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Specchio
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
2331 Mission St(between 19th St & 20th St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Mission
(415) 956-5528
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 11 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:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
415 reviews for Specchio
Review Highlights
"The pumpkin ravioli was positively DIVINE."
(in 43 reviews)
"Likewise, their pork chop was absolutely delicious."
(in 50 reviews)
"The wine list is creative and inexpensive."
(in 39 reviews)
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415 reviews in English
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Review from Aaron K.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2012
I recently had a $10 credit for a Groupon Now purchase (It was a $12 for $20 certificate) which was going to expire. In my need to be Chinese and use up my credit, I decided to pick a nearby restaurant with decent Yelp rating. I took the suggestion and ordered the pork chop. When I called in my order to go, I added the smoked salmon appetizer. When I got to the restaurant, my bill came out to about $28. I thought I was carrying extra money in my wallet but I ended up having only $4. The owner of the restaurant said that was okay so I decided to repay his kindness with a positive review.
The pork chop was absolutely amazing! It wasn't not dry or rough but rather tender and juicy. It was probably one of the best pork chop I have ever eaten at a restaurant (my mom's homemade pork chops are by far the best). The sauce was light but delicious. I enjoyed every bite of it even though it cooled down on my drive home. The smoke salmon appetizer, was okay. A little too salty but it was tasty. I fixed the problem by spreading out the smear onto the bread. Overall, the food probably deserved 4 stars but because of the owner's graciousness, I will give it 5. -
Review from Ruby R.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2012
This restaurant would be a great candidate for the Food networks TV show, Restaurant Impossible. It says it's an Italian resto, but asthetically speaking, it was a cinder block that played b&w films on their wall. The bartender was either drunk or she just doesn't know how to count, either way the drinks were horrible. Cut to dinner, where we started with the eggplant Bruschetta, the beet salad, and the arugula- all of which were forgettable. Specifically the eggplant was bland and the beets tasted like can. The pasta was next and we had both the bolognese & speghetti, they were OK. Unfortunately, the entrees were overly seasoned that we could not taste the pork chop or the cod. it just tasted like pepper (for the cod) and lots of butter (for the pork chop). the desserts were all horrible (cannoli, tiramisu, and their chocolate cake) there was no flavor to any of them.
The service was slow and our waiter was never around, we always had to ask the bus boy to find our waiter. The wine took forever to come out, both time, and so did the check.
Save your money & time, go somewhere else. -
Review from Jenny W.
1/24/2012
It was okay.
The one questionable thing was that I had a Living Social gift card from Living Social's SF dining gift box that they promoted during the holidays and the people working at Specchio had no idea what it was and what it signified. Either Living Social didn't communicate this well or the manager/PR person didn't communicate this to their workers. Either way, there is a lack of communication.
Other than that, service was friendly and efficient. The food was presented well and tasted pretty good but there wasn't really anything that really stood out to me. We had the beef carpaccio to start, which was beautifully presented but very hard to scrape off the plate to eat. My boyfriend ordered the seafood pasta which was pretty tasty and I was happy to see it wasn't an overwhelming portion. I had the fish piccata, which came with steamed broccoli and roasted potatoes. The potatoes were a little too salty for me, which didn't go well with the fish, but the broccoli itself had a nice sweetness to it.
It was overall an enjoyable dinner with my boyfriend and we weren't necessarily bothered to hurry and get out as the evening's dining crowd started to pour in for the night.
I wouldn't probably recommend this joint knowing that there are a lot of comparable restaurants similar to this one all around SF. -
Review from Nicole O.
San Francisco, CA
2/8/2012
I had a groupon for this location (which was walking distance) and went there with my husband and cousin (who spent years in Italy). When we arrived we had a reservation but had to wait a bit so one of the owners I think, brought us 3 aperol cocktails for the price of one. We then talked with him about Venice and drinks and had a lovely chat before we got sat. We ordered the bruschetta which was delish. Also a salad which with spinach which was nice. Then we shared a pasta special and a pizza. Both were wonderful! We had wine and beer as well. Service was great too. I will definitely be going back here when I'm craving Italian.
-
Review from Erica R.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
Great date night restaurant.
We went here for my birthday dinner last week. We went on a Tuesday and by 7:30, the entire restaurant was packed (including the upstairs private party). I will definitely be coming back.
The food is worth every penny. We originally decided to go with the pre-fixe menu, but decided to branch out.
We had the burrata and the salmon on crostini for appetizers. Spaghetti (homemade) carbonara and porkchop for dinner. And then the mint flan and affogato for dessert. We had a bottle of wine and enjoyed the food for 2 hours.
