Cesario's

We made reservations for my birthday dinner well beyond two weeks in advance. We arrived on time and still had to wait 45 min for a table due to their non-existent seating rules. You can't tell me I have to wait for a table and then save a table for someone with a reservation after me. Get it together. The food was fantastic! The service was good. The atmosphere was a little loud and chaotic. Overall, not a bad experience.

After several failed attempts at trying to dine here, and two reservations (one not honored due to it being the same evening), my spouse and I finally had the opportunity to eat at Cesario’s. It’s a cute spot located on a busy corner, but very, very tightly packed. It’s your typical white tablecloth Italian spot. Service was mixed, most notably with the rather curt host who felt like a scolding grandparent. Because it’s such a small spot, and because it was busy, we and several other parties waited about 15-30 minutes after our respective reservations. I get it, it’s a couple days before Xmas. Our waitress was very clearly overworked, but she took care of drinks, appetizers and dinner as quickly and efficiently as was humanly possible. Our Parmesan bread and caprese appetizers tasted delicious. My spouse had a pasta dish for dinner, whereas I opted for the NY steak. He said his was absolutely delicious, whereas mine was pretty bland; it was cooked well and the vegetable side was hearty, but it lacked any flavor. Overall, I was left wanting while dining at Cesario’s. The host felt like he was scolding everyone, and while the ambiance was tasteful and food portions good it just didn’t pack the big flavors, at least for me. Expect to wait, expect to not have the most pleasant of first introductions (at least with the elderly man), and expect to be packed in, but if you have the time and patience it’s worth checking out.

What a marvelous little gem of a restaurant. Transport back to a time when waiters take pride in service, where the atmosphere is still elegant, and the chef is enthralled to make the dishes served to you. I had the Caesar salad, dressing made just before it is served and with egg and with the anchovies-a creamy explosion of citrus and saltiness making everything right in the world. The chicken marsala was the perfect thickness and the breading just right. Pasta is al dente as expected from a fine old Italian restaurant. You won't be disappointed!

What a delicious find! I had the Conchiglie with Smoked Salmon for $26, which has salmon, seashell pasta, tomatoes, dill, and light cream. The salmon was tender and the sauce was light and flavorful. The pasta was served al dente, which worked well for the dish. Overall, it was delicious. The Cape Cod I had was heavy on the vodka, which is my preference anyway. A good deal for the $10 drink. The space is small, which gives a nice cozy feeling because of the Italian decor, including interesting shaped and extra large wine bottles. It’s a good sign a restaurant is a keeper when you already want more and it’s the same evening!

Delicious food. Owner and staff were great. Very flexible with me changing the reservation 4 times in 2 days. Ambiance is cozy. I recommend going for an early dinner around 4:30 when it's empty.

Best Italian restaurant I have ever been to! Service was quick and so so amazing! Host/hostess takes you to your table and you are served immediately. You will never run out of water since they bring it to you before you run out! The atmosphere was amazing. I loved their music, it simply just added to the experience. The food was cheaper than you would think! Especially since it was so high quality. (If you are planning to get bread appetizers know that there is free bread.)

Atmosphere is really good, while it’s quite small it is really classy and pretty inside, the food portions are small compare to the price but the quality is really really good, but if you do come make yourself a favor and order the flourless chocolate cake, it will change your life!

Despite not having a reservation, I was seated right away, which was a pleasant surprise. I ordered the truffle gnocchi, which, while lacking a strong truffle flavor, was still absolutely delicious and perfectly seasoned. The service was attentive, and the overall experience was enjoyable.

