Canela Bistro & Wine Bar Reviews

This is actually a cute place in Castro. We decided to check it out since my brother-in-law knew one of the owners. It's got a nice ambiance - cozy and romantic. The service was fantastic with very attentive wait staff. We got the white sangria - my sister had never had that before. I wish it had more fruit and wasn't as tasty as other white sangria I've had but it was a light, refreshing white wine. The Spanish tortilla, flatbread with ham and peaches and seafood paella. If you want the paella, order right when you sit down since it takes a while for them to make it. The flatbread was an interesting mix of salty and sweet. While the paella had some type of seasoning that is different from traditional Spanish paella, it was very tasty and we couldn't get enough of it. I'm glad I got to experience this eatery as I'm sure I would have walked right past it on Market, otherwise, since it's on a quiet block with not a ton of traffic. Definitely plan on going back and trying other dishes - perhaps take my Spanish friend when he comes to visit to get his thoughts, especially since he makes awesome paella as well.

We went to this restaurant because it was near our hotel. Service was good, and the restroom, clean. We ordered about 4 tapas which the waiter said was enough for 2 people. Most disappointing was the pork on skewers. We discovered after a bite or two, that it was quite pink and undercooked. Although we were not charged for that item, our check was quite high.

My husband and I came here on a Saturday night in search of a tapas restaurant, and this was at the top of the list. Food overall as amazing, great flavors and plenty of bread for all of the extra sauces. The ONLY thing I wish was different was the portion size; it was very very small for a tapas portion. I wish we knew this ahead of time and possibly could have planned our meal better. Other than that though, every dish we ordered was great, the service was awesome and the atmosphere was quiet and very intimate. Love the experience and would definitely go back!

We had a wonderful experience with their tasting menu. I was in love with many of the flavoring. Some pushed the envelope with creative flavors but all were interesting and some divine. Totally an experience and a great price. The waitress knew the food and i asked her about every dish and 4 of us tried the discovery menu for $45 dollars. The croquette's of ham were perfectly breaded and the inside was flavorful. The gazpacho was a test of flavors with strawberry and a consistency of a shake but interesting. the zuchini was deliscious. 2nd course of halibut was perfectly cooked and lots of flavors of citrus, apple and other little touches. Nicely done The beef cheeks were tasty but i would have liked a better grade of meat I had the cheese for dessert..cow and goat cheese both delicious. The manchego cheese was the best with a large honey comb. wonderfully served with olives and peppers and you name it. They had some wonderful Spanish wines. I would definitely go again but one of our party did not have the tasting menu. He received his pork really late and it was dry. They comped the meal which was very fair.

I stumbled into this restaurant without even knowing that it serves Spanish food. It was a mid size nicely decorated venue. The food was fantastic. Every dish was delicious. Waiters are attentive and very friendly. Customers are very friendly and happy here. I will definitely go back there soon.

This is what I found at Canela: Extraordinary service, an elegant yet comfortable environment, and incredibly delicious dishes with nuanced and sophisticated seasoning. Regarding the service, Mckenzie and Chris in particular could teach a master's class in serving. They don't hover, yet are very attentive, they are pleasant and warm while maintaining professionalism, and best of all, they actually know the menu and can knowledgeably recommend dishes appropriate to your wishes and taste. I go to San Francisco every couple of weeks to take my mother out. We used to restaurant hop, but since finding Canela, it has become "our place." My elderly mother is delighted that the servers and owners remember her, go out of their way to greet her, and always treat her with respect and care. It is extremely rare for me to give a restaurant the highest possible rating, but Canela deserves it. I hope this place makes it big, and if life is fair, it will

Visiting San Francisco we tried to get into Frances' up the road with no luck and Canela was on a list of recommended places from our guest house so we went there as our back up plan and very happy we did. Tapas menu covers all the basics and the larger serves are very generous and filling. The potato bravas had a great smokey flavour, garlic shrimp (prawns) were divine, the moorish lamb kebabs were cooked to perfection and the Spanish tortilla was a standout. Very tasty soul food that left us very happy. Great wine list as well. Our server was excellent, very friendly and attentive. Decor is also very cool and funky with great music in background which was loud enough to create a great vibe but not intrusive.

We decided to try a new restaurant that we had never heard of tonight and had an excellent meal. Canela offers tasty tapas - papas braves, Spanish Tortilla, Flatbreads, Gaspacho, warm homemade bread, and more. The wines were smooth and our server was just the right blend of friendly and knowledgeable. This is a good choice for Tapas in SF.

One of the best from scratch paellas I've had anywhere. Although not crusty on bottom the flavors coming through more than made up for it. Tapas were authentic, but slightly expensive. Cheaper than going to Barcelona. Fabulous service and great atmosphere create the perfect triad.

Had a great dinner with friends here last night. Everything about the experience was spot on. Warm welcome, excellent service, delicious food and a well priced Priorat made it a great evening for us. Patatas Braves were excellent, Lamb skewers were also delicious. Be sure to have some of the Shishito peppers as well. All in all an excellent dinner at a fair price with very warm service, look forward to returning.

Canela is fairly new restaurant on the Castro/Market Street area. The restaurant features Spanish cuisine in large and small plate format. The food is prepared with great care in a seasonal menu with a wonderful wine list if you are so inclined. The best way to enjoy it is to select a variety of small plates (tapas) for the table and enjoy a leisurely evening. Wait staff is very helpful in making recommendations. The restaurant is very accessible by public transportation (close to Muni) if you are staying downtown as parking can be a challenge in this neighborhood especially on the weekends. We found the prices to be reasonable for this type of restaurant. I would not recommend this for younger children (the vibe is not that kind of place and please don't think tacos and burritos as this is a whole different thing). An older child or teen might enjoy the tapas experience where there is a variety of tastes. Even my rather discerning husband tried the beef cheeks and loved them. I have eaten in other Spanish places in the City and this compares very favorably.