Our servers were very polite, and it was great to see the owner introducing himself at tables and also cooking. -
Review from David M.
Daly City, CA
2/4/2012
Being an Italian in the USA has the built in nostalgia of not being able to find authentic Italian dishes in Italian Restaurants. Most dishes are modified to fit the American palate. Finalmente paradiso in America! The search has ended. It's like being in Venezia without the plane fare, the crowds of tourist and the ass kicking using Euros causes. The portions are more great and even the antipasti are larger portions than most Primi and Secondi Piatti in other Restuarants. Definitely going back to try their other dishes.
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Review from Scott B.
San Francisco, CA
2/5/2012
My girlfriend and I shared a four course dinner, so we got to try four things, they were all very good! The service was excellent, the waitress had two men helping her with bread refills, water, clearing the table, etc. We tipped over 20% because the service was good, and food was excellent. The manager Gino asked how every thing was, he was friendly and reminded me of traditional Italian restaurants where they try to get to know the customers.
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Review from Blaze F.
Oakland, CA
1/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
I usually try to refrain from writing a bad review after only one visit to a restaurant. I mean, anyone can have a bad day, right? But they didn't seem to be having a bad day at Specchio & it was New Year's Eve, so I feel it's fair to be critical.
For starters, the information on their website (*their* website) describes the lounge upstairs as the restaurant's "true gem." When we arrived 30 minutes early for our reservation, we asked if we could have a drink in the upstairs lounge. The host looked at us like we had 3 eyes. The lounge? It's just a few chairs in a big room, he said. Huh? Eventually, after consulting someone, it was decided that the "lounge" wasn't an option & he suggested the bar, pointing to the small area where every seat was full.
After this rocky start, when we were able to find a place for 3 to sit & have a cocktail before dinner, I was not able to get a gin & tonic. They had 3 mixed drinks on the menu for the evening. Three. And gin & tonic wasn't one of them. Ok, if you must. But how hard would it be? And why must you? Truly, it wasn't that busy at 7pm. So two weird things before dinner. But, still, I was really looking forward to some homemade pasta! Bring in the New Year. I got my bling on! All of that!
On the "New Years Menu," I chose the porcini mushroom soup as my first course. Love porcinis! Love soup! Alas, what came was the consistency of a pudding. Mushroom pudding. The flavor, it was ok. A little bland. But the texture? No.
Next course, I chose fettucini with crab & tomato sauce. I love pasta! I love crab! Right. and this dish would have been much better with fresh crab. It's crab season; it's San Francisco. What the hell? Totally messing with my happiness, now Specchio.
And here's where it gets extra fun. And by fun, well maybe it'll be fun to read about. I thought a bit of salt might have been good & some pepper. (Remember how that mushroom pudding was bland?) There wasn't any on the table, so I requested some. A big hunt & a trip upstairs found the one & only salt shaker in the house.
How do I know it was the one & only measly salt shaker in the house, you might ask? Because another table made a similar request at about the same time, resulting in our 2 servers shuttling the salt shaker between the two tables for the next 2 courses. Fun, right? I'm sure the servers thought this was fun & funny! Right.
Finally, a dish came to the table that was nice. The chicken dish (involtini di pollo) was nicely done. The chicken was rolled around speck & a little smoked cheese. Nice. Spinach sauteed on the side (ironically it was over-salted & not by me), nicely done potatoes, perfectly sauteed mushrooms. Thank you, Jesus, the meal wasn't a complete loss & I wouldn't go home hungry. Or to the hot dog cart on the street (which smells great, btw) for some palatable food.
Bear in mind, though dear yelpers, this was our first visit & our first positive thing (other than our waiter who was a kind, dear, effective, attentive & lovely man) happened about 90 minutes into our visit. If you own a restaurant, do you want first-time guests to have a series of odd &/or unfortunate experiences before they have one good one? I would not want this for me & I would not want this for you.
Lastly, we 3 each ordered a different dessert & deemed each of those a success. It was the only course that we were all equally happy.
Sorry, but no 2nd chance for this joint. Ciao. -
Review from Robert L.
Palo Alto, CA
2/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
It was good but nothing special. The service was solicitous and well-meaning but not really amazing. Some nice cocktails and a reasonable wine list. The food was fit into the same category of good but not great. With all of the great and exciting restaurants in SF, I would need a good reason to return.
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Review from caitlin k.
San Francisco, CA
1/30/2012
Specchio was great.
The space is inviting, huge, and very trendy. I also didn't feel like I was every being forced to leave and we enjoyed a nice, leisure dinner.
We sat upstairs so we could look down and see the cooks making all of the meals which was pretty cool. The only negative aspect of this was that it was so hot as a result.
