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    Il Pollaio

    4.4 (453 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Argentine
    Open 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM

    Il Pollaio Photos

    Business Info

    IL POLLAIO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Il Pollaio

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    Outside
    Lisa X.

    Recently came for lunch with my friend. She lives in Noe Valley and never been in a Waymo before, so as a fun "experience", I did a RT from her house and got us to North Beach's Il Pollaio. As an experienced W rider, I have to admit that it wasn't the smoothest ride as we were unfortunately behind an ambulance at one point when we got near North Beach which required calling in to rider support for help, and she was overall annoyed by the scenic route Waymo took. In the end, she was gracious for the "new experience" but prefers to drive her own car next time. As for the restaurant itself, simple and earnest with great food. I had the half chicken with fries and my friend got the chicken sandwich. Both delicious. The chicken was delicious with some squeezed lemon juice. Perfecto! This place has been here for many years, so a bit nostalgic. Cash only. Located on Columbus and Union.

    1/2 chicken and fries lunch special $21
    Amy W.

    The reviews for this place have been excellent for years, so we decided to stop by for a light lunch before a heavy dinner later. My husband and I split a half chicken with fries, and we asked for the chicken well done. Do not expect a Costco-sized bird here. These are smaller chickens, but they are well seasoned and flavorful. The fries came out exactly as requested, very crispy and satisfying. Overall, it was a good meal, and I am glad we had the chance to try it.

    Menu 6/9/25
    Allena C.

    This restaurant has been around since 1984! Now, that's saying something to be in business for that long. They're doing something right! I've been meaning to try this spot for their grilled chicken, and finally got to try it. The waitstaff were welcoming, attentive, and accommodating. The place is cozy and intimate with some tables along side the windows for a street view of Columbus Avenue. ***OUR PICKS*** WHOLE CHICKEN ~ A small, but moist and tender chicken with crispy skin seasoned perfectly! Tasty chicken that's finger licking and bone sucking good!!! Loved this! 5/5 LARGE COMBO SALAD ~ Romaine, cabbage/slaw and bean salad. The slaw looked premade and not fresh looking with some leaves turning brown. But they gave us a few salad dressings, so that was nice. Nothing special, but as a starter, it did the job. 3.5/5 We didn't want to have a heavy lunch, so this fit the bill. The chicken was delicious, enjoyable and memorable that I would return again for the chicken! I've had chicken that's moist, but over brined or seasoned. Not the case for Il Pollaio's chicken. One of the best I've had! If you've never tried their chicken, you're missing out!

    Whole roasted chicken with very crispy skin.

    Was walking by and saw Chicken take out. We walked into the restaurant and were happily greeted by Paula. She explained the menu and put zero pressure to eat with them. We decided to eat and Paula served us. She was awesome and gave us direction on the menu. We shared a whole chicken and a large salad. We only ate half the chicken but finished the other half this morning. A wonderful family owned restaurant and a breath of fresh air being this is in the heart of overpriced tourist traps. Not this one. A gem in the heart of little Italy. We are going back today. The pork chops look amazing and the mixed salad. Bring it on.

    Fries
    Chris R.

    We wanted to get another spot nearby, but it was too crowded and the wait was too long so we settled on Il Pollaio. Their specialty is chicken but it looks like they have other Italian items. We came as a group of 3 and ordered the Italian sausage, whole chicken, and fries. It looks like they cook their chicken to order. I wasn't sure what to expect, but our whole group walked out pretty satisfied. The chicken was very flavorful and moist. The Italian sausage was just OK in my opinion. My other friends liked it. The fries were good, but be warned it comes with no salt. I used their salsa which was really good. I couldn't get enough of that stuff on the chicken and fries. The servers were chill and the space was clean. I'd come back!

    chicken
    Sydney C.

    I got the chicken. The flavour was good but it was just very hard to eat and kind of dry. Our food took forever to come even our sides. Everyone got a free tableside of bread beaodes our table for some reason. The fries were good at least. Also the house sauce was very spicy but still good. Theres plenty of seating too for a saturday.

    House green salad
    Pamela G.

    An old favorite in North Beach! Delicious lunch -- and a real bargain. Get the delicious, marinated and grilled chicken and a green salad to share and you won't be sorry. The French bread (and butter) is really exceptional. You might even want a glass of wine. Sit by the window and watch the world go by and pretend you're on vacation in Europe. Lots of regulars and friendly server. A regular spot on our rotation for good reason.

