Gold Mirror Reviews

Hidden in the Sunset District is a 70 year old institution, Gold Mirror. Bustling with customers from way back when as well as millennials. Tasty and hearty homestyle dishes. Good sized portions.

Family members who live in the area brought us to this classic Italian restaurant. We were seated right away and the staff was very attentive. The owner came to our table and chatted with our group. The avocado stuffed shrimp was good. The Prawns Dore had a flavorful sauce and was excellent. The tiramisu has a unique presentation and was very tasty. We had a very enjoyable experience!

Our go-to restaurant for family dinner when visiting San Francisco which I recommend to anyone. Wonderful veal dishes (chicken alternative available) and tasty, tender steak. Can substutue pasta for rice with entrees. However, this last visit the marinara sauce was different and not to my taste and one of our party noted that his filet mignon was not as satisfyingly flavorful as before. This is not your pasta and pizza place, but a fine dining restaurant. The bread is authentic sour dough and yummy as are all the offerings. The ambience is comfortable with notes of Tuscany and the service excellent.

we were staying in San Francisco for two nights in Sunset and decided to try the Gold Mirror as it was reasonably local and had good reviews. The reviews werent wrong. it is an old world Italian. fantastic food, attentive staff, locals eats there after work and later in the evening which says a lot. we enjoyed it so much we ate there on our second night rather than hazard a bad meal elsewhere. Thank you very much.

Authentic Italian cuisine that has been family owned and run since 1969. Everything on their menu is delicious especially the gnocchi and their salmon.They also have separate lunch & dinner menus. Street parking is difficult (busy Taraval Street), and, as it is a small place, it is best to make reservations (which is easy to do through their web site.). Check it out the next time you are in The City. BUON APPETITO!

I hadn't been to this place in over 10 years, and boy oh boy, am I glad I returned. This place is as good as I remember it. This place is perfect for ALL occasions: business dinner, catching up with friends, romantic date, family gathering, you name it. But the best action happens at the bar: you can meet new people, and overhear conversations from long-time regulars and SF natives! The bartender Christian takes good care of you, and he's also an SF native. I recommend sitting at the bar, loading up on the cheese & crackers, then ordering a drink and a small appetizer. You can easily get a meal for less than $20 here. If you like that old-school Italian restaurant swag and don't want to go to Joe's of Westlake or North Beach, this is where you must go!

We came here for dinner one night and were pleasantly surprised coziness. It was hopping on a Saturday night. You could tell most of the customers were locals. That's what this kind of restaurant, nestled in the Avenues of SF will be - a local restaurant for friends and family. The food was ok. Good solid Italian food but nothing exceptional. Drinks were on point and the service was decent. If ever I'm in the area, I'll probably hop in, but I don't know that I'd make a trip all the way out there for dinner.

We had a separate room which was nice. The service was done nicely. It was a sit done and everyone was served promptly. I had the Eggplant Parmesanwhich I really enjoyed..I was a large portion. My husband had the Veal Parmesan which he said was a little dry. Everything else was good. We would go there again if we were in the City.

We stay in the Sunset District about 3 times a year. We always try to have one dinner at the Gold Mirror. It is consistently excellent. The waiters are all dressed in formal attire and are very attentive. My very favorite dish is the cannelloni. This last time my husband ordered that and I branched out to the petrole sole and loved every bite. Died and gone to heaven! It was served with rice and green beans. A very satisfying meal. They have a nice, reasonably priced wine list. Lots of traditional italian wines. They serve bread to start, but bring pats of butter. Ask for the olive oil and basalmic vinegar ---much better! There is a bar to sit at also. We actually had a bite to eat there once when the restaurant was full. This is a great place for a good Italian meal.

Came here for dinner the other night and the food was fantastic. We split the spaghetti with clams. The dish was light and flavorful and I also ordered the Niman Ranch pork hop which is one of the best I've ever had. It was tender and moist. My friend ordered the veal and he said it was good. I will return!