This place has the finest tapas in the city. No question. Eating out in SF, I seldom write reviews unless I am surprised or wildly disappointed. This place really surprised me. What might be some of the best food in the city, reasonably priced, subtle flavors, and service that was just as great as the food. The meal and service tonight deserved a Michelin star. If you are looking for a romantic, hidden gem, come here and you'll leave happy.

Having lived in Spain for a number of years, I'm always on the lookout for my new Spanish home-away-from-home. While I've yet to find a truly authentic, reasonably priced, no-frills, casera-quality Spanish restaurant here in San Francisco, I will say that Canela Bistro Bar really delivered when it came to menu variety, food quality and a customer service. We arrived a little before our scheduled reservation and were sat immediately in the rear dining area of the restaurant. While I loved the decor, my only comment regarding the environment was that it was pretty warm and stuffy. Granted, it was a warm day in the Castro but it would have been nice to have a bit more airflow in this particular part of the dining room. After chatting with the server, we learned that she was relatively new to the restaurant -- I believe it was her second shift out of training. In addition to her wonderful, warm personality, she proved to be an excellent server, was totally knowledgable about the menu and ultimately set the tone for the rest of the evening. The manager was also very welcoming and attentive (without being overbearing), showed a real passion for the restaurant and its menu items. Here's what we tried: Cheese plate (Mahon, Manchego): Love the pickled relish served with this plate! Croquetas con jamon: Great filling. The panko-like breading was a bit different than expected but pretty good. Tortilla Espanola: I'd go back for seconds! Pimentosde Piquillo - Yummy Stuffed Plquillo Pepper with Braised Wild Soar - Yummy x2 Tres leeches bread pudding - highly recommend Crema Catalana (strawberry) - good flavor We had a great night and really enjoyed our experience at Canela. We'll be back!

The Bistro serves tapas and is probably best with a group. I was by myself, so my very helpful waiter, Trinity, helped me with my selections and portions. He was spot on with his recommendations. Even the chef came out to make sure the experience was a good one. There are sidewalk tables that are COVID safe and great for people watching. Close to Beck's.

Yeah, we went because the restaurant is owned by the son of a good friend and would have been remiss had we not gone during our recent trip to San Francisco. Uncommonly, I didn't even consult TA before going. What a great experience. The restaurant was small, but not small feeling, well decorated and welcoming. The service provided by Erica was friendly and knowledgeable and her recommendations were spot on. There were four of us, and we put ourselves in Erica's hands for dinner. While my wife and friends are adventuresome in dining experience, I cant say the same for me. I elected to "go along to get along" and was glad I did. No tapa was left untouched by me, and none remained on the plates for our group. My recommendation is that you try it all.

Canela Bistro is a sophisticated gem tucked just a short walk away from the bustling Castro nightlife. It’s the perfect spot for a group dinner; they had no problem accommodating our group of 7. The staff were friendly and attentive & the atmosphere incredibly romantic and upscale. Of the 11 tapas we ordered, there wasn’t a single one we disliked; everything was high quality and flavorful. Standouts include the Gambas al Pimenton (spicy shrimp) and Pulpo (octopus) — in fact, our table enjoyed the Pulpo so much that we ordered a second plate! The texture of the octopus was melt-in-your-mouth tender and was plated with some thinly scalloped potatoes, adding a nice heartiness to the dish. Of course, everyone’s favorite was by far the Seared Scallops — each one was presented on a miniature crostini with saffron aioli and a tangy piparra pepper. The only downside was the $8.50 price tag for each individual scallop, but they were so memorable that we all felt the cost was more than worth it. Each tapas has the option for a small or large plate (the large sizes are exactly double the price). Most of the small plates still had enough for everyone in our group to try a bite, so I would recommend only ordering the large size for the real crowd pleasers (like the Patatas Bravas). We ended our meal with the tres leches strawberry bread pudding to celebrate a birthday, and they made sure to bring the cake out with a candle. Our waitress also brought a house copy of “The Encyclopedia of Birthdays” for us to read to the birthday boy, which was a really charming touch and made the evening even more special. Overall, we were extremely satisfied with the entire experience, from the service to the food to the little dispenser of mouthwash in the restrooms (you’ll need it after all the garlic! 😂). We can’t wait to be back next time we’re in the mood for Spanish cuisine.

Really interesting tapas, very tasty and plenty of options for meat eaters and veggies alike. Service was great... we arrived on a Monday night with no reservation and the place was packed out... it still took less than 10 minutes to get our first tapas to the table... The salt cod dish was fabulous as was the flat bread special with anchovies :-)

Camels Bistro Bar is a very attractively designed bistro offering tapas and other Spanish fare. The food is mid-range in quality and breadth of choice, but solid bistro fare. Service is pleasant and informal. Wine list is acceptable and fairly well priced. A pleasant place for a light dinner.

Came for light dinner and tried some tapas. The octopus is amazing as well as the “gambas al ajillo”; on the contrary the chorizo flat bread was too greasy, not a well balanced dish. Nice atmosphere and great service!!!

Located in the heart of the Castro this Spanish restaurant is a real treat. I was quiet impressed when I stumbled upon this gem in SF, that tasted authentic and reminded me so much of my travels (Need to get back to Spain ASAP) . The owner/head Chef and his partner were gracious hosts and talked to diners about the food, cooking method, and their favorite ingredients. We sat at the bar, and the bar staff was friendly and knowledgable. The atmosphere is very inviting and the food is AWESOME. I will be back to try dinner.

