Reviews

Here for the day and we always stop in North Beach for dinner. Found this gem on Trip Advisor. Totally a funky fun place!! Service and food was excellent!!! The Crab Ravioli and Four cheese penne pasta are to die for and Scampi was good. The bread and dipping sauce was fantastic!! Would definitely come back! 🇮🇹

Wow, Italian food the way it should taste. This is my second time here over the past 2 years. Caffe Sport was just as delizisio. Absolutely fantastic and the Scampi Alantonio rocks. Prices are very good and service was the best. Every time I come to San Fran this will be my dinner spot.

Caffe Sport was fantastic from the bread to the wonderful Pesto and most Incredible Scampi Alla Antonio.... Wow never had a dish like this with just the right amount of garlic in a wonderful white sauce that tasted Fantastic. My spouse and I both commented this will be our number one spot to eat at every time we come to San Fran. The Italian wine a super Tuscan complimented the meal perfectly and the service was superb. Everyone in the restaurante was having a great time and we were soooo happy to have this true and fantastic place to eat at while in SF for the week. Clearly our best meal of the week and we spent 6 days in the wine country and did not have another meal close to Caffe Sport, at two to five times the price. Caffe Sport was an awesome find and excellente’ Dining experience. Thank You Caffe Sport 🥰Derito Bonicelli

Fun place; empty early. Split four pastas four ways; plenty. $15 corkage fee was a nice surprise. Heart of North Beach; you can walk from here to Beach Blanket Babylon.

We ate here because (sorry to say this, but it's probably said a lot) the wait at Sotto Mare was too long. The atmosphere/decor is really interesting and unique. The service is top notch. But the food, particularly the seafood, left me wanting for a bit more. I didn't think it was up to snuff. I liked the family style serving, but the pesce just didn't taste as fresh and wasn't top quality. In restaurant-choked North Beach/Little Italy I expect more, that's all. It's a fine dinner and I wouldn't NOT return, but I wouldn't make a big effort to get there. I actually like Calzone's on Columbus around the corner more. Better food and bigger menu.

We dropped in for a light meal and were shocked by the tacky decor. Then we tasted the mediocre bread and were further dismayed. Our green salad was soggy with a garlic-laden, watery dressing. The mussels were okay but again, too garlicky...and we love garlic. There are lots of good restaurants in this North Beach neighbourhood, but Caffe Sport isn't one of them.

This is an old time establishment with multiple layers of interior embellishment which makes for fun views looking around. Every dish is served to the center of the table for 'family style' eating. This suited our family group wonderfully well. Our group included three young men who found this style of eating to be just to their liking. The food was good and plenty of it made for a fun time for all of us. Note: if there is someone in your group who uses a walker or wheelchair, this may not be the restaurant for you. The space is very small and may cause some difficulty of movement.

Been awhile since visiting . Can look for hours at the eclectic stuff throughout the place. Food. Was excellent as always.

This place is one of the best Italian restaurants we've been to in San Francisco. We've been there several times and love it more each time. It's family style so the portions are large. The calamari is fresh and prepared perfectly. I love garlic and their garlic dishes easily outshine the stinking rose. We've had several dishes over the past couple years and everyone is great. It's a bit small so call ahead for reservations. Only bottled beer but it's Italian beer so it's ok. Service is friendly as if you are old friends. Parking is on the street so it can be a challenge but worth it. Also it's only open for dinner.

Large group of us and we about filled the entire place, but we were thrilled to dine here. A terrific eatery with outstanding food and service. We had a number of shareable plates because they don't skimp on portions here. It was a wonderful couple of hours with family enjoying some really great Sicilian food. We will make this a "go to" spot on our future visits to San Francisco.

North Beach area is teeming with restaurants and people eating so finding somewhere without a reservation for 6 people could have been difficult. Luckily, however, the guide on our earlier walking tour suggested it as a good place for family style eating at a reasonable price provided we 'get in early' So we did. We felt we were entering a fantasy world the interior being what might be termed eclectic or just filled up with memorabilia. Whatever,it invoked a relaxed attitude helped by the large square table we sat at, raised on a dias. The term family style here means that the food is brought to the table in large dishes and someone in the group dishes it out. Great fun especially when it is helped down by the relatively cheap( for a restaurant) wine. As to the food, it's not gourmet eating but it's not that sort of place. We could do with a few more places like this in the UK. Good home style cooking well served and well presented all in a relaxed atmosphere. And at a reasonable price. Don't be put off by the name or the exterior just walk in, if you are lucky as a queue had formed when we left, and enjoy.

This North Beach classic is a rare bistro that specializes in Sicilian cuisine, It is a veritable museum of knick Knacks with the best Eggplant Parmesan I ever had, light and unbreaded and luscious, The ambience is unique and it is a rare classic,

Fantastic food- has been a favorite in my husbands family for many years although this was my first time- we all had something different and all five of us were sharing bites right and left and raving about it all. Can’t imagine visiting SFO without another stop here.

Sicilian food, not to be confused with Italian - which the waiter pointed out to us. Kind of a dive inside - but don't be dissuaded. Even with reservations - not easy to get a table. But - the food - absolutely delicious!! Not touristy - not fancy - but a must if in the area!

This eclectic North Beach Italian has changed very little over the years, which means their pasta pesto and their shrimp scampi (in a creamy white wine & garlic sauce with zucchini) are still the best on the planet. Never had better. But you had better like garlic, because the chef certainly does! I never tire of this place!

I went there with a large group of 7 old friends for a guys weekend. The red wine was following, the food was pumping and a great time was had by all. Highly recommended!

We decided to try this place out on thanksgiving evening. I am a chicken parmigiana snob & this was hands down the best I have ever had. Their marinara sauce was perfect! The chicken was perfectly cooked & the crust was perfect. The chicken wasn't too thin or too thick. The staff were fantastic & very friendly to us & our 10 year old. The wife agreed 100%. Make sure you get a small side of spaghetti pasta with the chicken parmigiana. We HIGHLY recommend Caffe Sport!

One of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco. The pasta dishes are rich and sizable at very reasonable prices. Only open in the evening.

Finally getting around to submitting my review of this cozy little place in North Beach, that was thankfully open for lunch on Easter (a day we don't celebrate). I had a house specialty, Ravioli di Granchio, with hand-made, squid-ink striped ravioli filled with Dungeness crab meat smothered by a tasty cream sauce. It was seriously great. My mate had Gnocchi with pesto, and he was equally pleased. While there has been a recent change in ownership that apparently has displeased some old-timers, we were more than satisfied. A slight snafu of a server failing to bring my glass of wine resulted in a super generous pour by the other staffer. Just one more example of the kinds of care you'll get in a family-run place such as this. Big thumbs up.

I have been here several times over the past 3 years and each time it is amazing!! I always feel like i am with family. The decorations are all painted by the owner and it is very colorful and eclectic. Don't skip the scampi al Antonio!

Loved the Vongole al Vapore! But everything was delicious, espeically the pitchers of sangria. The fascinating decor entertains endlessly. A highlight of our trips to San Francisco.

Great homemade pasta. Lively and fun atmosphere. Wonderful service. Fantastic dinner with friends or date night!

A great little spot just a few steps off heavily-traveled Columbus Avenue on Green Street. There is a single table for 2 outside, which I recommend if you can get it, but you can't go without checking out the interior. Too hard to describe, so I won't try. Suffice to say you'll be surprised. The food is simply prepared - no pretensions here - and very good. I recommend the Spaghetti o Penne con Sicilian Meat Balls (with penne) and the Gnocchi (either potato or spinach). The only caution I give is that a small bowl of dipping sauce is brought out with the bread. That sauce contains anchovies, and lots of people (like me) don't like them. I didn't think to ask before trying it and tasted anchovies until halfway through my glass of wine (a Sangiovese which was also very good). Green Street doesn't carry near the traffic Columbus does making eating outside that much more pleasant. Inside, too, for that matter. You also don't have hordes of people walking past you all the time like on Columbus. So, if you're looking for a nice little North Beach spot that isn't right in the middle of things, Caffe Sport is a great choice.

My wife and I went with 18 other people and had so much fun. We all were seating in the back portion of the restaurant and found that the family style food was out of this WORLD. The service, wine and food had our group really happy that we selected this spot to eat. I don't know if I can select just one item of the 4 we ordered at our table of 6 as being better than the other. I can't believe you can go wrong if you order the Shrimp Scampi, Raviloi, Spaghetti and meatballs. Highly recommend this place.

The inside of this cute little restaurant is worth a visit alone but the food and service is good. We had the Chicken Parmigiana and Egg plant Parmigiana, which was served in the middle of the table to share. The were both very good and a slight variation to the Australian chicken party's we are use to. The food here is Sicillian Italian and the menu is quite extensive, beers are all around $5

Just wandered upon this gem. Delicious pasta and sauce. Good Sangiovese for $10. Got meat sauce with mushrooms, partner got ravioli with cream sauce. Both were delicious.

Arrived here with a large group, the area set out for us had the plates laid out on the table side by side. We could not fit the same amount of people to plates although staff really wanted us to squish. The food was great once we were eating it but we were given one plate to share between 7 people and kept having to ask for more as there was no where near enough food.

My wife and I have eaten at Caffe Sport perhaps a dozen times over the last 40 years during many of our visits to San Francisco. Truthfully, the food is very good but not memorable --- and not the main attraction. The primary reason we love this place is the Sicilian folk art that covers virtually every square foot of the place. The original owner, now deceased, was both a chef and folk artist --- as a result, the place is quite a conversation piece. It is not large so reservations are advisable. Also, check carefully regarding days and hours of operation so as to avoid disappointment and be prepared for the difficulty of finding a nearby parking spot.

Mediocre food, even worse service. They just don't care. Any other restaurant on Green Street is better.

This is my friend's favorite place! This restaurant is very special but we love it so much, you need to go there and see the inside. The food is really good and the ambiance is very nice, they also serve large portions and have a complete menu Can't wait to go back !

At first sight, it seems this place has passed it's prime, but the atmosphere, service and food definitely fulfill all expectations. It may not be as popular as it once was, but that just makes it easier for us all to get in the door quicker!

A great selection of Italian cuisine at reasonable prices. The decor is unique and very interesting. The choice of music piped in was Latino as was our waiter and most of the staff (who were speaking to each other in Spanish) which seemed a bit odd in this "authentic" Italian restaurant. Also, the manager sat at a table working on his laptop and making phone calls right near us which was a bit distracting and kind of spoiled the ambiance. The place is pretty small so a reservation is highly recommended.

Stopped here with family for Sunday lunch. 4 lunch entrees were enough for the 6 of us. Ravioli were the consensus winner (2 of our group were teens ) but I personally loved the pesto gnocchi.

We went here in November after a recommendation from a SF local and we were not disappointed! Our waiter was excellent and gave us great recommendations! He also recommended somewhere else to go the following night to ensure that we got a real American Thanksgiving dinner. Honest food and a nice atmosphere!

Hands down, the best Sicilian food that I ever had. My favorite Italian restaurants are the Mom and Pop types because they are the most authentic. I loved how it was decorated, very old world. I can't wait to go back.

Great dinner with family and friends. Walked from Palace Hotel to this restaurant. 6 of us crammed into table with little elbow room. Lots of eccentric art, pottery, flags, pictures adorn the walls and ceiling. Waiter was great, friendly, helpful in ordering. We ordered the house salad and caponata to start. Then we shared the Chicken Parmesan, Cioppino Bianco, Pesto Penne, squid ink Raviolis filled with Crab, Spinach Gnocchi with meat sauce. Everything was delicious! Very small narrow place, make reservations. One more thing - cash only.

However, if you are like my family and myself it was a terrible experience food-wise. We were invited by family members for a birthday dinner. Even though we're native San Franciscans we had never dined at Caffe Sport although had heard good things about it over the decades. Well, it was not worthwhile especially since it was enormously crazy just to find parking. There's a public parking garage a couple of blocks away from the restaurant that had some parking spaces remaining yet parking in North Beach is horrific in general. Well, the décor is kitschy so if one likes kitsch then one will definitely enjoy the restaurant's interior. We were informed that the owner made the decorations-perhaps not everything though. So there was a fishing net with fake crustaceans hanging onto it, some oil lamps, and all sorts of odds and ends attached to the walls. And there were a few huge ancient cheeses (or meat) in cases hanging from the ceiling. The dining area is not roomy enough as well. As for the food it was terrible in our opinion. I suppose if one doesn't know how to cook Italian food or has tasted authentic Italian food then eating at Caffe Sport will be fine. The cioppino was not in a red sauce. That was bad enough, but there was not enough shellfish included and the worst thing was the overpowering garlic that permeated the entire dish. We definitely love garlic, however, it needs to be sautéed. It appears that loads of chopped, raw garlic was just added and stirred into the dish. Thus, the garlic, instead of bringing making the dish taste better, made it sickening as it was raw so it just burnt one's tongue. The other dishes, such as the spaghetti vongole (clam) was loaded with pasta and not many clams. The pinot grigio we ordered by the bottle tasted horrible. And it was definitely marked up terribly high. As for desserts the popular tiramisu finished before we ended our meals. Thus, the only other choice was their cannoli. Seeing that the server just retrieved pre-made cannoli shells from a cardboard box and filled them with cream and dried fruit pieces (?) per order was unbelievable. They were also not cheap ($9/each) and did not taste good. Btw, these are the only choices for dessert! In short, Caffe Sport is quite expensive yet the food does not reflect the expense. It is not worthwhile to go all the way to North Beach just to eat there.

Giving Caffe Sport a 4 for old times sake, but missing the Italian waiters and the cluttered decor which has been cleaned up. Still a good value and love the red sauce but food is too oily...and what's up with serving mediocre bread to sop up the sauce?

I ate here during covid-19, and was not impressed with the food. But I ate here again tonight and walked out happy. My friend ordered, and we ate family style. Restaurant was not overcrowded, and the service was friendly.

A small , kitchy place with a lot of atmosphere, welcomes you. The menu is a cross between Old San Francisco North Beach and Sicily. Where else can you start with a glass of vino and a Verdure Misto? Most everything on the menu is appealing....everything I had was excellent.