We had dinner this past Saturday night at the Gold Mirror. A great neighborhood establishment for 50 years in the Sunset. 40 years ago we had our rehearsal dinner there and the food and service are still as great as they were back then. Great Italian food. We had the minestrone, mixed greens with blue cheese dressing, Saltimbocca, veal piccata,cream puffs and of course before and after dinner drinks. A great meal and for all of that very reasonably priced.

We had an amazing experience! Our server Oscar was very attentive and the food was just perfect. I highly recommend having a reservation.

I hadn't been here in many years and decided to give it a try for Mother's Day. It was kind of cozy, service good, comfortable noise level and each dish was superbly prepared and delicious. My husband had the most fabulous crab-stuffed avocado as a first course, which was almost as large as a stand-alone crab Louise. I had a special of roasted artichokes and certainly didn't expect such a unique dish of several artichoke hearts with portions of the stem attached all nicely seasoned and beautifully arranged on the plate. Two had veal parmigiana and raved about its flavor and quality and I had a special of Chilean Sea Bass, which was delicious. My mother loved the spumoni and my husband enjoyed his chocolate Sundae. We will certainly return to try other menu items. We thought the prices were very reasonable.

Love this place was here 25 years ago and its still good. Missed some old dishes like canniloni, sole Picatta, fried calamari and they were all like I remeber 25 years ago. Service was 5 star and a very busy place even on a tuesday night. Highly recomend this Gem

50 years ago, while attending college at the University of San Francisco, I visited this venerable old-style Italian Restaurant and remembered how good it was. One enters a comfortable, cozy dining area that "mirrors" Italy. Polite, efficient wait staff. Cannelloni appetizer was tasty, stuffed with Italian culinary love. Shrimp salad, heaped with fresh ingredients was crisp and cold. Pollo Romano, moist, 1/2 chicken cooked slowly accompanied by fresh vegetable medley of green beans, carrots and zucchini. Glass of white wine and a Negroni topped off the meal. The dinner set us back $60,00. VERY reasonable. Restrooms clean as can be. Street parking everywhere. Loyal locals fill up this place. You looking for a San Francisco staple that wont burn your wallet? Visit the Parkside district and head to the Mirror for a dining memory.

We noticed the restaurant from SF muni and decided to give it a try after reading some reviews. We were pleasantly surprised! Started off with a cocktail at the BAR which had a complementary cheese/cracker tray on the bar. Haven't seen one of those in a LONG time. We were seated for dinner quickly and ordered an appetizer of escargot (excellent and meaty) and my wife had the calamari dore and I had the lasagna (very rich). Service was excellent but a little quick as it almost appeared they wanted to turn the table for the next guests. We split the chocolate sundae which was also very good. Overall a good meal, good value, neighbor gem, great for groups, but not quite a five star experience nor the price.

Gold Mirror Italian Restaurant: overpriced and horrible food, beside worst restaurant service experienced that I ever had. Oh, yeah! This is the highlight of the evening: in their menu the Escargot is $8.00 but in our bill the Escargot was charged for $12.00. Are you kidding me? When we politely addressed this matter to the server and he did NOT once apologized to us. For this reason, we only tipped him last than 15%. Bottom line: first time shame on you (Gold Mirror Italian Restaurant) and for sure NEVER in this lifetime will I return to you because the food, prices, and services at Olive Garden is much better than Gold Mirror.

We decided last minute and had to wait 1/2 hr on Sat night. Very busy, advisable to make reservations ahead. cocktails while you wait were strong and reasonably priced. Very noisy, no wifi types at this place. Local , senior crowd, black tie waiters..old fashion Italian decor but lively place. Waiter recommended the calmer and it was very good since it wasn't battered and deep fried. Beet salad was good which we shared. Husband ordered the chicken on recommendation and he really liked it. Entrees comes with small portion of rice and vegetables(carrots and asparagus this time). I ordered veal scallopini and not salty, good amt of mushrooms. Veal was pounded thin and maybe slightly small in portion or I was just hungry. This was leisurely dinner for sure. We shared a sponge cake cream dessert which has some liquor so it reminded me of tirumisu but wasn't, but tasted good anyway…prices are for special occasion. Casual dress.

