If you’re looking for seafood in San Francisco, try this place. Just 7 mins drive from fisherman’s wharf and has better food and pricing. This was truly one of the best seafood pasta I’ve tried, I would return just for this dish alone. It’s obvious they take flavour and their dishes seriously. Really liked their clam chowder here as well. Street parking is possible, you probably just have to walk slightly to get here. Would definitely come back!
We had an amazing experience at Betty Lou's!! We ordered Raw Oysters, Clam Chowder, Side Meatballs, Seafood Linguine and Vegetarian Risotto. Everything was extraordinary! The meatballs were delicious ~ chewy, moist and flavorful. The risotto reminded me of meals prepared by my mom when I was a kid! Very unexpected, very authentic, very warm and hearty! Thank you so much!!
I have walked by Betty Lou’s numerous times and didn’t give it a lot of thought. It may look unassuming from the outside but let me tell you- I had been missing out. I went recently and can’t stop thinking about the linguine with mixed seafood that I ordered. It was phenomenal. The scallops were cooked perfectly. So succulent. I chose the tomato cream sauce and aghhhh it was drool worthy. I recommend getting some fresh cracked black pepper on your dish purely for the spectacle of the grinder. It’s the size of a toddler 😂. Other seafood restaurants in the area may get more hype, but I think Betty Lou’s stands toe to toe with them. Plus, you’re less likely to have to wait in line.
Everything was very good. Service was good. We had a window seat so we could people watch. Arrived after the peak time and the place was less crowded and more quiet. It is a small place. They take reservations but we just walked in off the street and we were seated immediately. The calamari and the Bay shrimp appetizers were very good. The fresh sea bass was cooked to perfection and the Crab Louie salad was more than filling. This is a must place to eat.
Great spot in the heart of North Beach. Friendly service/hospitality and the food is great too. Had the chicken piccata and tortellini with tomato cream sauce. Will be back!
The food was delicious, especially Mikes Wok Crab. The pre cracked crab made it easier to eat than your typical seagulls boil and the seasoning was absolutely amazing. The restaurant itself is pretty old looking as many restaurants in little Italy are and the music and atmosphere is not very lively.
If you’re looking for a cozy friendly ambiance, Betty Lou’s was perfect. The food was super tasty and FILLING. i couldn’t even finish my plate but the alfredo was absolutely creamy and the portion of seafood in it very generous. My partner said it was one of the best risotto he’s had!!
Super friendly atmosphere. Staffs treat customers like family and also treat each other very nice which is so important to me.
The pasta was very big and couldn’t finish it. Wish I had more appetite because it was delicious!
For oysters we had east and west coast but the west coast which were half the size were so much more tastier and rich! Recommend west coast obviously hehe
Everything on the menu looked incredibly delicious. They didn’t have desert menu but kindly recommended a restaurant nearby.
Thank you for your incredible food!!
Very tasty food and reasonably priced. The pesto sauce for seafood pasta was amazing. Free bread for dipping is also a big plus. Service was very quick and attentive.
This has got to be one of the best pasta I ever had in US! Perfectly cook all Dante pasta, all the seafood were timed perfectly and the sauce for the pesto and tomato cream seafood linguine was amazing! Mike's walk crab did not disappoint. Wasn't expecting the strong ginger taste so this was a refreshing change from the typical garlic butter that we are accustomed to. Very Asian inspired dish and I can taste the shallots, green onion, ginger, soy sauce, onions, chilly flakes and sesame oil. Well done, I wished they serve coffee and dessert tho :)
Ps: we love Betty, very down to earth lady and cheerful!
Was looking for a seafood place to avoid Asian or Italian. Betty Lou did not disappoint. I had halibut and my friend had the Sea Bass and clam chowder. Servings were generous and the peppercorn lemon sauce was delicious. The halibut could have used a little more care in cooking as it was a little dry but my friend's sea bass was done well. The menu was not overwhelming which is good. Prices were reasonable for SFO.
Seafood linguine in red cream sauce was tasty except for the scallops for some reason. Atmosphere was quaint and felt more like a diner than a restaurant. Service was good but service took a while for a table of six.
Small place, tremendous family feel to it, everyone working there was excellent on the customer service side, helpful, made great recommendations and then the food was perfect. I had the Cioppino, and man was that bowl LOADED with fresh mussels, clams, crab, shrimp, scallops… and the broth… perfect. Just enough tomatoes and garlic!
My wife ate here a few years ago and wanted us to try it together. Despite the short staff, we were well taken care of. I don't think anyone had a lack of being taken care of. The food came in a timely fashion. We got too much, but it was so good.
Loved dining here at Betty Lou's. She actually works the floor so she has that personal touch which is really rare in San Francisco restaurants these days. The food is wonderful and the oysters are delicious and fresh. The wait staff is helpful and fun! There is a City Parking structure a block away. Highly recommend!
On my fav list in town. Love their authentic waiters who showed me a pic of the fish they caught that day. Sold! I was also impressed by the fact that all their oysters come in daily and they might ran out. Very good pasta!
The only thing I would like them to improve on is wines. Just grab vivino and order 4,3⭐ bottles that are under 20$ and sell them for 45$.
Update: they improved their wine selection a little bit and enjoyed a prisoner at a very reasonable price.
Here will be my favorite spot ever in SF!
food was amazing service amazing too,
I went after reading the reviews, and it was much better than I expected. It's more than enough for one person, and the house wine goes so well with the Cioppino.
I think I will come back to San Francisco again because of this!
We called ahead to make a reservation and we’re fortunate enough that they could accommodate 7 people on short notice. We were even delayed due to bus reroutes but they held our reservation after I called them. Server was nice and the atmosphere is quaint. Everyone enjoyed their meal but we did have one person who received their entree much later than everyone else and we had to bring this to the attention of 2 different staff members. I think this is a result of the staffing shortage since it appeared that there was only one waiter for the establishment.
I had the salmon piccata. The salmon was a huge portion and cooked perfectly. Also their house Chardonnay was a nice compliment to the salmon.
Clam linguine with olive oil is definately the best I have ever had. I don’t know how clams taste sweet in my mouth. Clam chowder and crab was fantastic as well. I gave tips to the cook as well as the server. I will visit here whenever I visit SF.
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