Montesacro Reviews

Avoid this restaurant if you actually want to eat. Made a 6:00 PM reservation for a Saturday night on Open Table. Showed up at 6:00 PM. Waited in line while the hostess walked around the restaurant and answered the phone a countless number of times (evidently prospective diners calling to make a reservation are more important than actual diners onsite with reservations). Finally at 6:20 PM, we were at the front of the line and the hostess told us it would probably be another 30 minutes (glancing over at a table that obviously had a long way to go until they were done with their meal). Even if we did not have a show to attend, who is going to wait around on the street (especially in that neighborhood) for 45 minutes AFTER their reservation time in the hopes that they finally get a table.

I've been to Montesacro restaurant a week ago and for 2 pizzas and 2 glasses of wine we ended up paying £ 84 dollars in total. Basically they added 18% gratuity without leaving us any choice. Usually they should include gratuity only for group of 6 people or more. I don't recommend this place but if you decide to go make sure you check your bill.I think £ 44 dollars for a small pizza and a glass of wine is really too much!!!

We went for a pre-theater lunch, due to its walking distance from the Orpheum. First, they were so nice to hold our reservation as we drove in from Napa Valley and were running late. It’s small and quaint and was almost completely full when we arrived. They could have easily given our table away, but waited for us after we changed the time twice. Then they were very considerate of our tight schedule in getting back to the theater in time. Ok, the best part was the food! We shared a few salads and a few pinsas and they were all terrific! If we lived nearby, this would be a regular hang out for us. We may have to go back to the city just to eat there again. Mangia!

I died and went to heaven... located in such an unassuming side alley- such so that if I squint really hard and look, it almost feels like Rome. Then once you enter the restaurant, you don't have to squint so hard - it does feel like a regular restaurant in Rome! And then if one would start looking around - they have eclectic things all around the restaurant. Boxing gloves hanging on a door. Crib on the top of the oven... The bar area is extremely cute. It's so visually gratifying. And then we get to the food. We ordered the arugula salad and margherita pinsa. Friends got the charcuterie platter and another pinsa. It was really so good. So fresh. The parmigiano was just incredible. I don't know what I've been eating so far that was also called parmesan. The pizza (pinsa) was truly amazing. So light, so well done and so delicious. Definitely one of the best pizza to date. But what truly stole the show and just blew my mind was the pistachio pinsa dessert. If I'd known about that before we ordered the pizza, I would've only eaten that for dinner is how good it was. Truly exceptional. You've won a lifetime customer. Please, never change!

This restaurant is fabulous! We got in late and basically closed down the restaurant that night. We had 4 pinsas and shared them along with several appetizers. The server was very knowledgeable about the wine list and recommended a bottle we really enjoyed. I will definitely go back here the next time I am in San Francisco.

This is a great small restaurant. I highly recommend getting a reservation as it can be quite busy. Their specialty is pinsa ($17-$24) a flat bread pizza baked in their wonderful oven. I tell you what, my favorite thing at this restaurant is the focaccia bread ($6), perfectly seasoned and served right out of the oven. Add a little wine and a charcuterie platter ($25 for chef's choices) and you have a great meal. I would certainly eat here again.

If you stick with the pizza and the salad you can't go wrong. Found the octopus a bit mushy and the cauliflower was a bit too spicey. The flourless chocolate cake for dessert was perfect. Sadly they were out of the butternut squash dish, booo. The kale salad was a big hit. Simple but tasty dressing. The location is a bit hidden, but I know they have several locations in the city. The interior is a bit worn, could use a refresh. The staff are very accommadating.

We looked for the best nearby restaurant. What a great find. Authentic Italian restaurant, food and atmosphere. I had Manatella, spicy pork sausage pizza, it was delicious. We had red wine from Sicily, it was great as well

My husband and I loved, loved, loved the Maranella pinsa - arrived at our table right from the oven - beautiful lighter than air puffy crust - crispy on the outside, soft on the inside - so delicious. The crispy crust paired with the delectable toppings = a tour de force: soft melted creamy buttery burrata, tender broccolini and scrumptious sausage - a wonderful combination of flavors and textures. We also ordered the Marinated red sweet peppers - the sweet tangy peppers were a perfect complement to our savory pinsa. Our host, server, runner and busser were all extremely welcoming, attentive, helpful, friendly and efficient - five hearts for a five star waitstaff 💛💛💛💛💛Molto grazie!

Located in a bit of a fringe neighborhood, this place is still worth a visit for its excellent antipasti, salads and pinse. There is no equal in San Francisco or anywhere else in California! Don't miss this gem!

It was nice to find a restaurant that has some of the same qualities as Italy. The atmosphere had the similar energy as you would find ....meaning the waiter were not rushing you to seat the table one more time and the patrons were in light hearted conversations. David our server was knowledgeable and friendly. Our food prepared to perfection and very flavorful. I was surprised to try a pizza crust made with rice, flour and wheat and have it taste really good. David did not try to up sell us on wine but suggested a half bottle of Chianti, which was a nice pairing with our dinner. For those who work in the area, they are open for lunch and have a great lunch special!

We really enjoyed our visit to the Enoteca. A diverse wine list was an enjoyable way to start the evening out. The waiter was nice of us to steer us to the right amount of food (we ordered too much).... and it was enjoyable. It was like we were back in Italy. There is a focus on the taste of the ingredients ---- not just throwing a bunch of things on a plate. The only tip I would give them ---- slice your prosciutto thinner...... it would then melt in your mouth a little more.

Personally, I don’t love Roman food and never had a pizza like this in Rome…but this place was OUTSTANDING. Great appetizers. Gorgeous thin pizza crust made of unique and delicious dough. We had 4 different pizzas. All were good, but I’d say those with the red sauce were really the best. The place has a great vibe too. Not the greatest neighborhood, but worth the trek.

We were surprised at how authentic the feel of this room was. I've traveled more times than I care to remember, to Rome, and this restaurant captures the Trastevere feel more than any I've been to in the States. Great menu of what they're calling pinsa, but is essentially rustic pizza. The wine menu was limited and could be more Italian, but Northern California has a real issue with wine...they mistakenly think their's is good. That said, the fiasco serving idea (half bottles in classic chianti-style bottles) is a fun thing. The decor is great. And the service was excellent. A return visit will be necessary.

My husband and I stopped for dinner before a show at the Golden Gate Theater. What a surprise to find this quirky restaurant on a side street close by! The atmosphere was very cool - like eating in an Italian kitchen. The wine and beer list was interesting and the menu had lots of delicious dishes. We started with the shaved asparagus salad and the breseola. We then scarfed down the sausage/brocollini and lamb/mint pinsas. Way too much food for two, but the homeless couple outside appreciated the leftovers. We finished with piping hot espressos. Only issue was the broken toilet (only one bathroom). That said, we'll definitely be back!

As soon as you enter you feel like your in a charming little restaurant in Italy. All the service staff was very attentive but not bothersome; some spoke Italian. Food was delicious and bathroom was clean. Overall experience was excellent and I would recommend for the food and experience.

We had to convince our taxi driver to take us here but we’re glad we did. The “pizza” is different but absolutely delicious. It’s clear that there was a lot of thought put into the authenticity of the preparation of the food. We really enjoyed our meal and the staff was friendly and obviously Italian in the best way.

This was my second visit and I am addicted! I hesitate to share this spot only because I want to keep it for myself. The antipasti is perfection! The BEST carpaccio/bresaola in San Francisco . Beautiful italian cheeses - the pecorino served with confiture, honey and rosemary is so wonderful. The roasted marinated vegetables ( slightly too salty for me) addictive. The Pizza is just insanely authentic with a crust unlike anywhere in the Bay Area. All of this said - it is the service I love above all else. Perfectly timed dining, welcoming, warm and so different than most of the rushed rude high end dining in SF. I love it here!

We had two of the flatbread pizzas one was the namesake the other was the guanciale. Both were excellent excellent excellent. Panna cotta was also very very good.

