This historical SF seafood spot is a must try if you're in the area! Heads up this is located in the heart of North Beach, so parking is extremely limited. Try to come here via public transportation if possible--there's a muni bus stop just a few blocks away. Otherwise you might be circling for a street parking spot for a bit! The inside is very cozy with a bar. It's not a huge space, so reservations are a must to avoid long wait times. This place always draws a crowd. We were seated outside and ordered a variety of dishes for our table to share. Everything tasted incredible. Fresh and bursting with flavor. The Cioppino was the star of the show, of course ($58). A huge bowl filled to the brink with seafood and steaming red broth. We also got the lobster ravioli ($32) that was in a delivious tomato cream sauce and fettuccine with Bay Scallops ($31) that was tender and cooked to perfection. This is a must when visiting SF and worth the price point! read more

Best of the Best Cioppino we had! Wait was about 2 hrs, but it was way worth it. Paid $30 parking fee, right across the street from the restaurant. Everyone was so polite even though they were super busy. We ordered Smoked Salmon as an appetizer and it was also delicious, no smell of fish or after taste at all. It tasted way better with the Sourdough Bread together with Smoked Salmon and also with Cioppino. It's a must go place if you are visiting and in town for Cioppino. read more

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Recently visited Sotto mare to experience a little bit of San Francisco as it should be... funky, gritty and filled with seafood. After a few jogs around the block I promptly secured a parking spot and made my way down the block.. as I approached the façade I could see patrons and of course a golden dog of some sort tied at the front door.. asked for a seat.. hostess inside or outside? "Inside" as I like the vibe in there... only open seat is at the bar, which was looking kinda spirited to say the least... "outside" Now I'm seated right in front of the door to the building .. water, sourdough and butter, yes! Seafood pasta, a bowl of clam chowder certainly... everyone around me of course getting Cioppino. Huge bowls of steaming red broth and assorted seafood all around. Every dish 40-60 bucks sans the fifteen dollar bowl of clam chowder. Food comes out everything delicious, authentic, expensive. Shift change, a new waitress hits the patio and all of the sudden she picks a fight with the dog owner "you got to move that dog" They exchange some heated sentiments. That's my cue to blow this popsicle stand! Check please! All and all food was on point. Service somewhat wild and combative. Seemed appropriate.. my pasta, clams, muscles, prawns, etc... very good. Clam chowder as you would expect creamy chewy and flavorful. Recommend for those willing to over pay for a genuine SF evening. read more

Special seafood restaurant in North Beach ..with my family..tasty classics ..seafood stew and clam linguini..chowder ..fun read more

Sotto Mare - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This place was on my go to list when I was in San Francisco! I love the cioppino here, the soup was flavorful and they give you tons of seafood! I highly recommend getting that dish, it can feed up to 3-4 people! The pasta dishes were good and I love the mussels as well. Everything was great! The service was great. We came right when it opened and was able to get a table right away! read more

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Really great first experience here! There was about an hour wait since it was dinner time, but we got on the waiting list pretty quickly and the staff was really nice and professional. One of the front-of-house staff members especially went above and beyond to help us, which I really appreciated. I loved the décor and the overall atmosphere it had a really nice vibe. The food was also really good! I had the lobster ravioli and it was honestly one of the best I've had. The ravioli was soft and cooked perfectly, and the sauce was super creamy, buttery, and flavorful. Overall, I had a great time here and would definitely come back. Definitely recommend checking this place out! read more

Sotto Mare - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

I made a reservation for 6 people and ended up changing it to 8 a few days later and they were very accommodating. The entire party needs to be present before being seated. We were seated outside, it was comfortable and spacious for a group of 8. We ordered 2x of the main dishes for the whole table to share and it was just the perfect amount of food. Started off with the oyster shooters, it was so yummy we immediately ordered a 2nd round. The ciopinno is still one of the best in the city, something especially comforting about having a warm bowl of soup while sitting outside. The pesto linguine is always a hit. It was my first time trying the seafood pasta with white sauce. The seafood here is always fresh. Cant wait to come again! read more

