The Sausage Factory

3.5 star actually The food at Sausage Factory is a bit of a mixed bag. The mussels were on the smaller side and the overall meal felt fairly average. That said, the pasta was quite good—definitely the highlight of the evening—and the garlic bread was decent, though nothing special. I’m curious enough to return and give their pizza a try next time. Hopefully, it lives up to the hype.

By invitation for my birthday and also my daughter's whose birthday is the same month and day, we attended The Sausage Factory in San Francisco. I ordered the Veal Milanese, and my daughter ordered the baked meat ravioli. My brother and partner ordered pasta. We all finished all our plates. Food was extremely delicious along with the crème caramel, which was topped with a raspberry sauce. Beautiful setting. Awesome, attentive service. See photos.

The Sausage Factory, another Castro institution, no you don't come here for a fine dining experience but for your mom and pop home cooked Italian food experience. The setting is rustic, it could be anyone's grandparents home and it works. It's welcoming, the staff is friendly and chatty and the food, did I say it's comfort Italian food. So you will get a bit more cheese than your doctor ordered and you will have a few more slices of bread and yes the portions are rather large. But all that aside, you step inside on a cool night with your friends and enjoy a glass of wine and some good laughter and your plate is loaded up.... You will walk out a happy person. And it won't break your wallet either. Enjoy

Great place. The host and waitress were awesome. The food was very good. A little too much sauce on my pasta amatriciana, but that is my personal preference. This place has great a ambiance and great food.

I have been coming to the Sausage Factory for decades. They make the kind of Italian American food I grew up on. The staff are always friendly and attentive. The food is delicious, and the portions are quite generous. They have a decent selection of wines too, which I appreciate. There's nothing better than a pasta dish with red wine. Usually I eat here with a friend or small group, but a few times when I appeared with a whole gang of people (and no reservation) they have always made room for us. They have a HUGE banquet hall in the back. Great food. Great folks. Charming vintage vibes.

Gorgeous little stand alone eatery in the Castro. I was in San Francisco on business and I walked past and instantly loved the old charm look of the place, however it was extremely busy so decided to return before I flew home. Best decision I made. I returned and was seated in the front section of the restaurant. The service was impeccable. Nothing was too much trouble for them. As I was sat on my own, they came over made sure I was ok, chatted and was genuinely interested in why I was in town. The food was stunning and freshly cooked and the portion size was so large I ended up taking some of it back to my hotel. The atmosphere of the restaurant was beautiful. I could feel the history of the castro seeping through the walls as I sat there, people watched and enjoyed my food. I would definitely go back, there was so much on the menu I wanted to try but didn't get chance to. It's a perfect place for a solo date or a catch up with friends/family.

I had an amazing meal. We had spaghetti&meatballs (me) and lasagne (wife). This was exactly how I remember Sunday dinner used to taste! The familiarity of the food took me back to the 90s and actually made me tear-up. Ambiance and service were both incredible. We sat in a dark and cozy hallway type area. Very private; very personal. The servers were the utmost professional. This is my new favorite Italian restaurant in San Francisco!!

I came up to Castro tonight. I've heard about this place from some people at a meeting one night. The guy that took my order was helpful, though I didn't see him again. The other guy was just trying too hard to please his customers. The food was really good. It would have been better with company. I really am tired of eating alone. Any takers in San Francisco area?

The Fatt Matt is my go to pizza, it is absolutely delicious--crispy, with a perfectly thin crust and fresh ingredients (Sausage, pepperoni, onion, jalapeño, olive, garlic) that really stood out. The flavors were rich and well-balanced, and you could tell everything was made with care. I highly recommend this place if you're looking for authentic Italian food paired with top-notch service. Can't wait to return!

these folks are a bit of a sleeper. It's on Castro so it's a little hard to park but for food and for a great place to meet people there's a great back room. You can rent out food decent staff is very attentive. I would suggest this is one of the great sleepers in San Francisco. Check it out.

Really delicious! Food was fresh and clearly homemade. Feels like an institution in SF. Wine was good too.

