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    Gola

    4.6 (157 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 2 weeks ago

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    GOLA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Intimate
    Romantic
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - Gola

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    La Marsa
    Allie G.

    I snagged a same-day reservation at Gola for our party of 8, which was an accomplishment in itself. The interior had dim lighting (which kept getting dimmer) and elegant decor. For drinks, they had a large selection of wine, with a few signature cocktails mixed in. I got the Sidi-Bou cocktail, which was tasty and well-balanced. We also ordered a few starters to share for the table - La Marsa with bread and two orders of Brika au Thon. Both were very tasty! I especially liked the lemon zest and capers cream sauce in the La Marsa and the runny egg in the Brika au Thon. Portion sizes were pretty small, especially for the price. For my entree, I chose the Chicken Tagine. However, by this point in the night, the restaurant started to get pretty busy. There were only two staff members covering the whole front of house, one of which was also the bartender. Getting our entrees took a long time, and it was almost impossible to flag down anyone for water or drink refills. When the rest of the food finally came out, I was surprised by the difference in portion size between the entrees. While the tagines were plenty of food, my friend's Filfil Mehchi was pretty skimpy. I did enjoy my Chicken Tagine, but it wasn't mind-blowing. Getting the check also took a long time, and we were there for over 2 hours, which we didn't expect. Overall, not bad for dinner but the experience didn't quite match the price tag.

    Starters: Creamy carrots, octopus, scallops/shrimp
    Jean L.

    Been walking by this place for quite some time now and finally had a chance to give Gola a try. Reservations are easy peasy, especially for a somewhat last minute booking on a weeknight for a party of 5. Service was fantastic from the moment I walked in to the dinner completion. Our group decided to order all the appetizers on the menu and a couple sides. Surprisingly, I was full by the end of dinner and didn't feel uncomfortable. Every app was delicious, and they didn't skimp on the ingredients. Gola is located in the Mission so parking is pretty much just metered street parking, definitely walking distance from BART. Looking forward to coming back and trying their entrees. #12/2025

    saturday 6pm
    Norases V.

    we had an online pickup order and had to wait for almost 30 minutes but the food was amazing. The lamb tagine falls off the bone and has bone marrow! extremely flavorful and a bit spicy. My second favorite was the octopus, cooked well and came with refreshing frisee salad with capers, lemon, and olives. The cauliflower in harissa sauce was amazing as well, great side veg. Hope they bring back their eggplant side dish as well.

    Ada M.

    The the food was super good. The only things my was the portions were very small for the price. I was expecting more for the price. The restaurant is beautiful inside. The interior is great. I would go back here again but be prepared to spend it hard and not be too full.

    Branzino - so good!
    Susan C.

    We had a big group of 8 to celebrate a friend's birthday on a Tuesday night. It's a beautiful space that is well decorated and inviting! Our server was Nader and we were in good hands with him. He was great at keeping track of our orders and checked in on us throughout the evening. We ordered many cocktails but after the first round, they ran out of Boukha - the Tunisian fig liquor! They ended up substituting it with another liquor but we wanted the full Tunisian experience. Everything we had was delicious - houriya (mashed carrots with garlic and harissa), octopus, branzino, chicken tagine, and roasted eggplant. Would love to come back! Note: If you use credit card to pay for your bill, there is a 4% fee.

    Sandy L.

    Gola was a nice find in the mission and my first time trying Tunisian cuisine! The ambiance is lively yet dimly lit, it was the perfect way to spend a Friday night for a birthday dinner. Service was attentive and quick, love that they change your plates before entrees We shared several starters around the table, but I would say the deviled eggs were a standout. I can't stop thinking about these - please get them! I got the chicken tangine which was delicious, it was super tender, juicy and perfectly cooked. It had lots of flavor and a bit of spice which was tolerable. I also got a Farah goes to Tunisia cocktail, refreshing with a good citrus flavor. I would definitely come back, I recommend going with a group to try multiple items :)

    Hannibal ($17) - 4.5 stars, rly good. Sidi Bou ($17) - 4 stars, refreshing but a little booze-forward & simple. Sat dinner 2025-01-04
    Ziyan C.

