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    Side A

    4.0 (83 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Side A Photos

    Business Info

    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. Delicious! I would have been happy with just a touch more dressing and maybe more bleu cheese.
    Meta N.

    Absolutely fantastic in every way! After hearing about this place online, I realized it's just a few steps from my house and therefore a must-try. I'm very glad I did! When we arrived, we were greeted by some awesome music being spun by their DJ, lending a really great vibe to the whole experience, and it was almost like having dinner and a show. The food was so great. Everything we tried was delicious! I definitely recommend the gnocchi entree. The gnocchi were pillowy and there was a healthy amount of meat as well. The garbage salad was also delicious! I liked the dressing but could have used just a touch more of it. For dessert we sampled the carrot cake and it was also great but so huge that we had to take some home. The service was also good; everyone was prompt and friendly. We will definitely be back soon, and if I like it as much the second time this will definitely become one of my new local neighbourhood go-to spots!

    Curly fries

    Went here for a date night, and it exceeded every expectation! From the moment we walked in, the entire staff was warm, welcoming, and genuinely fun--they made the whole experience even better. We ordered the garbage salad, shrimp, fries, and gnocchi, and every single dish was outstanding. We paired everything with the house white wine, which was the perfect complement. The real surprise, though, was the chocolate cake. It completely stole the show! Everyone around us seemed to be ordering the carrot cake (which looked incredible), but don't overlook the chocolate cake--it was one of the best desserts I've had in a long time. To top it all off, the DJ created such a great atmosphere and made the night even more memorable. This was easily one of the best dining experiences I've had in San Francisco in a long time. I can't wait to come back. Go support this place!

    Leek dip
    Lamarr E.

    For over a year, side A has been consistently booked, and I finally understand why. It's an all-around terrific dining experience. It starts with the staff; they're extremely friendly as soon as you step foot into the restaurant. The star of the show was the short rib gnocchi for sure. I also really enjoyed the bone marrow and butter beans. Don't even get me started with the carrot cake.... Phenomenal! It's the first time in a while I felt like I got my money's worth in SF.

    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.

    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!

    rosita t.

    Love love this place. The vibe, the staff, the food. They make salads like it is nobody's business. The gnocchi is literally pillows of heaven. I love that it's in my 'backyard.' Will be back again and again !

    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.

    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.

    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

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    Page 1 of 3

    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 13 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Arcana

    Arcana

    4.4
    (271 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    If you love plants you'll adore Arcana in San Francisco because it's a beautiful sanctuary of…read moreplants and cool vibes. Located in the legendary Mission District of San Francisco, this wine bar is a great spot to catch up with friends and enjoy small bites and yummy crafted cocktails. Their decor is very chic and I especially loved all of the hardware, glasses, tables, and benches. This place was styled by a great design artist. Even though the place was pretty packed and can be kind of noisy, I still felt very calm amongst all the healthy plants and loved the sophisticated 70s inspired glassware. Another great feature of this place is that you can buy most of the plants because they have some for sale so after a couple of cocktails, I was ready to redecorate my whole house with all the plants. I ordered a yummy Rose blend that was super crisp. Also enjoyed the Truffle Fungi! A delicious Shiitake and oyster mushrooms with parmesan and arugula on toasted bread. Their Spanish inspired potatoes were delicious with their dipping sauce. They have lots of gatherings there and DJ sets on the weekends. Lastly, a photographer would die to take pictures here. There is no bad shot as the design artist made sure every section of this cute wine bar was picture perfect. Loved all my photos and videos. I look forward to returning to this exquisite wine bar!