    Sausage sandwich with bell peppers and salad
    Serena S.

    Beloved neighborhood place for chicken! It's in our regular dinner rotation. Get extra salsa. But lately we've loved the sausage pesto sandwich with bell peppers. The mild has more flavor notes than the spicy which is just hot. No frills service. Great, cheap wines make dining in more fun;)

    Maritza Y.

    Will come back over and over. Best staff -- they work so freaking hard please tip well and do such a good job. The food is GREAT. Thank you for reminding me why I love this city so much.

    menu as of November 11th, 2012.
    paul k.

    Still great chicken after all these years! I like the potatoes and "green and bean" salad. Soups rotate so always ask!

    2 orders of pork chops
    Timber W.

    I was introduced to this place through my fiancé and now its a regular dinner spot for us. It has a limited menu but so far everything we've tried has been great. The chicken is delicious and definitely what hooked me but I keep coming back for my favorite, the pork chops. They also have a special salsa for the chicken that is a must. Its a small spot so it would be difficult for very large parties but its a great spot for a date night or a few friends. The service is great, and the food comes out quickly.

    Ribeye steak
    Xiu L.

    This place is such a neighborhood gem. Amazing Argentinian style bbq, great prices and warm and lovely people. We are regulars who love this place. My friends and I all have our usuals - lamb chops for me, ribeye for others. You can't find these prices for the quality of meat. And decent wine selection to go with everything too. The minestrone soup is also great. Don't miss this spot!

    Sunil R.

    We needed to grab something quick before going to Club Fugazi. It was the Saturday before Halloween and the scene was quite wild in the area. Luckily this spot was not busy. The service and food were solid. The menu is small...we had the full chicken, a Caprese salad, and an almond torte which were good.

    Free Bread

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    4 months ago

    Excellent roast chicken. Delicious Italian salad dressing. Friendly service. An excellent spot for a healthful meal.

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    2 years ago

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    9 months ago

    Absolutely delicious food! I have enjoyed everything on the menu! Great staff and wonderful ambiance

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Great food. Hearty, well done. Not expensive for the neighborhood. Nice people. Great grilled meat.

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    6 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Fantastic chicken!! Deliciously crispy steak fries!! Fresh, cold and crisp salad!! Buonissimo!

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    3 years ago

    Consistent freshly grill chicken with mixed salad a healthy balanced and tasty meal. Simplicity reigns here. Cosy

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    Page 1 of 12

    Il Pollaio Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Il Pollaio

    Does this place serve rabbit meat? Also does this place accept Apple Pay?

    I do not recall seeing rabbit meat on the menu, but they do accept Apple Pay.

    Does this place serve Rabbit meat?

    Is the parklet still there? Would like to bring a dog.

    Yes it is still there.

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    Lolinda

    Lolinda

    4.2(2.6k reviews)
    3.0 miMission
    $$$

    First time here and we loved it! We got the ceviche, citrusy with a kick - loved the fritters. The…read morepulpo was tender with savory, salty base. Steak frites were so good. Asado mixto was nice to share for the table. Got the ribeye too, so good. For dessert, we loved the chocotorta which was decadent. The passionfruit flan was nice, tart. Place has a dim, calm ambiance. Plenty of seating downstairs and upstairs. Our server, Rayne, was kind and attentive to us. Will definitely recommend this place to others!

    Restaurant is located in the Sf mission district. We came here for dinner and as you enter the…read morerestaurant, the host area is lit, but when you enter the main dining, the lights are dimmed and felt romantic. The restaurant has an upstairs as well. Our server was very nice and pleasant to speak with. Gave us some recommendations on the menu as well as drinks. We started with a cocktail and a glass of red wine. For our appetizer we had the Pulpo, coliflor and Hueso Asado. The pulpo which is octopus was nice and tender. Really delicious. The coliflor was okay. It was a little dense for me. The Hueso Asado was scrumptious, buttery and full of flavor, but half of a bone marrow was too small for an appetizer and only served with 4 small thin crostini. For entree we had the Ojo de Bife and Malbec short ribs. The Ojo de Bife which is the rib eye was delicious and grilled perfectly. The meat was not as tender, but the meat itself had a lot of flavor. The short ribs were excellent! Very tender and scrumptious. I would order this again. They should bring back the beef tongue or Lengua. I heard it is a must try. Anyway, we had a great time. It was a great atmosphere and love the vibe on this place. Would definitely come back!