Caffe Sport is a gem amongst the North Beach area of S.F. Authentic family style cuisine and supreme service, comfortable atmosphere, and quite affordable food comprises this rough diamond in the rough. A definite return visit on my return to S.F.

The prices were a bit high but the food was good. The service was attentive and not rushed. Wine selections were mostly Italian. Would I rush back? Maybe not, but at some point in time I would eat here again.

A chance recommendation led us here, and we were not disappointed. Excellent sauces, fresh seafood, and particularly good bean soup. Pleasant, homey atmosphere. A very enjoyable and delicious meal!

A long narrow restaurant with an eclectic decor and great food. We started out with the beef carpaccio--a nice mix of lettuce, beef, capers and dressing. The bread and sauce that first arrives is really good--the sauce is almost like a thick bisque (it's warm) for the bread. I had lobster ravioli and my dining partner had the Cioppino Rosso--definitely get the Cioppino! The broth is thick and rich and the seafood is plentiful (half a Dungeness crab). I'd go back just for that.

This place is amazing. Adorable decor and true authentic feel. Excellent service and the food is AMAZING! They were able to take care of my gluten intolerance with a fabulous salmon and vegetable dish. The salad with what I think was burrata cheese was delightful. A must do. Loved it!!!

This is one of those restaurants that we would go to if we couldn't decide what to eat. Lately though its been a hit or miss deal. We went with a group of nine and although the quality of food was good the portions seems to have turned to kiddie portions. One serving of the clam in wine and garlic wasn't enough to feed my 3 year old niece. it was good quality but I guess the economy has taken its toll on everyone. The waiter was really nice but also got a couple of simple orders wrong, just not paying attention I guess. I would go back for a really light meal, but its not what Italians are about.

We were in the city for Spring Break with the kids and went here on the recommendation of local friends. Great pasta, chicken parm and gnocchi. Probably the best Italian meal I've had in the city and a fun atmosphere. Definitely go!!

There isn't a category for in between average and very good , but for this place there should be. This is where we bring people for good homestyle Italian cooking. There is none of the tiny portion on a big plate here. Food is served hot and within a reasonable time and with human proportions . It is old school funky but with a fun atmosphere . Meaning it isn't tarted up and there are no white tablecloths .North Beach is still alive with new restaurants opening all the time but this is an older place where neighbors and old timers come on a regular basis for inexpensive and a better than " average" food.

This was my 2nd visit to Caffe Sport. The first was with a group from work and this time I went with my family. The food was as good as the first time. I had the mushroom ravioli and it was delicious. My husband had the seafood pasta, one of our daughters also had the mushroom ravioli plus a bowl of minestrone soup and the other had the gnocchi with pesto. They were really busy so service wasn't as good as before but we enjoyed our meals.

If you like garlic, try Caffe Sport. I tried the sauteed prawns with zucchini which was excellent and very garlicky. I believe it's one of their signature dishes. Bring a big appetite, the portions are huge. Best to come with a group and share. I like this place.

Excellent authentic Italian/Sicilian food in an eclectic restaurant with excellent service. Would eat here again - highhly recommended!

Had an absolutely outstanding meal last night at Caffe Sport. My husband started with the pasta figole soup which was so flavorful. I selected for my meal the penne pasta with eggplant. The sauce was a combination of homemade marinara and homemade Alfredo sauces . So delicious! My husband had the chicken parmigiana which was superb. The portions were enormous. The service was warm and attentive. Can't wait to return.

Friendly, funky and mega portions. The decoration is amusing. Food is nice but very big portions ( good for some and waste for others) Servers were nice and the best was their Spumoni.

We had an excellent time at Caffe Sport! The atmosphere is fun and keeps you looking entertained. The staff was very attentive. I had seafood pasta which was creamy and full of delicious seafood. My husband had ravioli and we shared a salad and a bottle of wine. The bill was very reasonable for the meal we had and we also got some helpful hints for other S.F. Restaurants from the locals sitting beside us.

We enjoyed our dinner here. Visited based on a recommendation of a friend and were not disappointed. Good variety of menu options, prompt service and an enjoyable atmosphere.

Very crowded, (christmas week).We had reservations and had to wait 45 minutes.Our server was very nice but it took way too long to get our meals. Food was o.k. I would give it another try on a "normal" weekend. Seems like this place could be better if it wasn't so crazy busy.

Started coming to Cafe Sport in the 80's. For many years the cooks and servers were the same. Visited recently and while there was some turnover the food is consistently excellent! the service friendly and quick and the prices not unreasonable for what you get. The crab salad is unparalleled and can't be compared to anywhere. You get a full plate of crab parts covered in a white garlic sauce that you eat in a messy way with your fingers. By the time you're done garlic is oozing out your pores its amazing. couple this with the creamy pesto plate and the mussels and you have had one of the best meals you've ever had. Not to mention the bread and gorgonzola, garlic, spicy bread dipping sauce and you will be amazed. I can't wait to come back. We usually come once a year if we are able.

This is one of the few remaining "family style" Italian restaurants in North Beach. Its founder was not only an expert on seafood and cooking, but also an artist and furniture maker. You can't help but smile and be in a great mood when admiring the decor, plus all the garlic hanging from the trim and permeating the delicious seafood. It's a warm and lively place -- perfect for sharing with friends!

I am sorry, but this is just not Italian food (and I am Italian). Looks like you'll need to go passed North beach to eat some decent Italian food.. It is way overpriced for what it is. Look elsewhere !

I could not have been happier with my meal. The staff were amazing, the Ambiance is fantastic, and best of all, the food was awesome. Seven of us were packed into a booth, it was tight, but we all loved it.

We arrive a little late so we sitting in two different tables ,they bring two bottles of wine for the inconvenience,service was good but may be because place was full food quality was poor.

The food is extremely basic, no imagination, nothing appealing, it's time they took a closer look at their menu and their presentation. There's a need to update their food dramatically as it is bland and lacks appeal in taste and presentation.

Recommend the Shrimp Scampi...penne pasta con pesto. FUN PLACE! Waiters attentive but often misunderstand in haste to please...example: request for extra marinara produced extra parmigiano and request for wine was brought in Champagne glass. No problem...good place to enjoy food and friends.

my husband grew up on the bay area, so whenever we are in the area we go here for dinner. This night we came from San Jose JUST to come here for dinner. We have not been in a few years so not sure when the slide started, but this is a shadow of it's former self We always order the pesto pasta and the eggplant parm - we ordered the pesto w/shimp, it came w/out the shrimp and was "meh" Didn't say anything to the waiter about the shrimp as we were hungry and just wanted to eat. The eggplant parm never came, I said something and they did rush an order out, but it nused to be doused in garlic and would melt in your mouth - this time no garlic detected, thick and chewy. Now I know they had garlic because there was plenty on my clams Who I believe was the Manager did come out to apologize about the eggplant parm and it seems that ownership has changed since we were last there, and clearly the recipes were either not shared or were not followed I don't think my husband will ever go back

I hadn't been here in 20+ years. Was delighted to find the same wonderful food, speedy and helpful service. Must like lotsa garlic! Definitely recommend if you like Italian food. Try the pasta Di carne Ie funchi and the scampi alla Antonio.

