Luisa's Italian Cuisine

We had horrible experience with Luisa and her staff. I will never return here and urge everyone to enjoy any of the other great Italian restaurants in the marina besides this one! We wanted to try Luisa's after passing by several times and then seeing the restaurant online. We purchased a gift certificate online and went with four people to try Luisa's. On the door was a hand written sign ""NO LONGER ACCEPTING RESTAURANT dot c CERTIFICATES"". Interesting since we got this a few days ago. Just checked online and they are still selling gift certificates! I would usually have remained to eat except the jerk seating people was extremely rude. Luisa did not step in, and then was rude when our party decided to go enjoy a meal next door at Campannini. DO NOT EAT HERE, your money is much better off where you can get good service in a better atmosphere. more

Authentic Italian Cusine in a fun, atmosphere. Try the delicious handmade pastas, all delicious. The garlic bread is awesome. The hanging Chianti bottles in a nice touch! more

Being a visitor to SF area, I just happened to have food here and I must say I was very happy with my choice.\r \r Hope to dine here again. more

I travel to the city from time to time and found this to be a wonderful place to eat. The atmosphere is quaint with the Chanti bottles hanging from the ceiling. The Italian music in the background adds a very nice touch. Most impressive though was the FOOD. Simply fantastic! I highly recommend the Cioppino. The ingredients were fresh and the sauce was incredible. WHAT FLAVOR! There was a great selection of wines and I had the homemade Tira Misu for dessert which just made the whole meal. The service was excellent as well. Thank you Luisa. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. Pros: Food was excellent, service professional, atmosphere pleasant. more

This is a taste of Italy! Luisa's is a small, quaint, romantic restaurant in the heart of the City. The service is very personal, the menu is expansive, and the food is authentic. And it's better than that . . . if you know good Italian food, you will be delighted at how incredible your experience will be! Start with the bruchetta, then savor the gnochi with aurora sauce, stuffed calamari or my other favorite, chicken piamontesse . . . OH MY GOD! You can't go wrong with anything you choose. And if you are really lucky, you will have the pleasure of meeting the lovely Luisa, who will make a perfect recommendation for you, and charm you throughout the evening! Pros: Everything! Cons: I don't live close enough to dine there often! more

this bar is great! the food is overpriced, but the owner is a money grubbing she-dog who has nothing to do but shaft her customers, what can you do. happy hour is good though, nice drinks, nice bartenders, nice atmosphere, great margaritas!! 10 different beers for 3 dollars each?? Pros: drinks, people, atmosphere, bartenders, grey goose in the well?? woo hoo Cons: i spend too much money more

I never had dinner here because every time I walk by, they always have either big plastic bags filled with garbage or waste boxes in front of their restaurant. The sidewalk in front their restaurant is dirty from their garbage. Sometimes they even left broken glasses there. There are so many dogs and people walking on Union st. \r Doesn't the city care about the health issue? more

This is absolutely my favorite Italian restaurant in the city! I have eaten at many Italian restaurants in North Beach and would definitely recommend Luisa's over all of them. It is also great to see the owner, Luisa, walking around, chatting with her clientele, and making new friends. The decor in the restaurant is quintessential Rome with a home-style touch.\r \r When I go to Luisa's I do find it hard not to order my favorite signature dish, Osso Bucco. I consider myself to be a connoisseur of Osso Bucco and Luisa's is one of the best! I would say the menu is a hearty affair, so if you're in need of some serious comfort food this should be your place; that being said, if you're looking for lighter fare, then Luisa's might not be a perfect fit.\r \r \r Pros: Excellence in hearty italian and warm, inviting atmosphere Cons: Not a calorie counting menu more

My husband and I had a nice italian dinner recently at Luisa's Italian Restuarant on Union Street. We were both pleasantly surprised as all of the tables were bussed, and very clean as well as, the silverware. The atmosphere was very cozy and when the server arrived to take our orders and offer suggestions, she was very courteous and helpful. She was perfect - not too intrusive, but very responsive and friendly - excellent service overall.\r \r I had the house ravioli's and they were perfect. They were not over cooked and mushy and the red sauce was nice and thick and very tasty like what my father (who's Italian) made for us growing up. The portion size was good (not huge, nor just bird food) and the galic and basil flavors were not overwhelming.\r \r My husband had the house spaghetti with meatballs and his noodles were also cooked perfectly and strained correctly (not in a pool of water like some restaurants) and he also said the tomatoes in the sauce tasted very fresh and in general it tasted home made.\r \r I would recommend this restaurant for any couple that's looking to have a small romantic dinner without the loud noise and bustle of buzy bodies moving all about like other large restaurants. Pros: cozy, quite, good food and service Cons: a little pricey more

Luisa is the best! The portions are large and the rigatoni with meatballs are very tasty! With the wine bottles hanging from the ceiling this place has a warm friendly vibe and I would eat here again in a heartbeat. Pros: Great, friendly ambience Cons: It's small so get there early! more

Being a pasta lover, I know what I?m talking about. We opted for the gnocchi and fettuccine so we could share a bit and believe me the portions are more then adequate to split up. My sorrentina sauce was fantastic and my wife?s fettuccine was exceptional. The menu has plenty of authentic choices, but I gotta have my pasta. If you want more of authentic Italian taste and feel and less of corporate restaurant, Luisa?s is a must. Pros: Warm and inviting atmoshpere Cons: Kills hunger fast more

