Great spot in North Beach to get a quality chicken meal. I felt like the entire meal was clean and didn't include the normal heaviness from eating out at a restaurant. Half a chicken was more than enough for two people. I cut it up and added it to my side salad to make a personal chicken salad. The chicken was a tad dry but the homemade salsas compliment it well. Will definitely be back! read more

Il Pollaio - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was sad when I finished my plate of Lamb Chops because the deliciousness had come to an end. The quality of meat, flavor, tenderness, quantity and price are outstanding. A very comfortably casual place you could become a regular at. I plan to go back again and again. read more

Satisfying place to grab a relatively cheap meal in North Beach! The chicken was very good - crispy and tender though quite salty. The half portion of chicken was enough for the two of us. We also got a side of fries, which came unsalted but it complemented the salty chicken well. The combination salad was also good! We paid about $29 for everything and left full. Nice service as well and casual neighborhood-y vibes. read more

We came here yesterday for a to go order of two grilled chickens and two large combo salads for a birthday dinner. Total price was 65 dollars and after a five dollar tip came to 70 dollars. The chickens were pretty small but tasty. The salsa is definitely needed. The white meat was a bit dry but the spicy salsa helped. As for the combo salad, I loved the combination of the tasty beans, greens and coleslaw and the Italian dressing was perfect for the salad. I just found out a second location was just opened by the owner's children near my parent's house so I'll be eating their grilled chickens, rib eye steaks, rabbits, and hamburgers on a regular basis now. Not a cheap place (the second location near the Mission is a little bit cheaper than the North Beach location) but it's really hard to find a good quality chicken restaurant so this is it for me now. Definitely recommend. read more

I have been eating here for twenty years and it's been consistent and delicious every time. Ingredients are fresh and well prepared. The chicken and the lamb are standouts in my opinion. All the sides are very well done. Can't really go wrong here. The salsa/hot sauce is like no other in the city to. The owners and the staff are hard working friendly people. SF gem that's been rocking since 84' read more

I will only eat roasted chicken from Costco (don't judge me!), and now only from Il Pollaio. Service is spot on, 10 out of 10! The servers and the owner, Maria, are warm, friendly, outgoing, efficient, knowledgeable, and respectful of one's space (they check in on you, but also allow you to breathe and are not overbearing). The chimichurri burger is YUMMY, and their chicken is THE BEST! The skin was crispy and the meat was moist and juicy! This is my new favorite place! I can't wait to go back! read more

Excellent meal for when you want an easy family style event. It's like eating at your delicious Argentinian grandmas house. Look out for the daily specials on the board. read more

I've been coming here for well over a decade. The people running the day to day have changed several times, but what stays consistent is the food. The chicken is the star of the show. Their fries are great too. It's a small restaurant that can get crowded quickly, but it's worth the wait. This is a no frills place so don't expect white glove service. The waiter(s) do their best but are also scrambling when it fills up. read more

Come here and get the chicken....and get the whole chicken if you are on keto diet or you are just me! We stayed at Fishermen's Wharf but decided to avoid all the tourist trap near our hotel. For some reason, I wanted chicken for dinner that night. A quick Yelp search guide us to this tiny restaurant. I love how moist the chicken is. Definitely need more heat in their hot salsa. Other than that, it's all good. My sister had the half chicken special and she picked the combination salad over fries. The salad was fresh and all the ingredients come together well. Our server was friendly albeit slightly inpatient since it's close to the end of her shift. Forgot our water and we had to flag her down to remind her. Food is good though, definitely better than all the options at the wharf. Would recommend. read more

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This place is small, simple, family owned and AMAZING! The best chicken I've had in SF and the owner explained how they cook the organic chicken with no oil - it was perfectly seasoned and so tender and delicious! I also tried their fennel sausage which was incredibly fresh and tasty. For a side, we had the home fries and a combined salad which included a green salad, bean salad and a vinaigrette based coleslaw. I went last night with a friend and am driving into San Francisco tonight to go there for dinner with my husband! It was that good and I just want to share it with people and keep this hidden North Beach treasure going strong. read more

