Pauline’s Pizza & Wine Bar

Nice white table clothe place. The crust is lovely (thin and chewy at the end). Good topping selections. But given the other spots in the area (delfina and beretta for example), I think you’re better off heading to one of those. But still, this place is a solid pizza spot, and no wait!

Fabulous pizza — fresh and creative. Lots of vegetarian friendly options. Stellar salads that you wont find elsewhere. A family-​friendly neighborhood spot where you can color with crayons on butcher paper while you eat and drink carafes of homemade wine? Doesn’t get better than Pauline’s. Also great for big groups, just get a reservation and you will be seated upstairs.

Pauline’s has been consistently very good pizza for a long time. They grow most of their own produce so you can count on fresh and seasonal ingredients. I’ve always liked the corn meal crust. Their salads are also very good with the fresh greens. Very good for takeout, sometimes the restaurant service is a little lacking.

This post is specifically for gluten-​free diners. I used to love Pauline’s, but haven’t been back since I had to eliminate gluten. I was beyond disappointed in the gluten free crust. Yes, I know they don’t make it. That was extremely evident, down to the visible packaging marks on the crust. Our salad and the pizza’s toppings were fresh and delicious, as usual. However, the crust was so awful that it really ruined the meal. This on top of the extra gluten-​free charge and extremely slow service had really diminished Pauline’s for me :(
Everything else you make is so good, Pauline’s!!! I’m sure you guys could make a great gluten-​free crust in house! I would be back in a heartbeat.

Met a long time friend here, as he suggested it.
The place and location was very San Fran and I walked right in.
Quaint and small place, but our view in the front window was a good one.
We ordered their house wine as my friend said it was a great Red and he was correct.
We ordered the vegetarian pizza and the meat pizza. The pizza came on a thin crust and was excellent. Everything was cooked evenly, not much more to say about it.
Then my friend said we have to try the olive oil gelato… but then his face got serious. and he said unfortunately if you want to have some you will have to order your own as I am not sharing. :) Ok, will do.
As it was a different combination for me, it was still ok.
I just appreciated that the pizza place had such an option of different concoctions for the pallette. I also ordered the custard just to try and he loved it also, it was fused with what tasted like sea salt, so not my fave but once again great option to have on the menu.
If I am in the hood again… will be back.

Went to Pauline’s for pizza last night. We had a party –18 people so they gave us a private room on the second floor. The room was very nice but very warm because it’s an old building and it holds in the heat.
We ordered 4 XL pizzas, 2 large salads and 4 pitchers of beer. Overall the pizza was good (I liked the crust and the pesto pizza) and I enjoyed the salad but I thought it was a bit pricey for each couple which came out to $ 48 per couple.

For a long time, Pauline’s has always taken a backseat to its popular neighbor, Little Star Pizza. Don’t get me wrong, Little Star makes some solid «Za» and is worthy of its accolades. But if you’re hungry for some quality pizza in the Mission (without the ridiculously long Little Star wait), then I would recommend giving Pauline’s a serious second look.
We came here the other night for a friend’s birthday dinner. They accommodated our party of 12 in their upstairs dining lounge. We were seated at a large table in an area that wasn’t too loud or crowded. It almost felt like a private dining room. Since our reservation was at 7:30pm and we were coming from the office (and very very hungry), we called the restaurant to have our pizzas ready for us upon arrival. And although our pizza pies weren’t exactly waiting us for when we got there, they arrived at our table within 10 – 15 minutes. So props to Pauline’s wait staff for being so on top of everything and making our dinner such a comfortable experience.
We ordered 3 large pizzas to share. One was pesto (probably one of the best pesto pies I’ve ever had); the other was Prosciutto (which boasted a nice mix of meat and spice); and the third was a Vegeterian pie (which I never even got a chance to try because I was too in love with my Pesto and Prosciutto slices). We also ordered a large salad to split. I was pleasantly surprised by the tangy balsamic dressing and fresh lettuce/​veggies. Often times at pizza joints, the salad is just a throwaway appetizer — something to make you feel better about yourself before you indulge in all those cheesy carbs. But Pauline’s salad is just as good a salad as you’ll find at a fine Italian restaurant.
All in all, Pauline’s was the perfect spot for a bday soirée. Good pizza; friendly service; very reasonable prices. I’d totally recommend it for any casual group dining event.

