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Specchio Reviews List
Specchio
Specchio, meaning ‘mirror’ in Italian, serves up the finest Venetian and Northern Italian dishes in a contemporary setting. Chef Gino Assaf has created a menu featuring traditional Italian favourites, prepared daily with the freshest, highest quality ingredients. At Specchio you’ll feast on Italian dishes ranging from wild boar pappardelle to pork chops with gorgonzola, all of which pair exceptionally well with an imported Italian beer or a glass of Chianti.
Specchio Ristorante resonates with lively ambiance, which is enhanced by modern fixtures and a contemporary design, complete with a nightly screening of a Fellini or other beloved Italian movies, projected high over the open kitchen. The bar is a popular gathering place for the the after work crowd and locals alike. Step into the dining room for an intimate date, or bring in your large group to dine upstairs, where we can accommodate up to 38 people in our private dining space.
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73 Current Reviews
Summary of Diner Ratings & Reviews
Overall
(Very Good)
3.6
/
5
Rating Breakdown 73 reviews
5 stars
(15)
4 stars
(29)
3 stars
(16)
2 stars
(8)
1 star
(5)
Food
(Very Good)
3.6
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
3.8
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
3.6
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
Filter Reviews By:
Diners classify this restaurant as:
- fit for foodies(27)
- neighborhood gem(25)
- good for groups(23)
- romantic(15)
- special occasion(15)
- notable wine list(14)
Specchio Reviews List
Review 1 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Delicioso!
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Delicious, authentic Italian food and service with a smile. We found it through a Groupon and almost missed it from the street. It was well worth it! We loved the grilled veggies, mushroom pizza, walnut pesto, ricotta gnocchi and wild boar bolognese...with our party of 5 that had appetizers, entrees and dessert- every single plate was amazing! Thank you David and Gino for a wonderful experience, we will definitely be back!"
Dined on 5/14/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies
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Review 2 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service, food and wine were
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Fair)
2
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Service, food and wine were very good. Decor is kind of strange, and not very romantic for a date night, but we had a great time. Prices are reasonable, so this would be a great spot for dinner with a small group of friends."
Dined on 04/19/2013
2011
Special Features: good for groups, notable wine list
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Review 3 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
We waited over an hour and
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Poor)
1
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"We waited over an hour and 1/2 from the time we ordered our food for it to be delivered. Although the server was friendly, he wasn't very apologetic given how long the wait had been. Once we finally did get our food, we were so late to meet up with our friends we couldn't even enjoy it and didn't have time to finish it. The ambiance was cool and fun and the pasta was good but the slow service really influenced our experience."
Dined on 04/19/2013
2012
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Review 4 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Food was ok. Service was ok.
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Food was ok. Service was ok. Not blown away with my experience. There are plenty of restaurants nearby that serve better food with better service at a better price."
Dined on 04/19/2013
2012
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Review 5 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
overall very good experience.
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"overall very good experience. food was great and a good wine selection."
Dined on 04/16/2013
2008
Special Features: neighborhood gem, special occasion, great for lunch, hot spot
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Review 6 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
yummy yum yum
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"fresh menu...excellent service...lightning fast from kitchen to table....vegetables-prepared and cooked perfecto...pastas...to die for....poultry...dont miss it!!!"
Dined on 04/12/2013
2012
Special Features: romantic, great for lunch
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Review 7 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
had a 6 pm reservation, and
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"had a 6 pm reservation, and waited to be seated. we were first seated at a small table for two when the entire restaurant was completely empty with the exception of a party of 7 up at the very front. we asked to be seated at a larger table on the wall which was no problem.
ordered the papadarelle and it came watery. I ate it because I was starving but overall I wish the sauce was a bit heavier and that there was more of sauce.
by the time we left, only one other table had been seated.
it has an nice open layout but nothing notable that would want me to go back or refer someone to go there."
Dined on 04/15/2013
2003
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Review 8 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Poor)
1
/
5
Food was mediocre. Ambiance
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Poor)
1
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Food was mediocre. Ambiance didn't make up for that. Overall, very unhappy that I took a trip all the way out to the Mission for it. There are so many better restaurants in this part of the city."
Dined on 04/05/2013
2013
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Review 9 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Best mussels I've ever had.
