This is my favorite Italian place to visit whenever I'm in the city I enjoy the service here so much. The waiters are always so kind and can make a personable moment with their conversations Tonight I had a lovely time sitting at the patio with my server Federico. He was very attentive made sure to check on us and we had a lovely conversation despite the very busy night. I'm always finding myself back here because the food is absolutely delicious and if you're looking for a lovely time to enjoy SF, this is a place to be. everything on the menu is delicious. There's nothing you can do that can go wrong. Mauricio the owner was very kind as well. read more

Mona Lisa Mare E Monti - Super Tuscany - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Service was very good. We were not impressed by the food. A lot of expensive ingredients thrown together and under seasoned. They loved using saffron, but it didn't seem to make sense or was lacking something else to go with it. I left, thinking olive garden and maggianos would've been better. Next door is huge competition... They really need to step up and taste their dishes they come up with. If they truly are proud of it, I'm not too sure I like their taste buds. read more

I had a really enjoyable dinner here, and I especially want to recognize Bobbi and Manuel for making that happen. I was running a few minutes behind for my 10:30 p.m. reservation and called the restaurant to let them know I was on my way. Bobbi answered the phone, checked my reservation, and made sure I could still be accommodated as the kitchen was trying to close. I really appreciated that he took the initiative and went out of his way rather than simply turning me away. Once I arrived, I sat at the bar and Bobbi made me an outstanding rum Old Fashioned--easily one of the best I've had. Manuel was warm, attentive, very knowledgeable about the menu and helped make the entire experience feel welcoming from start to finish. For dinner, I ordered the pappardelle with wild boar ragù, and it was excellent: rich, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. Great food is important, but great hospitality is what people remember. Bobbi and Manuel genuinely care about their guests, and it shows. Give those guys a raise! read more

Pasta was pretty good, nothing super duper amazing. Salad and apps were yummy. Staff is very friendly, and helpful in choosing good dishes. We got the spicy cocktail and it honestly wasn't very good, tasted like a well club drink with no flavor profile. Nice vibes inside the restaurant but it was kinda empty for a saturday night. Good spot if you're struggling for a res, but I think there's better Italian in North Beach. read more

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Yummy..... had the chicken parm and it was very good, wife had lobster and shrimp ravioli.... The shrimp are on top and wife loved it.... Buddy had chicken Marsala. He felt it was excellent. Was pretty easy to get a table and people were nice. Also full bar with excellent selection and surprisingly had a lot of rum choices This is a place not to be missed if you like Italian....: oh and the sauce was excellente read more

We ordered the Caesar Salad and asked for the anchovies on the side because boyfriend likes them but I don't. The anchovies were brought out long after we finished our caesar salad. Our pasta we shared was a very small portion and was just ok. It came with clams, but we asked for no clams and it was still the same price. The ambiance was nice. read more

Mona Lisa Mare E Monti - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is the same Mona Lisa Restaurant, except now, they've moved across the street. They are right next to the Stinking Rose, which also moved across the street. Musical restaurants. I noticed a lot of that going on in San Francisco this last visit. Many businesses moving around. I made a reservation on OpenTable. So many options: Indoor, patio, or sidewalk. When I arrived, the host was about to seat us indoors, but I told him we made a reservation on the patio. I thought the patio might have been the two covered tables outside, but he walked us to the back. It's a covered patio dining area. He sat us at one of the tables for two in the middle of the room. Italian music was playing in the background. It was warm and stuffy. I had to take off my jacket. Complimentary bread was delivered to the table. It came with butter. I requested vinegar and olive oil. The bread was fresh, warm, soft, and tasty. We ordered a bottle of wine. Waiter only poured the first glass. Afterwards, we had to poor our wine into our own glasses. We both ordered the Cioppino. The waiter provided us with soup spoons but no bowl for the shells. He told us we could use our used bread plates. Okay. The food and wine were delicious, so I would still recommend the restaurant. read more

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Service was quick and attentive. Couldn't complain at all :) And my food was deICIOUS! The portions may look small, but I was left feeling more than satisfied and bloated more than ever. The only reason why I wanted more was because it was so tasty, but my body simply couldn't handle anymore food inside :') read more

