Canela Bistro Bar

What went well? Everything. We absolutely love this place. We live a few blocks away so maybe we're biased but my goodness the food here is amazing and the staff is so incredibly friendly. Honestly, one of the biggest reasons we keep coming back is the staff. Trinity here is amazing. We always look forward to catching up with him and he always makes us feel like regulars. He's amazing. And our server from Barcelona is so thoughtful too! We've been here with our baby and she remembers us every time and makes us feel at home. We always feel like our stroller is such an inconvenience but she lets us relax and enjoy ourselves.Now for food...patatas bravos, octopus, croquets de Jamon, flatbreads (any!) are so good. We've been here maybe 15 times. Can't wait to be back!

Very easy to miss walking by, but every dish was well worth it, as was the service. We got the:* Spanish Caesar Salad* Flash Fried Shishito Peppers* Marinated Spanish Olives* Patatas Bravas* Gambas al Ajillo* Empanada The Gambas al Ajillo and Empanada were clear winners that we'd both come back for on their own. Everything else was very good to the last morsel, too, including the pickled shishito peppers as an accompaniment to the Marinated Spanish Olives (too bad you only get about 5!). All the food was fresh, clearly made to order and of high quality ingredients, well flavored. Service was very attentive. Only suggestion would be changing up the radio based music.

Another delightful and cozy spot offering exceptional service, food and beverages! If you're in the mood to satisfy your craving of Spanish delicacies...I recommend Canela Bistro and Wine Bar! Where you're treated like family and leave with wonderful memories. First off the food. I'd say the pork empanada and the chicken skewers were memorable and highly recommended. There's simply so much to choose from! If you feel adventurous...try the Chef's Tapas tasting menu. It's a great option and also comes as a vegetarian option. Dessert is a must! We had the churros with a chocolate dipping sauce. Absolute perfection. The wine. SO MUCH WINE and me with so little time to enjoy them all! Ha! Canela does have a great selection and also offers crafted drinks. Guess I'll need to come back. Misc...I highly recommend you arrive by taxi, ride share or public transit. Parking can be tough to find during peak hours. But if you're a tourist like us...circling around the block a few times was well worth it! Reservations are also recommended. Overall:If you're from the area...lucky you! If you're visiting this wonderful city, put it on the top of your list to receive a wonderful dining experience! Cheers!

We visited Canela Bistro & Wine Bar for my friend's birthday dinner. They were able to accommodate his 12-person reservation, and we were seated at a huge table in its own seating area. The interior had a warm color scheme with patterned walls and colorful wall art. For drinks, we ordered a few rounds of red Sangria for the table, and the servers just kept it coming - very tasty! My friend also pre-ordered a few appetizers, including an assortment of cheeses (awesome selection, paired great with the apples and honeycomb), Flash Fried Shishito Peppers, and Patatas Bravas (tasty, flavorful). We ended up ordering the rest of our items family-style as well. The Croquetas de Jamon were a big hit, although I didn't try these. The Gambas Al Ajillo were one of my favorite items! I've tried many different versions of this dish, and Canela's was really impressive. The shrimp were cooked perfectly, with the ideal amount of garlicky flavor. The Baked Cana De Cabra was pretty good as well, but sounded better in theory. My other favorite item was the Lamb Pinchos - perfectly cooked lamb skewers with delicious brussels sprouts on the side. Service was friendly and our servers did a great job keeping up with our large party. Would recommend!

Went here for SF restaurant week! Had such a feast and shared amazing tapas with my friends. Service was a bit slow towards the end but overall super friendly. Good ambiance on a Sunday night! You can't go wrong with any of the tapas! I enjoyed a nice white sangria with my meal.

What a fantastic experience! We came here for a restaurant week and could not be better. We did the chef's tasting menu and we were so full at the end! Our favorites were: almond and pear gazpacho - it was so delicious and so savory! I would go back just for this. And the pork empanadas, and the gambas al ajillo. Jamon croquetas and dates were good also. One of us could not eat fish but they kindly replaced it to another tasting menu. Highly recommend and easy the best spanish tapas place ive ever been to!

This place is FABULOUS! The food is so delicious and is the standout. Ive been to a few tapas bars in the city, and this is definitely one of the best. We ordered the bacon wrapped dates, bone marrow, paella, flat bread, and scallops. Everything was mouth watering. I dream about those dates and scallops. I would even forego the paella just to have all the small plates.They sell and stock Spanish wines and also have a little market to purchase Spanish products. The ambiance is a bit out-dated but don't let that stop you from coming in. The service is friendly and so attentive. I hope they stay around for a long time!

I had a wonderful meal here last night. The food was spot on the and the service was exemplary. We love the potatoes, the shrimp and the almond olive oil cake for dessert wonderful tapas menu in a fun part of town.

Canela Bistro is a sophisticated gem tucked just a short walk away from the bustling Castro nightlife. It's the perfect spot for a group dinner; they had no problem accommodating our group of 7. The staff were friendly and attentive & the atmosphere incredibly romantic and upscale. Of the 11 tapas we ordered, there wasn't a single one we disliked; everything was high quality and flavorful. Standouts include the Gambas al Pimenton (spicy shrimp) and Pulpo (octopus) -- in fact, our table enjoyed the Pulpo so much that we ordered a second plate! The texture of the octopus was melt-in-your-mouth tender and was plated with some thinly scalloped potatoes, adding a nice heartiness to the dish. Of course, everyone's favorite was by far the Seared Scallops -- each one was presented on a miniature crostini with saffron aioli and a tangy piparra pepper. The only downside was the $8.50 price tag for each individual scallop, but they were so memorable that we all felt the cost was more than worth it.Each tapas has the option for a small or large plate (the large sizes are exactly double the price). Most of the small plates still had enough for everyone in our group to try a bite, so I would recommend only ordering the large size for the real crowd pleasers (like the Patatas Bravas).We ended our meal with the tres leches strawberry bread pudding to celebrate a birthday, and they made sure to bring the cake out with a candle. Our waitress also brought a house copy of "The Encyclopedia of Birthdays" for us to read to the birthday boy, which was a really charming touch and made the evening even more special. Overall, we were extremely satisfied with the entire experience, from the service to the food to the little dispenser of mouthwash in the restrooms (you'll need it after all the garlic! ).We can't wait to be back next time we're in the mood for Spanish cuisine.

We went to Canela, a Spanish restaurant in the Castro, with a big group to celebrate a friend's birthday. We ordered a bunch of tapas to share, the highlights being the addictive bacon-wrapped dates, perfectly cooked patatas bravas with a delicious garlic-paprika aioli, and the gambas al ajillo fermented black garlic, white wine, spanish olive oil. The impossible albondigas meatballs were also a delight (even if you're a meat-lover) with rich, flavorful sauce. We also loved the festive decor, inspired by the Alahambra in the south of Spain, with an Arabic influence