Highlights
- Great dessert
- Great wine list
oChef » Morella – San Francisco
Morella - San Francisco
2001 Chestnut St, 94123 San Francisco
6.6
von 10
von 10
Photo from Morella
Morella at a glance
San Francisco Marina District
- 🍝 Italian Restaurant
€€€€€
Price per Person 61 – 70 €
mentioned by 42 of the guests
#405 von 500 Lokalen in San Francisco
#22 Italian Restaurant von 23 in San Francisco
Good
6.6 out of 10
Food
Service
Ambience
Value
278
Reviews
62.9%
Satisfaction
Often praised
- Ambiance
- Service
- Cocktails
Frequently criticized
- Value
- Food Quality
- Service Speed
Overview: Introducting Morella
Morella presents a vibrant dining experience, often praised for its inviting ambience and thoughtful decor that creates a sophisticated yet comforting atmosphere. Guests frequently highlight the professional and friendly staff, who contribute significantly to a pleasant visit.
However, the culinary journey at Morella can be a mixed bag. While some specific dishes receive acclaim, the overall food quality sometimes falls short, with concerns about consistency and preparation.
Additionally, many find the offerings to be quite overpriced, impacting the overall value perception.
Good
6.6 von 10
278
Reviews
62.9%
Satisfaction
85
negative
18
neutral
175
positive
Morella registers a Restaurant Score of 6.6, placing it in the average category, while Customer Satisfaction stands at 62.9%, indicating a mixed reception among diners. This balanced feedback comes from a substantial 278 customer observations, with 175 positive remarks and 85 negative ones.
Delving deeper, the Ambience shines with a good score of (8.5), creating a strong first impression. Service also performs well at (7.2), suggesting a generally attentive team.
However, the Food score is average at (6.1), and Value is notably low at (2.8), pointing to areas where the experience could be improved.
What people like
- Beautiful Ambiance
- Professional Service
- Enjoyable Cocktails
What people don't like
- Poor Value
- Inconsistent Food Quality
- Slow Service
If you prioritize a beautiful setting and attentive service for an evening out, Morella could be a suitable choice. The atmosphere is a definite draw, and the staff generally ensures a comfortable visit.
Just be mindful of the menu’s pricing. With a Recommendation Score of 6.4, Morella offers an experience that might appeal to some more than others.
It’s worth considering if the aesthetic and service are your primary focus, but manage expectations regarding food consistency and overall cost.
Ähnliche Restaurants in San Francisco
- Italian Restaurant
8.8
von 10
von 10
442
91%
- Food
- Service
- Ambience
- Italian Restaurant
8.8
von 10
von 10
421
91.9%
- Food
- Service
- Ambience
- Italian Restaurant
8.7
von 10
von 10
353
91.5%
- Food
- Service
- Ambience
- Italian Restaurant
8.5
von 10
von 10
139
87.8%
- Food
- Service
- Ambience
- Italian Restaurant
8.4
von 10
von 10
520
85.4%
- Food
- Service
- Ambience
- Italian Restaurant
8.4
von 10
von 10
325
85.5%
- Food
- Service
- Ambience
Verdict: Our expert take on Morella
Food (6.1 von 10)
mentioned by 91% of the guests
The food here presents a bit of a mixed bag, with a score of 6.1 indicating an average culinary experience and 54.3% customer satisfaction reflecting a somewhat divided opinion. Based on 151 customer remarks, with 82 positive and 53 negative, there's certainly a lot to unpack regarding the dining experience. Many guests raved about the delicious pasta, flavorful meats, and well-crafted cocktails, often praising specific appetizers like gnocchi and octopus.
Dishes like lamb papardelle bolognese and ribeye steak frequently earned high marks for taste and preparation, suggesting some real culinary hits. However, some diners found the main courses lackluster, with issues like dry short ribs or overcooked chicken. Concerns were also raised about portion sizes being too small and certain pasta dishes being uninspiring or even flavorless, leading to disappointment for a notable number of patrons.
Food
151
Reviews
54%
Satisfcation
53
negative
16
neutral
82
positive
Rating distribution
What people like
- Excellent cocktails
- Flavorful meat dishes
- Tasty appetizers
What people don't like
- Small portion sizes
- Inconsistent main courses
- Uninspiring pasta dishes
Often praised
- foodMy experience at this restaurant was super incredible. The service was super professional, and the food was exquisite. I highly recommend it; it's a super pleasant place to spend a lovely time with family and friends.
- drinksthe people at the next table drinks looked amazing
- cocktailsMy experience at this restaurant was truly enjoyable. The food was great, and the cocktails were excellent. The staff was incredibly friendly, which made the whole experience really enjoyable ✨✨✨.
- pastaStill dreaming about their pasta days later
- beet saladMy experience at this restaurant was truly delightful. I enjoyed the loveliest ube pancakes and a refreshing beet salad. The atmosphere was magnificent, complemented by stunning decor.
- carbonaraThe carbonara was a popular pick among guests and a definite favorite
- octopusoctopus was really good
- ube pancakesube pancakes, and wow, what a fun surprise
- Argentinian steakArgentinian steak ✅
- Caesar saladthe Caesar salad was AMAZING, our favorite thing of the night.
Frequently criticized
- foodI was excited to try this new restaurant, but left very disappointed in the food, and thought the service was just okay. We had a 7: 30 reservation on a Wednesday night, and the restaurant was busy but not overly packed.
- empanadasIt's puzzling how so much effort was invested in creating a fabulous space only for the food to not live up to the venue's hype. The empanadas were mediocre, and the salad was substantially over-dressed. Among our group of four, only one person found their pasta to be very good.
- main coursesmain courses for me and wife came in the middle of eating salads
- pasta dishesOverall, I would give it about 2. 5 stars and wouldn’t come back — the pasta dishes aren’t anything to write home about.
- portionWe split the bruschetta appetizer, which is basically just lukewarm garlic bread with a little bit of shaved Parmesan and a slice of prosciutto and undressed arugula on top. I ordered the carbonara, which came quite cold, and my partner ordered the crab ravioli, which he thought was just okay and for $32, was a fairly small portion. The waitress didn’t come back to ask how the food was, so I wasn’t able to ask if they could warm up my dish.
- side saladoffset by the side salad that was 3 days past its best-by shelf life
- sweetbreadsmy husband got the sweetbreads which were under-seasoned and nearly inedible
- BurgerBurger was inedibly salty
- Caprese SaladCaprese Salad was extremely underwhelming
- Italian foodFelt like the La Croix of Italian food
If youre considering a visit, be prepared for a culinary experience that can be hit or miss. While some dishes and drinks truly shine, theres a chance you might encounter inconsistencies in main courses or find the portions a bit small. It might be worth trying for the highly praised items, but manage your expectations for a uniformly excellent meal.
Service (7.2 von 10)
mentioned by 77% of the guests
When it comes to service, this spot generally hits the mark! With a solid score of 7.2 and a customer satisfaction of 71%, it's clear most diners have a good experience. Out of 62 comments, 44 highlighted positives, often praising the friendly service, attentive staff like Server Freddy, and their fantastic, thoughtful approach, even for event planning.
Many appreciated the great drink and food recommendations. However, not everyone had a smooth ride, with 17 negative remarks. Some guests encountered issues with slow service, a nonexistent or rude waiter, and a general lack of attentiveness.
There were also mentions of bad management and training, which occasionally led to disappointing experiences and delays in getting the bill or orders.
Service
62
Reviews
71%
Satisfcation
17
negative
1
neutral
44
positive
Rating distribution
What people like
- Friendly, attentive staff
- Great recommendations
- Seamless event planning
What people don't like
- Slow, rude service
- Lack of attentiveness
- Poor management/training
Often praised
- serviceThe atmosphere was magnificent, complemented by stunning decor. The service was excellent, and the food was outstanding. I highly recommend this place and will definitely be back.
- staffThe chicken empanadas were not edible, and the beef empanadas tasted frozen. Overall, it was not a great experience regarding the food, but the staff was incredibly friendly.
