Golden Boy Pizza-Sodini's Original
542 Green Street
(between Bannam Pl & Jasper Pl)
San Francisco, CA 94133 (415) 982-9738
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m.-2:00 a.m.
Sun 11:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Late Night
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
284 reviews
Neighborhood: Financial District
"Son said it would be the BEST pizza we ever tasted. He was right. Down right delicious. It's a little place and really doesn't jump out…" read more »
348 Reviews for Golden Boy Pizza-Sodini's Original
While making a homemade pizza with my boyfriend tonight, far away from San Francisco, I thought of Golden Boy and their lovely pizza. This is my favorite SF pizza joint (I'm a Zachary's girl in the east bay), and I try to eat here whenever I am in the city. The pizza is fresh, hot, and the toppings are delicious. It's also casual and inexpensive and the servers have always been friendly.
I can hardly wait to get back home and pay a visit to GB.
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I thought we were missing something when we went to North Beach Pizza for pizza and beer... but everything was there - nice waitress who remembered us, our order, where we sat, what we drank (I love that), clean tables and seats, nice salads and pizza lots of pizza... But I got a tip from someone about Golden Boy, so we tried it out one evening after work instead of North Beach. And I realized I WAS missing something! The best pizza experience in North Beach.
I love the combo pizza!
I like the bar and beer selection, the other people that come in, how casual it is, how there are two stereos going on at once, plus a big tele above the hot pizzas.
I like the people that work here. No pressure. It feels like North Beach.
And there are lots of neat things to look at on the walls, pictures, mementos.
The pizza is delicious - the crust is perfect to me. I don't know if I will go again to North Beach Pizza knowing Golden Boy is around the corner, although I like that they deliver. But I really like Golden Boy's pizza so much more.
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my boy alex and his family own this place. I came here one night and tried the pizza. it was like 2 am and there was still a fat line outside.... but i finally got my pizza.
wow thats some damn good pizza i would definately reccomend it. i tried a combo and clam and garlic. keepin it OG wit the square slices, but pretty good texture fresh ingredients...
i gotta actually eat there next time tho. kinda by broadway too.. so u can hit up strip clubs, pizza n beer.. mmmmm ahaha
good job sodini's
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Maybe it was my inability to be coherent at the time, but through my drunken self I could comprehend the only mediocre taste of my pizza. And also considering a big chunk of cheese with my combo toppings wobbled off my precious pizza onto the ground (OH NOz!)...it was enough to satisfy my belly!
I chomped down the fresh out of the oven square slice late at night after standing in the crowded line (which seems to never die down!)
Everyone loves that cookie sheet baked pizza! And be aware, it is tiny in there, so probably not ideal to sit and each with a bunch of buddies. Always ideal for a quick pick up for late night munchies.
When I'm hungry at 1AM, this is a Golden idea! Now if only I could keep my toppings on next time! ;)
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Absolutely love this place. I live close by. Mark is a great guy. Love sodini's .........love this place. He's the only guy Italian guy I know in the North Beach district, so I really have to support him.............Gotta support my peeps even though I am Chinese........hahahaha.
Great place for a quick pizza. Went drinking at the lost and found and needed some food. Wasn't in the mood for North Beach Pizza so I went to this place. You can get whatever you want here. You really can't go wrong. very rare that I give a five star rating for a pizza joint.............I don't even like pizzas. This place ROCKS!!!!
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I went there during lunch with about nine other people and ordered two slices of their clam & garlic.
The pizza was really tasty, with the right amount of garlic and saltiness--I guess that was from the clam? I liked the fact that it was thick (deep dish?), but my slices could have been a bit crisper. I even got the side pieces! Still, I was satisfied with one slice for $3.75.
Service was fast, and friendly? I can't remember that part.
Definitely not good for groups, and even if it were just me and a a few friends, I wouldn't eat there. It's way too dark and narrow. You could sit at the bar, but when that's full, the only other seating area is this bar against the back wall, which makes me feel like I'm dining with a wall. Get it to go, and enjoy your food at the park.
great pizza, get a slice right out of the oven..
will go back soon!
I think this is my favourite pizza in the city. What is more, I always end up getting it completely blotto, drunken ripe in a santa costume around christmas time for Santa Con.
This pizza has always made me happier than any pizza I have ever eaten. I promise I won't say it is the best pizza ever, but every situation I have ever had in getting this za.... has ended up being one of the best pizza experience I have ever had. Multiple times.
Hooray for that. Hooray.
I will be there in the next couple days. That happens sometimes... when the memory of the joint I am reviewing is so strong I need to have it again.
This is one of those reviews... oh joy!
If you like garlic and clam, then you MUST try their infamous Garlic & Clam pizza IF they have it. It's sinfully good...truly. I only see this available on busy nights. If you ever look at the menu/price board - it will tell you to NOT ask for what you don't see. If it ain't there - they ain't got it - got it?
