Rusty Ladle - Reviews

I discovered an amazing soup restaurant in the Outer Sunset. I have now been multiple times and every soup I have tried, from pumpkin miso to clam chowder, has been delicious. The staff is very friendly and accommodating, and I met the owners, John and his wife Kristen, who are delightful. I highly recommend Rusty Ladle, especially on those cold San Francisco days. They also have a wonderful outside patio when the weather is nice. I would give 6 stars if I could.

My experience at this restaurant was truly incredible; it's such a gem! I had the best grilled cheese I've ever had in my life. The food, service, and atmosphere all received a perfect 5/5 rating. It was a no-wait situation for lunch, and the price per person was between $20–30.

I was looking for a place to sit and decompress, so I found an open-air seating option. I brought my iPad and a coffee from a nearby shop to gather my thoughts. Unfortunately, a worker approached me and rudely and loudly informed me that laptops were not allowed. The sign was barely noticeable, placed far away and behind a picnic bench. This worker's rude and combative approach drew unwanted attention and made me feel uncomfortable and upset. I wish they would be more considerate and less confrontational when addressing patrons. I guess good luck with the soup.

My experience at Rusty Ladle was fantastic. The restaurant feels like a place that genuinely makes food they 100% want to make and would want to eat. I had a great meal and a great time. I recommend pulling up a seat at the counter.

My experience at this restaurant was absolutely soup heaven! I tried the clam chowder, the tomato soup, and the gumbo, and they were all amazing. We also had the SMELTY, which is a grilled cheese on steroids – fricken amazing! The only thing is, I wish there was one of these in Alameda! I will be dreaming of this wonderful food. As I was eating, I was wondering 🤔 is their food in heaven? There MUST be because this food is the definition of HEAVEN!

I had high hopes for this place based on other reviews, but it simply didn't hit the mark. The clam chowder was bland and watery, and the tomato soup was sweet and lacked character. We intended to get takeout, but ended up eating our soups while waiting for our sandwich, only to realize they had forgotten it. When reminded, they pulled a premade sandwich from the fridge, and we had to request it be grilled. The grilled cheese was unimpressive, with a solid lack of cheesiness. They also don't offer cheese as a side, which is puzzling. The only redeeming quality was the selection of hot sauces; without them, nothing would have been edible. Overall, it was a disappointing waste of calories.

My experience at this soup-only restaurant was deeply terrible. I’d think that at a soup-only restaurant, the soup would be good, but I was wrong. Don’t be fooled by the positive reviews like we were. The tomato soup was basically warm ketchup, full of sugar, utterly unseasoned, and tasted 0% homemade. They forgot to make our sandwich, and then when it came out, it had almost nothing on it, which was verrrrry lame and disappointing. The chowder was almost okay if you add a bunch of pepper and hot sauce and oyster crackers, but still deeply mediocre. I’m so confused how they’re in business when the soup was this bad. The restaurant desperately needs to discover a spice rack and the concept of richness if they are to stay open.

My experience at the restaurant was quite positive, particularly with the soups. I tried both the clam chowder and the Mulligatawny, and they were absolutely delicious. Despite a line at the door, the wait was only about 10 minutes. The restaurant offers a choice between bar style seating or outside parklet seating, which adds to the dining experience.

I loved this cozy place! The soup and the best grilled cheese I’ve ever had were outstanding. It was also a very reasonably priced meal, and I’ll definitely be back. We ate on the outdoor patio, and the food was served promptly and with no fuss.

My experience at this restaurant was a mixed bag. While the atmosphere was my favorite part, offering a cozy indoor diner feel and a beautiful ocean view from the outdoor seating, the food was disappointing. I wouldn't return for the food specifically. The tomato soup was watery and tasted more like tomato juice. The 'schmelty' was one of the better dishes, though the chorizo was bland and hard, and the bread was only mildly soft. The 'La Maginifca' sandwich was a one-and-done experience; it was sour, dominated by olives, and the meat and cheese were barely perceptible and lukewarm. The service was okay, with reasonable wait times for ordering and food delivery. Overall, I wouldn't go out of my way to revisit, but if I were craving soup and an ocean view, I might consider it.