A16

If you’re looking for a charming spot to have dinner and people-​watch at the same time, this is the spot. The entire place was entirely packed by 8pm with the crowd you’d expect from the Marina. I had the Salsiccia pizza, Maccaronara pasta, Roasted Delicata Squash, and Brussel Sprouts.
Make a reservation if you want to skip an hour wait. I had a reservation but there was still a bit of a wait. Just enough time to start a drink before the meal. The bartender helped paired me off with a very satisfying glass of medium-​bodied red.

I loved this beautiful yet quaint restaurant. It was very busy and although we did make reservations we had to wait a bit but that was the only down side to this place. The wine I ordered was very good. They have an entire wine novel there, which i enjoyed since I’m a huge wine lover. The mixed olives and burrata were very tasty. My so and I ordered the margherita pizza and the orecchiette pasta. That was the best pasta I’ve ever had in my life OMG. So tasty! The pesto and pistachios complemented each other so well. The ambiance was romantic and the waiter we had was very nice and professional. I will definitely come back to this place in the near future!

The trout over endives and black olives was an excellent combination. They don’t have northern Italian wine but suggested a central white, verdicio which went well with the fish. Also there is no Limoncello or grappa for apéritif but overall it is a nice place for any Italian dinner.

Wine selection was good
Pizza crust was good but presentation was terrible and it was soggy
Pasta was overpriced and nothing to write home about
Good ambience and service
Overall probably would not go back.

I was perusing Unilocal and saw that A16 has 3 ½ stars. What??! I had to rebut. Read some of the reviews and I must say, these people cannot be trusted. A16 is one of my regular go to restaurants, for good reason. First of all, the food is always top notch. Not only delicious, but FRESH, seasonal, homemade ingredients. Sorry, it’s not Pizza Hut! Never had problem with the service there. Beer and wine only, but the selection is great. It’s expensive, but it’s fine dining and worth every penny. If you want cheap and greasy pizza, go to Papa Johns or Little Caesars. That’s what those places are for! Don’t go to A16 and then bash one of my favorite places for being out of your league!

I cannot speak for the food itself since we didn’t get that far, but in my opinion, it’s usually not the food you remember. It’s the overall experience and this was a very, very poor one. I made a reservation at A16 days out for my boyfriend and I who were in town for the Super Bowl. A friend of mine had recommended this place, so we made the trek from where we were staying to check it out. We were running 10 minutes late for our reservation so I called to let the restaurant know. The gentleman who answered said it was no problem and that they’d have something for us right when we arrived. When we got there, we were seated at a bar for dinner. I politely asked the hostess who sat us, who claims she was the manager, if there was a table since we had a reservation and she said they didn’t have any tables. I again told her I had a reservation and she says «yes and you guys were late and we are still accommodating you.» Wow.
I usually give people the benefit of the doubt, but she could have cared less about the situation and was unprofessional and rude. I explained to her how far out I booked the reservation, that we were in from out of town and really looking forward to dining with them and she says «well you’ll still have the same experience.» Umm wrong answer sweetheart. We decided to leave and on our way out I walked up to her and told her I was really disappointed in the way she handled the situation and she didn’t even know what to say. And if she really was the manager, I suggest the owner think twice about the representation in the front of the house. I will never go back or recommend this place. It’s a trendy «you’re lucky to even be here» kind of atmosphere and mentality, based on how we were treated. I’ve worked in the hospitality industry and this could have easily been avoided. What a shame.

They called me a week before Valentine’s Day to confirm my Saturday (day before V Day) reservation and also spring it on me that the only option is a prix fixe menu at $ 85 a head. This is stated no where on the website or anywhere else (I just double checked).
At this point, it’s way too late to get a reservation anywhere else, which I’m sure A16 would realize if they cared about customer service at all. There are two possible reasons for this — either they don’t care enough about customer service to even post their plans to have a prix fixe menu or they know a week out from Valentine’s Day, customers with reservations will have no choice but to pay the OUTRAGEOUS $ 85 per head for a place known for pizza and main courses that normally range between $ 15 – 20.