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01/14/2008
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Some days life can treat you quite squarely and make you feel like a square. I had one of those days recently. What to do, what to do?
I'll tell you what I did. I headed down to North Beach and Golden Boy Pizza to enjoy a couple of squares of their delicious, bready Sicilian style pizza. I can always count on Golden Boy for inexpensive delicious pizza from fast, friendly servers. The process is so easy too. You walk in, you order your pizza and drink and you take a seat on one of their comfortable thick-cushioned bar stools. If your pizza needs reheating they'll do that for you and bring the food to you.
They serve the big 5 inch by 5 inch squares with fork and knife on a couple of sheets of white paper on a rattan sandwich tray. The crust is very similar to focaccia, but not quite as oily. The bread is firm and soft, and the bottoms are usually crispy. They use a tangy tomato sauce here that actually stands out. I've noticed that the amount of cheese varies depending on the topping. The single topping slices seem to have a thicker layer of cheese than the combination slices.
On my most recent visit I had a sausage slice with big chunks of sausage and a combination slice with pepperoni, sausage, fresh tomato and zucchini. Both were outstanding. Interesting decor, too!
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I never know a square pizza pair with a orange soda could be so good.Its not fancy just plain bar stools line up in narrow hallway but its worth going in... I never experimented with the calm garlic. But their veggie pizza is awesome especially when you get those late night cravings before or after the club... Warning you might have to wait in long line on the weekends.
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Anyone who has been drunk more than once in North Beach has been to Golden Boys. It is the place to o to pick up a slice or 3 when you know you may wake-up hungover or drunk.
Extra large cookie sheets filled with square pizza sit right in their window, and an enticing aroma wafting out the door makes it difficult to pass by. Take it to go or grab a pint at the bar in this rustic little joint. The combo or the pesto rock my world.
Delishimiso.. I was just here this past weekend and the pizza slices (combination and veggie) hit the spot. Place has a nice look,the place is clean, and the staff is friendly. It's a popular spot and it gets busy so you will need to be patient but good things come to those who wait, agree?
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I love their combo slices... you just need to wait for a hot and fresh tray to come out of the oven.... then pick your slice... if you like it harder/crustier... ask for a corner piece and for even crustier they'll stick it in the front warming oven for as long as you like.... it can be made to order.... so the "doughy" comment means you've got to try again. As a former New Yorker... I did not expect to like this pizza... but instead I hate North Beach Pizza and Pizza Orgasmic because they can't touch NY pizza... but golden boy is uniquely San Francisco.... and it's the first deep dish (probably cause it's not that deep) I've liked... and in my book it's the best pizza in the city... certainly the best in North Beach which I've found incredibly disappointing for the "Little Italy" of the city.
Alright - it's a short review. I've found a surprising amount of SF locals that STILL have never been to Golden Boy. It's a North Beach staple. Ya gotta go. Oddly enough, my favorite is the clam and garlic pizza (yeah - you wanna make out after that?). You can get a BIG slice of quality pizza for less than $5 ($3.75 I believe). Great to take and walk. Or sit at the bar and have a slice with a pint of beer. Makes for a great night. There's normally a line if you show up after 10:00 - but it's worth the wait.
OH EM GEE!!!
Basil Garlic Clam Pizza!!!!!!!
Seriously, this is probably hands down one of my favorite pizza places. I can't believe people in the city still haven't discovered this little gem. It's a great place for late night pizza or a quick bite to eat.
The pizza is served in sheets but ordering a slice of the Combo and a slice of the Garlic Clam is the way to go!
The prices are great too.
Perfect North Beach fuel.
Quick service, good music, nice people, and good pizza.
I had a slice of cheese and the sauce was superb!
Came in here on a Sunday around 4 after a hike to Coit tower.
Sat at the counter and enjoyed the original atmosphere.
At tourist destinations its always good to know where you can get a quick cheap bite. Noted.
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Most people say otherwise, but I actually enjoy the pizza. It's relatively thick, like you've dumped all your favorite toppings on a generous square of focaccia. It's like the comfort food of pizza for me.
(As I recall,) Squares start at $3.25 for cheese. And strangely enough, around 2am, a line forms outside. But, I've learned to be patient and ogle which Hangover Helper I'll be selecting.
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For the life of me I can't understand a negative review for this place. Good prices? Check. Good service?Check. Kick ass pizza? Of course!!! Try the Clam and Garlic Pizza or anyone of them for that matter. Think of the place as a pizza bar. Take a seat, order your favorite slice and a pint and have a good time. Thats what Golden Boy is all about.