Even though we were there at the crazy holiday season, the staff was warm and gracious. Some of the best Italian food I've had - and everyone at the table agreed. Not a 'new trendy' place - traditional decor and selections, and worth every penny.

We had the best time! We started off at the bar, moved to a perfect table, had the best food ever, and the dessert was just fantastic! On top of all this, we had the best waiter ever - Paulo~ It's a bit off the beaten path but well worth it. We were probably the only tourists there - all regulars who just welcomed us with open arms! We met so many nice people and made some new friends!!! We will definitely come here every time! Loved it!

My wife used to go here with her family and decided this is where she wanted to go for her birthday. The escargot were bland. The sauce they were did was not worth using bread to dunk. Actually the bread was the highlight of the night. I had veal saltimbucco. Something was off in the sauce. It was bitter. I tried to scrape as much sauce as I could off the veal. My wife had filet of sole which was okay. She definitely thought the restaurant was not as good as she remembered. The restaurant was filled so somebody thought their food was good.

This is a neighborhood Italian restaurant on the west side of town, Taraval and 19th Ave. Like a few others it has been run by the same family for decades. This is old style Italian, waiters in short coats, somewhat schmaltzy decor. But the food is high quality, wholesome and nicely presented and hot. I have never been disappointed and have taken guests there, always with good results. Though it is a neighborhood restaurant a reservation helps at popular times. It has a very comfortable warm ambiance.

Petrale Sole, Saltimbocca and a fabulous fresh crab salad are only a few of the consistency good dishes the Gold Mirror has been serving for decades. From the outside it's a basic Sunset stucco with the Gold Mirror sign that's a part of the Taraval scene. Still serving excellent dishes at lower prices than North Beach with excellent service and a full bar. Also good for banquets and family dining.

It is a very good restaurant. The food very good. Especially the homemade pasta. Very smooth. The service is excellence. If you have time, this is a very good choice!

I always have a great dinner at the Gold Mirror. And, it is located out of the touristy North Beach and Wharf area. The sweetbread is fantastic (not always available) as are the other half dozen veal dishes. Seafood ... the best. Love the calamari steak, salmon, scallops ... and of course, escargot appetizer. I've always gone for dinner, but they serve lunch M-F. I plan on going back for their 50th anniversary in 2019, if not sooner.

The Gold Mirror has been on Taraval since I was a kid and the menu hasn't changed....but you don't want it to! Calamari steak, sweetbreads and many veal dishes are all delicious. Bar has an Old San Francisco vibe and great manhattans!

Wonderful restaurant, great food, great staff and traditional Italian feel. Whenever we are in the City this is where we eat and the food is always delicious and the staff is perfectly attentive. Lots going on whether you sit at the bar or tables. Love this restaurant and bathrooms are very clean. Only downside was the delicious dinner was so filling that I didn’t have room for one of their desserts which are always delicious.

We have been eating here for the past few years and have enjoyed ourselves each visit. Its a neighborhood crowd here mostly, with old timers and new old timers like us. Its one of those places where you stake out a spot and sit back there each time. The view isn't great except for the neighborhood foot traffic and street cars from the Taraval corridor. This is part of our collective memory, so when we started coming back here, we knew what to expect. Lunch is our preference here, and I must say we tend to stick to our favorites. My wife gets the lasagna and I tend to get the chicken livers with rigatoni. Again, they do everything here right. The sauces are very tasty, and they are quick to wait on you initially, and check in but never bother you as you sit and enjoy the experience. This is what you want right - a nice cocktail; some french bread; your pasta and or main course with a nice glass of chianti; and finally that nice location where you can just sit and relax and enjoy your meal. We've experimented with different entrees here, and our friends have tried other dishes as well and all were tasty. The ribeye I ordered was great as was the veal parmigiana. The seafood that friends have ordered has been good as well The staff and the chef have it all together here. We enjoy the whole experience, but prefer lunch. Street parking can be difficult, but we always find a spot.

Taraval is lucky to have this restaurant in their neighborhood. Very pleasant place with exceptionally good service and good food. Overall good vibes !