Sotto Mare - Ciopinno, pesto linguine - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My friend and I were excited to eat at this historical SF seafood restaurant. It's easy to get to via Muni, but parking can be quite limited depending on the time of day. We had been on a seafood stew kick and had our eye on the cioppino. The waiter brought over slices of bread and butter, and we munched on the carbs before finalizing our order. The cioppino arrived in a large deep bowl. It wasn't piping hot, but it did seem filled with much seafood. I noted pieces of shrimp, barely smashed crab leg, clams, mussels, tiny scallops, bits of octopus, and penne pasta. The stew seemed a bit light in flavor, we noted that it tasted like minestrone with pieces of seafood. I didn't have any favorite parts of the dish, they tasted basic and fine, except for the tiny shrimp. There was a strange chemical flavor that I couldn't quite put my finger on, I'd compare it to a light soap or cleaner. I ate a few pieces of that and it consistently tasted off, but I continued eating until I was full. It took awhile to wrap up our dining adventure, since the restaurant got busier in the mid-afternoon. After a couple of hours, I noticed an acidic queasy feeling in my stomach that necessitated several trips to the restroom. I found out my friend also thought the small shrimp tasted odd, and we had to cancel the evening's excursions to rest. I felt queasy for several hours more and regretted acquiring food poisoning from this meal. I wouldn't have expected a seafood stew to throw off my stomach for hours. There are other higher quality fish stews within San Francisco, but if you choose to come here for that, gird your loins just in case. With the low seafood quality alongside the exorbitant cost, I wonder if it's more known for being a tourist trap versus a local's food hangout. read more

Wow wow wow! This was one of the best meals from my nor cal trip. Kept it simple with wine, oysters (2 bucks a pop! Great pricing) and the star of the show, Cioppino! The broth was soooooo flavorful and rich and filled with so much seafood... highlight was the quality of the crab. read more

Sotto Mare - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I love Sotto Mare. We came 3ish years ago for the clams and 3 years later I'm still loving the clams! Whenever I'm in the area I will make the effort to eat here! The service is fast and efficient~ the shop is small so where they can sit us is where I will eat lol I think we ate 20 clams and 6 west coast 4 east coast oysters (to us east coast did taste better, they were bigger and sweeter) read more

Sotto Mare - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Great customer service, great food, great vices! A very busy restaurant because it's that good! It can get a bit loud because it's tight inside the restaurant but they do have outdoor seating. 10/10 East Coast oysters. I tell my partner that the smaller the oyster the better the taste. The red sauce they provide with the oysters make it better. Beautiful taste without the sauce also! 7/10 Lobster Ravioli. They give you a huge plate with large raviolis. Cooked perfectly! The star flavor is obviously lobster but I wish there was something else that heighten the flavor. My partner did say that it was hard to distinguish between the pasta and the lobster. We came 30 min before closing (I know I'm sorry) but when we asked for a table, they were unsure but advised us to check in again at 8:50. We hung out at the bar next door -- and honestly the whole block was a vibe because everyone was out! read more

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Finally made it to this institutional SF restaurant after over nine years living here. They don't take reservations, but you can arrive at the door and book one for later in the day. It's very busy so I recommend arriving early if you want to be sat right away. We wanted to sit outside because it was a beautiful day so we put our name down to come back in an hour and went to a nearby bar for drinks. - clam chowder - solid clam chowder and something nice to start with, but was maybe the weakest thing we ordered. Not necessary. - clam pasta - wonderfully cooked clams, but I did think the pasta itself could use a bit more salt - seafood risotto - assorted seafood, cooked with rice. Personally, I felt like it was a bit salty, but the seafood was very perfectly cooked. - cioppino - you're basically see this on every table. It serves two people. Loaded with seafood as well as some penne. Robust flavor with plenty of bread to enjoy the sauce with. Seafood was cooked exceptionally well. Crab was pre-cracked so it was easy to eat. Overall, a really solid experience. There's a reason so many people like it. I felt like they were both tourists and locals visiting. I personally don't think I need to go back, but I would definitely take someone who is visiting here. read more

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Sotto Mare was the choice for dinner with two friends who had never been there before and really wanted to try it. We made a reservation, but when we arrived, there was a minor mix-up, so we had to wait a bit. To their credit, the staff acknowledged the mistake and did their best to seat us as quickly as possible. We chose to sit outside, which made the wait a little easier. By the time we were seated, we were definitely hungry, so we started with a bottle of white wine to relax a bit. Our server, a very friendly lady with a great sense of humor, recommended the Fiano from Orsi Family Vineyards in Sonoma, and it turned out to be an excellent choice. We skipped appetizers and went straight for the main event. The four of us shared the cioppino, sea scallop sauté, and linguine with seafood, which our server also recommended. All three dishes were flavorful, well prepared, and more than enough for the table. Between the good food, the wine, and joking around with our server throughout the evening, we ended up having a really enjoyable dinner and a great overall experience. read more

Sotto Mare - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

It was worth the wait to sit outside because indoors was too hot, stuffy and cramp. Do make a reservation if you have a big group. Came here for the cioppino and will come back again. Just be ready for that acid reflux! read more

