Alegrias Food From Spain Reviews

We had a reservation here for New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately one of our party was sick, and we. didn’t want to go an expose everybody. The host graciously let us cancel last minute, and we got a large take out order instead. All the tapas we ordered (and we tried pretty much all of them) were excellent and the paella was very good too. The prices were very reasonable. Definately hope to try the place out in person next time we’re in town.

A friend and I dine here from time to time. We keep coming back not only for the friendly staff--who seem to be like old friends by now, inviting us into their home--but because we always have a good meal here. Almost every time we will have the olives, and the Gambas al Ajillo, and the Catalan spinach. Then there are a number of tapas that we may vary--the flamed manchego is a favorite, as is the jamon iberico (which gets pricey, but is absolutely WONDERFUL). I could go on, and mention more tapas and the fine sherry, but I also should make a note of the delicious desserts they serve. My friend is partial to the Don Cesar, an ice cream sundae with a punch; I have a weakness for fruit desserts, or the chocolate mousse. The house salad is a fine start to the meal, as well. The food is not inexpensive; the two of us generally have salads, some wine, and enough tapas to go over a hundred dollars with a dessert or two thrown in, but we always leave stuffed to the gills and happy for the visit, and I can't wait to show more of my family and friends about this special place to dine. And I haven't even tried the paellas, yet.

Walking thru the Marina (San Francisco) and stumbled across this little Spanish restaurant with fantastic tapas, and a killer Paella, also the cab / Syrah by the glass was very nice

Stopped in for dinner in March 2017. Waiter was excellent. Good wine selection (we had a white Basque). Has two of the three tapas specials and paella valenciana. All were excellently prepared, especially the cuttlefish--not over cooked. Other two tapas were octopus and baccalau. Dessert was a Catalan orange-creme brule--very good. All told, a great place for Spanish seafood.

Friendly and quick services. Impressively large selection of tapas including Boquerones (non-salted marinated anchovies), Jamon Iberico (raw ham of Iberian pork) and Calamares Fritos (fried squid). Marinera Paella is authentic. The ultimate specialty here is Arroz Negro (sort of risotto blackened with squid ink).

This restaurant is absolutely top notch in San Francisco. My wife and I love Spanish cuisine after spending significant time in España, so I took her here for her birthday while we visited SF. The food here is excellent and extremely fairly priced. They have a great selection of tapas available and the ones we tried were all fantastic. The main dishes are their various paella options. Don't miss on this, it is excellent. My wife and I don't like mussels or clams very much, so we asked for one with everything else available and they gladly made it. It was exceptional! The inside decor feels a lot like a home and is very comfortable and nice for a date or outing with friends. This is NOT one of those overpriced "trendy" spots with all kinds of over the top decor. This place is a low key gem with great wine, sangria, and food!

We have visited Spain many times and this place is the real deal. The service is welcoming and everything is lovingly prepared. The ambience is all traditional and one feels transported to Espana!!

This restaurant must be visited if you are interested in having authentic Spanish food. A family run business having a very personal touch. The decor is unique and interesting. The paella is exceptional. There is a wide variety of tapas to start and the asparagus is delightful. You will never regret the visit.

Service was great, and the food was pretty good (but not the best) -- not many choices however for tapas.

Alegrias Food from Spain is an over the top excellent restaurant. My family and I made reservations through Open Table and when we showed up some 15 to 20 minutes early they still took us to a table right away. In fact, they sat us in a private room in the back, away from all the chatter of the main dining room! The service was friendly and prompt and the food was nothing short of amazing. We started out with some tapas which were very tasty. We then had the Paella Valenciana with Chorizo, which was exquisite. Lots of seafood plus cuts of chorizo sausage. The best! I finally had the panqueques con dulce de leche (caramel filled crepes), which were again, amazing. Not a cheap dinner, but well worth every penny! Highly recommended, especially for a romantic dinner with your special date.

We had a fantastic meal at Alegrias! The wine list is short but it is done right. There is a wine in there for most likings. It is a Spanish restaurant so expect the more robust tempranillos to rule. The décor is a bit dated, but it has that feel of old Spain which is quite appropritate. It was easy to decide that we wanted to share a number of dishes to test drive the menu. That was the best decision ever! We started with the best empanadillas de bonito that I have ever had. The dough was homemade, the seasoning was perfect and the turnover was perfectly cooked. Not too crunchy, not too chewy. I would have one every day if I could! We then tried the croquets. By far the best ones I have had in San Francisco. They were fresh, hot and with the right amount of texture. They were made from a combination of shrimp and ham making the flavor just different enough for the darn little things to taste like heaven! We tried the octopus (a la gallega). The octopus was cooked perfectly and the accompanying boiled potato was the perfect complement. We ended with the Arroz Negro which was a great Paella-type rice. Flavorful and well executed but it is a paella. If you are looking for classic rich and creamy black squid ink rice, this is not the rice for you (B44 takes the top spot for black squid ink rice in the city). I never have dessert to end my meal. It just seems too trite. This time I broke my rule and asked for the flan. It was rich and creamy and definitely homemade. If you have a sweet-tooth, it is highly recommended. Me, I will stick with my liquid desserts.

We were tempted in when passing one Saturday night as it looked so busy. We weren't disappointed. Not only was the tapas great but despite the restaurant being full we didn't wait long to be served.

A family member living in San Francisco took us here on a recent visit - he's a regular. We loved the food - of course he knew all the best things to order. Very creative food, including one dish with snails and clams. The desserts were larger than we expected and we ordered too many since we were stuffed by then (3 for 4 people, we should have ordered 2). The waiter was very condescending and rude and we had to wait forever for the check. I would go back, but hopefully have another waiter.

