Emmy's Spaghetti Shack

Claim
marker

3230 Mission St (at at Mission)
San Francisco, CA 94110

marker
(415) 206-2086
Incorrect info? Correct your listing
Reviews
( 12 )
( 17 )
( 1 )
( 5 )
( 4 )

Best

Any place with laundry hanging from a clothesline, a dj and raisin bread blue cheese warm pear brushcetta deseves 5 stars! And, of course, this little pasta shack has f**ing fa...

Worst

Used to LOVE this place!! USED TO...Don't ever be so bold as to send something back though! The cook will make you feel like scum and try to punish you by refusing to fix your ord...

Editorial review from Citysearch 10/10/2012

I LOVE Emmy's!! Great food and service. Well worth the wait, as it's usually busy. :) more
Reply | Report abuse |

I love Emmy's! 2/26/2009

Any place with laundry hanging from a clothesline, a dj and raisin bread blue cheese warm pear brushcetta deseves 5 stars! And, of course, this little pasta shack has f**ing fabulous spagetti. Pros: Excellence more
Reply | Report abuse |

Great place to have a casual delicious dinner 6/26/2008

I frequent this restaurant when I am feeling taken advantage of by other restaurants. At Emmy's you are guaranteed a decent if not fantastic meal. I find comfort in the daily specials, 80 percent of the time the chef hits the mark and produces an entree that would be found at one of SF finest restaurants (at less than half the price). The remaining 20 percent of meals I've had there are better than average. Service is casual and fun. more
Reply | Report abuse |

Hip & Cool / Always a good choice. 12/20/2007

I always take someone to try out this little place. Stumbled on it by chance and have always loved it since. Keep on doing what you do best...cooking great food and serving up good drinks. No reservations so be prepared to chill for a while if it's packed. Pros: Ambience, Food, Uniqueness Cons: Parking, Number of seating available more
Reply | Report abuse |

Awesome! 11/8/2007

I pride myself on making spaghetti and meatballs but I gotta give it up to Emma's recipe! I've been there a dozen times and I've never been disappointed nor have I tried anything else on the menu! And the portion are big enough to last for a few work lunches. It's small and you may have to wait, I would make it a habit to go before 7pm, the wait can be long on any given day. The service is nice and engaging too! more
Reply | Report abuse |

Just what you and your friends need! 12/4/2006

So a buddy took me there a few days ago. It was the perfect spot to go with some friends, enjoy a meal together, and chat it up while enjoying some amazingly delicious food and getting a tad of a buzz. The atmsphere is fun and chill, and different. Not that fake, trendy, hospitality major type of different... but totally original, cool, and interesting different. It's the kind of place that you find and treasure, cause it's sort of a hidden treat like treasure. But yah, the food was so good...we're already planning to swing by Emmy's again this week and the next. The service is awesome, super friendly and funny staff. And not to be crude, but a very hot staff if I may add. So yah, rally the troops and get on. Pros: Excellent Food, Bernal Heights, Hot Waitresses Cons: N/A more
Reply | Report abuse |

Funky Italian joint 11/20/2006

Great place on Friday night. A little loud with the DJ but makes for a fun atmosphere. Menu doesn't have a lot of options but you don't need it b/c the spaghetti and meatballs are amazing. Pros: food, music Cons: wait more
Reply | Report abuse |

NOT Four Seasons 11/17/2006

Good food - - nice waitresses (pardon my chauvinism) - - too loud ambience, (because of the ""hot"" people) - - - this is San Francisco. Pros: Deliriously good time Cons: Getting home more
Reply | Report abuse |

Delicious but achingly loud 9/2/2006

I liked the food at Emmy's, but I don't recommend going there with anyone you want to have a conversation with. The drinks were good, and the food was reasonably priced and innovative, but the volume of the music and other diners was quite uncomfortable. Pros: good prices and innovative Italian Cons: extremely loud more
Reply | Report abuse |

A San Francisco Native's Favorite 12/16/2005

Go to Emmy's NOW! Eaten there dozen's of times. Pefrect for mid 20's to early 40's people who want a truly honest and special restaurant. Kids from The Mission, The Haight, Hayes and Cole Valley flourish here for great californian/mediterrean eats. First dates turn into engagement dinners. Employees are always smiling, if not dancing, while they serve you. Menu changes regularly while staples remain. I cannot say enough... Pros: Neighborhood Hangout, Chimay Red and Blue, Bar Next Door Cons: Parking, One Bathroom more
Reply | Report abuse |

Fantastic Food and Music! 8/27/2005

I have been wanting to come here for over a year. I was SO happy and surprised at how awesome it is. The venue was pretty small and cute...parking was hard, but doable...the wait was only about 15 min and we got to sit at the bar and get a drink to start. The artwork was amazing. They have DJs on weekends so as we sat ate we got to listen to Tribe Called Quest, Far Side and other awesome hip hop. The lights were low and romantic. The Spaghetti was CHEAP for the amount you get. Other meals are great too! My pop was served in a old-school bottle and everything was so yummy. I really recommend this place to those who want something original and GREAT. We were really happy and I think it's now a favorite spot for us. Pros: atmosphere, FOOD!, originality more
Reply | Report abuse |

