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    Side A

    4.0 (78 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated 3 months ago

    Side A Photos

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    SIDE A ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Side A

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    Garbage salad
    Karen N.

    Fun atmosphere with a dj playing good tunes. Tried the garbage salad and the chicken cutlet based on reviews and had enough to bring home some of both. They were both tasty with some unique flavors and hearty portions. Mostly an Italian wine list probably how they make their money because it's hard to know what they are, we tried 4 different glasses, including the house red and white which were fine. Wish they had soft serve at night but apparently they are only offering it during the day when it is a coffee shop. We weren't in the mood for a big cake carrot or chocolate but it looked good. Hope to be back to try some of the other items on the menu.

    Short rib gnocchi  Crab risotto too
    Chris W.

    Instant new favorite and such a good new dinner restaurant in the neighborhood. The sidewalk seating is perfect, service is genuinely friendly, and the whole place has great energy with vinyl records playing. Short rib gnocchi is a must order and the crab risotto is just as good. Must save room for at least a bite of the star of the menu: the carrot cake. One of the owners said it's even better leftover the next day with coffee -- can confirm, sooo good! Btw also love that it turns into a coffee shop with The Coffee Movement on weekday mornings.

    Chloe S.

    Came here for a bday dinner and the staff was sure to make it special! We were able to snag a late night reservation 8:30pm and enjoy. They recommend sharing plates, our party of 4 was able to share 3 apps and 2 entrees as well as cake for dessert. Of the dishes the standouts were the bone marrow and the chicken cutlet. The bone marrow was fatty, juicy and paired perfectly with the caramelized onions. The slight sweetness highlighted the marrow nicely! The chicken cutlet was a pretty large portion, it was crispy with the perfect amount of breading. I will say this was a pretty mustard heavy dish. I found the sauce to be quite overpowering but still enjoyed the dish! The carrot cake is practically a mini cake. We were all able to enjoy and slice for dessert. The cake itself was moist however it was on the sweeter side. I wish the cream cheese frosting was a bit more tart to balance the sweetness. Overall a great place for drinks with immaculate and attentive staff!

    Cheeseburger
    Kristina W.

    The burger with bone marrow was life-changing. 10/10. I kept thinking about it so much that I made another res 2 weeks later... sadly, it was not on the menu. Hopefully it's not gone forever - if it's on the menu the day you go, you must order it!! Soft Serve, Garbage Salad, and Halibut were good. Short Rib Gnocchi was a bit too salty for my taste.

    Caili C.

    I've been wanting to check out Side A after seeing so much on social media to hype up this new restaurant in the Mission and managed to find a reservation for Friday dinner. I came with a friend and we ended up sharing what I would call an excellent girl dinner. I was disappointed that they didn't have the famous burger with roasted bone marrow and their ice cream machine was down so no Coffee Movement ice cream either. We shared: - A bottle of Lambrusco: My favorite sparkling variety, they don't offer it as a glass so we split a bottle which was perfect for a warm summer day. - Garbage Salad: We got the salad after seeing it almost on every table and it was such a good choice. The fried pork belly is delicious and I loved how nicely the lettuce was dressed. A perfect start to the meal. - Short Rib Gnocchi: Really nice comforting sauce and the gnocchi was nicely pan-fried but the short rib itself was a bit dry and didn't add a lot of flavor to the dish itself. - Carrot Cake: This may have been our favorite bite, the carrot cake is perfectly moist with a great cream cheese frosting that wasn't too sweet or heavy. The cream cheese could have been more tart but I loved the walnuts and coconut shaving on top. While it's pricey for a dessert, it's definitely large enough to share between 3-4 people and a great sweet treat to take home. Service was friendly and prompt but not quite a stand-out as some articles and reviews have suggested. The ambiance is interesting as it's loud from the music and talking in a small space but the food is pricey for a casual neighborhood restaurant so it's difficult to say what crowd this would be tailored for.

    carrot cake
    Michelle Z.

    Have been hearing so much about this spot, so I was super excited to come! Reservations are hard to come by, and they have a strict cancellation deadline of 2 days before, so just be aware of that! I was only able to change my reservation time over the phone. We came at 9pm on a Thursday and it was super bustling even later in the evening. The restaurant was pretty full the whole time. They had a DJ playing some vinyls the whole night which was a nice vibe, and the service was pretty good despite the mixed reviews I've heard. My water was refilled often and our dishes came out in a pretty timely manner (even offering to box up the salad since we didn't finish it before we got to the mains). The food was good but nothing I'd come back for, but I'm curious to try other things on the menu. The salad components didn't feel like they 100% belonged together. The risotto was good but a little too spicy for us. Short rib gnocchi was also tasty (good gnocchi texture) but wine flavor was a bit too strong for me. Carrot cake was delicious though! Their soft serve machine was broken which was unfortunate but I'm also glad we got to try the carrot cake because it was sooo good. It is a pretty big portion which is why it's more expensive ($20).

    Taylor K.