Blondie, The Wife and I decided to see Union Square Macy's all decked out for Christmas, maybe for the last time? I picked Cesarios, which is a block away, because Italian is one of the few things we can agree on. I got a 4:30 reservation for three on a Saturday night, no problem. We didn't realize how small and cozy the place is. From the outside, you just feel like going in, since it has that beckoning comfort look on a chilly night. The host, an elderly gentleman, seat d has right away, and took my wine order right away. He set the tone - polite dignity. I ordered the house red Italian, which was slightly sweet, so I handed it over to Blondie to try. They liked it, so I ordered the basic chianti to replace it, which was lovely. Both were $13 for a good pour. The bread was tender, and served with butter, which I prefer to oil. The bruschetta was piled to the ceiling with tomato. The app special was a mushroom soup, with The Wife and I shared. It was outstanding, and piping hot. For dinner I had linguine vongole, which had at least 25 clams. The wife had eggplant lasagna with a side of spaghetti. Blondie had a creamy penne dish. A tureen of Parmesan was delivered with the meals. The clams was cooked perfectly, far better than the last place I had this dish last weekend. Everyone was over the moon about their food. Desserts sounded excellent, so I had cannoli, Blandie had cheesecake, and The Wife limoncello cake. I also had coffee and port, while TW had decaf cafe au lait. We finished soooo happy with our choice of restaurant. One small note - there was a flickering overhead light, which should be replaced. Other than that, it was exactly the cozy delicious spot it appeared to be from the outside. And quite reasonable too.

What a delicious find! I had the Conchiglie with Smoked Salmon for $26, which has salmon, seashell pasta, tomatoes, dill, and light cream. The salmon was tender and the sauce was light and flavorful. The pasta was served al dente, which worked well for the dish. Overall, it was delicious. The Cape Cod I had was heavy on the vodka, which is my preference anyway. A good deal for the $10 drink. The space is small, which gives a nice cozy feeling because of the Italian decor, including interesting shaped and extra large wine bottles. It's a good sign a restaurant is a keeper when you already want more and it's the same evening!

Whenever we are in San Francisco ourselves from the East Bay or bringing friends into town, we find a reason to be conveniently near Cesario's. Curan Theater events in the afternoon always warrant an early dinner (sometimes we can still get the lunch specials). Otherwise, worth a ride-share to this quiet part of town. Atmosphere is calm and service is professional. We've loved everything. The pear salad and calamari to start. Any pasta dish but if the lobster ravoli is still available, a definite. We have to be careful not to eat too much in order to have room for dessert. This last time it was the Lemoncillo Cake and Creme Brulee (huge!).

We showed up with no reservation on December 26 with a party of six, which included two children. We were immediately seated and well taken care of by staff. ALL of our meals were excellent. I had a pasta dish with Gorgonzola which was great. I cleaned my plate, which is rare. Highly recommend Cesario's.

If you're in San Francisco, you have to try this place. We came here because it was next to our hotel but we were amazed. The restaurant looks like it's family owned. Super cute and cozy. The owner is amazing. Great service. Our table was ready in perfect timing. We arrived early so the owner told us to go next-door to the lobby of the hotel and wait. To our surprise that Hotel had a little museum. He came personally exactly at 7:45 to get us because our table was ready. Food was amazing!! Omg. Loved it!! Will be coming back! Get the carbonara !! Musttt

The salmon piccata, risotto, and sautéed spinach was truly amazing! Everything was cooked perfectly and had so much flavor.

Good, Italian restaurant with great service. We ordered the calamari, carbonara, and bolognese. The carbonara was our favorite. Both pastas weren't heavily seasoned/salted. We had to add salt and pepper to our portions (which is better than our dishes being made too salty.) The ambiance is mellow, warm, and inviting. The service is prompt and friendly. Great place in Union Square to satisfy your Italian food cravings.

We ate here before seeing a show at the Curran Theater just a few blocks away. The restaurant was outstanding. I loved the ambiance - you feel like you are in Europe. The food and service was absolutely top notch, starting with delicious warm bread. We split a Caeser salad and then both had fantastic entrees. We then split the cheesecake - which also was fantastic! When we return to San Francisco in the future, we will book a dinner again. 5 stars!

Cesarios has great service and is an intimate small restaurant. The prices are good and the food tastes great and I love their calamari - it comes with some artichokes as well. The Conchiglie pasta tastes great, but could be a tad rich so I couldn't finish it. Highly recommend!

We made a reservation but they refused to take us, saying they were overbooked. They shouldn't let that happen. Very disappointing.

Delicious cuisine in this Italian restaurant of 25 years in San Francisco. Authentic flavor and a good selection of wine. A must try for lunch or dinner in this cozy spot.

I was at the Marine's building for a show and left early. I decided I had not eaten lunch and stopped by next door to have Italian food. Cesario's has a business card that says 1998. It says Italian SF. I picked the crabcake sandwich and 3 meatballs with a Coca-Cola. I said fries and they gave me a gritty salad. Maybe potato salad. It's old-fashioned and urban. It took me 40 minutes to sit and eat.

Feels like a genuine Italian neighborhood restaurant! Great atmosphere and food. I loved the ceasar salad and gnocchi. Everyone loved the seafood stew. The linguine with marinara sauce, the meatballs and the garlic bread were a little bland, but good. Took awhile to get our meals, but we really enjoyed them and enjoyed sitting there. Can't wait to go back!

Love this place! I came here for a Valentine's Day reservation, and the service was lovely. Our server took extra time to check on us and make sure everything was to our liking. It is a smaller sized restaurant, making it an intimate experience. I got one of the Valentine's Day Specials -- Linguine pasta with clams, mussels, and shrimp. 10/10 dish. There was so much seafood, you can't even see the pasta underneath in the photo! We loved the Carpaccio so much that we got 2 orders! Can't wait to come back soon!

Excellence with great service. The food was fabulous. This restaurant was recommended to us and we in turn recommend eating here!!!!

Great pizza. Lately I've been trying different pizzas around Chattanooga. I had to stop by Cesario's. I ordered an American to go. Once I got to the establishment I noticed the exterior of the building was very sleek. Once I stepped inside, I noticed a very subtle and modern building. The staff was friendly and the pizza was even more amazing. I will definitely stop back by

This tiny little place was right next to our hotel, and after walking by it day after day we had to stop and try it out. When I say tiny, I mean TINY! We actually waited in the hotel lobby because there was no space to wait in the restaurant and the weather wasn't great for waiting outside. It initially took a little while for our meals to be served, and they did mix up one of the side options, but were more than willing to correct and bring out the additional pasta in addition to the risotto that was already plated. The salmon was delicious, as were the vegetables. The pasta was average--nothing special about it. However, dessert was where this place really stood out. The flourless chocolate cake was thick and dense and almost too fudgy. It needed something to cut it that was more than just the small dollop of cream. The limoncello marscapone cake was to die for. Excellent. We were looking up recipes before we had left the table to see if it would be possible to recreate it at home. The cake itself was more dense than your average cake and it held the lemon flavor so well. I've never had this as a cake before but look forward to trying it again. I'd return just for this cake.

White linen Italian restaurant that delivers on both food and service. The calamari was perfectly prepared and the butternut squash ravioli was excellent. The chicken marsala was also reported to be very good. Be sure to save room for dessert.

Ok food, great vibe. They were open on Xmas day. Need a reservation as they are really popular

The Italian food is to die for The seafood is excellent I had the Smoked Salmon pasta my husband had the seafood pappardelle Service was eccellemt

I finally got to Cesario's. I've wanted to go for a while because of great comments from a friend. We got to the restaurant right on time for our reservation, and we were shown to a great booth near the window. It felt like the wonderful old San Francisco restaurants, and the ambiance was lovely and upscale. Our server, Yulia, told us they were short handed, and she did a remarkable job waiting on more and more tables as people arrived. The food was truly the BEST Italian food I've had. You must try the Pear Salad and save room for Crème Brûlée for dessert...sensational. Don't miss out on an order of garlic bread! Our entrees were the salmon piccata. The salmon was perfectly cooked and topped with a terrific tangy lemon sauce and capers. I MUST go back soon. Prices were very reasonable.

Mr Alex greeted us when we came in and escorted us to our seat. Staff and service were great and friendly. The place is just a little small so you'll hear the other table's conversation haha Food was delicious. We got the pear salad, calamari, beef stroganoff, chicken Parmesan and for dessert, tiramisu and crème brûlée. Their tiramisu was on the drier side compared to other tiramisus I've had, but still good.

We were craving Italian in this place did not disappoint. The food was awesome and looked great as you can see in the accompanying photos we provided. The service was very good and the waiter was attentive. When do you think of an old-school Italian restaurant this place looked the part very nicely decorated And very clean.

