Reviews

Fabulous neighborhood Italian restaurant. Personable service. Terrific food. I highly recommend. Take it from an Italian who knows.

On on near Russian Hill you can find lots of good Italian restaurants: Frescati, Milano, Seven Hills, Trattoria Contadina, Venticello, Allegro Romano and Ala Romana. Maybe I missed one or two. All are great neighborhood places with a homey feel and authentic cuisine. Amareno is less likely to be found by visitors; it is on a non-commercial street, Larkin, and not on a cable car route. Behind the big red front door are 2 rooms with high ceilings, with a quiet bar at the back. The decor is very Italian-looking, without going overboard with straw wine bottles or anything like that. Service is very friendly and natural. Most of the staff are Italian and seem to enjoy their work. The wine list is fairly priced with a good selection of Italian wines or course, and lots of wines by the glass. A Vermentino and a Barolo were both perfect. The menu lists 3 salads, about 10 small plates, a dozen pastas, all home-made, and 5 meat or fish main dishes. There are usually a nightly special or two. The pasta is authentic and delicious. Let me find a way to emphasize that: this may be the best pasta ever! My salad and my wife's carpaccio were excellent on our most recent visit, as was her baked zucchini. We skipped dessert. In summary, you won't be disappointed with any of the Italian restaurants listed at the start of this review, but I really like the ambiance, service, and especially the food at Amarena.

On a recent stay-over in SF, my wife and I wanted to try a new place (we lived in SF for several years and like to find neighborhood places). We happened upon Amarena in Russian Hill, and decided to give it a try. We found the menu very tantalizing with traditional and innovative dishes, the service was attentive, a good, affordable wine list, and the food was excellent. Valet parking makes it easy to access in a neighborhood known for scarcity of parking.

Came to this restaurant at the recommendation of the concierge at our hotel. Quaint. Authentic. Very friendly staff. Arrived early in evening - first guests - as we had our younger children with us. Very accommodating of our 6 and 8 year olds (although I definitely would not consider this to be a family restaurant per se). Average quality of by-the-glass wines (did not have the opportunity to delve deeper into the full wine list however). Celiac in our party - gluten free pasta option - thank you! Not convinced of their understanding of the importance of minimizing gluten cross contamination - despite explicit attempts at explaining. Recommend to them that they either learn more about it or communicate their understanding better when directly asked. Excellent calamari in more than one of the dishes. Would come back but would try other places before an automatic return.

Just visited there with my family of four. The staff was friendly and attentive. The vibe was small, casual, felt like a trattoria in Italy. The food was very good. I would return.

Among four dinners during a long weekend in San Francisco, our favorite meal was at a small "neighborhood" Italian restaurant in the Russian Hill area named Amarena. Our other meals were fun, spent with friends at more well known, larger places, but this experience stood out (not only because we approached it with open expectations). The food was seasonal, with little pretense and a lot of authentic character from our Italian waitress (she was the real deal).

Came here on the spur of the moment after a late afternoon sail on the bay with a group of 8 people. Got right in and thought - how good could it be if they could seat 8 promptly. Boy, were we surprised. Great sangria with a hint of cardamom. Spectacular starters! And the butternut squash ravioli was the best I ever had. The 'gang of 8' was thanking me for picking such a great and surprising restaurant. I'd go back in an 'SF Minute!

I love this place, even though there is no parking. It is great to pop in for a good glass of wine and some fabulous pasta or meat. I love their osso bucco, and their squid ink pasta. The ambience is lovely and quite romantic too.

I've eaten at Amarena several times and loved it every time. The service is friendly and helpful, and the food scrumptious. I've had boar, ossobuco, and butternut squash ravioli, all fabulous. I once had a yummy squid ink pasta dish, but sadly that had fallen off the menu on my last trip. The ambience is cozy, stylish and clean, perfect for a date. I'd definitely go back.

A wonderful, small Italian restaurant in the Russian Hill neighborhood that serves authentic and delicious meals. Everything from the appetizers, main course and desserts were delicious and freshly prepared. The service was attentive yet not to stuffy and offered just the right amount of time between courses. Not to far from Fisherman's wharf if you are looking for something that can be enjoyed by the whole family or just a quiet dinner for 2!