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Fair)
2
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Best mussels I've ever had. Calamari risotto and veal scallopini also excellent."
Dined on 04/01/2013
2005
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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Review 10 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
We went with a party of 4,
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"We went with a party of 4, and all of us had a great time and great food.
The wine list was interesting and we tried some nice italian reds. My husband had the pork chop which was cooked to perfection. I had home-made rigatoni with saffron, zuchinni and speck. Yum! Our waiter was great!"
The wine list was interesting and we tried some nice italian reds. My husband had the pork chop which was cooked to perfection. I had home-made rigatoni with saffron, zuchinni and speck. Yum! Our waiter was great!"
Dined on 03/29/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, notable wine list
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Review 11 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Gnocchi was light and tasty.
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Gnocchi was light and tasty. Several vegetarian options. Pork chop entree was a bit on the salty side. Cannoli dessert was good, not amazing."
Dined on 03/23/2013
2005
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, late-night find
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Review 12 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Poor)
1
/
5
Third visit, prior 2.times
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Poor)
1
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Third visit, prior 2.times great food/.service . This time dismal!! RSVP'd for birthday dinner, party of 6. Were seated 25 minutes Late as they had lost our reservation. After deciding on wine we had sampled, waiter brought a different bottle of wine ; he tried with 3 bottles to convince us it was the same wine, then proclaimed it must have gone bad. When the food "arrived" it sat on a side table for some time. By the time it got to our table it was lukewarm! And one meal arrived so late that the rest of us were half-way done eating. The waiter was not vey nice overall;,this in setting of RSVP, wine and food mishap it' could have been comical- except it wasn't!! Too bad; we believed we had found a gem before but obviously not!!"
Dined on 03/22/2013
2012
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Review 13 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
One of my FAVORITE restaurants.
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"I have eaten at Specchio at least 15 times and each visit has been GREAT. Food, service and the staff are excellent. I recommend this restaurant to locals and tourists all the time.
It is one of my Bay Area favorites."
It is one of my Bay Area favorites."
Dined on 03/19/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, late-night find, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, special occasion
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Review 14 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Specchio was a last minute
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Specchio was a last minute choice for a birthday dinner for a friend. She and I had a fantastic time. The outside of the restaurant leaves you guessing what might be inside, but it is well worth it to wander in. We had a fairly attentive waiter who really knew the food and was able to make good recommendations (like the Gnocchi--to die for!!!). The restaurant wasn't very busy when we were there (early on a tuesday night), but the atmosphere was still lively (but not so much that we couldn't hear each other). The only draw back I found was that it was kept pretty cool in there, so bring a sweater just in case.
great dining experience. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! :)"
Dined on 03/19/2013
2013
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion
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Review 15 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
I purchased a Groupon - and
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"I purchased a Groupon - and while I don't really like to not recommend a place, it is an interesting place that I think one has to try for themselves to see if they like it. I had fettucini and I wasn't that impressed with it, but my friend had the filet mignon and said he enjoyed it. We both had dessert - mine a mint flan that wasn't that great and my friend had tiramisu, which he said was good but a bit heavier on the espresso. Overall it was an ok dinner. It is a unique restaurant, and being that we were the first guests there on a weeknight we didn't experience any issues with too much noise or bad service."
Dined on 03/20/2013
2006
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Review 16 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
meh.
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Poor)
1
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Like many have noted, the service was slow. Very slow. And wrong. The guy showed up to our table with the wrong dish (chicken vs pork...not sure how they actually made that particular mistake), and it had taken them so long to get there that we almost just took it, but decided to make them cook what was ordered. Half the table got wine and got it within 5 minutes, but the other half waited another 10-15 minutes to get mixed drinks. I got a pasta dish with sausage that managed to be totally lacking in taste despite the sausage. It could have been the overly heavy, tasteless cream sauce on it. My husband had a pretty good pork chop, that was a tiny bit overdone."