This restaurant is located just a few blocks from the Orpheum Theatre and many theater-goers eat here prior to the show. Take note of this if you are in this situation, since the restaurant gets extremely crowded 90-120 minutes before shows and then turnover is very slow until it is too late to eat prior to a show. I was almost caught in this situation since I was made to wait over 1/2 hour past my reservation time, as were many others. The reservations staff (or the process they follow) did a very poor job of anticipating turnover, causing distress amongst many of us. However, once seated, our waiter was very understanding and did a great job of getting our order in and serving quickly, so we were able to enjoy the meal in spite of being a bit rushed. We shared a salad and "pinsa", which is a type of pizza. Simple, but a most enjoyable meal. The pinsa is just like what I've eaten in Italy -- wonderful flavors and not loaded with heavy oil and tons of cheese like its American counterpart. This is a place that would be equally enjoyed by adults looking for a fine dining experience and children (it is, after all, pizza!). The salad was fresh, service was excellent (friendly and quick, once we were seated), and although a bit high, prices weren't unreasonable for the quality offered.

What a fabulous find. Book a table and munch on some delicious meat and pizza. Service was excellent, and the food was fab. I will definitely be going back.

We are Roman tourists in San Francisco who wanted to have a traditional Italian meal for once during our US trip. The “pinsa” is very peculiar as it is a kind of pizza which is typical from Rome, and from this point of view Montesacro ticks every box: crunchy, fresh and good ingredients; also a good variety of appetisers and desserts (ice-cream recommended). Very positive note for the service where everybody has been running the extra-mile to get us a table and accomodate our requests. All that comes at a price, which we found very expensive for a pizzeria, also 20% service was already included in the bill which is not standard and does not leave flexibility for the tips. Location is borderline as there are many homeless in that area and we did not feel safe walking there, in particular with kids. Also the place is quite smoky as there is no air condition and it has a terrible ventilation. All in all a good meal but not a great experience.

My work colleagues and I ate here recently while in town. We had no idea what Pinsa was and now that I know I will definitely try it again. Hopefully it will be as good as the Pinsa at this place. The joint is very old school Italian which obviously results into good food. All of us enjoyed our meals. My only complaint is that the alley that it's located on is pretty sketchy with homeless and drug use. We even had a frozen dinner thrown at us from one of the neighboring apartment buildings as we walked by. Luckily it missed! Stay out of the alley and enjoy the food here. I would definitely eat here again!

Pins as are similar to pizza, but doughier and lighter. Two pinsas fed my husband and I well. Can’t go wrong with the Margherita with it’s wonderfully authentic Italian mozzarella and tomato sauce.

My friend and I went there to have dinner. The staff was really welcoming and reactive ! The food was excellent, true & fresh cut Italian products. The pizza was extremely good. I recommend it for sure !

We were looking for a pizza place on a Monday night, walked down to this pinseria and ended up at a nice little pinseria. The walk was a little sketchy but we had no problems. We ordered three different pinsas and an appetizer of prosciutto cotto and bufala mozzarella. When we arrived we didn't have reservations but they were nice and squeezed us into a small table.

Stepping into Montesacro is like stepping into an authentic pizzeria in Italy. The ambiance is great, but the food is even better. The pizzas are a great size, made to order, and delicious! We loved all of the topping combinations on the menu but eventually settled on the one with potato and the one with anchovies and all we can say is YUM. We would certainly go back.

This is a nice spot, very interesting decor, good beer and wine list. The food is generally good, but the entire pinsa thing is sort of overdone. As interesting as the non-pizza dough that is used is, they are mostly "okay" versions of pizza/flatbread, some better than others.

Restaurant is a bit hidden away in an alley but don’t let that deceive you. The food is extremely good (we all had pizzas), and the staff is very friendly. The atmosphere and food are reminiscent of true Italian cuisine. Definitely a hidden gem within SF! PS. Try the Pinsa el Pistacchio dessert

The place is located in a small street that doesnt really invite you to walk in. Once there, the place is beautiful, full of people and makes you feel just as if you were in Rome. We has a Pinza, which was absolutely wonderful. Good beer as well. A place to go over and over.

Although we dont make it to this part of town often a friend told us about it and we decided to take a drive thru downtown. Excrllent service food etc....

sent here by the sister restaurant 54 Mint. their flat bread pinsa's are really very good. the restaurant is funky, in a back street near the Golden Gate theatre. service was sketchy when we arrived (too early), but when help arrived it got much better. Will go back again!!!

I eat here occasionally as it's near my office and the food is pretty good. Today, Salvador was our server and we ordered two starters and one pizza to share. The two starters came out within about 5 minutes of each other and then nothing. After a good 30 minutes (by now it was close to 1:30pm), Salvador came to our table to check on us. We hadn't seen him for the entire 30 minutes. By this time the restaurant was only about 1/4 full, and NOBODY else was waiting on any food. I start to ask about the whereabouts of our pizza and he said "would you like me to put that in now", as if he had been coursing our meal. It was a terrific recovery for him/kitchen forgetting our pizza. I've never heard of anyone coursing food at a casual place like this-and certainly not without mentioning it to us first. If he hadn't try to lie to us about it I wouldn't have posted this (nor docked his tip).

This is a wonderful restaurant. It is like stepping back in time. Great atmosphere. The food was excellent. My first ever pinsa. The flavours were really good. Service was friendly and top notch. All in all a really great experience.

I came across this restaurant in trip advisor. It sounded like something we would enjoy. If you go to the website, it explains the history behind the food on the menu. The hostess at the door was very friendly, our waitress seemed to know many of her customers by name. She was able to recommend a great red wine & dish. I highly recommended stopping by this restaurant for the atmosphere, service & of course, the great food!!!

This is not your typical pizza joint. First, they don't serve pizza but rather pinsa--more like a puffy flatbread--delicious. Also, their selection of Italian meats and cheeses is exceptional. Salads are also special as are the small vegetable plates marinated and served with olive oil , salt and other spices. Despite its Italian authenticity, they could offer a few CA wines by the glass, but otherwise the food selections and quality is fabulous.

Possibly some of the best dough ever made including a recent trip to Rome! Make a reservation and try it yourself. You will not be disappointed. Perfect location for folks going to the theater (Orpheum).

We were the last two people on the planet to have seen Hamilton at the Orpheum Theater on Valentine's weekend. We wanted a place walking distance from the theater and stumbled upon Montesacro. What a great place. Only 5 minutes walk from the Orpheum. Old school vibe was really interesting. Menu was not extensive but we liked the fixed menu with the wine paring. A bit pricey for what we got but the food was good and the service excellent. Felt like we went back in time a bit. Park in the main parking lot across the street from the Orpheum. Walk down Market street 2 blocks and turn left and left again onto Stevenson. If you turn left only one block you've got to walk down a pretty seedy and unsafe feeling area.

It’s rare to find an authentic Italian restaurant outside Italia. This is one of those. The bursts was to die for. The wine recommendations that Sonia gave us were perfect. The pinsa is a culinary experience not to be missed. This dish melts in your mouth. Fresh ingredients, no gmos and the friendliest staff!!! If you’re in San Francisco, you must visit!!!

2nd visit and really like their selection of small plates and wines, and the pinsa crust is really nice and different from other pizzas. Nice atmosphere too, at least once you get off the street!

We love this place! We go here for lunch before the theater as it's within walking distance. This is not a "pizza place," it's a Pinsaria, which means it's healthier and more flavorful than pizza. Everything is fresh, affordable, and the service is great. I highly recommend!

Value for money. The Best pizza in SFO! The staff is really helpful. A retro place to enjoy w. Family or friends.

We had dinner here just prior to watching the play, "Roman Holiday" at the Golden Gate Theater. We have been to Rome several times and were very pleased to find that Montesacro Pinseria was truly a Roman restaurant, not an Italian restaurant using a Roman name! The asparagus salad (in light olive oil and lemon) was delightful, as were the grilled eggplant and mushrooms! The porcheta was as Roman as it gets! And their pinseria's WOW! light airy and delicious! This is not a restaurant to be missed!

My boss took me to this place for a business lunch when I was in San Fransisco. We tried a variety of foods and pinsas. I wasn't a fan of the super spicy dip they served with the bread. It was so spicy that we couldn't taste the flavors in the dip. Next, we tried the Arance e bietole salad, a delicious blood orange and roasted yellow beets salad with Gorgonzola cheese. Then, we tried a variety of pinsas. My favorites where the Margeritha with Mushrooms and the unique Tor di Quinto with slices of salmon and zucchini. If you love pizzas, and you happen to be in San Fransisco, try the pinsas at Montesacro. It's a different experience!

