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Sotto Mare Oysteria & Seafood Restaurant

Seafood Restaurant and Italian Restaurant$$$$

North Beach, San Francisco

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8.6^/10

655

ratings

Ranked #3 for risotto in San Francisco
"Hands down one of the best Italian seafood restaurant in SF!"(4 Tips)
"You can't go wrong with the seafood pasta or the seafood risotto."(7 Tips)
"Steamed mussels and clams, the clam chowder delish!!!"(11 Tips)
"delicious seafood pasta and everyone"(11 Tips)

193 Tips and reviews

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seafood
risotto
Cioppino
casual
great value
good for dates
big portions
smoked salmon
healthy food
good for singles
bar
outdoor seating
crowded
dinner
town
beach
well
brunch food
lunch
chefs
(15 more)

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Chay ChinsethagidDecember 18, 2016
My favorite meal while in San Francisco. The cioppino was amazing. Place gets really busy so plan ahead. It is a little cramped inside but well worth the food! Staff was great also.
EaterApril 12, 2016
Run by the OG of North Beach, this sliver of a restaurant tucked away on Green Street is a destination among locals and tourists for its cioppino, which some attest is the best in the city. Read more
Mike WinstonMay 8, 2014
Simple seafood dishes executed to perfection. Absolutely do not miss the SF specialty seafood stew they call The “Best Damn Crab Cioppino” and read all about my visit on WinstonWanders below!! Read more
Eloise EatonJune 30, 2017
Ciopinno was delicious. Lots of crab. Salmon pasta tasty,copious salmon. Sauce rich & good. Friendly & helpful waitress. Outside seating uninviting. Glad we persevered. All food we saw looked good.
Sandra CifoMarch 15, 2019
We come here very often as we love their risotto. Best in town. The quality of their seafood is impressive. Their Cioppino is fantastic. Cheap oysters, and the vibe is nice.
Peep ClarpAugust 13, 2017
Take it from an actual New Englander: the New England Clam Chowder is delicious, and holds its own against Boston’s finest!
Jon hoffmanJune 10, 2016
Everything is delicious, but the Cioppino (seafood stew) is their specialty. Get that and a pasta, oysters to round out a dinner for 2.
Mike ZarinJune 14, 2015
Very tasty! You'd probably have to wait 30-40 minutes before you have a table but it definitely worth visiting.
Heba-I-amSeptember 6, 2017
Best seafood risotto ever!! It was so delicious and it's a huge portion. You can tell everything was fresh. I absolutely loved it. Highly recommended!!
Celine HOctober 9, 2018
Got lucky and got a table for 2 on a Thursday late night (usually the line wraps around). Split the cIoppinno with my boyfriend, and it did not disappoint! Staff was super nice too 👍🏽
Ainee TinyFebruary 25, 2019
Glad we found this place! The place is packed, the owner is there so that’s a great sign, pasta is the best! Try the boston clam chowder.
Christine DNovember 21, 2014
Wow! 😍The food is delicious👌& fresh, the service is good and it's a real bargain!! I would definitely go back. Wear casual clothes! Better to reserve, if not they'll give you a buzzer: worth waiting
Andy FlammMarch 14, 2015
Great atmosphere in North Beach. I had a delicious seafood pasta and everyone at our table enjoyed their meals, too. The owner came by and we could tell he really loved his place.
VladieJune 6, 2015
Delicious, friendly and cosy. Do try the chowder. The Best Damn Crab Cioppino is a great dish for two offering so many tastes and types of sea food so you won't need more. Great wine of the house.
Grace S.November 9, 2012
Been here 5+ times
Cioppino & seafood linguine are solid! Remember to ask for bread to dip and add extra hot sauce to the cioppino for a kick! $1.50 Reyes oysters they had as a seasonal special were out of this world!
Genieve VegaDecember 24, 2021
Get the cioppino to share for the table, and the fettuccine salmon is the best pasta, best salmon I’ve ever had
Zsolt CsapkayMarch 12, 2018
Amazing place, super service. We sat downstairs (which turned out to be better, cause upstairs is open air and your clothes will smell) ...have the cioppino it's s best in town!
Daniel PearsonAugust 9, 2014
Been here 5+ times
This is my happy place. Fresh seafood, great family-run service, and house white wine. Order the seafood linguini with "pink" sauce. You will not be disappointed.
Joseph LeDecember 7, 2017
Definitely try the cioppino! Such a great combination of tomato and seafood
CamiliaMay 26, 2018
Cioppino is the best in town. Scallop is delicious. Reservation is recommended to avoid a long waiting time!!
Sarah LizSeptember 27, 2017
