Tommaso Ristorante Italiano
Categories: Italian, Pizza [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Financial District, North Beach/Telegraph Hill1042 Kearny St
(between Nottingham Pl & Pacific Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94133 (415) 398-9696
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 5:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat 5:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.
Sun 4:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
294 Reviews for Tommaso Ristorante Italiano
One of Tommaso Ristorante Italiano's Favorite Reviews
Muy Delicisio!!! Magnific! Tommaso's pizza is simply heavenly. The crust is thin but not too thin, topped w/ just enough marinara sauce and delicious mozzarella cheese and thinly sliced Italian sausage and mushroom. Their Caesar salad is also super yummy. Garlicky Caesar dressing with thinly sliced parmesan cheese.
Simply the best pizza I've ever had! Service is great too.
Pizza with Prosciutto, Pizza with Sliced Meatballs & Pizza with Clams & Garlic were what we ordered. Seriously, who would have thought of that, clams on a pizza? They were all amazingly good! Super thin crust, plenty of Mozzarella, pulled the slice away from my mouth & the cheese still stretching for miles, OK, so I exaggerate a bit! & the tasty tomato sauce, plenty of meat & so flavorful.
We ordered the small one & all 3 were under 20 bucks, left over for lunch today! Tommaso also has a good selection of pastas, I got to try that next time. I'm drooling right now with the thought of it. Time for my left over!
People thought this was:
Useful (14)
Funny (13)
Cool (13)
The food gets 5 stars. Amazing salads, pizza and drinks. However Tommaso's gets minus 1 star for the waiting area which is quite cramped. Best to plan on waiting for a while on the weekend evenings because it fills up quickly.
i came here over 15 years ago and t was like the BEST of the Bay. But of course as we get older our taste buds get wiser. So i head down here with my family and again we were WOWed. This is one of those hidden gems in the bay area. But you really never head down that way because the parking is horrid. so i had to minus 1 star for the parking even at the lot's. But the food was true italiano and my favorite was the mussels and brocolli and butter pasta.
Add another yelper to the list of fans. This place is a hidden gem that reminded me of the North End in Boston where Italian food is hard to beat... or of course Italy ;) The pizza from the oven is superb, and do try the mussels which are their specialty, I never had mussels flavored quite like this. My whole family enjoyed our meal here, and we got there just in time before a line formed out the door. Italian restaurants should be small, cozy, loud, full of wine and good food - this place succeeds!
On Friday night, after scoring free parking in crowded North Beach, we headed to Tommaso for some good ol' fashioned pizza. At 10:10pm, there was still a wait for this tiny restaurant with festive atmosphere. There were couples, parties, friends & families, all types of folks here on Friday nite. Our table was a small section of a long table where we had to sit across from each other.
Food: We ordered the fried Calamari, spinach salad, and seafood pizza. The portions were definitely large. The spinach salad was pretty flavorful. We liked the slightly sweet balsamcic dressing. The fried calamari was pretty standard. The pizza was a little bit disappointing. Perhaps it was what we ordered but the seafood pizza wasn't really anything special. We've had better pizza in Brooklyn and New York and the crust was not thin enough. The toppings (shrimp, clams, scallops) weren't particularly flavorful. The pizza wasn't bad but it just didn't really wow us. Again, maybe if we tried a different pizza it would have been better but the seafood pizza was only so-so.
All in all, the prices were decent, ambience is lively, and service was attentive. We wouldn't not recommend this restaurant, we just wouldn't highly tout it either.
This is some dang good pizza folks.
Once a place has over 200 reviews and a 4.5 star rating, you can be fairly certain that you will get a rockin meal there. With that, I'm cutting my review short and just telling you to go there and get any pizza, you'll be happy.
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
This is a review of the pizza pictures for this restaurant. I'm keeping the stars healthy because I don't want to exert undue influence. But really, can't anyone produce a better pizza picture of this purportedly perfect pie?
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (2)
Cool (3)
I have tried just about ever pizza place in San Francisco, always looking for the ultimate pizza. I have found it at my favorite "flying pizza", which is what my buddy Tony affectionately serves me. (It's our own private joke.) Nevertheless, the cheese has a great flavor and the crust have a wonderful aroma. So good. On top of all that, its so cheap. The best of both worlds!
It's no secret that Jason R doesn't have much love for Italian restaurants. Words that usually come to mind when I think of most local trattorias are: mediocre, terrible, flavorless, terrible, mediocre and overpriced.