Odd service. They announced when we came in that they needed the table in 1.5 hours. Then proceeded to take 15 minutes to take our order & another 3/4 hour to get from app. to main which was very good , if lukewarm pinsa. When we mentioned it they did comp us a ricotta with cherries. It was good. It is in an “up & coming” part of the city, still more than a bit of the underbelly of the city on the street outside. To be fair the gentrification of all parts of the city squeezes lots of folks.

We're subscribers to the SF Broadway series for a few years and finding any place to have drinks, lunch or dinner is a problem in the area around the Golden Gate Theater. It's not a very nice or clean area. We tried this place prior to our Sat matinee, looking to have a drink and a bite to eat. We made reservations through open table the same day. The restaurant is in an alley, Stevenson St, but don't let that stop you. They serve beer, wine and espressos, along with wood oven pizzas, a variety of salads, paninis, and cheese and salume plates. We had the lunch special ($15- a pizza, bowl of mixed greens, and an espresso), along with the chef's selection cheese and salume plate($24), a bottle of sparkling water($3) and three beers ($8). Quirky decor, but good and quick service. Clean restroom. Got in and out in 50 minutes. The Margarita pizza was delicious and large enough to share. Cheese and meat plate was a little pricey as were the beers. But we'll be back, as there is very little in the immediate area to Golden Gate. My only complaint is that they immediately opened and poured a bottle of sparking water for our table without asking us. We would have preferred free tap water and I dont like that sneaky approach to sales.

They have a large and well selected wine list. The service is friendly. For dinner, I strongly recommend you to make a reservation. The pinsa was very good. It tastes like Italy.

Loved the food, in particular the pizza and its very fresh and different base. The misto was good too. The wine was ok. Service was fine. Note the area, especially at night, is pretty rough.

We picked this place as being convenient to nearby theater. It is truly off the main street, on this alley that had us wondering where we were, but once inside it is a total gem. The place is relatively small but lively, with a very comfortable atmosphere. The staff is wonderful, friendly and helpful. The main event I came for was pizza from their very official looking oven. They were outstanding! We also did appetizers and salads to share before, and desserts afterwards. The wine selection was outstanding, and all their recommendations were outstanding. My only suggestion would be focus on the main course. The courses really drove the bill up, and in my opinion the appetizers were only ok, as well as the dessert - so stick with salad and pizza. And if you are there with a group, even with their great wine selection, you would be better off bringing a good bottle or two and paying corkage fee.

The real Roman Italian deal in San Francisco. The ingredients are all authentic and the pizza dough is out of this world. You’d be hard pushed to find this high standard of food and service in Italy. Highly recommended and what a refreshing change to find something of this quality in the land of factory restaurant food.

A total surprise find for a pre-theater dinner. Fantastic staff and incredible food in this stylish restaurant tucked away on Stevenson Street. The Pinsas were absolutely incredible. Pistachio breaded dessert is an absolute MUST. The place is unpretentious but delivers with authentic food using fresh local and seasonal ingredients. We loved the food and will definitely be back! Great find!

Although neighborhood and it's location might result you to turn back, please don't. Fabulous easy-going & high-quality restaurant with nice atmosphere. We took pinsas, the flatbread. Really good !

Great Pinsa and rustic vibe - the strawberry gelato with balsamic was delicious. We were tired from a long flight but we had a great meal.

If you live in the Bay Area, you are very spoiled when it comes to food, however, this place is really special, very authentic, the pinsa is to die for and all the rest of the food is very good, great wines and excellent service, letting alone the very stimulating atmosphere, I'm Italian and can say that this place is really Italian....

Looking for a place near the Golden Gate Theater for an after show dining experience. Glad to find these reviews on tripadvisor. We had a wonderful dining experience thanks to our great and attentive waiter Monte who went through all the options on the menu. We ended up ordering the pizza on special, Pisa Pesto/Prosciutto, which was large enough to share and a cucumber and a beet salad along with some great wine. Also had a delicious dessert called a Pinsa Pistahio that was delicious. Was really surprised that I enjoyed everything and the blends of tastes were really special. The atmosphere was a bit noisy as we sat next to the door where many were waiting for a table. The seating farther back seemed a bit more spread out. A very pleasant authentic Italian decor and again super service. The manager also came over to check on us several times and tell us about the restaurant. Only a block from Market St so even though a sketchy area we didn't feel uncomfortable or unsafe. Looking forward to more dinners here in the future.

Rustic venue down a dodgy laneway that provided the best meal we had in San Fran. Best pizza we have had in a long time, great service,wine and deserts. I could not recommend this place more highly.

South of Market Street San Francisco--but not the trendy area around Yerba Buena Center--this thriving enoteca offers refreshingly unusual combinations. Our salad was fresh shaved asparagus stems and arugula lightly dressed with shaved pecorino. Our pizza's crust was unusually light and a bit puffy, with mushrooms sliced thickly enough so they actually tasted like mushrooms. Half the pizza was cover with a thin slice of prosciutto, and the cheese and sauce were used sparingly. Dessert was a pocket of thin dough filled with a sweet pistachio filling. A portion of chocolate mousse had a hint of red pepper to offset the sweet dark chocolate. We enjoyed excellent service from our busy waiter. The decor is best described as recycled chic.

I've been looking for a good pizza around my hotel and I wasmore than glad that I found Montesacro. It's a cozy little place full of joy. The waiter was very attentive and mad a great suggestion to my pizza. The pizza itself was fantastic,I've never had such a good pizza (even in Italy) I loved the place and I do recommend to anyone looking for a pizza in the Financial District

This bustling place is said to be the only one genuine pinseria, serving authentic Roman flatbread in San Francisco, so I was ready to enjoy a piece of Italy only after 45 minutes waiting in a line. The beets with pickled onions were excellent; the small selection of cheese and cured meat was OK. The pinsa with sausage and broccolini brought me back to the Bel Paese for a moment. The dessert of pannacotta was fine. Service was friendly, and the bill came close to 70 USD with only tap water to drink. Overall: molto buona.

It’s pinsa not pizza and it’s really tasty. All the items on the menu aren’t your standard Italian cousin but they are very tasty and unique. The wine selection was good as well and the prices are fair. It’s best to share the food.

Absolutely I recommend this restaurant. Everything that I look for in the perfect place to eat is here. Excellent service over and beyond your expectations. Great food and the perfect wine list. Fun space with a friendly interesting atmosphere. European styled service. Loved it. If you want a great night out with friends, a lover or by yourself... this is it. Thank you for an amazing night.

Pretentious rip off food. The food is all similar and has no topping. Tiny portion. Staff are not friendly. In a urine stain alley. Avoid!!!

I suggest this authentic Italian restaurant for tasting a very good Pinsa. The service is really fast and professional, the location is amazing in order to spend a dinner with some friends. High quality for a Pinsa that I loved as the best had in Rome. Compliments!!!

It did not impressed me. I expected much more after reading other people reviews. Good customer service. Nice ambiance.

It is a beautiful space and good restaurant with ok pizza. The menu is meant to be "special" but is a bit over the top (tried to make every meal sound special). The service is bit posh or arrogant, although the atmosphere was nice. A place to pass a nice evening, but not a must-go

The place is incredible, reminded me of R(h)ome straight away! The decorations, stamps, the lively atmosphere, and of course THE FOOD! Make sure to order the "focaccia der muratore", is unbelievable, taste just like the one in Rome! Definitely recommended!

I feel like I went to another restaurant on another planet when I see the reviews from people about this place. It has a corporate feel and is very average. Absolutely nothing to make them stand out food wise. The pasta dishes tend to be over salted and the portions are small. Of course the dreaded 5% fake surcharges is added to every bill.

Without Tripadviser we would never have discovered this italian perl close to Opherum. Located in a dark street with just a small sign inn the street it was not easy to find. Inside its perfect. Rustic and italian to the bone. Topp and charming service anf excellent food. We tried carpacchio and and a spicy pinsa with mestbals. Not so easy to understand the meny.

This small Italian eatery is nestled in an off-the-beaten-path street but worth searching out. It is rustic in its appearance, but a charming rustic. My only issue was that the seats were not comfortable. But the food made up for it. The staff had great recommendations for food and wine - the sausage and broccolini pins was my favorite... The burrata and hame appetizers were also great. I would definitely return - request a table in the back, better atmosphere.

.... and probably the only one . The only point to gain the excellence , they are not accepting booking in OpenTable without credit card .