I had such a great experience at this restaurant. Service was great and the food was amazing. My friends and I visited on the day of a huge parade and although the restaurant was busy, the servers were kind and our food was brought out promptly. This is a great place to go for a nice sit down meal, the interior is very cozy and lively, I honestly could have sat there for hours. As a group, we ordered pizza and two different pastas and they were all delicious. I don't think you can go wrong with anything on the menu. I would definitely revisit if in the area, you should too. :)

This place has become a family staple. I will continue to revisit this place and post new photos because the inside is a vibe and the food is superb. I love that the walls are decorated with black and white photos of old San Francisco! I've had the same server each time and he is a clearly seasoned veterans of the restaurant. Both he and the hosts are intently attentive, even with being a full house on an early Sunday evening. This place is an amazing must! Ten stars

This is a wonderful mom and pop shop situated in a building that once housed a sausage factory, kind of makes for a more unique dining experience. How you start a meal is a good indication of how it is going to end, so if you start with a tasteless and soupy salad, chances are the entree will follow suit. That won't be the case here, they can serve a good salad and they can also serve a good pizza. Cheers!

In a world with overly bougie uni pasta served in small portions, this red sauce joint is a welcome time capsule. Serving up all the comfort classics along the pasta, pizza and calzone spectrum. Conveniently located in the heart of the Castro and reasonably priced (for San Francisco), this is a reliable neighborhood go-to. Alan's Garlic Bread: This really sets the standard for garlic bread. Buttery garlicky spread soaked into the bread, covered in gooey mozzarella and then some extra slices of garlic on top for another zing. Paired with marinara sauce, so it can be pizza-like. I could seriously make a meal out of this. Chicken Parmigiana w/ Penne: The menu lists potatoes and veggies as the sides, but you can get pasta substituted. Which is exactly what I did since I wanted the full nona homecooked experience. The chicken cutlet was crispy and thick, with ample amounts of mozzarella on top. Generous amount of sauce on both the chicken and the al dente penne. Extremely filling and tasty. Lasagna: Generous amounts of sauce and mozzarella on top, which is so nice. I hate when places just give you a reheated cube. Underneath all that wet stuff is many layers of pasta sheets, cheese and meats. Another great comfort food.

Huge portions. I did not care for the pasta sauce on my seafood pasta dish and therefore only ate the seafood. The service was astonishing for our large party (of 18.)

Known and have come here since I was a kid, and since it's been about a year since my last visit, I'm long overdue my friends. The pizza is AWESOME, but tonight I'm going for the penne pasta w/ sausage & demi glase, with the arugula salad (Delish).... Definitely Old School Castro Restaurant, and we'll never leave here hungry, or without a nice TIP, because the staff are all beautiful people, serving beautiful food....

With the way some people talk about how good "authentic" Italian food is relative to its American descendants, you might almost think the Italian-American population was exiled across the Atlantic Ocean. The Sausage Factory stands as a good antidote against this kind of snobbery and a testament to the vigour of American-Italian cooking. You get large portions of hearty food for old-school prices. I liked the lasagna, which was swimming in tomato sauce and cheese. One complaint: the meat could've been better seasoned, but with the generous amounts of sauce, it was almost an afterthought for me.

Still love love love this spot after so many years. Friend wanted to pop in last night, but I was skeptical since I'm currently on keto. And Italian food isn't usually the best option for low carb. But I ordered the mama salad. (Should be renamed the BIG mama salad!). It was perfect! And big! I was stuffed half way through it. And it made a terrific lunch the next day as well! Was super happy! And our server was fantastic! Super friendly and attentive. And as always I love the ambiance in the place. Very old school. Still love this place after 20 years.

I didn't realize so many Italian restaurants existed in the Castro district! Just stumbled across this gem as the Italian restaurant we initially chose was closed down (what seems as permanently). There was not a long wait for it being a Saturday night (& holiday weekend). Started off with the bruschetta app accompanied by some fresh bread and butter. I ordered cannelloni and my friend ordered sausage and peppers pasta. Both were excellent! Very old style Italian cuisine so you do not get any salad with your meal (I'm sure you could order a la carte) but certainly will leave hungry. Lastly, for dessert, ordered cannoli and it was to die for! Our server Domenic was top notch as he checked up on us frequently and was very friendly and accommodating.