    Photos
    Lolinda - Inside from waiting area

    Inside from waiting area

    Lolinda - Ceviche pescado

    Ceviche pescado

    Lolinda - Cookies and milk

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    Cookies and milk

    Cocina Milonga - Apple Almond

    Cocina Milonga

    4.8(155 reviews)
    10.9 mi
    $

    Why 5 stars? Because despite a few non-ideal circumstances, it was very worth the visit…read more --- --- --- After eating lunch nearby, I had one final stop to make here for coffee and dessert, before I headed to SFO. The issue is that I was definitely pushing it on time if I planned on making my flight. As I was driving here, I had the thought that if there was an annoying parking situation or a line, I would just have to pivot and forego patronizing. But as it turns out, there was one spot available right next to the front door and no one inside. But then when I requested a nitro, the owner (I assume?) was extremely apologetic that their coffee machine broke. I asked for a few alternate types of coffee, but it turned out said machine controlled it all. So we shifted to the pastries. I read on the website that they had something with guava, so I asked for two of those: one for me, one for the wife. He even offered to heat mine up, which I will say yes to 100% of the time. I then jumped back in the car and was back into "don't' miss your flight mode." Of course, when you're in a hurry, you manage to hit every red light along the way, so I was doing a lot of yelling at electricity and God. But then I figured I might as well take the time to try the pastry that I'd originally planned on eating on the plane. As it turns out, it brought me into a nearly immersive experience of zen. The only bad thing is that I devoured it within seconds and then it was merely a thing of the past. My wife is fortunate that I have the amount of integrity that I do because I am sitting on the plane as I write this and I could easily inhale that 2nd pastry with her being none the wiser. If you're reading this, wife, remember that you hit the spousal lottery.

    Great empanadas! They toast them up to a temp that results in a perfectly hot n toasted, fresh…read moretasting empanada! I tried their beef as well as mushroom. Both are repeats for me! Don't forget to ask for their chimichurri sauce. I also love the vibes of the spot. Felt like I traveled to Argentina for a brief moment.

    Photos
    Cocina Milonga - Decor & merch

    Decor & merch

    Cocina Milonga - Empanada

    Empanada

    Cocina Milonga - Counter & menu

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    Counter & menu

    Cafe Buenos Aires - Chicken Empanada

    Cafe Buenos Aires

    4.6(216 reviews)
    8.7 miSouth Berkeley
    $

    Despite what the Zeitgeist has led you to believe, notwithstanding the footsteps of tango dancers,…read morethe caterwauling of Eva Peron, the hepness of Javier Milei, the two dozen ex Nazis in exile - despite all this, there is nothing exotic about Argentine cuisine. Though not all things quotidian are to be jeered at. Just because Argentine food shares more commonalities with the American Midwest than your fantastic images of 'the Spanish New Word' might suggest does not mean it is disposable. Grabbing an empanada or two at Cafe Buenos Aires will be an event not out of the ordinary. Beef empanadas with mince, onions, bell peppers and eggs; picada with bits of steak, onions, bells and potatos (best); fuggazzeta, stuffed with salt purged onions, mozzarella and herbs; humita, corn bell peps, and mozz; classic ham n cheese. Each and every one of these flavor combinations are firmly implanted into your vernacular. I mean ham and cheddar are to your dining repertoire what the chord progression A- E -B7 are to the rock n roll. Again, just because it's basic doesn't mean it's not good. The empis are done right. From the filling to the wrapper. That pretty much covers it. Other than, of course, the chimichurri, which does its job. I didn't see any other Argentine staples on the menu: no pizzas, no choripan, even among the deserts no alfajores were spotted. They do feature a yerba mate latte.

    I was in the neighborhood to do some Holiday errands and needed a late afternoon caffeine boost. I…read morehad been to the Berkeley area frequently and wanted to try out this little Cafe iI had always passed. Yesterday presented itself to try it out. It was a small , quaint little cafe and had a neighborhood ambiance feel. It had a display case with Savory and sweet selections of empanadas. I had ordered a Mocha with almond milk and a Chorizo empanada. I also bought a Peach empanada, as well. I had ordered them to go and the staff were very friendly. Mocha was really delicious and the Chorizo empanada was ok. I really liked the Peach empanada, though. Definitely will go and try more of their empanada next time.