The medium pizza and the special salad of the day served 2 of us perfectly. One of the best traditional pizzas I have had in a long time, the dough was light and cooked perfectly with a bit of char and the toppings were plentiful, each bite was heavenly. The service was fast and friendly but not rushed, so we were able to really enjoy the food and ½ carafe of superb organic house red wine. I’ve lived in the area for about 15 years and finally made it here, I will definitely be back soon to enjoy this gem with other friends.

Gluten-​free, fresh, superb! We shared the special salad and special vegetarian pizza and were very happy with our choices. We’ll be back to try more soon. Lovely atmosphere and great mood music.

Ok, so Pauline’s has been around forever and has always been wonderful. Until last night when we ordered thru caviar. The salads were unwashed and bizarrely tasted like soap. When we called to let them know-​not even to ask for refund-​the owner was defensive unhelpful, uh, rude. Nice. And no apology or refund…
Not to pile on but pizza crust just isn’t great anymore. Bye to Pauline’s for us.

Tried 2 signatures pizzas. Not impressed. Probably will try something else next time.

Wow, I must say that this is some of the best pizza I’ve had and I’m a pizza fanatic. I’m not a crust person so I usually don’t eat the crust but their crust was so light and delicious that I had to… I had a small pepperoni, Italian sausage, Italian bacon and mushroom and I was left wanting more… It WAS that GOOD!!! And, there house red was a great compliment to the pizza…

The biggest pros:
— Great for large groups: It looks small from the outside, but they have a huge upstairs dining room with large tables for groups. We called around 5pm for a reservation for 10 people at 8pm, and they accepted it instantly.
— Good service: Our server made a lot of recommendations while we looked over the menu and checked on us very often.
What brings my rating down to 3 stars:
— The pizza: Freshly baked and the crust did have a good chewy texture, but as far as taste goes, all of the pizzas we had were just okay. Not bad, but nothing special, which is why many of us piled on the grated parmesan cheese and chili flakes to make it more flavorful.
Overall, a good place to go to accommodate a big group, but if you’re looking for great pizza, there are better options in the city.

Perfectly average pizza. I really liked that they grow a lot of their own ingredients but it doesnt seem like it’s contributing to especially amazing food. Decent service. Improved décor would go a long way.
They need to fix their bathroom situation. Split the one giant/​weird one into 2 small stalls ASAP.
Overall it just felt kind of tired. Like a place you’d go grab cheap pizza in a pinch… except it isnt cheap.

What I really liked about this place:
Pauline’s can handle a crowd or a big birthday group! They have a huge upstairs with multiple rooms. Awesome option for a big group, and they are flexible with their reservations.
They have pretty great service overall. We had a party of 15. Our server was on it — he can by frequently, made sure we were all served quickly, got our desserts out to us, and got the bill out quickly. Plus for a group of 15 with lots of particulars and allergies!
What could be better:
The wine selection. I love that they had in house stuff — I’d just love to see a couple of more alternative options on top of that.
The pizza. Now, I thought it was pretty good, but we ordered the panchetta one and it had big globs of almost raw garlic. Was really strong (and I love garlic!). I think the quality could be slightly higher, and on all the sides.
Overall, great place to grab some pizza and wine with friends!

Wonderful meal and drinks. I’ve never had more luscious heirloom tomatoes on a salad, they were delicious. We ordered a specialty pizza and a make your own. The crust was thin and crispy, perfect! There was a lot of takeout going on, too. Great to see the neighborhood likes it, too! I will definitely return on my next trip to SF.

