or maybe that's just the way it is, either way I wasn't too much a fan). The cherries went REALLY well with the duck, and the nutty/crunchiness of the farro/hazelnut were a great compliment. This course was also huge; it was the one we took leftovers for.
Pistacchio Ganache, Pistachio Gelato, Tulare Cherries - Mmmm, very delicious way to end the evening. There was some sort of a glaze that they had on this dessert (from the cherries), which I absolutely loved. The ganache was amazing, couldn't stop eating it! Don't know if this is common to all ganache(s?), but it tasted like fudge, but lighter. Very good density.
We also really appreciated that so much of the meal lent upon fresh, local foods. I was also just generally amazed with the new foods that I was able to try today.
I think my one critique of the evening was that it felt like there were a lot of really rich dishes, which I suppose is usually exactly what you want in a multi-course meal, but I would have appreciated a few lighter courses. It kind of felt like BAM!-BAM!-BAM! - only spaced out between conversation, laughter, and wine. All in all, though, this experience was a great one as far as multi-course meals go - good food and good friends - and we got a signed menu to remember it by!
I took off one star, maybe 1/10 because of the criticism I had about this experience, and 9/10 because I've come here on other occasions, and I'm pretty sure my boyfriend had a really lousy osso bucco here at some point (though whether it was the dish itself or their implementation of it that made it lousy is questionable...)
I have dinned here since the late nineties and always loved Scala's and their servers. It has been almost 3 years since I dinned here and not much has changed except for some of the servers, the chef and hosts/managers.
You have to have the Moules Frites as they are to die for. I used to think the Bostoni Cream Pie was the best dessert I ever had in my life but they changed it a bit and doesn't live up anymore(but still good). I asked they server if the recipe changed and I believe she probably gave me a corporate answer that Kimpton trained their employees to say.
Anywho- Scala's never disappoints and the atmosphere is great, service and staff are all knowledgeable and professional. I also recommend trying one of their ever changing pizzas as well as the calamari fritto which happens to have fresh veggies fritto(including fennel)that rocks this world. The gnocchi with the rock shrimp rocks(no pun intended) as well as anything else on the menu.
Overall, Scala's is a great choice up there with the best classic bistro type restaurants like BIX, Chaya and Kuletos.
Scala's will never be a bad destination.
CASE CLOSED! "The Arbitrator".
I have never had a bad meal here. They are like a rock of taking out grandma, the in laws, coworkers, etc. The food has always pleased and the staff has always been great. The tall hostess with twins would always go out of her way to make sure my grandmother was taken care of when we were in town. I guess you could say they serve a thoughtful meal. Great bar too!
not bad, not amazing....
got linguini and clams, prosciutto melon salad, and fig gorgonzola pizza. all were a "B" grade dish....but the service and location are good :)
i am sure there are better places in such a culinary expert of a city as san fran~~!
Here are a few suggestions that might earn Scala's another star. Maybe.
1. Put some music on in the background. The sound of clanking dishes and high-pitched New York accents at the next table over isn't appetizing.
2. Re-think the pan roasted chicken. The dark meat was rubbery, the white meat was dry. The skin, soggy. The polenta, yuck.
3. Train your staff on the wine list. The Pinot Noir the waitress recommended was totally bunk. I even asked about the more expensive one, but she urged me to go with the mediocre middle-of-the-road wine. What a bust.
4. Reel in the anchovy. I understand that the anchovy on the Caesar salad is traditional and all, but you already put so much in the dressing, it was like eating leafy green fish.
5. Looking around at the other tables, I noticed the pizzas were very pale and non-crispy looking. Crank that sucker up and pump out some tasty food for a change.
A friend of mine was in town from Phoenix visiting his Dad. Me and another buddy met up with him at Scala's. Started at the bar. Bartenders were busy but kept very attentive to our needs. Got seated quickly. The waiter was extremely knowledgeable. He was also very attentive to our needs. I had the Chicken Catchatore. My friend had the Salmon. Also had a side of Brussels Sprouts. Everything was delish!! They were very busy, which is a good sign in his economy. But upstairs at Harry Denton's Starlight Room, it seemed a little slow for a Friday night.
But Scala's was a very good time and very good food to boot.
Right decor. Right mood. Nice chef. Nice staff. Great food. Great location.