That's why Tommaso was a nice little surprise.
Don't get my wrong, like a good version of anything, I love GOOD Italian food, but where the hell do you find that?
Tommaso, actually.
I had the spicy spaghetti with prawns and everything was as fresh as could be.
And the espresso served from one of those stove top coffee percolators was a great little touch.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
This review is only for the food to go (delivered by Waiters on Wheels).
My group was working late in the office, so one of our co-workers who is an expert in catering decided that Tommaso's should be our choice for delivery of our dinner. I ordered the chicken cacciatore ($16) which was delicious, tasty and tender, the BEST I've had in SF (although I seldom order it at restaurants) includes a side of pasta, and lots of garlic bread ($3). I was starving, so my review might be a little skewed.
I've tasted their pizzas in the past (also delivery), and I was not impressed. But those pizzas had been sitting in the breakroom for hours, so that is probably not a fair evaluation. I've walked past the restaurant many times on my way to parties at Broadway Studios, around the corner. So one day I should try to dine at the restaurant.
One thing that you should know about the place is that it's located in a seedy block, surrounded by XXX stores, and right across the street from Larry Flynt's Hustler Club and The Lusty Lady (where Kearny St meets Broadway St). Not the best area to bring your parents or anyone sensitive to adult material.
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Cool (3)
The pepperoni pizza is the best pizza I've had in years (and I grew up in New York and Chicago). Their ceasar salad is also divine. The place is run by a local Italian family that puts their heart and soul into the food. The only thing better than dining at Tomasso's is dining in Rome itself.
OMG is all I can say about Tommaso's. My BF introduced me to this little gem in North Beach 2.5 years ago and I've been an avid fan ever since. Now there are a few downsides to the place, but nothing that is a dealbreaker. For example, its really small, so pretty much if you go on a weekend evening there will be a wait. That wait can be as little as 20 minutes or as much as an hour. However in my opinion, the taste of their homemade caesar salad dressing is well worth the hour long wait. Additionally, if you wait right near the door, the awesome host (who also works at E. Angelo's btw) will offer you a glass of wine to drink. WOOT for pre-dinner drunkenness!
On to the food...
I've had everything from appetizers to pasta to the pizza here and let me assure you, its all good. The only thing I'd stay away from is the Chicken Parm if you like crunchy breaded goodness like me and my man do. They grill theirs so its not exactly what you're probably used to. Their deep fried calamari is off the hook and as I mentioned before, their caesar salads are delicious and big enough to share. Hell, if you tell them you are sharing they will even put the salad on 2 plates for you! Can you say awesome?
The pasta...ahh yes the pasta. It is delicious in so many many ways. They will cook it the way you like it, I prefer al dente, and they have tons of great sauces to choose from. I love their pesto because its a creamy pesto and tastes like an orgasm in my mouth. The Pizza is what they are known for, and with traditional italian pepperoni, you can't go wrong. Those pepperonis are little nuggets of happiness that you can pop in your mouth. A small pizza is always enough food for 2, as it has 8 slices I believe. If you are an olive garden lover, pass this place up because it saves more seats for us lovers of TRUE Italian food.
Best pizza I've had in San Francisco... hands down. I was there two nights ago and plan to be there again as soon as possible. The pizza has a hand-made neopolitan crust with traditional toppings and a great sauce. What else is there?
The wait was reasonable considering how good the pizza is. The wine list is very simple but decent. And the service was very good. Overall a great experience. Skip the cannoli and grab a gelato at Naia.
Probably the best marinara sauce I've ever had. I even asked for some extra marinara to put on my pizza (which I thought needed a little more kick) and the waiter happily obliged. If they had better pizza, I'd bump them up to 5 stars.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
What can one say? This is the spot for benchmark pizza in the bay area. Simple, classic, extremely consistent and not trying to be anything other than what it is, it's no wonder there's always a line at the door. The wood burning oven is one of the, if not the, oldest in San Francisco. And the folks who work the dining room and kitchen will work even harder for you when one's clear as to what to expect so as they can efficiently take care of their many table turns.
I have found one of the best ways to eat here and blend a traditional pizza menu with contemporary style is to order a margarita with a plate of sliced prosciutto, roasted bell peppers, and arugula salad on the side, as well as some red pepper flakes and grated Parmigiano (or Romano). Then mix and match at the table.
Can't wait to go back and get my fix.