Mona Lisa Mare E Monti - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Every single place we went to on a scorching Sunday afternoon was teeming with people, noise, a cacophony of screams and loud banging music, throbbing ast deafening decibels. I could not stand it it, and was looking for a place that was quieter but not a tourist trap nor had shitty food. All this apparently too tall an order. Finally, after walking around and around for an hour, we stumbled here. It is incredibly charming, with a covered patio, beautifully appointed and an interior that's stunning and lush, with gilded touches everywhere and a ceiling to die for. Super sweet service, friendly and attentive. We sat in the corner next to the window with a breeze. Ordered a caesar salad with anchovies and croutons, an eggplant parmesan and carbonara--praise be they do not use cream and make it as authentic as can be, with guanciale non less! The caesar was perfect with tang and bite, crisp leaves and garlicky. The soft warm bread with butter. The eggplant with layers and layers of it nicely balanced with cheese and a stunning marinara tomatoes super banging. The carbonara I loved had thick spaghetti, bucatini and though all the right ingredients were there, it didn't have the smokiness I look for, and asked my husband to eat it, given he's less picky. I also would've appreciated if they didn't put such huge sticks of the guanciale and instead, broke it up in smaller pieces. Carbonara is one of those pastas where the sum is greater than its parts, which dish did not pass muster. All said, I loved this little place, all of it was perfect. The prices, btw., also more than reasonable. read more

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Located in Little Italy--there used to be two Mona Lisa locations, but the staff shared that only this one remains. This is the more upscale spot, with cocktails priced on the higher side ($18-$22). Service was great and the ambiance is beautiful. Bread and butter are brought to every table, though you'll want to specify tap water unless you're okay with being served bottled still water. The vodka sauce was really tasty. Overall, it's a solid choice, though I'm not sure it stands out much from other Italian spots in the area. read more

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I'm a little sad. It was a great experience but the food was bland. I was hoping for more uhmf service was ok. Waiter was cute lol ambiance was spot on but food didn't match my last two visits. I don't think I'd go here again for the price read more

Sever Federico, was extremely accommodating was willing to split portions so myself and my partner could try each other's choices . As advised the pasta was indeed homemade and quite delicious. Ambience was surprisingly casual almost as if one was a guest in a home instead of a restaurant. All in all an enjoyable experience and I will be back. read more

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This restaurant used to be across the street. It was nice and pleasant. I haven't been to this new location ever since I went to the original restaurant. This place is a piece of art. There are murals inside the restaurant. The staff here are very friendly. The small bites served were pretty delicious. So far, everything is good. I'd definitely come back to try their food from the menu. read more

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Big portion by also expensive. But that's typical SF. Busy Friday night but no waiting. The owner came over a few times since he knew some people from my table. Gave us a free appetizer. The waitress was young and a little intimated by my friend. Service was a little below par but acceptable. It took her 10 minutes to bring us tap water and glasses after we asked. In the meantime another waiter who wasn't assigned to our table brought us water and glasses. So we had about 20 glasses on our table with 5 people. Lol. read more

