This place was so cute! Tucked away and food was great! Servers were fantastic and kind. I will definitely be back! Music was very chill as well. 5 stars ! read more

Sociale - Chicken Cesar - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I just recently discovered Sociale and had the pleasure of having an 'al fresco' lunch this past weekend. Not only the food was SUPERB and authentic, but also our server Steve was exceptional and made us feel right at home (grazie mille!) We enjoyed the signature dish (duck pappardelle), rigatoni all'amatriciana, chocolate cake with EVO (so yummy) and a bottle fo Ferrari Brut bubbles from Trento, Italy. Everything was absolutely excellent! As an Italian expat in SF, I can most definitely recommended Sociale and can't wait to be back. read more

Sociale - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've been coming here on & off for many years, definitely for more than 10. It's got the cutest location, great service, really good wine list and good food. Upscale neighborhood restaurant at it's best. We moved out of SF few years back but still go there on special occasions. read more

Food, service and ambiance is incredible. I love it all! I have only hosted large group dinners, but the food always comes out so fantastic! I look forward to coming here to enjoy sitting in the central patio! read more

This truly is a hidden gem. Walking by you would never realize there is a beautiful restaurant tucked away into this alley. In fact, I drove past it twice because I couldn't find it. When you walk in, they have cute little patio seating outside with heat lamps. Inside, it is small and cozy. The servers are nice in a down to earth kind of way. Food Review: Complimentary bread - oh so delicious, soft, warm and chewy.... Daily Mushroom Soup - Love mushrooms, but... I would rather get 5 cans of Campbell's than one bowl of this. Fried Stuffed Calamari - Meh. Not typically a fan of calamari though. Duck Pappardelle - So tender, lots of meat, and just pure deliciousness. Veal Pork Bolognese - Don't judge me for ordering this! There was surprisingly no flavor. Skip it! Side of Broccoli - YUM. Love broccoli, wish there was more. Chocolate Oblivion Cake - Not bad, prefer lava cake. read more

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The ambiance is tough to beat at Sociale. Tucked in a beautiful side alley shared with a flower shop. Good for groups (larger tables) and dates. Both indoor and outdoor seating. The pasta special was delicate, had excellent flavors and a mushroom we have never heard of (lobster mushroom). read more

The service is horrible!!!!!! They treat older people disrespectfully. Decanted other tables wine but did not decant ours. Had the bus boy finally ask us if we wanted dessert. The most offensive thing a restaurant can do is to say you have a 90 minutes at the table and not produce good service. The place was not even that busy. When I complained to the last person who came to the table, the server did not even come back. Offensive place. Food was average. Nothing to rave about. Find another place in the many wonderful restaurants in SF who deserve your money. read more

Yes, a hidden gem. Darling llittle walk way...Tiny little restaurant with great service, and dozens of diners before me have disected every dish. He oredered the lasagne - I thought it was great...he was "meh" I had the fish entree, very good. The biggest takeaway was the proximity of other diners to our table. We could hear her cursing him under her breath for ordering the tres tres expensive wine. People next to us eavs-dripped. too close for comfort. read more

Sociale - Many have walked right by this little entry way - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Had not been here in years (decades), but good to know it has staying power and for good reason. The pork bolognese was excellent: warm and well-prepared. The desserts were delicious too and the service was good. This restaurant has restored my faith in SF restaurants. read more

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I had my anniversary dinner here and it did not disappoint. Even during covid the ambiance of the restaurant is excellent. The food was so phenomenal. We ordered the fried olives, Caesar salad, rigatoni and pappardelle. I would recommend each of these items to anyone! Overall highly recommend!! read more

Sociale - Pappardelle With Braised Duck & rigatoni - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

First time at Sociale. Great ambiance and attentive service. Food was certainly good, but not amazing - tried 6 dishes overall. Overall a nice evening that was overshadowed by unceremoniously being asked to vacate our table without warning, which we were mostly still there because the cappuccino we ordered at the end of the meal did not come for a long time. Overall decent experience but a few tweaks would move it from good to great like adding more spice/flavor to food and notifying guests ahead of time when they need to leave. All in all, may return but not sure given the many other strong options in the city. read more

Awesome dinner we will remember for a while... We went with another couple on a Saturday night. It has a small entrance between to buildings and we probably would not have spotted it on our own. We had a reservation but had to wait a little for our table. No biggie. The restaurant is actually bigger than it looks. The Sommelier got us started off right with a great white wine suggestion and opening the red we brought. There is a $35 corkage, that we find is often waived if you order a bottle from their menu, but in our case it was appropriate. We had the kale salad, tuna crudo and watermelon with burrata for apps. All awesome. For dinner we had the pork special, seared scallops and duck pappardelle...again all great and good portion size. We were all so stuff that we skipped dessert and decided to walk around a bit. Great restaurant. Give it a try. read more

