Tratto

"Tratto hasn’t made big waves food-wise in the Union Square area, but its handsome, big-windowed bar at the Marker Hotel is nonetheless a pleasant option for pre- and post-show cocktails, or drinks with a friend in town who’s staying nearby. The drink menu features a number of fun takes on drinks, such as the Campari-laced margarita, while the Torino Tonic is the house gin and tonic.  And, differentiating the space from its former incarnations are some cool line-drawing murals by local artist Amos Goldbaum." - Dianne de Guzman

"Union Square is a San Francisco fact of life. Yes, you can avoid it for 363 days of the year, but then there’s the time you have to go to Macy’s for Grandad’s birthday present and, inevitably, the old friend who’s in town and has an hour before her flight leaves so she has to be quick. Some people might give up, or try to just meet for a drink, or send the friend off to the airport to get a $25 salad at Max’s. But those people don’t know about Tratto. Because Tratto, an Italian spot in a random hotel near Union Square, is a totally solid choice for all of the above situations - it just happens to be sort of near Union Square, and definitely attached to a hotel. We’ll be clear: Tratto is better than 99% of the surrounding options, but it still definitely feels like a Union Square restaurant. There’s a cool bar, and there are black and white tile floors and painted arty scenes of Italy on the walls. But the lights are also pretty bright, it’s never really that full, and the crowd definitely leans tourist. It’s also really easy to get a table here, which makes it a very unintimidating place to get some dinner or happy hour drinks. Just be aware that you will have to enter the hotel lobby to use the restroom. If it weren’t so useful in key situations, we’d wish Tratto were in a better neighborhood, because the food is strong across the board. The menu is down-the-middle Italian, maybe so as not to scare aware the group of moms from Milwaukee on their first trip to San Fran, but all of it is very well done. The pizzas are great, the salads are full of flavor, and the pastas are tasty and good to share. Service is a bit spotty -- drink refills take longer than they should for a semi-empty spot and dishes can come out all at once after a long wait, but it might just be because the kitchen didn’t have much else to do besides cook all our things at once. So while we wouldn’t recommend a trip to Tratto just for kicks, if you’re in the area and in need of a happy hour or quiet Italian meal with no stress, it’s the move. Get your friend her dinner and wine and send her off to SFO. No Max’s necessary. Food Rundown Focaccia Yes it’s two dollars for bread, but the housemade stuff is a little salty, a little sweet, and a great vehicle to soak up some sauce later in the meal. Fried Chicken This is only on the happy hour menu, but it’s a strong dish. There are some bacon bits going on and we’re into it. Tuscan Kale Are kale caesars everywhere? Yup. Has anyone ever called it a “Hail Caesar” on the menu and had a nerd laugh to themselves? We hope so. This is a good salad, heavy on the anchovy so if that’s your jam - get excited. Fritto Misto A basic but good appetizer to share. The aioli is nice and the fried lemons in the mix are intense in a good way. If you’re a lemon person. Bucatini The sauce on this is excellent, and the pasta itself is definitely better than anything you would have cooked out of a box at home. Could have used a bit more pancetta, but when isn’t that the case? Skirt Steak The steak itself is a bit bland, but the beans that come with it are fire. Not sure what they do to them, but they’re rich and delicious and the best part of the dish. They also come as a side, so skip the steak and get them on their own. Chocolate Mousse Cake Sort of a cake, sort of a pudding, sort of good. If you need something sweet, this is the best option, but nothing that will change your life." - Taylor Abrams

"Tratto is only open for lunch on the weekends, but that’s the only time you have time to go shopping around Union Square anyway. When your bags start to get heavy from all the jeans you got on sale that you’re probably going to return anyway, stop in here for a breather of pasta and a glass of wine. If you’re already wearing red, go for the pappardelle." - will kamensky

"A spirited, bar-driven restaurant serving rustic Italian fare with modern sensibilities, Tratto means the stroke of a pen in Italian, a nod to the neighborhood’s artistic history. A flavorful menu of simple, delicious and shareable dishes coupled with casual, communal-style dining creates a neighborhood bar experience inspired by the Italian happy hour tradition of "aperitivo."

"While not exclusively a Black Friday deal (it’s available now through January 21), Tratto is offering free hot chocolate and a free Italian doughnut with a ticket stub from the Union Square ice rink. It’s reason enough to go ice skating." - Stefanie Tuder, Janelle Bitker