A 16

We ate here once and probably won't come back. We shared a tuna reserva and a salad and both lacked seasoning and imagination. Eating numerous time at Pizzaiolo in Oakland and then trying this place was like night night and day. The pizza was ho-hum and having to endure loud marina doosh bags was about as much as we could handle. The service was efficient but chilly and we were treated with watching the pizza cook slurp soda in front of us the entire time out of a deli cup then proceed to make our food. Strike one, two three yer gone.

I came here with friends after last year's Union Street festival. We didn't have a reservation but were able to snag seats at the counter, w...

Took a while to get reservations. After eating there, no wonder! Arrived early and sat at the bar. We are really picky on our wines and the bartender had great suggestions which we ended up with for dinner. Staff was excellent, friendly, very helpful. We had the Tuna Conserva Panzanella for starters (WOW), the Salsiccia Pizza, the Pasta Special with spring peas inside (very light)and a Chocolate Budino Tart recommended by our waitress (very light). Served as 3 courses shared by the two of us. Everything was amazing! When we got the bill, we could not believe how inexpensive for such great wine and food. Would definitely go back ...

We went on a Saturday night without a reservation. We had to wait 45 min for a table. We grabed a glass of wine, and waited patiently. It was all worth it. The pasta with mint and walnuts was so delicious. I could easily have that dish every day.

hostess with terrible attitude. Manager unresponsive and wimpy. Wait time too long. Pizza is soggy. I've seen a total deterioration in service and quality over the past year. Save your wait and money for a better restaurant.

I think their food, including the thin crust pizza is very good. I have yet to try their Monday meatballs that I hear are great. I do find t...

We've gone to A16 nearly every Friday night for the last year because it's always a perfect dining experience. The food is excellent, the staff couldn't be better and the wine list is divine. It's the perfect way to unwind and start the weekend. Our favorites include the mozzarella burrata, the funghi and margherita pizzas, the maccaronara pasta and the chocolate budino tart for dessert - all delicious! This restaurant has a great vibe and we love it!

Tried this place 4 years ago and haven't gone back until last night - same thoughts - Overrated!! If you want pizza, there are plenty of pizza places around - Pizza Orgasmica, etc Italian food - go to North Beach

The wait was quite long..and we had a reservation. We went on a weeknight but was still jam packed. Normally this would be a turn off righ...

Ok, but overrated food. Lamb wasn't as tender as it should be. Atmosphere isn't as good as it used to be.

Not impressed by this restaurant at all. Many better restaurants to choose from in the City. The lamb was tough and we had a very poorly prepared cheese/meat appetizer plate. The worst part is the management/owernship of the restaurant. Apparently you are not allowed to enjoy yourself while eating. We had the misfortune of sitting next to the owner. He kept staring us down everytime we made a joke at our table or had the temerity to laugh. We found out later in the evening that he's the owner of the restaurant. Hope you enjoy your snooty restaurant. By the way, our waitress was wonderful. I fee sorry that she has to work for such a control freak.

I can think of many more suitable names for this over-hyped dog. The food was average. I had the Duroc Pork and a pizza to share as a starter. The pizza was ok, but the Pork was ridiculously average. I am not sure where on the pig its Duroc is, but if its between it's hind legs I believe it. I found the wait staff to be pleasant and hospitable, which is more than I can say for the owners who were arrogant and rude. With experiences like these it will only be a matter of time before I will be picking up my dry cleaning or renting movies at the location that was A16.

I have only been to this restaurant once. However, the experince was wonderful. Our server was friendly and answered our many questions regarding the menu options. The sommelier was educated on the extensive wine list, and gave us some history about the winemaker and the varietal we selected. The food was full of flavors, and cooked perfect. The restaurant is not cheap, but I highly recommend it. It's a great location for celebrating something special!

My girlfriends and I go here every month. It is a very nice place with good food and good service. Often times need reservations way in advance, but worth it. The menu is great and the wine list is even better.

I've been here a few times now, mainly because my friend lives in the marina. everyone knows it's rated as a great place, so maybe that influences the decision...but i don't get it. it's average. nothing special at all. sure there are some unique items on the menu here and there, but not enough that they are so good i'm blown away or the standards so good it deserves the admiration it gets. it's a trendy hot spot, that's it. food is average, service is average, ambience is average (it's just a crowded little place).

