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Cesario's
Classic Italian dining in the heart of San Francisco, where tradition meets taste.
3.6(5 reviews)
italian
$$
Classic Italian dining in the heart of San Francisco, where tradition meets taste.
Cesario's is a beloved Italian restaurant located at 601 Sutter St in San Francisco, offering a cozy, old-world ambiance reminiscent of the 1950s. We specialize in hearty, traditional Italian dishes like Penne Basilico, lasagna, and daily specials, served with warm hospitality. Our attentive staff provides spot-on recommendations, making every meal a welcoming experience. Whether you're here for a romantic dinner or a casual outing, we aim to deliver delicious, simple food in a classic setting. With a 4.2/5 rating from over 1,100 reviews, we're a go-to spot for authentic Italian cuisine in the city.
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Enjoy classic dishes like Penne Basilico, lasagna, and sirloin specials in a cozy, old-world atmosphere.
Savor our soup of the day, such as creamy mushroom, and chef-inspired entrées that change regularly.
Indulge in homemade desserts including crème brûlée and lemon cake to sweeten your meal.
Book your table in advance through platforms like OpenTable for a seamless dining experience.
Complimentary bread served with meals, adding a traditional touch to your dining.
Extremely disappointed. We arrived with a confirmed reservation made through OpenTable, only to be completely denied service at the door. It is unacceptable for a restaurant to list availability on a booking platform and then refuse to honor it upon arrival. This lack of organization and disregard for customers' time ruined our evening plans. If you are looking for a reliable place that respects your reservation, I strongly suggest going elsewhere. We will not be coming back.
We tried the soup of the day, which was a creamy mushroom soup, and it was absolutely delicious. For the main course, we had the Penne Basilico, which was also very good, especially with the cheese and pepper they served on the side. We finished with the crème brûlée for dessert. It was decent, but the caramelized top wasn’t as crisp and crackly as it usually should be. Our server was incredibly polite and gentlemanly, and his recommendations were spot-on. He made us feel genuinely welcome throughout the meal. Overall, it was a great experience!
The lasagna was amazing! I just wish the veggies were a bit more cooked or grilled, but the sauce was super tasty. They served bread, which not every place does. big plus!
This old-style restaurant is everything a classic restaurant should be. Professionals tend to the guests; the food is simple, hearty and delicious; soft music plays in the background; and for a second you imagine you are in San Francisco of the 1950s. A great meal.
I had high expectations walking into Cesario. After passing by two nights in a row and seeing the place packed, I decided to finally stop in for dinner. At 5:30 the restaurant was already full. The host told me to wait about 10 minutes, and since it’s such a tiny spot, I sat in the hotel lobby next door until a table opened. The meal, unfortunately, was a letdown from the start. The garlic bread was just toasted baguette slices with packets of diner butter , not what I’d call garlic bread. For my entrée, I ordered the special: New York sirloin with fettuccine in tomato parm sauce. What I got was something completely different chopped steak pieces cooked far beyond well-done, tough and chewy, served in a heavy Alfredo cream sauce. It was inedible. The only redeeming moment was dessert. The lemon cake, while simple, at least spared me from leaving hungry since I barely touched the main course. Overall, it was a terribly sad experience. I assumed the food must be great given how busy they always looked, but for me, the reality was the opposite.
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