Sausage Factory Reviews

The Sausage Factory food quality is sometimes mediocre; sometimes a little better than that. If you are in a rush and in the Castro, they are OK, but there are so many better restaurants in San Francisco.

If you're not in yet, you still have a chance to turn around. To be fair, I loved the old style atmosphere of the place, and the staff is extremely nice and funny. Everything was actually nice... but the food. We just had beers though so I can't comment on the wine. The cook has clearly never bee to Italy nor even to Little Italy. The Spaghetti Carbonara looked like nothing I ever tasted, and the Saltimbocca were.... I don't even know how they dare calling that Saltimbocca (which should mean it's so good it "jumps in your mouth"). If we could, we would just have jumped out of the place!

Stopped in the sausage factory for a quick dinner, shared a large meat pizza that was larger than anticipated but tasted great. Service was also v good. The place is very dimly lit and I did wonder if its particularly clean as couldn't see that well.

We were seated and out again 40 mins later to see a film at the Castro cinema. We ate Spaghetti with a delicious meat sauce and glutenfree penne with marinara sauce. Friendly and quick service. The thin based pizzas served at other tables looked delicious and very large. They take 20-25 mins to prepare hence we could not try as not enough time.

Great food experience. The tomato sauce was lovingly made you can just taste it. Noy bad wine and devent vibe. Enjoyed the food and will love to return again to the great lookin dessert menu. Good job.

Ate here twice whilst in SF during Pride. Despite being very busy food arrived promptly and of very good standard...you will need a bag to go if you have pizza they are BIG

Stopped into The Sausage Factory for dinner yesterday and - leaving aside the awful name - the food was fine. Average. By no means great, but not awful either. The service was good and the wine OK. I wouldn't hurry back though.

I would only order the pizza or lasagna. The pastas are not appetizing and salads are very basic. Fun quirky atmosphere with old SF charm in the Castro.

The spaghetti and meatballs, minestrone, salads, salmon, linguine, tiramisu are all delish. The house wine is good as well. Pleasant service and funky decor add to the experience. Wish some of the staff smiled a bit more. You're in San Francisco, people!

Now what can I say about this restaurant? The food is lovely, but average, can't fault it. But I've never ever laughed so much when having a meal, the waiters are just perfect. The atmosphere and location are perfect. The building and decor are beautiful. Sad to think this restaurant might not be around much longer. It needs to stay in The Castro. I love it.

Great pasta! I was on the lookout for some good Italian good afternoon hiking the twin peaks, and was lucky to find this place at the bottom of the hills. I recommend trying the vegetarian pasta if you like garlic and olives!

First time visitors to Castro, we didn't know where best to eat so fell into here hopeful. We were not disappointed. We just wanted a pizza and beer but the Pizza was by far the best I have ever had. Fresh ingredients, full of flavour. Beautiful. The restaurant decor is charming old school wood panelling and art deco lighting. The service really friendly but not over the top like in so many places now. They leave you alone to eat. A real joy. Looking at other peoples choices, the other menu choices looked great. Highly recommended.

We had already walked all over San Francisco and were exhausted. We were really too tired to eat but decided we would eat before we went back to hotel. We got a spaghetti dinner and split it. It was delicious!! The bread was so good that we bought a loaf and took it home. Nice place and good food.

I love going to the Sausage Factory. I've been going here for more than 30 years. My favorite restaurant in the Castro. The food is absolutely fabulous Italian-American cuisine. No, it's not exactly what you might find in Italy; it's very much traditional Italian-American. My understanding is that originally the place was founded as an actual sausage factory by Italian immigrants a hundred years ago (or something like that). Became a restaurant only in the 1960's or '70's. Hence the name Sausage Factory. Anyway I absolutely love the food. Favorites are spaghetti & ravioli with meat sauce & meatballs, (meatballs the size of your head), garlic bread to die for, baked lasagna, cannelloni, linguini with clams, veal piccata, huge salads, etc. pizzas are very good as well as their calzones (which are huge). The customer service has always been excellent. Very attentive and fun too. It's like family. There have been times I've been with friends with rather picky tastes and the staff at the Sausage Factory have always tried to accommodate their requests. Truly, it takes a real self aggrandized AH to not feel accommodated by the staff at the Sausage Factory. They truly do go the extra mile. I think the restaurant is still family owned and that may explain the high attention to serving the customer. The restaurant is not large and sometimes, especially on weekend evenings, it can become a bit crowded, busy and a little claustrophobic. I've never had to wait long for a table though. If you go here expecting what you might find in Milan, Venice, Rome or Naples you might be let down a little. To me this truly is the classic epitome of ITALIAN-AMERICAN cooking. If you have fond memories of your Italian grandmother cooking Sunday "gravy" and pasta for family dinners after church ... This is your kind of restaurant. Believe me, the Castro can be a fussy, persnickety group of people sometimes. The Sausage Factory wouldn't be one of the very few places to survive all the decades they've successfully been here, if they weren't as good as I'm saying. Now if only China Court would come back !!!!

Wonderful old-style eatery in the Castro. Great service and lovely variety of traditional Italian fare. Great for lunch to keep you going for the afternoon.

The atmosphere is pleasant, nothing gorgeous but very cozy. Good service, fair price and very well served dishes, which we almost couldn't finish. I recommend and would go back!

I have been coming here since the early 70's . I use to only eat the piazza and always looked forward to it but now I mostly eat the their salads and other dishes and I have never been disappointed.

Tasty food, excellent portion sizes. The small pizza was huge! Chicken with Mariana sauces and mozzarella was tasty and again a very good sized portion. Only serve Beer & Wine. Worth a visit.

We wanted to go to the Castro on a brief trip to San Francisco. Lunch at The Sausage Factory was good value and good quality. The service was friendly and efficient. Would definately go again if we were in the area.