The first thing I want to say about this restaurant is that the staff here are all super nice. They really do a great job of taking care of their customers. In terms of layout, this restaurant has a few separate dining areas. They have their main dining room, which is where you enter at the front of the restaurant. They also have a very large space in the back that they call their patio. This is where I always prefer to dine. Plus, they also have a few outdoor tables along the sidewalk, in front of the restaurant, if that's your preference. In terms of food, this restaurant has always served a great selection of Italian-based cuisine. The menu hasn't changed much from the previous location, which was housed just across the street, where I went to numerous times. Thus, you can always expect a great meal at this restaurant. They also have all of the expected things like an extensive wine list, and all of the other drinks you would expect from a restaurant of this caliber. All this being said, there are a few things that should be noted about the service at this new location of this restaurant. For example, if you order a bottle of wine, like I always do when I come to this restaurant, the server will happily pour you your first glass. But, that's the end of the story. They never come back to pour you that second or third glass. Nor, does any of the other staff help out and come over and pour the additional glasses of wine for the customers. I don't know, maybe it's just me, but a restaurant of this caliber should take care of the wine pouring. That's the way all of the other restaurants at this level handle their customers. Next, I want to mention that when the server's helper brought the pre-meal bread to our table, it was presented with just a couple of wrapped butters. No oil or vinegar was offered, as is the standard for most Italian restaurant. We had to ask for it. The other thing I wanted to mention is the fact that the last time we ate at this restaurant, we had their cioppino, which is very good. But, instead of giving us a bowl to place the shells, the server's helper suggested that we just use the bread plates that were covered with oil and vinegar from dipping our bread, instead of actually providing us with a bowl to discard the shells. In my previous experiences, eating at this restaurant, this never happened. They always provided a bowl to place the shells with the cioppino order. I think this is really lacking for staff members to do this and/or suggest this. I believe this just not the way that an established restaurant, of this caliber, should treat their customers. My finally suggest is that the host of this restaurant, seemingly picks and chooses whom he allows to decide upon their own table. For example, the last time we went to this restaurant, we got there at about 6:30. We had a reservation. This is something I suggest that everybody do if you're planning to dine there. Have a reservation if you want to be sure of them having an available table. The host then tried to sit us in the main dining area, which I find a bit crowded. We explained to him that we wanted to sit on the patio, which our reservation stated. He then took us to the back where we were literally the only people in that back room. There, he seated us at a table. No choice involved. This, even though there were tons of tables to choose from. As the evening went on, many other people arrived. Several of them, he allowed to choose their own table. I believe if you're going to do it with one customer, you should really do it with all customers. Maybe that's just me, but I think that's the way it should be. Overall, if you wanna have some very good Italian food, and enjoy it in a very North Beach atmosphere, and you're willing to pay the prices this restaurant charges, this may be the location for you. read more

Fantastic place! I just had a pepperoni pizza but it was the best! The pizza crust was wonderful and the pepperoni had just the right amount of spice. Our waiter, Raymond was awesome and took great care of us. It is a must stop on future trips to San Francisco! read more

My wife and I I walk past here all the time and decided to have dinner last night, and I gotta say... we were more than satisfied with our meal! Great ambience, friendly staff. We ordered the cioppino, pulpo, and walnut sauce ravioli. Every bite was a full kick of flavor! If you're looking for great Italian experience in North Beach, don't go elsewhere. Try this one first. We'll definitely be back. read more

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We came here close to closing, so no wait... ordered some wine, cocktails, and a couple meals. Both pasta dishes were hardly cooked, crunchy, ugh. One had the pink sauce, which was fair, bread would have been good to dip in the sauce. Service was fine, but again, no one was in the restaurant. No thanks. A million pictures of Mona Lisa around the restaurant. Definitely a tourist restaurant and I would not recommend. read more

Wonderful restaurant in the heart of North Beach. Every course was excellent. Our server Federico was particularly helpful with recommendations for courses and wines. We shared the antipasti tower which included perfectly fried calamari, bruschetta, Italian meats such as prosciutto and mortadella as well as other items. Our group all had pasta - the Tonnarelli Al Granchio with crab and scallops could have come straight from Italy. The lobster pasta dish was also perfect. Do not miss dessert - they have a lovely orange tiramisu which was the perfect ending to the evening. Wine selections complimented all of our dishes. Shout out to Federico who was very attentive and provided exceptional service. A return trip in the near future is definitely in store. read more

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Inside was gorgeous!! Felt like Italy!! Service was very professional. The food was amazing!!! Went there twice!! read more

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i still think the Mona Lisa is a nice ambient restaurant with good food but yes it is expensive now. so after several great visits this time we walked out unhappy. this is more for the owner to reconsider how to treat customers when things went a little wrong. the breaded pollo and parmesan for my partner was great but then i was waiting for my carbonara which arrived like 25min later it was not really hot - just like warm and plate cold. i remember at previous times i could not touch the plate it was so hot. so i mentioned it to the owner who was going around, which is good, and he took it back to heat it up again. what can i say it came back not much better. by then i was not hungry anymore anyways because we shared the pollo before and a salad. oh should say the salad and FREE baguette was great. i asked the owner what went wrong and he said oh so many people and they have another room in the back. that for me is not an excuse especially the crowed came in like 10min after us. then while still poking around in my carbonara i looked around because there was a strong cigarette smoking smell but i could not see anyone immediately. then i noticed the door was open and the owner was outside smoking but the wind just blew it all in. Yes, we were sitting close to the door. we had no drinks -i had a cappuccino - and the overall evening was $95 and for this amount i expect excellent treatment. for the owner instead of only promising that next time my carbonara would be super hot he could at least have scratched the cappuccino from the bill or offer a free desert. for over 20 years we visited left bank restaurants w only once had an oversalted menu and they immediately took it off the bill. it is just sad when your favorite restaurant disappoints you that way and you debate if you should go back again because their are many choices out there. read more