    All around phenomenal. From the moment we walked in to the minute we left. Service was exceptional and everything we ate BOMB! Short rib gnocchi! Burger! Artichoke dip! Ice cream ofc! Music was a vibe. Sunday was a chill day. Had open seats at bar.

    chicken cutlet
    Helena G.

    Was able to do walk in at 5 pm on a Sunday, got a really nice seating right next to the chefs counter. Great service, really like the house red wine. We got the garbage salad -- wasn't a huge fan of the blue cheese, but really enjoyed the candied walnuts. We got the short rib gnocchi and chicken cutlet for entres. Both were good, but the gnocchi was a bit too rich/salty for my personal taste. Big fan of the carrot cake.

    Chicken Katsu
    Sou S.

    Delicious food and a great experience all around. A friend visiting from NYC said this place is constantly popping up on his social media (he used to live in SF), so we had to check it out. We ordered the chicken katsu, short rib gnocchi, and the "garbage salad." The katsu was fried perfectly, the short rib was incredibly tender, but the real standout was the salad--radicchio, pickled green beans, and perfectly fried pork belly came together in a way that was unexpectedly amazing. Alston was our server and he was both warm and attentive throughout the meal. We'll definitely be back.

    Fried squid
    Dana Z.

    Side - A is one of those rare gems that nails ambiance, food, and service all in one go! Though gotta say, it's a bit pricey, but I get it. From the moment we walked in, the vibe was effortlessly cool - warm lighting, stylish yet unpretentious decor, and a welcoming energy that made us feel like we'd stumbled into a neighborhood favorite. There are not too many restaurants that plays vinyl! Overall perfect for a dinner with friends or a unique dinner date. It is small, everything is a bit tight, but that adds to the energy, and you'll feel it! Although, it was a bit hot and smokey inside - there is opportunity for ventilation to be better. Now, let's talk food. The menu strikes that perfect balance between comfort and creativity. We had the fried squid, gnocchi, and the halibut. Fried squid is worth skipping. Gnocchi was delicious - more please! The star of the night was the halibut, cooked absolutely spot-on - moist and flaky with the perfect sear. It was served atop a beautifully composed plate that balanced flavor and texture, and some chili crisp (I think)! Super unique. Overall, you can tell real thought and care goes into each dish - from the curated ingredients to the bold, unexpected flavor combinations. The service was equally impressive - friendly without being overbearing, knowledgeable about both the food and drink menus, and genuinely excited to share what makes Side A special. It really feels like a place run by people who love food and community. Reservation highly recommended.

    Gnocchi with short rib
    Jocelyn L.

    This is one of those tough reservations to get these days, another hot spot. I'm thinking it's a hot spot because the chef of Aphotic left and started this place? (We loved Aphotic back when it was still open!) anyway, my husband somehow snagged a 2-person reservation on a Friday night. We arrived on time for our 5:30pm reso on Friday night. Music was blasting, funk music, that was extremely loud (have to shout to your dining partner) but a fun way (for some) to get your weekend started. However, I thought the music was way too loud, and actually a bit overwhelming for my taste. Our table was a tiny, cramped table for 2. The whole restaurant was cramped though, tables with barely any room between to get through before sitting down, barely any headroom if your daughter has dropped her crayon and you need to pick it up, barely any room to put a diaper bag in between tables on banquette seating. We ordered the Garlic French fries, Shrimp, Artichoke Dip, Gnocchi with short rib, and Halibut with gigante beans. The Shrimp was good, and garlic fries good, but generally everything was just okay. The artichoke dip was too rich. The short rib in the gnocchi tasted dry. I just didn't see what the hype was about. Nothing seemed unique, or particular fresh ingredients that blow your mind away. One piece of the halibut did taste fishy, but the other pieces were fine. Actually the stand out favorite dish was the Carrot Cake, which had amazing cream cheese frosting (not too sweet or heavy), which paired nicely with the crispy bits of walnut and I think coconut bits. It was $18 for a mini cake - very pricy, but delicious, and we did take home some leftovers (just for our dignity, my husband could've finished it on the spot). I will say that I loved their Heath Ceramic dinnerwear. Nice touch. Also, there was an article run the day before in the Chronicle about how Side A had terrific service, exceptional, how they treat you as if you're members of their family. We did not experience this amazing service. Yes, the service was good, but just as good as any other restaurant - nothing stand out. Not sure why they would write a whole article to highlight this. No special accommodations for our toddler either. He called the day before and asked if we could get a slightly larger spot since we'd have our toddler daughter joining us. They said yes, but when we arrived, we still got a cramped 2-top table squashed between those tables I described above. I wasn't expecting anything special for our daughter, but somehow was, since an article was run about how hospitable they are to all their customers. I'm not terribly excited to return, although I think perhaps if we ordered different menu items, we would have had a slightly different experience. The food itself was underwhelming, and the ambiance was overwhelming (way too noisy and loud, cramped tables). What a weird combo. It'll be a hard sell for me to return.

