Absolutely perfection!!! One of the best Italian restaurants we have been in a long time. We discovered this little slice of heaven staying at the hotel next door. As we unloaded from our Uber we can smell this delicious fragrance coming in! Then there is this wonderful old man standing outside. He smiled and literally invited us in to eat! It was perfect!!!!! This place is cozy, a little warm. But wonderful. Every diner seemed happy. We received our menus. We asked what he recommended. He gave us "favorites" we ordered them! They did not disappoint!!!! His wine pairing recommendation was spot on. We ordered three desserts the Panna cotta , crème brûlée, and tiramisu. The Panna cotta was smooth and delicious and highly recommend. Also the crème brûlée was perfect. Large too. We also ordered coffees! My only little tweak I would recommend, is that the tiramisu is a little dry. I think the lady fingers could be soaked and it could be wetter. I would omit the chocolate syrup and whipped cream. It's amazing on its own in my opinion. The platting isn't incredibly interesting, but I wouldn't want it to be. Large portions. You can tell this food is loved and appreciated and they want to bring you in to their family. It's was an honor to come little slice of heaven on a corner in San Fran. We left stuffed and happy and we cannot wait to go back!!! read more

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Service nonexistent. Had to wave random servers down for the check, for a drink refill and even the second half of my meal. There were only 2 other tables with guests. I didn't make a big deal out of it but will never come back . Servers so unaware I easily could've walked out without paying that's how low a bar was set for customer service and general attentiveness Food was okay. I ordered the veal piccata, a salad , and wine. The veal was overly chewy and the portion size of the pasta was quite small. read more

Famous chicken parm was flavorless. Not crispy at all. Chicken was bland. Don't get that. I liked the Gorgonzola pasta. Finished my plate. Something I don't get everyday. If I added sone sausage to that... yum Great service until we wanted to leave then that took a while. Place was packed though. Maybe I'm picky. read more

Had the polenta fries as an appetizer. So yummy. Marinara sauce was spot on. Then ordered the veal parmigiana over spaghetti with marinara sauce. So tender and tasty. The for dessert we finished with house made crème brûlée. So good. Service was impeccable tonight as well. Such a great small but family feel joint. So much to choose read more

Cesario's - Veal parmigiana - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Lasagna was excellent. Wine selection was solid and wine by the glass wasn't too expensive by San Francisco standards. Staff was extremely pleasant, especially considering the number of people in town for the big AI conference. Took a minute for them to take my order, but once I ordered food came quickly. Pastas do not include a salad. Good selection of desserts and after dinner drinks. You are close to the other diners, so it might be a challenge with children, or people with hearing or mobility issues. I would happily come back when next I'm in the neighborhood. read more

Group of 6 walked in for dinner without reservations and was able to get a table on a Saturday night. I had the Tuscan chicken which was disappointing. The chicken was overcooked and very dry and the vegetables tasted like they were steamed in a plastic bag. The polenta was ok. Service was good and the waitress was nice. read more

Cesario's - Tuscan Chicken Dinner - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

What a wonderful gem in this city of so many choices. One had the salmon, one had veal Parmesan and I had the linguine with pancetta, mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes . Seldom have I had such a tasty attractive meal. The waitress was kind and helpful. I would highly recommend this treat to your tastebuds! read more

Cesario's - Fettuccini with Linguine Pancetta Dinner - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great views of San Francisco streets. Charming old traditional Italian restaurant. The carpet is a bit too old with that old carpet smell. Server is great very personable. One of those odd restaurants with bathroom in the kitchen with one stall. Food was good, savory, worth the price. read more

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Cesarios is a cute little Italian spot that I went to for a late lunch. The bread we got as a starter was too cold so we asked for warm bread and it was a lot better. The service was okay. The food was all plated very aesthetically. We ordered 3 main courses to share. The ravioli was really good and cooked well and had lots of sauce. The cheese on the eggplant for one of the dishes was too thick and unappetizing. For appetizer we got caprese salad and minestrone soup. The soup was very bland and I would not order it again. The veggies in it were also overcooked and mushy. For dessert we got tiramisu and limoncello mascarpone cake. Both were really good and came in good portion sizes in my opinion. read more