- serverOur server made some great drink and food recommendations
- FreddyOur server was Freddy and he was lovely
- Max the bar tenderdid an AMAZING job of making sure everyone had a drink and was entertained
- Server FreddyServer Freddy is genteel
- accommodated everyone's needs seamlesslyHe accommodated everyone's needs seamlessly
- cook'sdoing a GREAT job preparing the meal
- customer service100 % good customer service
- dining experienceHad a great dinning experience
Frequently criticized
- servicedisappointing experience at this restaurant, mainly due to the service
- waitressI ordered the carbonara, which came quite cold, and my partner ordered the crab ravioli, which he thought was just okay and for $32, was a fairly small portion. The waitress didn’t come back to ask how the food was, so I wasn’t able to ask if they could warm up my dish. Food took forever to arrive – we sat down around 7: 40 and got our mains around 8: 30.
- FoodThe waitress didn’t come back to ask how the food was, so I wasn’t able to ask if they could warm up my dish. Food took forever to arrive – we sat down around 7: 40 and got our mains around 8: 30. Overall, I would give it about 2.
- ServiceService was slow; we sat for 15 minutes
- billI had to track down a different waitress to get the bill paid
- check splitshe immediately assumed we would need to split the check and asked, with a noticeable attitude
- drink orderMy experience at this restaurant was mixed. Our first drink order took longer than usual to arrive. The waiter kindly offered to remove the drinks from the bill and send an order of French fries as an appetizer.
- effortThere was zero effort made by our waiter
- managementBad management!
- recommendationsasked her for recommendations on sides, particularly the fries, and her response was simply
Overall, youre likely to find the service here to be quite good, with many praising the friendly and attentive staff. While a few hiccups with slow or inattentive service have been noted, the positive experiences far outweigh the negatives. Its definitely worth a visit if you value a welcoming and helpful team.
Ambience (8.5 von 10)
mentioned by 72% of the guests
When it comes to ambiance, this spot truly shines! With a fantastic score of 8.5 and an excellent customer satisfaction of 94.2%, it's clear guests adore the atmosphere. Out of 52 comments, 49 rave about the beautiful decoration, vibrant vibe, and stunning venue, making it a truly beautiful restaurant.
However, a few of the 3 negative comments point out some areas for improvement. Concerns were raised about the large space feeling underutilized, overly bright lighting, and even a broken heater making the area uncomfortably cold. These are minor but worth noting.
Ambience
52
Reviews
94%
Satisfcation
3
negative
0
neutral
49
positive
Rating distribution
What people like
- Beautiful decor
- Great atmosphere
- Spacious and comfortable
What people don't like
- Poor lighting
- Awkward layout
- Temperature issues
Often praised
- atmospherethe vibe is fun and definitely a colorful atmosphere
- ambiancewell decorated and good ambiance
- decorthe decor is colorful yet elegant
- interiorthe restaurant’s interior is very impressive
- placeThe service was super professional, and the food was exquisite. I highly recommend it; it's a super pleasant place to spend a lovely time with family and friends.
- spacethe space lent its self to being sophisticated and comforting yet familiar
- spaciousThe space was comfortable, spacious, and had a nice atmosphere
- vibeOverall, Morella is a gem, perfect for brunch, date nights, or a "vacation magic" experience. It offers a beautiful space, thoughtful food, and a relaxed, elevated vibe. I will definitely be back and highly recommend it.
- ambienceReally cute
- areaThe customer service was 100% good, and I absolutely love the food and drinks. 😘 It's a nice place in a very nice area.
Frequently criticized
- heaterheater was broken, we were freezing
- lightingThe decor is inviting, but the space is pretty large and it doesn’t feel like they’ve figured out how to utilize the layout properly to make it feel inviting. It’s also overly bright and too well lit for my liking. Sadly, we won’t be returning.
- spaceOverall, the service was pretty good, which was one positive. The decor is inviting, but the space is pretty large and it doesn’t feel like they’ve figured out how to utilize the layout properly to make it feel inviting. It’s also overly bright and too well lit for my liking.