We enjoyed the outdoor patio seating with heaters and the night time lights. The four of us agreed that the food was excellent and that we would come back for the food. However the service was terrible. We agreed that it was the worst service we had had in many months, and we all eat out frequently. The waiter basically ignored us. He came to table and never asked if we wanted something to drink. He took our order for appetizers. We had to flag him down to order and get drinks. We told him initially we were ordering appetizers and entrees. We again had to wait a while to get his attention to order entrees. Fortunately someone else from kitchen delivered our foods to table while hot. We needed some serving spoons for the entrees since we were sharing all of them - after waiting I walked thru restaurant until I found all their silverware and found some big spoons myself. Person that cleared table brought dessert menus. Once again we waited a long time and finally got his attention to order dessert. It seemed he was doing everything he could to avoid ever coming to or looking at our table. The only time he ever smiled a little was when he laid the check on table. Considering how nice everything else was at this restaurant, that waiter should not be working there. We observed another waitress who was very nice and frequently checking on her tables. read more

This place is so romantic. You can sit on the outside too. The place is a little hard to find, it is across from Spruce. Very good customer service. They have a large room for meeting and very quiet. Their beef, and halibut and their game hen are really good. Recommend. read more

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Cute tucked in space, great food, good service. Pros: + WiFi (you'll need it!) + Attentive service + Main entrees were great, not too salty + Private room comfortably seats ~15-20, great for presentations Cons: - No reception (T-Mobile) Recommendations: + Pappardelle with Braised Duck, 5/5 + Wagyu Bavette Steak, 5/5 + Tomato and Basil Soup, 5/5 + Prosecco, 5/5 Skip: - Chocolate Oblivion Cake (dislike flourless!), 2/5 The atmosphere of the restaurant matches the Spruce St./Presidio Heights feel. Cute spot with good food. Worth trying! read more

The food was good. However, I recently dined here and the service was terrible!My friend and I had to wait 20 minutes for a waiter to come over and that was only after we reached out to the busperson to ask for our waiter. When our waiter finally stopped by, no apologies and he was very curt. Perhaps they were short staffed, but that's no excuse for being rude and lacking apologies! We got better service from the bus person, he's the one that took our order for dessert, and the one that should've got our tip. I remember thinking we should've gone to Spruce across the street and will think twice before returning. read more

I can hardly explain in my own words what it means for food to be sublime, but there is no doubt that it describes the exquisite cuisine at Sociale. Note: Sociale (upscale Italian restaurant in Presidio Heights) is not to be confused with Social (brewery in the Inner Sunset where millennials hang out). (+/) Bread & butter: Meh, nothing outstanding. I love it when expensive restaurants have amazing bread that can fill you up, so pricey plates aren't so much of a problem. Unfotunately my lifehack doesn't work at Sociale, because the bread is mediocre and portions are tiny. (++) Baby kale salad (walnuts, gorgonzola, pears, puffed wild rice, sherry vinaigrette, $14): This is not your traditional unruly, coarse ruffles of kale; it's crisp bite-sized leaves of baby kale. Altogether, it's a nice mix of tangy, fruity, and earthy, rendering a thoughtful take on the otherwise basic salad. (+) Cauliflower crostino (rucola, cerignola olives, bacon jam, $12): The grilled cheese of the elite. Although it's a bit soggier than I'd like and not adequately bacon-y satisfy true bacon enthusiasts, it's a worthwhile adventure. Like the salad, it's an interesting mix of flavors from caramelized bacon puree to a classy breed of olives. (+) Seared scallops (chickpea puree, green harissa, radish, marjoram, $16): Could have been more seared in my opinion. This was a more tenuous take on scallops, complemented by the chickpea puree consistent with the butteriness of the scallops and gently contrasted by exotic greens. (According to Wikipedia, marjoram is a shrub with sweet pine and citrus flavors... I wish I knew that while I was eating it!) Note that there are only two pieces though. (+) Pici bolognese (pork, veal and venison Bolognese, bechamel, roasted tomato, parmigiano-reggiano, $24): The bolognese sauce turned out quite mushy, but had good flavor. The highlight was the pasta, which was like spaghetti in a thick cylindrical shape with a tiny hole in the middle. This made a superbly al dente texture without tasting undercooked--physics magic. (+) Eggplant parmigiano (eggplant, gypsy pepper pesto, lobster mushrooms, asiago & goat cheese, $25): Lol I got excited when I saw the word lobster, but this is a dish more to appease vegetarians than culinary artwork in itself. The eggplant is quite dry, though the various ingredients do impart some dimension. (++) Halibut (grilled figs, smoked potato smash, lemon chive cream, $30): This dish masters the paradox of simultaneous creaminess and lightness. The combination of halibut with lemon and chives is classic, and who would have thought to mix it with smokey mashed potatoes: novel, yet familiar. (+++) Wagyu bavette steak (stuffed potato, charred broccolini, green peppercorns, $37): Omg heaven. It's overdone for medium rare, but since I prefer medium well I thought this was perfect. The beef quality itself was very good, and the tender, succulent meat with the roasty, slightly crisp exterior makes this the steak of my wildest dreams. Compares well to Frances and Boulevard. (+++) Chocolate oblivion cake (olive oil, sea salt, amaretti cookie crumbles, $9): I'm not going to flip out over the fact that they didn't mention where the chocolate is sourced, because that would be snobbery, and also because the combination of chocolate, salt, and olive oil is thought-provoking.. The sweet-savory-salty blend is something of an advanced trail mix. (++) Cantaloupe sorbet: Refreshing, and I was amused that the perfectly round peachy orange scoops resembled scoops of cantaloupe. The verdict? Sublime indeed. The food is best enjoyed with mindful eating as the portions are small, but it forces you to better appreciate the intricacies. Sociale is on the verge of fine dining, featuring avant-garde flavors and textures, set in an elegant but comfortable space. However, Sociale doesn't cross the point of post-modern fine dining with bizarrely abstract presentation and gimmicks like dining in the dark, with a menu of poetry, or communally to hang out with the chef. read more

