Chiaroscuro

I liked the design/​ambiance and thought the food was good. I would give them more stars if it wasn’t for the (deliberately) ambiguous question about what kind of water we wanted!
SERVER: «Would you like a bottle of sparkling water?»
US: «No thanks»
SERVER: «How about still water?»
US: «OK, that sounds good.»
We assumed «still water» meant TAP WATER. We were wrong. After dinner, we got the check: WATER CHARGE: $ 14

As the saying goes… Fool me once…
Our experience started with the very familiar question, «still or sparkling water?» And we opted for still water assuming we were requesting the FREE tap water.
Not really paying attention to the bottle being unscrewed and poured, it wasn’t until they set the bottle down and saw the brand label on the bottle «STILLE»
But before we could even discuss the old bait and switch event, the waitress asked if we were aware of their corkage policy, having seen that we had come in with two of our own bottles of wine. We replied, «yes, we saw online that it was $ 25 for the first bottle and $ 45 for the second bottle».
Knowing this, we were still there to experience their restaurant since it was restaurant week. She informed us that their website had not been updated and the policy had changed. Corkage was $ 45 for every bottle they opened! We asked if they would honor what we read on their on their website, and declined us. Really?
So, before we even had a morsel of food, we were already on the hole for $ 104. Just for drinking their water and bringing our own wine! Yes, that bottle of STILLE water was $ 14.
In short, the food was delicious, portions were small, and service was efficient and polite. Did they accomplish luring new customers with their restaurant week participation? NO! They are not the only game in town! Our party of six will not be returning. Please read their most current Unilocal reviews to know that we were not the only ones with this experience.

Went here during SF Restaurant Week and got the prix fixe lunch special $ 25 for two courses. I chose fritturina mista (pretty much calamari) and the carbonara (pasta with pancetta bits and shaved Parmesan or pecorino), the first course was really good. Light and fluffy. Very delicious. The pasta was alright. I wasn’t too impressed. Service was good. They handed out a juice sample and a small golf ball sized bread roll and what looked like vegetable butter the color of a carrot. I really liked those.

Oh boy–
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW:
For what I paid for dinner for two here I could have taken my date to IHOP or Denny’s TEN TIMES and gotten better service, better food and better ambiance. This is not an exaggeration.
Normally I would do pro’s and con’s but there really are no pro’s here. Here we go:
1. We got there 5 minutes early for our reservation. Then waited for 5 minutes at the hostess stand for the hostess to show up. When she did, she asked my name then spent another 5 minutes I AM NOT JOKING doing something on her computer screen. Possibly playing Angry Birds. Then she sat us.
2. Waitress took forever to get to the table.
3. Wine list is on a big, clunky iPad in a case. Hard to navigate. Why is this better than a piece of paper? Like the other menus?
4. They were out of the wine we chose. We chose another.
5. Waitress’s wine presentation was atrocious and took five minutes. PROTIP: Present to the person who ordered the wine and don’t spill it when you pour it. Also, wine glasses were cartoonishly large.
6. They were out of my date’s appetizer choice.
7. They were out of my date’s main choice.
8. They were out of my date’s dessert choice.
9. All the food was very poor. The famed pasta trio was gummy and lukewarm. Presentation was pretty good for most, except for my date’s swordfish, which looked like it had been thrown together by an epileptic hemophiliac.
10. The waitress did not check up on us after ANY of the food was delivered (by another person who did not know what he was serving).
11. We ordered an extra dessert because we were still both so hungry by then. They took forever. They were all poor. One didn’t even seem to be food. It tasted like flowery air and hazelnut? I think?
12. Even the closing espresso was bad. How do you screw up espresso? How? I really want to know. Someone from this place please contact me.
13. Took forever to get the check. Perhaps this was strategic, as I assumed it would take forever to get my change back and just left a huge tip instead.
14. Almost forgot– this place came up when I searched for «romantic restaurants». It is NOT romantic. It is one big room with no acoustic dampening and is thus very very loud. Myself and my date could barely hear each other. Mostly big crowds in business suits. The candles strewn about were the cheap Walgreen’s kind and half were not lit.
15. Almost almost forgot– the dinner rolls were just terrible. Hard, stale, impossible to cut with the butter knife (not bread knife) we were given. The only option was to tear them apart like monkeys. I love rolls, usually eat them more than the main course. I took two bites of this one and that was all. Raspberry (?) butter was also terrible. Just give me normal butter, stop trying to be cool.
16. If, for some reason you still decide to go here, opt for the five-​course option. You will still be hungry, though, so order a pizza on your way home. Extra cheese.
Charuscooby? Cthulhu? Kokomo? Whatever you call yourself, you suck.

