Best Cozy Restaurants in Fisherman's Wharf

We walked in right at 7:45pm and the people outside said it was a 1 hour walk-in wait at 7:45pm! The place wasn't that full when we walked in ad there were some open tables, but they filled up pretty quickly with reservations. It was so cool seeing Chefs Franky Ho and Mike Long (two Mister Jiu's alums) and their partners Millie Boonkokua and Lucy Li in person working. I've seen their pictures and read their names so much, I fangirled internally. We were seated at the bar next to each other which was fine. I love the art and Canto decor. It's cozy and warm and nostalgic and modern all at once. We enjoyed the complimentary peanuts and cucumber--that was a good starter because we didn't order any vegetables because too many other dishes sounded good. Our waitress said 3 dishes would be good for 2 people--maybe 4 if we got fewer carb-heavy dishes. We ordered the squab ($45) (limited quantities), Mapo spaghetti ($21), and claypot Rice w/ Chinese sausage & Bacon ($26.) We had high expectations for the squab and claypot (which they said would take 30 minutes, but seemed like it was faster.) The squab grew on us--the lemon and powder we were given for it helped amplify the flavor. The claypot was very good--the crispy crackling rice was delicious and rich. The sausage and bacon wasn't fatty but flavorful. The highlight of the night was the Mapo spaghetti.

By far, this is the best Italian food I’ve ever had in my life. The lasagna and the cheesecake were to die for. You can tell that they truly care about the quality of the ingredients that go into their food. It was like stepping back in time, and I wish I could go back every day. Not only that, but the service was phenomenal. Everything was absolutely impeccable. There is nothing that was not up to par about this place. I cannot wait to come back.

Everything was wonderful (as usual) except our server. He wasn't pleasant or friendly. Previous servers knew we were there for our anniversary, said Congratulations, asked how long we've been together, took a picture of us etc. He had no interest in anything except getting our drink and entree order. Not a nice fellow or interested in making us feel welcome. Example; there was no napkin at my place setting and I politely asked for one. He walked by, put one on the table and said "here ya go" and kept moving. I said "thank you" but all I saw was the back of his head moving away. A good server would have offered an apology for the oversight, immediately corrected the mistake and said to the customer thanks for your patience and understanding (or something to that effect). He made me feel like I was bothering him. Contrary to our disengaged waiter there was a busser guy who was awesome! He was open and friendly, joyful, and accommodating. He liked his job and wanted to be helpful. Our actual server, not so much. My wife and I openly wished the busser was our server. If I knew the busser's name, I'd say promote him. The only time our waiter was even remotely kind was when he put the bill on the table. So, when it's time for the tip, guess what? He was very nice! Wow, imagine that...

We had a great meal and it was very convenient and tasty

Our waiter and every single person who served our dishes were wonderful. The service, from when we were greeted, all the way to the end—we were treated with such care and fun! We were in town to celebrate a reunion, a baby, and a birthday. We had the tasting menu with the kaldereta and cocktails/mocktails. All were fantastic. Because I am pregnant, the staff made sure I was accommodated and still experienced flavorful dishes. Everything was superb and, as a native Filipino, I was pleased as to how our heritage was honored. We will be back.