4.5 stars. Casual interior, very friendly and helpful service, and everyone in our party rated their meal as very good to excellent. I had the pollo piccata and was so very pleased. Single chicken breast pounded thin with a perfect blend of lemon sour, caper saltiness, and zing. read more

My boy Federico was freaking unbelievable at this restaurant. We went to STK the night before and that was the biggest WASTE OF MONEY restaurant we've ever gone to in our life. 5 Stars hands down read more

Excellent all around. The band outside was a bit loud, so opt for indoor seating if you want to talk. Food and service were top notch! read more

Beautiful service and just as beautiful food, had a great time with friends. 10/10 would recommend read more

Mona Lisa Mare E Monti - The photo doesn't do it justice, my buddy had one and finished before I got half way (orange tiramisu) - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

We came the night before the restaurant was going to close for renovation for a while. We are glad that we were able to enjoy a delicious meal at Mona Lisa. It was packed. There were pictures of different celebrities who have come to the restaurant before. What an amazing family-owned restaurant in North Beach. read more

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Great Service! Great Food!! Started with appetizers. The octopus, muscles, and scallops were delicious. Next step was a beet salad that was loaded but I wish it had more greens. As entrées, we ordered prawns and risotto as well as lasagna. The risotto was amazing! The orange tiramisu was so different and refreshing. We will definitely be visiting again. read more

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We were supposed to go to another place but other place had an hour wait, this place was able to accommodate a party of 6 on the fly on a Friday night at 7pm (do the math). Food was good, nothing amazing especially, hard to stand out in North Beach! Service was good, ambience was good. Corkage was $30, my wine from home was really good!! Hehe presentation on the Ribeye looks great, they said was good. Special was lobster and shrimp dish, heard it was good. Vegetarian ravioli solid, my wild boar pasta was ok, little dry. Would I go back, maybe, so many other places to try in N.B . Little overpriced read more

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Mona Lisa was a fantastic dining experience. The food was excellent, and our server, Federico, made the entire evening one to remember. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and gave outstanding recommendations for both the food and wine that perfectly complemented our meal. Great service, authentic Italian cuisine, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. We'll definitely be back! read more

I ordered the Bigoli Carbonara and my boyfriend got the Rigatoni. He loved his meal but something about mine felt very greasy, the pasta came out cold, and I couldn't finish it. My pasta also gave both of us a terrible stomach ache mid meal so we did not pack the leftovers. I'm not sure if the egg yolk in the sauce was not cooked properly? Our server was extremely kind and everything came out quickly. The restaurant itself is also nice inside. Not sure if this was just an off day or if the dishes are hit or miss :( read more

Mona Lisa Mare E Monti - Rigatoni - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Mona Lisa MARE is one of the last remaining authentic Italian restaurants in North Beach. It was recently voted best Italian in the city. The menu is Italian inspired and priced fairly for the quality. It qualifies as fine dining, so expect pasta dishes to range from $28-35 Cocktails vary in price: beer $9 handmade espresso martini (quite possibly the best in the city) $19 I opted for the seafood pasta based on a staff recommendation. It was amazing, house made pasta, and a generous portion of mixed seafood. I am told Cesar salads are huge. Special thanks to the staff and British bartender! Side note: You can practice your Italian language skills with the staff! read more

Mona Lisa Mare E Monti - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

The place has the best service. Always friendly and happy. The menu is extensive with lots of great rotating specials. But overall, it's the amazing flavors and consistency with how delicious all their items are. I have yet to have anything less than amazing. We had the tomahawk steak special, and it was expensive!! But also one of the best I've had. The house made pastas are really delicious and salad was fresh, and flavorful. I highly recommend - and I'll be coming back. read more