If you like tapas and wines that go great with them, come here! Unassuming from the street, but once inside the warm atmosphere and service will shake off SF's foggyness and the warm sun of Spain will appear, along with some great food and wine. Enjoy!

It's easy to rate this restaurant as excellent...because -- just like tapas where you eat many plates -- there are many reasons why it's excellent. We love that we can choose from so many items (we now have our favorites no doubt) but what Mat, the Chef, and Justin his sous, do so well is that they bring in many items depending on the season. We love seasonal and farm to table food and they are great at that. We love the decor and by choice, we have sat in pretty much every area of the restaurant. Most restaurants you may truly only want to sit in just a certain area, but with Canela there is no bad seat in the house. Lastly we love the service. Their staff are smart and friendly and treat everyone with care and a smile whether it seems its your first time or been in (like us now) pretty much every week. Like I said this has become a regular spot for us and we are truly ecstatic when we are able to turn others onto Canela as well. Cheers!

One of my favorite places to eat in the Castro. The food is fresh and fantastic. The shrimp in garlic sauce is a go to every time. And if they have octopus make sure you get a double order it is that good.

We were staying at Beck's Motor Lodge and found this place by chance and what a nice surprise. We ordered the chicken and veggie paella for two and it did not disappoint. The dish was made fresh and it was delicious. The staff were so nice. We'll be back.

An intimate dining experience with excellent food, including tapas and well as larger portions. The wine list is excellent and the services is attentive.

This place gets better and better every time I come here. Including service. This place is a must must must. I feels so good inside and satisfied even time am here. The kitchen is on to of its game and the staff even makes it better

And great service. Especially recommend the white sangria. Grilled lamb chops and bacon wrapped dates. Heaven. Love the outdoor seating!

We don't judge a restaurant by the size of the portions but we have to admit that even for tapas (and we had tapas in a number of locations. Including Spain...) the portions were really really small while prices were at the higher end. The service was friendly and overall it's a nice place but don't go there when you're hungry.

We had an early dinner here of tapas and drinks. With no license for hard liquor, the sangria was a bit sweet and underwhelming, but we enjoyed our tapas: Romano beans with pluots, lamb chops, and the Spanish Caesar salad. The place was packed despite the early hour, and service was a bit slow, but overall a good experience

What a spectacular meal! My partner and I celebrated an anniversary in Barcelona Spain many years ago, and we have the most wonderful memories of having tapas there. We've had tapas here in the states since then but nothing brought back those memories of Spain quite like our meal at Canela. It was, without question, the -best- meal of our trip to San Francisco. We showed up at Canela on a cold Friday night without reservations and were grateful for a spot at the end of the bar. The bartender / server was the handsome and charming Chris. He took very good care of us. He was warm and welcoming, he told us a bit about the menu, the chef, made suggestions and confidently answered our questions. We had a racion serving of the empanadas, a tapas serving of the sauteed okra with ham, the salt cod, the morcilla, the lamb kebabs. a couple of glasses of wine and the bread pudding for dessert (with coffee). It was brilliant from start to finish. I loved the atmosphere, and it was really entertaining to watch the guys in the kitchen working their butts off to get this delicious food out! You can tell everyone there works well as a team, with the singular goal of providing their diners with a superior culinary experience. I simply -must- go back the next time we are in San Francisco. It was -that- good!

OK, we only had a glass of wine and did not eat but the menu looked great and our neighbors enjoyed their meal heartily. Lovely intimate interior. Two sidewalk tables. Great service and we will come back!

We had gone with high expectations. The food is good, no doubt about it. But the portion size leaves something to be desired. The clams: small and not so good. The Jamon Iberico plate with sausage, ham, and manchego cheese is good but not $21 good. The empanadas, while good, were also overpriced.

We loved every single thing that we ordered. The Sangria was also very good. Very quaint little place. The chef came out and visited our table which was very nice!

Went with a group of 4. Shared an excellent Garnacha wine and 8 tapas. All were outstanding. Tortilla, gambas, squash and beans with egg, croquetas, piquillos with tuna, were table faves. Our waiter Johnny was super. Nice dining room and lively patrons.

We had dinner for Christmas Eve here. Nice selection of tapas. Great wine and beer menu. Attentive service. Recommended.

For San Franciscans I guess that this restaurant ranks as pretty darned good, but for a jaded New Yorker, Canela is a place for good beer, good wine and fair food. Service was terrific, and that makes up for some of the food's failings. I thought there was too much oil in the many different dishes we ate and my stomach felt it until late the next morning. California can do better. If you have a moment, look for my review on Michael Warring. Now, that's a good restaurant.

Was looking for an interesting place for dinner for my brother's birthday. Decided on tapas. Yelp helped us find this place. Amazing food. Was there on a Wednesday and some wines were half prices! Friendly staff. Complex flavors. If I lived in San Francisco, I'd be back!

If your tastes run to interesting, authentic, friendly and very tasty, then you will enjoy Canela. I've eaten there a couple of times now and loved it both times. The second time I brought along my husband and he loved it as well. In addition to a terrific and changing menu, they always have a number of specials every night. Last night the peach and almond gazpacho was a standout but every other tapas we had was at least up to par if not well above. The house red wine we ordered was smooth and delicious and service was friendly and timely. When one of our dishes was a little slow they quickly remedied the situation and comped us a little extra wine for the 10 minute wait. Prices are comparable to other higher end restaurants - we spent about $110 for the two of us for 5 dishes plus wine but I will go again and again if they keep this up.

Mel and Rachel were the tops! GREAT SERVICE and very gracious. Food was great but these two servers along with the bartender were running the whole show out front and did it beautifully! We will be back.:)

Absolutely loved our dinner with friends. Cocktails, wine and all the tapas were delicious. Service by Jessica was extraordinary.