We ordered the Fettuccine, Bianca Pizza (with the truffle oil!) and the Veal scaloppine which all were very satisfying, good flavor, and not too rich.
I would definitely go back to this restaurant again. -
Review from Amy L.
12/8/2011 3 photos
I am sooooo happy to have Specchio in my neighborhood!!! It's delicious, a refreshing take on Italian food (not just the old-school lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, etc., of my youth), and very reasonably priced!!!
The ambiance is fantastic: The black and white movie projected against the back wall, the beautiful mirrors in ecclectic arrangements on the walls, the gorgeous red chandeliers over the tables, the low-light, the pleasant-but-modern music...it all lends itself to having a dining experience, rather than just another meal. The staff is VERY accomodating, and the owners go waaaaay beyond the call of duty! In fact, one of them (I can't remember his name!) mothers you, making sure you always have bread on the table, water in your glass, food on the way, and that you enjoyed every morsel you put in your mouth! And if you didn't, he will order you something on the house that you WILL!!
We have not gone here once without being given something on the house...two times, it was the delicious sparkling moscato, another time it was TWO desserts: the uber-scrumptous cannoli, which is the size of a moose and sooooo good, and the rich and decadent chocolate souffle cake, which was also delicious, although not as intoxicating as that cannoli!!! We are not the exception: I have seen many other couples/groups of people who've been offered a complimentary glass of wine from the owner...and I'm guessing he's probably also generous with others with the desserts as well! This is not the main reason to go to this restaurant by any means, but it's an indication of the generosity and eagerness to please of the people running the show...they are invested in your enjoyment of their establishment!
And the owner also made sure that I was able to get an entree that had been on a previous specials list, but wasn't currently on the menu...a delicious pasta dish with cooked down, carmelized red onion, pancetta, and tomato...perfectly seasoned, no garlic (YAY!!!), and soooooooooooooo good!!! To me, that's Italian soulfood, the kind of plate of pasta that speaks to my childhood and inner sense of well-being!
Another favorite is the pork chop (organic, apparently!), which is slathered in an addictive gorgonzola cheese sauce and served with sauteed spinach ($18). The sauce was so good that we found ourselves sopping up every last bit of it with the rest of the bread on our table...mmmmm!!!
My partner got the speck and smoked mozzarella pizza ($15), which he thoroughly enjoyed. I liked it, but I didn't love it, mostly because I didn't find the speck to be very flavorful...and I've also come to the conclusion that speck is too greasy for me, too. But the dough/cheese parts were tasty, so I'd happily try one of their other pizzas on another visit (if I'm not too busy ordering a pasta dish!).
Did I mention I had the most UH-MAZING insalata caprese here, with super-sweet heirloom tomatoes and creamy fresh mozzarella?!! It was a VERY generous portion and soooo good!!
I also want to take a moment to acknowledge the complimentary bread served to each diner: it's fresh-baked and DELISH!! Don't be shy about asking for a salt shaker for your oil and vinegar dipping dish...for some reason, this restaurant is part of the trend of eateries that don't automatically put salt/pepper shakers on each table. I guess it's for a cleaner look, but salt addicts like me would prefer it already be readily available! Still, the staff will bring it in a heartbeat if you just ask.
The prices are very reasonable: $6-9 for appetizers, $13-15 for pasta, $14 for risotti, $17-18 for secondi, $12-15 for pizzas.
There is a second floor diningroom that apparently can be rented out for parties, so this place can definitely accomodate larger groups. I wouldn't say this is a great place for kids, because the menu might be too fussy for them, and the environment is a more trendy-industrial vibe than family-friendly. Likewise, if you are bringing a first-date here, you'd better both have loud voices, because it can be very loud in the main dining space during the dinner rush. But once you're stuffing your face with delicious Italian food, honestly, it won't matter if you're not talking, anyway!
This is a great addition to the neighborhood, and I hope it continues to thrive...go check it out, if you haven't already!!! -
Review from Michael M.
Oakland, CA
1/1/2012
What an awful place to bring in the New Year! What an awful experience! Let's begin with the limited bar menu for the evening, which included only one champagne. And how about a chance to enjoy the "gem" upstairs, "the perfect place to chill over a bottle of red" that was not only not available, but staff seemed to not know it exists. If you are going to advertise a "gem" you better make certain you have it.
As for the service, other that the wait person, unfriendly and not organized in any discernible manner. Long delays at every stage of the evening, even though the restaurant was not completely full.
The food was served cool to warm, bland, and without any special character, obviously extremely disappointing. We sampled a wide variety of the offering for the evening, and not one item, chicken, pasta, soup and beef, was nothing but mediocre.
