Il Pollaio

Tasty grilled meats (including rabbit) in the neighborhood with fresh salad. Always nice to come here to grab a chill, simple dinner with friends.

They keep it simple, but do it so well! Great, delicious chicken! (definitely add on the lemon!)
We did take out two nights in a row with a side of yummy steak fries!

The Chicken… it’s worth it. Good honest food in North Beach without the overly touristy feel.

Roasted chicken, potatoes & caprese salad. Quite a good deal, very tasty.

Best take out in North Beach. The half chicken /​half salad is well worth $ 15. If you haven’t tried this place you should change that asap. Quick and delicious. Very friendly staff as well!

I had a pleasantly average experience here. The chicken was pretty good, but I guess I was expecting better given the rave reviews. You can’t beat the prices though for San Francisco. Under $ 25 for a half chicken, large salad (but very vanilla), bread and a glass of wine is definitely not a per diem buster.
There was definitely a consistent flow of local takeout customers, so maybe I was missing something.
The service was friendly and quick.
I would consider going back if I was looking for a decent meal and wanted to save my money for drinks.

This place is pretty awesome. I had often seen it from the bus, and finally had an opportunity to eat there when my sister came to visit. Their signature roast chicken is really good and the price sure is right. The wine wasn’t very good, but it was a $ 20 bottle of wine in a legitimate restaurant. So, if you look at it that way, maybe it was the best $ 20 bottle of wine in San Francisco!
If the name was easier to pronounce and remember, I would recommend it to more people.

Excellent place for meet lovers! Service was great, the waitress was very friendly and patient and even offered us a second portion of bread. Enjoyed my experience and the food here!

By far the best broiled chicken in San Francisco. Super delicious chicken. Good service. Great time

Good food, great prices. Nothing fancy, just simple food well prepared. I had half a roast chicken, a tomato and mozzarella caprese salad and a bottle of San Pellegrino. I don’t usually like white meat but this chicken was tender and juicy. The meal came with good bread and butter. I used the bread to soak up the remaining olive oil and balsamic from the caprese salad, yum. I ate it all up and licked my fingers. Oh, and my waitress was really sweet. I’ll definitely be back.

First of all the prices here are just amazing! you get super full for a low bill.
The chicken is good, not great but good. It’s well cooked, but I just wish it was better seasoned. It kinda taste blend. Their boiled potatoes with parsley and olive oil is delicious! Their hot sauce is great! really tasty.
Not the greatest grilled chicken but a good one nonetheless.

What more can you ask for? $ 10 for a half of amazing roasted chicken with lemon and rosemary? Love this place! Perfect for a quick and healthy take out meal :)

Fan.freakin.tastic chicken!
We were so happy with our lunch here. The service was outstanding– attentive and friendly without hovering — and the food really hit the spot.
The meal comes with bread service that is really yummy, crisp crusted with chewy inside, authentic Italian style and served with cold butter.
We each had a lunch special: one with a half-​chicken and one with 3 sausages. They both come with your choice of a couple types of salad. We went for the green salad and it was just right — a good sized portion with thick wedges of tomato, cucumber and radish. Ranch dressing was yummy.
The half chicken was AMAZING — between the char and the seasoning the flavor was outstanding. It may have been the best chicken I’ve ever had.
The sausage was good, not spectacular but solidly good. That, and the prices being just a little bit high are the only thing keeping it from being a 5-​star review.
We would definitely go back!

The very intoxicating scent of roasted chicken hits you as soon as you walk in. Drool.
The chicken here is the house specialty. It is absolutely tasty & succulent. Tender & juicy on the inside. Appropriately crisp on the outside. Either a half or whole roasted chicken w salad equals a simple & perfect meal.
I’m a skinny fry girl, but their steak fries rock.
The burger also rocks.
There’s rabbit & steak too. And the prices? 11 bucks gets you a whole chicken, & a half is only 6 bucks & change. So reasonable! Refreshing, right?
It’s a small family run business. It gets crowded. No reservations. Patience! Service is really friendly & efficient. They’ve got this whole quick service family restaurant thing down. And there’s always the option of ordering for take-​out.
It’s no frills, which is what you want sometimes… am I right?
A north beach mainstay for decades. Never disappoints.
4 stars.