But to be a little more elaborate on the food:
Mixto (Earth & Surf) appetizer - was good. It's more creative than the usual calamari.
Scallops - so delicious. The scallops were cooked to perfection and the sauce was so amazing. I loved it.
Lamb Shank - although I'm usually not a fan of lamb, the texture on this one was perfect. I liked the lamb and the potatoes that went with it. This dish was very, very good as well! But of course I liked my scallops more :)
Lemon Meringue Cake - when I hear cake, I'm afraid that the word DRY would come along with it. Fortunately, this wasn't the case. It was definitely a satisfying dessert to end off our meal.
Nice big restaurant located half a block away from Union Square. A dim light setting with mirrors and paintings. My lady had been here for a dinner with her co-workers and kept talking about this place so we finally decided to come here for dinner.
We had:
the calamari - very nicely done, not oily and the sauce that accompanied it was tastey.
She had the scallops, two very big scallops on top of endives and some of these mushrooms...I think I should of ordered that..she was very happy
I had the steak n frites, yea yea i know i know..Steak and frites? what? I felt like steak~ hahaha I should of got the lamb -_-, it was still very good though, a nice big piece of rib-eye that was cooked to perfection~
Service was very good and I'm sure we will come back again fro more and I wont order the steak and frites the next time around~
Dear Scalas,
You saved me from the possibility of never getting a reservation on Saturday night. You were willing, accommodating, and a really nice dining experience. Yes, it's true you weren't my first choice but I was lucky to have experienced this SF tradition located in the heart of the city...
The hostess was really nice and helped me to feel at ease when I was getting nervous about never getting in anywhere. Our group arrived early and they were able to get us in before our reservation. The staff were all quite nice and not overly baring which can be a tad annoying.
I ordered the salmon. It came out rare which is the way I wanted it. Delicious! The salmon was placed on top a big portion of yummy mashed potatoes and chive butter sauce. I also tried my friends order of pesto & ricotta raviolis with the lemon cream sauce. Awesome!
We didn't get dessert but I kind of wished I would have at least looked at the menu. Next time?
Very good food, pleasant atmosphere (though a lot of under-dressed tourist types started encroaching at 7pm), divine desserts. OK service.
All that said ... Scala makes the best gin martini I've had in my 12 years living in SF. Chilled AND strong, decent-sized. I thanked the heavens I took mass transit so I could have a second.
So with the martini-gasm, they get 4.5 stars.
This restaurant didn't impress neither me or my wife, i don't know what the fuss is all about. First off, the waiter asked for my I.D. when i ordered a bloody mary. First of all, I'm way past over 21 and second of all, i've been to many "fine dining" restaurants and never once have they asked for my I.D. I thought that was really tacky. Let's move on to the food:
beet salad: the dressing was kinda nasty and the salad way overpriced
Lobster Bisque: good, but not great
Pizza Margherita: Ehhh, not bad.
Pesto & Ricotta Ravioli with lemon cream sauce: really bland.
The best part about the meal was the bread and olive oil.
All in all, not a great meal.
I was really disappointed after my meal, because i was so excited to try this place after i found out that, Jennifer Biesty, a top chef contestant was the executive chef. I guess now, i know why she didn't win the competition.
We dropped into La Scala on a very rainy Sunday afternoon. In fact, I'm fairly sure I looked like I had just been fished out of the bay, but everyone at La Scala was just as nice and courteous to me as to everyone else in the restaurant who happened to be oddly dry looking. Anyway, I was able to sample a pasta dish, pizza and a salad, and all were equally tasty.
I had the margherita pizza and "coastal greens" salad - the flavors went very well together. The waiter complimented me on my ordering skills, which I thought was a bit amusing. Their pizzas really are very good though. My husband had the orrechietti with sausage. He gobbled it up. We shared a carafe of Tiera and I think it went well with everything. Its a nice, light zinf blend.
When I first moved to San Francisco, I didn't know anyone so I would often eat out by myself. I enjoy food so it was not unusual to venture out and have a nice meal solo. Scala's was one of my first forays into San Francisco dining so I do have an association with loneliness here.