Thank goodness for the desserts, which provided some level of salvation.
For some this may be a gem or great place to hang, for us, what a waste of a New Year's dining experience! -
Review from Eric H.
San Francisco, CA
1/27/2012
The food was quite good. We had the fettucini with sausage and papardelle with boar. I recommend them both.
The cocktails were so-so (overly flavored - one was too sweet, one was too herbal). They weren't a bargain, but used average alcohols. However, they have Moretti and Moretti Rosso on draft, as well as a large wine list (which I did not evaluate).
The atmosphere is interesting. The decoration is fun, there is a giant screen which was playing old school Silver Screen classics while we were there.
The service was very good.
I enjoyed the meal. Its not outstanding, but it is good. I'm also very glad to have Specchio in the neighborhood. -
Review from Chase N.
San Francisco, CA
1/18/2012
Very good italian. Bianca pizza with white truffel, just wow.
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Review from Jillian Y.
San Francisco, CA
11/20/2011
A group of 10 looking for a nice meal on short notice stumbled upon Specchio's Yelp profile. The reviews were okay, so we figured "why not?"
Turns out, we made a great choice. Although the service was a bit on the slow side, the servers were kind, and the food was absolutely fantastic (and reasonably priced, as was the wine). I had the delectable squid ink risotto, possibly the best of its kind I've tasted.
The only caveat is that, aside from the risotto, the plates were on the small side. -
Review from Ara S.
San Francisco, CA
2/1/2012
I love this place, even though the owner can be a little terse at times. Who cares, I will suffer a lot to get my hands on their spelt pasta (don't even have a wheat allergy, I just really like what they make!) and amazing burrata. I just bought a Google offer and we'll see if they really require a party of 4 to use the discount - that seems weird.
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Review from Pat R.
Walnut Creek, CA
1/21/2012
Dined with a friend tonight, arriving around 6:30. Few folks to start but pretty much full by 9ish even with heavy rain. And, there's good reason!
The venue: The small front of house has a short bar, hostess station ( very nice hostess, friendly and efficient), few cocktail tables but it really opens up in the back with a view to an open kitchen and prep room beyond that. There is loft seating above the main dining area, with a bird's-eye view of kitchen. Clean, spare design (Note to Specchio's, put some of your people paintings/murals on back wall of prep room. The white wall and bright lighting is distracting for those facing this area. And re-orient your tables so all can see the fun Movies on the wall)
The clientele: Definetly younger, hip but some old farts like me, and everthing in between.
The staff: Young, informed waitress with solid sugestions, (none of that,"Everything's Good" crap), attentive, pleasant water/bread/serving/bus person who watched and anticpated.
The Food: We both had variations on the 4 course prix fixe and my only complaint was that I was too full to finish every delicious morsel. Started with arugula, pear, parmesan salad good sized serving, deft dressing. I may have left 1 leaf.
Then house made mushoom ravioli with walnut pesto and sun dried tomato. The menu indicated "small serving" but it was generous. Thin pasta with delicate filling. I may have left 1 or 2. Maybe.
The main dish was pork chop with gorgonzola cream sauce per the menu served with spinach but a big scoop of decent mashed potatoes came as well. I left some potatoes and didn't gnaw the bone. I did eats me spinach, though. This is a rich dish.
Dessert was a light tiramisu - as much as I love this dish and this version, I had to leave half. Nothing else would fit. This may have been impacted by the lovely bread (think Acme pugliese) and either evoo and balsamic or butter, that was at our table within 1 min of sitting down.
Next time I would opt for one of the salads and maybe a pizza or a pasta. Or may the chicken. Or the Fish. Or maybe two appetizers or... -
Review from Margaret I.
San Francisco, CA
11/3/2011
Headed over to Specchio because I dream about the pumpkin ravioli, unfortunately they hadn't started making it yet, but not to worry my dinner was still delicious.
I had the Fettuccine with spinach and bacon in it, and it was delicious. And the portion was gigantic, I definitely could have shared it with someone and we both would have been satisfied.
I shared the grilled veggie appetizer with my husband and it was also very good, but really it's hard to grill a vegetable poorly.
Service was fantastic as usual, very attentive. And I always feel like the pricing is reasonably set to reflect the portions as well as how good the food is.
I'll be back for the ravioli! -
Review from Gabor C.
San Francisco, CA
1/8/2012
Awesome new-ish place on Mission Street. Great interior design and solid Italian food.
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Review from Sanny L.
San Francisco, CA
11/5/2011
If you order right, this place is hands down one of the best Italian restaurants you can find in the Bay Area. Over the years, we've tried alomst everything on their menu, here are my favorites.