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WeI have spent $$$$$ at this place innumerable times, sometimes twice in a day, and referred many over the years. The food hasn't always been fab; liked the ambiance (and our own company), and David Nichol was a terrific presence. Few weeks ago I sat at bar for rabbit/spaetzle-good, and 2 glasses of wine (1 recommended by the hostess was ridiculously overpriced at $20/glass-it's $20/bottle retail, ok, just not again). It was very dark; tried to use my phone to see the tab; put a tip, signed, left. Turns out I mistakenly left with both signed pieces of paper. So, resto only had the tab and my credit card number. Service was mediocre, btw, at the bar, where I was the only diner. They added a tip that they chose, with no authorization, no signature. I called to bring their attention to it. Stephanie said she'd credit the extra (I indicated what I'd intended). She has not, to this day. I called several days later, and pointed out that charging $ to a credit card without authorization is theft, a crime. Just because you have your hands on my cr card number doesn't give you a right to charge whatever you want to. She said she had refunded some amt. to my card. She had/has not. She defended the theft, saying, "we would have lost the gratuity" [if they hadn't charged my card, fraudulently!]. Gratuities are voluntary!!!! In a long conversation, she continued to defend the theft. What should have happened is, at the most: presented with no signed invoice, charge the amount on the tab. And wait to see if the charge was challenged (maybe stolen card?). She promised to refund the entire amount, due to the time I'd spent (and to avoid additional). She did not. I had to dispute it with my card company. Lesson: keep signed receipts; check cr card statements. Fraudulent/over charges may go unnoticed, esp since many places try not to offer receipts. read more

My favorite local restaurant in San Francisco. The delicious food, the amazing staff, the beautiful atmosphere, make this a perfect place for a wonderful and relaxing meal. During these times of COVID-19 the restaurant provided take out, outside dining in their patio area, and now can provide limited inside dining. This is a favorite local spot to dine for the neighborhood. read more

Sociale is a go-to for comfort food that combines the best elements of both Italy and California, and its name is Italian, but its spirit is Californian. Tia Harrison, the chef and owner of the restaurant, creates culinary masterpieces; for example, the melt-in-your-mouth braised pork belly and the creamy burrata over pumpkin purée. Dessert is required, and it will be difficult to find a table that is able to refrain from ordering the signature chocolate oblivion cake. This sinfully decadent ganache is heightened with olive oil, sea salt, and amaretti cookie crumble, and it is topped with chocolate oblivion cake. The atmosphere at this establishment is bistro-chic, with a touch of European flavor brought out by the friendly, accommodating staff as well as the Italian and French chanteuses on the playlist. It is located at the end of an alley and features a heated patio. It's the kind of hidden treasure that every neighbor in the area secretly hopes to find on their own street. read more

Just had the most delicious takeout meal of the pandemic! I ordered polenta fries, beets and burrata, and Caesar salad--all superb. I highly recommend all three. Wish I'd taken photos because words pretty much fail me. So I'll just say, thanks Sociale--I needed that! read more

REVIEW #800! Gayle and I came here for a romantic Valentine's Day dinner and more.... We have been together for almost 4 years and we have been through a lot together. And through a good number of back and forth conversations, we have thoroughly discussed how we want to spend our future together. Yet, when you're both in your early 50s and with already extended families (including the pets), youthful exuberance is quickly supplemented with very practical considerations and sometimes a longer time line. But nothing could be official until a certain question was properly asked (and answered). So, the recent purchase from Steve Padi's Jewelry needed to be put away for awhile, until it was properly presented and accepted. And as a rare act and full acknowledgement of the occassion, I actually wore a jacket and tie. Gayle in turn, dressed in the very nice outfit that she wore on our second date. Our friend Lisa recommended Sociale for its Italian cuisine, wine, and romantic atmosphere. It was a wise choice, although from our East Bay perspective, it was a little bit of a hike into the City. Sociale is nicely nestled off the street via a secluded walkway. And although we were a bit early walking in, we were immediately seated. It was a roomy corner table that made it seem that we had the place to ourselves, even though we were sitting in a full and nicely muted (lighting and colour) dining room. The "Passionate Reds" flower arrangement that I reserved through Open Table was also waiting for us. Sociale served a Prix Fixe menu that night with several options per course. Wine was available from either an extensive and well-considered wine list or predetermined pairings. We started off with a delicious order of fried olives (apparently a signature dish) and a nice bottle of Rigamont Barbera for our evening. This is a lighter red, but served us well throughout the variety of food of which we dined. Gayle later switched to a glass of a heavier Lagrein red when she got to her amazing grilled rack of lamb. Gayle's other dishes included a yellow fin crudo, artichoke lasagna, and us splitting a cheese course and the chocolate truffle cake (with ice cream). My delicious choices included a broccoli soup, tagliatelle bolognese, and a very nice striped sea bass. Service was excellent. Our server was knowledgeable, friendly, genuine, and honest and was visible and invisible at the right times. Our wine and water glasses were also regularly topped off when needed. For our special evening together, I presented a gift for roughly each course. The penultimate gift involved an inside courting joke, which featured a tool kit and a fake ring box. And after a good laugh, the real deal was presented, the question was asked, tears were shed, and the answer was yes. read more