Cesario's has become one of my favorite restaurants when visiting San Francisco. The garlic bread was made to perfection which made us order another round. The pasta had great flavor, portion was perfect along with the club sandwich. The waiter who was also the host, gave us such great hospitality and made sure we were well taken care of. The cocktails were really strong for a cheap price compared to other restaurants around SF. The restaurant itself has an old school look and you are able to see the chefs while they make your food. I would suggest making reservations if you're trying to go for dinner. Highly recommend you checking this place out.

Check your receipts, guys. Some tax fraud going on here in an attempt to hide junk fees.

This place is lackluster. Walked in with some girlfriends for late night dinner after work. Staff quickly seated us and they were decent. They probably could have been friendlier but I get it its late. Let's get down to business: the food. Look, to survive in San Francisco you'd think you have impeccable food right? Wrong. We ordered the carpaccio and it was drowned in cheese and cesar dressing. Never in my life have I seen carpaccio with cesar dressing on it?? I got the veal parm and it was lacking in flavor. I had to drench it in salt and pepper I swear they didn't put any seasoning on it. The lobster ravioli was surprisingly delish! Well balanced and not too rich. Unless you get the lobster ravioli, there's no reason to come here.

This place is a best kept secret! The ambiance is so quant and cozy. It gives home for the holidays vibes. Everyone is SO nice. The view of the streets is pretty cool if you're visiting the city and gives that true big city feel. The pear salad was so good! We split it and wished we would have gotten two! Ravioli was so good and my kids a sucker for fettuccine Alfredo and said it's the best ever. Overall this spot is a gem

Easy access using the parking at the Westin hotel. Terrific and attentive staff. We were greeted warmly by the owner Alex. The special of the day was similar to a mini cioppino which was perfect for us with smaller appetites. The opera music in the background adds a nice touch to the Italian villa decorations. Many consider that area of SF dicey but we have been many times with no issues and enjoy the ease of access when Union Square is not overrun with visitors.

We were passing by, around 11:30, and upon seeing the 'Lobster Ravioli' on the board advertising Today's Special, we already planned on stopping here for lunch! Well, it was 1hr. later, when we walked back and was able to find a seat by a window, right away. There were 4 people already seated and having lunch, so it was easy for us to have seats by a window, or any window I wanted! Our waiter was very prompt, attentive, and friendly to us. I knew we were walking in an expensive restaurant, when we saw the white table seating and napkin. Just to let you know, we came for the Lobster Ravioli. As we were seated, it also came with Seafood Paella, I was craving that today, to have SOMEWHERE! Hubby and I decided to have one of each, and since we usually bring home leftovers (our hotel is just blocks away). It was a great presentation, both the Lobster Ravioli and the Seafood Paella! Both were perfect portions, and there were no leftovers, that we have room for Spumoni, which we shared. Negative: Cold butter! Hard to spread on bread. Love the bread. I had 2nds! The window was opened just right, so some nice fresh breeze hit us, just as if we were in eating outside in Tuscany during spring!

I've been coming to Cesario's for over 5 years and it's one of my favorite Italian restaurants in the city. Everything in the menu is delicious and homemade. This place gets busy for dinner almost everyday, make sure to make your reservation in advanced. Perfect for date night of family dine in

I would have given this place 5 stars because the food was amazing and so was the service....until the manager asked us to leave. We are from back East and my mother had not seen her friend in SF for fifty- yes fifty- years. Half a century. We stayed a tad longer than usual, maybe 5-10 minutes. As her friend went to the restroom the manager asked us to leave because people were waiting. I used to work in the service industry for yearrrrrs. I had just paid over $400 for dinner, was giving off ALL the signals that we knew we slightly holding up a table (for a whopping 5-10 mins) and were about to leave. I had CC book signed and moved to edge of table, they knew we were about to leave. They didn't give us 5 minutes after we finished desert and as my mother's friend was trying to use the restroom, that's when they asked. We literally were going to leave the second she returned. So in essence you can't even go to the bathroom there without worried about being hassled to leave. Don't give these people your money, that's disgraceful. And not how you treat customers. I know SF rent isn't cheap but neither was that bill.