This restaurant was highly recommended. The food and service were excellent. The neighborhood, however was horrifying. It is in the middle of the tenderloin district and very very unsafe. As we left to get into our Uber a man was urinating in front of the restaurants open door . As much as we loves the food, we would never return nor would we recommend this to anyone

Just visited yesterday when we heard they were able to serve....what another great experience! I wondered if there were going to set up tables in the alley but they had a great solution. They had an agreement with Dotties next door to use their rooftop area (see picture). We did not know where we were going when we checked in and had to be escorted out of the restaurant and up the stairs to the adjoining space. It was really great, it had warm weather and was sheltered from the wind. They set up new umbrellas and had heat lamps outside. I actually liked sitting outside during this warm time in SF. They still offered the lunch special - salad/Margherita pizza/espresso for $18. We ordered the special and each ordered mushroom upgrade on one and sausage on the other. Both were to die for!! We had a wonderful server - she was great at getting us what we needed. Every time we asked for something she had to literally run next door to the restaurant to get us what we needed. Highly recommend helping them get back to normal - the quality of food has not slipped nor the service!!

We had a terrific meal and the service was wonderful! Excellent wine list as well. The chef’s selection of meats and cheeses are delicious. Highlights were the blue cheese, wild boar sopressata and various cows cheeses. The crust and texture of the pinsas are amazing. We split the grilled vegetables pinsa and a terrific bottle of Nebbiolo wine.

We’ve chose this place because of the good net reviews, we wanted a good pizza. Starters were ok but surprisingly spicy, pinsas garnished with cold stuff like picked up in the fridge a minute before, one of the 2 glasses of white wine - trouble..

My wife and I were looking for a place to eat near our hotel, Montesacro was a short walk so we decided to give it a try. We were not disappointed the food was beautiful and the service was top class, the pizza was the best we’ve ever had.

we enoyed this dinner very much before a play of Bronx Tale at the theater moments away. Very good meal!

Crazy delicious! Their one-size Roman-style pizzas are large enough for two, and while there are a limited amount of curated types of pies, you can totally customize the Margherita... limited but lovely wine selection... charming staff!

The atmosphere is great and the service is genuine and fast. The pinsa dough is truly delicious and there is a good variety of toppings. I recommend it for a nice lunch after a walk on Market street.

Had a really nice dinner here before a show. We made the reservation late and the staff was very accommodating, particularly considering the small size of the restaurant. The atmosphere is wonderful with lots of Italian kitsch and the giant original oven from when the space was a neighborhood bakery. I believe we were told the place was built in 1907, just after the earthquake. The staff and service were also great. We needed to get to a show and they needed to turn the table, so it all worked out great. We started with the roasted cauliflower salad (Cavolfiori) was worth the price of admission. We also tried the Pinsa Roman styled pizza who's crust is made from wheat, soy and rice flours. The crust was pillowy but still crunchy - very interesting and good, but it will not be my go-to favorite crust. We tried the Torpignattara with pesto and mashed potato. Again, interesting but a little bland for my taste. We'll definitely be back, but will try another pizza next time

This is a great small place for a meal with friends. Great atmosphere, decor, and the food is fresh with an innovative menu. I am a pizza lover (seriously, I do order pizza for dessert sometimes), and this place has a unique recipe that is unlike your ordinary pizza. The special dough gives it a nice texture and consistency, and the toppings they offer are quite refreshing. The appetizers and plates (for sharing) are great too). You could never tell by the location in the dark alley that this place is so good, and it has become a popular place fo those who have discovered it.... Make sure to make a reservation or you will be waiting for a long time on most days.

This place has a great atmosphere, great staff, and is close to the Golden Gate theatre. We tried several different 'pizzas'. They had very original, interesting, and very high quality ingredients. Everyone at our table but me thought they were terrific. I found them to be a little bland for my tastes (I prefer blue cheese to burrata). Their cheese and meat appetizer was excellent. For four of us, we split two salads and had 4 pizzas (lots of leftovers to take home). Next time, we'd probably each get a salad and only 2 pizzas.

This spot is off to the side and if you didnt know what you were looking for you may not see it. Good food. Pricey but comparable for The City. The wine selection was good. Definitely authentic food. Fancy but nothing you have to wear a suit for.

High quality roman pinsa, Incredible in San Francisco! Speedy service, nice waiters and owner. Proper price too. I recommend it.

Wonderful Flat bread and great atmosphere, with splendid service. We will be back. Thanks for a great evening

We enjoyed the most delicious pizzas (pinseria) in this very authentic restaurant. If you are expecting the average American pizza - this place is not for you - the pizza, cheese and cold meat selections are outstanding. The pizza dough is light, crispy and toppings are delicious. It was busy but service was good and wait staff were alert and attentive. It is down a small street from 6th avenue and would be easy to miss. Word of mouth and personal recommendation is contributing to the success of this great restaurant!

We tried to go here before a show at the Golden Gate Theatre on a Saturday night but without reservations the wait was too long. So next time we went to a show again at the Golden Gate we made a reservation this time. The menu can be very overwhelming because the names of the dishes are Italian with minimal description. We just asked the waiter what he recommended and we went with his recommendations. Unfortunately we couldn't remember the names but we had a pizza, the calzone, and an appetizer. By far our favorites were the pizzas whether calzone or conventional pizza because of the crust being so light and crispy, it was to die for. For dessert we ordered an assortment of dishes but again, the favorite was the pizza (sorry forgot what it was exactly but just remember it being delicious). Not cheap for pizza but what a special treat!

All the ingredients are imported from Italy. Definitely authentic taste. I travel to Italy every year and I can certify that this is like being in Italy what more can I say!

You need to visit this place and bring an appetite as you won't want to stop. Everything was delicious and the waiters were a lot of fun and very helpful in recommending dishes.

To start out, I have to admit that my companions at lunch strongly disagree with me. They loved, loved, loved the place. For me, the decor was entertaining but the food was nothing special. I got the highly-praised MARANELLA pinsa (kind of a flat bread pizza with mozzarella and pork sausage) but didn't want to finish it. Oddly enough, I thought the Margherita pinsa was very good. The carpaccio was just fine as were the salads but I found this nothing out of the ordinary. The seating is wide open. When we visited, the people at the table next to us were screamers. We were so happy when they left. This isn't the restaurant's fault but just be aware that you may not have a quiet meal here. And because it's a small place, moving to another table probably won't help.

Okay you need to probably ride direct to the restaurant front door and avoid sixth street at night to make this a pleasant night out. The food is amazing and the pizza dough is unique. Otherwise known as the pinsas. The ambience inside is quaint with real vintage items. The floor is original to the old store. Everything is polished but truly old. The place was packed but they still accommodated us. The desserts at the end are absolutely worth stuffing yourself further.