This pizza was just ok — to be honest, it was kind of tasteless and I had to put a lot of parmesan and chili flakes on it for it to taste better. I came here on a Thursday night and we were easily able to get a table for 2 around 7:30pm. We ordered a small — half veggie and half veggie special. $ 19 for a small pizza for 2 was a little bit expensive in my opinion and it was not enough food for us unfortunately. I really like that they make their dough fresh and most of their ingredients come from their local farm! This made the food taste much fresher and it made the pizza taste healthier than it actually was. They have very decent vegetarian options and they don’t skimp on toppings, I just wish the pizza had a little more taste. They also have crayons on the table which you can draw on the table cloth with — loved this! Brought me back to my childhood days of getting kids menus to draw on while waiting for my food :)
Overall, I think there are better pizza places than Pauline’s in SF, but based on the good reviews, maybe I came on an off day and I’d be willing to giving this place one more shot!
Tip:
I would recommend getting a medium even if you’re just 2 people — it’s usually just $ 2 more!

I LOVE PAULINES, like more than a friend. but this is a review for the temperamental nature of their restaurant. the first 3 times i tried to bring my husband here, they were closed because they ran out of dough. this makes me sad. you are a pizza place. make more dough.

Good flavors in pizza without being too heavy. Crust is thin and moderately crispy in the restaurant. Even better when leftovers taken home and reheated in pan or skillet.
Pizza is definitely fresh but ordinary and doesn’t stand out amongst the crowd. Despite that, good place to go if you happen to be in the area.

As a pizza lover, I think I might have found my favorite pizza. Everything tasted fresh. It was phenomenal. We ordered a large pizza and assumed we’d take some home, but not one slice was left behind. They were also very accommodating and attentive, just make sure your entire party has arrived. They only seat full parties. I loved my entire experience at Pauline’s, from the moment we walked in until the end.

Came here on a Saturday night with a group of five, we wanted to eat at the wine bar but it was closed. Not sure why it was closed as it was 8pm on a Saturday but we were able to be seated in the restaurant right away which was great. Menu wise, it was only salads and pizza, I guess all the apps only come out of the wine bar portion of the restaurant? We ordered the seasonal salad off the specials menu, it was good but they forgot the gorgonzola cheese so it was somewhat bland. We got two large pizzas for the table, the Italian combo and the veggie special. Both were very good, the crust on the pizza is perfect. We had wanted the pesto pizza and add sausage but you’re not allowed to add anything to the pesto pizza (kind of odd) so we just ordered a side of pesto. They also have crafts of wine they make that are responsibly priced and delicious!
There were a few miss steps but over all I’d definitely come back for the pizza and wine! I still want to go back and try the wine bar as well.

Pauline’s is terribly overpriced and overhyped. Our server was very sweet, but I was really unimpressed by the pizza — and the fact that it was almost $ 30 for something thin as paper with barely any toppings. I’m from Chicago and have traveled loads, so I know good pizza and appreciate all kinds. Pauline’s just left me frustrated by how much I was paying for something so disappointing.

Pizza crust is good with char (yum) toppings are creative and there isnt too much cheese (which I like.) The pesto is still my family’s favorite as it’s fresh and put on after the pie is baked.
I like all of the salads, and there is usually something good to drink.
Waitstaff is efficient and friendly.
Drawbacks: skip dessert, and pies are not huge. 3 of us can eat an ‘extra large’ (which is kinda medium sized) pretty fast

Truth: Pauline’s Wine Bar is the best kept secret in the whole damn city.
I’ve never been to the restaurant which is located on Valencia. I have however, enjoyed many nights in their wine bar in the alley on Brosnan. They have several different wines on tap, many of which are from their own winery, Pauline’s Winery. Here are your instructions for a successful evening at this cozy, hidden gem:
1) Start with a seat at the bar and order one of their flights and let them do the choosing. I usually pick the Mouvedre and let them go from there.
2) Order their cheese plate. It’s beautifully arranged and delicious and usually comes with a homemade preserve with fruit from their Star Canyon Ranch gardens in the Sierra Foothills. Ask for more crostini — they will accommodate.
and finally
3) Sit back, savor, relax, and enjoy.
I can’t speak to many of the other dishes served here, though they do use what they can from their gardens in the kitchen. They make a nice charcuterie plate and their shishito peppers are fantastic when they are in season. They also have a nice happy hour, so get there before 6:30pm and enjoy some bites and sips on the cheap. Nice staff and an always eclectic playlist round out the space nicely.
PS — Don’t swing by on a Tuesday or Wednesday. They’re only open Thursday — Saturday from 5−10pm

Great thin crust.
My favorite is the Italian combo, which has both sausage and salami, green onions, mushroom, and garlic.
Salad is also fresh, great for light bites if you’re not here for carb loading.
Last time my Italian combo had waaaaaaaaay too much garlic and we had to scoop it off. Go a little easier on it yo! Going to ask for less garlic next time. Otherwise, great neighborhood spot when I’m not jonesing for deep dish.