Walking into the Sausage Factory, you might think nothing had changed since roughly 1927 --- and, in terms of décor, it hasn’t. The dark, detailed woodwork, the floral jacquard wallpaper, and the leather-covered booths are a stark contrast to the chic, modern, slightly gritty Castro outside. You’re given your pick of tables and a straightforward menu of Italian-American classics, emphasizing homemade pastas. The list is long…. And everything looks good. We came here with friends -- locals – and enjoyed all of it. It’s a neighborhood spot, free from tourists, at least on this particular Wednesday evening. The wine list is appropriate, is not extensive, the portions are generous, without verging into chain restaurant preposterous-ness. The bread is great, the butter is ice cold. It reminds me of dining at your Nona’s for Sunday dinner, with a similar selection of dishes – caprese, linguine, saltimbocca. The service was great, and we left full and happy. There are no surprises here, and no gimmicks – just traditional food, very well done. But, I would come back here before hitting one of the overcrowded tourist spots in North Beach any day of the week.

Big portions and good service for this restaurant. Think of family style, cooked my your Italian grandmother. You can’t leave the restaurant feeling hungry!

When i was in SF i've visited the SF (sausage factory) a lot with my local friends and my family. The atmosphere is great and the food - omg so delicous! I can recomend the SF to all the people who love italian kitchen!

Stopped here for late lunch with a party of 8. Great service, and good was brought quickly to our table all at the same time, steaming hot and fresh. It's right next to the castro theatre so I can imagine it being great for pre or post show dinner too!

I'm originally from NY and used to great pizza. However, finding it in south Florida, where I live now, is not easy. The sausage and mushroom pizza at the Saugsage Factory was one of the best we have had in many years.

The food was good, staff was great and all in all a good meal. The portions are so large you could share an entree.

Wondered around Castro looking where to eat and the menu looked good so decided to have pizza. Wow, this was the right choice!!! We had a large pizza to share: salami, sausage, onion, olives and jalapeños. Wow. Wow. Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!! The dough was so good, the pizza was topped fantastic and it tasted so good. Might be having a return whilst we are here!!!! 😍😍😍

Incredible food with excellent service. I enjoy each visit, from their delicious pizza to the pasta dishes. It's a must visit when I visit San Francisco.

Great food, friendly service and a nice atmosphere. Great location in the Castro and definitely worth a visit. I nice relaxed and casual feel. I ordered a large pizza that was huge, but so delicious I finished the whole thing.

It came highly recommended...this restaurant in the Castro District. I/we loved the vibe in the place...wonky floors on the trip to the bathroom even...and the funky colour red and all, but sadly, the food was mediocre. I had a sausage/mushroom with penne..and it would have benefited from a white or red sauce. Instead...it was just a plate of white...pasta, 'shrooms and sausage. Plus...wine served in water glasses. Maybe it was to be kinda creative...I found it really schlocky. Gimme a wine glass, please.

The Sausage Factory is a weekly dining spot for me and my BFF. We meet there every Monday after work for a glass of wine, best service ever from our favorite server, Eddy, and yummy Italian comfort food. Over the years, repeat plates of salmon piccatta, chicken florentine, baked penne and other delicious dinners! We will keep coming back as long as we can!

from start to finish an amazing establishment. what a gem.from the food to the service. spectacular place. beautiful and delicious

Made to feel very welcome. Food was fantastic. Quirky venue. Lovely night out. The meat loaf was very tasty. Would go back again on my next visit to SFO.

We went there on a very busy night....so we had to split up our large party since they don't take reservations. The food was good (pizza only) and the service still good so we'll try this again.

Delicious Italian food and great pizza along with a historic setting with great wait staff. You won't be disappointed.

Very nice atmosphere, very popular place on Castro Street. I had the eggplant Parmesan and it was wonderful. It came with some pasta and vegetables. I sat in the window enjoying watching the passerby's over the dinner and a glass of wine. Waiter Eddie was amusing and attentive. Nothing wrong here and price was expected. I think the interior is charming... some 'antique' decor and comfortable rather intimate. I recommend this place and I'll definitely return.

Sausage Factory - very similar to an Old Spaghetti Factory - with approximately 3 things on the menu that include sausage (that appeared to just be ground sausage). Total disappointment. I know it's in the Castro and is a fun play on words, and also found out that it was originally a butcher shop - but would not recommend. Go elsewhere!

We were renting a vacation apartment not far from Castro and stumbled on this restaurant on our way "home" after an exhausting day touring the city. We could not face the prospect of making dinner but wanted to find a place that would welcome us and our teens. We were very happy with this choice! We sat in a comfortable booth. My wife and I enjoyed our wine and the kids had sodas while we looked at the menu. My wife and daugher shared a pizza, my son had ravioli and I had eggplant parmesan. We were all very happy with our meals - the tomato sauce is particularly tasty. The service was good - this does not appear to be a "family" restaurant, but we were treated very well. This was one of the happy finds of our vacation.

A local guy in a store on Castro told me that food in the hood was often overpriced and not all that great. As far as the Sausage Factory is concerned, I was pleasantly surprised with the check. The second bit of his comment hit the mark. Mediocre veal, mediocre wine (Chablis, mind you) and only slightly better than average pizza. Deco is nice, staff friendly/funny enough, but I'm afraid I can't fully recommend this place.

Spent the day just driving around in San Francisco (fun) and wanted a non touristy place to eat. We had their bread covered in slivers of garlic and cheese...what a delight! Then the spaghetti and meat sauce...excellent too! The ambiance was perfect...quiet on a weekday at lunch time. Going back for sure on my next visit, who knows when?

Good quality food, massive portions, not expensive. Service is quick and friendly. One of the better places to eat in the Castro

We ate here on our stay in San Francisco. Seated in a "corridor", one other diner, no atmosphere. Food was okay, typical Italian food. The disappointing thing was to be told by the waiter how much of a tip we should leave!!! We understood tipping to be optional in the USA, depending on the service. It is quite rude for a waiter to tell his diners how much he thinks they should tip him. Not a place We would hurry back to as it seems you are almost pressurised into leaving them a tip.