Had lunch today in this jumping, narrow dining spot. We lucked into nearby neighborhood parking and had a nice short walk in this vibrant area. The open kitchen and woodfired ovens made for a great show. We had the Dine-around SF meal, 3 courses. The beet, radiccio salad was great, with big peels of tangy Romano(?) on top. We both had the salsiccio( fennal sausage) pizza. It was pretty big, with a thin,crunchy/chewy(!) crust. Topped with the house made sausage, that had a bit of picante to it, some broccoli and a green winter leafy vegtable that was also a bit tangy. The pizza teased all your taste buds as it went through the mouth. The gelato desert was small, thankfully. Both the chocolate and pistachio were smooth and yummy.

Had dinner on Friday 10/12 and the place was buzzing, I've heard so many great things about A16 and how if you get a chance to get in to the restaurant do it... Well with that said; I was less than impressed with the food, I ordered the Tri-Tip and it was so over cooked that I felt like I was eating beef jerky. My wife ordered the pasta and she like the family next to us refered to it as "PASTIE", and the sauce that lacked flavor. They mentioned on the menu that the sausage is housemade with fennel, they need to add that it also lacks in flavor too. We won't be back to give this place a another try as we were very disappointed with the food. The service was great, promptly seated and great staff, to bad the food isn't as good as everything else in the restaurant. Sorely disappointed...

Sorely disappointed with the inconsistencies at this place. Look at prior reviews ranging from praises to warnings to stay away. It's favored by Yuppies who want to be seen throwing away money for food that's overpriced and not all good. Our server, Hannah, was very nice compared to prior reviews on service, but the bus boy was rushed, thus making it an uncomfortable experience. The sm salumi was very good with a variety of thin slices of meats and one serving of pate on a sm toasted bread slice. The salsiccia pizza came soggy on a thin flour crusted pizza, the sausage (a few pieces) were good but the pie was a disppointment ($15). The roast lamb was tasty as was the chicken meatballs. Both came with a choice of sides - the best was the olive oil roasted sweet corn, everyone raved about it. The romaine salad was passe'. At $20 for the meatballs(with side), you got 5 golf-ball sized meatballs and if you deducted approx $5 for the salad, each meatball would be $3-4 a piece! There ... Read more

Found the starters, pizza, salumi and pasta to be excellent at A16. Entrees were good, although not up to the same level. Unfortunately, the service was way below expectations. Waitress seemed angry with us from the start of the meal, barely tolerating our questions about the menu. She nearly rolled her eyes as she agreed to put a surprise candle in my friend's dessert -- and then didn't even do it! Finally, the main room was broiling hot for most of the time we were there, presumably from the nearby brick oven.

finally able to try this place. Good burrata (I liked the one at Bacco better) and above the average pizza. I don't think this is 100 % authentic Italian cuisine in fact none of the cooks is Italian but they have studied in my country and brought back to San Fran the art of making a good wood oven pizza. I love the desserts, specially the cannoli. I would go back to A16 is even if this is onr of the top of my Italian restaurant. Try the new one FARINA on Mission, all Ligurian specialty and handmade pasta con pesto e focaccia to die for.

This was our worst dining experience ever! We had a reservation and we still had to wait an hour for a table on a Sunday night without any apology from the staff. The bar was a meat market. People without reservations were seated before us. People who were seated after us were waited on first. The wait staff were zombie-like, and were rude and inattentive. It was so loud we couldn't carry on a conversation. We had to yell out our orders. It was unbearably hot. We waited and waited for our food and we almost walked out! People who ordered after us got their food first. Again, no apologies. How did this restaurant merit a feature article in Food & Wine? They must know someone on staff. I won't trust Food & Wine again. By the time the food finally arrived, we were miserable. We couldn't enjoy anything in that atmosphere. We cancelled our plans to order a bottle of wine just to get out of there quickly. All I remember is really wanting to leave and that the pizza was good, but not ... Read more

Rude hostesses. We had our reservation for over 2 months and they completely jerked us around for over 45 minutes.

When we moved to Cow Hollow, everyone told us we had to go to A16. I mean, the number of people who mentioned or recommended this place was overwhelming. We figured it must be a really special place, so we tried it out. We had to make our reservations more than 2 weeks in advance, they seated us in the stairwell at the back of the restaurant, and the food was nothing to write home about. Why in the world do people love this place so much? I struggle to think of a place that is more over-rated and more disappointing. For much better food, atmosphere, and value and for less attitude I recommend you go to Luisa's on Union Street instead.

I found this restaurant's reputation to be largely undeserved. Too loud to have a conversation without yelling, the service was excruciatingly slow (2.5 hours for a 3 course meal) and the food was average at best. No wine list, no matter how good, makes-up for these drawbacks. There are much better places to eat in San Francisco - unless you absolutely must "see and be seen" in the Marina.