    Lovely dinner here with intense flavors and unusual preparations that we all enjoyed! Spicy dishes were a nice surprise, not too overwhelming. Glad I booked this place for a date night while the kids had other activities - the vibe here was not exactly kid-friendly (not that they would have turned away kids, but no one else brought kids, and the food is pretty "adventurous"). Reservations booked on OpenTable about a week in advance for 5:15pm on a Saturday for two; I edited it to be for group of four just a few days ahead. There were plenty of openings even then. By the time we finished dinner around 7:45pm, the restaurant was pretty busy. The service was professional and helpful. Dinner for 4 adults (3 cocktails, 2 starters, 3 mains, 2 sides, 2 mocktails, 1 tea) cost about $310. COCKTAILS * Hannibal ($17) - 4.5 stars. Really good. * Sidi Bou ($17) - 4 stars. Refreshing but a little booze-forward and simple in flavor. * Night in Tunisia ($17) - 4 stars. STARTERS * Grilled octopus ($19) - 3.5 stars. Good texture but light on flavors. * La Marsa ($18) - 4 stars. Interesting to use a heavy cheese-y sauce with scallops & shrimp, but it worked! PLATES * Filfil Mehchi ($25) - 3.5 stars. The sauce was great with the bread. * Grilled branzino ($27) - 3.5 stars. The branzino was great, nice light crisp. Didn't love the Kefteji mix, seemed like a loosely packed mixture of random things. * Chicken Tagine ($28) - 3.5 stars. Chicken was moist, but this was spicier than expected, not a flavor I'm used to with chicken. SIDES * Roasted eggplant in harissa sauce ($10) - 5 stars. A bit spicy, but this was great! Never had eggplant cooked this way. * Homemade bread ($6) - 4 stars. Fluffy and thick, great for scooping up extra sauce. DESSERT * Backlava ($11) - 4.5 stars. Very tasty & unusual preparation!

    Tunisian deviled eggs
    Makena L.

    Went at 7pm on a Thursday night for a table of 2 and were seated immediately. Staff is friendly, and it's worth asking them how to eat the deviled eggs if you order it. Cozy and well decorated with plenty of space. Deviled eggs - favorite part of the meal. There's so much flavor in one bite, but I won't ruin the surprise! Lamb tangine - cute plating and very flavorful. The meat is so tender it basically melts in your mouth. Bread - crispy and fluffy, would recommend getting it along with the tagine.

    Dinner menu. Overpriced, small portions.
    Irene X.

    This is going to be my first and last visit to Gola - very disappointing on multiple levels. I was excited to try what was advertised as authentic Tunisian cuisine, but left feeling deceived and overcharged. Food Quality & Authenticity Issues: The menu lacks distinctive Tunisian dishes, and what we ordered felt like basic home cooking at restaurant prices. The "Lamb Tagine" that our server claimed contained 12 special spices was surprisingly bland and unremarkable - nothing I couldn't make at home. Traditional tagines should be flavorful and generous in portion, but this fell short on both counts. The grilled octopus was equally disappointing: basic preparation with olive oil, salt, olives and capers over vegetables. Again, tiny portion for the premium price. Pricing & Value: Severely overpriced for what you get. Small portions with no distinctive flavors to justify the cost. Business Practices: What bothered me most was the tip calculation being based on the total AFTER adding their 4% "Advantage Program" fee and 8.63% tax. Reputable restaurants calculate suggested tips on the pre-tax subtotal. This feels like a way to squeeze extra money from customers. Ambiance is nothing special, just like regular restaurant except the seats use some kind of pattern which probably is 'Tunisian' as they claim. Bottom Line: If you're looking for authentic Tunisian food or honest pricing, look elsewhere. Won't be returning.

    Brika Au Thon
    Stephanie L.

    Incredible first experience at Gola. Between the service, the ambiance, the food, and the cocktail, you can't go wrong! Started with a cocktail called Farrah goes to Tunisia that had rum and tangerine - it was so refreshing. Next came the Brika au thon. It was crispy filo dough wrap with potatoes, tuna, capers that added a nice pop of salt, and a perfectly runny egg that added a richness to it. The lamb tagine was definitely the star of the show. It was rich and flavorful and the lamb fell off the bone. We got a side of homemade bread which was perfect for soaking up the extra juices - not to mention the caraway seed in it added a nice flavor in itself. From start to finish the staff was friendly and super on top of everything (from suggesting to describing the dishes and keeping our drinks full). It was an excellent experience and we will be returning.

    Lamb dish of deliciousness!!
    Sharine d.

    Ambiance is calm and relaxing with pretty carved tables. Only thing some people wouldn't be comfortable with the huge third eye symbol on the wall. Service was exceptional. The gentleman answered all our questions and explained the dishes. He was very attentive eventhough he was managing all the tables. Food we had the -devil eggs (different style with a prawn instead of the yoke)- Another appetizer with shrimp and scallops. Main dish: lamb, peppers, onion, tomato... baked in earthen clay vessel.... this dish was delicious!! Also order the bread, which was perfect to soup up the sauce. All in all...a delightful restaurant with great lamb dish.

    Sam G.

    Me and my wife really enjoyed the vibe and the food at Gola Tunisian restaurant.. service was quick and amazing. Our favorite was the lamb tajine very well seasoned and lamb was cooked until perfection!