Food is great! Wait Service is spectacular. Great fun. Great food. Amazing wine and people who know their wine! tell ‘em what you like even if you have no idea what you are talking about they pick one thats perfect!
The hostess is gorgeous… and totally rude and incompetent. I will go back again and again because the food and service is that good. But the hostess is beyond rude. When I suggested to her that she has a bad attitude she responds «would you like to talk about it?». Our response is «no, we’d like an apology». Her response «are you ok?» seriously. I say again «how about an apology for being so rude». Her response «lets talk about it». Woman, get a job as a model. You are beautiful. But dealing with people and being the front person at a great restaurant is not your calling.
That said, management was amazing. Told them the who story and they were gracious, apologetic (sincerely) and didnt attempt to defend the stupid behavior of this hostess. Thank you manager. You are the best.
Finally, not the first time with this rude hostess so it wasnt just a bad day. A16, get rid of the pretty hostess and you get 5 stars. Or keep her and we keep coming back anyway and never make eye contact with her if we can help it!

I have been coming to A16 ever since it opened and I have always had an above and beyond experience. But I am writing today because if I could give 6 stars I would. We celebrated my mother’s birthday, all 19 of us, last Sunday. We have some very specific diners and many who dine out a lot. Not 1 single complaint. All praises. From the ambiance, the service and the food, it was an all star cast. We are all still raving about our incredible lunch and we ALL cannot wait to go back. Thank you A16 for being so wonderful and creating such a memorable afternoon!

Have been there several times but not for a while, went last night and had the worst service ever. Ignored by server for 25 minutes after eating, while she fawned over next table.
Pizza was just average not worth the trouble
Much prefer Tony’s and DelFina just to name a few

Last night’s dinner was lovely. Def make a rezi. They won’t seat you until your whole party is there. It’s a little noisy, so larger groups will be yelling at each other. The lentil soup is amazing! The burrata was out of this world. Limited choices if you are gluten free — thus the lentil soup and cheese. It’s pretty expensive, but delish.

I don’t really see the appeal in this place. All aspects of our dining experience were awful.
Our server was inattentive and unhelpful. My girlfriend is sensitive to gluten. When we finally flagged the server down and asked the server to point out the items on the list that are GF, he repeatedly told us, «the menu is straightforward» and «it is very simple.»… Besides the fact that we were asking him a question and he never answered it, the menu is written in mostly Italian (i.e. a foreign language!). Even though my girlfriend had taken quite a few Italian classes in college, we still could not wholly decipher the menu, and this guy’s idea of helping was to insist that it is simple enough for us to figure out on our own.
They have no beer on tap and an extremely poor selection of bottled/​canned beers… Furthermore, he took our $ 7 canned beer (yea, out of a can for 7 bucks…), cracked it open and sloshed it in to the cup creating a foamy mess all over.
On top of overpriced pizza, they nickle and dime you for additional toppings (since when do I have to pay extra to have my pizza come with cheese on it? And if that was the case, wouldn’t you explain that what your «simple» menu means by pizza is actually just bread with some sauce on it??)
The pizza comes uncut with a pair of scissors. This was new to me and came off as gimmicky to our whole party.
Of the two pizzas we ordered, we finished neither due to the bland flavor. We asked the bus boy for a box so we could take it home to the dog. He then grabbed our plates as if to clear the table. We stopped him to remind him that we JUST said we would like a box. He looked me in the eye and said no problem and cleared the plates. That was the last I ever saw the pizza. We waited about 10 minutes for the waiter or busboy to come by to ask what was up but they never came by. At this point we had already paid, decided to cut our losses and took off.
As we left, we walked right by the manager and host who were too caught up in their conversation and their phones to respond to my «goodnight» or help the 2 parties that were standing right in front of them waiting to be seated.
I often avoid dining in the marina as I usually find the food/​experience is no where near worth the cost of its trendy restaurants. This experience has only reinforced this opinion
TLDR:
Too expensive, lacking flavor, small portions, staff is no good and the menu is weak. We will not be returning.

Dishes like the burrata and maccaronara pasta proved reasonably satisfying, yet hardly mindblowing. All in all, simply decent Italian fare. I will say that, unlike some reviews here, service was the strong point for me: attentive, on point, and friendly.
Maybe the ambience and atmosphere is what people go for here in the Marina, but if you’re looking for substance, you might not be in the right neighborhood, let alone the right restaurant.

I am visiting San Francisco and was struggling to find a last minute reservation on Monday night. A local friend recommended A16 for their pizza, which is really the prominent menu category offering a large assortment of options. Outside of pizza, I only tried some of the antipasta (marinated olives were excellent) and a couple sides. The inside is surprisingly large and rather loud. The volume levels aren’t disruptive, but its worth mentioning — if you are looking for a quiet/​romantic Italian place, this isn’t the spot.
Overall, the food was very good, as was the service.