The Sausage Factory is a cool Italian cuisine situated in the Castro District. With a noticeable red building, my friend and I were stunned to see how affordable the food was. Most of their lunch options were less than $20.00. We decided to give this a try. As we entered in the restaurant, I couldn't help but notice an odd smell. I wasn't sure if it was because the building was old, but I enjoyed how the lighting was darker but more intimate. The waiters were very nice and we were surprised we didn't have to wait at all for a table since there weren't a lot of people. The server was very nice. We were given complementary bread and butter and the food came out very fast. I got a la vodka pasta. The sauce was creamy and tasty, although I think it could use a bit more spice. I appreciated how the waiter catered to our preferences and requests for less salt. The environment was really nice and some tables are in the hallways, making it more special and intimate. I'll definitely check out this place again!

A quaint old school Italian restaurant located in the heart of the Castro District. We were wandering around looking for a quiet place to enjoy dinner together and came upon The Sausage Factory. We were able to be seated promptly and the atmosphere was warm and invited and perfect for the two of us to enjoy dinner. Started off with the cheesy garlic bread. Wow...covered in melted cheese and so yummy. I ordered the Carbonara pasta. It was a hearty portion but not over the top. Full of flavor with the cream, pepper and cheese. I savored every bite of this dish. Too full to try out dessert but these place is somewhere I'd return to again when in the area.

Great little place. Thanks To all the great reviews here I decided to give it a whirl. Just went with your basic spaghetti and meatballs. Nice portion. Three nice meatballs. Just all around a good plate of pasta and meatballs. I know it's San Francisco, but the sourdough bread just really didn't go with it. Frankly sourdough just doesn't go with any Italian food in my opinion. But at least it came with it and I didn't have to pay extra for it and of course I ate it up. I really want to try the Milanese, but that's gonna have to be another time.

An exceptional establishment where it feels like you're getting ready to eat a home cooked meal. The staff is always attentive. I've never had a bad dish here! Make sure to order the Meatball appetizer before you even look at the menu! Can't go wrong with any of the pizza's. My go to entrees are the carbonara or piccata!

Great food and awesome service in a safe part of town. Highly recommend for a night out. Mangia

The Sausage Factory is a great restaurant if you like traditional, home style Italian food. They have a nice wine list, and a variety of pizzas on the menu that are great for sharing. I've hosted many events in the banquet room in the back of the restaurant. It's ideal for groups of 25-40 people; there's ample seating, and the service is excellent. Fun fact: this place used to be an actual sausage factory, and the rack where they used to hang the meat still hangs in the banquets room above the bar.

The Sausage Factory was definitely beyond satisfactory, passed the vibe check 1000% First of all, shoutout to Dominic, our server who not only gave us amazing service, but also super fun and energetic! We had a party of 11 come in Friday night, they gave us the private dining room in the back, which was perfect! We ordered multiple pizzas and pastas to share. We got one Junior's pizza which had chicken & pesto, delicious!! The other pizza was a simple Margherita, equally tasty. The A la Vodka Penne was super flavorful and creamy. I was very impressed! We paired a white wine and a rose with our dinner. The birthday girl was very satisfied!!! Mission accomplished! Not only were the vibes here fun, but the guests here are TOP TIER. I want to give another shoutout to "Santa" because you were the real MVP of the night. Thank you so much for coming to say hi and for the wonderful surprise.

When my parents last took me to The Sausage Factory for pizza, the year was 1973 and the restaurant was playing background music by The Beatles and Diana Ross. My family relocated to an Italian American enclave in upstate New York. A lifetime passed. Today I stop in for chow, and they're still playing The Beatles and Diana Ross! With "new" tunes by Teddy Pendergrass. This old mom-and-pop Italian American joint is frozen in time -- and that's a good thing. I love to try new things, but traditional fare doesn't always have to evolve if it retains its soul and good service. It's not fancy, but The Sausage Factory is as good as any Italian mom-and-pop family restaurant in New York.