    Shakshuka
    Nicole M.

    Please bear with me while I write this review...I am very much an Asian food girl. Give me dim sum, noodles, and sushi any day and I'll be happy. But if you gave me the option of eating at my favorite dim sum spot or eating at Gola, I would pick Gola. Every. Time. It's hard to use words to describe the feeling I get when I'm eating a Gola. The ambience is gorgeous, sure. Rafik and Nadir are the kindest and most wonderful guys. The presentation is beautiful. But when the food hits my taste buds...I have to close my eyes. I need to savor every flavor and every feeling happening in that moment. The food at Gola is love. It's home. It's comfort. But done in a way that only someone who truly loves the food can do. Rafik can tell me how to make his Kromb a million times over but I could never do it like he does. It's special there. This place is a gem. It's unique. Is it dim sum or noodles? No. It's better. And I never thought I would say that about any restaurant. If you haven't been here yet, stop everything you are doing and go! This is what having an experience with food should be like. Order the Kromb. You've never known cabbage until you've had this dish. Get the Shakshuka. Get some bread. And chow down. Not only are the people amazing here and the decorations beautiful, but I swear the food will change your whole perception of dining out. Gola is comfort elegance all wrapped into beautifully presented dishes. So get your butt in the car and go for what will definitely be one of your most favorite and most memorable meals. And then keep going back for more. And tell Rafik that I say hi lol

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    2 months ago

    Great authentic food, great service and lovely restaurant. Very affordable. Highly recommend

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    Really appreciated the service. Nice spot to get North African food in sf. I liked the scallop appetizer

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    8 months ago

    Our group had an amazing experience:) the service was great, the food was soo delicious!

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    Love what + how they do it. It's a neighborhood bar that…read morejust feels right. Food wise I'm drawn to a few favorites like the stellar pork belly banh mi slider, fries and the chicken bites. It's a thoughtful menu w something for everyone. Had a Paper Plane which the bar man furiously shook to an icy froth on the top. Soooo good. Went on St Pat Saturday and was looking for a non frat crew vibe and was really pleased I remembered BH was close by.

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    Blind Pig Speakeasy Lounge - Hot & Sour: Tanqueray Gin w/ lichiko shochu, aloe, rose, hot pot paste, basil, citrus, peychaud's ($18)

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    Ah, I wanted to love Blind Pig, but I just couldn't get into it. This San Francisco speakeasy is an…read moreAsian-influenced bar looking to bring Asian flavors and liquors to the bar scene. I think in many ways, Blind Pig just fell a little flat. I would like to say that the service here was amazing. A bartender who sat with you to talk about the menu, the process, and your experience very passionately and intently.  However, I think that the bar program is a little unrefined. Every drink had 10,000 ingredients, and most of them did not work together. If the drink did work together, you just tasted nothing because everything blended together and you couldn't taste any special or fun ingredients.  Unfortunately, I don't think this spot is worth looking for.

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    Pacific Cocktail Haven - Silk Street: Song Gin, amaro, jackfruit-coconut cream, sudachi, longan, pandan - Perfectly balanced, not too sweet

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    My wife & I visited SF for the 1st time & stayed at Hotel Emblem next door. We noticed so many…read morepeople coming in to this place we decided to look it up & see what the fuss was about. Seeing that it was named one of the top 50 best bars in North American, we had to check it out! We came in a Thursday night in mid-April about 9:45 PM. They have security outside thar checks IDs & also manages the queue in case the bar gets too crowded. We had no issues getting in, but there were zero indoor seats available - both the bar & table seating. Thankfully, they have a really cozy & well-lit patio area. The waitress let us know that even the outdoor patio has table-side service, so we made ourselves comfortable on the outdoor bench & within seconds she had brought us waters & cocktail menus. Weather outside was really nice, so I'm glad we actually sat outside. Each cocktail is $20, which definitely is a little steep, but I think the creativity, quality, & prestige of being named a top 50 bar supports the price. Each part of the menu is organized by liquor ie whiskey, vodka, brandy, gin, etc. We tried 4 drinks total. I only took menu photos of the pages we ordered from but they have a lot more selections. We ordered the Kung Fu Pandan, Silky Street, Rice Rice Baby, & Tropical Gangsta. We had some favorites over others, but all were very well crafted! The drinks came out pretty quickly considering how busy it was. The only hiccup was our final drink took quite a while. Turns out the ticket machine malfunctioned & deleted orders put in & caused a back-up. The waitress was so apologetic & ended up comp-ing 2 drinks, which she definitely didn't have to but it speaks volumes to the high standards they hold themselves to & their customer service. Overall, highly highly recommend checking this place out for a fun night out or post-dinner treat! Glad we made the decision to stop in!

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