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Alta CA

Alta CA

(Now Closed)
New American Restaurant$$$$
Civic Center, San Francisco
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  • Stars
    Has a stamp of approval from Eater and SFist
    • Eater
    • SFist
Tips and Reviews icon114 Tips and reviews
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  • Mike W.
    Mike WinstonMay 8, 2017
    A great date night spot for before Civic Center entertainment. Cocktails are excellent as are the elevated bar food classics like Deviled Eggs & Cheeseburger. Don't miss the Sundae! WinstonWanders.com
  • meganheart icon on user image
    meganDecember 9, 2013
    Been here 5+ times
    Deviled eggs & burger are the way to go - and save room for the soft serve ice cream. Grab a high top table by the wall and enjoy the old school jams! (Pro tip: the owners are all kinda amazing.)
  • Dens
    DensJanuary 15, 2014
    Packed w/ all the cool-kid tech folks (they're all investors!) and everything I tried on the menu is awesome. Standouts: the 1780 Old Fashioned, deviled eggs, pork trotter (!!), rocky road sundae
  • SFist
    SFistSeptember 17, 2014
    Get the Hen-of-the-Woods Mushroom- a risotto-ish dish, with a rustic, cracked wheat porridge as its base, smoky hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, touched by fire & dressed with rich olive oil. Read more
  • Reserve
    ReserveMarch 17, 2016
    A perfect fit for the restaurant’s European-influenced American menu, Alta CA’s burger comes with cheddar cheese and bacon on a sesame bun with a side of crisp potatoes in garlic oil. Read more
  • BuzzFeed
    BuzzFeedAugust 23, 2016
    Alta, located near the San Francisco symphony, combines delicious upscale food with a non-snooty environment. Chef Patterson changes the menu regularly, but you can't go wrong with garlic pierogis. Read more
  • Kela D.
    Kela DriggsNovember 3, 2016
    Happy Hour Mon-Fri, 2:30-6pm $6 wine; $6 mojitos & sake cocktails A great restaurant with awesome drinks and a very cool bar setup. Hit the happy hour and stay for dinner
  • Adelin C.heart icon on user image
    Adelin CaiDecember 18, 2013
    Been here 5+ times
    I highly recommend: Persimmon ricotta toast and the deviled eggs. Everything is delicious, including the drinks! Great place for solo afternoon coffee (or soft serve ice cream) with a book.
  • jonathan g.
    jonathan gettingerMay 28, 2014
    The Hen-of-the-Woods Mushroom dish is a risotto-ish dish, with a rustic, cracked wheat porridge as its base and meaty, smoky hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, touched by fire and rich olive oil.
  • Teresaheart icon on user image
    TeresaNovember 29, 2014
    Pretty much can't go wrong here. Nice date place. Good food and good cocktails. Order the interesting things on the menu. It will be good.
  • Eater
    EaterJanuary 6, 2014
    Daniel Patterson's latest boasts Eastern European-tinged comfort food from chef Yoni Levy, a bespoke cocktail program, and ice cream for dessert (or to go).
  • Iris N.
    Iris NgNovember 2, 2015
    Vast drink menu and awesome soft serve sundaes! Cherries jubilee in waffle cone is delicious, comes in a 'magic' chocolate shell.
  • Megan Allisonheart icon on user image
    Megan AllisonApril 24, 2017
    Service has been slow and forgetty every time, but that's fine because you can sit for hours and catch up with a friend over seasonal apps, A+ cocktails & wine and a solid burger.
  • Brodie O.heart icon on user image
    Brodie OlmsteadNovember 27, 2016
    Been here 5+ times
    The Alta Late Night Special is where it's at. Ridiculously delicious burger with bacon, crispy potatoes, a Miller High Life and a generous shot of Four Roses. $23. Never disappoints.
  • PILAR P.heart icon on user image
    PILAR PRENDESDecember 18, 2015
    Wow! Great salad with goat cheese and pear! The roasted chicken is a very must!!! And the ice cream cake!!! Have to try it! Great find in sfco!
  • Iris N.
    Iris NgNovember 2, 2015
    Cracked wheat porridge is $20 but it is large so best to share. Multi-textural and vegan option available, which is what I got!
  • Tanner C.heart icon on user image
    Tanner ChristensenNovember 22, 2015
    Amazing cocktails, cauliflower, squid and sausage salad, deviled eggs, can't go wrong at Alta.
  • Ryan S.heart icon on user image
    Ryan SarverJanuary 9, 2014
    Been here 50+ times
    Come back for late night food and drink. Serving until 2am every day. Great industry scene at night.
  • SFist
    SFistMarch 18, 2015
    The filling in the bialys is an umami-rich, darkly caramelized mixture of onions and poppy seeds that's unlike any bialy filling ever. Read more
  • c0uPheart icon on user image
    c0uPFebruary 28, 2014
    Echoing all the tips around great music; they played Radiohead all night! Solid cocktails, though the one with dill and smoked egg white is... interesting.