We must have gone on an off night because our service was nothing like anyone else describes. The artichoke appetizer and the pasta were good. Everything else was ok. It would have been a fine experience had our service been decent. Not sure if something was going on with our server but it felt like this person either hated life or us or both. With the amount of money we spent on not only food but all the alcohol we ordered a smile would have been nice.

Found a great deal on travelzoo for a four course dinner for two here. From the moment we walked in, the staff treated us very kindly and professionally. Our server was fantastic– she took her time to explain the meaning of the name of the restaurant, what each of the courses included and suggestions from the menu.
Each course that we had was delicious. The restaurant was dimly lit and quiet, a perfect date spot.
Overall, we really enjoyed our experience here and would definitely go back.

Since moving to SF I have been on a hunt for truly great Italian food. I’ve been to Berreta, 54 Mint, Barbacco, etc… and some of these restaurants have come close to being really good, but most have fallen short and have left me feeling, «eh». Not to mention the price for the meal wasn’t always worth it.
So, back to Chiaroscuro! This restaurant’s décor right off the batt is very comforting and stylish. There’s a nice combination of cement, white creamy walls, and strong metal light fixtures with candle light. The service is very attentive and makes sure you are knowledgable with what you’re eating.
For those that are looking for an a la carte experience, this is not for you. At Chiaroscuro, you choose from either a 3, 4, or 5 course meal. Think Progress and how you choose items from the apps, entrees, etc… The food was fresh and the meat dishes had that really great meaty red wine stewed flavor. The pastas were all home made and had that delicious creamy pecorino zing that you crave. Another reviewer said the appetizers are better than the main dishes. I disagree. The whole meal was delicious, but the entrees and the pastas exceed the appetizers.
The use of an ipad as their wine, cocktail, and beer list is really cool!
I would say the only downfall is that the 3 pasta dishes they offer in the «pasta trio» are only served as a trio and not as individual orders you can get. The 3 pastas in the trio are cacio peppe, guanciale, and carbonara.
Overall, this was a great Italian dinner, and a restaurant I will definitely come back to with more friends. The search for great Italian food has stopped for now.

Words cannot explain how disappointed I am with the food. Service was great. But the food was one of the worst I’ve ever had in my entire life. I’d rather eat skid marks off a donkey’s ass. If you decided to eat here. Make sure you have a pitcher of water on had because they are extremely salty. Disappointed to say the least. I apologize for being so harsh but I’m upset that it’s false advertising

*** In Short ***
Modern Italian restaurant with friendly staff and okay food. Opt for the appetizers over the mains.
*** In Depth ***
Goodbyes are never easy, but, food makes everything better right? So, like many before me, I decided to part ways with my previous company with a farewell lunch, going with Chiaroscuro because: 1) they had the space, and 2) I had a hankering for pasta (a hankering that has been around for months). Ordering a handful of appetizers and mains, I ended up trying their:
* Carpaccio — I love good carpaccio, so, it’s all too easy to order this whenever I see it on a menu. Theirs was the first I wasn’t particularly fond of: not due to the flavor, which was rather tasty, but because their slices were cut far too thick, easily being double or triple the thickness that I’m used to, ultimately ruining the experience.
* Misto Italiano — a.k.a. a meat and cheese board! Excellent selection of both, and quite tasty.
* Frittura Mista alla Romana — Fried veggies and seafood? Nah, you ain’t messing this up unless you’re literally the worst. Fried just right, with great flavor, and fresh seafood. Easily my favorite thing that day.
* Trilogia Romana — The holy triumvirate of pastas, coming with an amatriciana, carbonara, and cacio e pepe. Unfortunately, the amatriciana was the only one I really enjoyed, as the carbonara lacked the richness and creaminess that I like, and the cacio e pepe was unpleasantly sour for some reason.
***Accessibility Info***
Venue — Mechanics of getting around North Beach aside, the restaurant itself was perfectly accessible. It’s hard to gauge how it’d be if the place were packed, but I suspect the walkways would still be accessible regardless.
Bathroom — Didn’t try them.