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Their clam & garlic pizza is my most favorite pizza in the whole wide world. It's absolutely covered with fresh garlic, parsley, and clams--my idea of comfort food heaven. The crust is thick and soft, almost like focaccia, but is nicely crispy around the edges.
I love the corrugated metal walls and sitting at the counter. I always feel like I'm on some weird train blaring classic rock that's manned by beer-loving boys.
It's cheap too--yay all around.
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Okay, I'm five beers into the night, and the girls at the Savoy are lookin' a bit better than they did earlier.
I really should leave, but not before grabbing something to eat.
Golden Boy is just around the corner, maybe we should stop by for a slice? I know it's not fine dining, but I need something in my stomach that's greasy and tastes good, no matter what it is.
Best pizza i have ever had, i come here way to much now but its worth the travel across the city. i hear the clam garlic is great but i haven't had it yet but i can tell you the sausage, peperoni, and cheese are great every time. OH! and if you get a corner piece you are very lucky cause thats the best piece out of the sheet .
What I remember from Golden Boy Pizza:
There was a line
The line moved fast
The pizza was cheap
I ate a piece of cheese pizza
It tasted good and I don't even like pizza
They think there needs to be Less Gucci more Coochie in the world
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Solid slice of sicilian style pie. Cheap and fast with a pretty good beer selection. Being from boston i am still on the hunt for some real deal east coast pizza. Unfortunately to no avail yet, but golden boy will do till then.
After so many many years, I am really surprised that this Golden Boy Pizza has been here in business for such a very long time... I have eaten their yummy pizza before... But it has been such a very long time since, I have not eaten their pizza's in a long time... Until today on a monday afternoon since, I was at the San Francisco Chinatown area just having fun in the sun...Then, I said to myself lets go to the Golden Boy Pizza... I have not eaten Golden Boy Pizza in years!!! My favorite slice of pizza from the Golden Boy Pizza... That, I enjoy eating the most would be the Sausage Pizza yummmmmy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have to disagree with the masses. The pizza from Golden Boy is not that great. It seems like most positive reviewers come here after a fun night of inebriation, which usually tends to alter the senses. I, on the other hand, have yet to try these square slices under the influence because each time I've been here, I'm left unimpressed and unsatisfied (just the other night, I had a slice at Golden Boy, and went home to make my own Trader Joe's bbq chicken pizza). In my sober state of mind, the pizza is always bland and the crust is always lacking oomph. It's a bit thicker than normal pizza crust, but it lacks a crispiness. It's like eating focaccia pizza, ugh. Each time I've been here, they have been out of their notoriously tasty garlic clam pizza, so I've always opted with the combo slice. You can never go wrong with combo slices, right? But at $3.75 for a slice, it's pricey and not that tasty. To avoid the long wait and the obnoxious drunks, get here an hour or two before last call.
I was once excited to come here since they serve up Sicilian-style pizza, which is reminiscent of all the pizzerias I went to in Italy (fyi: best pizza in the entire world as far as I know: L'Antica Bottica della Pizza in Rome!!!) But unfortunately for me, Golden Boy doesn't live up to its true Sicilian standards.
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As a teenager (and to this day, really) I was really into Philip K. Dick. The guy was some kind of twisted genius. His short story "The Golden Man" (which was turned into an entertaining although entirely unfaithful movie staring Nick Cage) about a semi-retarded but physically adept mutant who can see about 30 seconds into the future was always one of my favorites. Every time I think of Golden Boy Pizza I think of The Golden Man and his shimmering coat of thin gold fur, and amazing prescient ability to avoid capture, by about 30 seconds. But I digress.
The first time I ever came to San Francisco was Spring Break, 1987. I came with a bunch of friends, and one of our "grown up" friends back home told my buddy Matt (still my BFF to this day) and me to check out the pie at Tomaso's. Sadly, when we got there and looked at the menu we realized that she had been woefully deluded about the budgetary means of college students. $20 for a pizza? In 1987? When I didn't really even have a job? You've got to be fucking kidding me.
So Matt and I kept walking - having walked all day long. We were hungry. We were tired. We were frustrated and discouraged by the mere concept of a $20 pizza. We wandered up Grant street, took a random left down Green, and suddenly saw Golden Boy pizza by the slice! Yesssss!
Now, back in Madison at that time there was a local chain (it's probably still there) called Rocky Rococo's. They sold pseudo-Chicago-style deep dish slices, cut square. Their table top Galaga machine ate thousands of my quarters when I was in high school. I was a Galaga addict, and a Galaga demi-god as far as that goes. Another amusing thing was that the fancy label on the bin where the sausage and mushroom slices came up said "S&M." We always got a laugh out of that - every time. I am easily amused. But I digress.
When Matt and I, back in spring of 1987, randomly stumbled into Golden Boy and saw their lovely deep-dish square-cut pepperoni slices for I suspect about $1.50 a slice back then, we were in affordable comfort food heaven.