Lovely simple real Italian cooking in simple surroundings in a nice neighbourhood. What's not to like? Inexpensive yet you are treated like a valued customer who they want to have a nice evening. I was here with a business colleague but I'd very happily suggest this as a couple's evening out. I'll be back.

We are from Boston and have experienced excellent Italian food in our North End. Between the 4 of us we had dozens of personal dinner references from friends. We are so glad we chose Amarena!! The restaurant is located on a corner lot in a very nice residential section of the city. Tables outside were very nice but we chose to sit inside. The decor is reminiscent of an Italian bistro almost as you are sitting in a home in Tuscany. This is a family business and it shows!! The owner treated us and we were served by his cousin...and yes the are both very Italian and super nice...the menu is exactly what you would expect from an Italian restaurant and the prices were reasonable. Wine options were excellent and priced right. We had 2 excellent bottles of Italian wine and Leo was ver knowledgable on the recommendation. Our appetizers came first and set the tone for dinner..all 3 were deliciously prepared and 100% original. For dinner, I had veal and it was prepared as good as it possibly could have. The sauces were all homemade and uniquely delicious. My wife had lam chops and they were equally as tasty and well presented. Desert was average...I would probably defer to after dinner drinks over desert but overall the experience was a complete success and we would strongly recommend Amarena in the future.

Our hotel concierge recommended this restaurant as a great, neighborhood Italian trattoria frequented by locals and not overrun with tourists. He described it as a cozy, intimate place for casual dining or a romantic evening. We placed our faith in his recommendation and we were not disappointed. Truly cozy and intimate with a wonderful ambiance this bright dining spot is at the corner of Larkin and Green in a quiet residential neighborhood. We were seated at a mavelous window table in a high ceilinged room with a small bar at one end. Our personable young Italian waitress was originally from Lake Como and was very well informed about the wines on the extensive wine list as well as the offerings on the menu. I had an excellent Reisling and my wife enjoyed the exceptionally good red table wine. My son Gand I dined on veal scaloppine served with roasted potatoes and sautéed spinach and my sife enjoyed linguini with shrimp, mussels, and calamari in a spicy red wine sauce. Both were excellent and the veal dish was actually exceptional. We had salami al chocolate and Chocolate mousse for dessert and again we were very pleased with the presentation as well as the tastes. We would recommend Amarena for anyone desiring an excellent Italian dining experience in a neighborhood gem of a restaurant and we would certainly dine here agin.

This little trattoria has very good food and very good service from Paolo and his staff. It's cozy and has a nice, warm ambience. Try the buccatini, it's amazing!

Joined my newly-transplanted-to-SF friend there for dinner. What a delightfully intimate place to share a lovely meal and good reasonably priced wines. The restaurant is small (fewer than 30 tables), bustling with energy and the air is filled with Italian conversation b/w wait staff, owner/ hosts. It was a Friday night and the place was a busy mix of tourists, first-time visitors and local/repeat customers--each greeted warmly at the door and bade a friendly goodbye upon leaving. We ordered pasta, steak and seafood, and the 3 of us LOVED our meals. If you can taxi;don't drive because parking is impossible. Host helped us find parking after I called in distress as our reservation time approached and we were still circling the block. Great service, wonderfully authentic Italian food in a charming locale!!

Immediately noticeable upon entering Amarena is it's warm, cozy and inviting atmosphere. It's obviously a place where friends and families chose to gather for a delicious meal. Always interesting offerings on the menu, freshest ingredients, perfectly executed preparation, enticingly presented. And the owner, Paolo, is a most enchanting host. I come here as often as I can which isn't as often as I'd like (I live in Sacramento area). I'll be back. I love this place. BTW, a NYC restaurant also called Baldoria patented(?) the name forcing all others with same name to change. The owner selected Amarena which means cherry tree, I think.

My partner and I enjoyed a lovely evening at this quaint Italian eatery in Russian Hill. Our hotel concierge recommended the spot and we are glad he did. A small place on the corner of Larkin and Green, we enjoyed the wonderful ambiance and service. My partner ordered a lovely cucumber and tomato salad and I an arugula salad accompanied by an understated balsamic dressing. Our entrees were osso buco and polenta and a wild boar ragout over tagliatelle. Both were delicious. The service was prompt and unpretentious. Th restaurant does not have a "full bar" but does boast a manageable wine list heavily populated with Italian gems. We enjoyed a blend from Umbria which was perfect. The place is small and the tables very close together, but we didn't care. A great experience and we hope you enjoy it as well.

