Il Pollaio

Beloved neighborhood place for chicken! It's in our regular dinner rotation. Get extra salsa.But lately we've loved the sausage pesto sandwich with bell peppers. The mild has more flavor notes than the spicy which is just hot. No frills service. Great, cheap wines make dining in more fun;)

Finally took a night to come by Il Pollaio and I may have found one of my new favorite restaurants in SF!I had the half chicken with combo salad (green salad, bean salad, and coleslaw) for $21, the portions are extremely generous and it was exactly what I needed. The chicken came fresh off of the grill with crispy, well seasoned skin and juicy meat. Didn't even remember to get a picture because I was too excited to dig in!We also ordered a liter of the house wine for $20 to split between 3 people, which was a great deal. It felt like I was eating dinner at a small town restaurant in the middle of Spain. The energy inside the restaurant was unmatched.If they didn't close at 9pm, we could've sat here eating chicken and drinking wine for hours I'll definitely be back to try the three sausage plate and potatoes as well!

Still great chicken after all these years! I like the potatoes and "green and bean" salad. Soups rotate so always ask!

had never heard of this place, but saw it out of the corner of my eye on columbus one day and decided to try it. chicken was fantastic, ate a whole chicken in one sitting. great place for a meal any time.

The sign at Il Pollaio is like a Cubist 1980s video game design. Obviously, the restaurant opened in 1982. Not so obvious, they never made the blunder many establishments do of remodeling for the sake of remodeling. Fashions ebb and flow; that which is cool is timeless. I think Ralph Lauren said that. Michael Bauer, former SF Chronicle food critic said good things about this place. The staff at Il Pollaio wear t-shirts with Bauer's quote printed on them. I can't really remember the details of the encomiums, but it's not a bad article. You should read it. The Chronicle will allow you to look at a limited number of their pieces online. In the age of social media, the world has lost the professional dilettante. For all his faults, I wish Bauer would still do reviews. Perhaps he wasn't the most exploratory critic, or the best writer, but he's preferable to his successor, Soleil Ho. Not only is Soleil a hack, but a crusading hack, a hack on a mission. Back to Il Pollaio... It was founded by a man from a Calabrian man. That is, a Calabrian by was of Argentina. With his chickens, he merged his two backgrounds. The chickens are spatchcocked and grilled (over gas). Cooking a splayed animal over fire represents the Argentine. Giving the bird a rub with garlic, herbs and spices before grilling represents the Italian. It is honest, no frills cooking. The crispy skin is imbued with the flavor of the fire. The seasonings - olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme - add savory depth. Perfectly cooked, somehow, even the white meat is moist. The waiter gave me a plastic squeeze bottle filled with chunky, brick red sauce. It is the kind of sauce you find at Italian or Greek restaurants where the Mexican cooks have been given their freedom. That means more capsaicin. It is also the most affordable meal in North Beach. You can get a half chicken here for $16. In a neighborhood that sells spaghetti pomodoro for $23 a bowl, that is a bargain.

I was introduced to this place through my fiancé and now its a regular dinner spot for us. It has a limited menu but so far everything we've tried has been great. The chicken is delicious and definitely what hooked me but I keep coming back for my favorite, the pork chops. They also have a special salsa for the chicken that is a must.Its a small spot so it would be difficult for very large parties but its a great spot for a date night or a few friends. The service is great, and the food comes out quickly.

This place is such a neighborhood gem. Amazing Argentinian style bbq, great prices and warm and lovely people. We are regulars who love this place. My friends and I all have our usuals - lamb chops for me, ribeye for others. You can't find these prices for the quality of meat. And decent wine selection to go with everything too. The minestrone soup is also great. Don't miss this spot!

Fantastic chicken!! Deliciously crispy steak fries!! Fresh, cold and crisp salad!! Buonissimo!

The only place to get chicken in SF, hands down the best!!! Whole chicken and an order of steak fries, my family loves this place. The staff are super cool as well.

Place is bomb! Highly recommend the Hamburger, grilled chicken and the minestrone soup (Available Friday & Saturday). Great value. 10/10 neighborhood spot. Come check it out!