Stumbled onto Cafe Sport by accident when looking for a place for dinner. Had an amazing experience with authentic Italian cuisine, great ambiance and wine. Had the ciappino and a caesar salad and both were fantast!

This is an old institution in North Beach. Funky decor, nice service staff, and great Italian food. Check it out!

Really good italian dinner. Big House salad, home made spinach and cheese ravioli plus a glass of vine, outstanding dinner.

Visiting Caffe Sport thirty years ago on a visit to San Francisco was fun and tasty, so when we were in the city again in June we decided to go back for old times' sake. There were seven of us in the group, and we had a delicious dinner. We especially loved the shrimp with the white garlic sauce, but each dish we had was fabulous. The service was excellent, and two generations enjoyed a lovely evening.

I ordered the pesto pasta, and my partner the calamari. The pesto was delicious and creamy, and I could eat it every day for the rest of my life. My partner's dish was sort of odd. It was not what we were expecting, which may be entirely on us- maybe we were simply ignorant of the way it's traditionally served, but it was little whole squid-things, like eating whole tiny octopus(es? pi?). It was in a red sauce, but very bland. Again, maybe we've just never had it that way, but I wouldn't order it again. The service was prompt if not overly friendly. They were busy. I'd recommend it for the pesto alone, but exert caution if you're used to calamari that's breaded and cut in little pieces, because you'll be eating full-fledged squid that is not crunchy in the least.

This amusing small cucina is definitely rooted in Sicily. The tile and mural decorations breath life into this establishment. The menu is delightful. Homemade ravioli with a verdure mixture appetizer is very flavorful. So tempted to try the gnocchi with pesto next time. Good wine list local and Italian. The desserts are yummy. Must try coffee truffle and spumoni. Gets busy after 7 pm . As expected, parking is difficult. $20 flat rate nearby. Would return !!!

Decent food, 1960’ s atmosphere, even if the normal prices and carafes of good, affordable wine are gone. Dinner service was not so good, lunch service was quite good. Why one star only? Simple, they charge four dollars for a can of coke. Yes, one can of coke, what should cost one or two dollars is four dollars. Is this what the great city of San Francisco has become, where the restaurants will charge any unfair price they want? Don’t support places like this that have such disrespect for their customers. After 40 years of going here I’ll never, ever be back.

Always awesome food dont go overboard ordering the portions are huge and can be shared. U will love the eclectic atmosohere with old world charm and hospitality. If u can get the booth in the window great for people watching

I had fond memories of this place from 30 years ago and today went back. I took my daughter and our foreign exchange student for lunch and was so glad I did. We were in town for a few hours passing through to LA, (Spring break trip for the kids) we went full bore tourist taking the cable car to Chinatown and hoofing over to North Beach for lunch. It was quarter to 12 on a Sunday, not too many people in the place so I was a little worried, all for naught. I ordered the Pasta E Vongole, Spaghetti with clams, best I have ever had. The clams were perfectly cooked, pasta al dente perfection and the sauce was sublime. Our exchange student had the Pesto pasta and proclaimed it as good as any she ever ate in Italy! My daughter had the spaghetti with red sauce and meat balls and loved every bit of it. At the end of our meal the chef even came out and asked how everything was, can't say enough about this place, price was good, service good and food was great. I'll be back!

This is not a sports bar! It is authentically good Italina food served in a rstaurant with attitude by wait service who know their food.

This small place in Little Italy doesn't look like much from the outside. Go in and enjoy a nice meal. It's been in this location for a very long time so it is packed with cool items from Italy. The dipping sauce for their bread is good but be warned it is spicy. My husband had the chicken parm and I have the penne pasta. Both meals were delicious. We ended with a cannoli. The flavors were great but it was very cold so it was probably frozen ahead of time. I would come back.

Had eaten here years ago and returned for another meal. The service was friendly, but understaffed. The garlic bread stale, although the dipping sauce was very tasty (best part of the meal). Our overwhelmed server didn't get all of our appetizers to us, and the pasta was average at best.

We loved to take out-of-town visitors here when we lived in Berkeley, and still love dining here when in town. Great Sicilian Food, huge platters of food. Doggie Bags required. All of the pastas are very good. Try the Gnocchi. The Cioppino is fantastic. And, we love the Calamari Platter. Service is very good and the decor is Italian Funky.

We have enjoyed this restaurant for years. Recently the restaurant changed hands, but the menu remained the same. They have pesto pasta , meat and mushroom as well as other pasta dishes , fish dishes. The atmosphere is cozy and filled with paintings and souvenirs from the previous owner. It is one of a kind setting with unique wood tables and chairs .

Great restaurant! It is Italian food, not that you can tell by its name. Everything is quite good (except for the risotto), and the ambiance is fabulous!

This restaurant has great food. Its pastas and scampi are both delicious. Its location is great and is near all of the nightlife.

Always a pleasure visiting this place..all pasta very good..some better than others. Dine family style..lots of food.. I enjoyed pesto..yummy..on creamy side. Penne pasta with seafood good, meatballs good too. Appetizers..had eggplant wrapped in prosciutto..yum! Can get very crowded..go early.

This is just my favorite place while visiting SFO, i have to go there each time, the food is so delicious and tasty. I wish i coule be there more often !

I went with two of my friends tonight for dinner and the staff were so friendly and helpful! They were genuinely concerned that we have a good experience. And we did! Loved the spaghetti and Sicilian meatballs and chicken parmigiana, we split these two dishes and it was plenty between the three of us. Great experience overall!

This restaurant came highly recommended to us by family so we made sure to have dinner here during our stay in SF. It is a really unique hole-in-the-wall with a Frank Sinatra soundtrack and the atmosphere is pretty fun. The food is also good - although it was served more lukewarm than hot. We had the gnocchi in pesto sauce - the pesto was excellent - and seafood cioppino, which was also really good. The biggest disappointment here was the service. The servers were nice enough but inattentive and never came back to check on us. We were delivered the check without anyone asking us if we might like something else. Given that hardly anyone else was in the restaurant, that was frustrating. Another odd thing - we were seated near the back end of the restaurant and I caught a whiff of the bathrooms a number of times which was really unpleasant. With so many other Italian restaurants in North Beach we would try some others before returning.

My wife, daughter and I really had fun at Caffe Sport after seeing Beach Blanket Babylon about a block away. The salad delicious and them we had the Con Cozze. It was fresh, perfectly spiced and enough for the 3 of us. We followed this the Cioppino All'Antonio which was phenomenal. They did not have much by way of dessert which they need to address although the Canoli was great. So was the wine the wsiter recommended. The decor is kitschy but I loved it. It helps to have a sense of humor. I will definitely be back.

The food for lunch was excellent and the beer was cold. Waitress was great and we enjoyed sitting outside. Tried to get a beer at the bar but the lady bartender was too busy yukking it up with a regular. The only negative.

We had reservations for 6 but the party that had the table were very slow to clear. Many restaurants that are busy would just make you wait but the owner here set us up outside with a complimentary bottle of wine - very nice touch. And there were some street musicians very close down the street who were actually excellent. So all good for us. Yes, as some other reviewers have noted, service is a bit slow and chaotic but friendly and sincere. The food is good here with many Italian favourites represented. And plenty of it, portions were very generous. The ambience is very old world Sicilian and fun. We had a great time and a decent meal.