A good selection of Italian food. When there 3 times and I can't fault it. The meat sauce on spaghetti is awesome. The staff are like something out of The Godfather. It's an icon of the castro give it a go before it closes forever.

Perfect last minute, no reservations, just walk in kind of place. Started off with a bottle of Chianti and Mamas Salad. Piled high Salad with salmi, mushrooms cheese and much more! Pasta was perfectly cooked, lasagna was a generous portion, and yes, ordered a small pizza which disappeared like magic. Service was quick and with a smile!

I visited Sausage Factory again after 11+ years. It is still outstanding! I went late Sunday afternoon so parking was simple and the restaurant was nearly empty -- just waiting for me to eat. I had garlic bread which was a bit bland and a combo pizza (I don't remember which one) that was excellent. I've loved this place for the past 20 years. It was great to visit again after so long. Service and personnel were both great.

Late night and i was very hungry. Got the chicken piccata. It was super lemony with red pasta and brocollini on the side. Sooo delicious and satisfying. TONS of bread and butter and cheap wine. A good night out. Service was swift and distant. perfect for the moment. Its been here a while and rightfully so.

This is about the fourth time I've had a meal at the Sausage Factory. It may be not the most sophisticated pasta around, but the portions are very generous, and the food is consistently good. The service has, also, been consistently friendly and very helpful. Ask for their advice - we did, and we're not at all disappointed.

Stopped here spontaneously, thought the name was funny. The food was very good, we got pizza and spaghetti and it was served with warm tasty bread and butter. The server was very friendly and engaged. We really liked him! Prices fair, atmosphere nice. Good place!

Visited here twice on a recent trip as the Pizza was really good. Service was from a great fun guy. Pizza's are huge, the small one was too much but as we couldn't eat it all and didn't want to take it away they knocked something off the bill Also said it would be no problem to share a small one on our return. The only downside was no Wifi and the deserts were a bit boring but after so much pizza and wine who needs desert.

I’ve been to the Sausage Factory half of dozen times or so over the past 25 years. It is a popular Italian Castro classic with the locals. It’s OK but not my favorite. I generally don’t go to Italian restaurants out of town because most don’t compare to my favorite Italian restaurant at home so I tend to be disappointed. Three of us, starving and ready to eat anything, stop in here on a Friday night around 9 (after several Lemon Drops at Twin Peaks). The restaurant was about half full and had a steady stream of customers. We were seated right away and had a great waiter. I order the Chicken Marsala and it was good but not great. The other 2 ordered Pizza and were very happy. It is a nice place with always great service. They have been in business forever and that says that they do have a loyal cliental. Maybe it just me. I think you should go with the pizza as it always seems to be a bigger hit. I’m sure I’ll be here again, next time I just need to follow my on advice and order the pizza.

We visited during Pride. Our meals were excellent and staff gave us a warm welcome. We will definitely return.

A small, somewhat quirky family run Italian restaurant that you must visit when on Castro Street (it's number 517). A great atmospheric place with attentive friendly staff. Be warned: the small size pizza is big enough for two and I shudder to think how big the large is, although they do provide bags to take anything you can't eat home with you. The house wine was excellent. Would I eat here again? YES>

My partner and myself visited here whilst staying in SF as part of a road trip. We spent ages deciding where to go and the name of the establishment is certainly one you remember. Anyway, we had great food and service, big portions. We also found the staff to be very welcoming and accommodating. Lovely evening had here.

Overall great food, warm and cozy, open late night and i really could say anything bad about the food. I enjoyed it and it was well priced. I went again on my second visit to san francisco too. If you in then castro area then certainly try dinner here.

We only ordered a large pizza for 2 of us and that was far too big (was over 18" across) Loads of toppings and a very tasty fresh tomato sauce. Service was good and the whole place was very busy with a very good ambience

This place is on Castro Street and you dont really notice it between all the hip places. But surely go there if you have the change, before going clubbing in the street. They have a really nice staff and the food is really good. I had the pasta with(whats in a name) sausage, with some white wine. It was delicious! And it was not expensive at all.

When for dinner after exploring the Castro! What a great area and lovely restaurant! Our waiter was very entertaining and very chatty giving us lots of advice for our Californian road trip! The pasta dishes recommended where delicious and the garlic bread is a must have! One of the best we’ve had!! Get a booth, get comfy and spend the night with good wine and food!

I have eaten at the Sausage Factory every time I visit San Francisco. The food is amazing and the atmosphere in the restaurant is incredible. Located in the heart of Castro the restaurant caters predominantly for a gay clientele however it is

Why the name of the restaurant did not ring a belle I do not know now :) Ambience and service was OK to the good side - but the food was terrible and expencive

Really nice place with old school charm. Italian food like its suppose to be. The food was really good and the service was better. The waiter that served us has been there forever. Friendly and helpful. Very relaxing atmosphere and your not rushed. The parking is difficult but not impossible. It is in the heart of the Castro district, so go a little early and walk around.

We had a great meal at the sausage factory. The food was delicious and the service was excellent! Old world dining the the heart of the castro district.

I've been going to sausage factory for almost as long as I've lived in the city. It's got a regular crowd, it's got a tourist crowd. The waitstaff is humorous and quirky in that special way that long established institutional restaurants can be. The food is generally and consistently good solid Italian food. Some of their baked pasta dishes are so rich and flling, that you almost always want to take some home. The pizzas are good, on the thin side style pies. I also like the fact that if you ask for customization, such as thin crust light cheese or crispy they actually get it right. Their salads are huge and they do a great bruschetta.

Of all the eating places in the Castro, this is on the MUST LIST for us. It has been here FOREVER and the have it going on! The MAMA salad is amazing and enough for 4. Good people, Good times.

We took a medium pizza so we thought that was for 2. But we were wrong! The pizza was very big and delicious! We couldn't finish it!