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We have had excellent dining experience every time we go to Cesario's ...which is over 5 years. Love the staff and Chablis is a wonderful host. Highly recommend Cesario's . read more

It was our last night in San Francisco and we were both craving Italian. We searched for a restaurant near the hotel and found this place which had stellar reviews. Well we were tricked. The bread was just store bought white bread. We had the house salad and bruschetta as appetizers and they just were flavorless. I really was hoping the entrees would make up for this. I ordered the chicken piccata and it tasted like it had water poured over it before being brought to the table. So bland. So sad. My friend had the chicken Parmesan and he also lamented. I had been craving desert before the meal, but I cut my losses. The service was fine. They were kind and attentive. The restaurant itself felt nice. It had appropriate decor. I just couldn't possibly recommend coming here. Truly one of the worst meals of my life. read more

I only tried their seafood specials. I liked them. The "paella" was miles away from a real paella, but I wasn't expecting it to be authentic either, so it didn't bother me. It was somehow creamy and very tasty. Kind of an in-between risotto and paella sort of dish. They were also generous with the amount of seafood. Left the place with a good feeling in terms of the balance between prices, quality and amount of food. The ambience inside is cozy and the location of the restaurant is good, Lower Nob Hill. I will come back. read more

Cesario's - Specials menu. - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

DO NOT GO HERE IF YOU WANT ITALIAN FOOD. Cute and cozy with all the normal decor from your usual Italian restaurant. But I'm thinking this is not a real Italian restaurant anymore maybe they have new management/ owners trying to hold their restaurant as an Italian theme and menu. The food was poorly done. Bland flavor, not worth taking home the food for leftovers. Wasted my $$$$. Table service was average to lacking. Kind or off-putting on the attitude of some staff. But seriously I could be ok with the service if the food was good. ---This place it was so bad that we went out to sushi afterwards bc was a waste of money and time in the city. Go here if you are desperate and you want to fill up on their dinner rolls - if u don't mind soggy sad food that it isn't Italian cuisine made properly and just want to enjoy people watching outside their windows. Otherwise, if you wanted a romantic or cozy friend's dinner with real Italian cuisine then go someplace else. read more

Cesario's - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

What a delightful dinner I enjoyed at Cesario's, a small, quaint Italian restaurant a few blocks from Union Square. I was surprised how busy it was at 6 p.m. -- glad I made a reservation, as I took the last of the dozen or so tables. The menu had several of my Italian comfort food favorites, caprese and capellini pomodoro. That was the plan, yet I opted for the polenta lasagna to pair with the caprese. I love polenta, and the variation on a traditional lasagna was too tempting to pass up. Both dishes were delicious, and I couldn't resist trying the homemade tiramisu for dessert. I enjoyed the ambience as much as the food, and the waitstaff was friendly and attentive. Cesario's is definitely on my list to return to. read more

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Such a good place to go to dinner if you're staying near Union square. The pasta we had was great & we had a good experience. Our server Lily was nice as well. read more

Stopped in after a long day of walking through San Francisco and was met with friendly, attentive service. The food was delicious--while the Caesar salad isn't pictured, it was excellent. The chicken piccata was full of flavor with perfectly cooked noodles, and the crème brûlée was divine. The wine selection was a bit mid, but the ambiance gave classic old-school Italian vibes. I'd definitely stop in again next time I'm in the city. read more

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My wife and I have eaten at Cesario's now 4 times in the last year and a half. The Food has always been wonderful. This past time was May 28th, 2026 and we invited a friend to join us for dinner. Once again the food was delicious!! The Service was very good and our waitress was very attentive. The Ambiance has an old Italian charm and warm feeling; beautiful decorum. The crowd can be robust and loud, and subdued depending on the time of day. As the crowd grows so does the energy and noise, but always joyful and the vibes positive. We'll be back!! read more

Tried the salmon piccata. Bland, soggy, and overwhelmed with what tasted like a greasy piccata sauce. The accompanying risotto was tasteless and the sautéed spinach was wilted and bitter. Even the bread, which was served cold with the same containers of butter one gets in a cheap diner, was disappointing. Didn't risk ordering dessert. This is the 2nd poor meal I've had here, won't return. read more

What a great experience. My family of 4 had been out exploring all day and we where hungry. We called and requested a table. The food was delicious. Absolutely worth every penny. The service was wonderful. They where very attentive. I would recommend this restaurant. read more

Don't bother. No food good enough to be treated poorly. Stopped in for a little lite bite and/or dessert. Arrogant host first said he didn't know about a dessert seating. Then switched to they were very busy, earliest they could seat us would be about 30-45 minutes . Told him no problem, I would leave my name and we would come back. Then he switches to say there is a minimum charge for seating of $25 per person for any order. I tell him that the price is no object. He still hesitates with "welllllll..." I tell him that if he doesn't want to seat us, just let me know. Still he hesitates... as we walk out. read more

The food was good overall, but the service could use some improvement. The complimentary bread wasn't brought out until I asked, even though I noticed other tables received theirs right away. I also wish the health or insurance fee had been mentioned earlier, as it was added to the amount used to calculate the tip. It would be great if this charge were explained upfront to avoid confusion. read more

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Good, Italian restaurant with great service. We ordered the calamari, carbonara, and bolognese. The carbonara was our favorite. Both pastas weren't heavily seasoned/salted. We had to add salt and pepper to our portions (which is better than our dishes being made too salty.) The ambiance is mellow, warm, and inviting. The service is prompt and friendly. Great place in Union Square to satisfy your Italian food cravings. read more

Cesario's - Linguine Carbonara Penne Bolognese - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I had an amazing experience at Cesario's Restaurant. The food was absolutely spectacular from start to finish. We began with the crab cake appetizer, which was incredibly flavorful and perfectly prepared definitely one of the best I've had. For the main course, I ordered the lobster ravioli, and it did not disappoint. It was rich, fresh, and beautifully balanced. Every bite was delicious. The atmosphere is very cozy and homey. Although the restaurant is small with only a few tables, it feels comfortable and intimate, which made the experience even more enjoyable. The service was excellent. Ría took great care of us, she was attentive, friendly, and always made sure we had everything we needed. The manager was also very welcoming and checked in to ensure everything was perfect. I highly recommend this place. If you're looking for great Italian food in a warm and inviting setting, this is definitely a spot you shouldn't miss. read more

Heartful little restaurant. One of my son's favorite places. We go every week after his basketball practice, and please ask for Alex, the sweetest guy in town. Food is always consistent and a touch of family. Wines are reasonably priced. Please give it a try. read more

We found ourselves in the city on Valentines, and there was no way we were going to be able to get in for dinner. We ordered it delivered, and despite how busy they were, the food was absolutely delicious. read more

My husband and I dined here tonight before a show, and oh boy, it was not a good experience. We arrived at 6:05. and did not receive our meals until 7:20. The kitchen released the food only after we pressed our server and explained that our show began at 7:30. Every table around us faced the same delay. A couple beside us, who had arrived at 5:40, were served ten minutes after we were and ended up late to their own show. The floor manager offered no apology and made no effort to remedy the inconvenience. Instead, he suggested that the delay was our fault because "everyone arrived at the same time"--in other words, at the dinner hour. The food was awful. The bread and butter were both cold. I ordered the eggplant parmigiana, which was laden with full slices of tomato and so much ricotta that I became nauseous after eating while hiking up Nob Hill to The Masonic. The only positive thing that I can say about the experience is that the restaurant had a nice, cozy atmosphere. read more

Cozy little place with a lovely, classic ambiance. We got a table without reservations on a Saturday night around 6:00, but it filled quickly after that. I ordered the Veal Piccata in a white wine sauce and enjoyed it -- the sauce was very flavorful. read more

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This is my favorite spot for amazing authentic Italian food in San Francisco. They even have great gluten free options. Try the creamy tomato sauce it's divine! read more

Cesario's - The comfortable booth with great ambiance - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Blondie, The Wife and I decided to see Union Square Macy's all decked out for Christmas, maybe for the last time? I picked Cesarios, which is a block away, because Italian is one of the few things we can agree on. I got a 4:30 reservation for three on a Saturday night, no problem. We didn't realize how small and cozy the place is. From the outside, you just feel like going in, since it has that beckoning comfort look on a chilly night. The host, an elderly gentleman, seat d has right away, and took my wine order right away. He set the tone - polite dignity. I ordered the house red Italian, which was slightly sweet, so I handed it over to Blondie to try. They liked it, so I ordered the basic chianti to replace it, which was lovely. Both were $13 for a good pour. The bread was tender, and served with butter, which I prefer to oil. The bruschetta was piled to the ceiling with tomato. The app special was a mushroom soup, with The Wife and I shared. It was outstanding, and piping hot. For dinner I had linguine vongole, which had at least 25 clams. The wife had eggplant lasagna with a side of spaghetti. Blondie had a creamy penne dish. A tureen of Parmesan was delivered with the meals. The clams was cooked perfectly, far better than the last place I had this dish last weekend. Everyone was over the moon about their food. Desserts sounded excellent, so I had cannoli, Blandie had cheesecake, and The Wife limoncello cake. I also had coffee and port, while TW had decaf cafe au lait. We finished soooo happy with our choice of restaurant. One small note - there was a flickering overhead light, which should be replaced. Other than that, it was exactly the cozy delicious spot it appeared to be from the outside. And quite reasonable too. read more

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Old school Italian fare with great service, near Union Square. This is not modern cuisine, but sometimes you want indulgent Little Italy fare with lots of rich sauce and a good amount of cheese. The service is prompt and polite, the kitchen knows how to serve a full restaurant of hungry guests, the atmosphere is old school charm with red and white table cloth and sturdy glassware. I heard several languages around me so I presume this is a popular spot for visitors. I enjoyed crab cakes and eggplant parm - who of my favorites. I might return soon for the lobster ravioli. read more

This small, cozy gem in the heart of San Francisco's theater district is a perfect spot to grab a quick, delicious, unpretentious meal before your show. Service was attentive and our waitress was mindful of our timeline. We'd like to go back, though, and have a longer more leisurely dinner. It seems like a great place to do that, too. read more

What a delicious find! I had the Conchiglie with Smoked Salmon for $26, which has salmon, seashell pasta, tomatoes, dill, and light cream. The salmon was tender and the sauce was light and flavorful. The pasta was served al dente, which worked well for the dish. Overall, it was delicious. The Cape Cod I had was heavy on the vodka, which is my preference anyway. A good deal for the $10 drink. The space is small, which gives a nice cozy feeling because of the Italian decor, including interesting shaped and extra large wine bottles. It's a good sign a restaurant is a keeper when you already want more and it's the same evening! read more

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Such a small restaurant, but they were able to accommodate our large group with no problem. We came here for a birthday dinner, and the food was absolutely delicious. The service was spectacular -- attentive and friendly. Great location too! Highly recommend. read more

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This is quite possibly the worst restaurant I've ever been to. My hopes were so high for this place, and I was so very wrong. The ambiance is cozy and the staff are very friendly. It has a lot of potential. The bread was cold and clearly bought from a cheap grocery store. We got appetizers of bruschetta and the house salad. I'm not exaggerating when I say I fully believe this was a pre made salad mix from a grocery store. Utterly bland and tasteless. The entree I got was chicken parm. If you google "what is chicken parm" you will see: "Chicken Parm (Chicken Parmigiana) is a popular Italian-American dish featuring a breaded chicken cutlet that's pan-fried until crispy..." What I received was the soggiest, floppiest piece of chicken that mankind has ever seen. It was soaking wet and absolutely flavorless. I cook chicken parm at home all the time and I can't even fathom how you could mess it up this badly. I don't mean to ramble on, but it was truly astounding how flavorless every single thing they served me was. I'm not remotely hard to impress! I don't know how this place ended up with so many five-star reviews, but if you are seeing this, I urge you to reconsider before going. I wish I'd spent $120 at the casino instead. read more

This tiny little place was right next to our hotel, and after walking by it day after day we had to stop and try it out. When I say tiny, I mean TINY! We actually waited in the hotel lobby because there was no space to wait in the restaurant and the weather wasn't great for waiting outside. It initially took a little while for our meals to be served, and they did mix up one of the side options, but were more than willing to correct and bring out the additional pasta in addition to the risotto that was already plated. The salmon was delicious, as were the vegetables. The pasta was average--nothing special about it. However, dessert was where this place really stood out. The flourless chocolate cake was thick and dense and almost too fudgy. It needed something to cut it that was more than just the small dollop of cream. The limoncello marscapone cake was to die for. Excellent. We were looking up recipes before we had left the table to see if it would be possible to recreate it at home. The cake itself was more dense than your average cake and it held the lemon flavor so well. I've never had this as a cake before but look forward to trying it again. I'd return just for this cake. read more

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Adding a 5/5 stars because this place is amazing. The food is great, but to be honest, the service is what made it top notch. The hospitality is incredible at this restaurant. Very attentive service and extremely friendly. The ravioli and the lasagna were incredible. Will be coming back. Just make sure to make a reservation because they do get busy. Luckily they had a spot for us when we walked in, but it got a lot busier through the night. Thank you again for the great service! read more

My friends and I were looking for a late dinner and saw this place had availability. As soon as we walked in, we were met with old school traditional Italian restaurant. It's a quaint place! We started with the crab cakes, garlic bread, calamari and lobster bisque (what can I say, we were hungry!) the crab cake was more cake than crab, though they had great flavor and crispy texture. The calamari was just ok, they were a little bland, though the sauces and grilled artichokes that accompanied them were tasty. The lobster bisque was jam packed with lobster flavor, but that's all you tasted. There wasn't any other flavor, especially no salt. Not to mention there wasn't a single piece of lobster in the soup! That was a miss. The best app was the garlic bread! One thing I can say, this place isn't shy with the portion sizes. For dinner I ordered the risotto, which was tasty! Nearly every bite had a piece of seafood, which I loved! I feel this place is worth a try! Food rating Calamari 5/10 Garlic bread 9/10 Lobster bisque 2/10 Crab cake 6/10 Risotto 8/10 Customer service 7/10 Ambiance 8/10 read more

Cesario's has become one of my favorite restaurants when visiting San Francisco. The garlic bread was made to perfection which made us order another round. The pasta had great flavor, portion was perfect along with the club sandwich. The waiter who was also the host, gave us such great hospitality and made sure we were well taken care of. The cocktails were really strong for a cheap price compared to other restaurants around SF. The restaurant itself has an old school look and you are able to see the chefs while they make your food. I would suggest making reservations if you're trying to go for dinner. Highly recommend you checking this place out. read more

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They have ruined Italian forever unless I only eat here! The best food we've ever had! The recommendations, the service, the ambiance; Simply Amazing! read more

I was at the Marine's building for a show and left early. I decided I had not eaten lunch and stopped by next door to have Italian food. Cesario's has a business card that says 1998. It says Italian SF. I picked the crabcake sandwich and 3 meatballs with a Coca-Cola. I said fries and they gave me a gritty salad. Maybe potato salad. It's old-fashioned and urban. It took me 40 minutes to sit and eat. read more

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