Pretentious. That’s the best way to describe this place. The food is not fabulous. Passable. Every dish had balsamic. I had 4 courses. The amuse Bouche reminded me of a carnival fried mushroom. Soup was a squash purée with scallops and flat. Next a buckwheat crêpe stuffed with prosciutto topped with a cabbage leaf them drowned in cheese. Without the cheese it tasted ok. Fish course was black cod and not memorable. Dessert was described as a baba but tasted like marshmallow fluff. Not surprised they have to push travelzoo offers. Don’t bother.

Food outstanding! Deserving of the Michelin star received. The service staff was excellent. Each dish we ate was meticulously designed and executed. Highly recommended.
I just had the same meal that Lisa M described below. I feel sorry for restaurants that care about the execution of their food and patrons such as Lisa M, defame an otherwise almost perfect meal. The fish was outstanding! I guess we all have different expectations but as a person that has dined in some of the best restaurants in California, New York, Colorado, Chicago, Texas and countries such as Spain, GB, Ireland, this meal was excellent.

I wanted to take my girlfriend out for a nice dinner for her birthday and, as a starving entrepreneur, needed some budget-​friendly ideas. Luckily Travelzoo offered up some affordable options and I discovered Chiaroscuro through one of their promotions.
I opted for the 4-​course option for the two of us, which was a steal at $ 99. We started with the amuse, which consisted of cold mango «soup» with a berry gel and pistachio cracker. Nice first bite, though I thought the soup was a little sour. The contrast of textures was really nice though.
For the antipasti course, I opted for the quinoa coated sweetbreads and Deb got the salad with burrata and prosciutto. I thought the sweetbreads were delicious when combined with the other ingredients on the plate. However, I wish I went for the salad, which was much more substantial and offered cleaner flavors.
For pasta, I went with the pasta sampler plate with three of their house specialties, all served perfectly al dente. My favorites were the amazingly cheesy gnocchi option. Deb’s seafood pasta was also outstanding and you could taste the freshness of the shellfish.
I went with the NY strip for my entrée, which was topped with an amazing gorgonzola cheese sauce and served perfectly rare. My girlfriend’s osso bucco was so tender that it fell right off the bone, and the marrow mousse was an incredibly savory bite with the bread.
I went with the bananas foster mousse dessert and my girlfriend opted for the roasted almond and fig gelato. Both desserts had amazing flavor and textures. My banana mousse had a half dozen different components which, when eaten together, was the most amazing and perfect finisher to a great meal.
Service was amazing and damn near perfect, and the prix fixe prices are downright reasonable even when you factor out the Travel Zoo deal. Chiaroscuro is a hidden gem in the FiDi and I’d definitely return again for a romantic dinner.
Food: ⁹⁄₁₀
Service: ⁹⁄₁₀
Price: $$$$
Atmosphere: ⁸⁄₁₀

Easily one of the best hidden gems of SF. Prix fixe dinner menu starting at $ 65. Generous portions, 3 courses was more than enough. Every dish was beautifully presented and well balanced. We tried the octopus, eggplant, trio pasta, steak, rum gelato and banana mousse dessert. We licked everything clean.
Service was top notch. The chef came out to greet us personally. They also provide complimentary prosecco and amuse bouche to start.
Highly recommended, great for date night and small group dinners.

The gnocchi was absolutely delicious! I’m vegetarian and they accommodated my needs.
Their sorbetto was perfect after the main course, the staff was friendly and the ambiance was inviting.

