Using yelp I found Abrazo. I was looking for something different and unique to take a special friend out for dinner. I wanted something warm and cozy, but not romantically boring. And I was tired of the typical American or Italian fare. Abrazo popped to the top so I booked the reservation for 7:30. When we arrived, we seated at a wonderful table in the corner of the restaurant. The main dining room is boutique sized, but they don't overstuff it with tables so you do not feel like your neighbor is breathing on your food or listening to every word you say. Ha. Ha. The service was impeccable. They treated us like guests. We chose to eat from the small plate portion of the menu, although the main course meals looked incredible as well. Every dish was delectable. From the brussels sprouts (which would not be one of my typical selections - but which was mouthwatering ), to the Salmon (which is much more closer to lox than American Salmon), to the meatballs, to the garden salad, every bite was flavorful, fresh and brought smiles to our faces. And don't forget to order their fresh bread. And did I mention the service? Home style, friendly, attentive.... Like great local restaurants used to be. I highly recommend Abrazo - both special occasions and for a "let's try something different" week night. My special friend and I had a memorable evening and we look forward to coming back soon. 5-stars read more

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One of the best Spanish restaurants in SF. I don't know about you but I've gone to some highly-rated Spanish restaurants in SF but was disappointed. Abrazo was really good. We had a reservation and was shortly seated after a few mins of waiting. The restaurant was small and cosy. We got the croquetas and house-cured salmon. Both were very delicious and finely curated. The croqueta tasted like what I had in Spain in fine restaurants. The aioli had some truffle taste to it and it's not overwhelming. Normally I stayed away from truffle tasted dishes but this was good. The salmon was very good - it's perfectly salted and the beet puree and dill-yogurt sauce go so well with it. The depths of flavors and texture were perfect. The highlight was the paella. I can confidently say it's authentic - socarrat at the bottom and I'm very happy that it's not salty! The taste of the paella suits my palate so well.. and the shrimp on the paella was incredibly - cooked so tender and fresh that salinity in the shirmp shines on its own. If I had to nitpick I would suggestet having extra salt on the side of the paella and aioli to go with it :) Service was average - staff seems to have different responsibilities and were pretty busy. The food was the best part of the experience. Bravo Abrazo! read more

Michael saved our night, and we couldn't be happier. We had a reservation for 13 around the corner, only to arrive and find the place was closed for the holidays (Dec 27). quick scrambling found Abrazzo about to open and Michael was super accommodating and took us, complete with basically a private table for 13 on zero notice. Thank you!! Then... the food! wow, for not even knowing what we were sitting down to, we were amazed. The pork chop, lamb, tagliatini entrees were excellent, as were the soup, salmon and croquettes on the small plates! They even did a special order for one of our younger, pickier eaters (butter noodles). Couldn't be more pleased. would give 6 stars for service if I could. Thank you! read more

We were a group to share tapas so I'm not even sure what we ordered, but the dishes were solid. I understand tapas is smaller plates but they were quite expensive per plate. I much rather have a fun meal to myself, but the experience was fun read more

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My family booked a party of 9 and we were seated in the back area which was dimly lit but reminded me of a rustic restaurant in France or Spain. Service was good and waters were refilled promptly. We ordered almost all the appetizers and three entrees along with two desserts. I would rate Abrazo overall a 4.5/5! I would say the appetizers were more memorable than the entrees. Standout appetizers were: oysters, house bread, octopus, trout dip, patatas bravas, croquetas, albondigas, and gambas al ajillo. Pro tip: order the house bread to soak up all of the sauce from the various appetizers (trout dip, patatas, meatballs, and gambas al ajillo). The house bread had a crispy exterior and fluffy inside, like a warm focaccia. Croquetas had a nice hint of truffle and fried well, meatballs and gambas had a lot of sauce and also cooked well. I was disappointed in the seafood paella, but the lamb loin and pork chop were good. The paella did not seem to have much depth in flavor and mostly tasted like the essence from the clam. I would much rather prefer the paella from Teleferic. The pork chop was seasoned and cooked well. The lamb loin was the best entree out of the three as it was very tender and had a lot of sauce - perhaps a bit oily, though. Desserts were tasty as well! Ricotta bunuelo and strawberry empanada. Airy fried donuts with vanilla ice cream on the side, and the empanadas were slightly crispy but came with some sort of mint ice cream that paired well with the strawberry. Definitely not a bad choice if you don't want to wait in line at Swensen's across the street after dinner. read more