The Sausage Factory has been in the Castro for many wonderful years. The food is excellent. The service is terrific. It is a reasonably prices place to eat. I frequently go there on Sunday for brunch. It has a great menu for lunch and dinner. The food is consistently good. CHEERS

Many of the staff have been here for decades. The service is good. The pies are good. Great place for a party if plans are for eating and then drinking.

Service was awesome Food extremely memorable (Caesar salad rocked as did pizza) We did all meat medium pizza and loved it. The waiter did us the favor of recommending a smaller size pizza which was great. Atmosphere is ok but typical Italian so what can you say? Loved this place & highly recommend!

The Sausage Factory is an institution on Castro Street. It has been there for years and still has the same comfortable feel. They serve hearty portions of pasta, lasagna, pizza and other Italian dishes. We love the antipasto salad. It is full of cheese, salami and other goodies. The servers are always friendly and make you feel right at home. There is a large room in the back that can handle large groups too.

I had a great Birthday dinner (group of 5) and a semi private booth. Everyone enjoyed their food and the service was attentive and friendly, but not intrusive. Portions were large enough that some took a to-go box. The first time I ate at the Sausage Factory was in 1989 while visiting relatives. Now that I live here, I'm glad to know the restaurant has made some recent improvements. It felt like old times!

Service is ok - took ages to get the bill! Waiter has vanished! Food was ok although the pizza was really thick and bland compared to the many others I have tasted. Prices are ok but not a place I would rush back to.....

Excellent service and food! I had the Eggplant parmagiana - lots of cheese, plenty of marinara sauce on the side of pasta and perfectly steamed fresh vegetables of carrots, broccoli, and zucchini also on the side - yummy! We also had the Fettucini Alfredo, not as impressive for me because it didn't come with any extras like the Eggplant dish, just lots of noodles and a nice sauce. The fresh authentic San Francisco sour dough bread with butter was very much appreciated! Ray, our waiter has worked there for 30 years, very friendly and dear! It's a great old world style pizza place with booths or tables, lots of carved wood with old and new art/pictures on the walls - thank goodness for owner occupied businesses and buildings!

We were referred to the Sausage Factory by our daughter who resides nearby. The pizza was among the best that i have had, and the service was excellent. Our waiter explained the history of the resturant and offerred suggestion for the remainer of our stay. A great experience. Highly recommend.

We wanted Italian for dinner tonight so we looked long and hard and picked The Sausage Factory. Lived up to its name with the amount of meat on our large meat pizza. Was over 18" across and packed with tasty toppings. We could not eat it all so a doggie bag for us it was. Wish we had seen the review about donating your left overs to a homeless person before we got back to the hotel.

A great place to go when you're craving some old school Italian American food (pasta, pizza, calzones, salads--some with a mound of grated cheese on top; chicken or veal piccata; chicken marsala; chicken parmigiana; etc.). There's many choices on the menu, the portions are large and the prices are reasonable. The waiters are friendly and it feels like you're eating in grandma's living room. The perfect place to go with your significant other or a group of friends and family for some comfort food and a couple or several glasses of wine.

The decor is nice, however the food is not so. The lasagna consisted mainly of pasta with very little else. The cheese ravioli was bland. It seems the owners try to minimise the ingredients used within their dishes, and this shows in the quality of the food

Just dropped in but they were ready. Typical wine list and prices, but all I wanted was vino with my pasta. Sausage comes in patties here, but the taste equals any cased links I've had. Dark and warm neighborhood ambiance reminds me of Philadelphia's Little Italy without the hit history. Don't be in a hurry here for service isn't fast, but I wanted time to sit and laugh and sip wine with family so I didn't mind. Food was good and plentiful. Good stuff included meatball sub (side of pasta), ravioli with giant sausage patty, and linguini. Sourdough bread kept coming. Leave the kids home and bring the grownups. Take the Muni for parking is scarce, but it is San Francisco, after all.

Good simple, not over complicated, Italian food at reasonable prices. Service was quick and very friendly. Nice atmosphere, busy but not packed. House wine at $22 for a 1lt jug is about the cheapest in town.

Chose this place for dinner after reading the reviews. Sure glad we did. Portions are huge and the food was very good. Service was also good. Husband had the Calzone & I had the small meat pizza. This was enough food to feed 4-5 people. Try this place with a hearty appetite and you won't be disappointed.

Don’t let the size fool you, this restaurant has lots of seating. It’s an intimate, local restaurant that provides traditional (Americanized) Italian dishes (spaghetti and other pastas, chicken parm, etc.) at a relatively good value. Located about two blocks from the Castro Muni station.

Enjoyed a lovely rainy sunday evening here. Great service, tasty ny style pizza. Highly recommend this place if you are in the area. Cozy and friendly.

If you love Italian food, this restaurant is great. Right in the heart of The Castro. It has a Old San Francisco vibe to it.

I went to this restaurant with a friend quite late one night and we were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food and the outstanding service. I had the sausage pasta dish and it was delicious. Authentic flavour and very Italian. The waiter was extremely pleasant and civil. All washed down with a carafe of very nice house red. The price was extremely reasonable. If you are dining in the Castro district I would definitely recommend this very nice restaurant.

I was here with my partner and his ex. It was a fantastic meal. Good selection of wines. Great prices. HUGE salads with lots of different kinds of fresh meats and vegetables. We all had pasta dishes. The dishes are presented well and taste great!

This place makes Italian food like it was served in the 70's, big portions. A good casual place to go in the Castro. Not super cheap but the portions are huge and the pizza is great. The atmosphere takes you back to a different era.

This place is "American Italian" as opposed to Italian and looks like a set from Goodfellas. The atmosphere is nice. Staff are friendly. Food is good. Huge portions of family style comfort dishes.

Great service. Friendly staff. Chianti served in drinking glasses gave a homely feeling. Spaghetti with meat balls was great. Happy to recommend to people looking for an easy meal.