I have probably walked by Cesario's a gazillion times when I'm visiting. Luckily, this evening my parents wanted to go here because my mom had the linquine and clams and wanted it again. Friendly greeting when we walked in, great inviting vibe! I ordered the chicken marsala with penne and vegetables. Of course I was expecting a cream sauce but it was sauted and so good! The penne was mixed with marinara and I would've been fine if it was tossed in that marsala sauce! My mom got her clams and then complained she had to work for her food...LOL! My dad went a little healthy with the delicious eggplant parmasean. Everything came out in a timely manner! I ordered the limoncello cake to share and a glass of porto. I also had the house chianti with dinner. Prices are reasonable and the service was great! Our server Emma was friendly and took great care of my parents and I. The only complaint, and it's minor, is that some of the customers like to stare or were they looking out the window, it was just a little weird. Other than that, a great place to come to!

Cesario's can not be trusted! We had dinner on Saturday evening, and when I just happened to check my credit card charges on Sunday I WAS CHARGED 3 TIMES for the same meal. Additionally, when I talked to the owner, Alex, there was NO APOLOGY, and he told me to call his credit card processing company (NO NAME) and talk to Jeff!!! The food is not worth this hassle and aggravation!!!! There are far better options! Check your wallet when you leave this restaurant!!!!!!!!! One star only because I had to add a rating to get this posted.

We arrived to San Fran for the weekend and my party was in the mood for some Italian food. We were staying not far from this place so we decided to take a stroll since it was walking distance. The restaurant has decent reviews but I really liked how the food looked and was presented, plus the place looked like a wonderful mom and pop shop so I lead my family to Cesario's and I'm glad I did. The eatery sits right on the corner so it's easy to find. We were promptly greeted and promptly seated. It was quite a busy night, but service and quality was still excellent. It was difficult to chose what I was going to have for dinner because several things sounded amazing. I went for the Linguini carbonara and it was a party in my mouth. It was great. I could taste bacon in ever bite while not being over consumed with a saucy mess. My family equally enjoyed each of their entrees and raved about how great their experience was. Definitely a re-visit when I'm in San Francisco again. I can't wait!!

I think I found my go-to italian takeout place. I see this place pretty packed during dinner time so wanted to try via ubereats. Don't get me wrong, If anyone ever got a chance to try Gypsy's in Berkeley, Its my favorite Italian restaurant and yeah I know pasta snobs will hate me. But I like saucy, creamy pasta, which probably isnt so authentic Italian. Ive tried to take out from a lot of pasta places in the city, but either pasta comes overcooked, or not enough sauce or lacks in flavor in a tiny little takeout box. Im glad I tried Cesario and I will be a regular. Linguine Carbonara is my favorite, saucy and flavorful. Pancetta linguine had the distinctive pork taste, which Im not a big fan of but I guess thats how pancetta's supposed to be.

We fell in love with this restaurant! Just a reminder you definitely want to get reservations! It's a very small restaurant that has excellent food!

We kind of stumbled on this corner family restaurant because our hotel was close by. What a happy accident! Service was top notch. Food was excellent. The pear salad: amazing--I asked what made the dressing so special: champagne. Chicken Marsala. Oh that sauce. Save bread for it, you won't want to waste a drop. We didn't want to leave, so we ordered lemon cake for dessert. It was delicate but tasty and satisfying with mint tea. The ambiance was perfect. Faintly, in the distance you could hear opera (Italian of course: Pavarotti when we first arrived)-- conversation was totally unfettered--a unique experience these days. Why do restaurants think loud music makes food taste better? We loved our experience. Delicious food, great staff, fair prices. I would say it was' très romantique'.

This is a tiny restaurant, so be sure to have a reservation. It's located a few blocks away from Union Square. Service was very slow and they do not have a liquor license. The food was very good and that's honestly what matters at the end of the day. Soup of the day, Clam Chowder $10 - This was very good Herbed Garlic & Parmesan Bread $9 - Good, but not worth the money. They give you complimentary bread but it isn't warm Calamari Fritti $17 - This was good calamari. We all enjoyed this. Crab Cakes $18 - These were really disappointing and we wouldn't order them again. They really lacked flavor. Linguine Carbonara $22 - This was by far the best of all of the entrees. They make a fantastic carbonara and I would order this over and over again. Veal Parmesan $30 - Good but nothing amazing Lamb Shank $31 - Good and melted in your mouth Side of Polenta $10 - This was a nice side. The texture was good.