Again, I'm torn between giving a restaurant 3 or 4 stars. So, what's the dilemma? Well, the overall quality of the food I tasted was really between 3.0-3.5 stars, but the service (including hostess) was near to 4.0-4.5 stars. What to do, what to do? I rounded up again. Service and ambiance really does make a difference. Just finished a dinner with my dad, mom, and grandmother at this quaint little hideaway in the Laurel Heights area. I didn't even know there were restaurants and shops in this part of Sacramento Avenue, but I guess there are. Spruce, a restaurant I've been meaning to go to, is even across from Sociale. Time away from the city doesn't make you a native San Franciscan anymore, I guess. Anyways, this restaurant had me at "Where are you?" because I didn't think there could be restaurant at the narrow passageway that leads you to Sociale. It was cool. It had that European hideaway gem of a restaurant feel. Our hostess was very nice. We arrived a little early, twelve minutes to be exact from my 8:15pm reservation. The place was packed. I requested she call my cell when a table for four opens up. Twenty minutes later a table opened up. Seven minutes past my reservation time - forgivable. She was so nice about it too and even set up a table for us in the corner. Perfect! The first course came out fast. I tried the three different items we ordered. My dad ordered the same Crab Timbale as I did. And, btw, the Crab Timbale is what you want. It's $13 bucks but well worth it. I ordered the Pears and Burrata for my mom and the White Bean Crostino for my grandmother. They weren't to fond of what they had, so we played musical plates at the table. I ate my mom's Pears and Burrata and shared my grandmother's White Bean Crostino. My dad was suppose to end up with the Crostino but the arugula salad that came with it just wasn't to his liking. When our entrees finally came out. I was excited to see my Wagyu Bavette Steak. I was looking forward to it all day. Unfortunately, I ate to much first course meals. I had to wrap half the dish for takeaway so I can have room for dessert. Not to mention I was stuffed because I took bites of my grandmother's Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin, my dad's Grilled Quails, and my mom's Seared Black Cod. What can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment and a lover of trying new things. I loved my Wagyu, even though I couldn't finish it. Unfortunately, my grandmothers pork loin came off a little too dry. My mom and dad's entrees were good though. Stuffed and eagerly waiting to go home and walk off the pounds I've gained, the desserts we ordered came. Leave no sweets or sweetie standing, a friend of mine always says. The desserts were awesome. I highly recommend the Coffee and Doughnuts, Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta, and the Chocolate Oblivion Cake (if you're a fan of chocolate). The espresso shake from the Coffee and Doughnuts is to die for, and you probably will...because it's sooooo good, yet so bad for you. The Raspberry Sorbet was good too, but it would have been more fitting for a hot summer night. To help you out a bit, here's my rating of Sociale in detail: * Crab Timbale, $13 - 9/10 * White Bean Crostino, $10 - 6/10 * Pears and Burrata, $13 - 7/10 * Wagyu Bavette, $32 - 9/10 * Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin, $27 - 4/10 * Grilled Quails, $29 - 7/10 * Seared Black Cod, $26 - 7/10 * Rochefort Trapist Ale (Belgian), $13 - 9/10 * GL Freeman Pinot Noir, $15 - 8/10 * Chocolate Oblivion Cake, $9 - 7/10 * White Bean Panna Cotta, $8 - 9/10 * Raspberry Sorbet, $5.50 - 8/10 * Coffee and Doughnuts, $9 - 10/10 * Cappuccino, $4 - 8/10 * Service - 9/10 * Ambiance/Decor - 8/10 You could say that the desserts and good service saved this restaurant for me. I hope to come back to Sociale again and try other dishes, but only when my eyes aren't bigger than my stomach or if I have table mates that can eat their own weight in food. Darn! Now that I think about it, I should have ordered the Foie Gras Ravioli...oh well, in my food dreams, I guess. read more