Great ambiance and good service. Authentic Italian old style delicious food. Had Spaghetti with Calamari and Alfredo Pomodoro - both really good. In Little Italy and close to Beach Blanket Babylon which is a must-see on a trip to San Francisco!

25 years ago we came here and now we had the opportunity to return on vacation to SF. This was top of the list. I wish we'd done dinner twice here. The food is amazing. The eggplant parmesan was delicious. The ravioli is not the stuff of the can. It is homemade and stuffed with cheese and mushrooms and spinach. The salad was crisp and wonderful dressing. The sauce for the bread was divine. No butter needed. The Cannoli, just put it this way, I will never share dessert there again. It was the best I have ever had. I told everyone I met to go to Caffe Sport. The serving staff was fast, efficient and one gentleman quite entertaining. The food is family style so the portions are very generous. 1 dish will serve 2 adults. The décor is crazy fun. Not what is the latest trend of the year/decade. That makes it quite entertaining Great place for everyone and any occasion. This is a North Beach gem and with in walking distance of the hotels by Fisherman's Warf and the cable cars.

A 2 hour wait for a table at Tony's was too much for us so we went on a walkabout and were lucky to get in at Caffe Sport. The pizza was delicious and the service on a very busy night fantastic.

Caffe Sport serves an extraordinarily, uniquely delicious style of Italian / Sicilian cuisine. Ambiance is also one-of-a-kind. The servers are efficient and charming and were very accommodating (with big friendly smiles) of our 2 young boys who loved the food but also wanted to wander through the restaurant to enjoy all the sights and sounds. I've been going here for decades and it just continues to be a very special place. They used to have long waits, but no more (underrated)

We were going to a real popular spot down the street, but it was loud, tiny, crowded and had an hour wait, so we walked down the block and saw this place. Wow, so glad we went here - really nice, fairly quiet atmosphere, interesting interior, great staff and amazing food. If you like seafood and/or Italian food, and you're not necessarily looking for the most popular place in town, I highly recommend Caffe Sport - I can't believe this place isn't more popular. It's been around for quite a while though, so they must be doing decently well.

I have visited at several places in the North Beach area, but this is the best. The food is served family style which made it perfect to share. I ordered the shirmp dish and my husband a penne pasta dish. Both were amazing. I think the sounds I made were very much like Meg Ryan in the move "when Harry Met Sally". Of course there is plenty of bread and a great spicy dipping sauce. The decor has been hand carved with lots of garlic hanging. It is small and if you are going in the evening, I suggest reservation (but it must be at least 4 in your group). We went at lunch time and had no issues. I will always go here from now on when in the San Francisco area.

This is my favorite Italian restaurant in the United States. Whenever I am in San Francisco, I always eat here. The food is always wonderful, and the atmosphere is intriguing. Many of the non-pasta dishes are gluten free. This is a must do in San Francisco.

A chance discovery, but would recommend to anyone, while waiting we were offered a dipping sauce made from jalapeño garlic anchovy and other secret herbs and spices, what a combination, my wife had eggplant prosciutto and mozzarella in a tomato sauce beautiful, I had cioppino rosso, the atmosphere is fantastic cluttered but so Italian

This is the first North Beach Restaurant I ever ate at. A few years ago now I was looking for a place to have lunch and asked one of the locals for a recommendation. She asked me if I liked seafood; and so started my love affair with North Beach cuisine. My entire family absolutely loves Cafe Sport. We've never had a bad meal or bad experience here. They serve lunch on Friday's and Sarurday's only. I believe they open at 11:00 am, and I know they close at 2:00 pm. The lunch menu is condensed and the cost of the plates is quite accessible. The waiters, Luis and Gustavo, and Marcelino the cook are always friendly. The food is super delicious and plentiful. The bread sauce they serve you for starters with S.F. sourdough bread is absolutely awesome. We always order the fried calamari appetizer which Marcelino has been know to mix a few prawns into. The dipping sauce is unforgettably good. The first entree I ever ordered is the Pasta Speciale. It features penne pasta with prawns and scallops in a white cream sauce with a dollup of red sauce. We never fail to order this. My wife loves the Pasta con Pesto and will usually have them add prawns to it. Depending on how many folks are in our party we'll have additional dishes, all very tasty. Never met Antonio, the original cook and owner, but the man is venerated to this day by the employees that knew him. If the food has slipped since his passing I can't imagine how. If you're an Italian food lover you must try Cafe Sport.

We went with our family remembering a dinner from many years ago. We didn't have a reservation and were told with a nasty tone you'll have to wait 45 minutes, which we did. Upon return we were seated in the back by an extremely smelly bathroom in the back do asked to move to the small table in the back across the way. They acted like we were unconvincing them. My sister then found a table opening up in the front that would accommodate our party of six. We dated all if we could have it. They started yelling at us how they were so busy and we asked for 3 different tables. The customers walking in the door at the time turned around and left. They then told us to wait 40 minutes if we wanted a table at all. I would never recommend this place to anyone. With all the good Italian restraunts in North Beach, these guys are taking a big risk thinking customers will come despite their rude behavior. We left without eating and will never come back

My wife lived in SF for twenty odd years in the 80's and 90's, and so we have been spending a week or so revisiting some of the old haunts. Caffe Sport did not disappoint - as good as ever, I was told! Wonderful eclectic decorations creates an Italian restaurant with a difference but still maintaing the family owned tradition. Food is very good and presented beautifullly. Excellent service with just the right touch. Good value for money. Would recommend if you are looking for great Italian food.

The food in the restaurant, melts in your mouth. I hadn't been there in twenty years, I longed for the rigatoni w/ the meat sauce. It's STILL THE SAME, as the first day I had the pleasure of dinning there. Unbelievable. If you have never been to this restaurant and you love Italian food I say go there, no run there. Try this place at lunch, you will have enough food served to you for dinner! Top Notch! Servers. Top Notch! Food. Easy to find on Green Street, S.F. Enjoy.

Caffe Sport is an Italian restaurant in the North Beach section of San Francisco. It is filled with funky Italian "stuff" all over the walls and tables. It reeks atmosphere. And to accompany this wonderful atmosphere comes very good food served by very good servers. You are made to feel at home.

Stopped by here after seeing Beach Blanket Babylon. We had reservations for a party of 10 for 8 pm, but our table was not ready when we arrived. We had to wait outside, but no problem--they greeted us with wine glasses and wine for our wait. After we were seated, orders were taken and food started arriving. Everyone tasted each other's food and everything was fabulous. Jose was wonderful. I would certainly go back again! And soon!

A wonderful Italian dinner!! After a day of touring Alcatraz and San Francisco, we decided to go to Caffe Sport for dinner. This was a small quaint place with lots of character. The four of us thoroughly enjoyed everything we ordered. Two of us really enjoyed the chicken Parmesan and the side a spaghetti was to die for. Another person said that was the best spaghetti and meatballs he had ever had. And the fourth had some kind of an penne plate that everybody enjoyed too. Even the cannoli, gelato, and vanilla ice cream was a hell of a way to finish up a great meal. I would definitely recommend this place.

