Enrico’s

I have been to Enrico’s to see my friend’s band. it is a great venue, the drinks are yummy and the food is scrumptious. I highly recommend reservations, as the nights I have been, tourist buses arrive back to back. Though I must say that this adds to the atmosphere, as they are trying to enjoy their visit to the fullest and are up for all kinds of fun.

I have always loved Enrico’s! The room is so warm and welcoming, with a large seating area outside, big glass doors (so you can people-​watch even in inclement weather), and comfortable chairs and booths. Full bar, great food and friendly staff.
But hands-​down my favorite thing about this place is that they continue to commit to having quality live music. This is not easy in this economy, so please support them by going and seeing a band now and then.
Last night I saw the ever fabulous Lavay Smith there, and the band was swinging!

I used to frequent this jazz bar. But then Enrico’s posted this tonight on Facebook (re: SF Giants in the World Series) and they’ve changed my once high opinion of this place:
Enrico’s San Francisco!!! NEWS-FLASH!!!Hide Yo Kids, Hide Yo Wife, Hide Yo Husband, Cause the Giants are gonna be Rapin’ Errbody out there in Texas 2 nite

We went to Enrico’s late one Saturday night to have dinner and hear some live music. Both were better than we expected.
Enrico’s has what I would call a limited menu: mostly pizza and pasta. But don’t ignore the appetizers, as they are quite a treat. We had the pear wrapped in prosciutto with (goat?) cheese on it. Delish.
For dinner we had the pear and gorgonzola pizza; apparently everyone on Unilocal suggests this. It’s unusual and quite good. It’s a 10″ pizza, though, and will not feed two people. Hence the appetizers.
The drinks: I had the seasonal (strawberry) mojito. It was so good I had to have another. Alas, as it turned out, it was one drink too much for my poor body. But I’d go back for another.
Parking is a problem. Ha, I’ll bet you knew that. We parked next door at the lot — very convenient but very expensive ($ 25 for the night). Still, worth it to come stumbling out at midnight and fall into your car.
Live music is a terrific thing here. We heard Speakeasy, and would heartily recommend the band. (Disclosure: I’m the mom of the lead singer.)

Enrico’s used to be my go-​to after work happy hour spot for too many gin & tonics and delicious mini-​burgers. For some reason or another, I found new places for after work libations but there is still a special place in my heart for Enrico’s.
Perhaps it’s the outdoor seating area with a view of the classy people on Broadway. Perhaps it’s just the drinks which were good. Perhaps it was the server that used to know us as regulars. Much to love about laid-​back drinks and conversation here.
Recent visits to Enrico’s revealed that things have changed slightly. I think our favorite server no longer works here. Aforementioned crave-​it-​the-​day-​after mini-​burgers are no longer on the menu. And service just seems more lethargic in general.
But I still like Enrico’s. If you haven’t done happy hour here you should give it a shot. Grab a HH drink ($ 5 mojitos, $ 3 wells and drafts), order the pear and gorgonzola pizza, and you are set. If you’re lucky, you might see an elderly couple dancing the night away to some smooth jazz performed live — which just makes it all even better.

This classic Italian restaurant and jazz supper club is the perfect location to take an out of town friend. Those visiting San Francisco love coming to this spacious restaurant. We arrived as happy hour ended and the mood changed dramatically. The fun happy hour turned into a jazzy moody club. Both moods are a reflection of the San Francisco spirit.
The food is flavorful and the wine list plentiful. I enjoyed the old fashioned gnocchi and my guest loved the monster bowl of pasta. The prices are affordable and the location is prime.