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Sociale is nestled off the beaten path in a quiet and posh nook of San Francisco called Laurel Heights. Who knew Laurel Heights even existed? Not me! Take Noe Valley, bump up the homes a notch, sprinkle in a few seniors here and there, and boom - you have the makings of a neighborhood I've never been to until Wednesday night. We were looking for al fresco dining around 9pm and thanks to Yelp Mobile we found it! Sociale sits in a lovely courtyard and provides a generous dollop of heat lamps to ward off the San Francisco cold. Our hostess was slow to acknowledge our existence, but it turned out okay. She helped us score a table set between two steamy heaters (so no it wasn't just my charm heating up the glassware). The meal got off to a wobbly start, my appetizer was essentially fried lettuce (mental note: don't eat cooked lettuce). Fortunately, I was less adventurous with my main course and had the rack of lamb which was excellent. The wine list offered a wide selection and had a useful half glass option as well. While I probably won't trek all the way across town for Sociale, it is certainly a nice neighborhood spot. read more

I came by for Dine about town back in June 2013. Being uninspired by their DAT menu, the roommate and I decided to order off their regular menu instead. Food: *Bread and butter http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sociale-san-francisco#2HvvzOKidUEEX6abQHpOPQ *Wagyu bavette steak ($32) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sociale-san-francisco#ll54ES1qIrSp-AsEw_nOCQ *1/2 Pappardelle with braised duck ($10.50) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sociale-san-francisco#aF7HWUtdOp45QqBxsRZY7g *Seared scallops ($13) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sociale-san-francisco#4uJ_DYsfbbALv-GCSBJs7Q *Daily pork: Pork belly with arugula and watermelon radish ($25) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sociale-san-francisco#iCOuhi81VBwlSA5OjR10Dg *Grilled asparagus ($7) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sociale-san-francisco#g0nQ-NLDkeuu9Nqn7YxvZA *Coffee and doughnuts ($9) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sociale-san-francisco#cHxH6klWM-KLX88Wbq3Lig *Espresso shake from Coffee and doughnuts http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sociale-san-francisco#wJRAQ_3o9X0e1lsAr45Xww *Doughnuts from Coffee and doughnuts http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sociale-san-francisco#i4IWEBVro89ViT19K0Vkbg Wine: *Chianti classico ($13) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sociale-san-francisco#0Hvmw9A2fTNhUY1Hr13Waw *Cabernet sauvignon ($16) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sociale-san-francisco#8vqzL35-2Fcj-LPAajAKMw My favorite dish was the scallops. Tender and plump. So good! The coffee and doughnuts are a must order as well. The doughnuts went perfectly with the shake. Yum! Service was good. The restaurant configuration is a little confusing as the restaurant seems to be split up into two different rooms. We didn't sit in the main dining room where we checked in for our reservation. We sat in the room on the left of the courtyard. At first I thought maybe we would feel neglected as there weren't very many people in the room when we got there. But the meal was nicely paced. Great neighborhood spot! read more

I loooooove being a Lady Who Lunches (or just acting like one) at Sociale. It has a very understated elegance, from the tasteful decor to the perfectly presented dishes - making the experience of eating there a delight from start to finish. The food is wonderful, but they don't take themselves too seriously - making for a special, but relaxed feeling throughout the meal. I recently had lunch at Sociale with my friend, and we were both a little worse for the wear from the night before, so uncharacteristically, we did not have any wine with lunch. However, the food was enough to restore us to the land of the living. From the moment we walked down the path and descended into the space, it already felt like an escape from our pounding headaches. I got out of my fog enough to take pics of our meal, so please check them out as you read along... We started with the Chicory Salad, which they graciously split onto 2 plates for us - so crisp, fresh and delicious - with shaved pumpkin and walnuts and cheese...just what the body needs to get the palate going. I had the special pizza of the day that had sausage and lots of tangy tomato sauce, and my friend had the paparadelle with braised duck - mine was good, hers was amazing! As a side note, one of the chef's ventures is Avedano's meat market in Bernal Heights, so you know the meat is going to be first-rate. And it is, ohhhh how it is! No glasses of wine meant room for one dessert each, so we had the Lemon Pound Cake and Chocolate Pot de Creme. Both were delicious - the Lemon Pound Cake was a baby cake with lemon glaze and chili flakes (so good against the sweet-tart taste of the lemon), and the Pot de Creme came with a pine nut cookie - a nice contrast in taste the to rich chocolate. Denise, our server, was wonderful. She had great recommendations and anticipated our needs very well. Great for a date, Mom in town, girls' lunch, or even a solitary meal with a good novel. Noise level is a nice decibel of hushed to medium. Lighting and colors are soft and flattering, and there is a nice outdoor seating area for warm days al fresco. One last thing, the upholstery fabric on the bench seats makes me smile - it's a dog standing on top of a ball. That's just the right amount of whimsy that I like - just like the dining experience, they don't hit you over the head with it, but those touches are what make you feel like you have just been somewhere personal & special. read more

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Now THIS is the perfect hide-a-way spot for those people looking for that "not in a big city" feeling. Both the inside and outside dining areas are very comfy. With the wide variety of food choices, the wait staff was very helpful in explaining the various dishes, and then kept us on track with tasty wine pairings. Top notch service. MA read more