Really good tapas in a very convenient location if staying in the Marina District. Daily special was excellent. Atmosphere quiet and romantic. Excellent service.

We defintely like our tapas and have eaten some very good both in Spain and in Oslo(!). We were therefore happy to find a tapas restaurant with good reviews close to our hotel. The staff were friendly and the restaurant itself was very nice but all of the tapas dishes we ordered were disappointingly bland in taste. Not good enough as this was a relatively pricy restaurant.

After the previous night of searching for good food, we relied on TripAdvisor to sort us out. And how. Just a short stroll from the Buena Vista motor inn we found this little Spanish restaurant, that served up Tapas as good as I've had across Spain. Practising Spanish with the waiters was an added bonus. Great food. Great wine. Come here and you won't be disappointed.

I went to the restaurant for dinner in the evening and I enjoyed a divine seafood paella with a glass of sangria. For desert, although I was pretty full since the portions are rather generous, I had Catalan cream. I had the feeling I was in Spain despite the fact that the restaurant is owned by a Mexican couple.

We found this restaurant by chance while we were staying in San Francisco, it has an excellent ambiance and great food. The sea food paella is wonderful.

Paella a la Valenciana con Chorizo Español was great, great flavors and generous with the seafood. Love the Gambas al Ajillo. Cazuela de Caracoles y Almejas was lovely. Empanadillas de Carne was alright. The restaurant is cosy and romantic.

We celebrated our 5th anniversary here and had a wonderful time. The atmosphere is cozy & romantic. The food is VERY tasty! It's our new favorite! We can't wait to go back!

This is a cosy intimate spot with tasty food and great service, perfect for date night. The croquettes and crab cakes were amazing and the apple and rum dessert was very boozy but a spectacle when lit on fire and made for a great end to the meal.

If you want true Spanish food in a nice informal atmosphere, this is the place. Run by the Gonzales family that brought all their grandmothers recipes from Spain when they moved to Argentina. Be sure and try the cuddle fish...fabulous. Dinner only.

Family-owned and run Spanish restaurant on Lombard in the Marina district. Husband is in charge of the kitchen while wife and daughter run the front of the house. Excellent paellas, tapas, desserts and wine selection. Paella Valenciana is a full meal in itself. Great callos, gambas, etc. Save room for their panqueque de manzana - a Spanish version of flambe'd crepes.

We got here quite late so the restaurant was emptying out but our waiter was patient and attentive. We ordered a couple of tapas and a Paella. everything was mighty tasty. I am a big fan of Spanish food and this meal was one of the better Spanish ones I have sampled.

We stoped in for late nite snack. They where still slightly busy super accommodating, we had 5 dishes and I have to say they we all so delicious. The crab cakes where probably the most memorable. The service was impeccable. Great place a little pricey but great food is worth it!

I dined there for Valentine's Day and was impressed by the service, decor and overall ambiance. The food was decent, but the food was not as flavorful as the food in Spain. Probably a very unfair comparison, but I couldn't help but be slightly disappointed. Since it was Valentine's Day, there was a set menu, so perhaps I should visit again to try their regular menu. I feel that this restaurant deserves a second chance. I will probably return when I am back in SF.

We ate here on two separate nights during a recent trip to San Francisco. The seating and service were immediate. The Tapas menu contains a variety of small dishes that I haven't usually seen in US Tapas' restaurants. The setting is small and comfortable, but not crowded. The ambience was superb. They provide a sangria that is not overwhelming and enjoyable throughout the meal. The paella is personally sized, delicious and got rave reviews from both of us.

Prob the only one place in SF which is able to produce a flavourful food. By visiting Spain many times and being very much familiar with tapas, I was impressed by some serious cooking skills at this little restaurant. Loved crab cakes! Selection of wines was impeccable too. Dessert menu is well selected. Overall one nice place to experience delicious food in SF

Alegrias can be counted on to for a great dinner. I've been there many times and always had a good meal. Having a paella and a few tapas is a great dinner for a small group. This has the feel of a neighborhood family restaurant. The wine list has a good selection of Spaish wine, and I particularly like one of the Rioja Reservas that is on the list at a fair price. I also appreciate that the dining room is fairly quiet, so conversation is easy. They are often able to accommodate last minute reservations which can be very handy on a busy night. Recommended!

Great local restaurant. Be sure to make a reservation, since it fills up quickly. Food is very good and service is quick.

Staying at the Chelsea Motor Inn across the street (GREAT hotel) we wanted just a light meal and this was it. Small plates. Tasty. Reasonably priced. Good sangria. Male waiter wasn't very friendly but female owner (?) was. Had the Spanish Omelette and Spanish Potatoes and a couple other dishes. All good.

Better food then I had when I vacationed in Spain! Staff was friendly, we were on vacation and meeting friends in the Bay Area and they were happy to let us stay while we visited, even brought us over a glass of home made liquor and explained all the photos on the wall that were taken by the owners son who waited on us. Great experience!!!

The restaurant is cosy and quiet. The service is very good. We had a great time. This is one of the best restaurant we had in the US. The paella was delicious and big enough for the two of us and so was the Crema Catalana! Some products are directly imported from Spain and are very tasty ! Prices are quite reasonable for San Francisco.