Being a Spaniard, I don't like to visit Spanish restaurants when I am abroad, but this time my friends from SF insisted me because Canela is one of his favorite restaurants in the city. But the experience wasn't very good. "Gambas al ajillo" had paprika and shrimps lost completely their taste, "pimientos de Padrón" very small in size and taste. Finally "Crema catalana" for dessert was really poor. Everything overpriced. I am sure they can do it better.

They serve a wide variety of tapas and we loved the wine we ordered. It's pretty expensive for small plates. Our server explained everything and was very attentive.

Booked a table for 8pm and had a drink at the bar; attended to superbly by Chris all night with great recommendations on the food and wine selections-go there!

Every dish we had here was superb - from the cheese plate with just the right accompaniments to the crisp salad with a unique combination of complementary ingredients, to the divine octopus. We went on a Wine Wednesday and had a flight of lovely red wines that paired beautifully with the food. The food and wine combinations were truly synergistic. Our waiter was attentive, thoughtfully answered our questions, and allowed us to enjoy the cozy atmosphere without hovering. Service was at a "mediterranean pace" allowing us plenty of time to enjoy each course.

There are many tapas bars in the city and so our expectations were high, but were disappointed with everything we ordered - the soggy patatas bravas really put us off.

The three of us ordered lots of different Tapa and they were all good. More authentic than most 'Spanish' restaurants I've been in lately. The staff were attentive and the atmosphere was nice. I would recommend this place..and eat here again!

We had a great meal at Canela! The service was good from the moment we walked in. Finding a good wine to go with the meal will not be a problem. They have a pretty decent selection of Spanish wines that are not overly expensive. We ordered a few tapas to share and each one was better than the one before. The ambiance isn’t quite authentic but, fortunately, the food is. Someone told us about the croquetas with jamon, so we had to try them. They were good but I have had better (actually Alegrías gets the top award for ham croquets in the City!) The crumbled natural chorizo flatbread with house pickled onion and fennel was fantastic! It was fresh and crunchy and tasted like a piece of Spain. My favorite dish, by far, was the Gambas al Pimenton. The shrimp is seared with garlic and smoked Spanish paprika and finished with a sherry and lemon reduction. By far the best thing we tried. Ask for the bread. The juices in the shrimp dish just BEG to be soaked in that bread! I will definitely be back!

July 20, 2018 Our party of 3 dined at Canela last Friday evening. Our experience was memorable and we'll definitely return. Just to get the only slight negative out of the way first, the noise level progressively increased over the 2 hours we were there and had we not been seated at the back of the restaurant, it probably would have been deafening. Nevertheless, the rest of our experience was superb, so we'll discount the noise level since most restaurants seem to be that way these days. Our server, Mario, was excellent. He explained the menu in its entirety and made recommendations about how much to order given the size of our party. We followed his guidance and he was exactly right. He also informed us how the meal would be served, i.e. not all dishes at once, and generally in what order. He was attentive throughout the meal without being intrusive. As for the food, we absolutely loved everything we ordered beginning with red sangria, a 2-cheese plate, deviled eggs dipped in an everything mix of seeds, like on an everything bagel, for added flavor. We then had 7 other tapas dishes from the menu, including stuffed Piquillo peppers, Spanish tortilla de patata, baby clams simmered in chorizo etc. which was out of this world, seared shrimp with smoked paprika, fried chicken sliders, grilled lamb skewers and grilled Bavette steak topped with fried onion rings and popcorn kale. All of the dishes were beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. We ended the meal with 2 excellent relatively light desserts-the apricot coconut sorbet and coffee cinnamon ice cream. We look forward to our next visit.

We were 3 couples and had a fantastic time! The service and the food was great!! What a beautiful space!!! Will definitely go back when we are in town!

The food hear does remind me of tapas in Barcelona. Overall, if you like tapas, I think you'll enjoy this place. I'm not a seafood eater, so some of the menu options don't work for me, but I enjoyed the ones we chose. I'd like to go back to try some of their more substantial entrees and flatbreads.

The food was very good with an interesting selection of choices. Try as many as possible. The noise level made air hard to talk with our table of six people.

We came here with friends who live locally in San Francisco. The dishes were mostly small tapas, all very tasty. They were not the same tapas as we had in Spain, we weren't able to tell if things were authentic or not, but that didn't really matter.

We have been to Canela before and were not disappointed. We knew about the smaller and larger portions, ordered accordingly and thoroughly enjoyed the food and the wine. The food is both traditional but inventive, changing with the times.

We had Saturday night dinner here, on the recommendation of a local friend. It did not disappoint! We didn’t have reservations and the restaurant was full. The hostess was upbeat and accommodating. We sat at the bar for drinks while waiting for a table and ended up staying there for dinner, even after a table became available. The tapas style choices varied and we easily found interesting dishes. The bar tender, Chris, was helpful with descriptions and suggestions for both wine and dinner; the Spanish wine was perfect. The potato dish, patatas bravas, was large, unusual with its spices and enjoyable. The pinchos morunos, pork on skewers was our favorite. The atmosphere is informal and very enjoyable. We would definitely return!

This place rocks.(and compensates for that scarcity) I say this because dining here triggers my fond memories of Spain and the rich culture they have. The sangria, the cheese plate, the paella and oh my, the deserts all are far above the grade. The decor and service are on par with the food as well and if the weather permits dining outside is a wonderful spectator sport.

The chefs at Canela take great pride in having a menu with authentic Spanish fare. Food was excellent quality, fair portions and a good price. We sampled some of the brunch menu tapas and entrees. The red sangria was enjoyable and just the right balance to enjoy alcohol on a Sunday morning.

