Inovino

“My boyfriend and I stumbled on InoVino on a Friday evening. They have limited seating but we luckily didn’t need reservations to snag a table and got a spot of their outdoor patio. Our server was friendly, timely, and had recommendations for wine and food. We each got a glass of wine and shared one of their meat and cheese boards. I would be interested to try it again, but explore more of their food options. It was a fun way to kickoff the weekend 😋”

“Food options are limited but everything we ordered was tasty. It was a typical cool san francisco night and the dining room was shivering cold even with jackets on (guest at an adjacent table even commented on how cold it was). Of the four wines we tried, two were really good, two were mediocre, disappointing when a 6 oz pour is ~ $20. The servers hustled but always seemed a little off. Bill included one more glass of wine than we ordered. There are better places in the neighborhood to spend $100 per person on dinner with drinks.”

“Cute, inviting atmosphere — this wine bar has a cozy vibe that makes it feel like a great spot to relax. Unfortunately, the service felt extremely rushed. It almost felt like the moment we took our last bite, our plates were cleared and the check was brought over, which took away from what could’ve been a more enjoyable experience. The food was good, but nothing especially memorable or standout. Overall, a pleasant setting with decent food, but the pacing of service made the visit feel hurried rather than leisurely.”

“Sat down and it took them 15 minutes to even bring us a menu. In fact the only reason they brought us a menu is because we asked for one. After ordering, food took an incredibly long time to come. They gave us focaccia instead of sourdough which we asked for. The gnocchi was under seasoned. The rigatoni was over salted considering the guanciale which adds a lot of salt. The yakitori was overcooked by lamb and beef standards. To top it off, after asking for the rigatoni to have no cheese on top, it came with cheese! What a way to end it. The positives were that the pasta was cooked to a nice al dente and the bresaola was very good. Wines by the glass were reasonable. Appreciated the 3oz option for opportunity to try a few different wines.”

“InoVino is a disaster. The food is overpriced, and the service is appalling. It doesn’t even compete with the other Italian restaurant in the neighborhood, Bambino’s, which is significantly better. The food is nothing to write home about, the meatballs were bland, the pasta undercooked, the insalata has no depth. Portions were laughably small for the absurd prices they charge. There was at least a 25 min gap between our appetizers and entrees and the pinsa was served lukewarm. After receiving our bill, we noticed the “SF Mandates Employee Benefits” junk fee of 5% which is not required by law. We rightly deducted this from the tip, leaving a more than generous total of 17% for the quality of the service and restaurant. Apparently, that wasn’t enough for our server, who decided to confront us, yelling why we left a “10% tip”. Even if you do remove the fee portion, I’m not sure how he arrived upon this number. We calmly explained to him that we subtracted the tip based on the fee he charged us following which he again screamed at us to leave the restaurant and never come back again. Having a difference of opinion is ok, but screaming at your patrons and the toxic behavior which is evident from the replies the owner leaves on others’ reviews, makes me worried for others who visit this despicable restaurant. We’re certainly not missing out on being barred from this substandard place. I’m sure the owner’s inevitable unhinged reply will only reinforce what a dumpster fire this place truly is. Attached are images of our receipt and the food.”