Terzo

We came here for the restaurant week menu last weekend with another couple and were very impressed by the food and service.
The restaurant has a very warm ambiance and a great vibe. We were seated at a four top in the back room and our server promptly greeted us.
The restaurant week menu you can select from 3 appetizers, 3 entrees and 2 desserts. It also includes a glass of white or red wine, for $ 65. 2 of us ordered off menu while the other 2 selected the RW menu.
We shared the calamari and beets as starters, both were very tasty. We all ended up ordering the same entrees, the skirt steak with chimichurri sauce, and none of us were disappointed. The meat was cooked perfectly. The dessert was an apple crisp with vanilla ice cream and it was delicious.
Next time we go, I’d like to go with others that are willing to share so we can try several small plates. They all looked amazing.

Great food and great service! Had dinner at Terzo with a picky foodie who wanted to substitute ingredients and sides. They were very patient with us! Haha I highly recommend the citrus salad and the pork shoulder. Very delicious and great presentation on the plate.

This was our first time dining here last Sunday. We were a big group of 9 people. Our waiter, was superb!!! He took our order and made sure everything gets to our dinner table on time, without extra waiting, without any errors. My 10yo son was personally asked about his dining preferences and his dish (pasta w/​meatballs) was excellent. All of our allergy/​food preferences were honored. We ordered whole bunch of appetizers, few bottles of wine and main dishes. Would definitely come back here for very good food!!! Highly recommend!

One of my favorite places to eat when in San Francisco. The menu changes but the food is consistently fabulous! They serve small plates so order a few and share. The place is small and popular so make reservations and don’t expect an intimate experience. The staff is wonderful, attentive and polite and even the chef will come out and say hello. Great experience every time.

A nice little find in the Cal Hollow area. A nice dinner after a day of holiday shopping in Union Square.
I had a previously horrendous experience at a Tapas restaurant in the bay area so I was reluctant to try another one in area (after having recently gone to Spain and had spectacular tapas). All concerns were brushed aside once the first order of food arrived at the table.
The grilled calimari was tender and had a nice flavorfull char.
Next up was the mozzarella di bufala — fresh cheese, toasted bread, salad with the right amount of acidity to balance the dish.
Gnocchi — this was recommended by our server, but it was the least liked dish. Bland and starchy gnocchi was not what I expected. The only thing going for the dish was the truffle shavings.
Steamed clams was gobbled up by the table quickly. I took that as a sign that everyone agreed it was good.
We also ordered two larger entrees:
The Niman Skirt Steak: tender, flavorful, and cooked to heavenly perfection of medium rare on the rare side. It doesn’t get better than that.
Finally, we had the house made fettuccine dish — wow, it was amazing. I was worried when the earlier gnocchi dish bombed out, this dish ended the dinner on a great note.

Great meal. Delicious food. Started with 3 small plates/​appetizers to share. The hummus was delicious, the grilled octopus was out of this world and the pork meatballs were amazing. For a main dish I shared the chicken and yogurt arrozo plate. Overall I give 5 stars for food ur took one away for service.

I would had rated this place with 3 stars if it wasn’t because of their incredible food.
We had to wait for 45 minutes! (with a reservation). After we were sited, our waiter just decided to disappear! Where was he for the next 25 minutes?! We’ll never know. Total wait = 1 hour and 10 minutes!!!
You can guess we were not in our best mood by now, but food was really delicious and it came out really fast, so we didn’t have to wait long to eat (we were starving by now!)
The only miss were the scrambled eggs with truffle.
I would come back again hoping we won’t have to wait this long.

It’s time to make amends. I made dinner reservations with my girl and it was an excellent experience.
Food: scrumptious. We started by sharing the hummus and pita, and the cauliflower apps. And it was good. I know how can you swoon over hummus and pita. Well… I did
We weren’t too hungry so we split the pork shoulder with Brussels sprouts (pulled pork) and it was outstanding. Bottle of Sangiovese ($ 50).
Service was outstanding
Not five stars because in spite of the excellent décor the tables are a bit too close to each other and I felt no privacy.

Great food — but terribly overpriced.
The pita and hummus was only okay. I got the skirt steak for the entrée, and it was also just pretty good. The only thing that stood out to me was the potato gratin that came with the steak. Everything else was not worth the high, high prices. Ambience was very nice, however — the music was nice and I appreciated the dimmed lights.

Great recommendation from a colleague.
Food was amazing, service was great — all around a great date night! We just wish we weren’t in the back room, it’s a bit secluded. Only other recommendation is that the halloumi cheese should be bigger for it’s price. Other than that everything was great! I believe Isaac was our server, he was on top of everything and very friendly. We look forward to heading back soon!