Sotto Mare - The "Best Damn Crab Cioppino" - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

I had an absolutely wonderful lunch at Sotto Mare in North Beach. I started with a crisp glass of Pinot Grigio, followed by warm bread with beautiful virgin olive oil and a cup of rich, comforting clam chowder. My seafood linguine in a creamy sauce was outstanding--fresh, generous seafood, perfectly cooked pasta, and a sauce that was flavorful without being too heavy. Every part of the meal was excellent, from the quality of the food to the welcoming, classic San Francisco atmosphere. Five stars all around. Sotto Mare is a North Beach gem and a place I will gladly return to. read more

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Mama mía! Some times you can experience heaven on earth, and this was one of those moments. The moment the smoked salmon dish was brought in front of me, i felt an eternal presence; it was me, my beautiful friend, and this plate to share. Nothing else freaking mattered. read more

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The food was incredibly flavourful, perfect portions and fresh ingredients which is obviously key in a seafood restaurant. The service was fast and friendly and we did not have to wait very long to be served which was nice. The restaurant is a long hall shape so it can be tight and intimate but that's SF so no surprise there. Decor was fun, very coastal and Italian. Definitely would go back to try their signature dishes next time as well! read more

Sotto Mare - Bay Shrimp Cocktail - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The cioppino truly is the greatest around and the portion is more than enough for two people!!! The west coast oysters tasted fresh and creamy!! So good!! The smoked salmon with fettuccine was very rich and decadent. Incredible first few bites! Eventually, the smoked salmon became too powerful... The pasta itself was very good so I ended up separating some excess salmon away from my pasta. The ratio the plate comes with by default needs some refinement but at least it wasn't terribly hard to adjust myself. My husband and I very much enjoyed eating here! We will be coming back to devour more cioppino!! read more

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Great food and service... as usual. Nice outdoor seating for larger (more than 4 people) groups. read more

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One of my all time fav spots in the city! Was super lucky to get a reservation for 8 the evening of, and was seated in the basement area which is always super cozy. Food highlights: - West coast oysters - Seafood cioppino (meant to serve 2, absolute must-try!) - Sea scallop saute (might be my personal favorite but I am partial to scallops) - Linguine with white sauce and seafood - Bread on the house :) read more

Sotto Mare - West coast oysters - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We sat by the bar watching the chefs and what a fun experience! The decor is really nice. The wait was about half an hour when we walked up on Saturday at 5:30pm. The cioppino was huge, more than enough for two people (considering my mom and I don't eat that much). But I didn't like that the clam and mussels had a bit of sand. Clam chowder was amazing if you like clam in every bite. read more

Sotto Mare - The "Best Damn Crab Cioppino" - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My husband and I have been wanting to try their world famous ciopinno. We went on a Thursday around 2:30 and got seated right away! The restaurant is small but cozy. We ordered the ciopinno and house salad. We were given some lovely fresh bread and butter while we waited! Our house salad came out pretty quick and we were disappointed. The salad consisted of only shredded iceberg lettuce and 4 tomato quarters. The dressing was a thousand island one. It was a very simple salad and I was hoping for more variety. It certainly is not worth the $7. The ciopinno was the star of the show and arrive in a big bowl steaming hot! We loved all the seafood including oysters, clams, squid, crab, shrimp, and scallops! The tomato broth was so comforting and had a nice garlic flavor. I really enjoyed this dish and loved dipping my bread into the broth. Yum! All in all, Sotte Mare makes great ciopinno but their house salad is a miss for me next time! read more

Sotto Mare - The "Best Damn Crab Cioppino" - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

We ordered the clam chowder, seafood risotto, pasta, and cioppino at Sotto Mare. The seafood seemed fresh and the flavors were good. One critique was the overcooked pasta. read more

Sotto Mare - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place is a must try! It's a little hole in the wall that is always full! The locals recommended it so much, so we had to try it. It was so yummy! We ordered the most popular dish and it was 100% shareable. It was the only dish we had and we were stuffed! Very well priced, and we left very happy. read more

Idk why I haven't written a review yet, but Sotto Mare is a MUST TRY when in SF! My bf first took me here for one of our first dates to try their supposed "BEST DAMN CIOPPINO" and safe to say it lives up to the hype :) Been coming here since 2019 and we always bring friends and family visiting here to try it! They say it feeds 2, but we've always been a group of 4 to eat it and are pretty content with the serving size. Each person in a group of 4 can probably have 2 bowls each! I guess the only gripe for the cioppino is the shrimp, a bit chewy and rubbery, but all a side we've had a couple of their pastas and everything hit the spot! We're not huge risotto fans, but their risotto is tasty and isn't super mushy like every risotto we've had. Parking can be tough during prime eating times. read more

Sotto Mare - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place bills itself as having the best cioppino you've ever had, and it was literally the best cioppino I've ever had (and I order cioppino a lot and even make my own!). Tucked into a row of tiny restaurants on a bustling street in Little Italy, I felt I was stepping into a restaurant in NYC. There's a long counter in the narrow space and a row of two-tops that servers can barely squeeze through until you get toward the back where there are a few four-top tables. The menu is only a single page, but I can't imagine you'd go wrong with any selection. In addition to the cioppino, we ordered the pasta diavalo with half of a crab and it was also delicious. Note: you do need to crack the crab yourself which is a little messy, but the portions were large and the crab was already notched so it wasn't difficult. We all ordered wine-- I tried the chianti for $12/glass and, omg, what a pour! Nothing to complain about there either. This is not a place where you're going to have an intimate conversation, but if you're looking for an energetic vibe, excellent seafood, pasta, and cioppino, and good service, you will not be disappointed. Make a reservation though! When we arrived for our reservation, they were quoting a 1 hour wait. read more

Food is perfect, my lobster raviolis were unbelievably delicious! But there is one thing - they don't have electronic checks and they do it by pen on "check" - also be ready that service charge is already included and it's unreadable sometimes as well. BUT it's still one of the best seafood restaurant of SF read more

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Lunch time during spring/summer has the best vibes to enjoy the outdoor seating. My party of five came in a little after 11:30 so there was no wait. We ordered the crab cioppino, mussels & clams combo, risotto with seafood, and fettuccine with smoked salmon. This was more than enough food for five people plus there was complementary bread and butter that we got two baskets of. Our waitress was very nice and the food came out quite quickly. My favorite dish had to be the risotto, this came with mussels and calamari today (though it may differ as on the menu it says chef's choice). Our total before tax and tip was $161. The bathrooms had 3 stalls and were nice & clean. read more

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LENT 2026: FRIDAY THE 13TH - LUCKY CIOPPINO The first time I ate cioppino was four years ago during Lent on a Friday. The seafood of crab, mussels, and shrimp were delicious, but the broth was salty as a gout attack. I thought all cioppino tasted this. How did the Italians in San Francisco during the late 1800s survive eating this dish? I wanted eat at Sotto Mare for a while as I bookmarked this place. On Friday the 13th I worked in the office in San Francisco. At the last minute I decided to eat here at lunch for Lent Friday. Coming to Sotto Mare on Lent Friday was to "kill two birds with one stone". As Sotto Mare is known for the cioppino there was no other dishes to consider. The concern I had was the menu stated the cioppino was good for two people. So I decided not to get any appetizers. However my biggest weakness is bread. At Sotto Mare the crusty bread was served with butter. When the cioppino arrived I can see why this dish was good for two people. The bowl wasn't skimpy of seafood and broth. The seafood consisted of dungeness crab, clams, and mussels. I like there were only three types of shellfish. Too many types of seafood would overpower the broth instead of enhance. The broth was savory but most of all not salty. With the abundance of seafood and broth I choose to finish all the seafood. With the broth I dipped the bread in it. Is the cioppino served at Sotto Mare the best I ever had? I only had two cioppinos in my life. The cioppino I ate at Sotto Mare that Friday was better than the first one I ate four years ago. So if you have to eat fish on Fridays during Lent make an excuse for yourself to have cioppino at Sotto Mare. read more

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Came to Sotto Mare for a birthday celebration and here are my thoughts: FOOD: Cioppino (8/10): The broth was mildly bland and a bit more watery than we expected, especially considering all the hype. I wouldn't call it the best cioppino I've ever had, since I've definitely had better, but I did enjoy the seafood in the dish. The portion was very generous and could easily feed two people. Surprisingly, it tasted even better as leftovers the next day, after the flavors had more time to develop. I'd honestly recommend getting it to-go and eating it the next day if you can. You'll also avoid the 2-3 hour wait if you don't have a reservation. Scallop Sauté (10/10): DELICIOUS! The scallops were perfectly cooked, and the garlic sauce was rich, flavorful, and packed with flavor. I'd definitely come back just for this dish! East Coast oysters (9/10): definitely tasted sweeter than the West coast. West coast oysters (10/10): Had a creamier texture which I really liked, but both oysters were delicious with the cocktail sauce and Tabasco that came with it. SERVICE: Definitely make a reservation for groups of 3 or more to avoid a long wait. The staff could be a bit quicker with seating guests, but the service was good overall. AMBIANCE: The restaurant had a fun NY like vibes and was surrounded by lots of other food places that are worth trying. Guests can sit indoors or outside. We were seated indoors in front of the chefs which was a bit hot but still fun to watch them cook. Overall, Sotto Mare was a fun place to celebrate a birthday. I probably wouldn't return specifically for the cioppino, but I'd definitely come back to try some of their other seafood dishes. read more

