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Palio

3.9 (665 reviews)
Closed • 5:00 pm - 8:00 PM
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PALIO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Good for groups
Good for kids
Happy hour specials

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Recommended Reviews - Palio

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Citizen D.

The ambience was quiet and classy. It had a good set menu for business dinner. The parking can be challenging but it's a problem with SF in general

Cunigghiu - braised rabbit. Delicious!
Alex C.

5/28 I don't know what it is with me and darkly lit spaces. I can find myself in a dark room and be at peace. Palio gave me that exact feeling, though not pitch dark, the dimly lit interior evokes a sense of instant calmness. Where: I've always seen this restaurant from the outside but have only ever had a bookmark to try in the future. Well the future has come and gone. You can find Palio on Sacramento street and intersecting Montgomery street. The 1 California line runs directly up Sacramento street and the nearest Bart/Muni light rail stations (Montgomery & Embarcadero) are roughly 10 minutes away by foot. Interior: as I've described in my introduction, the restaurant is dimly lit. Not at all is the lighting a hinderance, but instead intimate. Modern and minimal yet elegant. Leather booths against the wall, black wooden chairs, crisp white linens, and glass shelving featuring wine frame the dining room. Service: our waiter was warm, inviting, kind, and provided a humorous stance each and every time at our table. My friends even said that this is how restaurant staff in Italy are as well. For the table: freshly baked focaccia was crispy, pillowy soft and paired well with an olive oil pesto dip - we asked for seconds. -Cocktails: Stargazer: herbaceous and refreshing. Butterfly Island: refreshing and coconut forward. Love on the rocks: I did not have this drink, but that my friend wasn't entirely a fan. It was a pretty drunk to look at. -Appetizer: arancini ragu were crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. Perfect touch of beef to give just enough savoriness. Pizza funghi was ever so light and crispy crust with mushrooms topped with arugula. -Mains: --I myself had the braised rabbit and I basically licked the plate clean. Never thought that rabbit can be so tender and juicy. --The other two mains were: ravioli con menta e ricotta and rotolo con ragu. Portions were generous, which my friends brought home their leftovers. -Something Sweet: --Chocolate Pavlova: this was my personal favorite. I've never had anything other than classic white pavlova and this chocolate version was divine. Crisp and airy pavlova paired with candied squash was mere perfection. --Tiramisu: light, moist and perfectly executed. --We paired our desserts with Moscato; chefs kiss. If you're in the mood for fantastic Italian food, definitely give Palio a try.

Pasta Pomodoro
Stephanie D.

Sometimes you crave a little bit of carbs and that's ok. There is nothing wrong with the a good old plate of pasta for the evening especially when it comes with crab. The sauce was beyond delicious. My only complaint was that I wish it had a bit more sauce to soak it on the bread. The bread was also a highlight for me because it was a little bit crunchy. Let's talk about the ambiance! I would say that it's open - clean and crisp. The staff was super friendly and recommended our plates. I actually had a thought that this place would be great for an office party since it's close to the financial district.

Ramon T.

Interiors had this white and black contrasts from the ceilings, tables and chairs. The WC sign gives it that European edge. It fits between casual dining to fine dining. Service was ok. Server knew the food well. My friend had a cross-contamination shell fish allergy. He forgot to mention this allergy to the server. He ordered a nonshellfish pasta. Make sure you mention your allergies before you order. Friend ended up being ok. They ended up giving us 2 complimentary tiramisu for 3 of my friend's birthday celebration for the inconvenience. I ordered the Gamberi Alfredo. Pasta had a good chew. Prawns and mushrooms absorb the white sauce flavors but the sauce was a little too salty.

Salad
herald h.

Classic Italian Spot! First time here and tried a bit of everything. Solid Italian spot. I'm giving it 4/5 because I enjoyed everything but nothing really stood out for me. If I remember one thing is that the tiramisu was really good here and tasted homemade. However like all Italian dishes, it's very carb heavy and you can get full fast. Whether that's good or bad is up for interpretation. But overall, nice spot.

Andrew R.

Came here for a friends birthday and overall had a great experience! I ordered a cocktail that had sorbet in it, and it was one of the best Italian cocktails I've had! We split some apps which were alright. And for my main I got a pizza with arrabbiata sauce, which was soooo good. The flavors were unique and it was cooked perfectly. I finished the meal with a hazelnut gelato affogato, which was PERFECT! Can't recommend the hazelnut gelato enough. Service was good, prices are reasonable, and this place has a classic Italian vibe. Would recommend!

Happy Hour Menu August 2026

The food was excellent. The ambiance on point. Great service - the bartender noticed from half a room away that I dropped my napkin on the floor and magically within 30 seconds he was there to give me a fresh one without me even asking. Jedi mind powers. And the Happy Hour is ridiculously awesome. $10 glasses of wine, $10 spritz, $8 pizzas... dude, what? Yeah. $10 appetizers that are BANGIN'. And the food tastes great, WAY WAY BETTER than the prices would suggest. We ate WELL. Happy Hour Monday - Friday 3pm-6 pm Saturday 5 pm-8 pm. Go check out Palio. And oh yeah... the bathrooms were CLEAN. That's not always the case in San Francisco. Much appreciated.