A coolly beautiful space, w great food to match.
It has a quiet presence that totally belies the hustle & bustle of this area.
The aesthetic is sleek & refined.
Classily sexy.
I chose the 3 course option, 4 is too much food for me.
The ricotta salad appetizer.
The pasta trio.
The coconut panna cotta.
Every plate was beautiful. From the amuse bouche to dessert, presentation was as refined as the space.
My girlfriend & I both loved the ricotta salad. The textures were fabulous. The flavors were delicate but full of character. This dish delivered in every way.
My man had the mushroom gnocchi appetizer. Surprisingly, it was prepared like a tortellini. We both found this dish to be just okay. He’s much pickier than I am, but I agreed. Flavors didn’t punch, & I thought the texture was not on point.
The pasta trio…
I was really looking forward to this dish. I love fresh pasta! The 3 varieties, salt & pepper, amatriciana, & carbonara, were all strong in their own right. Decadent & rich without being heavy. I loved the salt & pepper & the amatriciana the most, which surprised me since I love a good carbonara.
My man had the Kobe beef. This was amazing! The texture & flavor were sublime. Cooked to perfection, & exactly to my man’s request.
Panna cotta is my favorite. This was wonderfully creamy. That’s impressive, since so many do not get the texture right. But I found it to be a tad too sweet. Tone the sweetness down a notch, & it would be perfection.
4 & ½ stars.

Best pasta in SF. I got the trio (veggie), my mauf exploded, and now my mouth is forever changed.
I had the chocolate cake dessert. So worth it!
Our waiter, Gian Andrea, was so nice and informative.
I’ll be back, no doubt.

I went to Chiaroscuro maybe 5 years ago and still remembered their trio of pasta.
During a leisurely lunch time stroll, I passed by the resto and glanced at the menu — seeing that the menu still had the trio of pasta to this day, I made a reservation right away!
I dined with my dear friend at the restaurant and the food as well as the pasta was excellent! The pasta is as good as I remember it years ago. The salumi charcuterie was delicious, the burrata melted in your mouth and the desserts, panna cotta and puffs were so so yummy!
My friend and I got the 3 course meal each and it was so filling! Unless you’re starving or love to sample, stick to the 3 course selection.
Lastly, thank you to the wonderful manager who generously gave my friend and I a delicious glass of wine.
Wonderful experience, the restaurant is a must try — it’s minimalist chic décor and I highly recommend it.

What an amazing find! I was embarrassed to learn this place has been around for 8 years and I hadn’t checked it out. Everything was impeccable from top to bottom: the service, décor, and especially the elegant and creative Italian cuisine. You can see quickly why they earned a Michelin star.
I started with the millefoglie con tartare di filetto e fegato grasso (a savory millefoglie with beef tartare & seared foie gras & marsala-​onion soubis). It was pretty good but the meal was just getting started! Next, I had the pappardelle al sugo di agnello, gel di piselli, cipolle croccanti (pappardelle, slow cooked lamb leg sugo, english peas gel, crispy onion, parmigiano) and it was absolute perfection. The lamb was tender and flavorful, melting in your mouth along with the hand-​made pasta. Last, I had the pannacotta alle carote e meringhe di cocco (carrot-​orange pannacotta, coconut meringue, compressed cucumber, cardamom carrot chips). The flavors were exquisite, each pairing of ingredient giving rise to a completely unique and epic taste.
Note — Gian Andrea, our server, was the most charming guy. Not only did he provide exceptional service by being so knowledgeable and attentive, he was friendly and funny in a genuine way.

Increíble servicio en un pequeño, moderno y elegante lugar con deliciosa e inigualable comida… De lo mejor en San Francisco!!! I love it!

Saulo gets 5 stars!
All the way professional, friendly, good listener!
If you ever go there ask for him!
He made our experience perfect. There was a miscommunication and I wanted to just leave but he changed everything 180 degree.

Wow,
Not going to lie I’m considering writing the restaurant a thank you card!
Beautiful, clean, modern & elegant restaurant.
Friendly staff. When they didn’t know an answer, they took the time to figure it out.
My fitness & I went for a Friday lunch & wanted to choose between 2 different wines each & the tasting size the gave us was like we were at a winery :) can’t go wrong like that in my book! Once we decided on a wine their pours were quite generous as well!
The artichoke salad was perfectly seasoned & balanced. Honestly, many of their salads weren’t too inventive.
The antipasti we had was a special– lamb tenderloin– so great!
The pasta a I had was rabbit (protein of the day) gnocchi & the dish a out of this world!
As we were finishing our main course the sever topped off our glass of wine/​just to be nice– how lovely! The action did not go unappreciated lol!
I look forward to going back & having a 4 or 5 course traditional itialain meal!
Ps, I read they are known for their pastas… Understandably so!