The atmosphere and location are great. Service was quick but I found the food a bit bland and lacking in the homemade touches you would think would be present given the setting. The servings were huge! I couldn't eat all mine. We had starter, main and dessert and a couple of drinks, the bill came to about $100 so not exactly cheap. The place is good for hearty pasta, pizza and a good fill. Don't expect gourmet though.

Our family had just traveled across the country to start our California vacation - we were tired and hungry and ready to sit down and share a meal. My husband used his fancy phone to find a place for dinner and we walked over to the Sausage Factory. Everyone had a delicious meal and the merlot hit the spot with this tired Momma. Desserts were wonderful and a short walk back to the rental was the icing on the cake after a long travel day.

Excellent food. I had ravioli with meat sauce. It was delicious. My wife had chicken parm. Also very good. Entrees served with delicious sour dough bread. Unique small but cozy atmosphere. Lots of stuff all over the walls to look at. Service was fast and entertaining. The host will point the way to your table- look for the signal when you enter! We didn't have the pizza but it sure looked good.

Second visit for us and this time we both chuckled at the crazy service we received. Waiter was all over the place; forgot we were there, took a menu off my partner as he thought I'd ordered for both, cocked up the payment on card. The pizzas are nice but are HUGE!! even the small ones are big. Probably big enough to share between two if you are hungry. In fairness I think this was our last visit.

We had gone to The Castro to sightsee as even living in London we had never come across anything like it - it makes Old Compton Street look like a WI meeting. Friends of ours had recommended the Sausage Factory and we had lunch there. Excellent bread (sourdough), a basil and tomato pasta for me with slices of garlic as big as almonds. He had sole and was impressed too. With wine and tip it was a cheap feast. Our only gripe was that they only had percolator coffee. Great cheap food, very atmospheric venue and we easily had enough time to eat, walk around The Castro and catch the tram back before our transfer expired.

Service was quick, friendly and efficient. Portions were generous and tasty. Vegetables were very plainly prepared-just steamed. Overall we were very satisfied, and you could bring the whole family-there is something for everyone!

I eat here every time I am in San Francisco. It is located in the heart of Castro everyone is welcome. The atmosphere is rustic. It is an Italian restaurant and there is a wide choice. Portions are generous and fairly priced

Walking around, trying to find a restaurant with home taste, we encountered this place and decided to walk in. We decided to share a pizza, which was not the best of my life, but it slightly tasted Italian. Well cooked, nice consistency, medium size for 2. I am not sure I would go back.

Small place with a nice location. Great service.To start the bread and wine was pretty good. Got the eggplant parm and that was pretty good too. I would totally stop here for dinner again, great date spot.

We first had dinner here in 1972 and have never tasted a better Pizza, even in New York or Italy. It's packed with full of the freshest ingredients and best home made sauce ever and served piping hot. Mouth watering. But try the Anti-Paste too. Wow it's simply to die for yummy. But The venue is the draw too. Never will you find a better people watching San Fran spot. Very eclectic. Be prepared to wait however cause it's always packed. But worth it. A true SF landmark.

I first visited with my son in 2012, then visited again in 2017 and 2019 from Australia. We love the place. Pizza is excellent and the staff always helpful. Would recommend.

Ate at the Sausage Factory on the way back to our accomodation after a day out sight seeing. It is an Italian Pizzeria and restaurant. The food was really tasty. Service good. Decor old world. We had the ground beef pizza, spinach cannelloni with white sauce (cheese), chicken parmagiana and beef cannelloni. Prices are reasonable and service was extremely quick, no one was rushed. Seemed to be a good local presence. Highly recommended.

Service was friendly and old school, atmosphere close to front was great. Just a shame about the food - not fresh, no flavour and Parmesan in shakers on table not freshly grated. Made the $70 cheque feel like extortion...

The best thing about the sausage factory is the most funniest waiter in the world! We laughed everytime he came at our table. The food is good! also the restaurant is very nicely decorated with a cozy atmosphere

It was late in the evening and we thought we had left it too late to eat. The Sausage Factory, whilst not the most appealing restaurant from the outside and being rather dimly lit turned out to be a pleasant experience. The food was good - mainly Italian style and reasonably priced. The most enjoyable part of the experience was our server whose name I omitted to ask. He has worked here for 30 years; has an infectious sense of humour; was self-deprecating and recalled his experiences in Honolulu (or Hawaii – can’t recall which) and had us in fits of laughter - especially the ‘seaweed/algae’ story. If you want to hear about it you will need to visit the restaurant. Even if the food had been mediocre (which it wasn't), he would have made up for it. A very enjoyable way to spend an hour or so. Stephen and Paul

Ate here twice on the recommendation of a friend who has visited SF and the Castro area in particular many times. Service was exceptionally friendly, even if the server on the first visit was keen to upsell us salad and garlic bread which we didn't really want. That however did not detract from the quality of the food. It is all very accessible pasta dishes which we are all familiar with, nothing too pretentious, but that is what I like. The restaurant is very olde world in terms of decor....hard wooden seats and dark subdued lighting. The server on our second visit was incredible...attentive, friendly and chatty. Will definitely be back next time we are in Castro.

We have walked by the Sausage Factory many times while visiting the Castro area of San Francisco and decided to give it a try. What a great find, the food was delicious with large portions and reasonably priced. I would recommend the Sausage Factory for awesome Italian food.

Incredible pasta! We enjoyed a great lunch and would recommend it highly. Friendly staff made the experience even better,

At first we were really worried. Our waiter seemed to hate us. He didn't smile or anything at us. He did seem to warm up to us later, I guess. I had the spaghetti and meat sauce. I enjoyed it a lot. My husband had the pizza, and he really enjoyed it. I would return again even though our waiter seemed to hate us at first.

