We came in with a pretty big party and had a good time. The food was delicious and the service was decent. I ordered the chicken dish (pollo saltimboca) and it was good. They made me a custom salad as well due to my dairy allergy. The lemon sorbet was delicious too. Definitely recommended. read more

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We were highly disappointed by our experience at this restaurant. We had a reservation for Thanksgiving dinner. We were seated quickly and ordered the 4 course meal. We got our drinks and salad in decent time. They were alright. Nothing special. Waited 30 minutes to get our entrees, which were just alright. Waited 30 minutes after finishing entrees to get dessert, which we asked to take to-go. When they finally brought it, they did not bring it to-go. Waited 15 minutes to get the check after dessert. It was extremely hard to flag someone down to help us. We were paid no attention after many attempts. The host was walking around talked to guests, but failed to ever say a word to us. Overpriced and disappointing service. read more

This is the best gluten free pizza (or any pizza I've ever had). I work next door and decided to try this spot out during lunch. The owner is super nice too and made sure everything was perfect. I will be back to try their other items but omg.... It was so good. Definitely a keeper. read more

Palio - Calabrese Pizza - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've lived and worked in the neighborhood for over a decade and it's taken a pandemic for me to try this place. I really appreciate that they're open when many other restaurants have closed. Pizzas are cooked very quickly in their 900°F oven, so not a huge wait if you stop by in person to order takeout. Tutti Carne: A great way to beef up (so to speak) a medium-sized pizza to be quite filling. Pepperoni, sausage, meatballs and lots of it! The crust was thin, the amount of sauce was adequate and there was a moderate amount of cheese. I could see a regular cheese pizza not being as satisfying. But all the meat and I'm full after about eating half the pizza. A much appreciated indulgence! read more

Palio - Tutti Carne - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Food and drinks were incredible! Staff was super friendly. The crab spaghetti was delicious, as well as the Margarita pizza.

amazing food with really good service, we had the mozzarella as an appetizer and the bolognese and the crab spaghetti dish for entrees, everything was delicious. quiet dimly lit restaurant which waa really nice after being in crowded tourist areas all day. read more

Palio - Tagliolini con Granchio Rotolo Bolognese - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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It was a good meal but it wasn't incredible. My favourite dish was the vegetarian ravioli and the cocktails were 10/10. The service was also great! read more

Palio - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My partner and I came to celebrate the married couple as they held their post wedding dinner here at the restaurant. We ordered drinks at the bar for ourselves as we wanted a different drink from what the couple provided. When the bartender prompted us to pay, I handed over my card and he literally turned around to process the payment and gave me a receipt with the card back. I didn't think twice to check my credit card as the checkout process literally took a minute from start to finish. I didn't find out that the bartender somehow handed me the wrong card until I got home that evening. I was preparing to leave for an international trip the following day, so I was panicked trying to figure out how to get my credit card back in time before the trip, so I called the restaurant. When I called, the owner picked up (which I didn't know at the time). I calmly explained the situation that happened and was upset that my card somehow got misplaced. The comment I received from the owner in return was snarky, unpleasant, and proceeded to tell me, "everyone makes mistakes, and I wasn't there so I don't know how he misplaced your card." It was clear that he was speaking to me in a condescending way, and his apologies were not actual apologies. Never have I ever been spoken to by a restaurant employee that way. I asked for his name which he provided to me and told him I'd speak to a manager when I arrive to the restaurant, which took out of MY TIME (2+ hours back and forth) to get my credit card back. When I looked up the restaurant online, I found out I had been speaking to the owner the entire time. No matter how good the food may be at a restaurant, I refuse to go back to any place that disrespects me. I refuse to be talked down to and yelled at over a mistake that his staff member made. The least he could have done was offer an empathetic apology and offer to make things right for the time it took away from me to have to return back to the restaurant and pick up my card. This only happened after he yelled at me and told me, " what do you want me to do! Take care of your drinks ($35)? It's done! Just come and pick up your card." Yup, I wasted 2 hours of my time to get my card back, and expended my energy talking to a rude owner. So no I will not recommend this place to anyone I know, because I would never wish them to have a similar experience as I did. read more