Antipasti:
- Their salads are very very good. They use a lot of arugula in their salads, usually paired with a light dressing, parmesan cheese and a bit of seasonal fruit - very refreshing!
- I love their beef carpaccio - it's essentially seasoned raw beef topped with a layer of arugula and a bit of citrus, they complement each other perfectly
Pasta:
- THEIR PASTA IS AMAZING! They make their pasta in house and cook it to al dente, you can really taste the difference in the texture. They also do a very good job with the sauce - it's no American pasta sauce that just sits there drowning the pasta - it's made to work with the particular pasta. All in all, their pasta actually reminds me a lot of the pasta that I had when I was actually in Italy, a must order if you come here.
Secondi:
- Their secondi has improved a lot over the years. I've recently had the pork chop and the chicken breast. Both were very moist and flavorful.
Pizza
- They make thin crust pizza here. Their pizza is good, but doesn't stand out like their pasta do. Tho on days that we didn't feel like a heavy Secondi, we'll get a pizza to go with a pasta.
The owner is a very nice dude who will come around and say hi to customers - which I find very endearing. I think they try really hard to improve their menu - and you can see it from the progress that they've made in their secondi's. If you enjoy authentic Italian cuisine, it's a must try. -
Review from Amber G.
San Francisco, CA
10/28/2011
I am not a foodie. I like great places that can create an atmosphere for people to feel comfortable and connect. I live in the Mission, and I've eaten at *so* many of the great "yelp'd" about joints. This place stands out to me for a variety of reasons:
1.) The pizza is honestly the best pizza I have had since Italy from Napoli on my way to Pompei
2.) The wine selection was amazing. In my humble opinion, the team knows what they are doing and have no problem getting into a deep discussion with you about the Brunello from Montelcino at 11:30 PM, PTD.
3.) The personalities of the employees / owners made me feel like I was at home.
I don't Yelp often. But this experience made me want to Yelp about it. -
Review from Trigger F.
Oakland, CA
10/16/2011 Seated via OpenTable
I have a very hard time believing all the rave reviews about this place. This place was terrible and it's obvious why it's constantly giving out coupons and deals. Went here with a group and won't be back.
All of the super nice photos on the website and on their yelp page are of the bar in the front and ONE wall. The remaining walls of the restaurant are decorated in a mismatched GoodWill decor and fashion sense. It was a bit strange - NOT "ooh this is kinda cool" strange, but like, "someone has no idea what they are doing strange."
The bread was good. I'll give them that. And, that's about it. The wine tasted old and warm - like it had been sitting around for a very long time. The squid ink and calamari risotto smelled too fishy was NOT cooked correctly. I'm glad that's pretty much all I got. The party I was with ordered a good deal more and only one of us was happy with their main dish. The manager/owner??? - not sure who he was because he would not identify himself, kept coming to our table - clearly drunk and initiating himself into our conversation. I realize we were the only people there and I can accept you doing it once, maybe twice, but every five minutes? It was weird and uncomfortable. He was also rude and highly unprofessional, quickly threatening us over a misunderstanding with one of their coupons. He also stated one of the men in my party needed to be "spanked." Really?
Maybe, it would have been funny if he was witty or charming, but he was drunk and obnoxious. I could have stood on any random corner in the Mission and gotten the same treatment for free, and it probably would have left a better taste in my mouth. -
Review from Kailyn G.
San Francisco, CA
10/27/2011
FOOD: Mussels as an appetizer - sauce paired great with the bread. I got the pork chop with gorganzola sauce. The sauce was delicious, paired well with everything on the plate and had a pretty strong taste. But without the sauce, the dish was pretty boring. The boyfriend got fettucine with sausage. The homemade pasta was definitely more stand out than the pork chop.
DRINKS: Better than the food. Boyfriend got some sort of pomegranate drink that tasted like juice. I got something with serrano pepper that was actually really spicy. But I loved it.
ENVIRONMENT: Small, crowded, loud, hot. With a weird industrial, kitschy feel (and not a cool kitschy, more like a attic storage kitschy). Very casual in the restaurant area, though the bar feels a bit trendier.
SERVICE: Standard. A bit hard to hear when the place is crowded. Not much for checking up on you though.
Background: Came for dinner because I had a Scoutmob deal. -
Review from a a.
San Francisco, CA
10/8/2011
I was going to give this 3 stars, but I'm never going to go back. There was nothing bad about the food, but it was not memorable either. It's almost like it was trying to be simple comfort food, but it came out too simple and plain.