Jul & Vicky’s typical Friday/​Saturday night:
«What do you want to do?»
«Let’s order in and watch TV.»
«Sounds good.»
*after watching two episodes of Spin City*
«I’m totally falling asleep!»
«Same. What time is it?»
«10.»
“I’m going to bed.”
«Zzzzz.»
So, it was definitely out of the blue when I suggested we go to my friend’s jazz show at Enrico’s one warm Friday night. I’d missed all of his previous gigs, so I figured that since I was free, and it was only a few miles away from me, I’d suck it up, summon my second wind, and head out the door.
We managed to find parking 2 blocks away and walked past the sleaze-​tastic strip joints on Broadway to Enrico’s. Neither of us had been inside, but we’d passed by a million times before. There were a few more-​than-​buzzed people standing outside, so we bee-​lined it for the bar after stopping by to say hi to my friend.
There is a nice, large (for SF) outdoor patio with plenty of tables and chairs (mostly for smaller parties of 2 – 3). Inside, it has a retro cruise-​ship feel to it. Think Titanic dining room. It’s elegant but super casual, and after running into Jul’s friend at the bar and scoring a round of free drinks, we sat and decided to split something after hearing their food was really good.
Their menu is pretty decent, with appetizers ($ 8 – 12) consisting of bruschetta, prawns, etc. They also have thin-​crust pizzas ($ 11-​$ 16) and pastas and other main dishes ($ 14−20+). Their sides included spinach something, regular fries ($ 5) and truffle fries with parmesan cheese ($ 7).
We decided on the truffle fries and a Margherita pizza ($ 11) since both of us like the fresh flavor. Our server brought us bread, which came with an olive oil dip. I don’t know if it was because I was starving, but it was REALLY good; the oil had the herbs and stuff at the bottom, and the whole thing had a very pleasant garlic flavor to it and didn’t taste like olive oil at ALL (I, for one, am not a fan of EVOO).
The fries came next, and they really just tasted like regular fries with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. After a few chomps at the top, we could finally taste a bit of the truffle oil. I wish the cheese would’ve been more evenly spread out and tossed, since not all the fries had that extra salty kick.
Finally, our pizza came, and in my state of hunger, I thought it was pretty awesome. In retrospect, it wasn’t very good; it didn’t have the fresh mozzarella, basil and tomato flavors. It honestly tasted like frozen pizza. The crust was yummy, but that’s pretty much all I can say about that.
Service is okay; not bad, not overly attentive. $ 24 including tip, so not bad for a shared meal. It’s great when there’s live music, and it’s probably a place I’ll go back to if I’m around or if there’s some other live music thing going on.
Food — 3 stars
Ambiance — 5 stars
Service — 3.5 stars
Overall — 3.5 stars, but I’m rounding up.

Okay… so, the woman in fishnets and hot pants got us to stop in our tracks, and take a few steps back.
Her beautiful voice got us to go inside and see what was up with this place.
And, I gotta say that I digg it.
We didn’t dine here, but had a nice time hanging out, listening to the song-​bird, piano man, and watching quite a few folks cut the ol’ rug up.
The song-​bird even plucked a old man, with an unfortunate hair piece, out of the dining room and shook bootie with him… He was a VERY happy man… and, we were very entertained.

Headed here and met up with fellow foodies and drinkers after shooting a networking event for a friend. I didn’t grab any food but they a) have Pyramid Hef on tap b) a live jazz band performing some of Snoop Dogg’s hits from «Doggystyle» (one of the greateast albums ever) and c) had outdoor seating with working heat lamps. WIN WIN WIN!
Bonus:
Afterwards, we grubbed on phở and ran into the bartender (we didn’t know it was the bartender since he changed clothes). He said thanks for stopping by Enrico’s.

Enrico’s is a historical restaurant in the North Beach area of San Francisco that has a lot going for it. First of, the patio seating in front is perfect. It’s far enough from the curb to where you don’t feel like your in foot traffic’s way. But you see a lot of interesting creatures of the night pass by. Perfect for people watching.
There usually is live jazz music either in the main hall or at the patio section. The music is really sets the atmosphere and tone for Enrico’s. The food is quite tasty! It’s simple Italian food that doesn’t come off as pretentious. It’s just tasty and delicious! They have a decent drink menu from various liquor mixed drinks, various beers, and wine.
The really only downside for Enrico’s is the location. It’s in the porn district of SF. A lot of strip clubs, XXX video stores, etc. Definitely not a place for mommy and daddy to take the little ones for a sunday dinner.
The view of SF’s skyline is nice too, especially at night. If you can get past the bright neon of the strip clubs/​adult video stores then Enrico’s really has a lot of unique character to it.
I’m disappointed that Ward isn’t there anymore. I enjoyed looking at his calligraphy on the walls and funny demeanor. Enrico’s is a great place for locals and tourists alike!

Very cute nightcap! We were in North Beach having pastries, and walking around the corner to the car when we saw this place.
Live jazz was playing, so we grabbed seats and ordered drinks. I got the mojito, and my friends got a red wine, a white chardonnay, and caipirinha Brazilian cocktail. All were yummy. I liked my mojito because they were not cheap on the mint.

Considering we were one of only three tables in the whole restaurant, it was nice to hope for and get really good service! Our waiter was super nice and very funny. He had us laughing every time he was at our table and for the first time ever, I got a «sexy» dinner, seriously that’s what they call it.
The bread basket they serve is über delicious. It’s thick and comes with yummy garlic tasting vinaigrette.
I wanted to get the wild mushroom risotto but they didn’t have it. Instead they made me a wild mushroom gnocchi and it was AMAZING. I also loved the Spanish shiraz I had, it was fantastic. However the best part of the night came at the end when they served us the most perfect warm chocolate brownie w/​espresso ice cream and incredible caramel sauce. Yum!
Great vibe, a place definitely worth going back to.

I’m happy Enrico’s was resurrected — a San Francisco institution worth saving. I admit I like the old Enrico’s better, but c’est la vie ~ any form of Enrico’s is better than none. I noticed that they’ve improved their décor and seating arrangements since I was previously there.
They have live music every night — my favorite is Monday’s to see Lavay Smith + her Red Hot Skillet Lickers (check the calendar). I was just thinking that when they tour Japan, people pay gobs of money to see them. We’re truly lucky to see their trio *for free* on Monday’s. Though I recommend supporting their gig by buying some drinks, food, or leaving a tip for the band.
I love the mojitos here — not too sweet, though they do have sugar packets for those who have more of a sweet tooth.

Why is it that everywhere I go with Amanda, we always end up finding ourselves way over our heads in some type of trouble? Because seriously, this is getting out of hand. But I secretly like it, don’t tell her that.
Last night I had plans up until 8, and then plans to meet up with a friend around 10. In the interm, I thought, «what a better way to spend those two hours than with one of the most beautiful, funny, sweet, and loving individuals I know?» So I called Amanders. I couldn’t convince her to go somewhere in the Marina (where my friend lives, don’t worry he isn’t a douche), and we couldn’t find parking in Russian Hill, so off to North Beach instead. We parked in a «closes by 10pm sharp» garage – THANKFULLY. *story starts now*
We walk past Enrico’s, and decided, hey what the hell, we’ve never been here before. Let’s get a drink and some appetizers, and we’ll be on our way. Sat down at the bar, and ordered Absolut and Tonics from an absolutely gorgeous bartender. *fans self* The pour was amazing – one of the best I’ve had in the city.
For appetizers we *finally* settled on Salmon Bruschetta with goat cheese and chives, truffled fries with asiago cheese, and a 3 cheese plate with medjool date jam and apricots. The truffled fries were so tasty, the flavor of the cheese was vibrant with the truffle oil. The salmon was undeniably fresh, and melted in your mouth with the goat cheese. The cheese plate was also incredible – I don’t know what they were, but they were *awesome*. The medjool date spread made it unbelievably delicious, I almost couldn’t stop eating.
The entire time we were talking to the GM, who threw in a free drink for us (because it was our first time), offered me a job and promised me I could have 3 days off every month during, um… certain «times». Woohoo! *does bajingo dance*
Because I was a bartender, I get 50% off on Sundays, which is also awesome because I’m broke. Like, as in «it was a slow day at the Gold Club» broke.
When I walked outside because my friend called, the GM asked where I was going and Amanda responded, «Her hubby wants to know what’s going on tonight». Then he walked outside and, without talking to Amanda, I said, «sorry, the husband wanted to know where I was.» Of course, I’m not wearing a ring because I like people to buy me drinks. KIDDING. I’m not wearing one because I lost it :(
But he DID say that he’d buy me a wedding gift, but that I was all his. And then we danced.
Yay for garages closing at 10!

My evening walk home always takes me right by Enrico’s and I have always been intrigued. The patio is generally fun, always more so when the sun is still out and shining.
So, finally I was able to go and see what all the hype was about. Nicole G. and I were quickly seated outside and we had made it just in time to enjoy the happy hour menu and drinks. We ordered a couple appetizers and decided to get the Mojitos that were on special. They were mmm, mmm good. Both the blackberry and the regular tasted almost the same, which was a little odd. The sliders and the frites were both very tasty. We also tried a pear pizza that they said was only on the menu this one last day. It was very delicious.
The patio and entertainment is a must. Tuesday nights Veronica Klaus is there entertaining the indoor diners. My second Mojito was after the 7pm cut off and it ended up being $ 10. They didn’t warn me, which was a little annoying, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I will definitely go back, and this time arrive a little earlier to take advantage of the cheap and yummy specials!

Although most would agree that Enrico’s is an institution, it can still be a hit or miss one. Some people know it more for the outdoor seating than for the food, and I suppose that’s ok.
Recently, Enrico’s decided to add a take-​away spot, right next door, keeping mostly dinner hours and smartly staying open until 3am on weekends.
You can get small bites that will instant hunger, like their petite 2 oz. burgers, or even a pulled bbq pork sandwich. But man, I’m telling you, just stick with the pizza. You can get a whole 10″ for under $ 12: the basics like Margherita, Wild Mushroom, but also Chicken Apple Sausage, and French Ham and Egg.
Or go for a slice, like I did after a few cocktails at nearby 15 Romolo. It’s a bit pricey per ($ 3.50), but for the money, I can quite recall a better tasting thin slice. Even the pepperoni was memorably spiced. There’s one table for a quick sit down, but as the night get longer, I’d just stand outside and eat, watching the Drunkepades take place on Broadway.
Feeling like you need more cholesterol? How about an order of Truffle fries with asiago cheese, please?