Caffe Sport is an institution in San Francisco's Little Italy. They used to have only 3 seatings per night and if you were late, you didn't get to eat even though you probably waited weeks for your reservation. It's owned by the same family, but now you can walk in without a reservation if it's not completely full. I once watched a couple of tourists walk in, look around and walk out. It looks very kitschy with brightly painted tables, chairs and a Sicilian cart on display. I had to shake my head and uttered the words "big mistake" to my husband, as they just walked away from some of the best seafood in town, much better than restaurants at Fisherman's Wharf. Their seafood pasta is exceptional and the plates are generous in portion with reasonable prices. As you sit down you are presented with Italian bread that you can smother with the most delicious, garlicky olive oil dip. I suspect it has anchovies in there too. Allow me to describe the food better by posting some photos.

My friend and I decided to have dinner after seeing Beach Blanket Babylon and asked locals on Green Street if they could recommend an Italian restaurant. Their favorite was Caffe Sport. Our server introduced himself as Melvin though the bill indicated that Jose was the server. Melvin/Jose was very helpful and answered our questions about the menu. My friend and I ordered the Petrale Sole, Calamari, Risotto, and a Kids Spaghetti pesto, along with two glasses of Poppy Pinot Noir. Sole was good, but there was too much sauce for my liking. We returned the Calamari. The restroom situation can be improved.There are two single bathrooms labeled for men and women. A line of men had waited several minutes for the men's room when one asked an employee to check. Turned out the restroom was empty and the last user had locked the door. I suggested to the manager that they designate both bathrooms as unisex, but he didn't seem interested.

This was my first visit to Caffe Sport. I went with a group from work. There were 12 of us and we all thoroughly enjoyed our meals. We started with calamari and misto frite. The seafood was fresh with a light batter. For dinner I had the lobster ravioli which was delicious. Others in our group had spaghetti and meatballs, the red and white cioppino, salmon, risotto and various pasta dishes. Everyone raved about how good the food was. I will definitely go here again.

i first went to this restaurant in 1983 and it was fantastic and always packed. i went a couple times a year for the next several year until they shoved 8 of use in a booth big enough for about 5 and were so slow and rude with the service that we missed the start of the beach blanket show which was about 15 years ago. decided to try it again as i always loved the scampi and the place has changed. no problems getting a reservation on a saturday night as the big crowds are gone. portions and prices are still high but quality not quite the same. scampi wasn't as good as i remembered it and they brought us the wrong ravioli which didn't go as well with the gobs of pesto sauce as the cheese ravioli we wanted. at least the service was good. there are so many fantastic places in north beach that i doubt i'll head back to this one again.

Was pleasantly surprised by the authenticity of flavors in that place, the service was great, prices are unexpectedly good for spoiled San Francisco. Try their Burrata salad, you can hardly get that fresh and rich in taste stuff even in Italy. Lasagna was splendid too. Next time I will take there seafood dishes, that this place is famous with. Canolu was also spot on. Compliments for the chef!!!!

I had not dined at this particular restaurant in over 20 years. After getting disappointing food and service in the past I had stayed away for a long time. However, my date and I were wandering through North Beach and decided we would give it a try since so many other places were closed on this particular Sunday afternoon in April. We were the only customers in the restaurant and yet the service was horribly slow. The waitress gave us menus and did not come back for a long time. We ordered one dish which was so salty it was almost inedible. The waitress never came back to ask how our food was and after waiting 10 min. for the check I had to go through the restaurant to find another waiter so he could locate our waitress. it cost $27 with tax and tip for one plate of gnocchi with pesto sauce that had the weirdest taste and texture. With so many good restaurants in North Beach there is no reason to dine at this place. While it does have interesting decor it's probably better just to walk in the front door and do some sightseeing then head on down the street to find a good place to eat.

We a party of five arrived early Friday evening (before 6PM) without reservations were able to be seated and promptly and courteously served. The food was delicious-- spaghetti with pesto, bucatini Alfredo, risotto with seafood (no shrimp for someone with shrimp allergies-- actually not asked for but was supposed to be in it per the menu but somehow it worked out) rigatoni with scallops and shrimp and ravioli (I forget which one). Only one person finished the huge portion (given a high five for that accomplishment--it was the ravioli). The rest boxed up for later enjoyment. We didn't feel rushed--other people came in with reservations and didn't appear to wait long. The waitstaff were great. complimentary bread and a sauce. Three ordered red wine and the bottle was finished so I assume it was drinkable (I didn't drink) The restroom (I only saw the women's restroom was stocked with toilet seat covers and toilet paper and looked clean) The decor was charming Happy with the experience (we were turned down at another restaurant because we had no reservations and told there was a 2 hour wait for the next available one so we wandered in--had been told this was a good place

Over the past 20 or so years I have been to the Caffe Sport a couple times. A funky place in a fun part of town. Alas this last meal appeared that there is a high level of "burn out". It just felt tired - both the appearance, attitude of staff & the food. The highlight was the olives and bread dip. I chose to order the Dungeness Crab Ravioli - supposedly hand made ravioli with squid ink striping stuffed with crab. If I had to bet - the ravioli I had was frozen or had been hanging around for a while. The pasta was chewy I stale tasting, the crab was dry and just seemed old - did not have that sweet fresh taste at all. The icing on the cake was the white sauce - no flavor, tasted like flower and milk - something Denny's would put on their biscuits. This was one of their more expensive dishes - I had high expectations being in the center of North Beach at a classic eatery - I was very let down. I wish I had returned to the formula but good Stinking Rose, where I just recently had a great meal. There are a lot of choices, next time I will choose differently

We are visiting from overseas and had seen the name of this restaurant mentioned in some Sheldon Siegel books which we had read. The restaurant has some eclectic decor. It doesn’t look much from the outside but the food is tremendous. We had various dishes and all were incredible. We will be back in a couple of weeks to try some different dishes. A must if you love Italian food.

My husband has raved about this restaurant for years. We happened to be leaving Club Fuzari and saw it as we walked toward Stockton Street. I had Spinach Gnocchi with meat sauce which was outstanding. Hubby had the Penne with Claims which he loved. The place is small and kitschy. Cannot say enough good things about the food!

We pretty much fell into this restaurant and I am SO glad we did! Outside of Italy, this is some of the best true Italian food we've had. It's served family style so you get to taste what everyone orders. The calamari with the white garlic sauce is to die for! It's a quaint, pretty restaurant. Don't be put off by the name - step inside and grab a taste of Italy!

My wife and I revisited Cafe Sport, returning to the city after having been away for too many years. While the waiters no longer insult you, which was once part of the Cafe's local fame, the calamari remains tender and flavorful, with a good deal more than a hint of garlic. Good wine list. Good value. And now, friendly and helpful service.

Amazing food. If you happen to be walking by when the door opens the most pungent, aromatic smell of garlic emerges to envelop you and lure you in. Once inside, the kitschy decor (Chianti bottles with candles / Italian flags) belies the incredible culinary experience you are about to enjoy. Give in to the attitude of the wait staff, and let the smell of the food hold you in a warm embrace. This is as good as it gets for Italian food. Do not spend another day in San Francisco without looking this place up. You will not regret it.