    Great music , great service, great portions, great experience. Definitely will visit again

    Garbage salad

    Set up a reservation here late at night only to wait 40 minutes to be seated while a walk in 20 minutes after us was greeted and sat before us even though they said they were just ordering "drinks". The food was not worth the price at all. Very mediocre food and limited menu. Only good thing was the music.

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    4 days ago

    Elevated comfort food. Friendly efficient service. The best bone marrow! Would definitely go back.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Side A

    Review Highlights - Side A

    Tried the garbage salad and the chicken cutlet based on reviews and had enough to bring home some of both.

    Mentioned in 11 reviews

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    Amoeba Music - Amoeba San Francisco used to be a bowling alley!

    Amoeba Music

    4.4(1.2k reviews)
    2.4 miThe Haight
    $$

    The size of Amoeba overwhelmed me, but positively. This place was easily way bigger than my local…read morerecord shop, let alone any record shop I've been to in the past. Amoeba offers a VAST collection of vinyls, DVDs, CDs, stickers, and magnets. My partner and I collect vinyls, and we didn't leave disappointed.

    I still remember when this location was Park Bowl, but that was (gasp) over thirty years ago when…read morebowling was still a popular social activity. I myself was on a bowling team named the Orient Express, and I wish I still had my red team shirt with the dragon on the back. But I digress as this has been an independent record store since 1997, an offshoot of the Berkeley store on Telegraph. Digital downloads be damned, this shop is focused on physical media...CDs, DVDs, cassette tapes, Blu-rays, and of course, vinyl. Even before picking up spares at Park Bowl, I recall that moment in my youth when I made the monumental decision to switch my record purchases from vinyl to CDs. Nowadays, vinyl is making a comeback among a younger generation looking for a higher quality, more realistic sound quality. I saw these Gen Z audiophiles flipping through the long LP bins in search of the elusive underground classic their stereophonic friends could appreciate and envy. Personally I could find nuggets of my own. Albums like The Very Best of Spike Jones (Photo 10) and The Complete 2,000 Year Old Man (Photo 5) resonated with me. I was happy to see individual LPs consolidated into boxed sets like the Linda Ronstadt retrospective. Beyond the music is the expansive DVD collection of movie titles both classic and obscure. There's also books and collectible merchandise like pop-culture lunch boxes and celebrity prayer candles. I'm not sure I need a candle that deifies Aubrey Plaza, but it's good to know where I can get one. RELATED - Exploring the Haight? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/Mq6DbbrGGJ

    Photos
    Amoeba Music - The Amoeba SF entrance.

    The Amoeba SF entrance.

    Amoeba Music - Sunset over Amoeba SF and Haight Street.

    Sunset over Amoeba SF and Haight Street.

    Amoeba Music - Vinyl wonderland!

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    Vinyl wonderland!

    City Lights - The staircase leading upstairs to the main floor.

    City Lights

    4.4(816 reviews)
    2.6 miChinatown
    $$

    One of the neatest bookstores in the US. The Poetry room upstairs is wonderful. So much fun…read morehistory here to learn about. And this bookstores has some amazing staff book recommendations with little tags on the bookshelf telling you why they loved that book so much; found some great new finds that way. Dont forget to get your books stamped with their bookstores stamp on the way out!

    An amazing bookstore and so glad I asked chatGPT to give me some ideas for a stroll around SF near…read moreUnion Square. Well, ok, this place isnt close to Union Sq, about a mile away, but it was a perfect delicious end destination for a post dinner stroll! I like bookstores and I like eclectic, unique ones. I'll go to Barnes & Noble if I had no other choice, but my favorite bookstores are independent ones and ones where they carry very unique books you can't find elsewhere. This bookstore made my inner little nerdy self so happy. I immediately got lost up front looking at very recent publication by Ai Weiwei. I then wandered onto the main floor and found an entire section of Asian works, which you will not find at B&N. I also found books from Norwegian writers too which I had never seen before, which thrilled me. I then made my way up to their attic floor which is dedicated to poetry and seems I just missed Allen Ginsberg's Howl centennial celebration. Ugh! I then came back down and then proceeded to their basement section and again I was quite pleasantly surprised by the depth and breadth of Asian themed books they had. They had plenty of the Chinese classics in English and found so many different versions of Journey to the West, I was completely overwhelmed. And then, saw an entire section on Africa and I had to fight hard to not pick up a copy of a book titled Prison Letters, which is a collection of Mandela's letters while imprisoned. I ultimately settled on two books by Ai Weiwei as he has continued to inspire me to be proud, to not conform, to be brave, to speak up, to be authentically and unapologetically me, to honor my ancestry and to push boundaries and to fight for what matters. And it just so happens too that my Chinese give name is also Weiwei. I loved coming to this bookstore and it will definitely be on rotation for me when I am in SF again.

    Photos
    City Lights - Downstairs

    Downstairs

    City Lights - The upstairs location of the bookstore.

    The upstairs location of the bookstore.

    City Lights - The bottom floor that you have to go downstairs to.

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    The bottom floor that you have to go downstairs to.

    Side A - wine_bars - Updated May 2026

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