Tonight I reconnected here with a friend and had a lovely cocktail and small meal at the bar. This place was quite crowded, which impressed me given the recession. I went to a restaurant a few days ago and we were one of three small groups of diners. Scala's had a line of people waiting around and a completely full house. I may speculate that they have renewed popularity due to the recent arrival of Jennifer Biesty, a Top Chef contestant formerly of Coco 500.
The atmosphere here is dark and a bit stodgy. While it is an Italian restaurant, it reminds me a bit of a French restaurant in decor. Many restaurants in Paris are dark and have columns and booths throughout.
I was impressed by the warmth of the staff, the hostess was able to seat us immediately at a tall table in the bar area, even though it was originally marked reserved. She was also kind to us and we exchanged names.
I had a small appetite today owing to a chicken sandwich I had an hour earlier. so a friend and I shared a carafe of Chianti and parpardelle with pork sugo. Apple loves sugo. The pasta was clearly homemade and had a light fresh taste. The pork was tender and classically incorporated into the sauce. The bread here is fresh and the olive oil is flavorful, and from California. Localvore!
Our waitress was equally kind, making this a friendly dining experience in a grand atmosphere. She recommended we come back frequently because Jennifer changes the menu often to incorporate the freshest ingredients.
I love how the front of the house was accommodating, professional, and on point when welcoming guests. A real rarity in San Francisco.
3.5 stars
My husband's friend invited us to Scala for his birthday. Everything we ordered was good. I especially liked the steak and salmon. I ordered the shrimp risotto, I have had better risotto, but it wasn't bad. The bread and the bread sticks were good. Service was friendly and efficient. Nice place to dine for a special occasion. A bit too pricey.
I came to Scala's one Friday afternoon with a good friend and had a wonderful meal!.
I had the Pesto & Ricotta Ravioli with the lemon sauce and the tomato sauce and it was great!
And the Pomme Frittes were great with the fresh pepper and Parmesan
The sliders where cool as well nice and tender cuts of beef
The earth and surf was also tasty sort of tempura fried but still very tasty with onion and green beans.
Scala's is great for lunch and I suggest sitting in the bar area in the window. I thought I was listening to my lunch day but I was daydreaming out the window and missed everything she said. My bad
My Mom always has to come to this place, because she thinks the male waiters are gorgeous and "well- groomed." It's true, they are.
A great place for Dinner:
Service, and aforementioned hotness is awesome.
Not a lot of items on the menu, but everything is superb.
Only minus would be the desert and wine list didn't hit me in the right spot.
my Mom liked the wine, and the waiter took the time to write it down for her, plus other similar ones she might like and told her where to find them! Very cool.
A great place for a drink:
Bar is tiny but the bartenders serve up well-made concoctions.
A great place for breakfast:
We were staying at the Hilton, where Eggs Benedict was $25.
Here it was $12 and it was great!
The mimosas aren't bad either!
I stayed in the Sir Francis Drake hotel (where Scala's is located). A friend of mine (a true gourmet and food stylist) from LA told me it was "a must" to eat there. So my last night while I was at the hotel alone and my friends had left town to go back to Atlanta, LA & New York, I decided to try it.
It was fabulous, the wait staff, the hostess, the food, the presentation and another guest sitting alone next to me was so cordial that I felt I was dining with a friend. It's NOT a cheap place but the quality is worth it.
Scala's was great when they first opened but have started to slide over the years. Their service and food are mixed depending on when I have gone. The last time they screwed up royally a business reservation I had made and checked up on several times with the reservationist as this was a Holiday lunch for my staff. Their chefs don't get that not all customers want their salmon raw in the middle even when the customer ordered it well done. It's also very noisy and hard to have a conversation in.
Not coming back! New chef, changed the menu, raised the prices and missed the mark!
I like eating breakfast here. The waitstaff is very accommodating. The food is good too!
I like the…
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I love their margerita pizza here. The bread is fresh and yummy.
Service is friendly but sorta slow but then again, each time I came, it was very hectic.
To System of a Down: "Pizza Pie"
"What a splendid pie,
Pizza-pizza pie,
Every minute, every second,
Bite, bite, bite, bite bite,
What a splendid pie,
Pizza-pizza pie,
Every minute, every second,
Bite, bite, bite, bite bite."
Happy Hour and Football…
Neighborhood: Western…
3 courses Prix fixe $31.95
Neighborhood: Mission
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Union Square
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Union Square
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Union Square
Category: American (New)
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