We last visited the Sausage Factory 3 years ago and i was eager to return when next on vacation. The place did not disappoint with excellent service and pretty much the best pizza ive ever had...my advice is to share as they are huge (uk standards) but packed with flavour and toppings. Once again the King of pizza!!

Great restaurant! The food was excellent! We went a couple of times during our trip to San Fran & will definitely come back on our next trip!

The portions here are HUGE. Sausage pizza was delicious! While the atmosphere isn't that special, the pizza and great service does make up for it.

I love the name of this place being in the Castro! Food is good, average priced, and the portions are huge! I wouldn't make a special trip to this place, but its good if your going out in the neighborhood, or live near by. Service is always consistently good, and the other dinners are friendly.

Went to have lunch.....good food, great service...sausage was not what I imagined - instead of rolled it was opened and cooked flat. Highly recommend the Sausage Factory for food.

In a busy and fun part of town, the Sausage Factory is known for hearty food of generous proportions for a very fair price. Atmosphere is cozy, old-style charming, and comfortable; not stuffy. Staff were very friendly and attentive. Food is nothing special, but considering the very reasonable prices I'm sure I would return. The menu has plenty from which to choose. We were able to get a seat on a Saturday evening without a reservation. This is a good restaurant for casual dining--families, friends, business, or single--without spending a fortune.

Pretty darned good. Had chicken Parmesan and it tasted pretty good. The minestrone soup was very good but no pasta? Never had minestrone that didn't have pasta in it, but it was good. It is a little cramped, but what business in San Francisco isn't. The place is exactly as it has been since my first visit in the 80's. I'd eat here again.

Food was excellent. Portion size was perfect and filling. Very delicious. Dessert was scrumptious. I will definitely return again.

Me and my partner had a meal in this restaurant recently.The place itself is lovely and has a very nice old fashioned feel to it. We had pasta dishes a bottle of wine and the bill was over $ 100 which we thought was well overpriced for what we had.

We had been to the restaurant in 2011 with a huge group for the Folsom party we was here for we loved it then and it was still a great place to go as the food had not changed at all. Great Value with awesome flavours.

My first time in Sausage Factory was in 1985 when I was in law school in The City. Just dined there for dinner again while on vacation this last week. Amazing how little it has changed in 30 years, and I mean that in a good way. Even the menu is almost identical to 3 decades ago. Service is attentive but relaxed. The food is old school American-Italian. Really excellent chicken dishes and pasta, good meat balls. Skip the wine by the glass. Leaves a lot to be desired. Decor is funky and eclectic, with a lot of nods to the Victorian era in SF and the Castro over the years.

Dont expect to leave this place wanting more food! A small pizza is HUGE! but the quality of the food and the friendliness of the staff cannot be faulted!

I've been here together with a friend for dinner. The place is Ok and the food was just fine. The waiter was friendly. I just personally considered this as an average restaurant.

Lovely old fashioned interior with chandeliers and old photos on walls. Calzone, lasagne and spag bol all delicious. Garlic bread great. Huge portions so 3 meals feed 4! House red was gorgeous wine. Highly recommend this restaurant. We were seated and fed quickly on a buustmy Saturday in the vibrant Castro district of SF. Would return here.

We are here before catching a show. Glad we did! The food was great and the wait staff was amazing! Service was fast!

When people talk about how "there's no really great food in the Castro" I think this is the place they are thinking of. But if you want to take a bit of a step back in time this is it, in a good way. Generally friendly waitstaff. Tables are a mixed bag - if you are a solo or two top don't whatever you do let them shoehorn you into one of the sad little tables in the corridor leading to the restrooms and rear area. I was going to say "stay with the basics" but then that's pretty much all they have. Safe bets are the pizzas & lasagnas, but chicken piccatas & similar decent enough. Order the cheap carafe wines - this isn't a wine bar and your liver won't know the difference, but lord only knows where they source that stuff. Crowd is mainly Castro denizens pre-or-post happy hour and a few tourists. Not expensive and sort of a slice of Old SF...

This restaurant was fun. If you're going to the Castro, just eat here, at least once. The food is hearty Italian. I ordered Chicken Piccata, and it was delicious! Solid, good food. Our waiter was hilarious, and this is everything you would want an Italian Restaurant in the Castro named the Sausage Factory to be. Was it the best meal I ever had? No. But it was great fun and authentic Italian. Service was great too! I would eat here again, for sure.

Wonderful heritage restaurant in the heart of the Castro districtin SanFrancisco. The ambiance is wonderful--you can sense the history of this Historic business in the heart of a legendary LGBTQ neighborhood 🏳️‍🌈 Awesome, hearty portions of old school Italian favorites.

A great place for the Castro vibe. Good food, enormous quantities (far too large) .Great garlic bread, spaghetti and meatballs delicious. Go when you’re really hungry. It’s not haute cuisine but it’s an enjoyable experience

We chose this restaurant quite randomly, as it was a Friday night and others were fully booked. The space itself is spacious, though a bit dark and with the mouldy smell of an old, not renovated restaurant. Me and my Italian friends decided it was a good idea to try something closer to our cuisine. Portions are indeed very abundant, though you soon realise from the menu that this is an American reinterpretation of the Italian cuisine (from the all American spaghetti with meatballs, to the pizzas with chicken). I opted for a Caesar Salad, while my friends tried the pizzas, which were extremely stuffed and crusted (like American ones). My salad was a bit mean, considering it was as expensive as a more elaborate dish, but not horrible. My friends said the pizzas were not great, but edible. The waiter who served us was very peculiar, with an odd sense of humour that we genuinely didn't grasp. Service was a bit slow. Prices are average. Overall we had a non welcoming sense throughout the entire dinner, from the low hygiene appearance of the space, to the weird waiter and the poor quality food. Choose it only if you are either starving to death and there is nothing else available or if you haven't got a clue of what true Italian food is all about.