Zeitgeist does dining... 6/13/2005

It can be rough to acclimate to the Mission if you spend the majority of your time on the north side of our fine city. But if you can manage to venture past the 20th and Mission block you are guarunteed great food and a dining experience like no other. The walls are lined with innovative art. The menus are creative, limited (baked scallops with crumbled bacon, grit cakes and chillie sauce? Bring it!) and change frquently. They don't overwhelm you with too many sub- par choices. I've been the Emmy's about a dozen times. I've never had bad service. There is a wait, but there is A BAR NEXT DOOR. They will call your name when your table is ready. So play some pool. Enjoy the DJ, but don't expect to have an experience like you would anywhere in the Marina. That's just not how the Mission works it. Pros: ambiance, food, originality Cons: the wait, cash only more
Reply | Report abuse |

Emmy you are dee-licious! 4/26/2005

Finally made it over to Emmy's, by Tuesday 7pm this small, funky restaurant was full and we had a 10 minute wait. Started with a mussel in cream sauce with peas dish, very nicely done. Dinner was the signature spaghetti and meatballs: three large dense meatballs in a pile of al dente pasta and covered with a thick tomato sauce, very satisfying. Somehow I managed to have a little dessert: poached pear with vanilla ice cream. Overall service was good, decor interesting with above-average noise levels due to the small space. A good spot for a small group looking for a satisfying bite... Pros: Spaghetti/Meatbulbs, Fresh ingredients, Decor Cons: Small menu, Noise levels more
Reply | Report abuse |

Great... but not for everyone. 10/3/2004

I would never take my mom to Emmy's. The neighborhood is iffy, the parking is terrible, the music is loud, the service is minimalistic, and the wait is almost always long. However, I love it! It's dark, the music is great, the decor is funky, the food is good, and the prices are reasonable. I wouldn't take a date, however, because it's so darn loud! Go on the weekend when they have some great DJs... but wear comfy shoes for a long wait. Pros: Funky ambiance, Great music, Good food Cons: , Long waits, Hard to hear more
Reply | Report abuse |

Great Time and Great Value 10/19/2003

Food is good, although the menu is limited. We had a party of three and we all split the beef filet salad, crab risotto, and the spaghetti and meatballs. It was all very good esp for the price paid. Great DJ which set a different atmopshere than most restaurants in the city. I have added this to my short list of favorites in the city. I only wish they took reservations. Pros: Great Food, Great Music, Great Value Cons: Long wait sometimes more
Reply | Report abuse |

So cool 10/7/2003

I've been to Emmy's twice and had a great time both times. I think you go more for the ambience than the food. My spaghetti was fine, but nothing to write home about. However, the DJ on Oct. 3 (a Friday night) was outstanding. She definitely helped set the mood for the evening. Some of the other selections for food seemed odd. There were $12 fish and chips on the menu. $12 for fish and chips? It's a fun, cute place with a huge wait. But I would wait again. Pros: atmosphere, dim lighting Cons: basic food, long wait more
Reply | Report abuse |

maybe I'm masochistic... 7/14/2003

But I love eating at Emmy's. Yes, the service is rude. Yes, the cash-only policy is ABSURD! Yes, there are better more polished meals to be had in this city. But when you want lively and tasty no-frills food and a decent cheap glass of wine, Emmy's hits the spot. The hamburger rocks, the salads always sound a little ill-conceived on the menu, but end up very satisfying. Go for the food and let the rest roll off... Pros: great comfort food, good prices Cons: rude service more
Reply | Report abuse |

Great for the neighborhood 7/10/2003

I originally went there because its closeby and I read a review about the spaghetti being only $6. I'd say entrees average at least double that, if I remember right. Be prepared, what the 'spaghetti shack' name implies may catch you off wallet. BUT, if you dont mind waiting for a table, it's a decent atmosphere (GREAT for the Mission) for having an unfancy dinner with friends & decent food. They have a DJ which makes for a lively atmosphere. Wine selection is limited, the place is small, crowded and dark, so if you're alone dont plan on reading. Cons: wait for table more
Reply | Report abuse |

ri-soo-toe! 7/7/2003

mmm so good. the risotto was excellent. the service fair, but not horrible. the dj was perfect. the spaghetti and meatballs, pretty darn good. the chocolate cake - f yeah! so good, so very good. the mac and cheese was pretty good too. Pros: lighting, risotto, dj Cons: size more
Reply | Report abuse |

Emmy's vindictive spaghetti shack! 5/27/2003

Used to LOVE this place!! USED TO...Don't ever be so bold as to send something back though! The cook will make you feel like scum and try to punish you by refusing to fix your order, still charging you for it, and THROWING it out so you can even eat the decent parts of it!!!! Get over yourself Emmy, you're not Alice Waters, you cook noodles! 2 less loyal customers..... Pros: good sauce, cheap, better than starving Cons: bad service, vindictive cook, like her food or ELSE more
Reply | Report abuse |
< Previous 1 2 3 Next >
Menu for Emmy's Spaghetti Shack


Summer SALE!!!:
15% OFF all yearly plans
Use year15 at checkout. Expires 1/1/2021
Editorial

  • The Scene
    Emmy's oozes funkiness. Patrons sit at the bar, sipping Chianti or fine malt liquor, waiting to score a seat among the ramshackle booths lining the walls. A communal table suits...

  • 6/7/2004 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Sun-Thu: 5:30pm-11pm Fri-Sat: 5:30pm-12am
  • Payments: Master Card, Cash, Visa
  • Neighborhoods: Bernal Heights, Central East
badge