First it took 20 min to our wine, then about another 15 to get the app. Little slow but the wait staff seemed light, and they were very nice. I'm not one for service, but we got in at 8 and left at 10 and that's a long time for us...hey we've been together for years, so not like the conversation was that stimulating!
The eggplant bruschetta was interesting, but not enough to wow us. The pasta with a simple spaghetti tomato sauce, and a mushroom ravioli. Both were fine, but again I'm eating out not cooking in so that umph factor was missing. I got the rock cod as well...simple prep with tomato sauce and olive on top and cooked well, but eh. The desert was a tiramisu and it was 95% whip cream with hardly any lady fingers in between.
Now the tasting menu (which is what I got) was wicked cheap for $35. But that still wont entice me to venture back. The location itself was concrete and cold, with cheap lamp fixtures which kinda turned me off. Something was just missing at this place all around, although I couldn't say anything was bad. Very confused. The search for a decently priced amazing Italian in this city continues... -
Review from Vernon M.
San Jose, CA
11/4/2011
The Service was excellant...
The Food was the best best best..
Cod was delicious... -
Review from Oren R.
San Francisco, CA
11/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food was ok. Definitely above average. Not bad for casual Italian dining. 5 Raviolis in the dish. Too few, but I guess this is the standard. We came to have a nice Friday night dinner and the thing that bothered me is their efficiency. I know this sounds funny, but a minute after we've ordered, the appetizers were there and as soon as we have finished those, the entrées landed on our table. We ended up compensating with a canoli that wasn't to our liking, but it was definitely fresh and some tea and coffee.
The prices are reasonable the food is OK and if you make sure to pace yourself and hold on to that plate for as long as you can, you'll have a nice time. -
Review from Candice B.
San Leandro, CA
1/28/2012 2 Check-ins Here
A very cute trendy spot to go for a gno (girls night out) or on a dinner date. They play black & white movies on the wall above the kitchen which was a nice touch. The staff is very attentive making sure to refill bread and water, replacing utensils and taking away dishes. A guy slipped and grabbed our table to not fall but in doing so my drink fell and a couple of our dishes. The staff was going to take care of our cocktails that was wasted in the incident, but the guy wanted to pay for our drinks since it was his fault. Nice of the guy but courteous of the staff to want to take care of it also. On that note, let's talk about the drinks. They have a unique selection of specialty drinks, which are made strong, gave us a good buzz. As for the food, I shared 2 apps and a dish with my girlfriend, all were really good. We had mussels, which was very flavorful. Beef carpachio (however you spell it) was fresh and the cheese was to rave for. But the highlight was the squid ink rissoto, it had great flavor, tender calamarie and was aldente so it had a nice bite, not soggy at all. I definitely want to take the bf there to try it, so ill for sure be back.
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Review from JayBee S.
San Francisco, CA
9/19/2011
MISSION--This is my new favorite Italian place in the neighborhood. I'm a fan of the others--Flour + Water, Bar Bambino, Pizza del Fina--all good and all offering their own special setting. But Specchio offers the right tradeoff in terms of setting to treatment, value to food quality, and service to friendliness. And unlike the others, getting a table quickly is rarely a problem.
In fact, if you're reading this right now from your mobile device as you've just been turned away from so-so Cha Cha next door, try this place out as a last minute alternative.
I waited over a year from the time they opened till I tried it but have been in about four times in the last couple months. Because usually when I'm walking down Mission Street I'm not dressed to go anywhere nice and this place looks a little polished from the inside. But it's very accessible as I've witnessed on each visit.
Each time I've been, the food has been good and a bit different than what the typical Italian eatery serves up. Not particularly light, but veering toward the Northern Italian end of the menu, the dishes are generally hearty and well portioned. Particular likes/standouts: the spelt spaghetti, the rock cod fish, and their eggplant novelty appetizers. Place offers generous pours and and a big wine list with reasonable prices that reflect the Mission ethos.
And for $35, if you want a prix fix menu that will have you sitting pretty like a Bada Boom gourmand version of a Swanson Hungry Man Dinner, try the Four Course one offered here--a real value that can be shared family style with a second entree for a couple that wants to share an appetizer and desert.
This place looks and tastes good enough that it could go the route of so many other restaurants, particularly ones that possess a keen sense of atmosphere. who treat their customers with mild disdain. But instead Specchio has a capable wait staff who aren't out to make a statement that the evening is all about themselves. Don't be surprised to see the owner--kind of a nice guy, non-annoying Jay Leno type--stop by your table to say hi and check on you.
With vaulted ceilings and vintage B&W Italian movies projected onto the wall, Speccio has a familiar, approachable-yet-upscale ambiance. You will be fine here for a first date or special dinner and, freed of the politics of waiting for a table and pressure to buy high-end mineral water--you'll be able to better enjoy the company of those joining you at your table. -
Review from Mindy Y.
10/25/2011 Seated via OpenTable
ATMOSPHERE: a very low key trendy-new american-Italian place. 4 STARS.
WINE & SERVICE : Starting, I wasn't too pleased by my choice of the pinto noir and the cab. So, the waiter came back with 3 more tasting before we purchase a bottle. All three were oaky and full body - just what I asked for. When in doubt, the rule is: ask the server for a tasting and he/she will bring you back something you like. A definite 5 STARS to service and wine samplers (you'll have to ask for this).
FOOD: Came here with two other friends. Both had the four course dinner for $35 - an excellent choice.
We had:
*Bread & Dip: not even gonna lie - even though this was free... I didn't even want any. A lonely 1 star - bread was burnt and flavorless.
*Under the first course:
1. Eggplant (3 stars) - wasn't what I expected.
2. Beets and Salad (5 stars) -
Under the second course:
3. Pesto Pasta (4 stars) - apparently this pasta is homemade, a very green dish - strong flavors of basil, and sweet sun-dried tomatoes.
4. Spaghetti (5 stars) - I don't know what they put in here... but this is BOMB! A must have!
Under the third course:
5. Pork (4 stars): cooked perfectly!
6.Cod (5 stars): cooked perfectly! Garlicy and juicy.
Under the fourth course:
7. Coconut flan (2 stars): very subtle, thick flavor.
8. Tiramisu (5 stars!): get this instead. The best I had for awhile.
*We didn't finish the deserts because we were too full - so, the waiter came back with desert sparkling wine - a 5 star to that!
**OVERALL: a trendy four course meal and wine sampling - an excellent choice to dine! -
Review from Marisa K.
San Francisco, CA
9/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Let me just say, i had high hopes for this place. They have a few great reviews, and i had a scoutmob deal for 50% off.
I have to give compliments to the chef, for the food was very tasty, and the dishes were creative. I would recommend the parpadelle with wild boar bolognese and juniper berries.
However, the service was ABSOLUTE SHIT. The few times we did see our server, he was impolite and wasn't attentive. It took over 2 hours to receive our antipasti and two entrees, and took an hour to get the check.
The server and manager made no effort to apologize to my boyfriend and me for the poor service, even though we watched the manager go around to every other table to acknowledge the slow service.
Very disappointing. -
Review from Sam C.
Folsom, CA
11/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Food was decent, not great...just decent.
The neighborhood is NOT good. You walk in here and the ambiance is nice and the first thing you wonder is "WTF is a place like this doing in this neighborhood?!"
If you're having trouble finding a place to eat in SF and you're stumbling around the area, hit up Specchio. Otherwise, there are plenty of better places to eat. -
Review from Ken L.
10/24/2011
Came with a large party.
The Good: The food (started with the beef carpaccio, beets and mussels which were all solid, entrees were the fettucine, which was really good, and the margherita and bianco pizzas). Pizzas are really thin, and you could definitely taste the truffle oil in the bianco. Good stuff.
Drinks aren't bad here either.
The Bad: It is really really hot in here, especially on the second level where they put the large party. In addition, they have problems splitting checks and figuring things out. We were there for about 3 hours so I wasn't feeling too chipper at the end.
The pre fixe dinner sounds like a good deal. $35 for appetizer, entree and dessert. Despite the heat, I may have to come back to try this. -
Review from Sabrina S.
Chicago, IL
9/4/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
Only great thing about this spot is the generous pour of wine.
Everything else was pretty mediocre.
Nice staff. Slow service.
Tasty salad. Followed by a gross appetizer.
Fresh pasta with perfectly cooked noodles, but very bland and tasteless sauce.
The food and service certainly has a ways to go, but even if they did make improvements, the poor acoustics and cheesy decor would still keep me away. My husband and I shouted our dinner conversation. And there's just something a bit unsettling about semi-nude mannequins looming overhead. Very weird and creepy. -
Review from Emdeezy F.
San Francisco, CA
10/11/2011 Seated via OpenTable
I sent my boss, a CFO, here for dinner with a colleague one night and he really liked it. Said he would be a regular there for sure.
I had some French guests in town, so why not give this place a try? I also have a 5 year old (I brought a coloring book and crayons).
I liked the place. The pre-dinner bread was good, a hit for my little one in fact. She also lapped up the olive oil/vinegar blend on the table with the bread.
The server, David, was very kind. He spoke a little french with my friends, that was cute. He also accommodated a little girl's picky taste and gave us a half order of the ravioli with just butter. *She really liked that. I tried it too and liked it.
