If you get reservations, you can forget the patio. (The snooty hostess will tell you, ""We don't accept reservations for our patio"" after you've been lead to believe it's possible. Otherwise, there's no need to get one.) But once inside, there's a good bar for mixed drinks, live jazz on some evenings, and food that is actually decent -- even for SF standards.
The appetizers are typical for the area. The pasta is decent, though there's better further into North Beach. Their grilled meats are better. And they actually make a decent espresso for a restaurant.
One major problem is their wine storage. Paying $40 (and up) for a bottle on a rare warm evening, I did not expect my wine to be served at the temperature of Chinese tea (at least 85F). Thus I presume their wine stocks are suspect -- subject to premature decline due to improper storage.
Pros: decent food, patio dining, good bar
Cons: poor wine storage, no parking, no patio reservations
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