I chose Mona Lisa Monte Mare to meet a friend amd colleague I hadn't seen in 23 years. We had a wonderful Dinner which was the burrata, scallops, oysters, raviolis, eggplant parm, the ribeye, homemade tagliatelle with wild boar ragu, salmon filet and ended with the orange tira misu, affogato and vanilla gelato to finish. This for 4 people. The service was attentive and fun. Bobby the bartender whipped up a cafe latte con Vov and limoncello to end the evening. Thankyou Mauricio and G and Bobby. A wonderful evening. read more

We came here the 4th of July at around 10pm and it was perfect! Right in the heart of all the fun and delicious! Our server Manuel was great! read more

Mona Lisa Mare E Monti - Tuna Tartare , Burrata Fresca - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is their more upscale, finer dining location. Service was first rate and the food was prepared as requested. All in all, the fam and I enjoyed ourselves there. Do note that it is a tad bit on the expensive side. So, we will most likely be back for a special occasion. read more

Mona Lisa Mare E Monti - Cioppino - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

My wife and I were visiting California to see several of my wife's friends. One friend recommended that we go to Mona Lisa. Being from a small town in Texas, I was pleased that we didn't encounter any homeless, tents on the streets, human feces, or needles, at least not in the area of San Francisco we were in. I was annoyed at having to pay $17 to park. But we were vacationing, thankfully we don't live in California, so I paid it. On to the food. I don't know what my wife and her friend had, something Italian, but they said it was good. We also had fried calamari, which was probably the best I've ever had. I had a pepperoni pizza, and it was just okay. I probably wouldn't ever return to this restaurant, but it was okay as part of our vacation. read more

Food was great and amazing atmosphere Love the food presentation as well And the piano player was very romantic read more

We did NOT plan on ending our night at Mona Lisa Café... but thank God we did. My best friend and I were having one of those main character San Francisco days. Perfect weather, shopping, rooftop drinks, Irish coffees... just out here thriving. Naturally, we waited until almost 10 PM to realize we were starving. We made our way to North Beach thinking, "It's fine, we'll find something." Narrator: it was not fine. Everything was closing. Then, like some kind of pasta loving guardian angel, a random guy getting off work tells us, "Go to Mona Lisa. My friend works there. They're open until 11." We basically sprinted. We walk in, slightly dramatic and very hungry, and Sedona, our AMAZING waitress, lets us know she has to check if the kitchen is still open. At this point, we're emotionally preparing for rejection... but then plot twist, they say YES and agree to feed us quickly. Instant heroes. We slide over to the bar and immediately get pulled into the best kind of chaos. Sarcastic, witty banter with the bartender like we have all been friends for years. You know those places where you just click with the people? This was that. Then the food comes out... My friend, on a very serious Alfredo mission, gets the chicken Alfredo and Caesar salad, and I get fettuccine with clams on homemade pasta. And let me just say, this was NOT some end of the night hurry up meal. It was legit delicious. But honestly, the people made the night. We meet Jules, who is an icon, waiting for Bobbi from England, which randomly is near where my friend grew up, and suddenly we are all just hanging out like a little international dinner party. Then we meet Maurizio, the owner, and you can instantly tell he has built something special here. The vibe, the team, the energy, it all reflects him. And just when we thought it could not get better... They bring me tiramisu, sing happy birthday, and now I am sitting there like, "Wait... are we regulars now?" By the end of the night, we are hugging everyone goodbye like we have known them for years while they are literally closing up. We came in as two slightly desperate, hungry girls... and left with full stomachs, new friends, and one of the best memories of the night. 10 out of 10 would sprint there again. read more

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We had margarita pizza, calamari and 2 glasses of chianti today at Mona Lisa's. We were overall very disappointed in our meal. The pizza was not a round pizza and was more like a bread like pizza. The pizza sauce lacked flavor. We had been so looking forward to a traditional margarita pizza, round, thinner crusts with dabs of cheese. This was not it. The calamari was marginal in taste and to me tasted a bit fishy. Definitely over priced. We won't return to Mona Lisa after being a customer in the past. read more

Mona Lisa Mare E Monti - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Mona Lisa's food was delicious. Authentic Italian with options you don't typically find in many Italian restaurants. Pasta was cooked perfectly, and accompanied with an amazing sauce. They were super accommodating to our large out-of-town group that needed a late dinner and while there were wide range of dietary restrictions, everyone had a good range of options. Loved the vibe - fancy without feeling stuffy. read more