A wonderful neighborhood place with equally excellent food and service. The pasta is worth going a distance. I had the clams in white sauce. Still thinking about it.

We had a wonderful, romantic dinner at Amarena. When we arrived, we were the only ones there, and were a litle worried. However, within about 15 minutes (it was 7pm) it really filled up. We had a wonderful table and service was outstanding. Terrific food and atmosphere. We found this to be far less "crowded" feeling even with most tables full, than other italian restaurants in the same area - perfect for a romantic meal!

Our waitress was nice, but she insisted I try a pasta dish that happened to have red sauce rather than what I asked for, pasta with white sauce- and this was after realizing what I really wanted to try (that was listed on their website) was no longer available. The bread was okay. The olive oil had too much vinaigrette added to it- amateur status. After receiving our plates I tried to make the best of things but after a few bites I was so grossed out by the cheesiness of the place (and my food and my husband's food) that I wanted to get the hell out of there. I decide to make a trip to the RR. It's a guys/ girls RR. Trash can is packed to the top with napkins and who knows what else spilling out of it. Toilet seat is not clean... Overall, I'm disgusted to my very core by this place. But objectively speaking- the place has no thrill to it. I would not recommend the place and I would not take anyone there for ooohs and awwws.

Amarena is one of my favorite Northern Italian place in town. Reliable, good food, cozy, not pretentious, and not noisy! The service is pleasant. Paolo, the owner, is always around to chat with you and suggest the appropriate wine for your meal.

We walked by during the day, had a look at the menu and decided to go back for dinner. Nice atmosphere, good, authentic Italian food and friendly service. Pappardelle with wild boar sauce was very tasty...

Small, lovely authentic Italian restaurant....close European seating, excellent service, fabulous wine!!!! Decor is cozy, well done, casual, intimate....one of those marvelous treasures you find unexpectedly, when you step inside, out of the chill, from an old cobbled street in Florence or Cioggia....a quiet neighborhood nook.....

A very warm restaurant with good food. The appetizer of calimari was excellent. The grilled salmon was very good, the clams and pasta good. A very limited list of wines by the glass. The owner and service people were very welcoming.

Hidden gem of a place with the freshest most authentic Italian food. It's a small restaurant and gets busy so I recommend reservations. The food was amazing and the Wine list was extensive. Very satisfied.

As we entered we were instantly welcomed with a friendly smile and seated on the (slightly) lower level. This is not an elaborate fancy place, but a cozy neighborhood trattoria that you might find throughout Italy. I had the wild boar pappardelle and the cream of zucchini soup and both were very good. My wife was somewhat underwhelmed by her veal scallopini. We both had gelato with fresh strawberries, and enjoyed this with strong and delicious coffee. All in all, a very good and reasonably priced evening with attentive service.

15 minutes walking from the Stanford Court Hotel. Welcoming atmosphere. Excellent service. Good descriptions and recommendations by our waitress. Great menu. All dishes were hot and tasty. Clear attention to detail in the kitchen. Our only complaint was the noise level. Wish Amarena was in Denver as we would be regulars!

We came across Amarena when looking for places in Russian Hill in San Francisco, and the host was absolutely great, food was incredible and was the best relaxed and tasty Italian we had on our trip! It is also a walk to the main Russian Hill street with bars so we walked around and went for drink afterwards too! great atmosphere, service and a great find!

When we walk into Amarena Italian restaurant on Russian Hill in San Francisco, we feel right at home (or at least the home of an Italian friend). Very authentic Italian cuisine. Try the Osso Bucco or bucatini. Very friendly service. Nice wine list - try Zinfandelic Zinfandel. A real neighborhood gen in the heart of Russian Hill (1 block from the cable car). We will be back.

Great value, as much for the ambience as for the wonderful food. I've tried Osso Buco from Rome to New York and never had it as falling-off-the-bone. My niece's butternut squash ravioli was off the chain, and my wife's filet (beef) was better than most high-end steakhouses. All the while friendly staff and patrons easy-going and encouraging the experience. 3-year-old birthday boy at nearby table astonished that all these folks love him too! Would go again, and might before we leave SF.

our concierge sent us here and what a treat! lovely ambiance, a gem that is worth going out of the way for!! delicious food and great attention to detail...even for us vegans!! loved it, the value and best of all, the taste!

First the food was not bad. However, we had reservations here for Valentine's Dinner. We had looked over the menu and felt good about this place. Wasn't cheap, but wasn't $$$$$ either. WELL, we feel ripped off like the other couples sitting near us. First, NO MENU for this evening. You had a choice of Steak, Fish or Vegetarian. They did not show the price for dinner on the menu they gave us - or as a matter of fact - gave anyone else. It included the appetizer, main course, pasta & dessert. When we got the check we almost fainted. The bill was for $85 per person + $3 for a can of Coke. The service was not great. They did give a long stem rose to each couple. But, a $200 dinner where the food was not hot, we were hungry when we left, and we had no cocktails or wine. This was a definite case of BAIT & SWITCH. Even when we left we looked at the menu outside and nothing about the $85 per person for not great food. If the meal was fabulous, then maybe, but it was slightly adequate. IN GOOD FAITH, I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS RESTAURANT OR IT'S STAFF! I feel completely ripped off and I'm hungry and it hasn't been an hour since the meal. Very disappointing!

We went to this restaurant on the recommendation of the concierge at the Rex hotel and were very glad that we did as we enjoyed an outstanding meal there. The atmosphere is lovely and the staff very professional and helpful. The butternut squash ravioli were outstanding. We visit Italy regularly and this was on a par with the best we have had there. A super meal and very reasonable for the quality and service.

Incredible meal! I had the Papperdel with wild boar meat, apparently a recipe from Italy. The boar is stewed for hours so it is tender and then ground...incredible flavor! My husband, the veal scallopine. It was amazing! The boar was apparently cooked for hours so it was very tender and then ground. Amazing and delicious! Flavia, our waitress, was knowledgeable and fun! The tiramisu was better than any we've ever eaten! Rich, creamy...just incredible!

Our last night in San Francisco before we returned home to Australia and it hoped it would be special. It was. Great food, perfectly prepared and presented. And great staff, lovely, friendly, welcoming. If we lived here, we would come back regularly. Loved it!

Delicious food, friendly service, but best of all a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere. This was very much an accidental discovery. I was keen for Italian and hoping to eat somewhere close to Pacific Heights. I was thrilled to find Amarena. There is an authenticity to the staff and a very local feel to the restaurant. Many of the other guests were clearly from the neighborhood and some had brought their families. The home made pasta was delicious and the bruschetta was just divine!

An excellent Italian neighborhood spot that is sure to impress and will not disappoint! We went here for dinner our first night in San Francisco, and it was a great start to a wonderful week. Friendly and qualified staff, hip but approachable setting, young vibe but appealing to all ages. I'd go back!

We have always enjoyed Amarena. Recently visited with a party of 10 and everyone was impressed and delighted with the food. Pasta with wild boar sauce is outstanding and the seafood linguine was tasty, lots,of seafood, generous portion and only $18!

Pretty good with a very friendly waitstaff.

This is a busy, crowded, loud neighborhood restaurant. Our service was fair, but hardly impressive. The same with the food. We had grilled asparagus with parmesan cheese as an appetizer. It was o.k., but the asparagus was overdone. We all had the specials for entrees. My wife liked her red snapper quite a lot. Her friend and I had pork tenderloin. It was cut too thick and was a bit overdone, with the result that it was tough. We mentioned it to the server, which acted as if that is that way it goes. There are better Italian choices in San Francisco.

While visiting recently in San Francisco, we met a young couple at this restaurant--at their suggestion. It was very good and obviously appeals to older and young alike. Not many tables, so be sure to make a reservation. Russian Hill location on a corner--very convenient to cable car route. Each of us ordered something different, and every plateful was quickly consumed. Desserts excellent as well. Open only for dinner but seven nights a week. http://www.amarenarestaurant.com/index.html

Great big bowls of decadent pasta.

Small restaurant nr. North Beach side of Nob Hill. They serve really home-cooked type of Italian food; I suspect that they make their own pasta. I had the lasagna, but two in the party had squash ravioli, the pasta being a unique shape. Nice selection of wines.

We were lucky. We got reservations 2 hours before we went. All of the meals and salads were excellent. Not huge but every bite was delicious. We would definitely go back if we return to San Francisco. Within walking distance if your in Nob Hill.