It is a 5 star chicken! delicious and a very good value.
Potato’s and vegetables were also very good.

Noise Level; I heard NOTHING while I was having the chicken, so i am Not Sure
Good for Kids Yes
Price Range; Price per person: I think it’s Cheap for the Great Grilled Chicken!
Bike Parking; i don’t know
Attire Casual
Good for Groups Yes
Good For Brunch Lunch Dinner
Ambience; Divey? Yes, Hipster? they are not welcome here, Casual? yes, Touristy? of course! Trendy? not really. Intimate? may be, Romantic? yes, Classy? yes, Upscale? no.
I was here with my family, for my birthday dinner.
3 whole chicken for 5 of us.
WE DIDN’T TALK WHILE WE WERE EATING.
Great Grilled Chicken, Great house red wine, Great service.
I love everything about here, especially such a simple Low-​Key atmosphere.
I can not believe that my last visit here was 7 years ago.
I should come here more often.

The chicken at Il Pllaio is pretty absurdly good. And when you’re in the mood for good roasted chicken, it seriously hits the sweet spot. It’s really a place to get down to the basics. The menu is short and to the point. Half or whole birds, salads (I hear the combo is good), some other meat mains, spicy sausage, and sides that include tasty looking steamed potatoes and other carbolicious things.
I came here expressly for the chicken, and the chicken I got. A whole bird, «small’ salad (which is actually pretty big) and a small San Pellegrino all added up to about $ 25. For one person, it was a large meal. I was damn hungry though, so it was juuuuust perfect. I can see how a couple could split a whole bird (birds run on the smaller side), a larger salad, and maybe soup, and have a plenty filling meal. They also bring bread with the grub. For this price, in North Beach (or anywhere in the city) you can’t get that kind of deal.
I’m totally a fan. This style of food is right up my alley. And you can tell the place is bustling with regulars. Locals.
Legit.

Super casual restaurant on Columbus with freaking delicious chicken. All the sides are solid as well.
The chicken — for me that is the reason to come here. It is SO good. You walk into the restaurant and they always have 5+ halved chickens on the grill. They are perfectly seasoned and crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. They got it down to a science. I love chicken — I am always tempted to order roast chicken any place I see it — and this is some of the best I have had in SF.
The sides are good too — my favorite are the grilled onions. Maybe a bit overpriced at $ 5 but they are really good.
Randomly the free bread is pretty terrible here so I would just skip it. Save room for the real stuff!

Belle place pour un takeout, le coin est plein de restos pour touristes et celui ci est abordable pour le secteur. Le poulet entier est correct pour deux personnes, plein de parcs à proximité pour un beau dîner en plein air. On y retournera.

Il Pollaio is a North Beach institution, and unlike many of the other restaurants in the area, they have tons of regular local customers, like myself. The chicken is obviously the primary attraction. It’s always super tasty, with a nice crisp skin, and pairs very well with the combination salad.
Usually, I just get a half chicken with a combo salad, but when I’m really hungry, I’ll also get the Italian Sausages and Fries on the side. Delicious!

Roasted chicken as it should be done! No razzle dazzle, no heavy sauces to cover the imperfections, nothing! You have a few sides to choose from with the half-​chicken special. If you are hungry, the steamed potatoes are very good, otherwise go with the salad. The soups are good too. I really like their minestrone and lentil soups, but the others ones I have tried aren’t bad either. They sell Peroni if you like Italian beer, but they have a few other brands too. Their wine selection is small, but not bad at all.
The burgers are good and they make good fries, so it is not only all about chicken. I have tried their pork and lamb chops too; all good.
The staff is nice and friendly, and they only get friendlier as they get to know you over time.
For dessert, flan every time!
One of the best deals still left in North Beach!