I was there for lunch on wednesday,the place wasn't busy,I asked the hostess,can we seat at the counter?She said no ,the counter is all reserved. Well I work for really busy italian restaurant,I never eard somebody reserved a counter space for lunch. We left the pizza counter was still empty.Save your money and time,the city is full of places better then this. Good food,but orrible customer service,unprofessional hostess and manager.

I'll admit that I'd read the customer reviews--most of them negative--before deciding to eschew their advice and give A16 a try. My husband and I had walked by the place a few times, and the atmosphere looked so inviting, that we figured the reviews were just exaggerations, or maybe just the ventings of a few disgruntled customers who had unusually poor service. Boy, was that a mistake! It's no joke that you'll probably have a hard time getting a table there, something that in retrospect really amazes me. But if you do manage to get seated, make sure you're ready to spend a lot of money. I can't imagine in what universe this place would be considered "reasonably-priced", but definitely not in the universe I live in! There was hardly a single affordable bottle of wine listed, at least for my husband I who have somewhat of a budget. The food was likewise expensive. While we sucked it up and enjoyed the wine we ordered, I can't say the same for the food. Honestly, it seemed like everythi... Read more

Had a fanstastic dinner there yesterday. The buccatini with clams was amazing with al dente pasta, clams in the shell (rather than the typical shell off canned clams) so you know the clams were alive when cooked, as you find in Italy and wonderful tomato sauce. The porchetta (pork belly) roasted with lots of rosemary and crackling skin was also delicious, but fat phobic Americans should stay away. The wine list is incredible and they feature wines that most restuarants would not do by the glass because of expense, .e.g most restos only do cheap wines by the glass at A16 you can get a glass of wine for $12 a glass of Taurasi that normally retails at $70 and would be on a wine list for $140. Service was efficient and friendly. Seems like the negative reviews on this site result from people who are used to Italian American food. Prices are reasonable with the most expensive entree being $24 and with that you get your choice of side (one word for sides: beans mmm creamy delicious).... Read more

My wife and I visited A16 a year and a half ago and enjoyed ourselves then. So we decided recently for a special occasion to revisit. What we experienced this time made us feel that we were not only in a different restaurant, but a different planet. The service this time around was very robotic and unfriendly. The menu had completely changed; not only were there relatively few choices--particularly if you're not in the mood for pizza--but prices had definitely gone up. And speaking of prices, the wine list was also overpriced. The restaurant does offer the option of 375 milliliter carafes, but at prices that generally match those of full bottles at most other restaurants. I settled on the quail which, at $20, was one of the less expensive entrees on the menu. The portions that ultimately arrived were tiny, as well as bland and chewy. My wife ordered the pasta with clams, and spent the entire meal spitting out pieces of shells; she finally gave up. We left soon after, still hungry, v... Read more

We couldn't wait to try this "recommended" retaurant. The Burrato appetizer was specifically mentioned in a travel magazine and being that I am of Southern Italian descent, I was excited to scope it out before bringing my dad and other friends. I called to inquire about the wait time at 7:45pm on a Thursday night and was told it was about 20 min. but would probably be less by the time we got there. We arrived at the crowded restaurant at 8:20 pm, and were told the wait was 30-35 min. After 30 min. one of the hostesses said it would be about 10 more minutes, fine. Another couple came in after us and ate at the bar and left while we were still waiting for a table. At 9:00 the other hostess said it would be about 15 more minutes, we were already invested at this point. After a 65 min. wait we were seated at a high bar table next to the "bathroom. Waitress was great, service was prompt and attentive. The other guests were all trying to out yell each other. I wish I knew sign languag... Read more

The food was fine, less expensive than I thought. We're very knowledgeable about wines except for Italian wines so we asked the server to recommend something full bodied like a cab - she recommended more of a pinot. I would have returned the bottle but she as *so confident* so we tastefully accepted it. It was a $50 mistake. Dinner would have been so much better had the wine been what we wanted. Left after $100 dinner pretty disappointed. If we return, it will only be to the bar; the bartenders were pleasant and knowledgeable.

What a place. Great food and wine. My husband and I came down from Stockton to dine at A16 and was it worth it. The service was great and the ambience was incredible.

