Mona Lisa Restaurant — Restaurant in San Francisco

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Searching for a culinary haven that combines the magic of art with an unforgettable dining experience? Look no further than Mona Lisa Mare e Monti in the heart of San Francisco. Prepare to have your senses ignited as you embark on a journey through flavors, aesthetics, and pure delight. Here's why this restaurant deserves every bit of praise on Google Reviews! 🎉 Artful Ambiance: Celebrating a special occasion? Mona Lisa Mare e Monti is the perfect destination. The moment you step inside, you'll be transported to a realm where the Renaissance comes alive. With mesmerizing Mona Lisa paintings spanning different eras adorning the walls, the ambiance exudes elegance and romance. It's an extraordinary setting that sets the stage for an unforgettable evening. 🖌️ Brushstrokes of Delight: The paintings on the walls, depicting mountains and the sea, beautifully translate as "Mare e Monti" in Italian. It's the perfect blend of art and gastronomy, offering a feast for your eyes and your taste buds. As you revel in the artistic surroundings, you'll feel inspired by the fusion of visual and culinary masterpieces. 🎨 Fresco Marvel: Prepare to be amazed by the pièce de résistance—the 120-year-old fresco painting gracing the ceiling. It's an exquisite sight that captures the essence of history, art, and tradition. Dining beneath this magnificent work of art will transport you to a realm where the past seamlessly intertwines with the present, creating an enchanting atmosphere you won't find anywhere else. 🍽️ Gastronomic Bliss: Let the culinary journey begin! Start your dining experience with the divine "Cozze e Vongole" (Mussels and Clams), a dish that bursts with flavors of the sea. Each bite will transport you to the coast of Italy, tantalizing your taste buds with its briny and aromatic essence. 🍝 Pasta Passion: Indulge in the "Fussilli Calabrese" pasta bathed in a rich and tantalizing Bolognese sauce. This exquisite combination of perfectly cooked pasta and flavorful sauce will transport you to the heart of Italy with every forkful. Accompanied by a glass of Nebbiolo, the "No Name" variety, it's a match made in culinary heaven. 🥩 Steak Delight: Craving a carnivorous adventure? The "Bistecca Alla Fiorentina" is a true showstopper. Sink your teeth into the 24oz Porterhouse steak, cooked to perfection, and relish every juicy bite. Pair it with a glass of Super Tuscan "Modus" from Tuscany, and you'll find yourself in a state of culinary euphoria. 🍮 Sweet Symphony: Complete your dining experience with the heavenly "Panna Cotta" and the ever-classic "Tiramisu." These delectable desserts will transport you to cloud nine with their creamy textures and harmonious flavors. Each spoonful is a glimpse into culinary paradise. 🍹 Cocktails of Enchantment: As you celebrate a special occasion, the bartender's craft at Mona Lisa Mare e Monti is truly a sight to behold. Allow yourself to be surprised by the delightful "Leonardo Muse" - a rum, pineapple, and lemon juice concoction that will awaken your taste buds, and the enchanting "Mona Lisa Smile" - a blend of brandy, lemon juice, and honey that will leave you grinning from ear to ear. ⭐ A Masterpiece in San Francisco: From the amazing talents of Chef Jesus to the warm and...

Edit: After leaving my review, I further researched the listing, and it looks like there are TWO variations of Mona Lisa restaurants close to each other? That's confusing. But more importantly, why didn't our clueless server mention this important detail after we mentioned wanting pizza and seeing it on the menu online? We would have been thankful and headed over to the other one immediately. Clearly, we walked into the wrong restaurant by mistake, and the entire thing could have been avoided if he had been friendlier, more caring, and better at communication. Such an unnecessarily disappointing experience that could have easily been turned around. I imagine that this confusion is quite common with customers. The staff should be trained to handle it better instead of being so curt and dismissive.

I hate leaving bad reviews, as I know that most business owners have sincere intentions, but our experience was pretty terrible in more ways than one. The biggest issue is that this establishment has outdated information on their Google listing. It's all misleading. Their menu has completely changed, and they seem to be operating as a whole new restaurant.

We went to Mona Lisa expecting to eat the delicious looking pizzas. To our surprise and disappointment, our server Giovanni told us that they don't have pizza and that "this is the new Mona Lisa now" without any further explanation. We were feeling pretty frustrated, but it was getting late, plus we figured that we would give the place a chance. We decided to keep it light with some appetizers and salads and go from there.

Unfortunately, the food was incredibly bland and lacked flavor. Maybe it was an off night, but nothing about our starter dishes inspired us to order more. Service was neglectful and indifferent. Giovanni was too checked out and unavailable to even ask how things were. The only time he came back to our table was when I waved him down 20 minutes after the food runner dropped our dishes off and when he brought us the check at the end.

The blarring pop music was also quite bizarre. Not exactly what you have in mind while dining at an upscale Italian restaurant with such a high price point. It's just...

There is a consistency with the reviews of the food being Bland...The ambience was lovely and the service was great unfortunately, for an Italian restaurant, how could they go wrong on a Pesto dish? It was bland. My friend and I had a craving for Pesto and ordered the same dish. When I took a first bite I thought to myself, it was very bland. I took a look at my friends reaction and she said exactly what I said! When we spoke to the server and hostess regarding our dish their reply was it wasnt the first time they heard the comment! They suggested we try the gnocchi and again, it didnt meet our expectations being highly recommended and all! We were very discreet in voicing out our disappointment and thought they needed to be informed on the quality of food that is being served. When the bill arrived, it was over 200.00 well, with a bottle of Pinot Grigio but what surprised me was, with the kitchen preparing dishes that were not satisfying they could at least have offered the price of the original order but it turned out to be higher because the gnocchi was more than the pesto entree. And another thing was I had to ask for bread way after the entrees were served when they should have served it before! So, my closing review about this restaurant is, if you want a good Pesto dish, you are better off going to Costco and buy ready made pesto and cook it yourself rather than eating at Mona Lisa! The lovely ambience and the great service is such a waste if the kitchen prepares food...