We were surprised to find a real Italian cuisine in this area. Not ?American Italian? but genuine Italian delicious dishes as we had several months ago in Rome and let me tell you that the prices in Rome are higher and in Euro :) The place is noisy like a good Italian restaurant, friendly and each dish we tried was the best. We were four people and tried the Tomato and Minestrone soups (wow), beef carpaccio (cannot go wrong), salads and fish ? red snapper and salmon ? all real good. The tiramisu was the best we had outside Italy! The owner joined us during the meal and then we learned that this remarkable 79 years young lady cooks the food herself in addition of buying more and more restaurants in town and managing her business on her own. \r If you are looking for real Italian food in SF ? try Louisa?s.\r Pros: Italian Food!!! Cons: Noisy like a real Italian and you need to wait for a table more

We've been to Luisa's twice now, and had a terrific experience each time. The service was friendly, responsive, and prompt. The food is very authentic and delicious. You can almost imagine a bunch of old ladies in the kitchen, making food that they make for their own families and that was made by their grandparents before them. The eggplant parm is among the best I've ever had. The meats, salads, and desserts are all wonderful. Reservations are easy to get, but you may be able to get in simply by walking in off the street. The atmosphere is warm and cozy - perfect for a chilly and/or rainy night when, personally, I crave Italian comfort food. Yum. Pros: The food, especially the cheesy eggplan parm more

This isn't so much a restaurant as a vanity project, and it shows in the lackluster food and harried service. I wouldn't call the cuisine particularly authentic, the restaurant felt cramped and loud when I was there (and the restaurant was far from full!), and the decor, with its Chianti bottle theme, was like a silly Disneyland interpretation of an Italian restaurant!\r San Francisco is a great town for Italian--you can do much better for cuisine and price *anywhere* in North Beach. This place is just not worth the price or bother.\r In addition, this ""restaurateur"" buys up little independent restaurants all over SF, forces out the previous tenants, and then inserts her own average Italian place. I can't stomach giving money to someone actively trying to destroy San Francisco's great restaurant scene. Pros: Great bar in back Cons: Lack of parking, not romantic, bad value more

Honestly, the best italian I've has in the city. One thing is for sure, it does not rest on its laurals like some of its North Beach competition. From the charming atmosphere with the wine bottles decoratively hanging from the ceiling and respectful staff to the gastonome triumphs, Luisa's is definately not to be missed for those who are Italian or simply adore the authentic cuisine. more

My fiance and I love coming here because of the excellent food. Their saltimboca is fantastic, and we always try to make room for our favorite dessert - the tartufo (a nice chocolate bomb to end the evening). We had a reservation at 7pm, and they were very busy because of the Oracle conference, so they couldn't seat us immediately. Usually you can just walk in off the street at that time and get a table. While we waited, Luisa came by and greeted us. After a couple of minutes we were seated and enjoyed our meal. It's the only restaruant where I've seen the owner walking around the tables, talking with everyone and making sure their meal was good. We always keep coming back. Pros: Good food, nice portions for the price Cons: Can get crowded, especially later in the evening more

I do not normally write reviews of restaurants, but our experience at Luisas was so offensive that a negative review is a must. The rude customer service begins the moment one enters the small, tight entryway that spills into the small dining space. Customers waiting for tables hover over those trying to enjoy sparse meals. And to complicate matters further, there is no process for seating customers and the openly hostile and disorganized owner, Luisa, seats patrons as she pleases, ignoring conventional rules of etiquette. There is no one point person at the door and with an obvious communication problem between the owner and her staff, chaos ensues. The restaurant desperately needs a polite hostess, or a simple pad of paper and a pen. Writing down customers names as they arrive may help to make Luisas a better spot to dine, but because the problem at Luisas begins with the owner, I would not give the place another look. The food (which we experienced a few times in the past) is not worth the poor, ill-mannered service. This fine city of ours is filled with plenty of good Italian restaurants with courteous and decent owners. Luisas is not one of them. more

Went here for dinner on a Sat night and it could not have been better. Very charming place, with lot's of charecter. The food was very tasty and fresh. The wine list is kind of small, but the reserve chianti was excellent. I think you should get a reservation as this is a small place. Great place for a special date. Pros: Food, service, setting more

Poor management, unprofessional service, lack of staff communication and a handful of various problems describe my experience renting out Luisas backroom for a private party. What had the potential to be a very fun and memorable evening (the space is ideal for private parties) turned into an unpleasant evening where we were made to feel unwelcome and taken advantage of - since we had paid and brought our friends in to spend money at her establishment. I was appalled at how rude Luisa was to the party coordinators in front of guests and customers when HER staff hadnt communicated with her about the party specifics. Aside from poor service, the jukebox was broken and the bathroom door didnt lock. Pros: Good location, Good size, Private bar Cons: Disorganized, Unprofessional, Rude Management more

One of my private tests: how well the restaurant deals with a custom request. My request: ""capellini con aglio i oglio"". Superb... And a suggested enhancement by Luisa: ""add basil and peperoncini"". Also superb. more