I love the ambiance...it's hidden down a short alley way off Sacramento Street. I would have never known about it unless I was told. I love these hidden little restaurant. For me, I would only go back to Sociale for a drink and to enjoy their cute outdoor patio area. The food was just ok. I dont think it's worth the price to eat here BUT I would definitely have a pre or after dinner drink here. They have a nice selection of wine, including half bottles. I ordered the scallop and squid ink risotto which didnt impress me at all. I had to ask for extra parmesan to add flavor to it. I would have asked for salt and pepper on top of it, but I didn't want to go overboard. My friend had the PICI BOLOGNESE (Pork, veal and venison Bolognese, bechamel, roasted tomato, parmigiano-reggiano). I know it sounds amazing but I thought it was a 2 out of 5 at most. My Italian food palatte has become very high because my friend recently married an Italian from Rome who is the most amazing home cook. He makes all his pastas from scratch, etc., so it takes a lot to impress me, but their bolognese was not anything I would ever order. Because I wasn't impressed with their food in general, I insisted we go elsewhere for dessert. If the food doesn't impress, why bother with the dessert. Again, wonderful ambiance and great service. But, I'll pass on the food. read more

My boyfriend and I came here for our 3rd anniversary and everything went flawlessly here. Our waiter as well as the manager were so attentive and friendly, which contributed greatly to our dining experience. Now, the food: As with most fancier restaurants, they value quality over quantity. The price and portion is comparable to other restaurant of its kind. I ordered the Pici Bolognese and my boyfriend ordered the Wild Boar ravioli. Both had a lot of flavor and were definitely really enjoyable, but I wouldn't say it was the best food I've ever had. The dessert stood out the most for me. We got the Chocolate Oblivion cake and Rasberry Cinnamon Angel Cake? Not sure what the name is for the second one but it's along those lines. I really loved the Cinnamon cake but the Chocolate Oblivion cake was good too. Overall, I'd definitely go again. It was a fun and romantic experience/evening (: read more

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If you browse the reviews of Sociale, what stands out is "hidden gem" and "fried olives". This restaurant is indeed a hidden little treasure. At first, I thought I had the wrong address. There is a gap in the building numbers, and what's in the gap? A charming little brick alleyway that meanders down to Sociale. The outdoor patio is cozy with heaters, and the glass front inviting. There aren't many tables, and they are somewhat crammed in there. If you're dining for 2, request the table next to the glass, as it's most private. You'll only have one neighbor... but then again isn't part of the dining fun spying on what your neighbor orders? I knew after all the reviews, we'd need to try the fried olives. I wasn't sure what to expect, as I'm not a fan of fried pickles (Waterbar)... but I went for it. Actually, I ordered them for my husband in case I didn't like it! They were the bomb. Tart, sour green olives - battered & fried are just like a little cherry bomb of flavor in your mouth. They are generous with a serving of 8 - plenty to order & split. The bizarro combo really works & delivers something interesting. They're about the size of an eyeball & need to be eaten in one hot/sour/delectable bite. Mmmm Our other appetizer was merely so/so. It was the Wild Mushroom Gnudi, which the waiter described as a ricotta dumpling. It was heavy & somewhat pasty for my taste. I ate the mushrooms, which were delightful. For dinner I ordered the Pappardelle with braised duck, which was EXCELLENT. This was worth the price of admission. The duck was fall apart & tasty. It complemented the pasta ribbons, peas & shrooms like a happy mouth medley. Yes, this was a winner. he husband ordered the pasta bolognese. This was only so/so... very thick pasta noodles (too worm like for me), and the sauce was thick & very pasty. It was good, just not great. For dessert - we ordered the meyer lemon sorbet with berries. I liked this - as it was light. The blackberries were so tart, when paired with a bite of the sorbet your eyes closed in tart delight. Unfortunately, we ordered this before we saw our neighbors splitting an espresso shake & donuts. Hmmm, that was clearly a better choice for the thrill seekers. My biggest drawback was the lack of a full bar. If you read my reviews, you know I'm a complete slave to the grey-goose cosmo. I only get them when I'm out, and I was sorely disappointed not to be slurping one down with my fried olives. Their wine list however was extensive, and their sommelier was very helpful. The majority of their wines are from this place called Italy (not Napa), so we were a little lost. The service was very good, but came to a crawl as they filled up. I like this place, but didn't love it. I think if the ricotta dumpling gnudi & the bolognese had a better texture I'd up my rating with another star. read more