Come on A16, how could you serve such a horrible prix-​fixe dinner for New Year’s Eve? We spent $ 400 before tip, and the meal was terrible tip to tail.
We’ve been huge A16 fans. Went there every Friday night for years, then stopped when we had a baby. We haven’t been in a couple of years, but thought of course it would be a great experience, since it always had been.
Such a huge disappointment. We won’t go back.
The last horrible prix-​fixe meal we had was Valentine’s Day at Des Amis in 2014. They went out of business within a year… Wonder if this is the fate for A16.

This Christmas Eve pre fix meal was simply awful and was way over priced — in fact the meal was not worth ¹⁄₃ of the price paid. $ 100 per person .
For starters —
We were seated at 8:25 for our 8:00 reservation by 8:50 not even a glass of wine on the table.
The portions were so small — we were told they were served by weight and served family style.
Antipasto — one shrimp each. A minuscule piece of hamachi. 3 fish meatballs (so fishy –inedible)
Steamed mussels and clams
— so if you can imagine… 6 clams and 6 mussels and a few bay scallops in a broth for 3
Pizza — THEY NEVER EVEN SERVED THIS COURSE OOPSIE!
Pasta — squid ink pasta with fried breadcrumb we each were able to spin a fork once and that was it
One fork full each
They immediately brought two plates filled with desserts — this was the only way you could have felt satiated or perhaps hopes that you may forgive them for the meal–
Not a chance — I will never go back again.
After sharing this story over the next day this brought two other A16 dining disaster stories

I’m sorry but A16 is way overrated. Was really excited to celebrate a birthday dinner here but was met with holier than thou attitude and overly hyped food.
A few hours before our reservation, we called and asked if it would be possible to come half an hour later than our original reservation. The person on the phone didn’t even acknowledge my question and left me on the line wondering if anyone was still there or actually looking into my question. About 5 minutes later, a new voice comes on the line and says «no, you can either come at 6 or come at 7:30.» Well damn guys, you must be really busy on a Sunday night at 6!
So we arrive at 6 and of course there are TONS of tables open. For some reason, they seat us at the bar in the back that is literally in the eye of the pizza oven as if they were trying to cook us instead of the pizza. It was BOILING. Not to mention, not exactly the vibe we were going for for our birthday dinner — which I had specified when I made the reservation. Thankfully they agreed to reseat us and about 10 minutes later we got our new table.
Service, while friendly, was very slow and a hostess had to take care of taking our orders and bringing us water as our waitress couldn’t.
While the food is good — I love the burrata (but come on, it’s cheese) and their pasta noodles are divine, it’s so not worth the snooty attitude at the door and the «oh we’re so packed and sexy» vibe of the place. It’s clear they place more value on maintaining that Manhattan-​ish vibe than actually caring for their customers.

Dining in A16 is unlike anything else. When you walk into the restaurant, you immediately see the chefs working on their amazing masterpieces, and when you look at the menu, your mouth starts to water. Had I not been dining with an A16 veteran, I would still be trying to decide what to order. Since my friend and I came for a late lunch, we decided to split the burrata and bucatini along with a carafe of chardonnay.
Burrata — fluffy and flavorful mound of cheese that is covered in olive oil and shaved salt. It comes with small crostini and melts in your mouth.
Bucatini Bottarga– noodles are a bit larger than your average spaghetti noodle (hence the bucatini), and there is a small hole in the middle. This allows for more flavor to be captured within the noodle. The bucatini is topped with a light sauce and delicious cherry tomatoes.
A16 is on the pricier side, but you get what you pay for. The food and service are both excellent.
I can’t wait to return and try other items on the menu!

I think maybe I just chose the wrong thing, because I really wanted to like this place. I had seen it on my list for a while and finally decided to make a reservation and invited along a friend who loves food just as much as I do.
We ended up getting the burrata and the calamari to start off with. I am super duper in love with burrata right now so definitely had to order that and he wanted the squid ink calamari. Both appetizers were pretty on point flavor, texture and temperature wise.
I ended up getting the uni pasta and my friend ordered the lamb one. My uni pasta was definitely too salty. I know that uni has this generally slightly salty flavor but this was salted to the point where it was almost inedible. Definitely not a pleasant dish for me. The pasta was definitely al dente and a good pasta. Also the dish wasn’t that warm. It was lukewarm. The lamb dish was much better. The pasta was delicious and the sauce was delicious. I really had wished I ordered that instead.
For dessert we ordered the chocolate torta which was delicious. It was supposed to have a drizzle of olive oil on top and I generally don’t like olive oil on my dessert so I requested to not have it on the dessert. Overall the meal was delicious and just that little hiccup is not something I would judge a complete restaurant on. I didn’t have the best experience but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t give it a second chance and try something different.
Pro tip: reservation and sit outside. It’s gorgeous. Also the place is a lot bigger than how it looks from the outside.