We had dinner @ the Golf Mirror and had a great experience. Our pre- dinner dishes all were on spot: calamari, figs, Caesar Salad and Burrata. Our mains: Rib Eye, veal Milanese and Saltinbocca were superb. Corkage $20 is fair and their glassware and decanters display the wines beautifully. The only downside was the noise level is quite high. Our table service was also very professional.

Dining in the Gold Mirror is a must-do for me every time I'm in San Francisco since the early 90s. The food is always excellent, especially the veal and seafood. It's an old-fashioned formal-style restaurant that never seems to change much in standard of food or service. I would definitely recommend!

We go to the Gold Mirror every time we visit San Francisco and have always had a good experience so I was surprised to see Patasdeperro's review. The food is good - I had a beet salad and pumpkin ravioli last Friday night and the two men had great steaks. I had a great petrale sole dish a few weeks ago. It is a great place to bring kids - there is ever a problem about sharing dishes and fulfilling any requests the kids might have. Indeed the lovely lady who owns it came over to ask how the family was and is always most friendly. An added plus is that some of the waiters are positively dishy!

We tried to spot while in San Francisco. Not realizing we should have probably gotten a reservation. It was very busy so the service was pretty poor but the food was very good. Don't go there if you're in a hurry

We recently enjoyed a dinner at this long standing San Fran favorite. The restaurant was lively but we were treated it a secluded little table near the door. It was at times drafty, but we were happy to have a cozy spot all to ourselves. The decor was impressive and there is nice balcony seating overlooking the main dining room. Our waiter Alonzo was very attentive. We partook of the warm bread, Monterey county Hahn pinot noir, roast chicken w/ mushroom marsala sauce, prawns dore, cannoli, and flourless chocolate cake. The bread, pinot noir, chicken, and cannoli were all excellent! The prawns were breaded and sauted, which is a little weird. The chocolate cake was dry and unmemorable. Although we were on a date, I would definitely recommend this restaurant to families with children, large groups, or business dinners. It seemed welcoming to all. I can see why this place is a local favorite.

Had a very nice lunch for a crowd of about 40 or so. It was my first time there and it was a memorial lunch for dear departed friend and coworker. His sister put on a nice affair in the restaurant and the whole crew went out of his way to take good care of us. The food was excellent. The restaurant was one of my friends Joe favorite place. Glad I got to attend. I will definitely be back. Thanks Gold Mirror

Dined on a Sunday for Dinner. Oscar was our waiter and he was attentive, but did not rush us. This is not the place for intimate dining. It is extremely LOUD. The tables are also extremely close together. The first table that we were shown to was so close to the table for 6 that we felt like a table for 10. We asked to move to the only other table that was available. That, although very close to other tables, was much better. The salads were good, the Burrata Special was fantastic. I had a pasta with chicken and mushrooms. Was tasty but very dry and the pasta was not fully cooked, actually raw in a couple of places. the Lasagne was well prepared as well as the veal. I would go back again if in SF. Would not make a special trip.

We had a great dinner at this restaurant. It’s been in business for over 50 years and appears to be consistently busy. It was busy continuously tonight with a steady bar and food business. My wife and I split the shrimp and avocado salad which was fine. We split the meatball appetizer with polenta Which was terrific. She had the eggplant Parmesan which was made slowly rather than deep frying the eggplant. She thought it was terrific. I had the lasagna which was also excellent. Neither of us could finish our entrées. It was worth the drive up from The Peninsula to have dinner at this neighborhood restaurant. I recommend this restaurant.

My brother and I were invited buy a great couple from church. We were a group of 14. The restaurant was very cozy and the staff were excellent! I ordered my Avocado stuffed with fresh Dungeness crab for my appetizer and Kurobuta Pork chop. The salad was so tasteful and I enjoyed every bite. My pork chop was excellent..tender and so flavorful.. My dessert was my cream puffs. It was okay and I can say I have tried better. My brother got Burrata ala Panna, fire roasted artichoke for appetizer and Sonoma Valley Roasted Leg of Lamb. He said they were both very good and full of flavor. The lamb was very tender and great. We both had coffee after. I strongly recommend this restaurant.. Prices are reasonable. I love the staff because they make you feel comfortable and wanting to order more.. Lol.. I will surely go back here to try other dishes..