AMAZING FOOD EVERY TIME. Iconic restaurant for the neighborhood with a wonderful old school history and aesthetic inside. My favorites: - The garlic bread (try the cheesy version *drool*) - All pizzas - the veggies are so fresh and healthy - my #1: MEATBALLS are divine with the sauce and I'm comparing them to other restaurants

What we had was good, but they need to change the recipe on the pasta marinara sauce. It taste very bland and no flavor at all. Overall okay

Always great. Been going for over 40 years. Big food good value. Pasta n salads are shareable.

This restaurant is a hidden yam in the most fun neighborhood in San Francisco. The kitchen delivers a rich Italian dish. Delicious and with great wines and service. we just love it. Jerome.

Absolutely loved this spot! Had passed by a few times and wanted to check it out & finally did and was not disappointed. Service was excellent from the moment you walked through the door. Food was ordered and served in a very timely fashion and everything was cooked to perfection! I recommend getting the garlic bread with cheese and marinara as a starter. Will definitely be coming back!

Good gosh. Good food and ample portions. A relief to avoid the modern trendy crowds and ambience. Staff is great. It was a welcome, hearty relief of a meal and restaurant.

My friends and I wanted to get some food in the Castro and The Sausage Factory came up so we decided to go. We started with the Uncle Tony's Prawns and Alan's Garlic Bread. The prawns were like a shrimp piccata which were awesome, they had a ton of capers. Honestly the garlic bread was kind of the star of the show for me. One of the best garlic cheeses breads I've ever had, super garlicy and cheesy. For my main I had the chicken parmigiana with a side of penne pasta. Chicken parm was good...a little dry for my liking but overall not bad.

so I went to the sausage factory with my husband on Friday past and let me tell you I went there because I've been there before and I knew they had good pizza what I didn't realize was that not only was it good pizza but the pizza was so damn good you wanted to eat the crust which I did. There were no crust pieces left on my plate because the crust was so tasty and so wonderful, so basically we went to another place first and that place didn't have chicken and they didn't have pesto or bacon and they didn't have a whole bunch of other stuff that my husband wanted and you know quite frankly we went out to have pizza and if he wasn't gonna get what he wanted. I didn't give a damn about getting what I wanted, so we left and I said honey let me take you someplace that I know is nice and that's how we ended up at the sausage factory and we got there and I didn't know it, but we were seated by Mario who found out later was the owner and he took care of us even though we were a little scruffy you know he could've like you know us the second look and prejudged us thinking maybe we were homeless or maybe we were gonna dine and dash or do some other kind of nefarious drama but no he treated us with kid gloves and with compassion And nonetheless we sat down and then we ordered our pizza which was not off their menu. We ordered a nice little custom pizza which is what we wanted. The pizza arrived. I'd say within about 25-30 minutes now mind you what was Friday night so I wasn't gonna bitch if the time was a little bit long I was just wanting pizza and I wanted my husband to try this pizza anyway the pizza came , we were gonna take it out but we ended up eating it there. We were only gonna have two slices to take the edge of our hunger,well by the time we were done there was only two slices left to put in the box. While we were eating our pizza, our server, Neia B even though I've been to the sausage factory before told us some historical trivia about the place how it had been an actual sausage factory until 1968 and then in 1968. It became a restaurant and you know I just found it really really really an amazing experience she as well as Mario exceptionally gracious, and I just found it exemplary . One other thing I walk with the walker and there wasn't a whole Lotta room for my walker. They picked my walker up and put it behind the makeshift bar in the dining room and even though their servers tripped over said walker a couple of times no complaints making me feel less than they made me feel completely at home .Long story short by the time we left I looked at my husband. I said you know what, honey I think we found our new pizza restaurant even though we don't live in the Castro we live in the Tenderloin, I will gladly make the trek to the sausage factory to have pizza .

I love this salad. We have been there for this salad so many times. I can't even tell you exactly what it is about it. So many delicious morsels. The service is good and the ambience is dim lighting. And it's in Castro with a name like this!

