Local Kitchen & Wine MerchantLovely ambiance!Local is a place that will tantalize you with its intoxicating wines and even more intoxicating ambiance. The food is good enough...and the service often leaves a lot to be desired. (On a recent trip - where we had reservations - we were ok'ed to wait at the bar for table on a particularly crowded Saturday night; 1.5hrs later we come to discover they simply forgot about us...no offer to make up for it, barely an apology.) Each time I have been there, our server takes half the table's order and skips others, is generally nowhere to be found for the duration of the meal. Desserts are also consistently unmemorable. So why 4 stars? It's a gorgeous place, great ambiance, wonderful wines... and some darned cute bartenders :)6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMCouple of days in the city...Spent a few days in the city for some medical appointments. Discovered it was impossible to get a cab from our condo in SOMA at 6 pm so we walked across the street to a place called Local after waiting over an hour for a cab that never showed up. Needless to say, happy we stumbled upon this place. Had a very personal experience with our waiter and the owner while sitting at the serving bar where you can watch the cooks prepare your meal. Liked the food so much we decided to come back the second night!6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMUnexpected.We finally dined here on a Friday night and had a great time. We were looking for a new wood-fired pizza location and were not disappointed. Salad was also terrific.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMlucky findWe were staying south of Market and were fortunate to stumble onto the Local Kitchen and Wine Merchant. Simple, delicious food paired with excellent wine.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMYummersIt pays to go ahead of the noon rush. Service was professional and timely. Meals were served promptly and nice presentation.
Good follow up by the server.
I had the chicken panini which was delish, served w/fries of course. Fries not as good as in the past, but still good.
Friend had crab sandwich which also looked scrumptuous. Portions ample, pricey's a tad high for a sandwich, but I'll go back.
Nice wine list as well.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMA solid dining experienceLocal is a beautifully designed restaurant with simple, delicious food, and warm friendly service. I've driven by it a hundred times on my way to the Bay Bridge but never noticed it before the other day. Even though it's on a busy street, as soon as you pass through the colossal glass doors, you find yourself in a serene setting full of customers who, you get the feeling, have known this place for years and feel at home. The delicious pizzas come from a wood burning oven which is the centerpiece of the open kitchen which warms the entire space. The dishes are not overly intricate but are are prepared carefully and with attention to the presentation. Everything we ordered (as a party of 6) was excellent and I will go back.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMLocal GemI had reservations but not sure what was going on downtown, there was a ton of traffic and sirens almost on every street I turned to. I called to give them a heads up that I would be running late. I ended running 30 mins late and they were able to seat me right away! The staff was friendly, the food was good. Overall, great experience! I would recommend this place and come back!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMSomething always stands out.We have eaten at Local Kitchen a number of times and the food is always great. Nothing I have ever eaten there was even just OK.
The best part is that there will always be at least one dish that you walk home talking about. We still talk about a particular gnocchi
that we had at Local Kitchen maybe 5 years ago. A great wine list as well.5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious Pizza, Wonderful ServiceBeautiful quality ingredients and a wood-burning oven always make for the best pizza - and this is exactly what we got at Local Kitchen. The service was great as usual and the atmosphere is lively and fun. If you are looking for high quality comfort food and excellent wine in a relaxed setting look no further. We will definitely be back.4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMHad a wonderful return visit.Had a wonderful return visit. The food was great, especially the scallops. The only drawback was the noise level, which made it necessary to speak very loudly! Kind of tiring after a while. I should say that this level of din has not always been my experience there.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat experience. WaitressGreat experience. Waitress was a bit odd and at times rude. I've been here many times so I will just consider her an aberration, since the other waiters/waitresses I have had were amazing.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMThis place rocks for HappyThis place rocks for Happy Hour and since we are local to the area ( 3 blocks away), we are lucky enough to go there several times a month for dinner. Franz, the owner, is very accomodating. The space is great for groups, whether seating 8-10 at the high center table or booking the cool wine room all to yourself.3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMRARE FIND!The service, food and setting couldn't have been better. I made a reservation for 11 people, they took it upon themselves to dedicate the private room for the birthday dinner. Unexpectedly, they took care of several things "on the house". Really an exceptional time, and I will be referring everyone I know there - the food is outstanding and the staff is gracious, patient, and completely "on it". Unpretentious yet elevated experience. This place is a rare find!3/7/2013 12:00:00 AMdelicious!! food, reasonable pricesWent with parents, sat at a bigger table in the back on high chairs. It's a fun spot but you can't really hear anyone across from you because the table is very wide. I recommend requesting a normal table. But it's a fun romantic spot if just two. Outstanding food. Brussel sprouts are really good.... I'll return for sure!2/13/2013 12:00:00 AM