Came here for the best friend’s birthday get-​together and for a place in the city they definitely a ton of space for a big party! With upstairs seating we were able to fit 15 people without issue. They also have a wine bar adjacent to the restaurant as well!
The pizza was great, really good consistency of crust — light and airy, though some of my pieces were a bit burnt and dry
Pesto Pizza: pretty much the favorite of the pizzas, who wouldn’t like pizza doused in yummy pesto?
Garlic Pizza: not really sure that I got enough garlic on this pizza, it mostly translated to a plain cheese pizza in my opinion, though still good
Italian Combination Pizza: your standard combo, again with really great crust
There was not a ton of wine available by the glass when dining in, which was a bit strange to me, but would probably recommend grabbing a bottle instead if you have enough to split with (glasses are tiny).
Did I mention you get to draw with crayons all over the table like a little kid? :) Really great place for a big-​kid birthday party

Our group of 10 ate pizza and drew cats on the table with the restaurant-​provided crayons and this was still the most mature birthday event I’ve ever been to.
If this is what growing up is all about, count me in.
So our group came here for a pretty banner birthday celebration and were seated upstairs in what seemed to be their large birthday room, as there were 6 other large groups up there as well, all celebrating birthdays as was made apparent by the rounds of birthday singing that cued up throughout the evening. Does hearing ‘Happy Birthday’ 7 times get old? Sure… but not when it’s sung to your friend and not when it becomes a goal to out-​birthday the other birthdays in the room, which I feel pretty proud to say that we did.
Service was a bit spotty depending on which of the at least 4 different servers came to our table, but for the most part everything was grand once we got the beer and wine ordering situation figured out.
Starter-​wise, It’s entirely possible that there are no more heirloom tomatoes left on Earth after our salad for 10 was brought out. It realistically probably could have fed 15 people and had more tomatoes than I’ve ever seen in one place in my entire life. If I had to estimate, I’d guess that there were 8 382 347 834 823 tomatoes in that salad.
As far as the pizza goes, I take back everything bad I’ve ever said about pizza crust. This place makes up for all the crummy crusts I’ve nibbled around and left behind for the past 30 years. We decided that the crust here was the closest you’d come to eating a pizza off a croissant and that’s A-​Ok with me.
If you’re looking for a casual dinner spot for a group, this place is pretty perfect. They take reservations, you can draw on the tables, and they seat you in a very accommodating square-​shaped table so you can have a conversation with everyone, and not just the two people you’re sitting next to.

There really is something magical about this crust. It’s the kind you EAT, not the kind you nibble up to the edge of and leave on your plate, or feed to your boyfriend. We compared the doughy, flavorful texture to a croissant… like there’s some hidden butter in it. Either way, it puts Paulie’s pizza in the intriguing & delicious category.
We were here for a birthday party, with 10 in our group. There’s 3 parts to Paunlines: downstairs dining room (small, family friendly), downstairs wine bar (dark, cavernous and detached from the dining room), and a large upstairs space (for all the big parties). This was the perfect spot for our group — loud, lively, and spacious. Though, I’d prefer the wine bar setting for any other occasion.
After ordering 3 extra-​large pizzas, 2 HUGE salads (like, catering style), 4 bottles of wine, and BYOing our own cake (which they happily cut & served) it came to about $ 40 per person, a very reasonable spend for an SF group outing. Pizzas run about $ 27 for a very large Large, so the value is really here.
Simple, comfy & fun spot that understands big groups! Keep them on your radar for your next SF pizza party (and don’t waste that precious crust!)