Came in for dinner on a friday and there was no wait, though we got seated by the bar which we did not mind because it was cozy and comfy.
Shared a plate of the roasted beets which was delicious and also the salmon dish was amazingly delectable.
For drinks we ordered a glass of carianne wine and balckberry italian soda.
We truly enjoyed our dinner.
We wiil be back.
By the way, the bartender who served us has a great personality.

Tried Terzo for the first time the other night and it was «meh.» First off, my boss and I show up at 5:18 and apparently they open at 5:30. The manager/​server/​whomever he was wouldn’t let us inside. I mean, we would’ve just sat and drank wine and waited until the kitchen was ready. So I said «you want us to wait 10 minutes?» in which he snapped back «13 minutes!» I rolled my eyes and we left. We were turned off by the experience and walked around the block. We only came back because my boss was REALLY wanting some red wine.
Once inside, the hostess said we can eat and drink, but we must leave by 7:15. At this point, I’m completely over the people and am hoping the food will at least save them and this review.
For the wine, I had the Banshee Pinot Noir. It was fine. My boss… I think she ordered the Zin-​Phomaniac Zinfandel Old Vines. If that’s the one, then it was really good and definitely recommend it.
For food, we ordered 4 appetizers and 1 dessert. We ordered: Wild Nettles-​Ricotta Ravioli, Grilled Monterey Bay Calamari, Tomato Braised Pork Meatballs, and Grilled Halloumi Cheese. The funny thing here is that I thought the Grilled Halloumi Cheese was going to be gross, but it turned out to be my favorite! It was perfectly seasoned and I totally recommend it. As for the other dishes… pffft! (rolls eyes) They weren’t bad per se, but they weren’t great = None of them had any flavor whatsoever! For dessert, we had the Flourless Chocolate Cake with Cocoa Nib Toffee Whipped Cream. That was a good time and I’d recommend that as well. The presentation of the food was nice and pretty. Our server was nice and attentive and recommended the wine.
I guess since the restaurant is located in Cow Hollow/​Pacific Heights area with all this old money around here, all the old people love the food. It seems old people are like kids in that they like bland food. The place, the staff attitudes, the food, the prices, it’s all very pretentious. They think they’re rockstars or royalty when really it’s all very basic and underwhelming. Unless my boss wants to go back and drink AND pick up the bill, i won’t return or recommend the the place.

Everything what you order here is all from Local Farmers, organic and fresh.
Menu changes everyday
What we had for dinner
— Calamari (A plus)
— Beets
— Steak
— Chicken (AA plus)
Everything we ordered had different ingredient, light, fresh taste of it. Make sure you have extra bread to soak in the soup /​sauce from each dish because is finger licking Delicous.
Dessers the Panna Cotta was Superb and the Flourless Chocolate.
Service is Outstanding as the Waiter had explained every dish and recommendations.
BYO BOTTLE (Fees may apply)
VALET PARKING available
Make RSVP

Went with a group of people to Terzo to celebrate a friend’s birthday. This place has a lot of good things going for it… decent location, nice atmosphere, solid food… So why only three stars? Well the service was terrible. She was rude, condescending, impatient, etc. Perhaps because it was a table of 8 «youngish» people who didn’t look like we would tip well? Not sure.
My other huge problem with this place was the price point. I get it, restaurants love to do tapas because they make more money on each dish, but come on… While ordering someone asked how many meatballs were in the $ 12.50 meatball dish. She said they were about the size of golf balls and it comes with 2 meatballs. $ 6.25/tiny little meatball. Are you kidding me? I can buy a couple pounds of meatballs for that price. The thing is, I am not a super cheapskate fast-​food eating type of person. I eat at a lot of good (and expensive) restaurants. However for me there needs to be something special to justify spending a ton of money on food. Terzo just did not have this something special for me.
The other food we tried was good, including the hummus, but nothing was life changing or worth the price. If money is no object to you and you look like a good tipper than check our Terzo for some above average tasting food. If you are looking for upscale Mediterranean I recommend Kokkari Estiatorio. If you are looking for something that is a better value check out Troya or La Méditerranée.