The black paella was amazing!!!!! Perfect for drinks with all kind of tapas. Good wine list and nice deserts. Not so expensive.

Had seen this place advertised online so we pre booked through their Facebook page as we were travelling from the UK. The place is stunning and the staff really nice and friendly. We opted for Tapas this was as good if not better than what we get when we visit Spain. They also have a really nice wine list. We loved every minute and can't wait to come back.

My lady and decided to get away to SF for a romantic weekend. On Saturday night, she was craving Spanish food and after attempting to visit a Spanish restaurant in the Mission District (impossible to find parking), I found this place on TripAdvisor and made a reservation for 1 hour before I wanted to eat on opentable.com. The staff was incredibly friendly. The food was excellent but what really put the experience over the top was the owner (Mat) coming over to thank us for dining with Canela. It was a really nice touch and I highly recommend Canela to both locals and visitors to SF. Thanks for the memorable experience, Mat and team. We will be back to visit you again in the summer.

I love tapas, especially when the food is both inventive and true to its Spanish culinary roots...gaspacho, shrimp in garlic with Spanish paprika, braised pork cheeks, lamb skewers, chorizo flatbread (kinda like Spanish pizza) great wine, chourous & ice cream for dessert, cannot tell you what we enjoyed the most 'cause it was all good...oh, did I mention that our server was knowledgable, helpful in guiding us in ordering just the right amount (useful in a tapas joint) & cute as could be, plus you gotta love when the chef/owner comes to the table and inquires if everything was to our liking...make the trip to the Castro district & eat here...

Simply loved this little restaurant serving authentic Spanish Tapas. Great price, great food and great service. Lovely feel to the dinning area.

My husband and I went to Canela Bistro Bar on a whim and we are so glad we did. Neither of us had ever had tapas and didn't quite know what to order. Our server, Carmen was wonderful and managed to order the perfect combinations for us. Each plate complimented the next including the desert. The food was fantastic, the service was impeccable and our overall experience was just outstanding!!! The next time I'm in San Francisco I will definitely visit Canela's.

If you are in the area, I highly recommend visiting this place for a meal. The service was excellent, the atmosphere is lovely and restaurant is impeccably clean. The food was amazing and the staff will listen to what you feel like and make recommendations; and they are spot on.

A few old favorites--potatoes, croquettes with ham--and some good shrimp and lamb that make it easy to share and choose. Packed house of people having a good time

The veggie preparations were all fantastic with a really great simple preparation for eggplant (a veggie I usually hold with disdain.) The main dish was a Spanish interpretation of Beef Wellington that'd be my go to every time if I didn't want to try everything else on the menu. The wines were delicious as well. Spanish focused varietals that complimented the food nicely. Definitely on my repeat visit list.

I went to Canela for the tapas but it was Sunday night, when they make paella, and only for 2 people, so I had paella with my husband as he loves it. It was different from any paella I have ever had and really delicious. We had one dish of tapas (duck liver pate) and it was memorable. The service was excellent. I would love to go back for tapas another time.

We visited Canela on a Tuesday night, and had a great evening. We had never been for Tapas before. Our pre-teen daughter (not TOO adventurous an eater) was with us, and our waiter was very knowledgeable on the menu and portion sizes, so we were able to put together dishes that all of us would try. He helped us put together a great selection of small and large plates that let us sample a wide variety of their offerings. The food was exceptional and the pacing of bringing the various dishes was in line with how fast we were dining. We tried a cheese selection to start out with, and it was nicely put together with olives, spreads, a piece of fresh honeycomb (YUM), delicious bread and of course the cheeses. We had several vegetable dishes, as we don't eat pork or shellfish products, with Salmon as our main large plate. I tried a couple of their house wines and they were excellent values. There were plenty of choices for vegetarians and the kitchen is very accommodating to dietary modifications where possible. We finished with to-die-for desserts. We enjoyed a leisurely meal and ended up closing the place down. It will be a go-to place for us when we are in SF. We were extremely satisfied.

We made a reservation through opentable and were advised by the hosstess when we arrived that having made our reservations through opentable, we had 90 minutes to eat and vacate the table for the next customer. We were incredulous and unhappy and expressed that. After we were seated, our server comped us a glass of wine try to reverse our unhappiness. From that point on the evening went well. Andrea, our server, was great; helpful advice and professional service. The food was good. The ambiance was also good. We stayed longer that 90 minutes, and there were lots of empty tables around us as we left.

Excelent spanish food , the gazpacho delicious and creative recipe ,the octopus to remember , very good tempranillo larraz wine , service really good , a bit not enough on dessert but the balance is the best and really spanish meal

Had a great Tapas meal here, plentiful, fresh (wow the garlic was strong lol) and excellent service. Due to Covid we had to sit at tables on the sidewalk, but that just gave opportune to person watch!! Wonderful selection to choose from, so good to get great Tapas.

Had dinner as a party of 5. Excellent service from the head of the front of house staff. The food was really good and available in the traditional Spanish style, as a Tapas or as a Racione. We had two kinds of Priorat and they were both excellent. Food was served expeditiously, and everything we had was delicious. Ribs, Octopus, Patatas braves and the excellent cheese selection all highly recommended. Look forward to a return visit, if you are a fan of good wine and Spanish food, definitely come here!

This restaurant serves up traditional tapas styled dishes from Spain. There are the traditional tortas (egg & potato) and ham croquettes as well as their own version of pork tenderloin which I would strongly recommend. The Spanish chorizo is also very nice. The wine list is dominated by Spanish wines which are affordable and match the menu quite well. I would definitely go back!

