Review: Sotto Mare

Tell us about your first impressions when you arrived.
Sotto Mare is a small, narrow, old-school Italian restaurant in San Francisco's North Beach, with small tables, a long counter, and framed photographs and fish (yup, fish) tacked on the walls from floor to ceiling.

What was the crowd like?
This is an unpretentious crowd. There are tourists and locals, families and couples. The vibe is casual, the place can get loud, and you'd be just as comfortable bringing your mom and dad as a friend or a date.

What should we be drinking?
This is not a joint for beverage snobs. It's beer and wine only, and the most you can drop on a bottle is a $35 cabernet. The menu only lists varietals.

Main event: the food. Give us the lowdown—especially what not to miss.
Sotto Mare serves old-school Italian seafood in an old-school Italian neighborhood. The menu is all seafood—so if you're traveling with someone who doesn't eat it, don't plan on them being able to order something else.

The restaurant is famous for its cioppino, a huge steaming bowl of crab, shrimp, calamari, clams, and mussels in a red broth (with minimal noodles) that's enough for two (at least). It's my favorite in the city.

The menu isn't innovative or particularly inspiring—but it is comforting and satisfying, and at $41 for two, the cioppino is a San Francisco deal. Skip the bread basket, even though that red broth is so delicious, and only order the salads if you're into that '50s-era Louie dressing vibe. If you want coffee and dessert, you can head to any of the nearby cafes—Sotto Mare doesn't offer it.

And how did the front-of-house folks treat you?
The restaurant is small, crowded, and popular, and there's not a ton of space for waiting. But their lobster-shaped pager can handle a trip to nearby bars like Pete's or Gino & Carlo; otherwise, you'll end up waiting on the sidewalk. Once seated, though, it's a lot like being served by your Italian aunt. Service is friendly and timely, but not particularly fancy, or entirely precise.

What’s the real-real on why we’re coming here?
Sotto Mare is a great place to meet family or old friends over fresh seafood. It's warm and friendly, comforting and casual. It's less "impress your future in-laws" than "bring old friends you know are willing to split a terrine of cioppino." Unless your kids are really into seafood, probably not the spot for them.