Several friends and I were staying in the Cow Hollow/Marina District on Lombard St. in SanFrancisco. Wanted a restaurant to which we could walk and found Alegrias. We had a pitcher of sangria, a half dozen tapas (try the yummy crab cakes), and shared a double order of mixed paella. I have been to Spain twice, and this food was as good as what I had at tapas bar there. Service was fast and efficient, and the waiter was helpful in the ordering process. Bill was reasonable. Noise level in the front room where we were was low enough for conversation even with all the tables filled. Try the flaming apple/rum crepes for dessert. Delicious! I'll return if I'm back in the area.

Delightful dinner! We enjoyed a wonderful meal at Alegrias in the Marina tonight. We're still talking about the flavors hours later. Each of us had our favorites - sautéed spinach, flaming mancheco cheese, perfectly grilled asparagus, light and delicious calamari, yummy veggie paella. Numerous choices for vegetarians! The Spanish wine was just right. The service team was gracious, skilled and welcoming. The prices were extremely reasonable. The decor is funky and fun. We found easy, free street parking. A great experience. We are looking forward to our next visit - what a find. Gracias!

This place was close to our hotel in Lombard St and was a nice surprise. The tapas and sangria were great and had paella for main course which was also good. The Spanish omelet and the empanadas were my favorite tapas. My children liked the croquettes. They accommodated our group of 6, including two children, and were flexible with menu alterations for a member of our party with food allergies. We came back for a second dinner during our stay. The prices were reasonable.

I had high hopes based upon previous reviews, but was immediately struck by an 'off' smell when I entered the restaurant. The marinated, seasoned olives were great and wines by the glass were fine. The mushrooms (Cetas) were a bit boring, as was the goat cheese in tomato sauce (Cazuela). The crab cakes were okay. Getting the check required 3 separate assurances that we really were done, didn't want dessert or coffee and wanted the check.

My husband and I recently did date night here, and it's really a hidden gem in the Marina. The facade is rather inconspicuous, which really gave no hint to how cozy and quaint it was inside. The staff was warm and welcoming, and the menu selection reminded us of a recent trip to Barcelona. This is one of my most memorable dining experiences, particularly because the chef came out to talk to us when I ordered a dessert that was off menu. He convinced me to try the panqueque con dulce de lece and I'm sooooo glad I did!. It demonstrated real pride in their craft :) Highly recommended!

Went there with some friends and service went smooth. Great waitres and very informative. Try the rabbit stew, crab cakes, tortilla española con chorizo and of course the paella!

My wife and I were delighted to taste authentic Spanish food: gambas al ajillo (prawns in garlic sauce) and Paella. The service was excellent and the wine too.

This restaurant changed hands in the middle of the COVID pandemic, but the amazing chef stayed, and the new owners hung on, thankfully. My wife, daughter and I enjoyed a delicious tapas dinner that really hit the spot. We only did tapas plates, which included: a very large servings of savory olives and Marconi almonds, grilled asparagus, the most tender calamari I have ever had, two different potatoes, sautéed shrimp, and mussels with chewy bread to soak up the sauce. The owner was very attentive, helpful with the menu, and all around super nice guy. His wife greeted us at the door in the post friendly way. They encouraged our daughter to return (she lives in SF), and I am pretty sure she will! Everything was delicious. They had a nice selection of wine, but a little pricey (the only negative from our point of view). A perfect experience.

My wife and I enjoyed a pleasant meal here last night. This place has wonderful traditional tapas. Paella was also very good, though there was no socarrat.

Walking towards Lombard St's windiest bit we walked past this restaurant and scanned the menu. On our walk back, we called in on spec for dinner. Nice welcome and a window seat which was good cos I'm a people watcher. We chose some tapas to start and paella marinara to follow. The tapas came one by one which was nice and covered the 20 mins for the paella to be prepared. I savoured a lovely Spanish beer and then the paella arrived. It was wonderful. Full of shrimp, squid,clams,mussels and fish and broadcasting saffron smells to the world, it was Heaven. Cafe solos, bread pudding for the Boss and Pedro Ximenes for me for afters. A better meal we did not have in 3 weeks in the USA

We tried the rabbit stew, beef empanadillas, shrimp, and the snails and clams. All were excellent. Empanadillas were so good we ordered them for dessert too. The ambiance is great and the service was perfect.

Delicious tapas for dinner with my wife. Small place with attentive staff and delicious food. We had a nice romantic dinner together. Would definitely come back here.

The atmosphere in this restaurant is very down-home country, like a farmer's house in rural Spain and less like a festive tapas bar that you may be expecting. The food, though, is fantastic. Our favorite things were the calamares fritos con alioli, the cazuela de queso de cabra, and the bocadillos de cangrejo (crab cakes). The calamari were perfectly cooked in such a light batter, and the sauce to dip them in was super-savory. The baked goat cheese dish is always one of my favorites at tapas places, and Alegrias's version was tops. The crab cakes were cooked perfectly as well-- and we sopped up all the sauce with the bread pieces we had. The only skippable thing we tried were the empanadillas vegetarianas, the vegetarian empanadas. They just sort of had a strange flavor I wasn't into-- but the pastry was excellent! We also treated ourselves to sangria and chocolate mousse for dessert. The sangria was some of the best I've had, very well-balanced and full-bodied. And the mousse? We talked about it for days after. This place is definitely a bit of a splurge, as the term 'small plates' aptly describes the portions here. We'd come back for the food-- but it would have to be a special occasion.

The best we have had outside of Spain. We had four tapas and a glass of wine and spent $62. And they give you as much baguette and Spanish olive oil as you want.

Very good .. party of 4, we started with mussels and empanadas ( tasted like the were made in house, not frozen, baked and served) wonderful then moved on to 4 paellas of different varieties.. all excellent. The service was fantastic and ambiance suited the style of food. We will return on our next visit to San Fran.

