Mona Lisa Restaurant

Went here yesterday for the first time. Pretty awesome pesto tortellini. Can’t really pronounce anything on the menu, so I ordered something that I could pronounce. Real good authentic Italian food though. Would definitely come back and recommend this place for anyone who likes pizza and pasta. There’s so many different types of pasta vegetarian, seafood, meaty. Give it a shot, you won’t be disappointed.

After visiting Super Bowl city we took a cab to N.B. we were hungry and decided to stop into this place. Mario was our waiter good service, we started off with some garlic bread, lots of garlic. I had the chicken Parmigian and friend had the spaghetti both dishes were great

I’ve been coming here for over six years to enjoy their delicious pasta arrabbiata. It is one of my favorite places in town for pasta arrabbiata. They are always very accommodating with my vegetarian diet. The waiters are very friendly and very Italian!

Some of the best Italian food that I’ve had in a long time. Get the fettuccine primavera and you will not be disappointed. The restaurant owners/​staff are mostly Sicilian and are very knowledgeable about the menu. Pro tip– come here on a Sunday afternoon even if it is a little chilly out. I snagged a table on the sidewalk patio with my dog and they turned on the outside heaters, it was toasty in no time. Plus there’s the awesome view of the Roman Catholic Archbishop.

Very good Italian food. Portion of salmon could be bigger. Truly enjoyed the atmosphere and the owner/​Chef is very warm and hospitable. Delicious Cesar dressing paired with crisp fresh romaine and grated parmigiano cheese. I would definitely go back the next time I visit San Francisco!!!

Candle lit dinner, good pasta & wine, with the lovely bonus of having a Mona Lisa painting with her perky breasts out– honestly what could I complain about?
Appetizers:
I recommend the bruschetta bread.
I believe our platter came with assorted salumi and Romano cheese. I was a big fan of the cheese; had a strong taste and I was very down for it.
I had the Fettuccine Leonardo–
Cream sauce, tomatoes, and chicken.
Went well with my White Zinfandel.
Owner was very nice and thankfully authentically Italian.
Thank you for letting me eat while enjoying your breasts out, Mona Lisa. I shall be back to admire your loveliness hopefully soon.

Ambience = A… Squid ink risotto = A. They don’t skimp on the expensive squid ink and it’s amazingly flavorful!

Camille’s in Providence RI is five stars, so these guys get four. The spaghetti and meatballs were great, some nice Italian wines and good service. The food won’t blow your mind, but it will fill you up, and the nifty décor and ambiance will make you happy. Can’t ask for much more than that. We had some melon-​wrapped-​in-​ham appetizers that were excellent.

Went here with a group of family (7 total, 2 kids) for a birthday dinner for my wife in SF. The menu is huge, so plan on pouring over it for awhile. Most of the meals we got were good, and the prices are reasonable. We had some bruschetta to start, and the tomatoes were incredible (even in late Dec) — but only four small pieces of bread for $ 10. Only one meal was unsatisfactory — the pesto gnocchi was really not very good — the pesto was very funky and woody tasting, drowned in olive oil, and lacking any of the balance of a good pesto (I don’t think there was any parmesean cheese in it at all). I had the 4 cheese gnocchi and it was very good, although not surprisingly very rich. Most of the other meals were were good — average to above average — and also reasonably priced.
There weren’t many good options for the kids. One of them got a pizza made for a large adult (lots of leftovers) — I had a slice, and it was just OK — the crust was a bit soft for my taste. The other kid got a small plate of penne and marinara which was good. The wine list was long, but not overwhelming.
Service was a little spotty, and I see others have complained about it on here. I understand that a good Italian meal is meant to be savored over the course of several hours — but we spent alot of time waiting around in a relatively empty restaurant (we were there at 5:00, before the dinner rush). Just getting the bill after the plates were cleared took another 10 – 15 minutes.
They have a huge menu, so there’s probably something for everyone here.

Pretty sweet restaurant. The owner is at the door greeting people the «old skool» way. Had the cioppino and it’s right up there with the best of em’ in SF. Been to North Beach a lot growing up in the area, and have probably been to most of the restaurants on or around Columbus. Mona Lisa holds its own.
Cheers!

This used to be my favorite restaurant. Came to SF 10 years. Last year a service problem but tried again this year. No more coming here!!! Monday night and even had reservation. We were put at a table and half an hour later still sat there with no waiter. When I finally got a waiter to stop he said no no we to busy! So we got up and left! No one even stopped us! Went across the street and had great service and food!