Wonderful service and very accommodating for a large group. I ordered the Carbonara with light pork and it hit the spot. My coworkers enjoyed the Alfredo dish as well. I didn't love the focaccia... it was a bit bland and not as soft/airy as I expected. However, the ambience, service and menu options made up for it. I would go again. read more

A delightful and versatile menu with flavorful food and desserts. I thought the creaminess of the risotto paired extremely well with the flakiness of the bread, and the burrata impressed me in its freshness and pull factor. I would love to come again. read more

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Great food. The pastas are fantastic. The staff is friendly, but service levels are just ok. Would you please educate your servers on the names of common mixed drinks? I order a Sazerac every time, and the server stares at me speechless for three telling seconds. One time I got some concoction not even close to a Sazerac. I don't know, give them a cocktail list or something. It's not that hard. read more

Excellent choice for italian dinner in the financial district. Cool vibe and nice bar. Everything is good especially the pizzas. The owner is always present and happy to accomodate your dinner party. read more

My #ThankYouThursday2021 is going out to Palio in SF! My partner purchased a Groupon for this restaurant earlier in the year, we decided to stop by before a concert on a Thursday night. We made a reservation for 7 and made it around that time and planned to leave by 8:30 to make our concert time and shared our concert plans with the person up front when checking in. The restaurant is very nicely decorated, modern, nice, clean bathrooms, has a pizza oven when you walk in, and has private seating rooms tucked away in the back for private parties. We started with an order of the fresh focaccia with the lentil soup topped with radishes. The lentil soup had such great umami flavor; I'm not sure if it was vegan bc it tasted so meaty. It was delicious. We were sopping up every last bit of that soup with the bread. I've made focaccia before and this was better than anything I've cranked out. So light and airy! We ordered some whiskey cocktails that were pretty good though a little on the small side. The pacing of the restaurant is very chill and laid back. We soon realized that it was 8 then 8:15 with no indication our food was on its way. Other nearby tables who'd ordered before us hadn't even gotten their food yet. We told our server, who had no idea about our plans, and he graciously went back to expedite our order so we could leave ASAP. I wolfed down my salmon which wasn't hard because of the smaller portion size. I liked it, but the cooked vegetables on top of the salmon made it a little soggy rather than crispy, how I like it. My partner wasn't a very big fan of the chicken parmigiana; he couldn't explain why, he just felt it was missing something. Overall, I would definitely come back and try one of the pizza dishes and some other cocktails. This seems like a great place for groups and the servers really made it special. Perfect for a date night! read more

Palio - Soup of the day: Lentil soup with radishes - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Came here for a work dinner and had a large party. The staff was quick to get us seated and we got on with the night. Service was excellent and prompt, and they answered all of our questions regarding food and wine choices. The food itself was excellent, with attention to detail and special care for presentation (I was not able to get pictures of all of our appetizers that night unfortunately). The only thing I'll add is that it would have been nicer to see some more liveliness in the restaurant. It appears to at most parties similar to us we're seated in private rooms towards the back of the restaurant, making it seem empty when in reality it was not. read more

Palio - Tagliolini Con Granchio - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great hidden gem! I loved the place and ambience. Huge restaurant fantastic service and good food. Happy customer!! We ate so much and ordered 2 wine bottles. Do not remember the wine we chose, but both good! I believe the first one was La crème. Yummmmm. I'll visit you again Palio ;) read more

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Owner Martino Digrande was bartending the night I went. His attitude was smug, entitled, and terribly off-putting. I witnessed a younger Asian woman approach him politely with a question, and he was extremely rude, sarcastic, and unprofessional. Treat all your patrons with respect. The food was acceptable, but the steak was incredibly salty and tough. Rest of the food was okay, but nothing to write home about. I enjoyed the ambiance, but the owner's customer service has put me off. read more

If you have to go downtown in San Francisco to see your accountant/lawyer/dentist/fillintheblank, at least you can treat yourself to a delicious meal at Palio afterward. Our CPA loves this place. We had never heard of it, despite living near the Golden Gate Bridge for the past 10 years. The staff was professional, friendly, and the food came out in a timely manner. We decided to share a Caesar salad with salmon and the pasta du jour: a house made spaghetti with truffle sauce. The salad came perfectly split on 2 separate plates (appreciated), and the spaghetti was so delicious, I secretly regretted agreeing to share it with my husband. I had no idea this restaurant existed, but I do not plan to wait a year until my next accountant meeting. We'll be back. Highly recommend! read more

