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Cassava, San Francisco, CA

Cassava

4.4
4.4
452 Reviews
$50 and over
Californian
Top Tags:
Cassava is an intimate neighborhood restaurant located on the iconic corner of Columbus Ave and Vallejo St in the world famous North Beach known as Little Italy in San Francisco, serving modern California cuisine.

We serve 3 course prix fixe dinner with fun additions, 5+ course tasting menu dinner, and 2 course prix fixe brunch on weekends.

The owner chef Kris Toliao has been highly praised by critics including SF Chronicle and Eater SF for his unique combinations of flavors such as "blood orange carpaccio with smoked mackerel". Cassava has been nominated as the semi-finalist for James Beard Restaurateur Award 2023.

Due to the nature of our restaurant serving set menu only, our restaurant is suited for guests who can sit through the entire dinner, able to eat butter, able to eat allium. Please note that our restaurant features an open kitchen with open flour container. Outdoor dining may be safer for guests with deadly celiac conditions and immune compromised.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 19 times today
Experiences are available.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style

    Elegant Dining

  • Cuisines

    Californian, Contemporary American

  • Hours of operation

    Brunch Fri–Sun 11:00 am–1:00 pm Dinner Mon, Wed–Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm

  • Phone number

    (415) 640-8990

  • Website

    http://www.cassavasf.com/

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Dress code

    Smart Casual

  • Owned/operated by

    Asian and Pacific Islander, Women

  • Executive chef

    Kristoffer Toliao

  • Private party facilities

    Cassava is available for large parties. Please email at hello@cassavasf.com or 626-419-2190 outside of regular business hours.

  • Private party contact

    Yuka Ioroi: (415) 640-8990

  • Location

    401 Columbus St, San Francisco, CA 94121

  • Neighborhood

    North Beach

  • Cross street

    Vallejo St

  • Parking details

    Public Lot

  • Public transit

    Parking Garages 1/2 block away on Vallejo St: search for "North Beach Garage" and "Vallejo Garage" on your map app.<br /><br />Stockton St &amp; Columbus Ave<br />MUNI 8, 30, 45

  • Additional

    Bar Dining, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Dog Friendly, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, View, Wine

Featured in

Experiences

  • 3 Course Prix Fixe

    $58.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Join us for Cassava's signature 3 course prix fixe with fun addition and beverage pairing options. Please note that there is no a la carte or children's menu options. All guests taking a seat is required to participate in the prix fixe experience. We attempt to accommodate any allergies or dietary needs whenever possible. However, at this time, we are unable to provide a menu that is vegan, allium-free, or free of butter. Please also note that Cassava applies 20% service fees in place of traditional tips that goes to the entire team, 5.95% SF Mandates surcharge on top of SFCA sales tax. Per CA Publication 115 since September 2018, service fees and surcharge are subjected to sales tax.

  • Day Time Prix Fixe

    $35.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Cassava serves signature brunch & lunch menu items in 2 course prix fixe for $35 per guest. There are fun additional items and dessert options to add to the meal. Please note that there is no a la carte or takeout option. We attempt to accommodate any allergies or dietary needs whenever possible. However, at this time, we are unable to provide a menu that is vegan, allium-free, or free of butter. Please also note that Cassava applies 20% service fees in place of traditional tips that goes to the entire team, 5.95% SF Mandates surcharge on top of SFCA sales tax. Per CA Publication 115 since September 2018, service fees and surcharge are subjected to sales tax.

  • 5+ Course Tasting Menu - $75 Deposit

    $75.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Multiple dates available
    $118/Guest. Guests with no dietary restrictions only. Menu customization is not available for this experience. Please expect 2.45 hrs for party of 2-3, and 3 hours for larger parties. Experience Kris's most creative menu series the last 10 years of Cassava! Please view the menu ahead for your reference at www.cassavasf.com/menu This deposit is non-refundable and the credit will be applied towards the dinner check of the reservation date only. Please note that Cassava applies 20% service fees in place of traditional tips that goes to the entire team, 5.95% SF Mandates surcharge on top of SFCA sales tax. Per CA Publication 115 since September 2018, service fees and surcharge are subjected to sales tax.

Popular dishes

What 452 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

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  1. bbbbb

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall3food2service5ambience4
    Appetizers were good, but the mains were underwhelming. Lamb was far too fatty and duck had a really tough outer layer.

  2. Akeru

    San Francisco

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall2food1service5ambience4
    Service and ambience is great, but the food is not up to the standard of the price.

  3. MelodyH

    San Francisco

    7 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    We had the Prix Fixe for 5 people and I thought the food was very good for the value. My only complaint was the cheese "plate" for an extra $3 was dismal and very disappointing. There was a very tiny piece of brie, the end piece of a very hard cheese that couldn't be cut with a knife. It also very unappetizing looking where the other plates were plated tastefully.

  4. AkiL

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 13, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    5 Stars across the board. Our server asked an interesting question into our entree course: Is there anything we can do to make your dining experience excellent? Great focus on hospitality.

  5. Annon

    San Diego

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 12, 2023

    overall3food3service3ambience3
    Not terrible but the food wasn’t great. Service was oddly formal but not attentive. Mandatory taxes and fees add 35% on top of the bill.

  6. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Loved Cassava from early Richmond district days- and love it even more now. We’d come back in a heartbeat!

  7. StevenM

    San Francisco

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on March 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food at Cassava continues to be very creative but also delicious. The service is friendly and attentive, but never intrusive. The wine list has always been solid, but its expansion has made it more interesting. The noise level is low, relative to many other restaurants; you can easily hear what your dinner companion is saying. The restaurant has a nice "buzz" to it, now that it is in North Beach.

  8. AshleyL

    San Francisco

    1 review

    vip
    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 9, 2023

    overall3food4service3ambience3
    The staff take themselves a bit too seriously. Two things that weren’t acceptable were they only allowed 2 credit cards to pay but never mentioned that at the beginning nor is it written on the menu. So we could only divide the bill in two. Then they charged us for three bottles of wine when we only had two. I wouldn’t go back

  9. Bethesda123

    Washington DC

    11 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on March 6, 2023

    overall2food3service3ambience3
    We researched this restaurant well in advance for our vacation to San Francisco and were so looking forward to a special date night out at Cassava based on all the good reviews we read. Unfortunately, our experience fell very short. Upon arrival we were sat at a table right next to the front door on a very chilly night. It was very cold all evening. The only other table available was next to the bathroom and dishwashing station, so we opted to be cold vs eating next to the bathroom. Next, we tried to order cocktails and were told they don’t have a full service bar and that their “cocktail” list is actually wine based. The “rum” is really infused sake, which isn’t disclosed on the menu. We tried to order the mock French 75s and we’re told they were out of the ingredients to make it, so instead got the mock Negroni which had a very odd sake taste. We then tried to order dinner and we’re told they were out of the duck entree. We specifically picked this restaurant because we love duck and this entree sounded amazing. Being their during prime hours on a weekend, there really isn’t an excuse for this type of poor planning and ordering on the part of their kitchen staff. The front of house staff were very pleasant and tried to compensate for the issues here- they comped our $6 bread and the cocktails which we appreciated. Overall a disappointing experience for a $200 dinner for 2 at a restaurant we thought was highly regarded.

  10. Avinash

    Minneapolis

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 5, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Everything was good except that they charged tax on gratuity which was 20%.

  11. Rambo

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 4, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Delicious and unique dishes, stellar service! Can't wait to go back.

  12. PeterS

    New York Area

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 3, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    TL;DR: Close to a 1 star Michelin restaurant, though more affordable and by far less formal. If you like Marlena, The Progress or Statebird Provision, you'll like Cassava. It was the first time we tried Cassava in their new location in North Beach - the old location was on Balboa. It was great to see how the top-notch Cassava team kept the inventive, beautifully plated menu in their new North Beach location and take it to the next level. The new location is just so much nicer: a beautiful and large seating area around the L-shaped kitchen and bar. We had a fantastic table overlooking the area where dishes got plated and loved it. The food is excellent with fresh and many local ingredients and the price is a steal for the quality of the food and the service. We recognized a few people from the old Balboa location which shows how great the owners at the helm of Cassava must be to keep their employees despite moving elsewhere (big plus!). The only thing on the downside was that a couple of folks in our party felt a bit cold inside, but it our visit also coincided with one of the coldest weeks in SF in a long time. Anyway, this is a great place - try it out before it gets a Michelin star and becomes more expensive!