    Clearly says 9:30pm for the cover/ticket charge. I am uploading this at 9:19pm, but the whole…read moreinteraction started maybe 10 minutes prior. Charging the $10 event fee on discretion before the posted event start time seems... shady? illegal? My two friends got in a few minutes before with no cover. I was dealing with a bike lock while they went in. We were not there for the event but rather as volunteers from the weekly cleanup refuse crew in the Mission. You get perks as a thank-you for doing your part in making the City a cleaner place. We had just had a lovely time at another participating business (Beehive) and planned on Arcana being our final stop. Thankfully I was able to use the restroom without a fee, with my gear held up outside by the security team. While waiting in the restroom line, I told a staff member about all this, and the worker seemingly went up to the front to find out what's going on. The line took a few minutes, my friends also bumped into me, and I told them I'd likely wait for them outside the business post-restroom while they finished their wine. Already reported to the Mayor's Office. Maybe I'll add BBB. Should be honest and equitable! Four out of 200+ reviews by me have been one star, so I rarely share negativity. It's all rather unfortunate as other visits here went off without an issue. I warned a group of four about all this while I waited out front, and after talking to the front door folks, they left and thanked me for the advice. Please be careful if you visit here. . . .

    Photos
    Downstairs
    Downstairs
    Arcana
    Arcana

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    Waystone

    Waystone

    4.8
    (94 reviews)
    2.7 mi

    Lovely little wine bar for a night out! Super busy and loud but a great ambiance. Small indoor and…read moresmall outdoor seating. The wine was pretty good, and the tapas were amazing! I loved the poke. It's a bit sweeter but a great taste. Also a cute dog roaming around. Definitely will be back!

    We believe in second chances. And by we I mean me, my friends, and Tom…read more We showed up last night and immediately the atmosphere was different. Every single table was full and bustling. The people were laughing, the drinks were flowing. It smelled really good, which we would later find out was from the food especially that Mac and cheese. We started off with different wines, some that Tom recommended based on what we told him we didn't like or did like. He apologized for our previous experience and was genuinely a nice guy. Honestly it's very admirable for a business owner to take feedback to heart and want to incorporate it. Plus he's a really cool guy when you get to know him. The staff was busy running around but still made time to come check on us. Our final verdict is we came on a bad day. This time we got the actual Waystone experience. We finally got to try the chicken bites with a creamy aioli, fries with yogurt sauce, and the star of the show was the Mac and cheese. Tik tok did live up to the hype and we will have to come back for one of their jazz nights. Be warned this place gets busy! But it's worth it.

    Photos
    Ribs and Mac and cheese
    Ribs and Mac and cheese
    Fries
    Fries
    Bar area

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    Bar area
    El Chato

    El Chato

    4.6
    (59 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    I work around this bar and thought it was the cutest thing so finally got to come try for a…read morefriend's bday. It's super chill inside, we also got a charcuterie and cheese plate and everything was amazing! Had really great options of Spanish wine which I don't typically get to try that often and just great vibes all around. Workers were very nice too and gave me great recommendations. Will have to come back!

    Visited on a Thursday around 7pm with 3 other friends, wine bar was quite busy most seats and…read moretables were taken both inside and outside. We were able to snag a seat at the bar after waiting a few minutes. Drinks: A nice selection of wines, vermouth cocktails and some beer and non alcoholic options availible. We ordered chilled bottles of sparkling red wine which was served in a bucket with ice which was a nice touch to keep it cool. Food: Tinned monkfish liver - nice and creamy, rich with mild flavor served with bread, crackers, potato chips and pickled peppers Tinned stuffed squid - very tasty, squid were cut into smaller pieces making it easy to pass around also served with the same bread, crackers, and potato chips Tortilla - a nice piece of egg and potato tortilla served warm on a slice of ciabatta, this was well seasoned and a generous portion size, was surprised it was served like an open faced sandwich made it a little bit difficult to cut up and share but tasty regardless Jamon con brie - similar to the tortilla served in a warm open faced sandwich, ham and brie were nice, a little greasy and salty Service was fine, walk up to the bar and place your order, they'll provide you with a number for food delivery to your seat. Water we grabbed a filled our glasses as needed. Plates were cleared relatively quickly when we were finished. Overall enjoyed El Chato, there happened to be some live music that evening which was fun but made for a pretty loud space. Food was solid nothing outstanding but a nice array of tin fish and tapas, liked the wine and vermouth options. A fun spot for girls night expect a crowd if you go earlier in the evening.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Rose vermouth they have
    Rose vermouth they have
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    Vermouth

    Side A - wine_bars - Updated July 2026

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