If you're looking for a place with an undeniably gorgeous and lively atmosphere, this restaurant is definitely worth checking out. While there are minor notes on lighting and space utilization, the overall vibe is overwhelmingly positive, promising a great setting for your visit.
Value (2.8 von 10)
mentioned by 19% of the guests
When it comes to value, the feedback is quite stark, with 0 positive mentions out of 13 total. It appears guests found little to celebrate regarding their overall experience for the price, indicating a clear area for improvement. Theres simply no positive buzz around getting your moneys worth here.
However, the overwhelming sentiment points to a poor experience, reflected in a low score of 2.8 and 0% customer satisfaction. Many felt the main entrées were overpriced and portions small, leading to an expensive spot where small drinks didnt match a premium experience. Guests often left feeling they wasted time and money, with the value being not close to being acceptable' across 12 negative remarks.
Value
13
Reviews
0%
Satisfcation
12
negative
1
neutral
0
positive
Rating distribution
What people like
What people don't like
- High prices
- Small portions
- Poor value
Often praised
Aktuell liegen keine positiven Aspekte vor.
Frequently criticized
- overpricedover priced
- charged for more drinksThe waiter kindly offered to remove the drinks from the bill and send an order of French fries as an appetizer. However, we were still charged for more drinks than we ordered, and the fries were also on the bill. 🤦♂️ The bruschetta was not what I expected and came on burnt toast.
- expensive spotWhile the atmosphere was nice (rated 4), the food portions were small and overpriced. I left still hungry, which is not ideal for an expensive spot. The food itself was rated poorly at 2.
- foodall the food is quite overpriced
- main entréesOur server, Freddy, was lovely! We do wish that the main entrées had the sides included, as that would have made it a great value. But overall, this place was excellent.
- overpriced Marina barit’s just another overpriced Marina bar
- premium experiencedoesn’t match the premium experience
- price原價$29的話應該不會再訪
- small drinksNear $20 for small drinks
- time and moneyThe only redeeming quality was the cute inside space, but it wasn't enough to salvage the overall experience. I left disappointed, frustrated, and feeling like I wasted both my time and money. I wanted to love Morella, but this was not it.
If youre looking for a place where your money goes far, this might not be it. The consensus is that prices are high for what you get, making it a spot where you might feel youre overpaying. Be prepared for an expensive outing, as the value simply isn't there.
Wie sind die Preise pro Gast bei Morella?
You’re looking at roughly 69 per person – reported by 42 diners. That puts it in the 61 – 70 € category. For an Italian Restaurant in San Francisco, it’s comfortably mid-range, leaning towards a higher-end experience.
While the average sits here, our data shows a wide spread, with many guests enjoying more premium options well above 70 €.
Here’s a quick look at what guests spend per person, based on the latest 42 reviews.
How this restaurant’s value stacks up against similar spots in San Francisco.
Considering its an Italian Restaurant in San Francisco, the pricing feels fair for the quality and experience offered. We think it provides good value, whether youre aiming for the average spend or exploring their more premium selections.
Customer Reviews: what people think about Morella
Service Intent
- Food Exploration
Service Type
- Dine-in
9
Delicious Beetroot Salad and Great Atmosphere!
My experience at this restaurant was fantastic! I had the beetroot salad, and it was absolutely delicious. I really recommend this place. The atmosphere was great, and the food portions were just right, ensuring I wasn't stuffed. Overall, a wonderful dining experience.
- beetroot salad10
- atmosphere9
- food portion sizes8
Price per Person
- 21 - 30 €
Service Intent
- Food Exploration
Group Type
- Friends
Group Size
- Small Group
Service Type
- Dine-in
Wait Time
- Short (6–15 min.)
Noise Level
- Moderate
9
Delicious Brunch with Great Spritzes
My experience at this restaurant was a lively one, offering a wide range of brunch dishes alongside many lunch items. I enjoyed the prosciutto sandwich, which was perfectly toasted and delicious. My friend raved about the purple pancakes, noting their good touch of sweetness complemented by dulce de leche butter and syrup. We also tried a couple of their spritzes, which were quite good. I would definitely go back again.