Don't be fooled. This is a neighborhood gem. They removed their parklet. Probably because they have do much indoor space. Their Mama Salad has everything on it -- salami, eggs, onions, you name it. We get it with Thousand Island and share it. You can get Pasta your way -- we like Al Dente. The pizzas are standard crust which please most people. We like thin crust but forget us -- 50% of the tables you see have a pizza on them. Kitchen is clean. And we do pickup orders often. Never a problem. House wine is fine. No need to pay up.

Hello Mr. / Ms. / Mrs. First Timer in San Francisco! (You'll hopefully later on at some point understand why this review is not communicated to locals, as they are already familiar with the loveliness of this business; as well as its owner who to me, is an iconic face of the Castro for quite similar reasons as the Walgreens Casto store, i.e., LOCATION & LOOKs!) Tell me, would you not wish to experience the very cartoonish effect of being able to feel like: ** You just had an instant teleport to an Italian neighborhood bistro; Although you've been cluelessly wandering in the Castro?.. ** Does the Italian way of dining or tasting a glass of yummy cab, of pinot Grigio in San Francisco necessarily need to happen to in the North Beach area, which being the case, would MAKE ME choose to dine-in, in MONA LiSA? One dear friend took me there to toast for the success of an accomplishment that I've made quite some time ago by now. The owner of the establishment Mario who shall definitely be known as "Super Mario" for the business he owns as well as how he OWNS IT with generosity and kindness in doing business; only reminds me of the way that a particular GENTLEMAN style that might only be the very fruitful reward of having learned how to do business from a Father who fortunately had his own decent understanding of Fatherhood so that they have been able to SUCCEED in teaching the importance of righteousness in doing business which aims a decent involvement of Goodness, to their child, in a fairly fatherly way. Just because of the very two facts being that I had enjoyed my dining experience there as well as enjoyed Mario's character, I after a few months inquired about a server role they posted on Craigslist; and once again met with Mario in person for a job interview this time! That man, despite his built look, is like a default reflection of active listening & kindness. I wonder if that is by his nature or whether that is some sorta state of being that he had achieved by particularly running that kind of a demanding, very fast-paced business which requires tons of patience. It's been quite a while now, yet do you remember Mario, the morning of the day of my first training scheduled, me spraining my ankle and I unfortunately not being able to come in; however the style that you received my communication and communicated your door being open as soon as I would heal, is making me write these words to praise your kindness, my friend, Super Mario. ** Their meatballs, pasta dishes, and pizza varieties are indeed delicious What would although make me want to experience Italy in Castro, it's funky A little kindness accompanied by a few good words to make US remind really How it used to be the way we would LOVE one another, say in 1983? ** Thank you Mario for setting such a great example of running a neighborhood business, just like our warm-blooded Fathers of the Medi-terra-ne-An taught us or would want us to keep doing! And kudos my friend, to your proven ability to survive even the pandemic; saving not only yourself, yet as well, many others; who feed their stomachs on what they make in your lovely business! And I absolutely believe that the overall 3.6 star rating for your restaurant cannot be a further reflection from the truth of your food & service on top of your great wine menu. So unfair! How dare all those judgmental people be so ungrateful to what you offer?! Aargh!.. Sausage Factory deserves at least 4.9 stars out of 5!.. And so does Super Mario's KIND professionalism.

The Sausage Factory is definitely a hidden gem in the Castro. One of the long standing restaurants in the neighborhood. Being an Italian from the East Coast, I can really appreciate the old school feel and the comfort of a hearty Italian meal. The restaurant has a classic feel with pleasant staff and an expansive menu. It has lots of standard Italian fare. I must say that they have a great house salad with excellent Italian dressing. And my favorite dish by far is the sausage and broccoli rabe pasta. Really tasty. The penne ala vodka is a close runner up. They also make great pizzas. All at a reasonable price! I love The Sausage Factory. Great food, friendly staff, and reasonable prices. I'll continue to be a repeat customer!

This place is an institution and hasn't been updated in a very long time, the service is slow and food like the dining room have seen better days.

i love the sausage factory. portions were big and pasta was delicious. service was great. ambiance is nice but still casual and laid back.

Delicious Italian in an intimate setting. Great service and huge portions! Definitely an outstanding experience overall.