Terzo was absolutely great. Favorites were the grilled calamari, the sautéed wild mushrooms, and the pita + hummus! The flavour of the squid was so amazing, with just the right amount of aioli and salt to really draw out the sea. Garbanzo beans and veggies under the squid were also delicious, having absorbed all that seafood goodness. And yeah. everyone raves about the pita and hummus, the pita is REALLY good and the hummus is sooooo creamy.
We also ordered the pork loin, lamb keftas, and arugula salad. Service was a little choppy and I felt forgotten a few times, which might have to do with sitting at the bar.
Dessert: apple crisp with ice cream is a nice way to end the meal ;)

Terzo is a cozy Mediterranean restaurant in Russian Hill, with food comparable in taste to Kokkari but executed in a more subtle way. My boyfriend and I came during Restaurant Week and were blown away by the dishes. The food was right up my alley and I have absolutely nothing to complain about.
We started with the chicken spiedini, hummus and pita, and grilled calamari. The chicken spiedini came with two skewers of perfectly grilled chicken, onions, and chunks of doughy bread drizzled with an amazing cilantro sauce. The portion was bigger than I expected and it was like no chicken skewer I’ve ever had before. The grilled calamari was definitely another highlight, maintaining its tender texture without being rubbery. The seafood sat on a bed of beans with a light sauce that let the calamari shine. To round out the small plates, we ordered an extra hummus and pita that is definitely a must-​try. Their pita is house made and baked to order, with a fragrant blend of herbs rubbed on top that really makes it unique and delicious.
For our large plates, we ordered the grilled pork loin as well as the salmon. Both proteins were cooked perfectly, with sides that complemented them well. The salmon had the best crispy skin I’ve had on a piece of fish in a long time, breaking way to the flaky inside. It was served on a bed of green basmati rice that brought a slight Asian feel to the dish. The grilled pork loin came with braised cabbage and spaetzle, a heartier dish that reminded me of German cuisine.
To finish off the amazing meal, we had the flourless chocolate cake and the apple crumble. The size of our previous dishes were just right, leaving us with room to enjoy their incredible desserts. The chocolate cake was rich without being too sweet, and the house made whipped cream even had me spooning up dollops when I’d usually be scraping it off. The apple crumble was piping hot out of the oven, with a light crumble and apples tossed in brown sugar and cinnamon. It was a simple but perfect ending to a more complex meal. Terzo has definitely become one of my top favorites in the city and I will without a doubt be back for more!

We hadn’t been to Terzo in years, but driving down Union St. in SF around dinner time prompted us to drive by. Parking is a pain, but there was a space around the corner so we snagged it — clearly dinner at Terzo was meant to be. Hubs and I shared numerous small plates: Mozzarella di Bufala, Marinated Artichokes & Roasted Pepper, Grilled Monterey Bay Calamari, Sautéed Wild Mushrooms and the Free Range Chicken Spiedini. The only dish that was a bit underwhelming was the Marinated Artichokes, otherwise the dishes had layered flavors that were amazing and complemented each other.
We didn’t need dessert, but split the warm apple crisp with vanilla ice cream and 2 coffees. Great end to a great meal.
I really like the look and feel of the restaurant, and the music playing last night was great. Also want to compliment our server, Catherine, who was friendly, very knowledgeable about the food and wine, and helped guide us through the menu.