I rarely write 1 star reviews but unfortunately this restaurant deserves it. It took an hour for them to bring our appetizer salad, and then another 30 for our entrées. Other parties ordered, ate, and left before we got our food. Two pastas. I mean seriously. I brought up the issue with our waiter and got no apology.
They need to learn what customer service is.

The best Italian food on Columbus street in San Francisco. We ordered penne with mushrooms, eggplant, and red sauce and the house lasagna with meat sauce. Both dishes, which we shared, were outstanding. The only negative at this restaurant is the service. .. It’s not the best and not worse. Other than that, this place is a great place to visit for an Italian meal while in San Francisco.
Okay, yes we went back again. .. And it was just as good as I remembered. This time our waitress was outstanding and we have absolutely no complaints. If you like Italian food and you don’t want to waste your money this is the place to go! Awesome

Home… Best way I can described this place.
I’ve bragged before, I’ll brag again, still one of the best & my favorite Italian Restaurants in SF.
You can never go wrong with Bruschetta, but when it’s made with fresh Ingredients, and the skill behind the kitchen that is Mona Lisa, it’s simply Perfection!!!

Food is great, service is wonderful and Maurizio… Is number ONE!!!
A special place to spend a night in good company. Great atmosphere!

We came here with a large party on a Saturday night because no other restaurant would take our party of eight in North Beach. We put our name in with the owner, and he didn’t take down our name but guaranteed that we would be seated within a reasonable timeframe and to check back in at the time he told us. We checked back in and sure enough, he got us seated right away!
The place was very Italian mafia like, and I loved the feel and ambiance of the restaurant. The service was really slow, but then again the restaurant was packed! We had to ask our waiter several times for just the bread. We were starving! The menu is a bit overwhelming, but I’m sure there is something for everyone! We ordered the gnocchi and the Fettucine Mona Lisa. I honestly don’t remember which gnocchi I ordered, so to me, that means that the dish was just not that memorable; however, the Fettucine Mona Lisa was amazing! The sauce was awesome, and I’m sure any of the Fettucine dishes are on par. I would definitely recommend this entrée, and how could you not since this may be a signature dish with the restaurant name in the title!
Thank you for seating us on such short notice and large party! Very accommodating.

This is my second time going to Mona Lisa in the last 2 weeks, that says a lot. Hands down, best Gnocchi (4 Cheese) I have had, the kind that just melts in your mouth with flavor, the main reason I came back.
Second time around was just as amazing. I recommend sitting outside, as you get to people watch at the same time as enjoy spectacular food, with exceptional service provided by Robert.
If you want Italian (Sicilian made — which is the best), Mona Lisa is the place to stop. Trust me, I eat, ALOT!

The ONLY reason this place gets 4 stars is because of the food and the atmosphere. As most reviews state, the service is awful. Even the owner was laughing at his not so friendly slow server telling him to hurry up and that he is lazy. Not professional, but pretty damn funny. I had the chicken a magio, which was a chicken breast filled with ham and mozzarella cheese with a tomato sauce. It was absolutely delicious. My bf had the seafood pasta, which is what I usually always get when I go to place like this in the bay, But I had it the night prior in Oakland. It’s a good life, yes I do know this! I recommend the food, not the service

The reason for my one star is due to my waiter who we asked to split the with specific details and guess what, he did as he pleased.
Then came back and said, «it’s going to take a long time to fix». I don’t care JULIAN it’s your job!!!
HE DIDN’T FIX IT BECAUSE IT WAS GOING TO TAKE TOO LONG. So I guess this restaurant doesn’t have respect for your money. I have never been so upset at a restaurant before.
To the manager, I would consider training your servers on how to refund because he pretty much told me my money doesn’t matter.

Came with a large group and they set up the tables to accommodate us when we got there. The atmosphere is nice with dark lighting and the service was friendly and quick.
We ordered the calamari ($ 17) and tomatoes caprese ($ 16) appetizers. Both were tasty but pretty pricey for the serving size. For the entrée I got the lobster ravioli ($ 20). It was just okay in my opinion — there was not too much flavor in the tomato sauce and I couldn’t really taste any lobster. Then for dessert I ordered a cheesecake ($ 8) which was good the first few bites but was way too rich that I couldn’t finish it on my own.
Overall okay Italian restaurant in the area and very good for group dinners.