  • Jason L.heart icon on user image
    Jason LukJanuary 6, 2014
    Been here 5+ times
    Hands down my favorite three items while enjoying dinner with my Mother: 1) Smoked Trout, 2) Hen of the Wood Mushroom, 3) Pork Trotter
  • Vincent T.heart icon on user image
    Vincent TangSeptember 4, 2015
    Open for late night dinner, which is a huge plus. Delicious pork trotters and burger, friendly folks, + EXCELLENT cocktails.
  • Samantha B.heart icon on user image
    Samantha BergApril 9, 2017
    The smoked trout is amazing and the deviled eggs make for a great snack
  • Stephanie B.
    Stephanie BaerAugust 16, 2014
    Beef tendon puffs are amazing! If popcorn and a pack of not too powerful pop rocks mated in salt, this is the lovely outcome! Must have!!!
  • Michelle H.
    Michelle Hardy SchenkJanuary 9, 2014
    Brent, who was mixing amazing drinks, is the shit! Order the Roger Rabbit. This drink will dance in your mouth.
  • Elizabeth B.
    Elizabeth BursteinMarch 31, 2017
    Loved Brown butter char, bacon cocktail, and bitters drink. Deviled egg appetizer also so good
  • Mario E.
    Mario EstradaDecember 6, 2013
    Enjoy the playlist, it's fantastic jams from high school/college and not too loud. Request Stefan as your server and get the mushroom dish.
  • Rob D.heart icon on user image
    Rob D.July 6, 2016
    House made cola, salmon salad and deviled eggs. Savory. If you're hungry order an extra dish as servings are small.
  • Timothy H.
    Timothy HongJune 9, 2017
    Way too pricey for what you get. Portions are legit tiny. Entrees should be called small plates, with the exception of the burger, which was legit delicious. The tagliatelle was also very good.
  • Craig V.heart icon on user image
    Craig VillamorJune 15, 2015
    Good selection of whiskey. They know how to make a proper old fashioned. Beef stroganoff is on fleek.
  • Damanheart icon on user image
    DamanFebruary 24, 2015
    Get the rocky road soft serve. Who would have thought soft serve could be classy.
  • Matthew
    MatthewAugust 20, 2014
    The deviled eggs are the best appetizer. They also serve an old fashioned almost the 'right way', but include a cherry so beware. Everything is decent but its all very salty. 20% less salt everywhere.
  • Bryan P.
    Bryan PowerSeptember 7, 2017
    Been here 5+ times
    Menu tries too hard but late night burger is one of best in city. Good cocktails.
  • Derek P.heart icon on user image
    Derek PJuly 9, 2016
    Been here 5+ times
    Must try the deviled eggs! They change the style up periodically and they're always amazing
  • James Victor A.heart icon on user image
    James Victor AsheDecember 9, 2016
    Pumpkin pierogis are great, and the beef cheek may sound weird but it's very good and tender!
  • Yaron S.heart icon on user image
    Yaron SDecember 15, 2014
    Food flavors are very saturated, good or bad depending on your pallet. Puffs are great but you'll definitely want to share them.
  • Iris N.
    Iris NgNovember 2, 2015
    Beef tendon puffs are so fluffy, light, and crispy!
  • Roxanne S.heart icon on user image
    Roxanne SaeiAugust 11, 2014
    The bartenders use a spray bottle to highlight certain notes + taste in your cocktail. It's the coolest.
  • Mick D.
    Mick DMarch 16, 2014
    Best late night spot. Everything was great. Burger is a winner as was smoked pig trotter.
  • Jonathan E.heart icon on user image
    Jonathan EatherlyDecember 31, 2014
    Get the fashions of 1786 and a order of the deviled eggs. Put on repeat and enjoy.
  • Melissa D.
    Melissa DagdaganAugust 17, 2015
    Been here 5+ times
    The staff here is so friendly. Make sure to end your meal with a soft serve!
  • Mark E.heart icon on user image
    Mark EgermanMarch 14, 2014
    Been here 10+ times
    Outrageously good cocktails and definitely get the ricotta toast. A great chance to pay with Cover
  • Greg S.
    Greg SchechterAugust 16, 2014
    Beef tendon puffs are delicious. They melt in your mouth. Pay with cover it's awesome.
  • Brad T.heart icon on user image
    Brad TOctober 26, 2014
    Great food. Great drink. Attentive service. What more do you need?
  • Erik L.
    Erik LammerdingFebruary 26, 2014
    Been here 5+ times
    Toffee ice cream is super tasty. Great bar menu. Unpretentious wine list
  • Zac W.heart icon on user image
    Zac WitteDecember 19, 2015
    The food is delicious. Get the deviled eggs. The atmosphere is just OK and the musical selection started out terribly but got a little better. Justin Bieber is not appropriate.
  • Gabriel F.heart icon on user image
    Gabriel FouasnonMarch 8, 2014
    Pork trotter! The warm dish practically melts in your mouth like the accompanying runny soft-cooked egg.
  • Lee H.
    Lee HoffmanJune 24, 2014
    Hands down one of the best burgers I've ever had
  • Brian G.
    Brian GrahamJune 1, 2014
    Everything is really good; the burger rivals the one at Marlowe; save room fir the sundae!
  • Josh M.heart icon on user image
    Josh MateoApril 11, 2015
    Surprisingly good schnitzel. Looked like deconstructed ramen which makes so sense
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