  13. NathanL

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on February 28, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Loved them when they started their restaurant on Balboa St and love them now on Columbus Ave. Food is more refined with a full kitchen.

  14. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on February 27, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Incredible selection on the pre fixe menu. Perfect medley of flavors in every dish. Incredible value for money. Friendly, knowledgeable, accommodating and professional staff. Perfect location and ambiance.

  15. Pepper

    San Francisco

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on February 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Outstanding lunch. Cornish hen with polenta and duck hash were tender and moist. The sides of french toast and potatoes were favorites. Potatoes crisp on outside and like mashed potatoes inside. French toast unlike any other we've tasted. Honey spiced lattes topped off the meal. It met every expectation. We look forward to returning again soon.

  16. AlexA

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    1.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on February 19, 2023

    overall1food1service3ambience5
    Duck confit lacked flavor, basically cooked without salt. Large potatoes were gross. The small diced hash was very good. The fried herring was delicious. Japanese breakfast just wasn't good except for the fish that was full of flavor. Chicken salad had great flavor. There was so much chicken on it (9 total pieces like 2.5 pounds). Never coming back.

  17. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    This is what I love about San Francisco. Talented creative people putting out food from the heart. They have created a warm and inviting experience and the food is creative and delicious at a very good price point.

  18. Thor7274

    Chicago

    1 review

    vip
    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Exceptional food, staff, atmosphere! On our favorites list.

  19. RayG

    San Francisco

    15 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    15 reviews

    Dined on February 16, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Very exciting food experience with Cassava’s tasting menu. Highly recommend. Had Yeka, Co-owner as server a real bonus

  20. MarkH

    Salt Lake City

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 16, 2023

    overall3food2service3ambience4
    Some of the dishes were good, but a number of them were uninspiring and seemed to lack flavor. The service was ok, but with the music and the wait staff all wearing masks it made it difficult at times to make out what they were trying to tell us. I do think they did an excellent job with the wine pairing, that they did quite well. But give the cost to eat there and the so so food, I'm glad I went to check it out, but I doubt I'll be back.

  21. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 16, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Went here for me and my fiancé’s 4 year anniversary. Service was excellent and they even gave us a nice card to celebrate the anniversary. Food was absolutely spectacular. I would recommend the fried chicken and braised lamb, though the lamb is incredibly rich which some people may not like. Overall a great experience.

  22. MikeF

    San Francisco

    7 reviews

    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on February 12, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience3
    We had a table for six outside this past Saturday night (2/11). The heaters worked pretty well, so there was no significant issue staying warm. The three-course prim fixe menu is a decent deal. The dungeness crab salad was disappointing to me, but the duck leg confit was an outstanding main. The poached pear was a very nice dessert.

  23. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 10, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Everyone at Cassava made our dining experience very special. Overall, our experience was excellent.

  24. MadmanZ

    San Francisco

    25 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    25 reviews

    Dined on February 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Service and the food are exceptional. Seems like a somewhat of a limited menu but turned out it was a perfect #8Nite.

  25. Foodie2

    New England

    11 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on February 6, 2023

    overall2food2service3ambience3
    Was seated by door. Very cold. Blankets offered but would have preferred to be out of the cold draft. Fish snack starter was not enjoyable. fToo fishy. Fins were greasy. Could only eat one bite. Pasta arrived cold. Tuna slightly over cooked. Wait staff was quite good. Salads fine. The kitchen is where the main problem seems to be. Surprised that this restaurant was on James Beard list. Will not go back.

  26. StessAnne

    San Francisco

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 5, 2023

    overall1food2service2ambience2
    Mediocre food and underwhelming desire to delight the customer.

  27. LucyH

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 5, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had a wonderful dinner. Food, service, atmosphere, and drinks were all amazing. Highly recommend to anyone.