The food and drinks were wonderful. I especially enjoyed the meatballs and the margherita pizza. I was also a big fan of the drink selection and in particular the Italian sodas. There is a wide variety of liqour, wine, and beer. The staff was friendly, and the restaurant was quite clean. They do not have parking but there is a garage across the street. Overall, a good place to grab some Italian bites. read more

I started off by giving this place 5 stars, but as I write the review, there were a few disappointments that force me to go down to 4. The food was wonderful. Some things were exceptional. The stuffed fish rolls and octopus are superb. I would definitely order those again! The specialty cocktails were good, albeit overpriced. The pasta with a meat ragout actually contain very nice slices of meat. Fantastic! I had the pappardelle with wild boar. There was no discernable cocoa flavor (mentioned on the menu), but it was marvelous. How could this place improve? We were disappointed that bread, olive oil, and vinegar were not provided. I saw bread on the menu, for like three and a half dollars. Our party spent $700 on dinner and you want to charge extra for bread? What's the thinking here? Do you have a problem with customers who only come in to eat free bread and leave? Service was extremely slow. We didn't mind since our group was engaged in lively conversation. The drinks and food came out one or two at a time with long waits in between. This could have been more organized. We ordered a salami and cheese platter which never arrived. It would have been nice to snack on these while waiting for the entrees (especially since no bread was provided). The desserts were a little underwhelming after the fabulous entrees. Next time, we'll just go for a cappuccino instead of the sweets. read more

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Delicious food and super friendly service! Their food was so fresh and flavorful - Pastas are made fresh made in house. We will definitely be back! read more

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Palio is such an incredible gem in SF. It's one of the rare big, excellent, higher-end restaurants that also has a true family-owned, family-run vibe. Martino greets his guests like family and leads his team to offer a menu that's both familiarly Italian and delightfully interesting . . . try their Siciliano pizza for sure! Their full bar has great offerings and the space itself feels lovely and welcoming. I've become a regular and love the feeling of having a refined culinary escape in the middle of busy downtown SF. read more

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Came here for a date night with my best friend. The place was unusually quiet and less crowded for a weekend dinner evening. But the service was excellent and food was amazing! The restaurant has a very formal setting, so perfect for intimate dinner dates or formal occasions. read more

Palio - Rigatoni con Ragu Napolitano - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here for a special occasion and I was so impressed by all the food and the really nice setting (classy but not formal/stuffy). Everything was perfect. Their pizzas are incredible. So many "upscale" pizza places have good flavor but the crust / texture lacks and is super floppy or everything just slides off the crust. But Palio's pizza has a strong but soft crust, good structure, and amazing flavor. Crab pasta was also delicious! Love their noodles and the amount of crab. This was a perfect dinner for me. read more

Love the new decor! It is both stunning and refreshing. Martino and his staff are so warm and welcoming! We were here on a business dinner and our server was impeccable with his timing - he knew just when to come by and check on us. Few things we ordered: Fungi pizza Pappardelle di Coco con Cinghiale Tagliolini con Granchio Everything was delicious! We paired a bottle red which went nicely with all the dishes. read more

Palio - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

I came here for SF Restaurant week and was excited and delighted by the menu they put forth. 3 of us got the prix-fixe and one person got a gluten free pizza. We got bread and the cheese plate to share. The service was good. My water glass was pretty much full all through out what felt like a 2 hour dinner service. Waiting for our appetizers wasn't too bad. I got the minestrone, and my friends got the beet salad. Both the minestrone and beet salad were just fine and with the bread and cheese plate, we were starting to feel full. The real unfortunate thing was my entree. Pesto and gnocchi are my favorite and so I was disappointed that there was an aftertaste of horseradish which was strange and it felt out of place. Some pieces were also a bit under done and and doughy/chewy. I was pretty disappointed so I have to knock it down a couple stars. Dessert was a cannoli which was delish! read more

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Food is good but the ambiance was off. I noticed they separate people dining based on dress attire and possibly racial and ethnic demographic. If you're planning on coming make sure your White and dressed up or you'll get sectioned off by the man at the front. Server also forgot items in the order and we didn't receive our entrees until after 1hr and 15 min. read more