I am always glad 2 try somewhere different when in San Fran and Canela did not disappoint - While i am not an ambiance person, i felt they could do some sound proofing in the main dining room. Now on to the food and the service which is why i gave it a 5circle/excellent rating. The 4 cheese plate was tasty and packed with extras, let me start with the bread was warm - the Blu Cheese was soft and flavorful with out being overly bitter - mixed with the figs and greens on the beard yummmmmy - nuts, jam and Piquillo Pepper Marmalade round out the plate. The Croquetas with Jamón - Fried Béchamel Croquettes Flavored with Spanish Ham were the perfect tapas to have before a shared Ración/entree. The short ribs fell off the bone, were seasoned to prefection and accompanied with micro greens and Patatas Bravas-Fried Potatoes with Spicy Tomato Sauce - The chef came out to answer a few question i had about food prep and Phelipe the waiter was attentive and knowledgeable

We were one of the first to arrive for brunch at around 11:00 AM. Staff was friendly and inviting. The menu has some really interesting (in a good way) brunch options. Everything we had was really good - we liked the french toast and the breakfast sandwich. Prices are really fair. Very good experience - quick, friendly service, good food at a fair price. About two blocks from muni metro. What's not to like? We'll be back.

I've been to Canela 7 times and have had a good experience each time. The food has been consistant each time. Service is friendly. It is an easy venue to get to by the street cars that run up Market Street - get off at Noe Street in the Castro District. After lunch or supper you can wander about to see shops or visit a bar or more. The Castro can be windy and chilly so a jacket or sweater is in order.

Sunday Brunch with great Spanish choices! The restaurant is a great neighborhood find with a wonderful, warm environment and very friendly and efficient service. I enjoyed pork hash and it was the perfect portion that was delicious. Recommend this great Spanish neighborhood find.

The interior was dark and cool on a sunny afternoon. When we got there in between sets, only a couple of other people were there. Service, while nice, was on the slower side probably due to bare bones staffing. If the food wasn't so overpriced, I'd have given it a 3.5 maybe 4. Almost $100 and left still hungry. Maybe it's due to the ridiculous cost to lease in San Francisco.

We ate there twice. The first meal, on a Friday night, was good and some of the dishes were quite creative and tasty (especially the meat dishes). Our second visit was very disappointing (this was on a weeknight). It almost felt as if someone altogether different was cooking that night: most tapas (vegetarian this time) were greasy and some were rather tasteless. We found the difference in quality rather puzzling.

We went here with some friends to uncover a serious deal in the SF dining scene - they have a four course prix fixe meal with wine pairing for $69. The food was really good, but at that price it is a ridiculous value. It is a very convivial atmosphere with great staff.

We arrived a few minutes before our reservation and had to wait about 20min which I generally find unacceptable. Despite this and It not being the best tapas I've ever had it was a very good overall experience overall. My bestie and I were visiting and staying in the Castro and decides to do dinner here one night. It was easy to get reservations for two via yelp's opentable. Like everyone recommended we shared a large carafe of the white wine sangria. We were certainly feeling "nice" once we left the establishment. We had patatas bravas (generous portion), the pork tenderloin (came out last on skewers, not super flavorful), the croquetas (different texture than I was used to), the stuffed pepper, and the meatballs which were probably my favorite dishes. The atmosphere was very warm and inviting and the service gracious. I'd probably return.

Stopped in here on a recent visit to SF and happened in for dinner. The place was busy but we were able to dine at the bar. The bartender was super nice, explained the menu, gave us great (and inexpensive) happy hour menu choices. Service was tip top and all the tapas we had were GREAT! We felt like we happened into a place run by our friends...it was that friendly. If you're ever in the area, stop by and enjoy this great little spot.

My husband nd I were looking for a nice place for Sunday lunch in the Castro/ Mission District and found Canela. We had gone into the Cafe Flore - an obvious hot spot - but found the music too loud and the atmosphere too hectic for us. We opted for the ambiance of Canela and were pleasantly surprised by the experience. We ordered the Gambas, the boars meat stuffed peppers and lamb tapas and a bottle of Ribera del Duero 2008 'Ceres'. It was all good though we thought the wine was served too cold so it took awhile for the flavor to emerge. The Gambas were really good and the sauce needed bread to lick up the last taste. We doubled our lamb order because by then we knew the food was good - and we were happy we did. It was very good too. I finished my meal with a delicious Canele Latte - a warming and sweet finish to a good meal.

Very nice restaurante with an exquisite cuisine, especially for me, Portuguese who visits Spain several times a year. The employees were extremely helpful, friendly and kind. Sure is a place to visit again!

We're out-of-town Castro regulars and Canela was recommended to us by the proprietor of our hotel, Beck's Motor Lodge. Thank you, Brittney Beck, for introducing us to a new but soon to be regular stop. We concentrated on the house specialties, tapas, during a recent visit. The first small plate contained five croquetas de Jamon (ham croquettes) with bechamel that were tender-crisp on the outside, creamy within ($13). Seared sea scallops (2) with olive and piparra peppers on toast were equally good ($15). Alas, pinchos morunos (grilled lamb skewers) with Moorish spices and piquillo marmalade were a charred, overcooked disaster ($14.50). The kitchen redeemed itself with a trio of hot, crisp churros (think donuts) with chocolate sauce (a special). Service was helpful, friendly and quick during our meal. The selection of wines, especially reds (tintos) is wide if perhaps a bit pricy for the neighborhood.

Wow came here last night after we couldn't get into our favorite neighborhood spot, and now we have a new favorite neighborhood spot. Make sure you get extra bread to soak up all the wonderful sauces. Octopus, shrimp & meatballs were tops on our tasting list.