The Alegrias Spanish Restaurant in the Marina District of San Francisco is a hidden gem of culinary delight that is most deserving of being given an EXCELLENT rating. This is not due to exaggerated quantities of unnecessary embellishments, but rather to the quality of its excellent menu selections and the professional manner in which they are served in a setting of Spanish music and flickering candlelight. Dinner began with three selections of Tapas Calientes: Esparragos à la Parilla ("grilled asparajus topped with shaved Manchego cheese"), Empanadillas de Carne ("turnovers stuffed with beef, green onions, olives, raisins, and herbs"), and Croquetas da jamon Iberico y Gamba ( "Croquettes filled with minced Jamon iberico and prawns".) Needless to say, these tapas and the main entrée, Paella à la Velenciana con Chorizo Español ("classic saffron flavored Spanish rice with chicken and seafood and imported Spanish chorizo") were complimented with a pitcher of sangria. I am looking forward to returning to the Alegrias Spanish Restaurant in the future and enjoying many the savory entrées awaiting my pleasure.

Had an 8pm reservation. No one up front to greet us. Eventually we were told to sit at the bar and wait. Waited 30 minutes without even being offered to get a drink. They finally admitted management changed today. Place was packed. No one had food. Made a good decision to leave. Very disappointed.

Based on reviews, we gave this place a try. It is now one of our favorites in San Fran. The decor reminds me a bit of my grandmothers house as it seems a bit dated, but very comfortable and soothing. The wait staff were excellent, taking time to explain all the dishes. We tried a very large variety and loved them all. Our favorites were the gespacho and patatas alioli. The prices were also very reasonable and we ended up getting out with drinks for under a $100 for a party of three. By far the best and most reasonable priced meal we had in San Francisco. HIghly recommended.

Our favorite restaurant!

The restaurant has a family like feel to it, unique environment. We visited on New Year's evening, it was very busy. Still, out food came out quickly. Our server seemed a bit stressed and forgetful. Salad was just ok, but the prawns were really delicious. Crab cakes mediocre. Our desert was great though, rice pudding and crepes with rum set in fire. We paid about $50 dollars for everything, not bad. I think their service might be more attentive when not so busy.

Met a friend at this restaurant for a week night dinner which was a favorite of hers. I was very impressed by this family operated restaurant: the beautifully art covered walls, the very helpful staff and the variety of food selections. We had a variety of their Spanish tapas and the delicious seafood paella. Needless to say, we over ordered but it was so tasty and so much fun!!

Fantastic food. We had travelled all day from L.A. and stepped out of the hotel to the first place we could find and we were not disappointed. We had to wait for half an hour whilst it was cooked for us but we were told this before we ordered. Well worth the wait (Paella) and the food was scrumptious.

Good wine and tapas. Manchego Flambeado was amazing, as well as the Tabla de Quesos. Wish they had a few more wines by the glass available.

A block away from the Chelsea Motor Inn. Very quiet and comfortable seating. The wait staff was excellent and the food was to die for.

We were on our way back from visiting Sonoma wineries, and stopped to enjoy the authentic spanish cuisine and comfortable atmosphere of Alegría. The paella valenciana was very fresh and tasty, not dry like some other places offer them. We also ordered some tapas with a jug of sangría prior to dinner, which were also fresh and very enjoyable. The atmosphere was comfortable and pleasant, the cleanliness of the restaurant impeccable. The clientelle was nice/casually dressed, although we did not feel out of place in our tourist shorts and tennis shoes. All in all, we had a very enjoyable experience. We would definitely go back for more next time we're in town. DG

We had a variety of tapas -- and salad & gazpacho for starters. Crema Catalana for dessert. Everything superb, and very friendly service. Loved it. We WILL be back.

My husband and I visited Alegrias this summer while vacationing in San Francisco. We enjoyed the most delicious, authentic tapas that we've had in the United States (I studied abroad in Spain in college, so I can compare to real Spanish cuisine). We ordered a bottle of cava, and had tortilla espanola, jamon serrano, patatas bravas, and flan, among others. The tapas were reasonably priced and the service was excellent. I would definitely return if we ever have the chance to go back to San Francisco!

I'm going to review from my husband's point of view, since I am not much of a paella lover. My husband's dinner was wonderful, he loved the seafood paella, we also had croquettes and asparagus tapas beforehand. Everything was quite tasty. They serve beer, and wine, no cocktails. They did not have any sparkling wines the night we went. The server said they were out of stock right now. All of the wines appeared to be Spanish, no California wines or anything that looked familiar to me. My husband drank red, I opted for beer. All in all, a very pleasant night on the town for us.

This was a wonderful experience. Food was absolutely excellent and service was perfect. And the price was reasonable. I'd go back in a minute.

We found this place by accident. There was a down pour of rain suddenly and we ducked in here for some tapas and wine, and we found a little piece of heaven! The ambiance was amazing, candle lit. Very authentic. We did the tapas, wine and dessert. The bread that came out was very tasty, and the staff was very friendly. We did a mix of tapas: the prawn, the asparagus and the potato pancake ones. They were all amazing, and the prawns in a tomato garlic sauce made a nice soaker for the left over bread. But the most AMAZING dessert was next, the panqueque (sp?) de dulche de leche. Basically they are a thin crepe, with amazing caramel sauce in the middle, but the top is lightly flambed, so it tastes the top of a creme brulee on the top. AMAZING!! My sister and I shared this dessert, but in hind sight, I should have got my own. (See next night) Next night: We came back the second night we were in San Fran because now we had a friend joining us, and we couldn't think of anything more amazing to share with her. We did the tapas again, this time we did the spinach, and it was yummy. We ordered the Paella with the chicken and seafood, and what a treat! It was sooo tasty!! Again, we did the Panqueque de dulche de leche, and this time I got my own. What a treat. If I am back in San Fran, this for sure will be on my list!!