Great neighborhood gem. Good food and service. Nice hometown Italian feel. Cozy and not too busy.

Just had dinner there the other night. Food, service, atmosphere were all outstanding! I had the pasta carbonara (first time trying it) and the linguini was perfecto! Will come again the next time I'm in town.

This tiny place was fantastic! My mom and I didn't get anything to drink, but their wine list looked fairly reasonable for city pricing. We ordered the Carpaccio to start which was delicious and one of our favorite appetizers. We shared the truffle gnocchi(decadent, comforting, and creamy!) and the pomodoro. YUM!!

I'm writing this a couple weeks after our delightful experience Dining at this small treasure. We were staying next-door at Marines Memorial and made Early 530 P reservation. Our greeter was cordial and gave us a lovely booth with nice view of passersby. We absolutely loved the intimacy, The decor, cleanliness and friendly, helpful manners of all employees. I believe our waitress was Laura and I'm gonna try and look it up. I think our jovial questions through her off a bit as she seemed somewhat shy. But she could tell we were just really, really enjoying ourselves I recall the Carbonara, especially. Two of the four of us had never had it before and just found it mouthwatering. The other two said there's usually not any cream in it, but this appeared to have a bit of creamy sauce. We only finished half wanting to save room for, beautiful desserts. We all loved the Caesar salad. And shows for dessert the lemon cello, mascarpone cake and flourless chocolate cake to share. Both were exquisite. I've had flourless chocolate cake that was a little moister, and perhaps a bit sweeter. I actually preferred this, enjoying the less sweet and strongly cocoa flavor coming through. The limoncello cake was like a trip to Italy for me. We will go back in a heartbeat. Oh, and espresso with dessert topped it off nicely.

Tried this place with friends and noticed on the receipt they are padding the tax amount by 2%!! If there is a junk fee, it cannot be just lumped into the tax ! Buyer beware!

This Italian restaurant is a must try. The restaurant has an old world vibe in an intimate setting. We admired the classical table setting of glass. Window views were romantic. The service was warm and welcoming. We ordered the NY steak strip fettuccine and the lobster ravioli. Both items were delicious. Location is minutes away from Union Square. We will definitely come back again to visit.

Great food, cosy atmosphere, and awesome service. Eve, a long time wait staff is always swift and friendly!

Ambiance is really great. Worth a visit. As an Italian the food was only so-so, thus the loss of a few stars. The lasagna is not flavored to my taste, lacking the rich spices and tones of true Italy. But the beer was good

The ambiance is a not bad but a little dated. It is small but cozy. I have walked by this place for many years and finally decided to go in. I was with 2 friends and we were seated immediately. The server was not the friendliest but we were not worried about it. He mentioned the specials going on and it was seafood and pasta so we decided to try it. Unfortunately , the food looked better than it tasted. The crab cakes tasted as if it was just taken out the microwave. Not worth it at all. We ordered the fruitti Di Mare had a decent amount of seafood and we hoped it would make up for the bad crab cakes but it didn't sadly it lacked flavor and was very bland. We also ordered another seafood dish over risotto and it just as bad. The risotto was very hard. We did not finish any of the dishes nor did we want to bring it with us. When the server came to check on us and seen all the food we had he asked to pack it for us. We told him it was ok but he came back with containers anyways. He literally picked up our utensil and dumped it all in the tray. I wish he would of either let us do it or would of done it discreetly in the back. On a positive note we had the pear salad and it was soo good.

Excellent service both times we have visited. Please be aware and keep in mind that the place is TINY! Not much room between tables and often during peak dinner rush you may be seated directly next to another party! We reserved a spot on Open Table which works very well as we were seated right away both times we arrived. Loved it! Within walking distance of Union Square too

Food and service were good. We loved the atmosphere of the restaurant, and our waitress was very attentive! I had the seafood pappardelle pasta and it was really good. However the chicken dishes others ordered were a bit over cooked.