Canela, and chef Mat Schuster serves up mouthwatering tapas in a beautiful dining room. We tried almost all of the seafood and vegetarian options. All were delicious. Definitely try the gazpacho, papas bravas, and the shrimp pimenton. We completed the experience with the homemade ice cream and churros and chocolate that were to die for. The unique wine list rounds the whole experience out. Canela deserves 5 stars!!!!

Met an old friend here for dinner on a Sunday. We arrived early and were quickly seated. Our server was cheerful, helpful and efficient. He returned at just the right amount of intervals to see if we wanted more or needed anything. The options were varied and all were delicious. The place is visually very attractive, and on our night quiet conversation was possible. I wished I lived in the area, this would become a regular stop for me. Very enjoyable meal!

Great tapas and Spanish food. The tasting menu was a great selection, with some super wine pairings. Friendly service.

This has to be one of the best restaurants for delicious and original food in San Francisco that doesn't require you mortgage your home to eat here! This is our new favorite for tapas and Spanish food here in the City. We went with friends who have never been here before either and they are as in love with this place as we are. The selection of dishes is perfect and the delightful waitstaff guided us through with ease. They were able to suggest which dishes would work best as a tapa and which would be enjoyed best as a racion. You must try the octopus, the shrimp with smoked paprika, the grilled lamb, and the stuffed Paquillo peppers. There is a great selection of vegetarian salads and soups and the flatbread was fantastic. The wine selection was great and all reasonably priced and we went with staff recommendations and were happy as could be. We expected the place to be noisy but we felt like we were in such a comfortable, homey setting and were beyond happy we finally tried this delightful gem. I wish we could have tried even more dishes but I guess we will have to keep coming back to try more of the well prepared and tasty food. Excelente!

We happened upon this restaurant after we ended up passing on the original place we chose. We were very happy with our stroke of good fortune. The ambiance was nice. The food was excellent. And the staff was very friendly. We had a special tomato soup that was superb and several tapas, all very good. It was not cheap (nothing is in SF) but at least we left feeling that we got something for our money. If we lived in SF, we would return. One of the owners appears to be Spanish and it shows in the menu, which is authentic with a modern flare. (We have been to Spain numerous times and have not seen there such an interesting twist on the traditional.) Canela is well worth the visit, if you're not looking for a cheap night out.

We came here on the second night of our stay. It was recommended on one of the local foodie websites. Its at the further end of Market Street from downtown so you’ll need a taxi or munni to get to it. It is clearly a popular place as it was packed when we arrived so I’d book in advance. We were given a nice window table and quickly asked for drinks. The food is tapas and other spanish dishes with a good range of each. We are not big eaters either so this is the sort of menu for us. We had an escarole salad, croquettes, piquillo and pimento tapas with a bottle of wine and coffees which came to $110 before tip. The service was really friendly and even though at 8.45 we were one of the last tables to be seated we weren’t rushed. If you want good quality tapas in a relaxed and chilled setting I’d come here.

Five of us met here for brunch. The menu was interesting and the food was great. It has a nice ambiance and the service was terrific. We will go back again when we are in San Francisco.

We made our advanced reservation online and the process was extremely easy. This restaurant is cosy, quite narrow and can be noisy. The staff are pleasant, friendly and helpful. The wines are expensive and this can make or break an evening for us. My wife didn’t like the choice of house wine at $13 per glass and they offered to let her chose one of 3/4 different wines at $15 per glass for the lower price.We love Tapa’s and there are many concepts of these ‘small plates’ across the world, but sometimes they don’t match the Spanish Theme of a Tapa. Our server advised us on portion size and what would be sufficient to share between two people and we selected to have 5 tapa’s that varied in price between $8.50-$18. All the food was very good and well presented. Due to the high price of the wine, our meal with a wine and a craft beer, with tax came to $90.60. Then there is the ‘Gratuity Guide’ for your convenience of 20%, 22% or 25%. This is something a British Tourist does not normally understand. Even at it’s lowest suggestion of 20% this would equate to $16.70. I don’t need a Guide as to what Gratuity I should leave, I will leave what I can afford not what it seems to be expected.

This restaurant is everything I love about city life. Situated in a vibrant neighborhood, this restaurant offers a relaxing atmosphere with a very European feel. The staff were friendly & attentive & the manager even had a chat with us which we thought was a nice touch. I'd definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone heading to San Fran, worth every penny.

We visited this place for a quick bite and love the music, atmosphere and service was top notch. The instant you walk in the door everyone is super friendly and greets you with a smile. Chris served us at the bar and gave some great food recommendations as well as wine pairings.

Was disappointed when told they only have paella on Sunday. Ordered croquettes, Spanish omelet, gambas ajillo and octopus tapas. Wasn't too impressed. Many raved abt their churros. Wasn't impressed either. Dining experience fall short of my high expectations for Spanish food; I've been to Spain. Waitress and chef tried to provide great service but couldn't make up for the food.

Great hospitality - the owner or manager ? was able to move us inside, even though when we booked the reservation only an outside table was available - super gracious when we enquired. Food was really great - favorites included the dates and bacon small plate, pork chops, and the scallops. We finished with lemon blueberry bread pudding - so good! Not inexpensive, but fine for a really wonderful, unrushed, meal with our family.

the food was fantastic. every dish was very unusual and extremely tasty. there was a problem with the delivery of one of the dishes which was sorted out by the management. overall a wonderful night. the gambas al ajillo were brilliant.

The food at Canela was simply great. heirloom tomato gazpacho; flatbed with smoked chicken and sheep milk cheese, patatas bravas, eggplant with sour honey, gambas al pimenton, bavette steak: one flavorful serving after another. some fruity cava sangria followed by a lovely mar y mar torres pinot noir. the location on market street isnt ideal and the server was clearly new to the job but the recipes and the execution was superb. it is far better than the spanish fare served in the mission and well worth the visit.

