10/25   Can anyone recommend a good Italian restaurant in SF?
        \_ Basta Pasta (if you like the whole mofia atmosphere).
        \_ http://www.pizzahut.com
        \_ Price range? How many? What's the occasion? More info please.
                \_ around $30 / person, romantic setting would be nice ..
        \_ Caffe Sport, Steps of Rome, Pasta Pomodoro (decreasing price)
           \_ Steps of Rome sucks.  The food is so-so, they are overpriced,
              and if you actually speak Italian (or know Italians who
              pantomime a lot), you'd realize that the waiters usually insult
              you.
              \_ Reminds me of the movie National Lampoon - European Vacation
                 where Chevy Chase and the family went to a restaurant in
                 France and the waiter commented on his daughter's round ass
                 in French.
                \_ the Americans rarely make fun of the Europeans. Why do
                   they make fun of our big belly and Lewdwinsky round ass?
                   \_ It's an American movie, so it's Americans trying to make
                      fun of Europeans making fun of Americans.
              \_ The food is decent, and it is definitely NOT overpriced, but
                 actually quite cheap (pasta < $10). It's all about the
                 atmosphere. $2.50 for a cafe to sit in a loud restaurant
                 watching people go by... go back to Denny's.
                 \_ Agreed.  Yeah, the waiters will hit on your girlfriend if
                    she's cute, insult you on the sly, and the like, but the
                    atmosphere is fun and the tiramisu is excellent.  It's a
        \_ Go to a real Italian resaurant like Mangafuoco or Trattoria
                    great place to go if you're mildly drunk.
?          \_ I like Pasta Pomodoro.  Another one that is good is Buca Di
              Beppo.  You need make reservation.  Otherwise it's 2+ hour wait.
              \_ Pasta Pomodoro is passable Italian.  It's about on par with a
                 Stouffer's frozen Italian Entree heated in the oven.
                 Waits at Buca di Beppo are weird.  Sometimes you wait a long
                 time, and sometimes you get lucky.  Plus, making reservations
                 can be a pain because they only have half of the restaurant
                 available for reservations so they tend to get booked up way
                 in advance.  If possible, try requesting the Kitchen table at
                 Buca di Beppo.  It's rad.
                \_ Buca di Beppo is the worst Italian food I've ever had.  The
                   atmosphere is tacky (think TGIFridays), the waiters are rude
                   and the pasta is slathered with enough garlic to make it
                   inedible.
                   \_ Not to mention the ass tiramisu.
                \_ Agreed with the worst Italian comment -- do not go there
        \_ Go to a real Italian resaurant like Mangiafuoco or Trattoria
           Contadina. These losers are sending you to cheapo places with
           mediocre food.
        \_ Fuzio is a PastaPomodoro competitor. I prefer Pomodoro, but Fuzio
           is acceptable.
        \_ DiBeppo is not Italian, it is Eye-talian.
        \_ I've always like Pane e Vino.  Casual and pretty tasty.  The
           other places recommended tended to be more Americanized or
           touristy.
        \_ North Beach Restaurant _used_ to have incredible Italian.
        \_ Via Vai on Union & Cafe Pazzia on 3rd. Good but not cheap food.
           Both have reasonably priced(~$8) thincrust pizzas that are great.
           \_ Last time I went to Pazzia, my pizza was $13.
        \_ What about Joe's down by the Exit Theatre?
        \_ Figaro is terrible. Avoid the place. The Stinking Rose is also
           terrible.
        \_ Zagat says: Delfina, Scala's Bistro, Trattoria Contadina, Emma,
           and Antica Trattoria (in that order). Also, Mazzini Trattoria
           on Telegraph in Berkeley got good marks. Also in Berkeley is
           Venezia, which I like. Oh, and E'Angelo on Chestnut in SF
           makes great lasagna. --dim
           \_ Venezia is ass.
              \_ Uh. Okay. It's not on part with the others I mentioned,
              \_ Uh. Okay. It's not on par with the others I mentioned,
                 but it's not Olive Garden. --dim
        \_ I like Milano on Pacific in SF. Top notch service, romantic (cozy,
                intimate) and in your price range.
           \_ Not bad for what it is, but if that's your idea of top-notch
              service you need to get out more. This is a good place for a
              a casual dinner when you don't want to spend a fortune, but
              it isn't upscale or top-notch in any way. --dim