- prosciutto sandwich9
- purple pancakes8
- spritzes8
Price per Person
- 31 - 40 €
Service Intent
- Food Exploration
Group Type
- Couple
Group Size
- Couple
Service Type
- Dine-in
7
Colorful Decor, Underwhelming Food
Morella is a visually appealing restaurant with colorful yet elegant decor that perfectly complements its Argentinian/Italian fusion cuisine. On a late Saturday morning, the atmosphere buzzed with patrons enjoying cocktails, confirming its reputation as a popular spot for boozy brunches. However, the food itself was mediocre and insufficient. The sausage combo, intended as a breakfast, was notably small, featuring one sausage, two eggs, a tiny piece of toast, and a wilted side salad that wasn't enough to satisfy my husband. While the hamburger was juicy and flavorful, its quality was marred by a side salad that seemed past its prime. The mocktails were tasty, but excessively sugary. Ultimately, the decor compensated somewhat for the underwhelming food and drinks. If your primary goal is to enjoy drinks, Morella is likely to meet your expectations.
- decor9
- boozy brunches8
- hamburger8
- food3
- sausage combo2
- side salad1
Service Intent
- Tourist Experience
Group Type
- Couple
Group Size
- Couple
Service Type
- Dine-in
Meal Type
- Dinner
Wait Time
- Long (31+ min.)
9
Warm Welcome Despite Late Arrival
We were remiss in writing this review about our dinner on June 19, 2025. We arrived about an hour late for our reservations due to a car rental issue at the airport, and just before closing. As someone who worked in the restaurant business, I understand how inconvenient a late arrival can be, especially when a restaurant is winding down. However, the manager greeted us warmly and we were sat immediately. Our server provided great drink and food recommendations and shared interesting city insights. A friend of hers, who was having cocktails, even came over to our table to recommend places to eat. Despite our lateness, there was no pressure to hurry through dinner, and we stayed at least half an hour past closing. Thanks so much!
- manager10
- server9
- drink and food recommendations9
Price per Person
- 101 € -
Service Intent
- Casual Outing
Group Type
- Friends
Group Size
- Small Group
Service Type
- Dine-in
Meal Type
- Dinner
Noise Level
- Quiet
9
Excellent Service and Food!
My experience at this restaurant was fantastic. The customer service was 100% good, and I absolutely love the food and drinks. 😘 It's a nice place in a very nice area.
- customer service10
- food10
- drinks10
Das erwartet dich bei Morella
Loading map…
Planning
- Accepts reservations
- Dinner reservations recommended
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible seating
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
Crowd
- Family-friendly
- LGBTQ+ friendly
- Transgender safespace
- Groups
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
Popular for
- Dinner
- Lunch
- Solo dining
Amenities
- Restroom
- Bar onsite
Offerings
- Hard liquor
- Wine
- Coffee
- Beer
- Small plates
- Cocktails
- Alcohol
Dining options
- Brunch
- Dessert
- Table service
- Seating
- Dinner
Service Options
- Dine-in
- Takeout
Parking
- Usually somewhat difficult to find a space
- Free street parking
- Paid parking garage
- Paid street parking
Atmosphere
- Cozy
- Casual
- Trendy
FAQs
How does Morella rate overall?
Morella holds an average Restaurant Score of 6.6, with Customer Satisfaction at a mixed 62.9%. The Ambience is good (8.5) and Service is good (7.2), but Food is average (6.1) and Value is poor (2.8).
What are the standout features of Morella?
Guests frequently praise Morella’s beautiful and colorful atmosphere, impressive decor, and the professional, friendly staff. Specific items like the ube pancakes, carbonara, and cocktails have also received positive mentions.
What are the main concerns for diners at Morella?
The primary concerns at Morella revolve around its value, with many finding it overpriced and portions small. There are also reports of inconsistent food quality, with some dishes being disappointing or cold, and occasional slow service.