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Sociale is cute and quaint. However, it's somewhat difficult to find since there isn't a storefront. Look out for the sign outside as it'll lead you down a pathway into an alley. As you walk down the alley, you feel like you're in Europe. We came here to celebrate the bestie's birthday. Upon arrival, we checked in with the hostess who then showed us to our table. We were given the regular menu as well as the Dine About Town (DAT) menu. We all ordered from the regular menu as we didn't like the prefixed menu. For appetizers, we ordered: Fried Olives ($9 - 3/10) - The fried olives were breaded and stuffed with fontina cheese. The olives were okay, but EXTREMELY salty. I had to drink several cups of water just to flush out the salt. I'm an olive fan, but I thought this dish was just "meh". In reading other Yelp reviews, this dish was highly recommended, but I would disagree. Of course...everyone's taste buds are different. Baby Kale Salad ($11- 10/10) - Served with ricotta salata, tangerine, puffed quinoa & wild rice with a honey shallot vinaigrette. This salad was absolutely delicious. The puffed quinoa and wild rice give it a nice crunch and the kale was fresh. Grilled Squid (4/10) - I don't remember the price of the dish. The squid didn't have much color, it seemed it was blanched versus grilled. Also, I didn't taste this dish as it came out smelling fishy and made me feel a bit nauseous. Bone Marrow (7/10) - I don't remember the price of the dish. There were two bone marrows on the dish along with fresh figs. I didn't try this dish as I don't eat beef, but my friends enjoyed it. For our entrees, we ordered: Braised Pork Gnocchi ($19 - 7/10) - Served with black pepper and parmigiano gnocchi, frying peppers, and pine nuts. I was told by our waitress that they butcher their meat in house. I thought this dish was good, but not amazing. The gnocchi was off, but the dish itself was very tasty. Pan Roasted Branzino ($29) - Whole, bone-in branzino, preserved lemon caper oil, Sunchokes, and baby chard. I wish I took a picture of this (as well as the other dishes) as the fish was nicely roasted and plated beautifully. The capers and chard were served on the side. Also, our waitress de-boned the branzino for my friend. Steak - My bestie and another friend ordered the steak, which they said were cooked to perfection. It came with two sauces on the side, but they said the steak was flavorful on its own. The steak also came with fried potatoes and artichokes. Corn Pasta - I don't remember the name of the actual pasta dish, but one of my friend's is vegan and the restaurant was able to make this into a vegan dish for her. So if you're vegan, don't fret cause you'll be able to find something to eat at Sociale. For dessert, we ordered: Chocolate Oblivion Cake ($9 - 4/10) - This cake...err...mousse was very rich. The reason I say mousse is because it tasted like mousse (in terms of texture and physical attributes). We all didn't taste the "cake". I'm glad the mousse had sea salt and cookie crumbles on top because it helped balance out the sweetness and richness. Sfingi ($9 - 5/10) - Sicilian style fried dough, orange blossom honey, pistachios, and vanilla milkshake. This is basically a fried donut hole. The orange blossom honey was drizzled on top, but was very faint. Actually, this helped balance the chocolate oblivion cake when eaten together. The vanilla milkshake was "meh", nothing special. I think they could do without the addition of the milkshake and maybe replace it with something else. Sweet Fennel Panna Cotta (2/10) - Concept is intriguing as they wanted to make a savory dish into a dessert. I'm not fan of fennel, but gave it a try anyway. I thought it was okay as it didn't have the strong licorice taste that fennel usually has. But it was probably the least favorite of the desserts. To balance out the flavors, a tomato jam was served alongside. Service (5/10) In terms of service from our waitress, it was on point. Our waitress was very friendly, attentive, and not intrusive. She gave us plenty of time to look over the menu and answered any questions we had. However, the person who asked if we cared for drinks (not sure if he's the manager or sommelier) was extremely rude and unfriendly. He seemed annoyed that not everyone ordered drinks. Then when my friend asked him for a red wine suggestion, he gave her a half @$$ mediocre answer. He pretty much said all their wines are good, which isn't what my friend asked. They need to retrain him! This would be perfect for date night as it has a lovely romantic atmosphere. I enjoyed the food, but will probably not be going back anytime soon due to the rude service we received from the manager/sommelier. Notes: Street parking/meter parking Menu changes monthly - may not offer certain items from website menu Restroom behind curtain read more

Fairly under rated restaurant. So much so that a server from RIch Table and Chuckeats had to point it out to me. After seeing Daniel Humm and Will Guidara of Eleven Madison park talk at JCCSF, we walked over for a late dinner. After perusing the many selections it was pretty hard to decide. After much discussion, we shared: -CALAMARI MISTO Fennel, jalapenos, rucola, lemon aioli -DUCK MEATBALLS Dried cherry sugo -LAMB CASARECCE Lamb shoulder, mustard greens, ricotta salat -RACK OF LAMB English pea budino, grilled scallions, balsamic gastrique -LONG AND BAILEY FARMS PORK Locally farmed hog, butchered in-house, prepared daily -PORK BELLY RAVIOLI Whole grain mustard parmigiano cream, spinach, shallots -RHUBARB UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE Cinnamon gelato, caramel sauce -GOAT CHEESE CHEESCAKE Meyer lemon curd Everything was delicious. Flavor profiles were all spot on and the timing of the dishes was perfect. The staff are a bit formal at first but as you keep speaking they get friendlier and converse more frankly as the night goes on. The sommelier seemed a bit nervous at first but then we got to talking wine and the somm community it got more friendly too. Great place, great food. Will have to try and come for a regular non late night meal later on. 4.5 stars read more

Outstanding service and ambiance in this intimate restaurant. We had the scallops for an app, so delicate! The spot prawn linguine was refreshing and the flourless chocolate cake was everything I hoped it would be. Great spot. read more