A16 San Francisco is hands down one of my favorite Italian restaurants in San Francisco. I first experienced A16 when I was still living in New York City and was visiting San Francisco on business. I had heard from a local friend it was a must try so I went in by myself and LOVED IT! I met Benito, one of the bartenders who has since become a good friend. Our friendship started during my first visit as I was dining by myself inquiring about the wines. He lead a small wine tasting and the rest was history! He has since taken fabulous care of me and really makes each visit very special, delicious and always a LOT of fun! Typically the moment I walk in the door and he spots me I have persecco in my hands within a minute or two. We then progress to wine bases on my mood and what I’m ordering. My kind of experience, right?
As a local to San Francisco, I can now call A16 one of my regular spots I love to frequent. I usually go with a girlfriend for a drink which eventually leads to a bite or two at the bar. There’s not much better than amazing, flavorful food, an awesome lively ambiance, great service and a spot that feels like home. A few of my favorites include: The Burrata Appetizer, Mozzarella Pizza, Maccaronara Pasta, and the Chocolate Budino Tart Dessert with Sea Salt. No matter what you order, you have to save room for dessert!
Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting their owner and Wine Director Shelley Lindgren. She was beyond friendly and extremely knowledgeable about their Italian Wines leading me and a friend through a delicious Italian Wine Flight. I really felt like a lucky girl! To not only meet the owner of one of my favorite local restaurants, but to hear her expertise first hand in an intimate setting was beyond special. Whether Shelley, Benito, Alex or Steve are covering the bar I know I’m in great hands and will have an amazing experience! For those in the East Bay they also have a location in Oakland that I also adore, A16 Rockridge.
Thanks for checking out my post I hope you enjoy dining with The JetSetting Fashionista. Emily

What’s not to like? Neapolitan pizza, fresh ingredients and a lovely wine list– the perfect

What’s not to like? Neapolitan pizza, fresh ingredients and a lovely wine list– the perfect spot for a leisurely Saturday lunch. We ordered to share and it was the best way to go. Farra salad with mint pesto, little gem salad, green beans with tarragon, to start. Margherita pizza, salsiccia, and a mushroom blend were plenty for our group of 6. Pair that with a bottle of Rosé and you’re all set. I’d definitely return to A-​16.

This is one of my dad’s favorite spots. Whenever he would go out, he’d always bring me something back. So when I was in town to visit, I wasn’t surprised when he wanted to come here for lunch on his birthday.
From the entrance, it looks very small, but the place is actually a pretty decent size, and there’s tons of seating in the back.
It’s a beautiful, cozy, and initiate spot– perfect for a date! I’m sure it’s pretty romantic at night.
We ordered:
–Burrata ⁵⁄₅
–Trippa Napoletana ⁵⁄₅
— Half order of the pork meatballs ⁴⁄₅
–Squid ink pasta ⁵⁄₅
Everything was absolutely delicious! I wanted to eat more– but was literally SO full.
The service was outstanding– very friendly, helpful, and attentive.
I would definitely recommend this spot. Come in for an excellent meal and a bottle of wine and enjoy!

Love this place for a fun scene that still feels local, and very well-​crafted Italian food. It’s a long place that has several areas: the cozy bar (typically jammed at peak hours), a no man’s land on the other side of the bathroom door dividing wall, the rear dining area, and the covered min-​patio outside. There’s also a nice long counter, where you can watch the chef’s do their thing. Love this option, but it can get a bit hot if you’re too close to the wood burning pizza oven.
Speaking of the pizza, it is is very good, but the other dishes deserve even more merit. I had the roast chicken the other night, with a super good burrata to start. Their pasta dishes are on point, and the mostly Italian wine list is worth exploring. It’s the kind of place that can take something as simple as cannellini beans or corn, send them to the pizza oven, and elevate them to a much higher level. Granted, it can get packed. But once you’re in, you feel like you’ve found something very cool. Trust me, you’ll go back.

I had none of the negative experiences with service that many here have groused about. Service was attentive. Food was great. It was loud inside, but I could still hear.
I don’t get out to the Marina all that often, but I would return here in a heartbeat.