I now have new go-to place for some delicious bites in San Francisco's South of Market's Theatre District. Montesacro Pinseria-Enoteca is the place to get great charcuteries and salads but their biggest claim to fame is their unique flatbread pizzas which are so fabulous and tasty that each of them comes with their own rolling pizza cutter! Montesacro is named after a small working class neighborhood in Rome, while the restaurant itself takes its inspiration from the classic "fraschette" or Italian deli so to speak and they offer these delightful "pinsa" which is a modern take on the ancient flatbread that used to be served by peasants of the Roman Empire. The pizza here at Montescaro with its numerous toppings and rice based and therefore gluten free flatbreads made for a meal of divinity. But let's begin a the beginning, so to speak, my friend managed to get great theatre tickets at the nearby Orpheum Theatre, which is literally only a five minute walk away. This restaurant is very hard to find, it's on Stevenson Street, which itself is an alleyway and it's not in the safest area in the town. There's no real big sign announcing the place, just a small sandwich board with an arrow pointing to the entrance. Our four-top table was not in the most ideal location of the restaurant, as we were sat right behind the hostess desk smack dab in the middle of the restaurant. The busier it got at Montesacro ,the louder it got, not to mention the warmer it got. I'm not sure what this restaurant used to be in a previous life, but I can imagine it being some sort of meat or fish market back in the old meatpacking district days, but now that it's firmly ensconced as a restaurant they've still managed to keep that old world ambiance with a number of antiques serving as accoutrements. Even though we arrived as Happy Hour was just about to end, our server honored their wine deal which was a Schiavo Red Wine for 7 dollars. We ordered four glasses of that and it went down very smoothly and paired perfectly with all of our bites. When my friend wanted a second glass after 6, they made sure to charge her the regular price, so they know what they're doing even as they are slammed with customers. For my starter, I went with the Sott'oli which was a choice of house-marinated vegetables for five dollars each. Out of six choices they had on their menu, I asked our server what were the most popular, she said the mushrooms, zucchine and eggplant, so I went with those options. I loved the roasted eggplants and the armillaria style mushrooms. They were all seasoned well and nicely marinated and there was so much food on that one dish, we easily could have split it between us all. My friend went with one of the insalatas, the crudo di aspargi which featured thinly shaved raw asparagus, wild arugula, English peas, parmigiano reggiano drizzled with lemon dressing, I thought it was a solid, if slightly over-peppered salad. Then it was time to pick out our pizzas, again I went with the recommendation of our server, as she said one of the most popular was the Pietralata which featured grated pecorino/ parmigiano, mozzarella, guanciale, a hard boiled organic egg mashed up, and cracked black pepper. I loved how creamy each bite was with all of the cheese on the flatbread, which had a nicely charged crust topped with plenty of those pizza bubbles we all love. The guanciale, which is basically cured Italian pork, provided a tasty bite with each piece of pizza I cut with my pizza slicer. My dining mates had hits and misses with their choices as the Centocelle was another crowd-pleaser filled with plenty of ingredients including mozzarella, tomato, artichokes, mushrooms, olives, a hard boiled egg cut in half and plenty of prosciutto di parma. The pizza was artwork on a dish as all of the ingredients were laid out perfectly on the flatbread. One pizza that missed the mark with our table was the Torpignattara with its olive oil crushed potatoes, string beans, homemade pesto and toasted pine nuts. This vegetarian option looked good on paper and looked even better on the place but once we all tried a bite we all noticed one thing, the potatoes as it was prepared on that flatbread overpowered every bite and shrouded the other ingredients. Since it was basically a mashed potato spread on the flatbread, it seemed to make every bite soggy. But one miss of dinner didn't damper our evening, in fact once we got the bill, our total literally came out to fifty dollars a person including tip and the typical San Francisco health care surcharge, which in this day in age is not a bad deal. I'm so glad I have a new go-to place to eat before I see any show at the Orpheum or Golden Gate Theatres. You'll need reservations as it can get really packed at Montesacro Pinseria-Enoteca during dinner time. A good down home place for uniquely traditional pizza pies from Italy can't be a secret for that much longer!

Do we were looking for a more formal Italian in San Francisco, and this place cropped up. What a great. The menu is quite small, but the food is splendid. Feast on the artisan cheeses, relish the pinsa's (who knew vgedtnut honey would be the ideal Linda topping), and get thoroughly immersed in the carefully curated wine list. Go on, you'll thank us for it.

Found this place and glad we did. Pinsa I’d never heard of, but diagnosis: delicious! Felt like being in Italy, with and extensive wine list, and take away food products and items too. Came by for a Panini at lunch during Intersolar after having a really good dinner there a few nights before.

We stopped in here after a long day of traveling. For starters got some cheese along with capicolla and some other cured pork that I can't remember but it was amazing. The pinsa was amazing. HIGHLY RECOMEND THIS PLACE. Staff was so accomodating and friendly

They didn't have draft beer. The dough was great but the sauce of the pizza was tasteless. The place was so noisy they we couldn't talk and only wanted to leave.

This is a quirky,out-of-the-way spot with great Italian food. Ask Sonia to help with choices from the extensive non-California wine list. We had burrata with sardines and pesto. The sardines didn’t seem happy to be with the buratta but were content on their own. The pesto was a great addition. The pizza with buratta (again,yes, sorry) broccoli and sausage was delicious. I wish they could find a way to use the fine wood-fired ovens they uncovered during the remodel.

Best pizza ever! Also the vegan version was delicious! Cosy place, good service and delicious pizza with good friends, what more can you wish for. When in SF, you must visit this place. ;)

While the food remains high quality and the ambiance still authentically Italian, the serving persons last Thursday evening were purposefully and significantly upselling the wine list. I will take full responsibility for not paying closer attention as the one picking up the tab, but was out of the loop when the server “suggested” a bottle as the second of the night. This one ended up costing $60 (the first $39). Totally bogus and extravagant. After all is said and done, it’s still a pizza place for god’s sake. State attenta people. It’s a corporate jungle out there.

Had the opportunity to eat here with a som who has spent time in Italy and Rome, specifically. We started off with a fava bean salad followed by a meats and cheese selection but the star is the pinsa. The dough has been previously explained. I’ll just say it is so light, yet crisp with a nice chew to it. The Garbatella is made with tuna belly and is so fantastic. The other pinsas we ordered were delicious, as well. Our host was satisfied with the nice selection of wines. She also told us that this is as authentic as it gets and was as good or better than the penerias where she ate in Rome. Our server, Monty, was very attentive and knowledgeable about the wines, the menu and the story behind the ‘penseria’. As others have also said, the area is a bit sketchy but the trip to Montesacro is so worth it.

Went there with my family to get a break from US cuisine. We are from Rome and just loved the pinsa! Should it be in Rome, I'd go there regularly! Nice staff, just lovely place!

Restaurant with nice typical vintage Italian (or Italo-American) style. It prepares a fantastic pinsa (namely the Roman pizza, made of different mix of flours than the classic pizza). I have tasted one with porcini mushrooms and mozzarella. The level of ingredients and cooking is the highest even if compared with pinserie situated in Rome (I live here). Simply excellent.

The food was very delicious. The cheese and pizza dough were amazing. Simple, but awesome. The waiter was so great. Highly recommended!

I booked a table and it was not available at time of reservation. We were accommodated outside even though it getting cold, but I must admit that I did not specify my preference for a table indoor at time of reservation. The food was average, maybe excellent for and American who has not eaten Italian food before but the service was really disappointing. I had to ask the waiter (maybe owner-related?) questions rather than being asked for what I wanted to eat, just like if he was doing me a favor. When I asked if they could switch on the heater, that were all on at other tables, this was kept at minimum power and we had to hurry to leave the place before catching a cold. In the future I will definitely opt for a place where a customer who brings money feels welcome!

Pinsas are just like pizzas. However, pinsas are made with a blend of flours while pizzas are made with wheat flour. The pinsas are leavened for a long time and some claim that their crust is lighter and airier. Despite the technicalities, the Pinsas in Montesacro are awesome. Montesacro's large variety of cold cuts is impressive and worth a try. The marinated vegetables are good.

Very authentic Italian pizza in a great ambiance. Slim, tasty, crunchy, perfect with a glass of red wine and sparkling mineral water. Friendly Italian waiters from Sardinia. Book or go early. Scary neighborhood though...

We had no idea what to expect when we walked into the place, but it was not your normal Italian menu. The place was small, noisy, and crowded, and when we were seated, we were surprised that menu had basically 4 sections to choose from - "pinza" a type of focaccio pizza, "Cold plates" and "panini, and a whole section of chesses and salamis. The decor is charming - we sat at a table with an old fashioned sewing machine base. We decided to have the cold marintated vegetalbes, and they were delicious. We had a "pinza" which was also very unusual and delicious. Rustic country fare!

Truly excellent Pinsas. They are like pizza, but not really. Wonderful crust. Fabulous ingredients. Great service. Excellent wine list with many obscure Italian varieties. Ask for help. Relatively inexpensive. Two of us had our own Pinsas, shared a bottle of wine and shared a dessert and out bill with tip was under $100. The decor is very hard to describe. Old bits of machinery and pictures. It felt like a North Beach restaurant from my childhood except the food wasn't Italian dreck. This was wonderful food.

What an amazing place....we are in town for the week and discovered this delight. Authentic Roman cuisine and cheerful hospitality....what more could you ask for? With COVID, they are accessing a lovely rooftop for outdoor seating. You must do the Burrata and those Pinsas are to die for....take me back to Italy. Please support our Local businesses.

Vintage Italian feel with interesting decor, warm and authentic, they served Roman inspired pizzas called PINSA, which is supposed to be lighter and oval shape. Enjoyed MARANELLA, spicy sausages, burrata cheese and brocollini. Sausages were tasty and the combi was great. Crust is so aromatic crispy. Take note Panini sandwich is only available from Mon-Sat. Must eat when you are in San Francisco. Forget the New York pizza, this is the one that is satisfying !