Il Pollaio - Owner of Il Pollaio who provided such excellent service and had such knowledge their amazing menu! - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Amazing local grilled chicken spot! Very satisfying meal when craving meat. I ordered the half chicken and the lamb chop dish. The lamb chops were surprisingly flavorful and perfectly cooked medium rare as requested! They are as good as any lamb chop from a more expensive restaurant :) The chicken was flavorful but was slightly overcooked the last time I went. Still delicious and will definitely return! read more

Il Pollaio - Lamb Chops, Half Chicken - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

This family owned Italian roast chicken place is a gem of a restaurant. A friend of mine recommended that I try this place for some of the best roast chicken, when you taste this chicken you know it's not ordinary bland roast chicken. This is a must try. Price is very reasonable for the portion you get. read more

Il Pollaio - Roast chicken - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Ask for their homemade salsa. Chicken is amazing, best side are the steamed potatoes. read more

Il Pollaio - Chicken and steamed potatoes - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Excellent food. I did takeout but the food was tasty, still hot and we (my husband and I) loved it.

I've been having a hankering for roast chicken since I started moving down the path of a plant-based diet. Oh, I still eat chicken in a salad, but it's usually cold and in chunks, not recognizable as a hefty, succulent bird with thighs, legs and a breast. I was starting to feel like Henery Hawk, the tiny, brown chicken hawk with the Hoboken accent, who fantasized about capturing and eating a chicken in those old Bugs Bunny cartoons. Jamie W. and I passed by Il Pollaio when we were strolling through North Beach, and I put it in my memory bank to return when we were feeling slightly more calorific on a Saturday. Sure enough, that feeling came over us this past Saturday just as the North Beach Festival was winding down, and the beer guzzlers wearing their wife-beaters were having trouble staying erect for their top-heavy girlfriends. We managed to work our way through the still-crowded area to find a tiny table for two just waiting for us in the middle of a very compact eatery on Columbus. The menu is straightforward, nothing fancy, just the kind of food you would expect at an "All You Can Eat" cafeteria line. I was immediately drawn to the Daily Special section where lo and behold, there is a $12.25 Half Chicken with Salad option. Even though Jamie almost ordered the fries, he decided to be brave and keep with the salad. Good boy. But first, I thought it would be nice to have the $6 side of Marinated Eggplant as an appetizer, and it was. I was actually surprised they sliced a Chinese eggplant, but it was just plain tasty saturated with extra virgin olive oil (see photo). Then came the salads. We wisely ordered the Combination which was an embarrassment of peasant-style riches - a mixed salad with radishes, cucumbers and tomatoes; a cole slaw made of red cabbage; and a two-bean mix of garbanzos and kidneys. It was all lightly doused with an honest-to-God "Italian" dressing of oil, vinegar and seasoning (see photo). Loved it. But clearly we were waiting for the crescendo of the meal, the grilled chicken, and it didn't disappoint. Nicely charred with the skin nice and crispy (see photo). The breast meat was unbelievably moist, and I still dipped it into the residue of the dressing in the salad plate. Probably because I hadn't had a chicken leg or wing in over three months, I just kept gnawing it to a nub. Bottom line is that it was everything I wanted the meal to be and just $12.25. C'mon, that's a deal. FOOD - 5 stars...truly good frickin' chicken better than the other Good Frickin' Chicken AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...just a fairly nondescript dive on Columbus SERVICE - 5 stars...she took care of us and never made us feel like she was too busy TOTAL - 5 stars...nothing like a flexitarian diet to make you appreciate a succulent piece of grilled chicken read more

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My wife and I have eaten at this restaurant for many years. Prices have gone up as one would expect in an inflationary economy. UNFORTUNATELY, the quality of the food and cleanliness of the restaurant have both declined. The size of the chicken was close to that of a pigeon and part of the breast meat had been removed probably to make chicken breast sandwiches which are a new menu item. So sad to see a family run restaurant in decline. We will think twice about returning to an old favorite. read more

Excellent rotisserie chicken but there are two things that bother me: 1) The chickens are a bit small for the price. Tasty but small. 2) They don't have grilled vegetables, only salad. We often find ourselves getting chicken only because the sides are lacking. They do have excellent customer service and awesome bbq and spicy sauce. Ask for it when you order. read more

Excellent. the menu is varied and delicious. My favorite meal is the Rib-Eye Steak accompanied by steamed potatoes, tomato and onion salad, bread with butter, soup of the day and wine. You will feel the flavor of the unique meat. I love read more