Gold Mirror is a restaurant as long time San Franciscans we’ve seemed to overlook. What a surprise. Excellent food, wide ranging menu, and a very competent young Italian server who made us smile with every stop by our table. Petrale sole, with 2 choices of preparation; house made pasta; and a wonderful pork chop. Desserts are also house made. The zabbalione was superb. Won’t overlook again!

We had dinner here on a Tuesday night. I had 7 pm reservations and we were seated on time. The restaurant was packed. The waiter took at least 10 mins to come to our table to take the drink orders and we ordered our appetizers and entrees together figuring we may not see the waiter for a while if we just gave him the drink and appetizer orders . Later this proved to be true. He served everything in a panicked rust. It was like he ran by dropping off the drinks- gin and tonics and my old fashioned came 7 mins later; dropped off the appetizers and we did not see him for 25 mins when all entrees but mine were served. My entree was served at least 5 mins later and was lukewarm. Sometime between the appetizers and dinner he asked if others at the table wanted another cocktail and they did order- he never asked me if I wanted a second drink. It was a struggle to get the bus boy/waiter to bring more bread. Oscar finally came after dinner with the dessert menus which he piled up next to me and I passed them out. He took the dessert and coffee orders. Later I wanted a coffee refill and he poured just half a cup and quickly left the table and I had to call him back and asked him to fill the cup. We have eaten here before and this was the worst experience we have had here. We will not return nor recommend this restaurant to any one based on the sporadic service.

I grew up in San Francisco in the 1950’s - living quite near the Gold Mirror when they first opened in their 18th and Taraval location; and I can remember eating there for “prom” nights nearly 50 years ago! I have always enjoyed it, and although I have lived in Walnut Creek for many years I occasionally return to the old neighborhood for a meal at the Gold Mirror, which has been operated by the same family for generations. My brother, who now lives in Washington State, was in town working the Fancy Food Show and we decided to go there as he too had fond memories of it. This place is true to its core – a real unpretentious San Francisco Italian restaurant that serves traditional and plentiful food at a fair price. The very retro dining room and bar is comfortable and clean. The wait staff – all dressed in well-worn tuxedos is attentive and clearly under the watchful eye of Mama Gold Mirror who circulates through the dining room insuring everything is running according to her wishes. We made a reservation by phone (I do not think they take them on-line) and our table was available when we arrived. My wife joined us so there were three of us for dinner. We decided to take our time and enjoy a drink at our table before ordering and although the restaurant was filling fast (every table was full by the time we ordered) we were not pressured to turn-the-table. We shared fried calamari with garlic to start and it was very tasty. I ordered Veal Parmesan and I think the recipe was the one they used 50 years ago. If you are interested in a light, low-calorie, low-fat meal, do not order this dish. On the other hand, I knew what I was getting into – the Veal was done right and I enjoyed it. My brother (who is quite a foodie) went for the Lasagna and he thought it was excellent; in fact after eating at three other rather upscale San Francisco restaurants that week, he told me that the meal at the Gold Mirror was the best of the bunch. I will be back in the old neighborhood and will eat at the Gold Mirror again. I hope it never changes – they do not make them like this any more.

We drove to the city to take our kids and grandkids to an Italian restaurant on Geary. We learned it was crowded and parking in that area is very difficult, so we opted for a restaurant we had never visited, although our kids said it was very good, although the decor was dated. Parking was still a little challenging (our so parked about 1 block away and I found a spot about 3 blocks away), but what a treat the restaurant was. Yes, it does have a dated decor, but so what, this was San Francisco, and the menu was extensive and the food simply superb. We know good Italian cooking (we both have family in northern Italy and have visited them many times) and this was very good Italian cooking. The waiters were dressed formally, but very knowledgeable. Our waiter was from Capri, and helped us select a very nice Sangiovese. The veal dishes were tasty and not skimpy. My house made fettuccine with forest mushrooms and a light cream sauce was amazing. This was not an inexpensive restaurant, but we all had great food.