As I roll back to the office, it's time to start eating out for lunch again downtown. I have dined at Palio in its multiple incarnations--the elegant, 1990s silk and taupe/tan interior of its previous incarnations--and now, it's remodeled sleek, modern black and modern manifestation. What has never changed are the quality of the food and the exemplary service. Just had lunch here on Monday--and going back today. Attentive, coherent, and professional service; superb eggplant parmigiana for my vegetarian friend--a great branzino (fish) with green beans and roasted potatoes--white table cloths, solid cutlery, a delicious latte and dolce and sweets to finish. All of this in an environment where there is a nice background buzz, but it's easy to have a real and meaningful I have dined here for many years and hopefully, will dine here for many more. BTW, a bit puzzled by the "tucked away in alley way" review--the main entrance is on 640 Sacramento St. There IS a back entrance, but it's more for when the back room is in use for private dining. Maybe that person was coming in for a private event? read more

Small portions but good flavor and can cater to very large parties. Very quick service and attentive. Good option for corporate events. read more

Palio - Gnocchi al Pesto Genovese - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Restaurant is tucked in an alley way. Located very close walking distance to Chinatown. Food was decent. It wasn't outstanding. I thought the tiramisu was just okay. I only ordered it because the reviews here raved it. What was really outstanding from this restaurant was our waiter MARTINI. he was literally a one man show on a Friday for lunch service. He even made our drinks because I guess the bartender wasn't even in yet. And they were good! Amazing service by him. Bravo. Met the male owner as I inquired about one of their private spaces but I was turned off by how the interaction went. To each their own. read more

Came there with a few friends a couple months ago for a birthday and I was pleasantly surprised! The ambience, service, food, and everything was awesome. We had gone a little late because we were waiting for a few more people, and the restaurant staff were very accommodating and were even checking if we wanted anything near/at the closing time, as we were there a little after closing time. Overall, a great experience! Would definitely come here again for another special occasion. read more

Everything was outstanding from minute we entered from the cold windy evening. Waiter was a lil slow returning for food order but owner stepped in and made sure we had the best of treatment. From pizza app to pasta main course, our whole party left very pleased! read more

Palio - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Wow! How has this amazing restaurant missed my discerning eye?! I stumbled upon it as I walked home through the Chinatown/North Beach area. This is definitely a hidden treasure and the beginning of a new bar relationship!! Just so happened it was happy hour, which goes to an unprecedented 7pm!! I had a delicious glass of wine, but the pizza!!!! What?! How could this fantastic pizza be a happy hour special?! $8?!! I'm in awe! All I can say is "I'll be back!" This is officially my new neighborhood spot! Thank you, William (bartender) for making us feel welcome! read more

Palio - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here as a back up for a Valentine's Day date and it did not disappoint. We got lucky and came at the right time. We got seated right away but about 15 minutes later the restaurant started to get packed. I recommend you guys make a reservation beforehand. I ordered the Foccacia, Rigatoni, and Pizza. The pasta was hands down the best I've hand. The pork was amazing tender and well seasoned. Only thing is the portion size, I wished I had more. The pizza was decent and the Foccacia was delightful. I ordered a Underground City for a drink. This is their signature drink. It's whisky infused with white truffles. It definitely smelt like truffles and tasted like truffles but I was not a fan. I feel like it should be savory and on actual food instead of alcohol but if you like truffles then this is the drink for you. read more

With here the other night, with a group of business acquaintances, I had a very nice evening The food was good and very playful the wait staff and bartenders were very kind and attentive and we're able to take care of everybody's needs Oh nice plus what is that? There was a Parking Garage right next-door we are able to park in very easily read more