Dined on 02/23/2013
2003
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Review 17 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
For a $65 per person fixed
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Fair)
2
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"For a $65 per person fixed menu--a poorly defrosted tiramisu was unacceptable. Waiter was obviously busy on Valentine's Day, but completely forgot about us after the main course. We saw about 7 other tables get multiple courses, before finally getting our sub-par dessert. $200+ for 2 people, and I'd say 3 of the 8 dishes we ordered were actually above average food."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2010
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Review 18 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Service was top notch, very
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Service was top notch, very attentive, quick and friendly. Unfortunately the food was just average."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2007
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Review 19 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Poor)
1
/
5
Horrible service. Granted
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Poor)
1
/
5
Ambiance
(Fair)
2
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Horrible service. Granted it was Valentines day but the service was atrocious. The menu was prix fixe so once the choices were made the food should have come out automatically. This was not the case. During service, the server flat out ignored us upon request for water or spare utensils. What made the experience even more frustrating was that the host/manager was eating with the staff in the open kitchen all the while making the guests wait 30 minutes in between courses. Perhaps this was an off night for Specchio but with all the food options available in the Mission, I would pass on this one."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2010
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Review 20 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Poor)
1
/
5
Parties with reservations wait...
Food
(Poor)
1
/
5
Service
(Poor)
1
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"When we arrived on time for our Valentines-Day reservation, we were asked to wait in a crowded bar/entry area for a table, while parties without reservations were sat immediately. After waiting for 20 minutes, we discovered that there was nothing vegetarian, but the staff made no offer or attempt to accommodate us (I mean, it is Italian--how hard is it to make pasta vegetarian?). A terrible experience; I will never go back. Note-we never actually got to eat, so the "food rating" above is a place-holder."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2011
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Review 21 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Food was outstanding - delicious
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Food was outstanding - delicious home made pasta & desserts. Even though the restaurant was not very busy the service left something to be desired - it took 1/2 hour to receive our wine and our bread was delivered after our appetizer and pasta. Complete lack of focus by the waiter. Although the neighborhood is not very desirable, the restaurant is a true gem."
Dined on 02/15/2013
2012
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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Review 22 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Loved the food ... as far
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Loved the food ... as far as being a neighborhood gem, i don't like the area or neighborhood ... feel unsafe for a female to be out alone, thankfully I had company"
Dined on 02/09/2013
2012
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, good for groups, late-night find, notable wine list, romantic, hot spot
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Review 23 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
The owner was very welcoming
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"The owner was very welcoming and the food was great. The prices are very reasonable. We will definitely be back."
Dined on 02/08/2013
2013
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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Review 24 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ususually dissapointed!
Food
(Poor)
1
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Fair)
2
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"An unusual disappointment.. I've eaten here about 10 times.. While it was a busy part of the evening, our main dishes took forever to arrive (much later than 3 neighboring tables who ordered after us). Our waitstaff did not apologize when we asked why our dishes were taking so long. We were asked how the food was, and we replied "small and took too long".
Our main dish portions were smaller than usual, and I received 1 pork chop when I have always gotten two.
We skipped coffee and got out asap. I will go again, but this time I think I'll do an early-bird dinner !"
Our main dish portions were smaller than usual, and I received 1 pork chop when I have always gotten two.
We skipped coffee and got out asap. I will go again, but this time I think I'll do an early-bird dinner !"
Dined on 02/02/2013
2007
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Review 25 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
The pasta with wild boar was
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"The pasta with wild boar was great but I would definitely go back for the desserts, the chocolate flourless cake and the affogato."
Dined on 01/28/2013
2007
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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Review 26 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Lots of energy with lots of
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Lots of energy with lots of choices of great Northern Italian dishes!"
Dined on 01/24/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, late-night find, neighborhood gem, special occasion, hot spot
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Review 27 for Specchio
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Decent
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Specchio was a typical San Francisco California-Italian fusion experience. It's not that these places aren't good, but that there are so many like Specchio and all are similar. I came here for Dine about Town and liked the 4-course generous serving. I thought the food was average but not outstanding, although I had the grilled salmon and it was an absolutely perfect piece of fish, delicious! What's holding me back is that it came with the most bland mashed potatoes and grilled veggies that looked like they could have come out of a freezer bag. Given the sheer number of restaurants in SF I would like to try, I wouldn't come to Specchio again. But it was fine for a night out. Seemed like a nice bar too to catch up with a friend."
Dined on 01/24/2013
2008
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Ratings-Only Reviews for Specchio
Based on the average of (46) ratings-only reviews
Overall
(Very Good)
3.8
/
5
6 out of 6 recommend this product
Food
(Very Good)
3.8
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
4.1
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
3.7
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic