Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Cesario's

    3.5 (630 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Desserts
    Closed 11:30 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Cesario's Takeout or Delivery

    Cesario's Photos

    Business Info

    CESARIO'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Intimate
    Classy
    Outdoor seating

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Cesario's

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Tuscan Chicken Dinner
    Mallory D.

    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.

    Rosa A.

    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.

    Ravioli Florentina Lunch
    Nikita K.

    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.

    Specials menu.
    Pablo R.

    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.

    Polenta lasagna
    Gary L.

    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.

    Crème brûlée
    LaRaun C.

    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.

    Didn't know this fee was included until after dinner.

    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.

    The comfortable booth with great ambiance
    Amanda N.

    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!

    Limoncello cake
    Bob K.

    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.

    Linguine Carbonara Penne Bolognese
    Audrey L.

    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.

    Hot drinks menu.
    Konrad J.

    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!

    See all

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    We had the fried calamari, Caesar salad, and pancetta linguine. Great food and a perfect balance between price and quality.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Nessa M.
    67
    115
    649

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2
    Photo of Cyndi K.
    170
    110
    21

    1 year ago

    Pear salad was amazing. As was the bruschetta. For dessert, the lemon cake was amazing as was the canolli.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lab L.
    0
    244
    8

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amy K.
    93
    17
    1

    1 year ago

    We made a reservation but they refused to take us, saying they were overbooked. They shouldn't let that happen. Very disappointing.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 12
    Thanks 0
    Love this 8
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Flory W.
    360
    1248
    2137

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ken F.
    252
    115
    31

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Watson C.
    53
    34
    14

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Henry H.

    Henry H.

    Helpful 10
    Thanks 5
    Love this 2
    Oh no 4
    Photo of Amanda S.
    131
    38
    139

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Excellence with great service. The food was fabulous. This restaurant was recommended to us and we in turn recommend eating here!!!!

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Excellent food, ambiance, and service. If you visit them please try their lobster ravioli! Super recommended!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Austin T.
    208
    25
    0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 6

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Excellent food and service. I had the chicken Parmesan and my boyfriend had the special. Both were delicious.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Laurie T.
    8
    100
    65

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Page 2 of 16

    Cesario's Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Cesario's

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Italian 97,972 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    A Buttercup Dessert House - We will open in September

    A Buttercup Dessert House

    4.3(248 reviews)
    2.5 miMission
    $$

    This is my favorite dessert house, which I recommend to all my friends who need a good date spot, a…read moreplace to meet up with friends, or to friends who are visiting the city and have never had bingsoo or dessert style toasts. I absolutely love everything mango from here and their affogato is to die for! The best affogato I've ever had. Definitely try this place!

    Although they don't serve variations of buttercups, A Buttercup is one of the few dessert houses…read moreoffering Taiwanese-style treats like Bingsoo, Milk Bread Toast, and other Asian fusion creations. I'm always hunting for spots like this because I have a weakness for those over-the-top, Instagram-worthy desserts that look like diabetes in a dish. Like most places in this genre, A Buttercup is small, modern, and minimalist with limited seating. If you plan to go, aim for off-hours unless you enjoy waiting in line for sugar. The decor is cute and trendy, perfect for photos if that's part of your dessert ritual. As they say, "you eat with your eyes first," and when it comes to presentation, this place definitely gets an A+. The desserts look stunning and set high expectations. Unfortunately, that's where things started to crumble. It's like going to see your favorite artist live. You've watched the videos, memorized the songs, and paid for the experience. But instead of the electric performance you imagined, you get someone lip-syncing and barely connecting with the crowd. That was this place in dessert form. We ordered the Mango Bingsoo on our first visit, and when it arrived, we were surprised by how small the portion was. The guy next to us even looked over and said, "Whatever that is, I'm getting that next time." He shouldn't have. The Bingsoo looked great but was bland, and the "snow" was more chunky ice than soft shave. The Thai Tea Roti was also not what I expected. It came with Thai tea ice cream and sauce alongside a roti that was fried to a crunch. Interesting idea, just not the best execution. The sauce and ice cream needed a stronger Thai tea flavor to balance the crispy roti, and the flavors never quite came together. Overall, A Buttercup nails the aesthetics but misses the flavor. If you're here for the photos, you'll be happy. If you're here for the taste, you'll leave with a full camera roll and an unsatisfied sweet tooth.

    Photos
    A Buttercup Dessert House
    A Buttercup Dessert House - Menu 1 of 2

    Menu 1 of 2

    A Buttercup Dessert House - Menu 2 of 2

    See all

    Menu 2 of 2

    NaYa Dessert Cafe

    NaYa Dessert Cafe

    4.1(781 reviews)
    1.1 miHayes Valley
    $$
    Vegetarian friendly
    Vegan friendly

    The best way to cool off on a warm day! We visited NaYa for dessert after brunch at aMano. It's not…read morea big space & was pretty full but the host/server had a 2 top table available. It was kinda hot & stuffy inside even with the door open because it was a warm day. We were told in advance that orders would take approximately 20-30 minutes to arrive because they were short staffed at the time (additional staff arrived after an hour). My friend had to Thai tea crepe cake & I had the mango tango (because I looooove mangoes). The Thai tea crepe was pretty good, lots of Thai tea flavor, and not too sweet. The Thai tea custard sauce added a bit of sweetness to it. The mango tango was sooo good! I loved the coconut ice cream (it's a shaved from a block of ice cream so it's really fluffy). The fresh mango was served on the side in addition to a small bowl of coconut, sticky rice and additional mango sauce. Service was as efficient as possible. Server was helpful too.

    Felt like dessert after a day in the city, thought we'd try NaYa in Hayes Valley. Local hangout…read more Young crowd and good vibes. Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs - but what a great surprise. We started our evening with the Mango Tango. That Sticky Rice was the Main Wow! Not to take anything away from the coconut & mango, just that rice. I could have had that on its own. We then ended the night with the Toasted Kaya. Warm Bread with the right crunchiness. Another fun & tasty surprise. All in all - we will probably share just one dish next time - but definitely coming back

    Photos
    NaYa Dessert Cafe - Chocolate Toasted  cr. foodswithyu

    Chocolate Toasted cr. foodswithyu

    NaYa Dessert Cafe - Mango Tango  Cr. mitzifood

    Mango Tango Cr. mitzifood

    NaYa Dessert Cafe - The chocolate salted egg lava cake, served
warm with a center that gushes out once you cut it open. 
Cr. janeejaneee

    See all

    The chocolate salted egg lava cake, served warm with a center that gushes out once you cut it open. Cr. janeejaneee

    Powder - regular Strawberry with passionfruit glaze and condensed milk (09/2024)

    Powder

    4.4(835 reviews)
    1.9 miLower Haight
    $$

    Delicious, and this place blew my mind when I tried it out…read more First off, very surprised at all the flavors you can get and try, including horchata, Thai tea, and ube! To be honest, when I came here, I did not expect much. I typically am not the type to get snow or anything icy, since it is not the first thing that comes to my mind when it comes to dessert, but I am so glad I got to experience this. When I came on a Wednesday night, it was not too busy, and my friend and I were able to get our food within 10 minutes. The spot itself is pretty small, with not a lot of seating, but some limited spots outside. I got the black sesame with condensed milk, and my friend got the mexican hot chocolate. What makes this place stand out so much is the texture of the dessert, which was fluffy, soft, and melted in your mouth. Overall, I want to come here again and try the other flavors!

    Stopped by on a Saturday evening and it wasn't busy. I got a regular size of the Cereal Killer…read morewhich was cereal snow topped with sweet milk glaze and fruity pebbles. I loved this so much, it had such a fantastic texture of being creamy but also light and fluffy. Probably one of the best shaved snow texture I've had. Tried some of the matcha snow and earl grey snow as well, and both of them were solid too. My favorite was still the cereal snow because I have more of a sweet tooth and the matcha and earl grey were less sweet. I would absolutely return to try more snow flavors! Service was really friendly and our 3 bowls were ready within a few minutes. Only one small bench inside and some outdoor seating.

    Photos
    Powder - Matcha Green Tea w/ mochi

    Matcha Green Tea w/ mochi

    Powder - Matcha with strawberries

    Matcha with strawberries

    Powder - Strawberry & Cereal Snow

    See all

    Strawberry & Cereal Snow

    Cesario's - italian - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...