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Mona Lisa Restaurant
Authentic Italian flavors with a touch of San Francisco charm—where every meal feels like a warm welcome.
3.4(5 reviews)
italian
$$
Authentic Italian flavors with a touch of San Francisco charm—where every meal feels like a warm welcome.
Mona Lisa Restaurant in San Francisco offers a cozy, inviting atmosphere for enjoying classic Italian cuisine. Known for house-made pasta sauces, fresh pizzas, and a selection of wines, we pride ourselves on quality ingredients and attentive service. Whether you're here for a casual dinner or a special occasion, our team strives to make every visit memorable. Located on Columbus Ave, we're a beloved spot for locals and visitors alike, blending traditional recipes with a friendly, neighborhood vibe.
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Fresh pasta with signature sauces, crafted daily for authentic Italian taste.
Wood-fired pizzas with quality toppings, including Margherita and Diavola options.
Curated list of Italian and local wines, plus cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks.
Homemade tiramisu, gelato, and espresso drinks for a sweet finish.
Custom menus for groups and special occasions in a welcoming setting.
Came here for dinner and it wasn’t too crowded — we got seated right away. The tables are a bit close together and seating feels slightly tight, but nothing uncomfortable. The place was clean overall. We ordered two pastas, a pizza, and two glasses of wine and were definitely full by the end. The pasta sauce is house-made and actually really good — you can tell some care went into it. We didn’t order an expensive wine, so the red wine was pretty standard. Overall a solid spot. Would come back again and would recommend it to friends.
⸻ I’m writing this review for Monalisa because of an experience that truly stood out. I had just arrived in San Francisco and went to dinner with a friend. By the time we got to the restaurant, it was already 10:45 PM. Since things close early, the kitchen was already closed. When we told the waiter that we had made a reservation through OpenTable and had come specifically to eat, he kindly explained that the kitchen was closed. However, seeing that we were clearly hungry and considering the late hour, he said he would check to see what he could do for us. To our surprise, the waiter, the owner, and everyone who welcomed us were incredibly kind and accommodating—even though the restaurant was already about to close. They prepared a lovely meal for us with burrata, different cured meats, and other cold options, just so we wouldn’t go hungry. They also made drinks for us and treated us with so much care and warmth. I had planned to come back the next day to try the full menu, but due to the rush of my trip, I wasn’t able to return. That’s still something I definitely want to do when I’m back in San Francisco. Even without having tried the full kitchen menu, I highly recommend this restaurant—especially because of the owner and the entire staff, whose names I sadly don’t remember, but who were simply amazing. For me, Monalisa gets a 10/10 just for the service alone. The food and drinks they prepared for us at the last minute were exceptional. This is a fully positive review, and I’m absolutely certain that when I return to San Francisco, Monalisa will be one of my first stops to finally experience the full menu.
They’ve moved locations and unfortunately the interior is no longer as charming as it used to me. Good was fine, the pesto pasta had more olive oil than needed, but I heard chicken parm was delicious. Great cappuccino and desserts. Oranger tiramisu is an interesting twist. Overall still a great spot but I do think their previous location is was more charming
I visited Mona Lisa yesterday for dinner and unfortunately had a very disappointing experience. The service was terrible, the young man serving the water was extremely brusque and didn’t interact with customers at all. When we arrived, our server was actually sitting down instead of greeting us, which felt unprofessional. The food was also poor quality: everything was overly breaded and far too salty. We ordered two glasses of white wine, but the wine was spoiled it literally tasted like vinegar. On top of that, no one ever came to check on us or offered any recommendations throughout the meal. To make matters worse, parking is very difficult in the area, and we had to pay $20 just to park for one hour. Overall, this was a really disappointing experience and I would not recommend this place.
To be honest, it’s somehow a soulless pizza. Everything seems to be in place—the flavors are there, the dough was right, the cheese and toppings were all good—but it still felt a bit tasteless and plain. That said, the pizza was fresh, nicely baked, and clearly made with quality ingredients. If you do go, try the Diavola and the Margherita—those were probably the best among what we ordered. I’d recommend it if you’re nearby. Overall, an okay spot with decent pizza, even if it didn’t leave much of an impression.
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