La Ciccia

I just had the one of the best experiences of my life here! The food is just super good and tasty. The service was still super efficient even though I ordered in rush hour. The ambiance is super cozy and calm.5 stars.

pastas were nothing crazy, got the job done though. good bread though and the burrata anchovy + salad was really refreshing!! lamb was a pleasant surprise because not a big lamb person but the sauce was a perfect sweetness that balanced the saltiness of the lamb! cauliflower side too was delish.

Finally got to try this small local Italian restaurant.I got to the place early , so we have to wait until the restaurant open at 5.30pm and I can see this place it's really famous because there are other people waiting also .The restaurant is really cozy and small but buzzing with people. The service it's really nice.We ordered 2 appetizers 2 pasta and 2 entrees.Let's get down to the food.gotta say that here there's no fancy just straight rustic good food.Both appetizers were awesome , one of the best octopus I had and the salad also refreshing but umami bomb at the same time with the sardine and truffle flavorBoth pasta killed it , nice pasta and great sauce, would come back for more pasta hereOnly the entree that kinda let down especially the lamb. Uneven cooked and some pieces are dry some are good and the prawn dish was good though, the sauce that I wanna drink. The prawn meat very soft.Over all it was a good dinner , good vibe in the restaurant. They were packed even though it was on the week day so either you go early or definitely need reservations!!!!

I was passing by and was lucky to get a walk in right before the rush. A bunch of reservations started walking in 20 minutes after I was seated. Call ahead of time to reserve a spot. They have front and back seating. The pasta longa cun arrizonis (artisanal fettuccine sea urchin tomato cured tuna heart) was $32 and worth it! It was delicious. The tomato flavor is the most dominant but in a good way. The other ingredients gave it an enjoyable salty flavor.The mushroom pasta special was also a great pick. We didn't have any leftovers. The assorted gelati was also good. I shared it and we liked different flavors. The goat cheese and black fig was unique but enjoyableI saw many tables enjoying wine and chatting for a long period of time. There were tables there before I was that were still there after I had finished my meal.

Cozy and homey, La Ciccia is the perfect place to be on a cool SF night! We probably ordered more than we should but everything on the menu just sounded so good. We ended up ordering the anchovy salad, tripe, flatbread, and the uni and bottarga pastas for two. The anchovy salad was the perfect way to start the meal, the bright flavors really opened up the appetite for everything else we ordered. The flatbread was crisp, almost chip like, and tasted great with the sauce from our tripe appetizer. The tripe was super tender and was nice and savory. Then came the pastas! These didn't look too big but once we got started on them, we realized that they were super filling. The texture of the pastas themselves are very toothsome and have a nice chew. The bottarga pasta had a more subtle flavor but was very rich and hearty. The star for me was the uni pasta though - the umami from the uni and the acidity from the tomato really packs a punch and creates a unique flavor! We wanted to try dessert but ultimately were too full, but we'll definitely be back to try it next time!

This place is a gem. Everyone i've talked to about La Cicca has only had amazing things to say about it. I feel like I'm part of a cool kids crowd of SF now that I have discovered it. The food is amazing, literally nothing you order will be bad. The octopus soup is a must, sea urchin pasta and seafood special pasta were all amazing. Can't rave enough about this restaurant.

A disappointing dinner turned to disaster. As a former fan of La Ciccia, this review is quite sad to write. I rarely go out to eat Italian food because it's often disappointing to what I make at home, but I always say that La Ciccia is the one place that I do recommend and go to due to it's authentic and regional Sardinian cuisine. My visit prior to this was a bit disappointing, but I could not have expected how this visit would turn out. It was clear they were not set up for success. They probably overbooked the restaurant for one of the most busy nights of the year. The greeting upon arrival was lukewarm and we were quickly forgotten until another person came in a few minutes later to take us to our table. La Ciccia has always been a cozy experience, but our seating was particularly cramped. To reach one chair, the other person literally had to get up and get out of the way. It was clear the kitchen was slammed. Dishes were not coming out regularly, with tables waiting for a long time between courses. This meant that they were not turning over tables as quickly as expected, and parties with reservation were waiting for nearly an hour by the entrance. One party was even served food while standing so that they could get started eating (yes while standing) because their table was not ready. I was surprised that they had a prix fixe menu, but we did not go for it because it was missing their signature dishes. Luckily, they had a fairly limited a la carte menu. However, with the limited options both choices made it feel like we were missing out either way. Onto to the food... One of their signature dishes, the spicy tomato baby octopus stew came out surprisingly quickly from the kitchen. This as one of the dishes that helped La Ciccia gain recognition, but this time something wasn't quite up to par. There's a difference in texture between tender and mushy/mealy. I don't know if the octopus or the stew was previously frozen, if it was made in too large batches too long ago, or if it was just way too overcooked, but it was missing the wow factor that it had when I first tried it. It was just OK. I had hope for the next dish, which was another one of their signature dishes and perhaps my favorite. The spaghetti with bottarga took about an hour to come out and it was the best thing we ate. It was creamy and the noodles had a satisfying texture, but unfortunately it was significantly under-seasoned. More than an hour later, we got the next round. We were not approached by the staff for an apology or an update or an offer for bread or drinks or anything until we forcefully asked for an update. That resulted in an interaction with the owner or manager... more on that later. So the roasted prawns were under-seasoned, overcooked to hell so much so that they had fused to the shell and the came to the table cold. The latter to facts made the one hour wait particularly painful and ironic. The lamb loin was enjoyable and well seasoned. It paired well with the sweet pepper and balsamic. Unfortunately it was a bit over the requested medium rare. So... service was so sparse and slow that we had to get the waiters attention and ask for an update. We also let the waiter know that the food was not quite hitting the mark. At this point, the owner or manager came to our table and asked for us to explain specifically what was wrong with the food. I tried to gently hint at the issues and explained that I've been to La Ciccia before. The owner came back a few moments later to let us know that she tasted the food and that there was nothing wrong with it. And there we have it, the root cause of the issue. Low standards in both food and service from the top down. This is the type of complacency that often comes with popularity. I'm not being self-congratulatory to say I know good food. I can make it, I've had it at both casual and fine restaurants - heck, I've had it previously at La Ciccia. I am sad to say I can no longer recommend La Ciccia. Their best days are behind them and the low standards from ownership in terms of both food and service make it a relic that once saw better days.

La Ciccia is a gem of a restaurant in Noe Valley. It has a very homey and cozy ambiance. Service is also very friendly. I've been here twice and it has been wonderful each time. For appetizers, you must try their anchovies salad with oranges - it is so light, zesty and refreshing! For pasta - the pasta with roe was absolutely delicious and the gnocchi was so good especially with their sauce (only caveat is I wished for more gnocchi). I also ordered the lamb and the prawns. The prawns were amazing. The lamb was just okay especially compared to everything else. Dessert was solid.Overall- we love it here and so glad we have La Ciccia in our neighborhood

What can you say about a vibrant place that is packed to the rafters on a cold Tuesday? The place is full of atmosphere of enthralled tables. I don't think I have seen so many folks enthralled with pasta , lamb, fish, shrimp, and a one of a kind flat bread which is pure delight . Ok about the lamb , delicate morsels of lamb seasoned to perfection . I am in love ! From a vibrant hostess , unique and helpful staff I was taken away into a scene like no other . The menu is understated , we morsel is a Sardinian delight . I can't describe it quite right but together this vibrant scene would not be out of place in Paris, Rome, or Sardinia ! I will be back !

This small restaurant features Sicilian wine and unusual seafood combinations. We ordered all the fresh specials. The food was interesting and unexpected combinations. I only wish the portions were a bit more substantial.