Amarena

This cute and cozy Russian hill restaurant was so accommodating of our group of 10 which turned to 7 last minute! Can't rec this place more for meet ups. The good:- highly recommend their tube pastas. A little pricey for the amount but for amount pasta, but the flavors were spot on - great wine selection. We enjoyed both the bottle of brut we got and another red wine they recommended! - great service though you'll need to grab their attention every now and thenThe meh: - noting really. We had a great time and were never rushed. Our group was very happy.

I would recommend this restaurant on a not busy holiday. We reserved a table for 2 for 8pm showed up early but it was Valentine's Day. They were super busy and we ended taking the food to good for one person food had amazing flavors but the service was super slow. Alex was amazing she helped us so much but she was also super busy. They did have great ambiance heaters everywhere which helped so much for the cold weather

Dinner was fantastic here! I got the butternut squash ravioli with brown butter and sage with a glass of Pinot Noir. Ravioli could've been a little more flavorful but it was the perfect portioning and was delicious! I love the overall ambiance and lighting level here - perfect for date night or a girls night out! Service was good - had a little pushy moment about finishing desert but overall a great night. Tiramisu was very light and made for the perfect top off to the meal!

Perfect place for my birthday dinner!!The quality of the food, the hospitable service, and the cozy & intimate ambiance helped make my birthday unforgettable! The wine flowing and my friends kept raving over how phenomenal their dishes were.My seafood risotto was SO delicious. Please make this a permanent dish and not just a special, it deserves a longer life on the menu!

Food was okay. Service was okay. Nice dining area inside and outside. I will return back here eventually.

Amarena is such a cute place, perfect for dates or family dinners. The food was great, the pappardelli was amazing (still thinking about it) and so was the lasagna. The tiramisu didn't have as much cocoa in it as I would have like so I'd give it 3.5/5. The service was pretty standard, no complaints. Would recommend!

My new go to Italian spot in Russian Hill. We were seated outside on a cold night by the fire which made for an icy hot ambiance. Had the opportunity to sample the majority of pasta items on the menu and they were all delicious. Service was excellent by the staff and the owner himself who gave us his personal recommendations and helped settle my tables' dish ranking dispute.

Came for a dinner with friends on a Monday night. There is a fair amount of seating but not a large amount so I recommend making a reservation for busy dinner days. We started with a few appetizers- the caprese and the polenta. I thought both were good but the polenta was a stand out. We ordered pastas for our mains all of which were good. I went with the brown butter sage ravioli. So good but on the sweeter side if you don't like sweetness with your pasta. The other star of the show was the Amarena ice cream to finish- high recommend!

We came here based on a recommendation from my brother. I'm so glad we came! This is better than all the Italian restaurants you'll find in the more popular areas. It is nestled away in a quiet location. I think he was the owner, he was beyond kind and attentive. The food was authentic. It felt like we were in Italy! The owner and staff take much pride in their dishes. Check this restaurant out. It won't disappoint!

Food is consistently great. Love the linguine with clams! Rack of lamb is also a must.