This a great find. Everything was fresh and exceptional. The flat bread had the lightest crust. Very good wine list. Good for theater before shows at the Golden Gate

We were looking for restaurants within walking distance of our hotel, the Intercontinental on Howard. We had walked to Yank Sing in the afternoon for lunch. We decided to walk to Montesacro Pinseria Enoteca. This is a narrow brick restaurant that was pretty busy when we got there about 7 p.m. We did get a small table in the back of the restaurant. Our waiter explained the Pinsa is the original pizza and probably where the word pizza came from. Their crust is made from a combination of rice, soy and wheat flour. We ordered the Margherita pinsa. The crust is extraordinary. The pinsa was delicious. We also shared a beautiful salad. The menu is limited to pinsa, chartcuterie boards and salads. They have several wines. This is a very popular restaurant that is really off the beaten path. We really enjoyed it. They have a meat/cheese case in the back so you may be able to buy them for take out. On another note our walk from the hotel to the restaurant along 6th St. was a little uncomfortable with a lot of transients on the street in large groups. No one behaved threateningly but it was uncomfortable since we are strangers to the city. We change our route slightly on the return taking 5th St. which had somewhat less loitering about. Our cab driver the next day told us we border the Tenderloin district.

What a gem! Tucked away in a brightly lit alley off 6th between Mission and Market, near the Golden Gate Theater, Montesacro will not disappoint! We enjoyed the wine (nice selection), beer (Pilsner was excellent), salads (arugula in particular), and multiple unique pinseras (especially, and surprisingly, enjoyed the one with tuna on top - can't remember the name). The staff was efficient, helpful and very friendly. Overall, our experience was A+, and we will return, especially when attending a performance at the Golden Gate Theater. Well done Montesacro team!

Hidden gem not to missed. Although the neighborhood is a bit dicey, it is worth the effort to visit Montesacro Pinseria. This little Roman style cozy restaurant offers pinza, a Roman style pizza that is both delicious and delightful. The crust tastes freshly homemade and is slightly chewy but has a fine consistent texture. I tried the Maranella which has mozzarella, broccollini, and spice sausage. I paired that with the Porchetta Panini which comes with an arugula salad. The Maranella had the right balance of soft and chewy, spicy and sweet. The Porchetta Panini was sweeter than I expected but complemented well with the slightly bitter arugula. This was a well balanced set of flavors. The staff were charming and courteous. The cozy atmosphere was warm and inviting. The table setting was almost oddly elegant in the very rustic decor. All in all, I highly recommend Montesacro Pinseria for fine food in a cozy casual setting!

We are frequent visitors to SF for theater and we are always on the lookout for restaurants within easy walking distance. Although the ambience is nothing special, both the food and service were very good. We made a reservation and were seated promptly. The food was fresh, tasty, and arrived in a timely manner. Even though the place was very crowded, our server was attentive. I am a vegetarian and there were menu items that worked fine for me. My husband is an omnivore and he loved his meal. We will definitely be back again.

You are transported at this little interesting italian restaurante and gourmet pizza place. Worth it. Great wines too. Do not miss it, near soma.

We arrived there via Uber, and the streets didn't look great. The alley was nicely lit up with strings of lights though, so we went in. The inside of the restaurant is cozy. Some high tables and some regular height tables. There are pictures of old Rome around on the walls, with some stories about their history. And in the back there are old bread baking ovens, that we were told were discovered behind a wall when they renovated the space. Those ovens aren't in use, by they are an interesting bit of SF history. The menu has a number of interesting combinations of items on medium personal pizzas. There's no pasta. There are some nice choices for appetizers, and for desserts. I thought the food was tasty and unusual. We had the beet salad, which was tasty and crunchy. I don't recall the name of the pizza, but it was a flavorful combination of vegetables with a hint of balsamic vinegar. One was enough to share after the salad. The desserts were't very sweet, which was a nice change. They had subtle tastes, like a pear poached in wine with whipped cream on the side. We didn't try the wine. Prices were pretty typical for what I see as a visitor in San Francisco. Our server was from Sardinia and a very welcoming, knowledgeable guy. He really added to the feeling that we were in a nice little restaurant in Italy. The hours posted here indicated that it is closed on Sundays, but we were there on a Sunday night. They had just started opening on Sundays, so I submitted an update.

Wanted to eat something really great so stopped off at Montesacro for lunch around 1pm. Not too crowded but I ate at the bar with no one there. Rustic feel, authentic looking pizza ovens and really fresh ingredients. I had a porchetta sandwich on their pinsa bread which I was told more water so not so heavy as pizza dough! Great. I had a salad with my sandwich which also had grilled brocollini and a delicious mustard sauce on warm bread just yummy! Had a glass of crisp white wine and an espresso. Heaven . Espresso served with whipped cream Roman style. This restaurant serves your choice of several different pizzas, salads and sandwiches. Not fancy but is a fun place with serious food. Can't wait to go back.

Charming decor and service. The five of us shared Delicious Italian small plates, wonderful cheeses and very good Pinsa. We will definitely return. Good place for vegetarians too. The desert pinsa with pistachio was amazing.

On our first night in San Francisco , and genuinely tired of U.S. food, we opted for this Pinseria near our hotel in the Union Square area.Very nice typically Italian and sincerely Pinsa excellent level really good, friendly staff and up to the task.On the walls of the room there are the dedications of several famous people , Italians and not we were under the dedication of Carmen Consoli.Definitely recommended for those who want to "escape" from American food

Booked Montesacro based on the reviews, but as we approached this little hole in the wall, we were not sure what to expect. Inside, it's a little piece of Italy. While we only sampled four things, I imagine the rest of the menu will not disappoint regardless of what you order. We are vegetarians so we minused out the meats on these: We had the Margherita and the Centocelle Pinsas. A pinsa is essentially a pizza, made on excellent dough. We also had the Insalata di Cavolfiori and the Burrata e Acciughe for appetizers (this was too much for two people; we took home a box for later). All were excellent, and the service was top notch!

This is the second time we have eaten here. The food is simple and good. The individual pizza is huge so we would suggest sharing one and getting a salad or other appetizers to go with it. The wait staff is friendly, efficient and helpful with suggestions. Be sure and make reservations if you want to eat before a show. The only drawback to this place is it's location. I had to step over three piles of human poop to get to it. The whole street smells of urine, and is lined with homeless people. It is directly across the street from the theatre which is great, but you should definitely watch where you step for sure. The chairs in the restaurant are not comfortable at all, but I guess they are there because they are cute. I would get new chairs if it were my restaurant. We love the ham and burrata appetizer! It is seriously the best ham! I am certain we will be back!

Amazing food - absolutely delicious. Lovely decor, and the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. Price isn't too bad either for such a highly rated restaurant!

Went to a talk at SF Camerawork (also near Orpheum, Asian Art Museum, Warfield, GoldenGate Theatre and ACT) and wanted a place right nearby. A web search came up with this place, less than 300' from SF Camerawork. Perfect. After scooting past 30+ folks in really bad shape on 6th St. we turned onto Stevenson and into this charming place. Their 'Pinsa's", a Roman flatbread equivalent of a pizza, served with pizza cutters to divide as we saw fit, were delicious. Of the three we shared among five of us (a lot of food!) the Centocelle was our favorite. And the salad was really just excellent. We had two of the Carpaccio - Bresaola, Arugula, straw Mushrooms, Parmigiano, Lemon. Yum! The wine, offered by a half bottle, was good and $2 went to a relief efforts supporting Italian earthquake victims. We didn't try the desserts. The space is nice - old 100+ year old coal oven exposed during a renovation and sufficient space between the tables. Service was friendly, although a tiny bit slow but that was fine. We have always struggled to find a place to go in this area and now we have found it. We will be back when we see a show at SHN Orpheum this spring. The toughest thing is the neighborhood, which can be a bit off-putting but we didn't have any issues. For $44/person at the end (that included a generous tip) and a lot of food and wine, we were more than satisfied. Very happy indeed.

First day in SF and wanted something close to hotel to walk to/from. Montesacro was a perfect find! We shared the arugula salad with Parmesan and a Pinsa with mushrooms, mozzarella and lardo. Everything was fresh, delicious and served with a smile. We shared the Torta for dessert and it was perfect as well. Wonderful, extensive wine list! I did not see where anyone had posted the dessert menu, so here it is...

Popped in for lunch before a show at the Orpheum and it stole the show! Really nice glass of red wine (chose the most expensive red on the menu which was only like $16); simple but fresh salad, a bit of charcuterie (1 salume and 1 cheese) then shared a pizza. Plenty for two. Dessert was so-so. Will definitely come back.