O my goodness, there are not enough words in the universe to describe the absolute magic of Il Pollaio! I have been coming here since I was a newborn, and I'm still a regular at 30 :) Il Pollaio has the best chicken in the city, hands down! The chicken is extremely tender and juicy while being perfectly seasoned and having that extra crispy outside skin. The french fries are perfectly done and pair amazingly with the chicken. The chicken breast is also an incredibly yummy option! The atmosphere is cozy and sweet, the perfect blend of casual energy and warmth. The staff are AMAZING, and they have been since day 1! They are friendly, kind, and generous. I will send everyone I ever meet who comes to SF to Il Pollaio. Every time, the feedback is 1000/10. Thank you Il Pollaio for staying strong in SF and keeping the magic of the city alive! read more

Went here based on a recent article in the SF Chronicle or was it the Examiner??? Anyways...the chicken here is FIRE!!! So so well done if you are fan of Chicken. The chicken was around $12 I believe , call ahead if you're in a rush and pick it up to go. The article noted that they have to re-paint the interior because of the amount of chicken they grill and you can tell as the sheet rock above the grill is out of commission shall we say. Great spot in North beach..you have to check it out. read more

Il Pollaio - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I pass by this place a million times but never went inside despite rave reviews because to me chicken is chicken. Boy was I proven wrong, earthlings! This chicken is tasty because it's grilled yet still has moisture retention all the while the skin has been grilled to a crunchy perfection. The flavor itself wasn't anything special, literally it just tastes like white meat chicken with maybe some Italian seasoning but the execution of it was perfect. I haven't tried anything else here except the BBQ sauce which was average. I actually only got take out here so haven't experienced the actually waiting on portion but I can tell you when I arrived the girls working there weren't super friendly. They literally pointed for me to sit down while I wait for my to-go bag and that was it. Not super personable or anything and they were mumbling when I asked when my food would be ready. The customer service could use some improvement and it doesn't matter if it's dine in or take out in my opinion. read more

I have passed this place for many years and never stopped for a meal. Based on Michael Bauer's article in the Chronicle earlier this year, we decided to stop in while at the North Beach Festival. What a great find! We ordered: - Soup of the day - it was OK but have had better elsewhere - Small salad (which was not small but a good portion to split) The lettuce was fresh and it had cucumbers and tomatoes. - We split the 1/2 chicken with a side of fries (the special comes with one side). This was the star of the meal.....the chicken was so flavorful and moist. Hubby and I typically don't finish 1/2 chicken but this was so great tasting that we licked the bones! $16.50 - We ordered a bottle of white wine which was maybe $22 and went well with our chicken on a nice Saturday afternoon. The place is very small - about 25 or so seats. Our server was so polite and very efficient. I saw large plates of chicken piled up at the next table - you can just order a whole chicken without sides too. If you in a want delicious chicken in a casual atmosphere and it wont cost you an arm and a leg, try this place that has been around for years in North Beach. read more

Il Pollaio - 1/2 chicken special with side of fries. The chicken was so delicious - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Always awesome, been going there for years now. Staff is always very nice and food is made fresh. Chicken with the spicy salsa is delicious. Never a bad meal there! read more

Great Food. Love their chicken. Lamp Chop and even make a great hamburger. Myself and my coworkers go there for lunch often . Highly recommend read more

Second time at this diner and I still cannot get enough of the simply tasty chicken and white bread slices. Il Pollaio just speaks to my heart and soul. Right off the bat, the menu options are grilled whole chicken or 1/2 chicken. The dish comes with lemon to drizzle some citrusy flavor on. This is the spot to go to one-on-one with your friend and share a plate. You learn to know how comfortable it is to be around each other when you can pick each piece up with your fingers. Half chicken was more than enough to fill two tummies. Us two had to cancel the dessert. read more

I've been eating here since 1990 even though I only lived in SF for a year. I hadn't been there in 3 or 4 years until I stopped in yesterday. It was great to see it's still exactly the same. From the great bread, to the perfectly grilled chicken, combination salad and fries, everything was outstanding and completely unchanged. Even my 14 year old daughter loved it and she's a demanding little food snob. read more

absolutely fantastic!! highly recommend so simple and comforting, the chicken is perfectly cooked and juicy! This is a new favorite for me