Tagliolini con Granchio, pasta w crab and spicy tomato reduction, fresh breadcrumbs
Kurt P.

Stopped in after an October tour of the latest at SFMOMA and Kara Walker's "Fortuna and the Immortality Garden", feeling a bit nibbly for something warm and relaxing. An old friend once mentioned Palio as one of the best pizzas he could remember. Intrigued, we decided to make the walk to give us time to talk about the art we saw that afternoon. Likely named after the Palio di Siena held a couple times per year in the Piazza del Campo in Siena, Italy. Contrary to the boisterous and exciting Palio event, Palio the Trattoria was a very warm and quiet space as we sat admiring the sleek design edges. We took two at the bar. The staff were extremely pleasant and the bartender particularly so. A large wood fired oven greets one at the entry, a light hint of smokiness pleasantly fills the dining room. The menu is filled with an appealing list of italian plates making final choices a challenge. The wine list is broad yet brief with an attractive collection of labels. Over a glass of the Scarpetta Friuli Grave Prosecco that was very refreshing, we started with the end-of season heirloom tomatoes and burrata with olives. Tomatoes sweet and very juicy, burrata so creamy and a briny spark of the olives got us going. Despite the bartender's urging we must try one of their renowned pizzas, I jst couldn't ignore a pasta jones that filled my head all morning. I chose the Tagliolini con Granchio. Pasta with fresh crab, spicy tomato sauce that was reduced to its very brick-red essence and a dusting of fresh bread crumbs for a lovely textural contrast. At the time of my review, I couldn't remember the dinner special my wife enjoyed but can't forget the purrs of "yummm" next to me. At the end of the meal we were quite pleased and comfortably full of some great italian takes in a classical spirit. Prices are good in our estimation and quite the norm around the financial district. We will definitely return come our next foray into the city. Joe-Bob says bring your pals to Palio.

Austin W.

I recently dined at Palio for a team dinner and overall, had a really great meal. The menu has a ton of variety that can accommodate a wide variety of food restrictions if you're stopping by with such a group. The drink menu is pretty extensive as well, with beers, wines and cocktails. To start, I ordered their Tamayo Old Fashioned -- "Verdes momentos mezcal, nixta corn liquor, mole bitters, tajin tipped orange". Flavor was good, but I wish the drink was more spirit forward. Although there is no free table bread, foccacia is available at $8 an order. It's sliced a bit too thin for my liking, but I enjoyed the herbed oil that was served with the bread. For my entree, I ordered "Pappardelle con Cinghiale" -- wide cut pasta, 18 hour braised wild boar, roasting jus, pecorino toscano. For $33, it's not exactly cheap, but it is a really great tasting bowl of pasta. The meat is incredibly tender, and the pasta is cooked to perfectly al dente. If you're in charge of scheduling a team dinner, Palio is a good option.

Carpaccio with Tuna
Shannon P.

Good spot for client lunch or dinner. This was my first time here for lunch and it was great. Service was attentive, food was yummy, and ambiance was sophisticated. The focaccia bread was amazing. The soup special looked yummy. My steak salad was good and others got the two different tuna salads, pasta, and eggplant parmigiana and everyone was happy. We will be coming back for sure!

Bread with really good olive oil.
Donnelly N.

Really pretty/well appointed restaurant with great service and good lunch specials. The bread with the olive oil was really good! My octopus was cooked very well but the sauce was on the sweeter side which I didn't love. I would go back and try something else.

Osso bucco
Bob K.

Really excellent Christmas dinner at Palio. Super great service and really excellent branzino and osso bucco entrees. Highlight was a thinly-cut octopus appetizer. Really excellent fruit tart dessert as well.

Insalata Romana
Emily F.

Came here for a large group dinner. There was only a couple tables eating in the rest of the restaurant the whole time. It was a decent space for our group and service was good. We started with the insalata Romana. It was fresh and liked the dates in the salad. It was something different from most salads and added good texture and flavor. The crispy skin salmon wasn't crispy at all but the salmon, mashed potatoes, and green beans were pretty good. The tiramisu everyone got for dessert was a good portion and nice and light. Good flavor and a nice way to end dinner.

Fritto Misto

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3 months ago

Solid offering. Staff is attentive and friendly. Vibes are dark and broody. Food was delicious and portions are great!

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Palio Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Palio

How's the parking situation here?

Park at the Portsmouth Square Garage nearby at Clay and Kearney. Easy peasy.

Can you make reservations for a group for happy hour?

We made a reservation at 5:30 for a group of 14. No problem. However, I am not aware of any happy hour specials here.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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Palio - italian - Updated October 2026

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