I was reviewing the SF Chronicle's new top 100 restaurants for 2019 and found this place so we thought we would give it a try for lunch while shopping in San Francisco on a Saturday afternoon. Well, the place is located in a sketchy area and we walked past a number of homeless people sleeping on the sidewalk. Once you pass them, there is this small restaurant that looks like you stepped into a bit of Europe. We made a reservation at 2pm but decided to go for lunch early at 11:45am and the place only had a couple of tables occupied. They were exceptionally gracious and the servers were very attentive - made sure we were well taken care of. We ordered a bottle of wine while we decided on what we were going to order. My husband ordered the special which was a Margherita Pinsa with a side salad and espresso $18. I couldn't make up my mind so we just got the starter salad which was amazingly fresh with this light dressing. I decided to also get the lunch special only I asked for some spicy sausage on my pizza - $23 for my special. He brought the second salad pretty immediately. When the pinsas came, they were amazingly delicious - the crust was light and had the right amount of chew. The toppings were just right and the sausage on my pinsa was so yummy and had a nice spicy kick to it. We are big fans of thin crust pizzas and this was a nice change. We took half of each pizza home and enjoyed them for breakfast the next day. We are definately returning to try other items on the menu but you cannot beat the lunch special!

Place is very nice, and very Italian style . Service is absolutely top , nice italian guys big smiles but also precise and accurate. I have been couple for time, business meeting and family , perfect for both . Thanks

My husband and I got here and found our online reservation had not been input so we elected to sit at the bar which was better than the noisy, crowded tables. We shared a great Rapette salad--beets, greens, goat cheese and pistachios. However, when first served, it lacked beets and pistachios! The bartender had the problem corrected. We also shared a nice Pignetto pinsa--flatbread with mozzarella, tomato sauce, anchovies and oregano. Our half bottle of Verminto wine was a tad sharpe. The bartender was friendly and attentive. Enjoyable place with funky decor that is obviously very popular.

We wanted a dinner spot close to the Golden Gate Theatre. After reading the TA reviews, we chose Montesacro. There were no reservations available at the time we wanted to eat, but we were told that seats at the bar were on a first come, first served basis. We made sure to get there plenty early and found seats available. Our waitress was Sonja. She was great at explaining things on the menu and telling us of her tiny hometown in Northern Italy, all the while taking care of all her customers. We shared Crudo di Zucchini as an appetizer. It was so good we should have ordered two of them. We shared a Margherita and a Tor di Quinto pinsa, both really nice. The thin crust was excellent and the toppings delicious. We tried a Porter and a Lager beer. My favorite was the Lager. Sonja recommended we save room for dessert, so we had the Pannacotta. She was right. It was a great finish to the meal. It was reasonably priced for San Francisco. We made it to the theatre ahead of time, but be aware it is not a very pleasant part of town to walk through. I wouldn't go there alone, but in any event, watch your step.

Nice Italian pizza place with good pizza and great atmosphere. This is not a very large restaurant, so I recommend booking a table to avoid waiting for a table.

Although Montesacro is off the usual path, it is worth the effort to find. It’s eclectic decor and congenial staff make for a delightful experience. We arrived early and had no wait, but it can be packed at times. We enjoyed the Cotto e bufala starter with fine ham and top quality bufala mozzarella. Pinsa is cousin to pizza but even better! That bread/crust is divine. Ours was the Casal bertone, which was delicious. We shared one, but next time I think try two and share. It was full of flavor and perfectly cooked. Montesacro will give you a flavorful trip to Italy at a reasonable price.

The pizza « pinsa » is fabulous, included the sweet one for the desert. The atmosphere is vey special and authentic. Do not hesitate!!

I've eaten here twice now with two different groups of friends. On both visits we had attentive, friendly and helpful wait staff serving us. This is a good place to order a few appetizers and a few pizzas to share! The burrata is to die for delicious! Great wine list and the servers are happy to make suggestion.

We received a recommendation to check out Montesacro while visiting San Francisco and it was one of the best dining experiences I've had in ages. The patio was cozy and chill, the service was on point and the pizza was out of this world!

Pre-theater dinner. the place got jammed - make a reservation. A charming old building with lots of old knick-knacks. Service is very friendly and professional. Beautiful cheese counter and lots of house-made charcuterie, which looked amazing and nearby diners raved about. The shaved zucchini salad was delicious, but a tiny portion. The pinseras are large, might be too big for one person as we didn't finish both of ours. I had the evening special, which had cheese and artichokes and calabrian peppers, which were fiery. My daughter had the Casal Bertone pinsera and it was our favorite. Ample wine list and small dessert menu - we enjoyed the espresso sorbet. Can't wait to return!

The decor and the food are truly exceptional. Someone was meticulous in selecting and placing the interior design. There is nothing negative I can say about the food. Tasty and beautifully presented. Highly recommend!

Don’t hesitate, just go. Charming off the main drag gold mine of deliciousness. We parked nearby and went to lunch before going to the theatre. Waiter suggested the perfect wine for our pizzas which were so fresh and delicious. Desert was spiced chocolate mousse which finished an outstanding lunch. Unfortunately, we couldn’t take the leftovers because we were going to the theatre.

Yes this place has a nice rustic feel but our eyes burned from the oven smoke and it’s in the roughest part of town. Still, somehow people are charged as though they’re in a far nicer neighborhood, and they added gratuity for our two person meal with no explanation. For two individual pizzas, one very small salad and one Italian soda our bill was $68. OUCH. The food was average, I don’t think you need to travel to the Tenderloin for this place.

Excellent Food and atmosphere. The pinsa is delicious. The ambiance of the restaurant is unique. Staff are friendly and super efficient. The wine even at the lower cost end was excellent.

After reading reviews on TA, we decided to try Montesacro. We got there at 5 pm, right when it opened and by the time we left, it was packed. Nice interior design and good food. Highly recommend!

very nice ambiance and nice decorated. delicous italian food, pizza’s are super. cheese is also super. nice wines. staff is very friendly.

When I read Soleil Ho's reviews of Bargain Bites in San Francisco, I decided to try one after a visit to my doctor and targeted Montesacro Pinseria. It is not disappoint. In her review Ms Ho indicated that the wait at lunchtime was minimal and she was right. This is a hidden gem, just off the heavily beaten tourist paths. As I walked down Powell Street and passed the huge queue for the Powell Street Cable Car, I wondered if I would be able to get into Montesacro without a wait. The cable car line snaked around and extended far down the street. Montesacro is one long block up from the Powell Street BART station and on a "alley" called "Stevenson Street just of Sixth Street. In just a couple of blocks the streets go from packed to empty - see my photo. I walked up a little after noon and was surprised that there were so few people inside. Within just a few minutes of ordering, I had my fresh hot Porchette Panini with a mound of perfectly dressed greens. When I started eating, I thought about saving some to bring back for my husband to taste it. However, as I ate, I decided that the hour plus on BART to get to Dublin, would cause it to degrade, so I might as well finish it myself. It was that good. The same dough is used for the paninis and the pizzas. My hands got greasy eating the panini, but for someone like myself, who minimizes how much fat I eat, it did not trigger my normal impulse to stop. It was that good. So if you are around Powell and Market near lunch time and wondering where you can get a good meal without wasting your afternoon standing in line, try Montesacro. Walk down Market Street cross Sixth Street and go one very short block to Stevenson. Go down Stevenson - you can't miss it.

Wernt here for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed it. Split the beet salad with creamy gorgonzola & pistaccios--it was terrific. Love the different flavor profiles of the pinsas ( lighter than pizza ) and this time tried the tuna belly. Delicious mayo/caper and a beautiful presentation. Both of us had a glass if Italian white wine recommended by our waiter & it was perfect! Highly recommend and perfect for pre or post theater as right near Golden Gate Theater & Orpheum near, too.

Really Italian restaurant. Tasty. My pinsa was a little bit tasteless. The pinsas in Rome were slightly better- really heavenly.

Exceptionally poor experience. Waited an hour for no food to be delivered, apparently a result of a server screwing up our order. 'Manager' then offered an appetizer to apologize, which I didn't want, so refused. This angered her and she then proceeded to sling abuse simply because I'd 'refused to accept her apology'. Disgraceful turn of events for simply asking to be served in a reasonable time. I have no idea how the food is, but this one staff member was an embarrassment. If the owner is reading this, she should be fired.