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Sotto Mare is one of those places you really want to love. The neighborhood is quaint and cute, and the old-school vibe is exactly what you want for a cozy Italian seafood night. They advertise the best cioppino in town, but I've had better. The broth had good flavor, but the seafood tasted dry and noticeably fishy. The crab diavolo also had very little actual crab meat. For a seafood spot, freshness is the whole point. The seating really took away from the experience. We three were put at a tiny two-person table right by the entrance on a slope and they squeezed in an extra chair, so our plates barely fit. We spent the entire meal playing Tetris with dishes just to have space. Meanwhile, a group with the same number of people who arrived after us was seated at a much larger, flat table even though both tables were open when we arrived. Great location, disappointing seafood. read more

Sotto Mare - Whole Crab Diavolo Over Linguine, Risotto with Seafood, The "Best Damn Crab Cioppino" - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Wow. Simply. Wow. Probably one of the best Italian places I've ever been to. Service was good. Seating was tight. But vibes were excellent. Felt like you were in the best restaurant in town. We ordered the Cioppino for two and it was plenty. Tons of seafood. And unlimited bread to soak up all the flavorful goodness. read more

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Delicious seafood restaurant! The cioppino had excellent flavor and dunking the complementary sourdough bread in it made it even better. Seafood was fresh and the portion is definitely enough for two or 3. The linguini was cooked well, but I definitely preferred the linguini in tomato sauce over the olive oil and garlic. The oysters were so fresh I could have eaten a whole dozen by myself. Service was very fast for a busy Sunday night. I know it's a seafood restaurant, but I do wish they had some non seafood protein on the menu for those that can't eat or don't like seafood. I also wish they had dessert, though we didn't have a problem going down the street to the bakery to pick up some local Italian pastries. read more

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Vibrant, crowded and fun dining room and outdoor seating, delectable fresh seafood with friendly, fast and excellent service by Melissa and teammates. We love this North Beach gem! read more

Sotto Mare - Boston Clam Chowder - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I was taken here by some locals who said it was an institution, so I was looking forward to checking it out. Ambiance is fun and casual, waitstaff is great. The seafood itself is so fresh and delicious, I just didn't love what surrounded the seafood. Risotto was forgettable, linguine was fine. Clam chowder was OK, needed some salt. The cioppino was tasty and great for sharing. Is it worth it to come and wait just for the cioppino? I wouldn't say so. Glad I got to try it though! Definitely a fun dinner with great service, just not the best meal in my opinion. If I were to come back, I would just get the cioppino and the bread and call it a day. read more

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We went here for a late lunch yesterday. The staff, food, prices, and sitting outside created a great dining experience. The sea scallop and shrimp combo was fabulous. The petrale sole portion was humongous and prepared expertly. Wine by the glass was well priced and quite ample. We need to go back. read more

Sotto Mare - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Must try if you are at the SF VERY VERY RECOMMEND I'm not the seafood person but I had the very good time with this place. Must try this place read more

Sotto Mare - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Sotto Mare reminds me that good restaurateurs are alive and well. Inside this galley shaped eatery the best cioppino for the most astonishing price awaits. For $55, two will easily be stuffed by a resounding tomato broth stuffed with shell-cracked crab, shrimp, bay scallops, mussels, octopus, and penne pasta!? It is seriously my new go-to SF recommendation. There is indoor and outdoor seating, no reservations for parties of 2. We placed our name at got a buzzer. The service is effective and impressive in the tight indoor space. I loved our seats at the bar. Do yourself a favor and order a bunch of fresh west coast oysters. I can't wait to come back. read more

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Sotto de Mar was the perfect Italian night out with my family! The pasta was incredible and the flavors were amazing. Cozy spot with delicious food, can't wait to return! read more

Sotto Mare - Linguine with Seafood - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

I stopped by on a Sunday morning, right after they opened. I got a seat right away. Lobster Ravioli in rose sauce was my absolute favorite here. To be more precise, the rose sauce is what I loved the most. It was delicious. I dipped the complimentary bread and finished the bread. Even managed to pack some to home. Cioppino was my other dish and that was absolutely delicious as well. Quantity was huge. It was mentioned, this was enough for 2 people. I think it was good for 3 people. Soup was delicious. Breaking crab took some time and effort. read more

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