For a friend's birthday, he decided to do dinner at Palio. I believe he made a reservation prior for a party of seven on Friday, February 22nd at 6:30pm. *Insalata Romana: Romaine, balsamic vinegar, Medjool dates, goat cheese, shallots, toasted walnuts ($11) *Burrata con Arance: Di Stefano mozzarella, citrus fruits salad, basil infused olive oil, Trapanese sea salt ($16) *Fritto Misto: "Mixed fry" of calamari, prawns, vegetables, bagna rosa ($16) *Polpo: Grilled octopus, eggplant caponata, crisp ceci beans, squid ink aioli ($17) *Carpaccio di Manzo: Raw thinly sliced filet of beef, fresh horseradish, lemon aioli, crispy capers ($18) *Pizza Forno A Legna - Funghi: Braised local wild mushrooms, fontina Val d'Aosta cheese, thyme ($18) *Tonnarelli Nero di Seppia con Salmone: Squid ink square cut spaghetti, wild salmon, Santa Barbara sea urchin butter, chives ($21) *Pappardelle di Coco con Cinghiale: Cocoa flavored wide cut pasta, 14-hour braised Broken Arrow Ranch wild boar ragu, pecorino romano ($24) *Pesce del Giorno: Fresh catch of the day ($32) *Stinchetti di Maiale: Slow braised Snake River Farms pork ossobuco, polenta integrale, braising jus ($28) *Cannoli: Bellwether ricotta, candied citrus, pistachio, chocolate chip, powdered sugar, olive oil gelato ($9) *Panna Cotta con Frutti del Bosco: Vanilla and poppy seed custard, marinated fresh berries ($12) *Torta Crespelle al Limone: Crepe cake layered with lemon cream, almonds, brûléed sugar top ($13) *Acrobata: Wild Turkey 101, Honey, Luxardo Bitter Bianco, Egg White, Sicilian Olive Oil, Neat ($13) *Improved Brooklyn Cocktail: Jack Daniels Rye, Carpano Dry, Amaro Cio Ciaro, Luxardo Maraschino, Absinthe, Orange Twist, Up ($12) x2 *Underground City: White truffle infused Famous Grouse Scotch, Nardini Amaro, Nardini Mandorla, on the Rocks, Truffle Salt ($14) x2 *Amor y Amargo: A tribute to our favorite bar in NYC, 8 Amari, Peychaud's Bitters, Green Chartreuse Rinse, Lemon Twist ($12) *Tanqueray Negroni ($10) *Templeton Rye Manhattan ($16) *Templeton Rye Old Fashioned ($16) x3 *Dow Tawny 10 year ($12) *Dow LBV 2011 ($12) *Johnny Walker Blue ($25) x2 I think we ended up ordering like half the menu! I wasn't really hungry, so I didn't try much food. Just the salad which was nice and fresh. Though I'm not a fan of fruit with my greens, so I didn't care for the dates. Everyone seemed to enjoy all the dishes. From the apps to the pizza to the pasta to the entrees. All were happily consumed. I did try a few cocktails which were pleasantly sippable. Both my brooklyn and manhattan were balanced and spirit forward. The blue label was a steal at $25 each, so I had to end my meal with a pour. It was basically my dessert along with a cup of coffee. The staff was great! Our server was attentive, coursed our food, and kept the drinks coming. Made the dinner a very fun celebration. The space is nice. I'd never been to the restaurant in its former incarnation, but it's a pretty big space. I believe there's a bar up front and the dining room was a good size. Fun place for a birthday dinner. read more

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My wife and I decided to head to Palio around 3:30 pm after the Alcatraz adventure. We where greeted by a well dressed man who actually waited on us too. Being that early we had the full attention of this man who turned out to be the owner! We where treated like gold and the food was top notch. Spending time talking to owner Martino Digrande made this a real special for my wife and I. Although we live on the other side of the United States we will be sure to visit again! Thank you Martino! Pat & Jen read more

Excellent service, food, and drinks! Love the wood stove making amazing pizza. Great ravioli. My friends got good steaks.

Another awesome meal. Never have I had a bad dish. And the happy hour is a deal too!! read more

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I stumbled across this place after the original restaurant we were planning to go to had no reservations available. The best outcome because Palio is absolutely delicious! We went for a girls night out while our spouses were out of town, and they were so sweet and made us feel like VIPs. Not to mention the food is DELICIOUS. I ended up taking my fiancé back a few days later because I literally couldn't stop thinking about the food. Make a res immediately, you will not regret it! read more

Me and my family ate here for my grandmas 100th birthday. All I can say is this place is a high class joint. From the Salad to the Cappuccino, Palio is a restaurant to dike in if you wish to experience top quality Italian Food. read more

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