Came here for lunch with coworkers during lunchtime on Friday. The place was full. Definitely make reservation if you want to come during lunch time. The restaurant has a lunch menu with panini served on the pinsa buns. It was my first time trying the pinsa bread. It was fresh, warm and surprisingly light. I really enjoyed it. For the lunch menu, the price is reasonable too. I will definitely go back and try other dishes for dinner. But the restaurant is located in mid-Market area. Just have to ignore the homeless people around the area. Just one of the issues in SF.

Really excellent. Nice interior, perfect staff and absolutely great food. I recommend this restaurant. It is amazing Italian food in San Francisco.

We read some great reviews of this place and thought we'd try it out too. The pizza was outstanding as were our salads. Nice wine list and helpful waitstaff. Can't wait to go back!

We loved the food, a fabulous salad, unique pizza and excellent wine. The place Is funky and fun with a wild ambiance. The service was outstanding. We would return often if we lived nearby.

During our last visit to the city, we did not have a positive dining experience at a close by Italian restaurant. So, this time we decided to dine here. We chose it because we love Italian AND wanted to be close to the Golden Gate Theater for a play afterwards. We weren't disappointed like the last time. We made reservations in advance, of course, and noted some negative comments about service there, yet positive comments on the food. So, we were somewhat apprehensive about what would happen to us. As it turned out, we received excellent and seamless service from our server (Nick). With regard to the ambience, it's small and loud. That's ok, because we expected that. Actually, we were seated at a table for two next to the window so the noise wasn't as bad from the diners. By the way, the restaurant location is not in the greatest of neighborhoods. Yet, it is safe if you stay on point and not wander around. Like we said, it's really only one block from the Golden Gate Theater. If you're a local, than you know what we mean. If you are a visitor, just be aware of your surroundings and be alert. Oh...that window view gave us a picture of the neighborhood: a homeless person relieving himself across the street. Oh well. Back to dining: Our server Nick was really on it and was very knowledgeable of both the wine list and menu items. He made a great recommendation for wine by the glass (Sagrantino from Umbria), and also our final dinner selections. My wife ordered the crudo di asparagi (see photo) and the Torpignattara pinsa (see photo). I ordered a pinsa as well (Maranella - see photo), and the Cazzimperio (crudites - photo). Finally, we shared a dessert, a delicious lavender cake (slices). If you are not really hungry and are going elsewhere afterwards (theater, etc.), you may want to share a pizza (pinsa) for two. They are big enough for two, but not huge. We would return and overall a big improvement over our last SF restaurant down the road on Stevenson Street. As it turns out, the owner of Montesacro is also the GM for that "other restaurant".

Fantastic Italian restaurant with amazing food, good wines and terrific and friendly service. We liked it so much we went two nights in a row.

This was our second visit to the restaurant and we were impressed by the salad and the TAGLIERE MISTO - Chef’s Selection of 3 Cured Meats and 3 Cheeses. We were underwhelmed by the CORVIALE Pinsa , it was OK but not great. The neighborhood is horrible, we walked by people shooting up in the street and multiple homeless people, so it might be a better place to go for lunch. (Clearly the neighborhood didn't keep us from going back again.)

Montesacro Pinseria is a pizzeria located in the famous SoMa neighborhood of San Francisco. It serves Roman pinse, which are made with a blend of wheat, rice and soy flour. The pinse are cooked in a wood-fired oven and flavored with fresh ingredients. This restaurant has a chic industrial style and an extensive wine list. It is a popular place for both locals and tourists. The service is excellent and we met Matteo, who was able to give us the best advice and we truly made an exceptional discovery. Highly recommended.

Cozy restaurant in unfortunately a less part of the district. The restaurant is located in the tenderloin district which is not very nice. Lots of homeless and drug users. However, the restaurant is fine. Staff are friendly and helpful. What I thought was a little crazy is that I had to pay $8 for water. Otherwise, good food.

Cute place but located in an area that nn Recommendation, pinsa good but very expensive. Distant waitstaff, we wanted to have a chat instead nothing.

Had a delicious dinner here. Food is all very fresh. Friendly service made sure we didn't run out of water, which I always appreciate. This is a smallish venue, so I do recommend reservations because it fills up fast. Pinsa is similar to pizza or flatbread; the crust they make here is incredible. We had the Trullo, which is a bit like having a gyro pizza, and it was amazing. The lamb had a nice spice to it, and the house tzatziki was some of the best I've ever had. Also really enjoyed the chocolate mousse for dessert.

Just one block off of market and quite convenient for the golden gate theater. Attentive service and shared meat and cheese plate was a good starter. Salads were good but small. In contrast, flat bread pizzas were large and four of us could have shared two (rather than three).

We had a lovely meal here with good service and atmosphere. The pinsas were spot on and the atmosphere was buzzing. Service was good, if not a little too quick, we were in and out within an hour.

The pinsas are delicious, you can tell that the ingredients are very high quality. The service is very attentive and extremely nice. The restaurant has a cozy but trendy atmosphere. Would definitely recommend!

My wife and I recently found this wonderful little place while looking for a spot to have a meal before the theater. Using Google, we spotted Montesacro Pinseria and it sounded interesting, and it was very near to the theater, so we decided to give it a try. We investigated reservations, only to find that the best available time was at 4:45. We decided to go for it, despite the early time, and we were glad we did. This is a small place (seats about 50), located on in an alley in a semi-sketchy San Francisco neighborhood. We navigated our way through a short stretch of Sixth Street, and around a couple of panhandlers outside the restaurant (this is no big deal) and once inside, immediately loved the atmosphere and decor. Cozy, kindy funky, good music -- a very European vibe. We were greeted and seated quickly, and set about looking over the menu. The central menu item is pinza -- kind of between a pizza and a "flatbread"...a light crust (perfectly cooked...a little char in spots, crispy on the surface, chewy inside, just fantastic), sauce made from fresh tomatoes (none of that horrid stuff from a can), fantastic cheeses and other "toppings". The restaurant also has a deli business, selling artisan cheeses and salumis, and these are offered as pinza toppings. All wonderful! I also started with a beet salad, and this would be my only criticism -- not nearly enough beets for my taste. But the flavors were excellent. My wife had a crustini thing with a fresh burrata cheese and anchovies, which she really enjoyed. Our pinza was a pretty basic choice, as I like to keep things simple when I try a place for the first time. It was sauce, mozzarella and a spicy salumi, and it was fantastic. Really good! Montesacro has a nice wine list, a decent (though not large) selection of Italian beers. We aren't dessert people, but the menu looked very interesting. I would highly recommend this place, and also making reservations if you're going for dinner. The hostess told us that dinner is usually busy, and on theater nights (most nights) they are turning away people (which we saw happen repeatedly).

We were greeted promptly and assigned a table. They were very accommodating when we asked for a change of table. Service was very good and our waitress, Sonya, was a lot of fun. We had the Chef’s selection of meat cuts and cheese and really enjoyed that. It was served with honey which was a first time for us and it was an excellent garnish. This restaurant is known for their pizzas and they did not disappoint. We had the Budino and the pannacotta for dessert and these were also excellent. They have a very nice wine list and we had a Rhone wine that was quite enjoyable. When you turn the corner of where the restaurant is located, it may not look like there is one on that street, but it is, so walk a few steps from the corner. Ambiance is Old World Italy. Not very noisy so you can have a nice conversation.

I have been here several times now and M always amazed at how it feels like I am traveling. The menu is limited - primarily pizza but it is truly wonderful. Service is authentic and professional, wines are great, appetizers are super and it is one of the few places I eat dessert. Neighborhood is on the edge of dicey - be aware. I will be back!

Thoroughly enjoyed our visit here - laid-back with a local, neighbourhood kind of feel. Not a 'must-do' but if you want a change from more formal dining and just enjoy a relaxed evening of casual eats, this is a great spot. The food was lovely - designed to be shared and eaten tapas style. Porchetta was absolutely divine. Decent wine list with an unsurprising focus on Italian wines. Interestingly though an easy walk from Union Square it is certainly a more marginal neighbourhood. I probably wouldn't have felt comfortable walking there had I been on my own, but as a couple we had no problems and at no stage were we hassled.

The real Roman caliper in San Francisco. The choice of beers and starters are also excellent. Cozy place and very friendly staff.

Was the only customer in the place and still had to go to ask for the bill to the counter after 15 minutes of waiting. The meal was OK, not something extraordinary.