Superb restaurant, great staff, beautiful interior, warm, cozy. Great food. Suis chef, Soledad, does the fusion. That explains the number of stuffed piquillo peppers on the specials menu. Absolutely fantastic !! Small plates of tapas allow the opportunity to sample and share a number of dishes. Be sure to try the "cinnamon" ice cream (Helado Canela) for a house specialty named after the restaurant.

We stopped by this place just out of curiosity and by the end of dinner became their fans. At moderate prices (read -- not the cheapest) every single dish was excellent and creative. The staff is most friendly and even the owner made a point to check on us, as he did on each table. Most dishes are available as either tapas or entree. We had and most enjoyed the croquestas with Jamon, Calamares a la plancha, seared white fish on saffron risotto.

We dined at the early sitting on a Saturday night and were served promptly and expertly. Our server's suggestions were right-on, from the quantity advisable for three people to the mix of plates. Servings were generous. Our favorite was the salad of grilled peaches and jambon. Our wine aficionados approved of the winelist. The good thing about the tapas-and-small plates menu is that you can keep (or stop) ordering, depending on how hungry you are. In all, we had an enjoyable evening there and were grateful for authentic "research" for an upcoming trip to Spain.

This was a chance meal whilst we were staying in San Francisco, and we're so glad we went into Canela. We ordered 4 tapas between two of us and the food was plentiful and gorgeous. We shared a bottle of wine and also had dessert which was nice. The meal was a little pricey but we didn't mind paying for how good the food, atmosphere and service was. I couldn't fault the service - was excellent throughout the night, and all the dishes were explained to us. Would like to go back to this place if staying in SF again.

Every time I visit Calela I am never disappointed. It’s a great spot to easily meet up with friends at the Castro location. The tapas are a great mix of flavors and prepared with care to perfection. When friends from out of town and as for a recommendation Upper Market/Castro this is my go-to. Thanks again for a great foodie experience and super neighborhood friendly service. Cheers!

excellent lamb steak with - I would call it polenta. Decent Vino tinto, a Tempranillo and finishing a huge plate of Queso de Espagna....friendly service and - you won‘t believe it: the glass of wine was refilled without extra fee....

Friendly place where you can have a great meal in a quiet fancy even romantic place with good food and great people. The ambiance is great and the service excellent. We’ve been in San Francisco for two weeks and went to dine at Canela three times. Near Castro street the food is Spanish influenced and everything is freshly cooked. But the best is the people. The service is excelente and you feel as if you were in a friends house. I’ll be back for sure and will recommend this Restaurant to all my friends in Europe. Thanks guys. 😍😍😍

This is a sweet place to get very interesting small plates. We had an absolutely excellent octopus=Polpo. They were served with miso dill aioli. We had only fish dishes and vegetarian. Everything was fresh! All I have to say is GO! You will not be disappointed.

After looking at various reviews, I decided to try the place today for brunch. Reservation process was smooth. The place has a charming Spaniard ambiance with latin music, which spices it up within the area. I had a glass of mimosa, made with fresh squeezed orange juice, and a cup of nice coffee. The eggs revueltos with chorizo and sofrito, along with the spicy potatoes were amazing. The garlic shrimp gumbo style was tasty. Although a bit overpriced, it is worth the visit. The ham croquettes were the only ones that were not as tasteful as I expected, although they were good. Give it a try!

Friends took s here and two nights later we were taking other friends. That's how good it is. Everything we have ordered has been artfully prepared: croquetas, Spanish meatballs, skirt steak and pear salad, sautéed kale and cauliflower, garlic shrimp, garlic chicken. You can order most things as a tapa or an entree. Save some room for very tasty but light desserts. We just got back from eating our way through Barcelona, and this was every bit as good or better. The owners are in the kitchen and on the floor checking in with diners. The entire staff is warm and friendly. The restaurant has only been around a couple months and seems to still be a well-kept secret, but judging on word of mouth that reached us, that will likely change.

After a lovely afternoon in Golden Gate Park, we wanted a light meal with good wine and food. Canela's Bistro Bar was definitely the spot to be. The service staff was tops. They took the time to explain the different dishes and their recommendations were perfect. We tried seven or eight of the tapas, all of which were excellent. Our favorite was the albondigas - braised duck and chicken meatballs. With a glass of good cava, what could be better. We were delighted was the owner himself came to the table to get our feedback. These were some of the best tapas we have had outside of Spain.

More like what you might find in Madrid than in say Vegas or even Austin TX (too showy), Canela is a great little cozy Tapas bar with good food, a fun wine list and great service. Paella is made to order (45 min) so plan ahead. Roasted cauliflower was also good. No liquor so if you don't like wine then why are at a Tapas bar? Reds by the bottle are kept at 60 degrees so next time I'm going to take advantage of that. Sherry list is excellent and fresh. Good spot.

It's wonderful to find a restaurant started by people with an actual passion and interest in the food they serve, who want to create a comfortable space and do playful things with an established type of cuisine-- say, Spanish tapas. Canela does tapas quite well, and does so in a lovely space just off of a busy corner of Market Street (just east of Noe). The waitstaff couldn't be friendlier, the short wine list works with the food, and the food itself is great. For me to enjoy mussels (which normally I just do not like), the dish must be pretty darn special. The empanada gallega (with tuna en escabeche) was awesome, the lamb pinchos morunos were to die for, the sopa de garbanzos warmed the body and soul (and reminded me of when I was a student in Madrid), and the birthday candle-decorated churros con chocolate were a perfect end to our unrushed, lovely meal. Well worth every penny!