Been here 10+ times
My favorite cioppino in SF. This is a must!
Thatiana TucciOctober 24, 2016
The Chioppino was really good!! But try to make a reservation, my husband and I had to wait one hour and a half for a table. Worth it though!
Robert HendersonNovember 11, 2018
I’d recommend the Ciopino for sharing between two or three of you. The Seafood Linguine was ideal for lunch, washed down with A Pint of Peroni draught Lager.
Mikael WestmanJune 28, 2015
The lady at the front desk is a seafood nazi of San Francisco. You really need to know how to handle her or else - get out! The food is excellent by the way.
Marc R?erSeptember 29, 2014
Among the best seafood restaurants in SF, fresh fish everyday, pasta with it is always a great choice, as well as the smoked salmon
Mei LinJuly 27, 2019
Been here 5+ times
Everything is delicious here. Get the pesto without cream sauce. Perfection every time.
Nick JordanOctober 17, 2014
Been here 5+ times
The best dam cioppino I've ever had. Don't even bother ordering anything else unless it is a bottle of wine and loaf of bread to soak up the cioppino goodness.
Liang ShiSeptember 21, 2014
Holy moly the cioppino is the BEST thing I've tasted involving seafood. Skip the spaghetti. Unless you plan on throwing cioppino on it. Just throw cioppino on everything.
Ronald DLSeptember 29, 2016
Great atmosphere and perfect for single traveller. Eat at the bar and absorb the buzz of the place along with some great seafood.
Erik BrokSeptember 25, 2016
The cioppino is great and contains a lot of seafood. Plenty for two persons! Expect to wait if you don't have a reservation
Jason PetredisFebruary 27, 2011
Dint be rude like the jack a$$ who was sitting behind me. Order ANY thing is is great. Staff is great. This is not your napkin sit down dinner. This is good home cooking fun!!! Good flair great food!
Carly SAugust 12, 2016
Been here 5+ times
The Best Damn Cioppino! at this family owned joint. They take reservations for any group more than 2 people so call ahead
Heidi GOctober 26, 2021
Clam chowder, seafood risotto, petrole sole. Cold beer. Lots of energy. Sat at counter. Great meal. Great service
JetzNYApril 24, 2021
Seafood Pasta ...Everything Else but No Lobster Small Tables Long Waits Food comes out Quickly on Weekends Recommend TAKE OUT only 20mins go have picnic
Natalie MJuly 2, 2016
Ah may zing! Seriously amazing seafood. Get here at opening to avoid the long wait. This place is a SF must!
Christian FengFebruary 3, 2016
Been here 10+ times
One of if not my favorite restaurant. Seafood pasta with pink sauce. Clam chowder, Sand Dabs. Also the crab salad is good
Staff PicksNovember 20, 2014
One word: cioppino! This Italian Seafoodery is known for this delicious dish, we won't tell you what to go for on your visit...but...cioppino. Read more
Amy Graves FujimotoJuly 30, 2013
This is my favorite cioppino of all time. Every time I'm in the Bay Area, I have to come here. Plus they are super friendly!
Nancy TranJuly 6, 2015
A great place for seafood in North Beach. The best cioppino. We had the baccala and clams too, which were good.
Adrienne WoodlandSeptember 13, 2018
Oysters, clam chowder, and scallops were great. The owner was super sweet and brought me wine while I waited.
Carlo ArceoAugust 2, 2013
Hands down one of the best Italian seafood restaurant in SF! You must order "the damn best crab cioppino"ohhh my mouth is watering now! :)
DanielApril 19, 2016
Great Italian seafood restaurant! The ciopinno for two is delicious and has plenty of seafood.
Janelle AMarch 13, 2018
Order the Cioppino without pasta. The clam chowder is delicious. The service was also very good.
Başak PaşalıSeptember 12, 2022
Seafood Risotto is so good! Sit outside if you can, inside is quite loud and smokey from cooking.
StephanySeptember 9, 2018
Eat all the oysters. Drink all the champagne. Oh and cioppino
Tasting TableAugust 5, 2014
We never skip the affordable West Coast oysters on the half shell ($1.50 each) and the by-the-book Crab Louis ($23). Read more
Maricar BañaOctober 26, 2010
Been here 5+ times
It really is the "best damn cioppino". The clam chowder is a close second. Benita's Baccala (salted cod) served with bread is a delicious appetizer. Glenn, the server, will even tie your bib for you!
Josh ThompsonJuly 20, 2012
The seafood risotto is amazing. I would also recommend the clams here. Both dishes are great for sharing! And the service was top notch.
Ole ZoegerApril 29, 2023
Food is amazing. We sat on the “bar” right in front of the kitchen. How it is supposed to be ;)
Stephan GenschDecember 17, 2014
Great and fresh seafood. Recommend the crabs.

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