A true gem of a tapas place. The specialty is paella but it takes 30 minutes so we just went with the tapas. We had Cazuela de Queso de Cabra, Empanadillas de Carne, Gambas al Ajillo, and Espinacas a la Catalana. Delicious. It was all washed down with a wonderful tempranillo. The service, which really does count for at least 50% of the dining experience was friendly and prompt. It was flawless in fact. Highly recommended when you're in Cow Hollow.

We had a nice sampling of menu items, and a few of their BTG wine selections, and came away happy. The tortilla is one of the better I've had in recent memory (you might think egg and potato pie is easy, but it's easy to screw it up). The croquetas were perfect, and the Chistorra a la Sidra showed the great quality of their ingredients. We'll be back soon!

calamari appetizer was not on the menu but well worth asking for! perfectly cooked with a little char and perfect texture! jamon Iberico was wonderful! marinated olives were deish! garlic prawns were so tasty as were the sauteed mushrooms! seafood paella was a masterpiece, with the crispy charred bits at the bottom an extra delight! creama Catalana and flan for dessert were great! huge selection of Spanish wines to complement the feast!

Went here with a group of friends - very helpful service - to decide what was best to order for the wine. Wonderful small plates and paella. Have been here repeatedly and would return. We were nervous because when we got there it was nearly empty but it was completely full when we left. Clearly a bit hit.

The third year in a row we ate here on our annual visit to San Francisco. First year we loved it, last year not as much, but this year once again we loved it. Don't know if we didn't make add good choices or if it was an off night last year, but this year the service and good were outstanding. Lovely flavors, dished that were carefully prepared, and interesting. Delighted we decided to go again.

We returned to Alegrias after having dined there a year ago. It was very good, with lots of choice and good service. However, it didn't seem as outstanding as a year ago. Maybe we were looking for too much, as it was a nice meal.

We come here regularly. The most recent visit was on Christmas Eve. We are very grateful for the great dishes prepared by Chef Cesar. Señora Nora and daughter, Josephine, always extend a warm welcome to their 'casa' and are personally involved with service. Whether there are just 2 of you or larger parties, dishes are best when shared. Order different tapas to enjoy. Finale is your paella which takes about 20-25 minutes to prepare. Save room for dessert. Delicioso!!!

Great authentic Spanish food, really tasty. Tried patatas bravas, croquetas, paella Valenciana, chocolate mousse, americano coffee and Sangría, everything is highly recommended. Service is really good too! Environment is really comfy and after 6:30pm there is live music (guitarist).

Fantastic experience. Good selection on menu, reasonably priced, paella was excellent, and sangria was delicious. Crab cakes, crispy potatoes with aioli, and empanadas were all delicious, and portions were quite reasonable for tapas. Service was very good, in fact when we first ordered, our server suggested that maybe we had ordered "more food than average", and suggested maybe that we start with a little less. I was very impressed, would recommend to anyone, and would definately go back if we're ever in San Fran again.

We have used Tripadvisor for a long time, yet have never written a review ourselves. Alegrias spurred us on for doing just that! From the outside it looked a little tired and we were unsure, but decided to give it a go after good reviews. We are glad we did! The servers were great, the food was fantastic and there were locals coming in and out (always a good sign!) Don't be out off by a tired outside, the staff and food are well worth your time!

Ate here on our first night in San Francisco. We were the first and only people in the restaurant for awhile, and so it felt as though we had our own personal chef. The staff, and in particular our waiter, was overly friendly and went out of their way to make our dinner an amazing experience. Would highly recommend heading to Alegrias if you like Spanish tapas! Also, would recommend ordering the sangria!

Delicious food and service with a smile. We had a memorable meal in this lovely restaurant which is decorated in a homely and relaxed fashion. The service was excellent and the waiter really seemed to care that we enjoyed the meal. The paella was a highlight, but everything we ate was delicious. This restaurant is well worth a visit, just a short walk from Chestnut street and the Marina district. Don’t miss it if you are visiting SF.

We decided to try Alegrias as we were missing Spanish food. There really are not all that many Spanish restaurants in San Francisco so we were glad we read about Alegrias. It's not located in the touristy part of SF, however, it is highly popular as there were many people waiting for tables when we arrived (we had made reservations). We ordered a few tapas (mussels, shrimp al aijilo, and empanadita con carne). Of course, our main focus was ordering their paellas so we ordered two: Paella de Valenciana & Paella de mariscos. Both were satisfying, tasty, and filled with a good amount of seafood and shellfish. Honestly the portion was even more than what we had in Madrid at one of the famous restaurants (Los Galayos). For dessert we shared two kinds: Arroz con leche and flan. And two of us ordered cortados. Only caveat is that this restaurant is pretty small and has two dining areas. If there are large parties seated it can get extremely noisy and loud. Highly recommended!

Our tapas were super. We had crab cakes, octopus, bonita fish turnovers, and other yummy food. Juan was our server -- he was patient and knowledgeable. Sangrias had just the right amount of fruit. Flan and bread pudding desserts were scrumptious.

Very flavorful bus with great choices, Pleasant service, and affordable alcohol. Slightly off the beaten path from where my hotel is located but absolutely delicious food

The sum of the parts here is a very agreeable package. The room, the main one anyway, is warm, though nothing fancy. Service is friendly and servers are enthusiastic about the food. One imagines that the staff are all cousins or the like, and in a couple of cases they look like siblings, adding to the family feel. Food is good to very good. Tapas lend themselves to experimentation, but we had a fairly timid group, so delicious almonds, very good cheese and some sherry stated us off. The empanadas were deliciously filled but the pastry wasn't an A. Mushrooms were delicious as were the hot cheese offerings. Desserts were excellent. Dulce de leche crepes were raved about. Flan and rice pudding would have benefited from less cinnamon but were still great. In all, a nice little spot for a nice friendly dinner.

Service was exceptional latin-style attention to detail and professional. Ambiance was European and offered a great place to have a romantic meal. The sangria and tapas were very nice, as we had tortilla espanola and rabbit stew. But the paella Valencia was even better. WOW. The meal was a bit pricey, but we were happy to pay it to experience this fine meal.

My son lives in SF and had been wanting to try this place so he took us there when we visited. The tapas were amazing. Service fantastic. Highly recommended.

Small, intimate, and family owned, Alegrias has done something that many restaurants in San Francisco have been unable to do... Last more than five years! The restaurant's location on Lombard street gives it prime access not only to the Marina crowd, but for individuals travelling to and from the North Bay. The tapas are fantastic, my favorite being the Manchengo Cheese set on fire. The marinated mushrooms and spinach are also very good as are the Croquettes. Five or Six Tapas plates shared among four is a cheap yet fullfilling meal for four. The only knock I give the restaurant is they do not have an extensive wine list. Other than that, if you want a nice meal in a romantic setting, eat here!!

Excellent wine list

We met friends for dinner before a show and was pleasantly surprised at the tasty tapas. Good flavors and recommend wine pairing. Easy and quick to order additional tapas. Great recommendations from our server.

A small cute place on Lombard near Buchanan, Marina dist. Very cute restaurant, very nice, sweet owners and waiters. We had a few small plates, wonderful gazpacho, ground lamb in red peppers, Spanish tortilla, empanada with fresh fish-all were delicious, and seemed very authentic. We want to go back soon for the paella.

This was my second visit to this restaurant, I meant to write a review last time. You won't go wrong bringing a date here! Very cozy and romantic .The food is exceptional and the staff is truly authentic Spanish. My favorite dish is the mussels in wine sauce. Last time I visited I had the paella and it was outstanding. Don't miss this place!

The four of us shared 6 plates - there were no leftovers and we were all full! We started with a cheese plat which had three different cheeses. Then the mushrooms sauteed in red wine and garlic, just the right amount of both and they were melt in your mouth good. Then, mussels and calamari. My favorite, aside from the mushrooms, was the potato/omelet/chorizo thing called a tortilla. mmmmm. The empanada I would not recommend. It's a small place with very comfortable and pleasant servers and decor. We had come in for fleet week and found this place on Open Table. It is located in the Marina area, it was a 15 minute walk from the Marina Green.

We were looking for a restaurant close to Ft. Mason where we were seeing a play, and found this place. We have been to Spain frequently and love Spanish food, although with my wife gluten-free, tapas are sometimes difficult to navigate. But Alegrias has an extensive gluten-free menu. The tripe, out of this world. The mussels, fantastic. The prawns in garlic sauce, superb. The spinach salad, fantastically flavorful. All the dishes we tried were excellent. The cava, very nice. Very good value for the quality of the food. Very attractive decor. Except for not having a full bar, simply perfect. The food came out quickly but not all at once, and the service was attentive.

We loved this place. BEST patatas con aioli anywhere! The menu is straightforward - typical tapas and paellas. We only had tapas. Really liked the sausages cooked in cider with apple &onions, excellent empanadas. The flaming manchego is very much like saganaki, but fun and cheesy nonetheless. Liked that it's frequented by locals, no tourists. Waiters, etc. are all lovely and the service is excellent. Word to the wise - if you want to do tapas the right way, and linger over a bottle of wine, only order 1-2 items at a time, otherwise you get everything at once. Desserts looked good - table next to us got the apple pancake thing (also aflame), I had flan but it was just okay.

My family and I try to make an annual, or sometimes semi-annual, trip to San Francisco, not only to see the sights, but to try different types of cuisine. There's no better destination to do so than San Francisco. Alegrias had the benefit of being close to our hotel, and we had not yet visited a Spanish restaurant in this city. Our children tried several tapas dishes, and my wife and I selected a seafood paella. All of the dishes were tasty; however, the paella's portion size was somewhat small, given the price. Service was prompt and professional. A good choice, particularly if you have a relatively small appetite.

Food was great, service impeccable, sangria great, seafood super fresh. Went there with my loved one, we had shrimp ajillo and mushroom Tapas and we shared one Paella Valenciana it was great. Need I say more

My daughter and I stopped in here for a late bite. Close to our hotel and a very interesting menu. They specialize in tapas but we decided to split the paella. A great choice! We split a single serving but cannot imagine eating the entire thing by myself. We were both pleasantly full. But not so much we couldn't order dessert. Our waiter suggested I try the bread pudding which was simply one of the best desserts I have ever had. My mouth is watering just thinking about it again. My daughter had the Crema Catalana which is a Spanish crème brulee. She raved about it as well. All in all, an extraordinary meal.

Best Spanish food I’ve found in USA! Amazing little restaurant with the most authentic Spanish food and sangria (the chef has apparently been there for decades). The owners are super sweet and friendly and they offer great take-out. Highly recommend the croquetas and the paella!

I had the mussels in wine sauce with a couple of hot tapas and it was delicious food. Very well worth the visit.

A really nice restaurant, offering great food, wines by the glass, and a warm and efficient service. The crabs, the octopuses a the frog on aioli are outstanding!

This place was very good. The food was delicious and the Sangria was great.

This place is great! I am absolutely in love with Spanish food, and Alegrias definitely does it very well. We had a whole bunch of classics: tortilla, gambas, pulpo, croquetas, and several others and they were all delicious. The staff is very friendly, there's a family feeling about the place and the ambiance is very inviting. Highly recommend.

We had a great meal. We ate the 'specials of the day' which was the gazpacho and the empanadas. The tapas was excellent then we had the paella which was tasty followed by desert pancakes Spanish style. Thanks to Nora and Cesare. Lisa and Paul from Adelaide Xxx

Liked the menu but food was plain and not memorable. So-so atmosphere; very casual. The bar next door was insanely loud. For a trip down to Chestnut...I would eat somewhere else.

Sure, there are many Spanish restaurants everywhere and more so where many imigrants from Spain are found, but, not all Spanish restaurants are the same. On my visit to San Francisco July 2011 I went to three or four that were poor to average with a mixture of dishes added on to suit clientelle. Doing that does not help and may not get repeat customers. April this year I went back to San Francisco to visit cousins as usual, but this time I had my niece and her husband from Los Angeles as well. They go to San Francisco often enough and know many restaurants. We were booked at Alegrias for dinner on the 15th of April and will go back again on my next visit and have since recommended Alegrias to friends. Dinner was 100% authentic, good variety of dishes and the price was increadibly reasonable for what they serve and portions you get, If it is authentic Spanish food you are after, Alegrias at 2018 Lombard Street is the place. It's tops.

Tasty tapas! All of the dishes that we ordered were well executed and delicious. Our waiter was very personable and helpful with the ordering of the wine. Full sized plates are also available in addition to the tapas menu. We would go back again.

We had dinner at Alegrias which we found walking down Lombard Street from our hotel, Chelsea Inn on a Friday night. Very nice atmosphere and friendly staff. It filled up to capacity pretty quick. Good food at reasonable prices. My wife, myself and two daughters, 25 & 23, ordered a glass of Chardonnay, bottle of Caliterra Merlot, Esparragos a la Padilla, Tortilla a la Espanola, Gambas al Ajillo, Croquetas de Jamon Iberico y Gamba, Bocadillos de Cangrejo & Espinacas a la Catalana. Our bill was only $113.93 with tax. I recommend this restaurant.

Not a big menu, but everything we tasted was emblematic of food you would get in Spain. Our first order was Jamon Iberico, the iconic cured ham of Spain. This tasted like the real deal. We accompanied it with a really good Ribera del Duero, a flavorful Spanish red. Then the Espanacas a la Catalana (spinach, raisins, garlic and pine nuts) which was delicious, as was the mushrooms cooked with a white Spanish Rioja and the aparagus dusted with Manchego cheese. Our mussel dish was good but paled in comparison to the tapas we had previously tasted. Great food, great wine and good service. We would eat here often if we lived in the area.

Great tapas and paella. Very authentic (we know Spain well) in particular the spinach with garlic potatoes and the tripe tapas were superb. Very good wine by the glass. Helpful and friendly staff as well as a charming and courteous owner.

Every time i visit sfo, dining at Alegrías is part of the rituals. Not only to enjoy the food , but also to have the oportunity to have a friendly talk with Don César, the owner.

I have travelled to Barcelona several times. This restaurant is set in a very quaint setting. The ambiance overall won us over. It is a relatively small restaurant but is a great atmosphere for an intimate dinner, small business dinner, or with friends. The portions are standard tapas size and can be shared with 2-3 people. The menu is not as diverse as a standard tapas restaurant. The croquettes were good. The gambia could use a bit more garlic. The paella was surprisingly small in size. I believe because the tables are small, they are unable to support the standard large paella platter. One paella can feed two people but not more unless you just want a bite. The wine is well priced as is the food.

The tapas were all delicious and quite substantial in size. Based on previous reviews I ordered 3 dishes as thought they'd be tiny. This left no room for dessert but a very content outcome. The waitresses were more than helpful and the ambience was lovely. The menu was substantial and had loads of vegetarian options including veggie paella. The only downside is that the bill was quite large! 4 tapas and one paella between us and a bottle of wine came to $90 without tip. This seems to be the way of the city though so I can't really blame the restaurant. Definitely worth a visit.

From the outside of the restaurant, the stickers indicating food and service acknowledgments made this a neighborhood gem. At the start, the service was very slow and not so personable. The Croquetas de jamon Iberico y Gamba appetizer was lacking in taste and meat. The Paella a la Valenciana was disappointing. The seafood was not fresh; it was chewy and had an aftertaste. The rest of the dish lacked flavor. I did enjoy the house olive oil and bread. The Aceitunas Alinadas (olives) were very good and well marinated. Maybe it was a bad day for this place?

We didn't try the paella but had a delicious light dinner of different tapas - crab cakes, shrimp, mushrooms, sausages and mussels. Every plate was a tasty surprise. The restaurant is low key and comfortable with great service. We were able to walk there from our hotel which was a nice plus!

We have family from Spain, and we visit the country as often as possible. In between, Alegrias makes us feel that we're back. The ambience is romantic, the service is welcoming, friendly and helpful, the menu offers a wide variety of delicious tapas & plates, and the wines are well-chosen and reasonably priced. We've had many dinners at Alegrias - all relaxed and enjoyable.

My fiance & I recently did a cross country foodie road trip & found this to have some of the best paella in the country.

We four adults intended to do only tapas, but ended up ordering a main course as well. The Paella a la Marinera, a classic seafood paella, looked expensive at $30 until we realized it would serve two. It did, generously. While waiting for our paella -- which takes about a half hour -- we shared Manchego Flambeado (Manchego cheese flambe’ with brandy); tuna empanadas; grilled cuttlefish; and piquillos. All were tasty. The wine list was good; beers, meh. Service was very nice, although we felt a little rushed to decide our order in a nearly empty dining room. We were dining earlyish, in the back room, which was quiet enough to have a good conversation. We didn't have a bad meal in San Francisco over five days, but the one at Alegrias might've been the best.

My wife and I eagerly tried dinner at Alegrias Food From Spain after going to a showing at the Palace of the Legion of Honor recently. We know than tapas are small, very tasty dishes but these were tiny and not very tasty either. They were just OK as far as taste, and were rather high priced. The Empanadillas Carne and the Chocolate were good. The Gambas Al Ajillo were OK as were the Bocadillos. Tortilla Espanola was not good. After paying $83.00 for dinner (with only one glass of sangria which was not that good), I went home hungry. However, the restaurant owner and waiter were very pleasant and welcoming and the atmosphere was pleasant. Having given it a try, I would not return to this tapas restaurant. I will try others.

We treated ourselves to dinner at Alegrias on Easter Sunday. The restaurant was a little quiet so we had super attentive service. The paella was a highlight. Our daughter has food allergies and the staff ensured we had no hiccups - she had a lamb cutlet dish that was also superb. Husband had leftover cold paella on our road trip the next day!

Went there with my wife and toddler looking for some small plates to please some picky palates. Highlights were the asparagus with machego cheese, shrimp in garlic (wonderful sauce for sopping up with tasty bread), an eggplant appetizer (special), and dessert all of which were excellent. We also ordered the croquettes which I found to be average. The ambiance was very relaxing and the service fast and friendly. In a city full of wonderful establishments, Alegrias is a welcome treat if you can make it.

Our experience at Alegrias was outstanding in every way. We have traveled extensively in Spain, and can say that the dishes we had at Alegrias are comparable to what we had in Spain. We tried five different tapas and enjoyed them all. The piquillo peppers stuffed with lamb and mushrooms, and the Patatas Aioli were especially good. The service was very friendly and attentive without being overbearing. We also enjoyed the casual yet charming atmosphere of the restaurant. Overall, it was a 5 out of 5. We look forward to going back.

from a local's perspective,there were five of us and we shared 6-7 tapas and one paella and two desserts. The rice on the paella was a little undercook but the seafood was good. the duck tapas and the calmari were especially delicious and we had to double order them. Very pleasant surroundings and the waiter was very attentive. Food came out quick enough and we weren't rushed out. We would go back again. Now I know what to expect in Spain!

We were 17 seated for dinner on a Friday night. Food was delicious and the service wonderful. We ordered 3 types of Paella.. The family loved the paella negra with squid ink and shrimp he best but I also enjoyed the traditional version. Sangria was also very popular at our table. The olives were just as good as the ones I had in Spain. We tried lots of different tapas. Loved this restaurant!

Food was bad to mediocre. We had appetizers and wine. "Crab cakes" were greasy balls of mush. Shrimp were small and in an unremarkable sauce. A waste of quite a bit of money. Atmosphere very nice, I must say and convenient location on Lombard Street was convenient to our motel. Very disappointing otherwise.

I shall start by saying, I am from Spain. Alegrias is definitely authentic Spanish food, not some adaptation or california infused nonsense. Love that this is a family owned business. Their tapas are small in size, but packed with flavor. Their manchego flambeado has got to be one of the best I have ever tried. I'd say we ordered about 80% of the menu and everything was great, the only exception, the rabbit. It wasn't bad, it just didn't wow.Their paellas are equally delicious. One is defintely good enough to share for 2 people. Sangria is a must- careful though, it goes down easily. The restaurant itself is really charming, their walls filled with typical Spanish Tchotchkes and decor.

Great Spanish restaurant in San Francisco. Shared a selection of tapas with my wife, and each dish was very nicely prepared and presented. I appreciated that while we ordered a selection of dishes all at once, they only brought out a couple at time. The Cazuela de Queso was my favorite, and went great by itself or over some bread. For dessert the Flan was perfect, but the Crema Catalana had a citrus flavor that my wife and I were not expecting. It was subtle, but was not what we would have preferred.

Great value for the money. Good selection of tapas ans the Tempranillo was outstanding and a very good value. Looking forwrd to going back

This was a very warm and welcoming environment. I have food allergies and so the chef/owner came out to discuss my choices. This is a tapas place, so small (and good) portions. I had the calamari which was very tasty. They also modified a salad as a side so I could eat it and my dinner partner could savor their full flavor experience.

Ordered 3 tapas dishes . First one came within 5 minutes Second one was about 15 minutes later. Third one did not appear. Atmosphere was pretty poor. The food was pretty average(from the 2 items we actually got) . Would not go back..and they had the nerve to automatically add a 20% service charge even though the service was quite poor?

I have been to this place numerous times. Every time I go it does not disappoint. The last time I went, it was even better. I visited with my date who had never tried Spanish food. So she basically ordered what I recommended. She loved it and was very pleased. The last time I went, the owner even took the time to come over and have a conversation in Spanish with me. Overall it's a great place.

Everything was excellent, especially the empanadas and the crab cakes. They had great desserts too. Prices were exceptionally reasonable for the quality of the food. Definitely worth a try!