    Photos
    Cafe Buenos Aires - Front Counter

    Front Counter

    Cafe Buenos Aires - Mushroom Empanada

    Mushroom Empanada

    Cafe Buenos Aires - Mushroom empanada

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    Mushroom empanada

    Cafe Buenos Aires - San Francisco - Chorizo Empanada

    Cafe Buenos Aires - San Francisco

    4.7(65 reviews)
    1.6 miMission Bay

    Solid! I had the…read moreBeef, Chorizo, Mushroom, Chicken and the Carne Picada. All were good and I really light dough. Solid breakfast, Lunch or Dinner option.

    Hello Yelpers,…read more Wanted to share with everyone a phenomenal Empanada Joint located on Polk Street I the city. Wife and I had the unfortunate experience of having to get our passports expedited and had to return to the Federal Building on Turk. To make the best of a bad situation we ducked into a small establishment called Cafe Buenos Aires. Let me begin with saying this little gem of an empanada establishment has me yearning to return to San Francisco. I am not a city boy by any means and avoid the city like a bad rash. Wife and I ordered 4 empanada's and a special protein and collagen latte. Everything has me saying Obrigado! (Thank you). We had the Carne Picada (Choped Sirloin) was beyond good. I have had empanadas all my life and can simply say this one has blown my mind. Spice and seasoned to perfection with potatoes and quality chopped top sirloin cuts. Chicken (Pollo) same thing with quality ingredients. Beef (Ground Beef) also excellent not my first choice but why not. I'm already here. Service was friendly and the lady working today was awesome. Not much seating inside more of a to go spot but fit the bill. Finally the Protein Cafe Latte with collagen had the wife raving about how good it was. Trust me when she says we may have to go back is a rarity for her especially in SF. Can't wait to swing by when in the area. Don't miss this place it's worth a visit and revisit in my opinion.

    Photos
    Cafe Buenos Aires - San Francisco - Cute little spot to grab a quick bite.

    Cute little spot to grab a quick bite.

    Cafe Buenos Aires - San Francisco - Chorizo with potatoes

    Chorizo with potatoes

    Cafe Buenos Aires - San Francisco - Carne Picada Empanada

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    Carne Picada Empanada

    Brava Garden Eatery - Eggplant Polpette (meatless meatballs)

    Brava Garden Eatery

    4.2(843 reviews)
    30.8 mi
    $$$

    Great back patio, delicious menu…read more My husband and I popped by for a late lunch on a Friday, and their back patio was almost full. We ordered their Brusselsprouts and short rib sandwich to share and the proportions were perfect, just enough food and we didn't leave a morsel behind. Their short rib sandwich was heavenly and the chimichurri sauce plus grilled peppers elevated the experience. If you're torn about ordering a full shareable of the habanero fries, here's an insider tip: we asked for a side of their habanero sauce to go with our side of fries so we would still have enough room for their short rib sandwich! Their sprouts were phenomenal. Loved the sweat punch added by the cranberries and shaved carrots to balance the charr of the brussels. Will 1000% be returning to check out their dinner menu. I haven't had a milanesa since I was in Argentina, but I trust Brava to meet the assignment!

    Came here on a Sunday afternoon. The place was packed but still had space in the back patio. I…read morereally enjoyed the cute aesthetics and the decor for the back patio. - Ambiance was 4/5: really liked the outdoor seating and area. Nice place to chill and enjoys some sun. - Service was 3/5: servers were nice and came to refill water when it was low. Not too much interaction as it was busy. - food was 3/5: presentation was nice but I felt the taste was lackluster. The empanadas were good but nothing that stood out. The sandwiches were really heavy, short rib was kind of messy and fell out of the bread, flavor was bland without using the sauces. The steak sandwich was a tad chewy, also bland without the sauces. The fries however were amazing, crispy and fresh.

    Photos
    Brava Garden Eatery - Back patio

    Back patio

    Brava Garden Eatery - Linguini Black ink

    Linguini Black ink

    Brava Garden Eatery - Beef Empanadas

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    Beef Empanadas

    Il Pollaio - italian - Updated May 2026

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