I'd like me a slice o that...Who knew a good pie could be found hidden in the corner of a strip-club lined avenue in North Beach? We ordered one with fresh spinach which was excellent and a sausage pizza that was pretty good. Not the best I've ever had but definitely respectable. Didn't have to drop too many one-dollar bills either. Good spot.
Son said it would be the BEST pizza we ever tasted. He was right. Down right delicious. It's a little place and really doesn't jump out at you when you walk by, but wow. When you get inside and smell it and see how clean it is, you know before you taste the food that it's going to be great. And the wait staff is amazing. They all work together and they keep the patrons happy and move them in and out quickly. They need to, because this place is very busy with a line that extended into the street. We ordered two large pizzas. A cheese and a spinach and let me tell you, I would walk more than a mile to have the spinach one again. AMAZING! It's in or near the financial district, so it is close to lots of attractions and a definite must try when you visit San Francisco.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Just as it was 10 years ago, and so it is now - delicious pizza. If you like thin crust, this may be one of the best in town. I also think that they make the sauce from fresh tomatoes (although I may be wrong), but it tastes very fresh. If you have just one type of pizza there, it must be pepperoni. Consider trying cheese-less pizza. A different experience, but just as comforting.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
3.5 stars - my friend will likely disown me if she ever sees the review.
I've heard much about this place from my friend. Finally got to try it when we got together. It was a weeknight and we met at 7:15pm - I had expected to just walk right in (yup, that's how clueless I was about this place) and friend said she put her name down already and it'll be 20 minutes or so. I apologized for not making reservations ahead of time and she said they don't take reservations but don't sweat it.
I had no clue this place is so small - somehow I expected a much bigger place with 2 floors...boy, was I wrong! As we were walking in, I was already won by its charm. It's dimly lit and very homey. I LOVE the booths and were thrilled that we were sat in one!
My friend is a regular here so the owner came over to exchange pleasantries, the bus person came over to say hello, the aunt of the owner came to take our order...if you didn't know better, you would think we were with celebrity! Ah but there are perks with being a regular. First, a basket of fresh garlic bread - it was generously sprinkled with chopped parsley - it was still hot and tasty. I'm liking the celebrity status...
We got an order of the chilled string beans w/ olive oil. It was a very generous order and it was very good. The string bean was just soft enough but still firm and the mix of oily oil and lemon was perfect.
I don't know why I didn't even consider pizza when it is obviously what make them popular, at least that's what I've read from other Yelpers' reviews. My friend knew she was getting the lasagna, hubby decided on the pasta special (fettucini with salmon in a tomato cream sauce) and I went with the linguine with clams in white sauce.
My friend enjoyed her lasagna, every bite was as she had expected. Hubby's dish was very good...I wish I ordered that... Mine was ok even though it was mounted with many clam meat - what put me off the most was the temperature, it was just warm...
We were full but decided we should wrap it up with something sweet. My friend said they have this incredible chocolate salami...that we must order if they have it. Sure enough, it was available and we had a plate of assorted cookies including the chocolate salami - it was served with a small bowl of port for dipping.
Oh, they have their own wine and we had a bottle of red.
We will come back without the celebrity and give it another try - hopefully to become a fan...
AMAZING!!! My boyfriend and I always get the ceasar salad, baked clams, and pepperoni pizza. I'm not the biggest pepperoni lover but I can't resist these cute little pepperoni's that turn into crispy bowls of grease after cooking in San Francisco's oldest brick oven. There is something very cozy about this spot on a cold rainy night.
Tommaso's definitely doesn't serve the best thin crust pizza in SF. Pazzia and Pizzaria Delfino are much better, which was a pretty big disappointment since I'd been meaning to try Tommaso for a long time. It was one of the first places I bookmarked on Yelp! Even so, all of these places need to send their chefs to train at Rare Earth in Scottsdale, AZ. The prosciutto pizza contained only meat and cheese, and was far too salty. It was begging for the addition of some balance, perhaps nice fresh basil. The crust was overly chewy and dry, and more like a thin variant of your typical American-style pizza. Don't get me started on the spinach salad, which was completely bland. It definitely needed a ton of salt and a whole new dressing. I'm really sorry, but waiting in line for Tommaso simply isn't worth it.
Old school pizza place...wonderful in so many ways and a true San Francisco North Beach classic.
Pizza is great, but it's more than just that...the atmosphere and service transports me to a different place and time. Been coming here for years and I am always happy when I am here. Italia!
Years ago, I took a drama queen girlfriend here and even she felt the same way about the place. That says a lot. Beware, she's still out there somewhere. :)
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Funny (4)
Cool (3)
This discrete little family Italian joint is reminiscent of something you'd find in the alley's of Rome or Florence. My friend and I got there a little before 6 and were seated no problem but just a mere 30 minute later the entry way was packed --that's pretty much always a good sign.
I ordered the Meatballs and Manicotti and boy-o-boy was I impressed. Every little bite was a delight to savor. It made me close my eyes and say "oh God," over and over again. That cheese..mmm...and those meatballs....OH GOD.
We ordered the Chocolate Canolli for dessert which was also a treat. I'm not a huge fan of this particular pastry but was blown away by its flavorful creamy center and crispy shell.
Prices are pretty reasonable... I wouldn't say cheap, but we're not talking Gary Danko. It won't break the bank. If you're looking for a casual night out with high quality Italian food, definitely pay this place a visit!!
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (2)
Cool (4)
I've been on a bit of a pizza kick lately...that might explain the newly discovered muffin top but what the hell, you only live once.
Anyhow...my mom lives on the peninsula but grew up in the city...she loves everything Italian and everything old school San Francisco. So of course I had to take her to Tommaso. And she absolutely loved the place. It may have been the two bottles of wine (there were four of us...I'm not THAT big of a drunk!) or the flirty waiters but she left a happy woman. And when mama's happy, everybody's happy.
Thanks, Tommaso!
People thought this was:
Useful (6)
Funny (5)
Cool (7)
1 Previous Review:
-
04/25/2006
Garbanzo bean appetizer + meatball pizza + great wine selection = happy Phil H.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
After 260 + glowing reviews, mine won't matter. But well another one for the books. This place is terrific. They'll even do a vegetarian pizza with no cheese as well. We ordered one vegetarian, and one with prosciutto and basil. The pizza was served super hot and the service was very very good, even on a busy weekend night. My italian is getting better, and what better place to practice it than here?!
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (1)
Cool (4)
I'm a sucker for lasagna. It's true. The carbs are a killer for my ripped physique, but hey, some things you just have to sacrifice.
A group of 8 went to eat here, and I have to say, the meal was perfect. Hell, even waiting was pretty cool-- we bought a bottle of wine and drank it right outside. As Italian food goes, this is as good as it gets in North Beach... I tend to think of any place along Columbus Ave below par/touristy/overpriced... and while Tommaso isn't on Columbus, it blows any other place out of the water.
Yes, I'm adding to the hundreds of rave reviews of Tommaso... I do think it's worth mentioning how good this place was, and how great of a meal (albeit with great friends) I had.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
So I tried the pizza. Ok but nothing great. I'm still trying to figure out why there is always a long line here. I will say the service is always good.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
03/03/2008
I'm really giving it 3.5 stars. Great ambiance, great service and pretty good pasta. I want to go… Read more »
I have been fiending this pizza since I had a slice for lunch last FRIDAY. Definitely will be back and with friends to spread the word.
It is fun being contrary...
I had the pizza after hearing this was one of the better spots in SF. However it wasn't that great - it was pretty dry and seemed to be lacking in tomato sauce base (I reasoned that SURELY and pizza chef would not forget that, but there seemed to be SFA sauce upon examination).
I reckon Little Star is way better, as is any NY-style Pizza joint in the city.
Now let's do a check-list of whether I am 'qualified' to comment on the pizza with any authority (I don't want Linday L. to think I am unqualified, even though I do largely agree with her!):
* Been to Italy - check
* Italian myself - no (skin is as white as Tahoe in the winter)
* Have Italian friends who have cooked for me - check
* Ate at Italian restaurants all my life in a city with consistently great Italian (Melb, Aust) - check
3/4 aint bad, so I reckon my opinion holds some weight!
Excellent food and service!
After reading about this restaurant from fellow Yelpers, I decided to try this place for a birthday dinner. We came in at about 6 PM on a Tuesday and there was a wait! I took this as a good sign!
Once we got seated, we ordered the calamari appetizer. It was cooked perfectly, but needed a bit of salt. However, it came with a large side of their delicious marinara sauce! One of the best around! There wasn't any left by the end. Then, we ordered the Spinach and Shaved Parma. Cheese pizza, with Proscuitto. Yum! They know how to make a pizza! Garlicy, cheesy, and perfectly cooked crust pizza. SO worth the calories! And, the prices we not too bad.