I didn’t actually eat here but sat there and enjoyed the ambiance and the great music.
I will definitely be coming back here for some drinks.
It was so classy and the music was right up my alley when I want to just relax and hang out with friends.
This is one of the few spots I would visit on Broadway.

In thirty years of living in the San Francisco area, I never made it to the old Enrico’s. If Sony Holland hadn’t been singing there New Year’s eve, I might not have made it for awhile longer. Of course, I went all the way to Tokyo to hear her sing so a little jaunt to Broadway was pretty simple. I arrived on the scene before the crowds and managed parking for only $ 25 and prayed that my pager would not go off.
The place looked pretty snazzy, as one would like a New Year’s setting to be. We had booked 7PM dining and, since we knew the star of the show, were lucky enough to have the VIP table, right up front. Dinner was excellent! I had a beef carpaccio, ravioli and a seafood risotto — not the most outstanding I’ve eaten in the world but
definitely good. Total price for dinner with dessert, Sony’s fabulous show, and a glass of champagne at midnight, was $ 85. A bottle of non vintage Veuve Cliquot was $ 45.
The place was packed… everyone out celebrating. Not the best venue to hear the best jazz singer on the planet but, hey, it was New Year’s eve and most folks didn’t realize what they were missing… they’ll get to hear Sony again, if they’re lucky. Enrico’s is a great locale, however, for a celebration or just a fun evening out on the town.

Enrico’s is BA-​A-​A-​A-​ACK, Bitches! And better than ever. Let me start with a little inside information: My people and I live by the rule that if a little’s good, a lot is better. Thus, we found ourselves stumbling a dozen deep (well, 11 stumblers; we actually had to carry one) from the Elite event at Scott Howard to Enrico’s with an iron-​clad committment to further inebriation. Along the way, Jill S managed to kick her shoe off and slap matthew capital r directly in the head, Nancy R hitched a ride (and her skirt up) on my faux-bro’s back, and we were called filthy names by two nasty strip club barkers.
Four wrong turns, three calls to Jason K for directional assistance, and a carton of cigarettes later, we were rewarded with the warm, welcoming arms of Enrico’s. These people are downright saintly. We did not make a graceful entrance. There were stumbles, fumbles, and knocked-​over barstools. There was laughing and yelling and a shriek and a holler. There was making out, passing out (almost), and boobs out and these folks never batted an eye. In fact, they made every attempt to accommadate us at a large table and let us take over the swanky leather-​clad lounge area when I pointed out that they may not want to seat us near the regular grown-​up diners.
The food has always been great at Enrico’s and what I tasted last night didn’t disappoint. Matt’s chicken ceasar was yummy, jill’s fruit and ice cream dessert was HUGE, and other people’s upscale bar food looked equally delicious. I had god-​knows-​how-​many glasses of a yummy prosecco ($ 8) and they have a decent selection of wines by the glass in the $ 8-​$ 10 range. With a patio, live music nightly, and a late-​night lounge scene in a neighborhood that really needs it, Enrico’s is by far my favorite spot in North Beach and a shining star of SF. Now cross your fingers that we’re allowed to come back.

Re-​review!
The new owners have revitalized this place like nobody’s business. Interior changes are subtle but nice. They wound back the clock and gave it an opulent, early 20^th century supper club feel, like Fitzgerald or Woodrow Wilson would have taken their dates here as young men. In two short weeks since re-​opening it has already developed a jazz scene popular with the locals who still speak Italian.
Food is improved a thousand times over, and they are under-​pricing and over-​delivering to get attention. The fritto misto for $ 12 was the best I ever had, full of crispy fried lemons, squid, smelt (!), and more prawns than most $ 30 entrees, all wonderfully seasoned and in very cool sculptural white plates. Summer squash soup was righteous but small, the bowl an upside down sombrero for a small-​headed squirrel. They aim high. It’s a white tablecloth kind of place where they bring you rolls and butter and the waiters dress up. Some attitude, enthusiasm, and lots of love from the staff. Yet easygoing and unassuming, especially on their well-​heated smoking patio, one of the City’s very best outdoor dining spots for downtown views, people-​watching, and socializing.