I can't comment on the food as we never got to it. My husband, 2 children and I decided to eat at A16 for lunch. We arrived at 1:15. The hostess said the wait would be between 30 and 45 minutes. We decided to wait. She continuously said another 5 minutes. After an hour, we finally got seated in the back of the restaurant. As we were waiting, we noticed others without reservations being seated before us. We also noticed that there were empty tables in the restaurant. Once we were seated, it took 15 minutes for the waitress to give us water. She never asked if we wanted anything else to drink. After another 20 minutes, we still had not seen her again, but my husband noticed her standing next to the bar. We had enough. We walked out. My husband told the manager exactly what he thought on the way out and also told the waitress. I have never been treated that poorly in any restaurant before. We did happen to look at the menu which is extremely limited. While the waitress wa... Read more

Unless a restaurant is horrible I'll give it a second shot - I did with A16 and won't be going back a third time. The service was just okay - she was nice enough but slow and would disapper for long periods of time. The food was mediocre. Pizza was overly sauced and the crust was tough. The salads were nothing to write home about - as a matter of fact my beet salad had no flavor. It was a large serving, too bad it didn't have any taste (our waitress didn't bring the pepper until we were done w/our salads even though I asked when we ordered and again when she brought the plates to the table). A friend of mine had the chicken - I took a couple of bites and thought it was moist and delicious - he said after about 5 bites it was too salty. The wine list is impressive and our server did know her wines. Not worth the money - would rather eat at Fuzio or D'Angelo's down the street.

The Scene A deceptively intimate front-of-house wine bar belies an expansive dining corridor that travels along a massive exhibition kitchen (with ringside seats) and ends with a heated outdoor terrace. Epicurean delights hit the eye at every turn--house-cured salumi being lovingly sliced, gourmet pizzas exiting the wood-fired oven, mouthwatering presentations and bright, excellent servers explaining the seasonal menu and hefty wine list. The Food The wood-fire pizzas served alla Napolitana are a must (thin, blistery crust, smooth tomato sauce, molten mozzarella floating on top), as is a tasting plate of the house salumi (though the luganega can be overly fatty). Toothsome house-made pastas come in appropriately small portions. Simple, fresh and hearty Campania-inspired entrees include roasted pork ribs with lemon, and lamb with fennel, radishes and parsley. The rich wine list is heavy in small-batch Italian and Californian varietals. If possible, desserts merit saving some room.

I don't understand the hype. The wait was way too long, the service not good, and the food extremely uninteresting. And all that for $70 or so a person (with wine, which admittedly is from a good selection)!

I only had the pizzas with friends. Very good fresh pies, service was great, desserts were yummy. The place was crowded on a friday night and we had no reservations, but we didn't wait long for a table. Good wine bar to mingle at, and the bartender definitely knew his stuff.

We just don't understand the hype. We've dined twice and on both occasions we have had fare that is just okay. As the server explained the food is Italian like the Southern Italians prepare their food - we are from Sorrento and what we had does not compare. The wines list was very thorough with many Italian selections. We were disappointed in the pizza because we found it to be charred, with lots of dust on the underside of the crust. Our server was quite nice and amiable. We think that if a restaurant is going to call itself an Italian restaurant than it should serve the food like the Italians like their food - simply.

A great ol' chummy pal offered to take my wife and I out dining at his favorite Italian. I was apprehensive at first, being that pasta isn't my favorite meal, but he assured us that this was authentic Southern Italian cuisine. Cabs were hard to find from his place on Broadway (Friday night that it was), so was parking once we got there. There was a line but luckily we had reservations. Mark was a familiar face we soon found out. Back-slappings, hugs, kisses and finally we were at our table. Andrew, our barman, brought a bottle of incredibly tropical-tasting red wine. I could bet my bottom dollar that guava was fused in there, somewhere. I thought we ordered 5 dishes between us three but the chef kept sending out dish after dish. As if to complement the chef, Shelly, the owner, brought us 2 additional bottles of exquisite red wine. The fact that I didn't suffer a hangover the next morning assured me of the quality of the wines. The tripe dish I ordered reminded me so very much of a We... Read more

the pizza is good. (better than most places) not great. sort of done in napolitana style, but has too much sauce and never has to come out as charred as it sometimes does. and for all the hype and $ it should be great. service is always weird and bottom line is, its amateur service....i think this place is someone's hobby... anything we've had other than the pizza was a disaster.