Pleasant host, attentive friendly waiter and delicious food. And lovely ambiance. We had the Caesar with shrimp Brussel sprouts with pancetta, seafood pasta and tiramisu every thing was delicious.. can't wait to come back

Food. Tastes like food. Didn't get sick so... highly recommended. Has a bar with pretty good Scotch. That's all you need

Very old fashioned, heavy Italian food, at very modern-day prices. If the prices matched the food, I wouldn't complain, but for what they charge it should be better. The waiter was friendly and this is one of the few restaurants in SF that is not eardrum-bleeding loud, so, there's that.

Love the food and the atmosphere!!! Real Italian style food. Pizzas are also really good. Been eating here for years.

We had our end of soccer season pizza party here, it was a perfect location, food was delish and they were very accommodating! Thank you Mario and the wonderful staff!

Delish food. Amazing service love the ambiance too. Very old school menu. My hubby loved margarita pizza and he said it was one of the best he's ever had. I can't recommend this restaurant enough. Take the time visit this restaurant. I guarantee you will not be sorry. Mario and his crew are awesome!!!

TLDR: this place is gooood. the service is gooood. can't go wrong. So my friends and I were walking around the Castro and craving pizza so we were on the hunt. We came across this place and the name alone drew us in ~lol~ but we also were sat right away and had a nice table outside. We could not pick all of the pizzas looked so good so we asked the waiter for a recommendation between the tonys pizza and Gigi's. He recommended Gigi's, which is the one we really wanted anyways, so we were happy. It was DELICIOUS. Our other friends just got the marghertia which they said was just fine, nothing amazing. So I def recommend getting the Gigi's, ALSO get the CHEESY BREAD - the fact that there's no photo of it speaks for itself. We ate it too fast to get a pic. If you're in the Castro looking for pizza, head on down to the sausage factory

I love this place .... I haven't been to The Sausage Factory in so long (like 3 yrs) and I drove through Castro yesterday and remembered the sausage pizza there, oh man, was great. I ordered one right then and there and picked it up in 20 minutes! I was kind of scared I understood that they were going to be closing and the man at the door confirmed that they were thinking about it but they re-opened. And during this pandemic they have been open :D The pizza is exceptional! Sausage is so good you have to try. I've also had just a mushroom pizza there once that was yummy too, (if you're not into the sausage ;) Kudos to the sausage factory thank you thank you!

Here from Miami with my husband and I was a absolutely 10/10, delicious pizza and super friendly staff.

I like their food The pizza crust is wonderful. Better to eat there. Delivery the salad was super small. In the restaurant it is huge so that was disappointing for delivery. They have really nice servers in restaurant. Glad to see they are busy as the iconic restaurant Harvey's closed across the street.

Very nice Italian restaurant in the Castro. Very good food, efficient service, quiet atmosphere. My chicken Picatta was delicious.

Been going here since the late 80s. Consistant quality Italian American pizza & great service. If you want to take it up a notch, the burrata salad & cannoli are top-notch --hard for me to resist-- have to let the belt out a notch cuz I can't leave a crumb behind. Atmosphere is homey & relaxed & clean. Hasn't changed much over the decades in the best way.

We had a great experience eating at the Sausage Factory. We went on a Saturday evening, and we were seated right away. Our waiter was amazing! I wish I could remember his name to give him the recognition he deserves. He was attentive and knowledgeable. We had other staff members stop by to check on us as well. I was very impressed with the service. We ordered two large pizzas for our group, and they were delicious! We had Tony's and Gigi's. We also split a cannoli for dessert, which was also delicious! I would definitely come back here to eat the next time I'm in SF.

This place is a little gem in the heart of the Castro. We went during the Pride rush and let me tell you--the staff were rock stars. Handled the sudden rush of customers very well. We waited like 10 minutes to get a table. The food was excellent with one minor suggestion. -Meatball appetizer 5/5 -Burrata appetizer 4/5 (the dish was great but the ratio of bell peppers to arugula to burrata was off; the bell pepper overpowered the entire dish) -Chicken Marsala 5/5 -Wine selection is decent and very generous pours :) -Bread and whipped butter 5/5 Will definitely come back again!