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Really cute spot for spanish food. I thought the restaurant looked like something I'd find in Carmel. Came with two friends and ordered a few dishes that were easy to share, among them (I forget the names so bear with me) was a crispy potato dish, oysters, fish (I believe the petals sole), and paella. The fish and paella were stand outs, while I thought the bread could be skipped. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area! read more

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Abrazo was such a great spot--the food was delicious across the board. The paella was packed with flavor, though I personally would've loved a little more socarrat (that crispy golden bottom layer always hits). Still, everything was deliciosos, and I already want to come back to try more. The ambiance was cozy and welcoming, with a warm vibe that made it easy to settle in and enjoy the evening. It's the kind of place that feels perfect for catching up with friends over a good meal and wine. One small note--our server didn't seem super into it that night, but hey, it happens. It didn't take away from the overall experience too much, and the food and setting made up for it. Can't wait to come back and see what else is on the menu. read more

Abrazo - Croquettes, bread, and patatas bravas ! - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

Fantastic service, delicious food with inventive preparation. I had the Steak Tartare and the Boneless Pork Chop. Both beautifully presented. Sat by the window with a wonderful view of cable cars back and forth and local street life. read more

Abrazo - Boneless Pork Chop - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

Delicious food, great staff, and really charming location. Just don't park if you can avoid it.

Really cute dining area, fantastic food, and great staff. We got 7 plates for 3 which was the right amount for us, though they recommend about 3/person. read more

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Incredibly fresh and authentic dishes in a cozy yet elevated dining room experience. Have brought many friends back here and never disappointed! read more

Came here on a whim on a Saturday night recently for some drinks and tapas. We weren't too hungry so the idea of sharing small plates seemed like the best solution for our evening. The whole front of the restaurant was booked for a private event but they still had some tables saved in the back dining room which was appreciated. This back space feels like a Mediterranean basement somewhere in Spain with low lighting and relaxing music. We were seated in a cozy spot spaced away from the other 2 tables that were there so far for the evening. We got 2 glasses of really delicious wine and ordered 3 tapas plates to sample and share. The croquetas, papas bravas, and roasted carrots. All the dishes came out relatively quick and paced evenly throughtout. Our server was pleasant and polite and made sure we had a nice time. The highlight were definitely the papas bravas. These had a nice lovely crisp and flavor and hit the spot just right. The croquetas were not really what I was expecting and did not really have much flavor to them. Lastly, the carrot dish was a bit ambitious. It sounded good in theory but the plate that we received didn't make much sense. There was a thinly sliced cheese on top that for me didn't blend well with the other flavors. It also had 2 random orange slices and pomegranate seeds. I appreciate the creativity but I didn't feel as if it was cohesive enough. We got their cheesecake for dessert which was a nice conclusion to our dinner paired up with one of the best carajillos I have had in awhile. Shoutout to the bartender for making them! All in all it was fun to try this spot out. The atmosphere in this back dining room was very relaxing and quaint and we enjoyed our time even though not all the dishes "clicked". I will say, some of the entrees which we didnt try this time sounded delicious and would certainly warrant a return for a nice dinner, wine, and a delicious carajillo to finish it off. read more

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This is a fabulous Spanish restaurant. Small and intimate. Outstanding food - their paella is worth an evening! Hospitable staff. Just a wonderful dinner! read more