I absolutely loved this restaurant in Russian Hill. The red lights in the trees outside set the stage for a romantic and wonderful evening. The people waiting outside attest to its popularity. Paulo is an amazing host and while waiting outside he brought complimentary glasses of sparkling wine to all outside. The arugula salad with pears was perfectly dressed, the polenta with mushrooms is simply amazing, and the salmon is a must. The staff were incredibly friendly with a wonderful Italian feel throughout the evening.

The food was fine, but the service was a little lacking. Our waitress tended to disappear for extended periods, and they generally seemed understaffed. The food was basic and traditionally prepared, with no real surprises among the pastas and seafood and no standouts good or bad. An ok choice.

We ate here on a Tuesday evening. Had made reservations but need not of bothered as only two other tables in use. Nice selection on menu and good choice of wines. However there was zero atmosphere in the restaurant which did not make for a nice evening. Plenty of other itialian restuarants in this area which we would visit before Amarena

I grew up with Italian immigrants so I always compare Italian restaurant food with what I had at my friends' houses. It never lives up to expectations. Amarena, however, does. A small, cozy, romantic, neighborhood Italian restaurant staffed with, as best I could tell, Italians, making food that could have rivaled that of my friends' mothers and grand-mothers when we were growning up. The staff is great, the wine is wonderful, and the prices are what they should be for good Italian food. If you need a quiet, wonderful meal, this is definitel a place you should try.

Our daughter moved to SF to work, and we went to Amarena at the last minute, choosing it because they said they had a table open. What good fortune ... I had a seafood linguini type plate (can't remember the menu name) with marinara sauce, and it's probably the best Italian dish I've ever had, anywhere, including Italy. The single unisex bathroom is a little funky, but that's the only thing I can find a fault with. Amazing looking Italian waitresses are a real bonus! Don't miss it.

Wonderful and friendly neighborhood restaurant with an amazing menu. We had a party of seven and the service was exceptional. The Manger even helped me find a parking spot. All of us thoroughly enjoyed our meals.We had difficulty hearing one another at our table because the noise level was almost unbearable. It was a little pricey but well worth it considering the quality of our meals.

Our concierge recommended this little Italian restaurant when I said I was looking for good homemade tasting Italian food and was hoping for some wild boar pappardelle. This restaurant fit our desires perfectly. Both the service and food were excellent.

We were looking for a restaurant for our first night in SF, and this one was recommended by our Concierge. He said of the three he would pick, there was only room left at Amarena. Of course, that isn't always a good sign. We arrived and were greeted enthusiastically by the owner. The restaurant is small, but cozy, and reminded us of a small trattoria or a small bistro in Europe. Its in a residential district which made it even better., The food was fantastic---especially the pasta with wild boar. The service was professional, friendly and happy all night. It was just a great place to be. IN fact, we arrived for 715 and within half an hour the restaurant was full. The owner came to our table several times to make sure everything was fine. Definitely we would return to this great restaurant.

Great food. Great service. Highly recommend it for family or couple, make sure you make a reservation though as it was full all evening. (A good sign!) Most patrons seemed to be locals as well, so not a tourist trap.

http://www.amarenarestaurant.com/ Really cute little place.  Authentic Italian place, judging from waitstaff and managers there all having accents.  Our waiter just moved from Milan last month.   It was funny, because two of us had ordered wine, but One was still looking at the menu to decide what to order.  The waiter kept coming over to take his wine order, because Italians can't believe anyone would sit at a dining table without their wine!   He was very nice, not obnoxious about it, just wanted to make sure we were happy.  (Next time, just order a freaking glass of wine!  Haha) Two of us had a very nice white wine the waiter brought us to sample. I wish I'd written down its name. We had three meals: veal, salmon, and a seafood pasta.  All were excellent. We also enjoyed their mushroom polenta app, fried calamare and seafood app, and a cream soup. The atmosphere is cozy and very nice.

This charming, cozy neighborhood gem greets you with the Italian owner and makes you feel as if you have stepped out of San Fran and into a small Italian village to join a long lost cousin for dinner! The service is quite friendly and the food delivers solid quality. Home made pastas, reasonably priced wines and an intimate but not pretentious atmosphere easily makes this a favorite place to either stop by after work, celebrate a special occasion or visit as a tourist if you seek local flavor.