The gold mirror has been one of our favorite restaurants in San Francisco . Being native born San Franciscan it is so nice to have a neighborhood restaurant that you can count on time and time again. They have gotten very popular in the past 2 years . The food is wonderful Italian food. Service is excellent reservations are recommended as it is always crowded.

Great old time SF Restaurant, been there for years a must if you visit SF. Great food and service. I have been there many time and I am a Native of San Francisco

As the previous review say, this is an old-fashioned, neighborhood Italian "joint" with a clientele that clearly includes many locals. We enjoyed a good New Years Day meal (burrata, sole two ways and calamari steak, among other things), all well prepared and tasty. It was our first visit, so I'm not sure if the other issues were simply a result of it being New Years Day - our waiter admitted to being a tad hung over - or if they are more common. The list of issues was fairly long: an expensive Barolo poured almost to overflowing in the glass, two requests forgotten, two items delivered to our table by mistake, our order retaken three times, all resulting in a 45 minute delay in receiving our main courses, etc. And it was a cold day out and the restaurant never warmed up; our party and most of the restaurant dined in full coats. The food was fine, but everything else needs a bit of a tune-up. A good neighborhood place becomes memorable only when it doesn't forget the little touches.

We had not been here for about 20 years and went back for dinner for the third time this last weekend. We started with a shared appetizer of calamari which was quite good. When you sit down they put warm fresh french bread on the table. Service is always good here. The entrees were all very good, except the person who had the canneloni said the portion was not large enough. Two rather small stuffed canneloni and that was all that was on the plate. Two of us had veal picatta and it was excellent. Veal was very tender and the sauce was delicious. It was served with a baked potato and fresh vegetables. My husband had a rib eye steak which he said was very good. We had four different desserts...tiramisu (so so), 2 small cream puffs, good, filled with custard, and two other desserts which were good, but I cannot remember what they were. Parking is a bit difficult, but we have always found street parking close by. You don't have to dress up here, jeans are fine if you want. It's a very good old SF neighborhood restaurant that is consistent.

Our visit recently was not quite up to the level of a quality experience that was the case the first time we dined here with our family. It started with our being seated upstairs in a large and empty room, even though there was seating available in the main restaurant area. We learned later that this was an avoidable mixup on the part of restaurant staff. And, because we were far from the kitchen and main restaurant seating area, the service suffered to some extent (although our server was friendly and trying to do a good job). There is a very good menu, and the food was tasty, although I don't think it was quite as spectacular as our previous visit.

This place has been here for a very long time. Came as a child when I lived in San Francisco decades ago. Not much has changed in the last 50 years either. Classic Italian dishes served by friendly wait staff in a classic dark venue with cheesy decor. Food is delicious. Wine is very reasonable and good. Neighborhood classic that I will look forward to returning too on a future visit back. Very busy night, but they handled it well.

Excellent food. Excellent service. The food was slow to come to table. Difficult to find a parking space. The options for food available was good .

I was there tonight for a friends birthday. I was part of a large group. Plenty of choices for me tonight being I’m gluten free but I wanted the pasta special just without the pasta. Not only did I get my order as requested without the pasta, the chef made an artistic dish for me. Many places don’t make an effort for gluten-free but they went above and beyond. If you don’t see it on the menu, just ask.

This is the most authentic food you will find in the city. I have been going here since a small child and found my way back a few weeks ago. SO, OLD SCHOOL...but the most authentic and delicious food. Bring a big fun group who loves to eat like in the old country. No Top Chef's here...thank goodness.

Since my kids were little, we made it a point to celebrate a birthday or a special occasion with a dinner at the Gold Mirror. Today we celebrate the birthdays of our granddaughters there. The food is well prepared, my favorite is the Calamari Steak, followed by the Petrale Sole. My wife likes the Veal Scallopini. My granddaughters prefer the Rigatoni with meatballs or butter. The prices are in line with other San Francisco restaurants. They have a full service bar and nice wine list . They can accommodate large parties. We always run into someone from the neighborhood. Yes, the Gold Mirror is still there but has been moved to a hall way.