A recommendation to us as a good Italian, they undersold it it's a GREAT Italian restaurant - lots of nooks and crannies that house tables, so you do not feel hemmed in good service Great food A typical Italian, with a good proportion of the guests seeming to be local and repeats always a great sign

Went with a group of 20 of us and the service and food was excellent. Our table decided to do our entrees family style which was a great choice. Everything we got was flavorful and robust with the old world Italian charm. The wait staff was amazing. Thanks for the memorable night!

10 minutes walk from fisherman wharf. The restaurant is a bit narrow and small inside decorated with Chianti and Tuscany wine and little things. The menu ranges from pasta and seafood. I would say casual dinner with party of 2 to 12 are easy. Big plates with great portion of food.

This place isn't really "Italian-Italian" . It comes from the great American mixing pot tradition. Classic Italian dishes, large portions, a bit citsch decor all very American, and I say this in the nicest way. My wife and I shared one appetizer (Eggplant Involtini) and one pasta dish (squid ink ravioli) and were very satisfied. The wine list is good and the prices very reasonable. Reservations much recommended as the place is small. Definitely will be back.

The service at Caffe Sport is outstanding! I had the lobster ravioli that was delicious! Hubby had the Pasta alla’ Panna that he really enjoyed as well. Unfortunately, we were there during the heat wave and it was quite miserable with no A/C or fans. I would definitely recommend Caffe Sport and revisit.

We went to Caffe Sport in Dec 2017. It was very small, narrow restaurant and very crowded. We received ok service, for such a busy restaurant. Even through we had not made a reservation they where able to seat us. The decor was very interesting, the best part of the restaurant. We ordered Minestrone Soup and Chicken Parmesan. My husband ordered Minestrone soup. After I saw the size of the bowl, I asked the waiter for some, but never received it. My husband said I didn't miss out on anything. He did not care for the taste of the Minestrone soup. It was thick and did not have the usual good taste of Minestrone Soup. We had to ask for bread three times before receiving it. The Chicken Parmesan was not that good either. The outsides of the chicken was overdone and hard, but the center was very tasty. We did enjoy our dessert. I would not return to this restaurant. Now I no why the garage attendance said something about the restaurant being about the ambitious. The lady that recommended this restaurant to us surely must have had a better experience.

Ten days in California, recommended by a local and easily the best food we've had so far. Great atmosphere and decor.

I have been visiting this restaurant now for going on 40 years. My aunt, who has but a short time left on this earth, wanted to visit this place one last time....she LOVES the food here. And upon our arrival I was greeted with a pleasant surprise to find Luciano there, enjoying his dinner and visiting with Antonio (who took over after his fathers passing). A great time was had by all and the food was fabulous. This time we had Pasta Con Pesto, Pasta with meat sauce and mushrooms, and Scampi a la Antonio.

We made reservations 2 days early and we waited over an hour till we finally got our table. We did not mind that because the reviews of this place was very good. We ordered the Scampi and it was terrible. The shrimp not prawns like they said on the menu was over cooked, it was like chewing on leather. We will never go back to this restaurant.

The good: the decor is charming and whimsical; the waiter was delightful; my entree of squid-ink striped ravioli filled with dungeness crab meat served with cream sauce and parmigiano cheese superb. The bad: the women's bathroom had neither seat covers nor toilet paper. I mentioned this to our waiter and later to someone working in the kitchen. A return visit showed that neither men's nor women's stall had paper. This is insulting to customers and perplexing. One assumes the staff doesn't care.

Small Bohemian interior, great food and helpful staff. Everything we had was very good. We had the Zucchine al'Vapore, Fritto Mixto seafood and Cioppino Rosso (optional Bianco sauce). After a nice long walk from the Ferry Building Market Place to Fishermans Warf, then up over Russian Hill on our way back to Union Square we worked up a good appetite. Our meal was nearly a little too much, but we finished it, ordering more bread to pick up the last saucy bits...

Right in the heart of Little Italy, this tiny restaurant serves delicious homemade everything. Mussels are fantastic, carpaccio is deliziozo as the menu says! Pastas are fresh, sauces amazing! But what you won't forget is the absolute charm of the place! Family owned since 1965. It's tiny. You'll need a rez!

First off, if you do not like eating family style (sharing your table with strangers) or lots of garlic, then stay home! RESERVATIONS ARE A MUST! Call first thing Tuesday morning when they open for a Friday or Saturday seating. Seatings are only at 3 specific times each night. ORDERING: Each party must order at least ONE double order of a dish. Otherwise, feel free to share single orders of everything else. The serving sizes are HUGE! A single order will feed 4. Think of this like going out for Chinese - everyone orders something and then the whole party shares. A couple going out for dinner is still going to have to order ONE double order of something, so going to dinner here is better for parties of 4+ . SERVICE: They are Italian, arrogant and at times rude. The waiters are rushed and over worked, so do not expect small talk and mindless chatter. At the later seating don't be surprised if your waiter is a little drunk... he may have been drinking wine since 4 pm ! Do not be offended or get upset if they ignore you because reservation was made in a name that ends in: -berg, -stein, -witz, -uyen, or -ow. If you made your reservation under an Italian surname (or ending in a vowel), then expect better than average service. Your food will not all arrive at the same time, so eat as it arrives. Besides, there's not enough room on the table. SAVE ROOM, because more food is coming! Turista, cosa vi aspettate ? SUCKER... Oftentimes the kitchen has too much of a good thing (they cooked too much of a dish and it just isn't selling well). So, expect your waiter to simply drop off a double order of something you did not order. The kitchen is trying to clear it out, the waiters are moving excess inventory, and you're hungry. But, if YOU TOUCH IT, IT WILL BE ADDED TO YOUR BILL ! AND - You're still going to get all of the food that you ordered as well... Turista stupido ! They know EXACTLY what they are doing! FOOD: With all of it's idiosyncrasies, Caffe Sport is still one of the BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANTS on the PLANET. Lots of garlic, fresh ingredients, olive oil and authentic recipes. Tutto Fresco! The parmigiana melanzane (eggplant parmesan) is to die for - it is a must do! The gnocchi con pesto is also very tasty. Tiramisu and a cappuccino for dessert is a must! DECOR and AMBIENCE: The cobweb covered prosciutto hanging from the ceiling and the candle wax covered wicker wrapped chianti bottles on the tables should make you feel like a wiseguy, eating dinner in grandma's basement. The tables are wooden picnic tables or old round electrical reels. They were racking up LEED Points before it was en vogue ! CASH ONLY! Like true Italians... declare $1 to the IRS for every $5 they pocket! PARKING: It's North Beach... GOOD LUCK! They'd get 5 stars if it wasn't for their "DUMP AND RUN" scam of dropping off unordered food. I've been here 20+ times and it has happened to us on 17-18 visits ! But this is what adds to it's charm. Locals know...

We hadn't been to Caffe Sport in quite some time, so thought we'd check it out again. I set up our company Christmas dinner to be there. We had about 20 people and everybody had a great time. The food and ambience is fantastic. Since it is family style, I highly recommend it for groups.