One of my friends brought me to this restaurant this past Tuesday (around 7PM). Although I'm not a huge fan of Italian food and saucey dishes, we decided to give this place a whirl anyways. We were proptly seated at the bar in the main room (no wait) in front of the brick oven and prep line. The wine list was VERY impressive and am a HUGE fan of the 1/2 bottle carafes they have to offer. The sommelier was even nice enough to come over and explain to us his favorites and how the list is formatted. The complexity that some of the Italian wines carry with them are unparallel to most California wines. Our waitress was also very friendly and even swapped out our side plates before every course...service points. My friend had been here a few times before so I let her ordered a few small plates, a pizza, and a pasta dish to share (Prosciutto and beet salad, tripe, mozzarella burrata, garlic/anchovy pizza, and mushroom pasta.) I rarely go to a restaurant and truly enjoy every dish;... Read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in the city by far. I have come many times and had nothing but amazing food, with excellent, attentive service. You can go casual and order one of their delicious pizzas, or try any of the entrees for a more formal meal. If you're into wine at all, this is one of the best wine lists in SF. The only downside is they are always busy and you can have trouble getting reservations. I recommend going early and just putting your name in, and having a glass of wine at the bar while you wait. Well worth it!

It was hard to get a reservation to this place, so we settled on an early evening seating. Although we were told beforehand that we needed to leave by a certain time, we were never rushed. Comfortable place, but can get a little loud. Great sausage pizza, and great plates of burrata and soppressata. Would go back any time for those. Desserts were good, but my chocolate dessert, while interesting with touches of olive oil and sea salt, was a bit too savory for my taste.

I have been to this restaurants a couple of times and it is different every time. I think I have figured it out: they prefer their customers to be just a table for two and gorgous. When I have been with just a date service is fine, when I showed up with my family, who happens to be from the campania region of italy, they made us wait 40 minutes after our set reservation time!! And they were rude and snide and made us feel like we were inconviencing them. Funny, cuz we were the ones planning on dropping a few hundred bucks. About the food: pizza was great and authentic, but some of the main dishes, like the lamb were horrible. So I recommend going with one other person and sitting up at the bar with a pizza and try avoiding the hostesses!!!

I was vowed by the excellent food, excellent service and the New York ambience at A16 - the first I went, and then, again, the second and third time. In my opinion, it serves the best pizzas in San Francisco, and maybe even the US. It's time for Mario Batali to consider himself second best since A16's pizzas reign supreme. The wine list has something for everyone's taste buds and different pocket sizes, and the food always impresses. Two thumbs up. For those who go back, please order the house pasta - excellent is the only way I can describe the simplicity and the tastefulness of the dish - and please don't forget to try the roasted peppers with anchiove. The desserts sound a little weird, but again, I think for anyone with a good palate, you're going to appreciate the fare.

The ambiance in A16 is high-energy without being loud and overwhelming. The food is good, but rather pricey for what you get. I recommend sitting at the chef's station and watching the cooks in action.

Went to A16 and I have to say it was amazing. This is a place to come and have a dinning experience. The food is good and is served as small plates. You order in courses and you can either order a bottle of wine or have a flight of different wines. By the way, as you have read the wine list is crazy big. This place is always busy and it is very hard to get a reservation, however it is one of those places you can dine at late and it will be very romantic. I find it to be a place that you must dine at at least once. I how ever can't wait to go back!

The pizza was great and the wine list deserves the accolades that it constantly receives. But the other food that came was average, if not below average. The pork loin was almost entirely fat (i.e. white and grissly) so I feel like I barely got to eat. The service was so-so but the ambience was nice. I guess next time I'd just go there for wine and order a pizza as an appetizer. I was bummed b/c so many critics have given A16 such rave reviews....seems like it may have gotten ahead of itself with some of the other menu items.

I WAS SO EXCITED TO FINALLY GET A RESERVATION HERE AND WAS SEVERELY DISAPPOINTED. I SERIOUSLY DONT KNOW WHAT ALL THE RAVE IS ABOUT. ALL 4 DISHES WE ORDERED WERE VERY BLAND. THE RED WINE TASTED LIKE VINEGAR. THE MARGARITA PIZZA TASTED LIKE THEY USED CAMPBELL'S TOMATO SOUP FOR THE SAUCE; ACTUALLY CAMPBELLS SOUP WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER THAN THE MEAL I HAD HERE. IF U LIKE BLAND TASELESS FOOD THAN YOU SHOULD DEFINATELY EAT HERE!

A16 is a tasteful, popular Italian restaurant in a great area of the Marina. The food is sort of a contemporary/updated rustic Italian, and ...

My girlfriend and her family who hail from Caserta (Campania) and I ate at A16 for the first time yesterday. My girlfriend's family was almost in tear when they saw dishes like the maccaronara with ragu, the tripe, whole roasted favas, squid ink pasta, and house cured meats on the menu. The ended up in joyful tears when they tasted the food and memories of their homeland came gushing through. Service was also very attentive. The food at A16 is regional Italian and a far cry to the Italian American shlop served by third generation American born Italians.