Finally, we enjoyed the Tiramisu. If you like Tiramisu, you are going to love Tommasos! They use Vanilla wafers instead of lady fingers which give a subtle vanilla flavor. Again, one of the best Tiramisus I've had.
Worth the wait!!
Italian food is one of my favorites, so I arrived jazzed to stuff myself with delicious pasta at Tommaso.
From the moment I walked in, this restaurant screamed ma & pa traditional Italiano. So cute. I also loved how Al Pacino caught my eye due to the large Godfather III poster hanging in the corner of the room. Love it!
Relatively cheap wines to accompany your meal. I chose the wine "special" of the evening.. a lovely cab which was only $7.50 a glass. While coming to an Italian place does make me sad somewhat purely for the fact that I can't thoroughly enjoy most of the items on the menu, I did find a rather tasty option. I chose a pasta dish: macaroni with mushrooms, basil, garlic, olive oil & sausage. Delightful, considering it was dairy free.
I would defiantly come back here some time. If you are debating whether or not this place gets busy, and to eat early... it does. We left at 7pm and there was a wait of at least 20 minutes.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Amazing! Both pizza and pasta are wonderful! A friend introduced us to Tomasso's since I'm new to the city, and it's quickly become one of our favorites. They have a solid menu selection, and offer monthly specials so there's always something new.
The only drawback is the size, which means you should expect to wait for an hour if you want a table on Friday or Saturday evening, but it's well worth the wait. If you're in the area, you have to check out Tomasso's!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Excellent quality food and service. Great pizza and pasta!
My girlfriends and I end up one night at this place, close by the hostal we were staying. We shared a pizza, classic margherita, which was good, nothing out of this world. The service was a bit slow, and because it was late -- 10:30, pretty early for NY standards, but it seemed to be the norm in S.F. -- we felt like being kicked out of the place, no time for dessert or anything else, just the check without we even have asked for it...
What a real treat. I had never heard of this place, or seen it as it's just off the main streets in North Beach. The atmsophere was comfy, the service was friendly and the food was wonderful (sorry, i don't remember what we exactly we ordered) I believe it was a pizza and salad. I just remember loving the pizza and enjoying the whole atmosphere. It has restored my faith that you can infact find a good Italian restaurant in North Beach.
My favorite Italian in San francisco. They don't book - and it is part of the charm. I think the banter with the MD whilst waiting for a seat is all part of the fun - and very Italian.
The kind of place where you can make requests and it is considered an honor, not a pain.
Their food is exquisite, but it is the atmosphere (LOUD), the service, the family feel (am I in a back alley in Rome?) and the mix of crowd (families mix with young couples mix with tourists) that make it.
And have the Coo Coo Clams. Even if you don't like clams.
This place is real Italian - they have anchovies on their pies - by request! The thin crust is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. Yum! The lasagna just melts in the mouth. Don't forget to get a bottle of marinara sauce home!
The hospitality is amazing. Warm, friendly and accommodating, Tommaso's has a warm family atmosphere.
The wait can be excruciatingly long. For those troopers that are willing to wait, Tommaso's offers glasses of wine for those who wait - and nothing warms up the body more during those cool summer nights in the City!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I'm a transplanted Italian Jersey girl who misses the great Italian food that's in strip malls all over Jersey. (sort of like how we have taquerias everywhere here) Now, I know that we have good Italian here - there's Delfina, there's Antica, there's Aquarello, yeah yeah yeah. But they are all foofified Italian. What I longed for was an old school place that wasn't hip, that didn't reinterpret the dishes that I grew up eating.
I've found my place!
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
If half stars were an option I would rate Tommaso's a 4.5.
It had been years since we had been here I have to admit that when I'm hungry I just don't want to wait an hour to eat. But craving good Italian we headed over early 6:30 or so and waited only a half hour on Friday to eat. Those arriving 60-90 minutes after us were not so lucky as the waiting list grew longer and longer.
But I digress from the food which is SPECTACULAR!
There lasagna is what I call "real" lasagna. Not loaded or stuffed with toppings. Just fresh ingredients and perfectly seasoned sauce...it literally melts in your mouth.
Then there is the pizza. On this visit it was topped with prosciutto. I think it's one of the best pizzas in the city. If they delivered I would be in heaven.
People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...
Related Lists
-
Top Restaurants
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the… -