  28. Bobby

    San Francisco

    72 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    72 reviews

    Dined on February 3, 2023

    overall4food3service3ambience4
    The brandade “snack” was not good, not appetizing at all. The salmon starter was excellent; it and the wine pairing were superior. The duck confit was over-cooked, not like any confit I’ve ever had. The polenta was interesting and delicious but not very attractive. The dish needed something green or colorful to offset the drab color of the polenta. Dessert was delicious. The restaurant is lively and the owner was quite attentive. I’ll definitely return.

  29. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 31, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food & service was amazing. I was really impressed with the wine selection.

  30. Emsmui

    San Francisco

    32 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    32 reviews

    Dined on January 28, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    What a gem! Food was delicious and service was impeccable. This is now one of my favorites.

  31. EenL

    Washington DC

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on January 22, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    I have been going to Cassava for years, but this was the first time for brunch at their new North End location. The food is still super - creative, well-balanced and really well executed, and the service is still excellent. The new location is great too!

  32. PickyFoodie

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on January 22, 2023

    overall5food4service5ambience5
    Very personable staff! Welcoming and very homey. The food tasted very fresh, not overly seasoned, a "farm to table" feel and taste, presentation was clean and appetizing. The chefs and staff definitely provided a sense of "caring for their patrons" comfort and dining experience overall.

  33. Brendan

    New England

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 21, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had a great dinner. It was my wife's birthday and they were very attentive to that - they gave her a super thoughtful card as soon as we sat down!

  34. AnneS

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on January 20, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I loved the atmosphere, the decor, the staff and the cuisine was just delicious. I’ll be back!

  35. Muffin

    San Francisco

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on January 20, 2023

    overall5food4service5ambience5
    Lovely overall experience, pleasing cheerful decor, excellent service, very good food, Except for salmon in the Japanese breakfast slightly overcooked.

  36. Julia

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on January 15, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Superb experience. Food, service, ambiance, and impeccable cleanliness make it my new favorite dining destination.

  37. MarceG

    San Francisco

    1 review

    vip
    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 14, 2023

    overall2food1service3ambience3
    The quality of the food was not to my expectation the quality of the rigatoni was not good with a lot of lime and the lamb belly had too much grease. The ambiance was nice and the serve was great but the food was not the quality we saw on the pictures.

  38. laquintaladies

    San Francisco

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on January 13, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our meal here was wonderful. It was almost too hard to choose between selections in each course because they all sounded so good. Do consider picking the beverage pairings with each course - even though we weren't sure that we would like them, we ended up being pleasantly surprised at how well they worked with each meal.

  39. HildaY

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 12, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our first visit are very impressive with the Server. Jesus was very attentive and helpful with our choices of Brunch Prix Fixe. We definitely will return to Cassava for the next celebration.

  40. Chinna

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 8, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Creative, clean and subtle and complex flavored dishes. So much eye for detail. Excellent champagne. Very attentive, personal and kind. One of my favorite places to dine in San Francisco

Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitizing

    • Surfaces sanitized between seatings
    • Common areas deep-cleaned daily
    • Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
    • Contactless payment available

  • Physical distancing

    • Extra space between tables

  • Protective equipment

    • Waitstaff wear masks

  • Screening

    • Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
    • Staff is vaccinated

FAQs

Cassava is rated 4.4 stars by 452 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 19 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Cassava

401 Columbus St, San Francisco, CA 94121

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street

    Vallejo St

  • Neighborhood

    North Beach

  • Hours of operation

    Brunch Fri–Sun 11:00 am–1:00 pm Dinner Mon, Wed–Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm

  • Cuisines

    Californian, Contemporary American

  • Dining style

    Elegant Dining

  • Dress code

    Smart Casual

  • Parking details

    Public Lot

  • Public transit

    Parking Garages 1/2 block away on Vallejo St: search for "North Beach Garage" and "Vallejo Garage" on your map app.Stockton St & Columbus AveMUNI 8, 30, 45

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Owned/operated by

    Asian and Pacific Islander, Women

  • Executive chef

    Kristoffer Toliao

  • Additional

    Bar Dining, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Dog Friendly, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, View, Wine

  • Website

    http://www.cassavasf.com/

  • Phone number

    (415) 640-8990

  • Private party facilities

    Cassava is available for large parties. Please email at hello@cassavasf.com or 626-419-2190 outside of regular business hours.

  • Private party contact

    Yuka Ioroi: (415) 640-8990

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