My girlfriend and I went during the evening to abrazo. When we walked in, we were greeted with great hospitality by the hostess and seated right away. Our server was amazing and took care of us the whole night and checked up on us consistently. The first two small plates we ordered were so tasty. The shrimp and sauce was paired perfectly with the bread. The charred octopus had a very unique taste and was long lasting after flavor. The main course definitely was the star of the night. The first bite of the rice filled my mouth with flavors and the seafood paired with it made it so delicious! I love Abrazo and would definitely take my closest friends here. read more

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Abrazo is a tapas restaurant in Russian Hill. The food is consistently excellent here. My favorite things to get are the potato soup, croquettes, patatas bravas & the steak. They always have great salads on rotation too. We recently had one with oranges & avocado. Worth a visit if you're feeling tapas and in the neighborhood! I live half a block away and have been here several times, and I've never left disappointed. I do miss the little taco pop-up they had during the pandemic. read more

Abrazo - Potato soup - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great tapas place. Delicious food, great service and cozy ambiance. Highly recommend making reservations. read more

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Best restaurant meal I've had in a very long time. Every dish (and we ordered 8 or so) was remarkable. I'm lucky I live down the street but even if I didn't, I'd be here very often. Will also add that the ambiance is very special. Thanks Michael read more

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This place is great- it's been on my list for a while and exceeded my expectations. This is the second time we've been here in a month. The atmosphere feels cozy and intimate, feels like you wandered into a restaurant in Spain. The bar in the corner is very cute and is decorated with tiles, giving the dining room some flair and color. There are even some bar seats available! There are windows that open up to a street corner in Russian Hill, which also makes for some relaxing people watching. Since we've been here a couple times, we have sampled probably 80% of the menu and everything is excellent - from the cocktails, to the tapas (so fun!) and mains, and finally the desserts. Standout main was the chicken (second time we ordered it), skin so crispy and meat still so tender and moist- delish! Service was also prompt and friendly. Attentive without making us feel rushed at all. I love how this place could either be somewhere you drop in for some delicious cocktails and a few tapas or you can have a full meal with a bottle of wine. So glad we finally came here, and we will definitely be back! read more

Date of Visit: 4/6/2024 Found the highly rated Tapas restaurant in Russian Hill, Abrazo was established in 2018 by chef and owner Michael Pawlik. The menu is focusing in Spanish-California cuisine, sourcing from local farms with the freshest and traditional ingredients. Abrazo located in the corner of Hyde and Union street, with a lofty 18ft ceiling and a cute bar. With cocktails and wine origins from both Spain and Napa Valley. Abrazo has a great rating on both Yelp and Google, which is a well-known restaurant for friends and family to gather on weekends or after work. Red Sangria $12 I ordered the red sangria on the cocktail menu. It was made by Spanish red wine, cava, grape juice and orange and apple. Not bad but not too special. We ordered 5 appetizers and 4 main courses to share between the 6 of us. Appetizers: Charred Octopus $18 One of my favorite is the charred octopus with grilled potatoes, kumquats, shellfish juice and grilled scallion vinaigrette to add some sourness on top. Gambas Al Ajillo $18 I also love the gambas, which is one of my must-order dish while eating at a Tapas restaurant. Prawns cut in to pieces, with Garbanzo Bean Puree on the side. The prawns was seasoned with espellette, cilantro, and pickled Fresno. On top there are two crunchy pieces of crostini. Patatas Bravas $13 Pieces of Russet potato which are crispy on the outside and decorated with Aji Amarillo Aioli, piquillo and chive. Croquetas $14 Highly recommend the croquetas too! Crispy balls wrap with braised Chicken, Serrano ham, Calabrian chilles, and black truffle aioli on the side. Butter Lettuce $14 This is a nice salad to pair with all the seafood! Lettuce mixed with blood orange, avocado, radish, pomegranate, almond, and citrus vinaigrette, with feta cheese to add some diary. Main Courses: Lamb Chops $43 Four medium lamb chops mixed with cauliflower puree, cous cous, currant, mint, pomegranate, almond, and pickled ramp-olive salsa. King Salmon $36 A large piece of King Salmon that was crispy on the skin and soft and tasty. On top there were toasted fregula, piquillo, fennel, tomato, Swiss chard chorizo vinaigrette, and smoked onion crema. Boneless Pork Chop $32 The portion of the boneless pork chop is quite huge. With pea puree, bacon, fava bean, asparagus, snap pea, and tomato-olive compote and Sherry vinaigrette on top. Seafood Paella $48 The most popular dishes while having Spanish tapas is the seafood paella. Made with bomba rice, added the saffron, chorizo, prawns, mussels, clams, monkfish, squid, smoked paprika aioli, and a grilled lemon. read more

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patatas bravas were an original take definitely check them out. The bread was 100% made in house will blow your mind, and the carrots were excellent. Will be back! read more

A hidden gem in a historical building that once was a butcher shop (then Safeway). We were seated inside the dinner room that made us feel we were in Spain. Food was authentic and service was very good! read more

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A cozy restaurant nearby the busy Polk street. I really liked the intimate environment. The food was also very good, maybe a little pricey. My friend and I shared the Gambas as a small plate (they were cooked perfectly) and the seafood paella (very good, even though I was expecting a bigger plate). I'd like to come back because the seafood was delicious and I bet to find other yummy plates. read more

Abrazo - Gambas - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We have a 'supper club' in our Russian Hill high rise and meet every month at a local restaurant. This month it was Abrazo and we were impressed. Chef/Owner Michael Pawlik put us in the back room, where we could talk to our neighbors, and pulled together a delicious menu, served family style. Everyone felt this was one of our best meals. read more

We arrived on Mother's Day a few days ago. Parking is really difficult in this neighborhood even for those with disability placards. The interior is charming, but a little too noisy for decent conversation. Our party of 5 ordered a variety of appetizers such as seasonal house bread (9$), smoked trout dip ($22), steak tartare ($22), butter lettuce salad ($16), Albondigas - meatballs ($16), bone marrow ($17). They were beautifully presented and tasty though a little skimpy. We ordered wine and entrees including roasted chicken ($33), petrale sole ($36), and seafood paella ($49). Great presentation and our party liked most of the food. The paella was the most expensive entree on the menu and the price did not reflect the quantity or quality. It seemed dearth of seafood and somehow the rice was a bit mushy and reminded me of a Chinese clay pot dish. Somehow with a $500 expenditure, it seems lacking However, our waitress provided excellent service and was very attentive even though she was scampering between tables. I think she was the highlight of our experience. There is another dining room for parties, however, it is situated in the path of the restrooms, so patrons would have to interrupt the private party to use the facilities. read more

A lively neighborhood restaurant with uniquely Spanish flavors. Wonderful attentive service. We had three small plates as we didn't want a full meal. read more

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My team booked out the restaurant with two long tables. It's a small restaurant, so it comfortably seated our 30 person party. Solid food and great service! I got a gin & tonic which I would recommend. Overall, I would come back to order a select few dishes. The best: - New York strip: really good, tender, flavorful. Loved the sauces - bone marrow: my personal favorite! I appreciated the toppings of crema, garlic, and roe. A must-order. - paella: this was well made. The rice wasn't wet and there was the right amount of protein. - churro beignets: very fluffy and soft. A dulce de leche filling would have taken this over the top. The decent: - gambas al ajillo: the chopped prawns were moist and flavorful but the hummus was gritty and overpowering. - patatas bravas: okay, but I would have preferred aioli for dipping instead of the spicy drizzle - cheesecake - butter lettuce The bad: - flan: like rubber! This did not taste like flan. However, the creme fraiche ice cream that came with huckleberry coulis and almond brittle? So, so good. - lamb shank: the meat fell off the bone, but I found this to be dry and very bland. - octopus: my least favorite- and I love octopus. The octopus was thinly sliced and charred but unfortunately made dry and chewy pieces that were difficult to chew. The potatoes that came with this was actually better than the octopus. - tagliatini: an extremely thin pasta strand dish with veggies. The pasta had no bite to it and was too fine that there was no texture to this dish. read more

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Food: 10 out of 10 Ambiance: adorable and romantic Service: friendly and welcoming Food Presentation: A+ Great place for adult family outings, dates, or friends dinner. I like how the gambas come with a side of zesty hummus. Gambas I've had in Spain we're smothered in oil and very overwhelming. The combination of flavors and consistency goes really well! The paella is very well balanced with seafood, zest and mild flavors. I'll definitely be back to try other dishes. If you enjoy ambiance, mix of great flavors, and enjoyable nights - give it a try! Go on... go! Ps - I see reviews giving this place negative point for the food not being "traditional " but what is traditional? You don't come to San Francisco for traditional. You come to San Francisco for fusions of delicious flavors. That is exactly what you get here. Do yourself a favor and give it a try. You won't regret it. read more

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Came by on a Wednesday evening to treat my bf for a bday din! Overall a good spot -- I'd go back for the fig dish which is seasonal. (So good we dove in and didn't take pics!) We ordered: Oysters -- I love oysters so this was an easy win for me. Both sauces were good, I preferred the acidic sauce. GAMBAS AL AJILLO -- good! Paella -- I watch food shows on Netflix 30% of the time when I turn it on and have been seeing a lot of paella dishes. I enjoyed the little seafood bites. Dessert -- definitely a yes for the flan and dulce de leche ice cream; personally the panna cotta wasn't for me! Ambiance is cool, woodsy, dimly lit. I liked the black artwork on the top shelves of the wall. Service -- our water glasses were always full and they check in frequently and asked how things were. Pretty solid spot! 3.5/5 feels like a reasonable rating imo read more

Abrazo - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

Very casual Spanish restaurant with great tapas. The pasta was excellent and the croquettes on point. The salad was also super good! The paella and the the charred octopus were well prepared (could have a little more seafood on both dishes). Service was excellent. read more

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My wife and I decided to go for the second time to Abrazo. Excellent food, cozy environment, but the service as the first time. It's still poor! I don't if the owner can't afford to hire, or schedule more than one server. We had to wait for the waitress which by the way was so slammed with the entire restaurant. Finally the( "bartender "busser waiter) came to take our order. Finally at the end of our meal, waitress finally showed up just to present the check, with not even asking how the food was, she came back again just to make sure we signed the bill And said goodbye. Honestly, If I can come back to abrazo, I would say, the food is fenomenal , even though the service is not even-average. read more

Consistently exceeds my expectations every time I'm there. Well-crafted drinks, excellent appetizers, and great mains (try the tagliatelle).

This was a 3 - 4 star experience, so I rounded up. It was our first time here as Abrazo, though we had been to a tapas restaurant in this same location years ago - not sure if it's the same owners and rebranded or something entirely new. The space is very cute and bigger than I thought! We sat in the main dining area, but there's a cozy back area as well. It's well-spaced and didn't feel overly crowded. We tried a good number of items on the menu. Standouts were the octopus, carrots, and pork. I was disappointed in the seafood paella, both in terms of quality and quantity. To be fair, the waiter did warn us it was on the smaller side, but when it came it was still surprising to see how small it was when it came to the table. Unfortunately it also lacked depth of flavor and my favorite part: the crispy socarrat. Service was very efficient and our waiter was definitely on top of things as she hopped from table to table. One thing I didn't love was that when ordering we felt the constant upselling, telling us to order two, add another dish, or that the oysters we ordered "didn't count" - I'm glad we stuck with what we wanted because in the end it was the perfect amount! But it was a little uncomfortable to keep saying no, we're fine with what we ordered. read more

The food was amazing, I highly recommend the octopus appetizer as well as the croquets. For the entree if you enjoy seafood I highly recommend the sole. The service was amazing and very attentive and made you feel warm and special, while environment was very cozy. read more

Abrazo - Local Petrale Sole Scarlet Runner Bean/Hericot Verts/Swiss Chard/ Samphire/Smoked Corn Crema/Cherry Tomato Agridulce - Spanish Near Me - San Francisco, California

Went on a Friday night. Ordered the paella and croquetas. The paella was lacking in flavor and there was not enough seafood, nor enough rice . For right around $50 I would expect more in quality and quantity. Croquetas were alright, but overly rich and the flavor a bit muddied. The ambiance is very nice but the service felt lacking. Really wanted to like this place but they made it difficult. There are definitely better Spanish restaurants in SF read more

This was my second visit to Abrazo. Last time I gave a five-Star review. This one is 4+. The food was very good. We had the lamb entree (4.2), roast chicken entree (4.7), and several tapas sized plates: bread (4.9), carrots (4.5), butter lettuce (4.2), beets (4.2) and meatballs (4.8). The service is very knowledgeable, attentive and efficient. I did feel slightly rushed by the server. (4.2). If the server was slightly more relaxed it would be a 4.8+. The restaurant was emptying out as we were leaving. I was looking for either the host or server to say "thank you" and they were nowhere to be found. The ambience is simple and urban with views of an iconic San Francisco street corner (4.1). The slightly lower level of warmth on this visit by the staff affected the ambiance score down. Overall, it was very good experience and I would be glad to return. read more

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If TL:DR - rated strong 4 (only reason to not give 5 is price). Great food and service, nice atmosphere. Detailed review for the rest of you ;-) Came here to celebrate 2 birthdays. Spanish food sounded good, and different. As others say, finding parking is a real bear! The restaurant has a charming atmosphere, located right on a busy and visible corner - good people-watching. The restaurant is larger than you might think - it goes back into a couple of back rooms. Bathroom is back there too (be careful of the step into the back!). Nice and heated! We had some Lar de Sotomayor Tempranillo to start, along with 3 shared plates: Albondigas (great flavor, nice sauce), Bacalhau (soup, nice taste), and Seared Scallops (really good). For mains, we had the Pork Loin (good flavor, well prepared), NY Strip Steak (tasty, done accurately to medium rare), and the Seafood Paella (good, but maybe as others have said, could use a little more flavoring). For dessert, we had the Flan, the Dulce de Leche ice cream, and the Bunuelos. All were very tasty. All in all, a nice fancy dinner. The food was tasty, the dishes presented very well, but the prices were pretty high ($42 for paella). Not a place we could go to very often, but great for a special occasion like this. read more

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A very cute and romantic restaurant serving spanish inspired tapas and main dishes. We booked here for the day after Valentine's Day, and it filled up to capacity by about 8pm, so I would recommend a reservation. It's a little pricey, but the quality of the food was worth it. Also the service was great. Even with only 3 people working bar, host station, and serving, somehow they still made us feel extremely taken care of, timing all of our appetizers and mains to come out perfectly in order. My favorite was gambas al ajillo and the paella which was packed with seafood that was perfectly cooked. I'd recommend this for a date or small group. read more

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Abrazo was a true gem to find. My fiancé and I dined there for the first time on a Friday night and it was a memorable experience. Each dish from appetizer to entree was perfectly seasoned and the flavor truly felt like a culinary Abrazo(hug in Spanish)! The ambiance was perfect for our date night but most importantly the service was outstanding. Chef Mike came to our table and indulged us in conversation of his background and passion for food. He is truly gifted and we will surely return! read more

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Service was very good and dishes were unique. - Miyagi Oysters (good oysters, only thing was sauces took away from the natural flavor) - House Cured Salmon (good salmon though flatbread was a bit disappointing) - Bacalhau (soup flavor was very nice) - Bone marrow - a bit rare but fine - Roasted carrots - nice bit of sweetness on outside - Charred octopus - amazing octopus and amazing potatoes read more

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Delicious. Great friendly knowledgeable service. Front room is gorgeous. Back room and bathrooms are weirdly murder vibes.