Had dinner here a few weeks ago and was really impressed with the clean flavors that presented themselves quite well. Twists and turns on the typical Japanese dishes were well-received. The service at the bar was well-timed and we never felt looked down upon because we opted to go for the bar instead of the sit-down tables. The one complaint we did have was that the restaurant seemed abnormally warm to the point where lots of cold sake was drunk to combat the higher temperatures (not that I’m one to object to drinking more, hehe). If you’re ever in the ‘hood, by all means, check this place out. You will NOT be disappointed for some different takes on traditional Japanese food.

If you order the bucket of mussels or clams, be sure to ask for extra bread as the broth at the bottom should be savored and enjoyed!

Was forced to wait about 25 minutes after my reservation time but during the entire wait, no one asked to get us a drink or even make room at the bar! The food itself wasn’t anything great either. The foie gras appetizer I had was woefully inadequate and poorly prepared (lots of veins = not enough care during prep work).

This is a great find on Solana across the street from the Safeway. It’s actually quite a large space with 2 different levels and if the weather’s right, the patio.

I went around 7:00pm and was able to sit immediately at the bar overlooking the open kitchen. It was a great spot to see what everyone was ordering and it definitely drove the menu choices.

When we left though, the line was pretty long but luckily they have a great bar that is well-stocked. Their cocktail menu was quite delicious and very Latin-influenced with the various tequilas. Definitely a great place to go if you want to sit and chat with friends and just order small plates and drinks all night long.

Went there on a rainy Saturday evening so the wait was not long at all (maybe 5 minutes at the bar?). The bartenders there pour some pretty stiff drinks and the vibe of the place makes time pass pretty quickly.

The restaurant itself is not large and the tables themselves are not too big. Considering this is a small plates establishment, they serve their food on larger platters which becomes an issue when the timing of delivery isn’t there. Luckily, our waitstaff was excellent and did their best to squeeze every available inch and the second a wine glass was empty, it was removed.

All in all, the food was really amazing, the wine and liquor very fine to boot (their wine flights are a bargain!) and the service was attentive but not overbearing. A really great find and heartily recommended by this diner!

Ask someone to list a great steakhouse in SF and they’ll usually cite House of Prime Rib or Ruth’s Chris. Izzy’s should be added to the list as the prices are definitely more than reasonable compared to what you’d pay at the two aforementioned establishments and the food is just as good.

When you step into Izzy’s, it’s usually quite busy and waits may be a while since Izzy’s doesn’t really take reservations unless they’re early (before 6pm) or late (after 8pm). Luckily, their bar has whatever libations you could think of and plenty of televisions broadcasting sporting events so you can pass the time.

Once seated, it comes down to the waitstaff you have. I would have downgraded Izzy’s a star because our initial waitress was really high and mighty and was probably on the tail end of a bad shift and she made sure that we knew about it.

Nonetheless, the food definitely was the shining moment of the evening. Izzy’s potatoes are a heavenly mix of scalloped potatoes that comes as one of your two sides for any entree. Their steaks, chops and even seafood really did live up to the hype and considering that it’s about 10-15 bucks less than anything at House or Ruth’s Chris, it’s a place worth dining.

Went here for a group dinner and had a great time. My group was a little late on a Friday night but the front of the house was very cordial and accommodating. Considering the size of our group and the fact that we were keeping them from turning the table once more after us, they did not give us any indication that it was an issue.

Once we sat down, the buzz around the restaurant didn’t require us to raise our voices to be heard but also didn’t make us feel like we had to talk in hushed tones. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu and was quick to whisk things away when drink orders got mixed up or more of anything was needed.

All in all, this is a great place for outings. I would recommend that folks dress up a little bit (button down shirt and khakis/slacks for guys) as the place does have tablecloths and the clientele ranges from mid-20s to upper 50s. So rolling in in cargo shorts and flip-flops may not be the way to go.

If you like cocktails with dinner, the bartenders there will pour your drinks just the way you want them!

I was there for a large family celebration (10 people) and you’d think that a table ordering 4 bottles of wine, a healthy order of sides, appetizers and tasting menus would get some service. One would think anyways…

The environment there is very friendly and the waitstaff were very attentive when it came to placing additional orders of wine or dessert but when it came to clearing dishes once finished or filling empty drink glasses, the waitstaff just wasn’t up to par. For essentially a 3-course meal for 10, we were there for over 3.5 hours! I noticed that our waiter was doing more sampling of wines at the bar then he was checking out the tables.

Food-wise, the place was decent but none of the dishes that I tasted there were mind-blowing, special or even memorable (at least good, memorable).

All in all, if you live in the neighborhood and you can’t get a seat at A Cote next door and want a quiet, uninterrupted meal, this may be the place for you. But I do think that you’d have better luck with food and service with Oliveto or Zachary’s down the street.

Going for a family member’s birthday dinner, the staff at Coyote Cafe was exceedingly pleasant and helpful. The ambience in the restaurant was nicely set with the right amount of lighting and impressive lighting fixtures (each fixture was the shape of a flowing bird and the entire restaurant was decked out with them). The food itself lived up to the ambience for the most part. While I wasn’t necessarily wowed by any particular dish, all of my expectations were met and the execution of the meal was just what was needed for a celebratory meal.

The menu is a bit eclectic as certain things share similar billings that wouldn’t normally appear together on a menu. But the food definitely works and when you factor in the very reasonably priced wines (they have a lengthy list of wines that are all under $20), you’ve got a winning combination.

Service neither stood out nor made me want to walk out the door but it did its job. I think they’re more into letting your party focus on each other instead of standing over your table and monitoring your progress every step of the way.

All in all, a great place to go if you want to impress a date as I observed at least 4 other tables one night on at least first or second dates.