We had a party of 9 for a birthday dinner on a Tuesday night. The restaurant was crowded but we got prompt, personalized attention (the waiters were a lot of fun!). Everyone seemed pleased with their meals, and even more pleased with the atmosphere and experience as a whole. We would definitely come back here.

Huge meals at great value - we had to get boxes to take half our meals home. Wine was served in a regular glass, decor was also fascinating.

My partner and I have been eating here for the last 30 years every time we come to San Francisco. The food is delicious and always consistent and the atmosphere is wonderful with great waiters and servers. Very large variety of selections on the menus. I have had everything from veal marsala to pizza and it is all good. Definitely recommend this place as it is a Castro institution. Brought a group here last week and one of the members of the group is Italian and said it was some of the best Italian food he had ever had.

I've passed by The Sausage Factory for years on trips to San Francisco, and finally decided to stop in for dinner. This is an old Castro classic, having been around since the late 60s. My waiter was a very friendly guy who obviously had been around the place for years. The food was good -- above average -- not the best Italian I've ever had but definitely a great meal. I had the spaghetti / ravioli with meatball combo. It is a very large serving with a side of sourdough bread. I'd definitely recommend this as a good neighborhood find in the Castro.

I loved the small restaurant, the atmosphere was very inviting and the food was delicious. I wish the plate was bigger, the sauce ran over the edges. Very enjoyable.

I ordered a meatball sub which came with a side of pasta. The sauce on the pasta was very runny which ran onto the bread it made the whole thing very messy. The sauce and the meatballs were definitely overcooked tasted like they were on the back burner all day long.

A planned visit given the location/reviews, and not disappointed. Very busy and obviously popular with both the locals and tourist alike. Friendly, chatty staff who produced real authentic Italian meals and service with no issue. Its a classically styled setting with a cool and relaxed ambience within the Castro district. Great selection of foods and happy to accommodate some tweaks in our choices.

Great atmosphere and the restaurant was crowded shortly after we were served on a Monday Night. We were lucky to get seated off in a nook. My spaghetti had jumbo meatballs. Mine was good and spicy but somewhat average other than the meatballs. The serving was huge. I would really enjoy trying more of the items on the menu. The server was witty and funny. Fun with family.

The small pizza was pretty good size, could be shared by two for a light dinner. Very cool building, felt like an old time (19th century), pub, or saloon. The food is a bit on the pricey side, but it may be appropriate given the high rent rates in the area.

I was staying in the area and needed something after my early lite dinner, and Sausage Factory does indeed to takeaway. It's a nice, cozy looking place when you first walk in, and then they lead you through a surprisingly big restaurant to a back bar to put in your takeaway order. Had a beer waiting on the pizza. When I got to the apartment rental, the pizza was still plenty warm and I had made a good selection - the crust was decent and while not crispy thin, was on the thin side under the toppings which was fine with me. I like many different types of pizza as long as the crust doesn't taste under developed, and while it was not fluffy under the toppings, it was good and easily foldable.

A group of nine of us went there for lunch. Every one was satisfied with their food. My pizza was really good and my friends' dishes that I tried were too. Very good value! This might not be a gourmet restaurant with fine prenium ingredients but you get a lot of more than decent food for a reasonnable price. I will definitely go back for lunch! Maybe next time I'll get a smile from the waiter/owner??

Great pizzas and pastas. But, my favorite is the calzone, which is huge and so tasty. Good has improved over the years too.

Average food and average service. When we indicated that we wanted to pay the minimum service charge of 15%, our waiter suggested we might like to check out a website of free things to do in San Francisco for the remainder of our stay. I’m pretty sure if there’s a website listing good value Italian diners in San Fran, this one isn’t on it.

Perhaps my favorite restaurant in Castro, I always had fond memories of this place. Actually it was my first visit to the Castro District. The staff is extremely friendly and the menu is very appealing and the food is good. Nice ambience.

On our first visit to Castro we made a spur of the moment decision to have lunch at the Factory .We were rewarded with a delicious lunch bursting with flavours and beautifully presented .The service was First Class and the portion size generous ! Great value too !! The host was attentive and the epitome of Charm !

The entrance did not look that impressive, but inside it is more expansive than expected with a nice menu. We were not that hungry, so just went with a simple meat-ball spaghetti. They brought out a delicious half-loaf of sour-dough bread. It was so tasty that we talked the waiter into selling us a full loaf to go. The spaghetti was generous and delicious.

The sausage factory in Castro Street San Francisco brings to life the charm of the old gold rush days San Francisco but the food is ordinary. I was expecting the home made touch but it looks and taste like fast food. The owner was very friendly and accommodating. The architecture is excellent and old style with lots of memorabilia on the walls. The location is good.

We have been in the city for 4 Days and this restaurant served the best food. We stumbled upon it while in Castro street. Fine food, we had pasta and pizza. Both lovely and if we were staying longer we would be back

Average Italian food that is fairly priced in a cozy setting. Service was quite slow and the kitchen did not seem to keep up with the orders. Focus on Southern Italian cuisine.

Me and my fag-hag had a 'Tales of the City' day in SF. Good service good pizza and the pure tales of the city feeling :-)

Great food, although you wouldn't expect an Italian restaurant to be called The Sausage Factory. Really tasty and the service was also great.

Whilst at the castro we stopped for pizza in a traditional Italian restaurant. The staff were extremely friendly and welcoming. I love my pizza and I have to say this was pretty much the best I've ever had! I'd advise sharing if you're not used to American portions though...fantastic!

The food here was excellent whether pasta or an entrée. This was the only restaurant where we were served sourdough bread with the meal without paying extra or needing to ask for bread. Prices for the area are very reasonable

I visited the Sausage Factory late Saturday evening. Not too crowded! Atmosphere is really nice! We ordered some appetizers which were fine. Tried some of the wine, not good. Waiters are nice and lots of fun! I will return for the fun and food! American-Italian the way it should be though should take better care of their wines.