I really wanted to like it but the chicken just wasn't that great. On the one hand, it tastes a lot like the chicken under a brick that my grandma used to make me as a kid. On the other hand, my grandma was sort of a lousy cook. That aside, the bigger problem was that the chicken was just overdone. The breast and wing were totally dried out. On the plus side, as part of the combo the caprese salad is nice and a generous portion to boot. read more

Best chicken place in the city! It's simple yet so delicious. They serve steak fries which has been consistently good.... crispy on the outside and so soft on the inside. The chicken isn't dry. I tried a piece of their steak and it just melted in my mouth like butter. Next time I plan to come here with a bottle of wine and people watch. Definitely should give this place a try if you haven't yet! read more

Il Pollaio - Chicken breast with a side of fries - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I love this place !!! The chicken is nice and moist with a flavorful char to the skin. The special comes with either fries or salad. I chose the salad ... which was huge !!! I also ordered two Italian sausages, fries and a beer while I waited for my takeout order. Besides the chicken the star of the show was their salsa. Make sure you get some of that !!! read more

Great old school neighborhood place! Chicken always first rate, along with the combo salad. A gem!

The BEST grilled chicken in the world, maybe the universe, cooked on an open fire after basting in a secret recipe. Crisp skin. Juicy meat. The meal God had in mind when he created chickens for us to eat! And great sausage. Great fresh salad. Family owned, casual, and been doing it right for 40 years. Go. To either location. You'll be super happy you did. read more

This place used to be good before it become mainstream The servers (Adele) from Romania Chenzia the Italian Are way to bad when it comes to ho to handle your customers Just very tight leggings showing what they got to get more tips Another think if you're not a blond haired white dude expect the service to be down Chenzia was on break lol as soon as she saw the money at the table she cane over all the way to the table asking me if I need my change while my bill was 28 $ and there was 40 $ on the table She was like do you need your change !!!! Lol all they see is the money I use to love this place But won't be back till they fix the greed on those girls and now harassments are started just discovered some private messages from those girls read more

Great little place I found on yelp. Close Uber ride from our hotel. I highly recommend their signature grilled chicken! Juicy and well seasoned. My fiancé and I had the whole and it was a perfect portion for both of us. Their caprese salad was fresh as well. And I loved their French fries. Steak fries cooked to perfection! And their service was too notch. Didn't have to wait too long for our food either. Would definitely be back. read more

Il Pollaio - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here with a friend not expecting much from just chicken. Surprised that chicken could taste so good. Don't mess with any of the other stuff on the menu unless you just really want some veggies. Focus on the chicken. It's the best part of this place and they do it well. I personally found the sides to be underwhelming at the price -- so if I were you I'd just screw the veggies and get a whole chicken. read more

The Classic San Francisco family-owned restaurant. Great grilled food at a great price. They don't chase the latest food fads... I cont recommend this place more highly. read more

We have been coming here for about 20 years and the food is still relevant and tasty. This is classic simple food that never disappoint. The server was very friendly and kind, she seems genuinely happy to provide a good dining experience. This is my favorite chicken of all time. Thank you. read more

I had been looking forward to getting some chicken from il pollaio all day. I have lived in the city for 6 years and this place has been on my list for most of those years. Finally decided to give it a try. I pulled up at 7:30 on the dot. 2 girls were cleaning up and appeared annoyed at my presence. I asked if they were open and they looked at each other and one said something about chicken taking 20 minutes to prepare. The other said uhhhhh no. We are closed. Please update your store hrs if you do in fact close at 7:30. Thanks. read more

Half Chicken was fantastic and paired it with a fresh Caprese salad. Awesome value for $18. 5/5 stars

Had walked by often, but decided not to do red sauce Italian, and stopped in. Went with our pleasant waitress's suggestion of half chicken and salad. House made dressing over a nice salad; ceci beans, letuce, tomato. My half chicken was crispy skinned, and simply seasoned. Very tasty, although the breast was a little dry. My son picked the lamb chops with fries. Two blade chops, tender, juicy, with a little chimichurri on top, was quite enjoyable. Steak fries were crispy and savory. They served a squeeze bottle of homemade salsa, kind of like a Romescu. All with that enjoyable North Beach ambiance. I'll enjoy exploring the rest of their menu. read more