Came here with a friend for SF Restaurant Week, which was a great deal. Unlike other Restaurant Week menu offerings which are limited to a handful of options, their $ 40 dinner lets you pick a small plate, a large plate and a dessert from their daily menu.
FOOD: AMAZING. Everything on the menu sounded good, everything we ordered was delicious and all the other dishes we saw other people having looked amazing as well! I wish I came with more people so I could have tried more dishes. All the meat and seafood were perfectly cooked and the dishes were all full of flavor. On the oily side but not at all heavy. Portion sizes are on the smaller side (a healthy portion size), which was disappointing because everything was so good I wanted more!
PRICE: On the pricey side, especially given the portion sizes, so I wouldn’t frequent here. But the food quality definitely matches the price.
SERVICE: Friendly staff and food came out reasonably quick.
ATMOSPHERE: I love the general vibe here. There’s a bar and a communal table in addition to individual tables. Sophisticated, cozy, dimly lit, a little crowded but not too noisy. Great for a date or special occasion.
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*** SMALL PLATES ***
–GRILLED MONTEREY BAY CALAMARI ($ 13) — ⁵⁄₅
[with Umbrian Lentils, Wild Arugula, Pimentón & Aïoli]
I’ve never had calamari with such amazing texture! Incredibly soft and tender. None of that chewiness you normally get with squid. Great flavors in this dish from the aioli. I’m not a fan of lentils in general so that part was just okay.
–BRAISED NIMAN RANCH LAMB SHOULDER ($ 15) — ⁵⁄₅
[with Roasted Romanesco & Salsa Verde]
My friend and I cut the lamb in half to share, and we could immediately tell that it was cooked perfectly from how easily it cut. SUPER TENDER. A little fatty and oily, but not heavy. The salsa went really well with the lamb.
*** LARGE PLATES ***
–ROASTED STEELHEAD SALMON ($ 28) — ⁵⁄₅
[with Green Basmati Rice, Green Beans, Spigariello & Tzatziki]
I LOVE salmon and there’s nothing that makes me happier than salmon that melts in your mouth. Soo soft and flaky that I didn’t want to share! I skipped most of the skin because it was pretty fatty, but it had a nice texture to it. I’m usually indifferent towards rice, but the basmati rice in this dish was really flavorful (probably from the oil.). The green beans added a nice crunch and texture to the dish as well. I didn’t feel the need to have the tzatziki with the salmon because it was already flavorful on its own.
–GRILLED NIMAN RANCH SKIRT STEAK ($ 29) — ⁴⁄₅
[with Potato-​Leek Gratin, Roasted Broccoli & Olio Nuovo]
We asked for our steak medium rare. Normally, restaurants err towards the medium side of medium rare, but to my surprise, they cooked it towards the rare side of medium rare, which is exactly how I like my steak. The meat looked like it would be incredibly tender, but I was a little disappointed to find it a little stringy with a slight chew. Full of flavor, but I would have preferred less salt.
*** DESSERT ***
–LEMON YOGURT SORBETTO ($ 8) — ³⁄₅
I picked the sorbetto because I wanted a lighter, more refreshing dessert, and everything else looked heavy or rich. I really enjoyed the first few bites — light with some tartness — but then I started finding it too sweet.
–ORGANIC ICE CREAM ($ 8) — 3.5÷5
[Mint Confetti, Salted Caramel, Milk Coffee]
There’s also vanilla and chocolate ice cream, but you can only pick 3 flavors, so we went for the more «interesting» ones. I thought the ice cream might be too sweet or rich, but theirs was nice and light. My favorite of the trio was the mint confetti, which was refreshing and had small nibbles («confetti») of chocolate in it rather than chunks. The milk coffee was pretty good too, but I thought the salted caramel was too sweet.

I wasn’t too blown away by this place. Came here for a reservation at 8:30, still waited 15 minutes or so to be seated. Our server was nice, Nicole? I think her name was. I didn’t like how dark the restaurant was, and the music was way too loud. I couldn’t hear half of what my date was saying, let alone what the server was saying.
The food was very hit or miss! I enjoyed both of the entrees we ordered! The skirt steak was nice, rare, and perfect in my opinion. I wasn’t a fan of the potato casserole-​like thing that came with it. The king salmon was delicious as well, very simply grilled.
Neither of the desserts blew me away. The apples in the apple crisp needed to be softer and more cooked, although the crunchy topping was good. The tapioca was too bland, it needed more flavor.
The sautéed wild mushrooms we had as an appetizer didn’t have enough mushrooms and the cheese overpowered what little mushroom there was. The other appetizer we got was good! It was a blend of three cheeses with honey and bread on the side. The cheese was nice and creamy and just slightly sweet!
I wouldn’t rush back to this place. Only the entrees stood out as stars to me.

Regionale, frische Küche, tolles Ambiente, wechselnde Speisemarte, die aktuellen Gerichte waren aber nicht mein Fall und der Service für die USA ok.

Last weekend, I dined at Terzo for the 2^nd time, and I confirmed to myself that it’s one of my favorite restaurants in the city.
I dined with 4 others, which was great because we got to share a several dishes and get a good taste for them all. I recommend trying a bunch of dishes when visiting.
Here’s a dish by dish commentary of what we tried:
Hummus: Bread was particularly good and flavorful; hummus was decent.
Roasted Butternut Squash: excellent dish texture and flavor was great! This was unanimious hit among our group.
Tomato Braised Pork Meatballs: Nice meatballs; I felt they were cooked a bit more rare than I would have liked, but the excellent tomato sauce made up for it.
Arugula Salad: This dish was nice. Nothing to write home about but good.
Mozzarella di Bufala: This was also nice. Again, not mind blowing but good.
Braised Greek Style Chicken: This dish was excellent. The chicken fell off the bone so tender.
Linguine: I really liked this dish as well. Texture and flavor both stood out.
I thought the Beer Selection on Tap was pretty unique: Chimay, Trumer (German Pilsner), Big Daddy IPA. I went with the Trumer, which came in a tall skinny glass with the European measurement «cut off» listed.
Out table shared 2 desserts as well. We had the Apple Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream and the Pumpkin Cheesecake. Both desserts were blow away. I’m a big dessert guy, and I felt that this really capped off an excellent dinner.
I’m told that the menu changes very often (want to say daily but not sure), so I’m looking forward to coming back again and again!