The pizza was quote good and traditional (I miss that in SF). The record was nice (open windows let in the breeze and street noise,but I like that) service was excellent. This is definitely my pizza place in the Casto now!

My friend and I were browsing the Castro neighborhood looking for a place to have a late dinner, a restaurant not too formal but not too shabby. Since we couldn't agree on a place we ended up at the Sausage Factory because we got so much hungry and it was really getting late. My friend really didn't like the place but I could appreciate the charm of this kind of old fashioned italian restaurant that reminded me of New York a bit. I still don't know if the waiter acted weirdly with us because he didn't like us or because it's his usual act but we got our food in a reasonable time and he was always quick to refill our glasses so I didn't really mind. I took the anchovy pizza and it's really the best one I've ever had for a long time. I took the smallest one but couldn't finish since it was so big, so for the price it's really worth it to give a try to the pizza in this place.

We had a meat pizza which was absolutely beautiful. As it was Saturday night and we didn't have a booking, the main restaurant was full and we were put in what appeared to be "the back room". Quite a strange setup, with a handful of tables lined up against the wall and the lighting was really bright. Would be better to replicate the atmosphere and ambience of the main room throughout the eating area. This looked very relaxed and would have complimented the food perfectly.

I would have to say its been a few years since I've been to the Sausage Factory and now I know why. The atmospherre is charming but the staff is not very freindly or attentive and the food is main reason I will not be going back. The other guests in my party felt the same way and I told them next time I say lets try it again in a couple years - tell me no and the reason why.

The food was pretty bad, verging on awful: overcooked pasta, stale bread. The pizza was acceptable, but really nothing special when there are multiple restaurants with real Italian food nearby, for example Bacco just a few blocks south in Noe, or Delfina a few blocks east in Mission Dolores.

Cosy place in the heart of Castro. Delicious pasta, huuuge portions and reasonable price. Waiter was look like Rocky's trainer -), friendly and funny.

I ate at this establishment once about ten years ago and I was mostly underwhelmed. While in town for business I decided to make the walk from my hotel and give it another try. It's been in the neighborhood forever and many locals swear by it, but I'm still not convinced. The service is very good so I can't complain about that at all. I ordered the garlic bread appetizer and a small cheese pizza for dinner. The food came out pretty quick. The garlic bread was hard as a rock and not very flavorful. I like a crunchy garlic bread but this was beyond crunchy. The bread tasted old and on a scale from one to ten it was a - 1 awful. The pizza was perfectly cooked and on that 1-10 scale it was about a 7 not bad but not phenomenal either. If you are looking to go to a local landmark this place qualifies for sure. Again the service is great but for me the meal was not fantastic and the food is in the pricey side for the quality. Not sure I would decide to eat here again.

So, the hotel I was staying at recommended The Sausage Factory, and the online reviews were good. So, I thought "I'm going to give it a try!". I must have picked a bad day. Saw reviews about great staff - my waiter had no personality and was not all that friendly. I ordered Ravioli with meatballs, and was quite average. I didn't think it had much flavor. Don't let my review from deterring you from going - I am sure they probably have some great food, as the place was packed - by what seemed to be a lot of locals. So, there must be some great stuff on the menu - just not the ravioli!

We picked this Castro standard for our last night in San Francisco and it was a super choice. Walk in and you feel like you've stepped back in time. Our party of four shared a Bruchetta appetizer which featured crunchy toasted bread discs and mounds of flavorful topping. The sourdough bread basket basket was also fresh and delicious. Service was friendly and attentive. I ordered chicken parmigiana - the entree comes with a pasta side and steamed vegetables. Veggies were generous and perfect- colorful and al dente broccoli, zucchini, and carrots. Here's what I especially liked about the pasta- the sauce was a different red one than the marinara sauce that covered the parmigiana- no laziness in that kitchen and an extra taste accent. Finally, the parmigiana was perfect- chicken breast pounded thin, breaded and perfectly sautéed, then covered with delicious flavorful sauce and mozzarella which obviously was not cheap stuff from the supermarket. Flavor, texture, and temperature (served hot) exactly right. My husband's seafood pasta was huge and chock full of creatures of the sea, including his beloved mussels. One of our highlights in the Bay Area.

Convient and ok food. Big menu selection but just ok quality/taste. Good atmosphere and local vibe. Ok for a quick meal but would skip for special occasions.

We had been to Sausage Factory years ago and were excited to go back. Our visit could not have been better. Our server was so friendly and attentive. Everything we ordered was delicious, including the wine our server recommended.

We have been going here for years. Once you go through the door, all the noise and grit outside fades away. The HUGH salads, Pizza,and other dishes are all so good. We come here to eat breakfast on Sundays and it is also darn good.

We had a pizza delivered from this place and it was simply delicious, one of the best pizzas we ever had.

It was my Dad's Birthday and they gave us a chessecake for Free. Waitress speak spanish were gentle and funny. Not clean air, we can smell the kitchen (and even see it) from the table. 5 adults 97 dollars. But 13.60 dollars was "charge service" (we were not notified of that before) It's close to many gays' clubs and discos. All discos around close at 2 am. It's in the core of Castro (the well known Gay area in San Francisco) The dishes were huge. Spaguetti bolognesa with meat balls was enough for 2 pleple. It is one of the few restaurants that closes late. Has not wifi. Food was not bad. But I cannot say "delicius"

10pm and not much open in Castro for a real meal. Very friendly staff and good food. Partner had lasagna and it was amazing and I had the eggplant parm with pasta and spinach and it was very good...

Sauaage Factory does a great job on a good variety of Italian dishes. This is the Castro, so you can count on friendly service no matter who you are. If you can get a table in front and watch the passing parade, so much the better. An excellent choice for a Bay Area local or a visitor to this fascinating and famous part of the City.

We had a marvelous meal here! Try the vegetarian lagsana. It is by far the best weve ever eaten! Great atmosphere and value! Waiter was great! We will go back next time we are in San Francisco!