This one is a tough call.... Sociale is located down an alley near The Magic Flute restaurant on Sacramento. (It's across the street from Spruce restaurant.) The walk down that alley was pretty cool--I never knew that this place existed as you cannot see it from the street. We decided to sit outside on this pleasant December night . The space heaters were turned on and off during dinner because they have a tendency to provide too much heat at times. Service was fine--a bit stuffy--- but fine. The famous fried olives were just ok. They present well with their perfectly breaded texture, but all you could taste were those green olives. They were stuffed with Fontina cheese but the green olive taste completely overwhelmed any other hint of something else. To me, they tasted like the olives you would get in a martini....except those aren't breaded and fried! I ordered the dungeoness crab salad as an appetizer. The salad had quite a bit of crab shell pieces in it.....not good for the teeth! The pappardelle with braised duck was the best dish of the night. It was very tasty and the pasta was cooked al dente. We all shared this plate as an appetizer too. For my main course I ordered the short ribs. They were served on a bed of polenta and diced black olives. They were too salty and the serving size was very small. The ribs were overcooked tonight. Desserts were not good. We ordered the Chocolate Oblivion Cake. It was like eating chocolate clay loaded with sea salt on top. Too dense. Too salty. One piece was ordered for 6 people to sample and no one finished it..... The blackberry sabayon was served with 3 tiny lemon bars that were so sweet that no one could finish those either, The one dessert that everyone liked was the Cinnamon Soaked Sponge Cake. It was moist, flavorful and served with creme fraiche, Sociale is a restaurant that obviously tries very hard to put out a good product. For me, it wasn't anything memorable. read more

Sociale - The braised short ribs......tiny and overcooked. - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

If you're looking for a cute getaway, this is a good spot; you walk down an alley that makes you feel a little like you're in Europe. Food was very good. My group family-styled about half the menu, my recommendations are: -white bean crostino -watermelon and burrata -rigatori all'amatriciana (nice little spice kick) -mushroom and corn risotto (delish!) -pappardelle with braised duck -polenta fries read more

I had been here a bunch of years ago for my birthday, I loved it. I went last night for an anniversary dinner (and on a Living Social coupon, paid $35 for a $70 dinner for two). The service was great, but the meal was not stellar. We ordered (and split) the following: bone marrow ($10), lasagna ($20), pork belly ($24). The bone marrow was good, but I felt like the lasagna was heated in a microwave and the noodles were way too soggy. The pork belly (which I normally love, and I know it is supposed to be fatty) but this was 94% fat, the rice (or barley, or some grain it sat on top of was better than the belly. Like I said the service was decent, they split our plates for everything without being asked, there was no rush between courses, they happily let us sit outside (where no one else was, and turned on a heat lamp.) Overall, just a disappointment. ;( read more

I came to Sociale with my gf for their DAT (Dine About Town) promotion which is still ongoing until January 30. I was a little surprised that Sociale only does 2 courses with its dine about town promotions, but I suppose the price is pretty good for the courses that you get. We got both items on the menu and shared, including a beet salad, scallops for appetizers, and beef and pork pasta for entree. I wasn't a big fan of the beet salad, but then again I'm just not really that into beet salads. The scallops were delicious and well cooked, paired perfectly with some smoked mushrooms. The beef was delicious, but the pork pasta really took the spotlight. I was a little surprised since I'm not normally a pasta person, but man this stuff was good! Their pasta shape is also a little unusual, which made eating even more interesting. They have a super cute outdoor area that's very cozy and warm. great for Sunday brunches (which I'm not sure they serve, haha ...) read more

I've been here twice. Both times I was tricked into thinking Spruce was open for lunch (because Yelp said it was open). The silver lining: discovered Sociale. It's a small restaurant located in the back of some boutiques, a hidden gem. The ambiance is nice, quiet, and clean. They serve wine and food. Tried their burger and it was juicy! It was the best thing I've tried there. Also tried their mushroom and olive flatbread. (feel free to skip this option) The olives were overwhelmingly salty and the bread was not crispy. The mushrooms were bland. read more

Excellent service and delicious food! I highly recommend the pappardelle and the calamari!

I loved Sociale on my first visit, and the second proves it wasn't a fluke. On a bland, bourgeois block, you descend off-street via a long cobblestone walkway - I'm convinced it is a wormhole that takes you to a charming village near the French-Italian border. Absolutely sit outside, even in cold (okay, maybe not rainy) weather. Everything we had was heavenly, rich in flavor but also exacting in taste, so my wild boar and date ravioli tasted not like the sauce, but like wild boar meat, in ravioli, with a date flavor. If you don't like that, that's the way they do it here, so hit up another wormhole. Appetizer: Calamari with Jalapeno - crisp, flaky, and a great kick with the jalapeno, which alone was better than with the lemon aioli. Wine: Their sommelier (or as he referred to himself, 'the wine guy') guided our relatively young looking crew to a light, inexpensive Sicilian wine. Other entrees I tried: Lobster Chitarra - perfect Brick Chicken - described by my friend with great affection as "like butter marinated in chicken," and I'd concur, but not heavy at all. The portion was sizable compared to our two pasta dishes, of which we would have liked a smidge more, but no complaints against the very reasonable prices. "Hey, cameriere, can I supersize this?" Dessert: Persimmon Pudding - The consistency is more like bread pudding, and it's nice that it wasn't too sweet. read more