I had the rock fish, very tasty. I enjoyed how it all came together.
My friends all enjoyed their dinners as well, but me being the mom of a little on, I paid no attention to what they had. HA! There were no complaints. :)
For dessert, we had Tiramisu, some incredible coconut concoction and the mango sorbet. All were splendid.
They projected the film "The GodFather" on the wall above the kitchen which was interesting, but perhaps the Khartoum scene is a little heavy for dinner...? I mean, jussayin.
Atmosphere was neat. A little cold and echoe-ey, but it's ok. It's not like I was on a date or anything. :) Will I go back, yes. I think you should give it a try too. I mean, it's not North Beach, it ain't New York, and it certainly ain't Italy, but it's damn good for the Mission! -
Review from Helen D.
San Francisco, CA
9/26/2011
Overall: Decent.
Three stars for the food. They gave large portions (i.e. the pear / arugula salad was quite filling) and the type of food was hearty, however it wasn't great (the salad was mostly arugula, the flavors in the fish were nothing special). Everything was just OK.
Four stars for the service. They gave us some Moscato for free (because they were clearly understaffed, and everything took a bit longer than usual) which was extremely tasty (I would've ordered a glass regardless), and the manager / owner himself was on the floor waiting on people.
Would maybe return - the space is cool / modern, however it wouldn't be very high on the list. -
Review from Sujan J.
San Francisco, CA
9/23/2011 6 photos
4.5 stars from me
What a GEM in the mission!
Concrete floors and some colourful walls - I really loved the decor.
We were quickly seated and the server was attentive.
Now on to the food.
My friends read on yelp that their pork chop is to die for, so we decided to get several dishes and share.
We ordered:
- Pork chop
- Squid ink risotto
- parpadelle with wild boar bolognaise
All 3 dishes were really good. They were not too heavy, and flavourful without being heavy.
For dessert we had:
- tiramisu
- cannoli
Now I have a long story about cannolis (I tried getting cannolis in New Zealand and it was next to impossible - well I didn't know what they were either!) Anyway, I thought the cannoli shell was perfectly crispy and the filling not overly sweet (and no orange essence).
Tiramisu could have been better (I think there was a little too much liquor) but it was okay.
With our opentable $50 for $25 voucher, the total came to $18 per person with a generous tip.
What a way to spend a hump day! (and I will definitely be back) -
Review from Amanda G.
8/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
We had dinner here with a friend a few weeks ago, and none of us were impressed.
I found out about this place via Scoutmob, (my favorite coupon site, kicks ass over Groupon and other similar sites.)
Three of us shared a margherita pizza, which was good , but not great.
My husband and I shared two pasta dishes: the organic spelt grain spaghetti with pancetta, onion, pecorino cheese, and cherry tomatoes, and the pappardelle with wild boar bolognese and juniper berries.
The spaghetti dish was totally bland, but the papardelle was really good.
A lot of reviewers complain that portions are too small, i found them perfect. I prefer smaller portions for a lot of reasons, the biggest one being: you get to taste more dishes, without being overly full.
We did have some great cocktails, and service was fine. Prices are reasonable, even without the Scoutmob certificate.
Since none of us were wowed by anything, we decided to skip dessert. -
Review from Chris R.
San Francisco, CA
11/28/2011
I've been here twice. They did a great job on an amatriciana special and their top Brunello was well-chosen and it's all reasonably priced. Good torta della nonna too.
Most of the lesser reviews on here are from people who don't seem to know Italian food, such as the girl who expected milk, cream and butter in a bolognese :) -
Review from Jennie B.
San Francisco, CA
8/17/2011
I've lived in the Mission for almost ever - and the one big complaint I've always had was very little in the way of simple good Italian food. Well thanks to Specchio - problem: sorted. Their menu shows creativity without abandoning the classics - and they have enough vegetarian items so it is always an option no matter who I'm dining with. The staff & service are impeccable. They really get the importance of providing a friendly neighborhood vibe. Some friends of mine threw a successful surprise birthday party in the upstairs private dining space upstairs and had a blast.
...writing this review is totally making me crave one of their Negronis... -
Review from Clover E.
Tracy, CA
12/23/2011
I am writing for my own experience; my dining partners would evaluate it slightly higher. I ordered the pasta with the wild boar sauce and it didn't taste like anything other than tomato sauce with meat.
My dining partners loved their dishes: seafood pasta and salmon on spinach pasta. I had a wonderful red wine (Lacrima di Morro d'Alba) that was revelatory; we were given complimentary sweet wine after the meal. Note that all three of us found the ambiance too concrete and "cold," but the service was warm and welcoming.