Our concierge recommended this restaurant which was nowhere near our hotel and boy I am glad he did. The food here was excellent authentic Italian. The place had a nice funky warm vibe. The wait staff was friendly and worked very hard. They did an excellent job. Everything we had here was excellent. On the table was wonderful bread and a tomatoe cheese dip (I think) it was excellent. We ordered the caprese salad, eggplqnt rolletini, risotto de mer pasta, cannoli and tiramisu. Each dish was better then the next. The portions are large and easily shared family style. Prices were very reasonable.

Stumbled upon this little restaurant among the many that dot the area. Reasonable prices, great food, extensive menu, at least 6 specials of the day and helpful staff. It may not have the fancy table clothes or stuffy wait staff but an enjoyable meal with family friendly booths and a good meal

I loved everything about this restaurant. It was small, had tons of charm and great food. There were 5 of us and we shared a table in its own alcove. I'm not a calimari fan but the others enjoyed that and a shared eggplant dish. The spinach ravioli and chicken parmigiana were very good. Prices were reasonable for San Francisco. Corkage is $23.00 a bottle but the fee is waived if you purchase a bottle. Along with the bottle of wine we brought, we enjoyed a bottle of their house red for $31.00. We had to try their desserts so we shared 3! I have high standards for cannoli ....theirs was very good as was the tiramisu and chocolate concoction. We'll definitely be back!

By a friend of mine living in SF, this Italian restaurant was recommended as an absolute topper. At least if you like garlic. We were not disappointed. We started to order some appitizers, but since this is a family restaurant the tradition is to share. So only one appitizers per order, just to share. Then we had some lovely seafood with pasta. The Pinot Grigio wine was a good companion. The service is very friendly, the place is quite small with many guests, so it is wise to reserve a table. Prices are quite reasonable for the food, the friendliness and the atmosphere.

We had dinner here with our family of 6, and being an all girl family (except me as a father of course) we ended up choosing 4 different dishes. The waiter suggested that it was better that he would server them on bigger plates and place them in the center. Great idea, because now everyone was able to taste all the lovely Italian dishes that were placed on our table. Afterwards we chatted briefly with the waiter, who turned out to be from El Salvador. We could tell he really liked his job. We can only recommend this restaurant.

Well, the service was very slow. The food was fair; the portions were small. We brought a birthday cake with candles saying Happy Birthday. We waited a long time for dinner and a long time between dinner and dessert. When the came it said Hapy. I guess it was too much trouble to put on all the candles and they charged $25 to serve it. The atmosphere is fun and the restaurant was in a good location but I certainly would not go back there.

I ate here a couple years ago and had a four-star experience. Today, I dined alone and it was a good strong two stars. They brought out ketchup with the calamari. In the minestrone soup was anything but exciting.

Caffe Sport is a great place for casual dinners with big groups. Their family-friendly menu, large portions and greatest hits dishes make it an easy choice for people-pleasing. We had dinner for 17 people and were given the large table at the back, surrounded by the quirky decorations that haven't changed in decades. It's great to have old-school SF places like this to share with friends. No one is going to say this is standout, cutting edge Italian cuisine. It is, however, predictable, fresh and true to form. We were surprised by how good the scampi was, and appreciated a good wine selection at prices that are reasonable compared to other places nearby.

We had dinner at this restaurant when we visited my daughter who lives in San Francisco. It is one of the oldest Italian restaurant located in North Beach. It was kind of tiny in size but it filled up very fast. I am not particularly crazy about the decor but the service was fast and the waiter was friendly - maybe because my daughter goes there often. The food was very good and the portions are more than enough for two people. We ordered the penne pesto, cioppino russo and spaghetti with Italian meat balls. They also have this bread dip that my daughter is absolutely crazy about (in addition to the pesto)! They do take reservations - don't miss!

We were recommended to this restaurant by a local, and were not disappointed. Bonkers decor, uncomfortable booth seating, and early closing counted for little. The food was authentically Italian, delicious and the portions were ridiculously huge. Every other table took home a large doggy bag. We will certainly go back.

Had a work dinner at Caffe Sport. They were incredibly patient as we were a large group - occupying a little table that was somewhat closed off from the rest of the dining area creating a more intimate atmosphere. The food was tasty. There is a lovely burrata salad. The pasta was freshly cooked and dressed with incredibly tasty sauces. Some highlights: the penne alle melanzane, pasta carbonara, risotto funghi. The tiramasu is a must. The interior is delighfully decorated in a sicilian theme. Will be back when back in town.

Had dinner for 6, gave us a great opportunity to order/taste a lot of different dishes. All dishes were large and very tasty. Based on the waiters suggestion, I ordered the seafood risotto which was excellent. Service was very good as well. Overall an excellent meal at fair prices with a fun atmosphere.

A family owned restaurant, the chef was a wood carver and a painter so he decorated the whole interior himself...I'm not going to say more but it's worth a look. Of course the food is very very good, you're in SF so it's seafood galore! Get the ciopino bianco and the pasta with pesto they are delicious.

This restaurant has been here a very long time. It is a tiny space simply loaded with Italian folk art. The food is solid but not terribly exciting. This is not gourmet Italian. The saving grace is they serve everything family style and the prices are moderate. Once you get your family smashed together at one of the small tables, simply sharing food and laughing together ensues. It is a good place for a family meal and family time.

No it's not a sports bar but it is a great Italian restaurant. There were 4 in our party and shared 2 appetizers and 3 entree. All the food was excellent and very attentive service. This is a must if in San Francisco

The service and the eclectic atmosphere were great but the food was not the best. The pasta dish was awful, but the fish stew was pretty good. With so many choices in the area for great food, I think one visit here was enough.

Love the pasta con pesto and the scampi alla Antonio. Service friendly. LOTS of food, so order fewer entrees than number of people in your party. Food is served family style.

It's hard to understand the overly happy customers who rave about this place. We found it dirty, noisy, cluttered with dusty junk, with dirty restrooms. Worst of all, the food was mediocre at best, and downright awful at its worst. We were a large group, squeezed into a hastily-prepared table near the front door. The tabletop, inlaid with small tiles, was filthy. There were years of gooey black gunk in between the tiles. The tacky decorations that surrounded us were dirty and covered with dust. The overall feel of the place is more Mexican than Italian. We had a variety of pasta, meat and fish dishes among us, and nobody was really happy with their meal. They served some meals, and others had to wait. The temperature of the food was wrong. We felt rushed by the frantic servers and helpers. There were unusual sauces and flavorings used in the Italian dishes that had us wondering what they were doing in the kitchen. There was a decent choice of wines and beer at reasonable prices, but the atmosphere and the food here will keep us from returning.

This small Italian restaurant serves family style with top notch italian food and good wines and wide selection of beers. One of the 4 of us remembered eating here 30 years ago... hasn't changed much and is still a gem in the North Beach area.

We stopped fir an early lunch when in the City. This is an old place with stuff hanging all over the place. Some like it. I call it Claustrophobic. The muzak was blasting, and thankful they were able to turn it down. We all had pasta dishes. My meat and mushroom (fungi) was amazing Delicious sauce and fresh pasta. This is the real deal. Service could have been more attentive. I'd come back.