21 years later, 19 of which I've lived in San Francisco, I still love Golden Boy for a quick lunch slice, a post-North-Beach-boozing slice, or just generally, a slice. Or two. It's good pie, it's affordable pie, it's a cool joint that has hardly changed in any way in the last 20 years, and god damn it, I love that. If there were more than 5 stars to award, I'd give them all to Golden Boy. And they'd be gold stars, not red. GOLD! Just like the Golden Man, and whatever golden boy this swell pizza joint is named after!
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I guess it's okay. I like "New York"-style better, but I guess for square deep-dish, it ain't bad. Wish we had good greasy slices of cheese and mushroom and olive. That's a pizza... But this is okay. WARNING: don't go on Friday or Saturday nite anytime after 9. You'll never get your slice.
Would I love Golden Boy Pizza as much if I wasn't drunk every time I ate it? I'm not so sure... drunken me would probably post 4 stars, sober me is posting 3 stars.
The crust is a tad too thick and the slices a bit too greasy but you can't beat the price, service and ease since it's located just a mere block away from my apartment.
Total one-two punch,
Slices that'll knock you out,
Clams and garlic please.
Great for late night after watching a show at the Comedy Club.
The agony of waiting in line. As if that's not enough, they tease you by placing their signature pizzas in the window and all you can do is just stare.
The vegetarian is absolutely perfect. My boyfriend's a meat- eater and he loved this one. We also tried the pesto pizza which was equally good. You can't go wrong here.
FYI. Good hang over food. =)
This is an absolute MUST if you come to SF! They have the BEST clam pizza! I love going here for a late night snack after a post bar/club hopping rendezvous!! Now that I'm thinking about it...I wouldn't mind having some RIGHT NOW!
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Tastes about the same going back up as it does going on down -- super-doughy as in "what is this a sponge"-squishy, it's so doughy, and way too fuckin saucy (if i wanted to eat a bottle of Ragu I'd buy a bottle of Ragu, chachie). You're better off buying a tombstone from 7/11 for your drunk food fix -- or better yet, buying a burger and fries for only a couple bucks more over at Sam's. How these twats stay in business is testament to how fuckin dumb most N.B. touristas are.
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I LOVE YOU, GOLDEN BOY.
True, it may not be the *best* slice I have ever had. BUT it does what I need it to do, without fail, every damn time.
....and what would that be?
1) Fills any room in my belly that is not already sloshing in alcoholic indulgence.
2) One hot fat slice costs less than a beer at any of the local watering holes... how can that be a bad thing?
3) Unlike most ill advised 2am pizza munching sessions, this slice o' pie actually leaves me feeling just fine in the morning...
maybe even *better* than if I had not gotten greasy fingers while chowing on the gritty sidewalk with a crew of like minded drunks.
4) I LOVE YOU, GOLDEN BOY.
I do have to ask, who in the world would take the time to read a review of Golden Boy *before* eating there? It needs to be spontaneous, it needs to be an alcohol fueled decision, and trust me... You will give it 5 stars too. (Ignore the "hair comments" and have another... that is just the sort of thing that sobriety will make you notice.)
Cheers!
....oh and I LOVE YOU, GOLDEN BOY!!!
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Wow stumbled on this place last year during the North Beach faire. Awesome pizza. They used foccacia and I had a vegetarian and it was friggin awesome! WooHoo! The place is like a trailer in a bad part of town, but who cares the pizza is kick ass and a beer on a warm day...life is good. I'm sure this place has been there forever and is a part of the North Beach history, so don't just walk by....ORDER....and Crunch away.
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If you are in North Beach, then drop by this tiny hole in the world for a great slice of pizza
Best Sicilian slice in town and for all I know the only Sicilian slice in town. Pretend you have gotten all shitty at Columbus Cafe and you feel your evil alter ego Wayne brimming to the surface. He's probably looking for some cops to talk shit to. Get over to Golden Boy as fast as you possibly can and have two garlic, clam, and parsley slices with a healthy shake of chili flakes. Then jump in a cab, get your ass home, and lock yourself in a closet because you know you can't stop the Wayne.
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The boss sent me to the post office down the street to take care of some certified mail. There were about 40 of them. I got to the counter and the clerk just looked at me. He said, "It's gonna be a while. Why don't you go get lunch or something?" I told him I was fine. 15 minutes later, he'd only made it through about 5 of them. OK, I'll go get some lunch.
I walked past the maze of customers waiting in line, glaring at me for having taken so much time and knowing that clerk was out of commission for a good time more. OK, whatever I was gonna get had to be quick, so I could come back and at least share in this misery.
I walked around the corner and Golden Boy called my name. It was about 2pm and I could hardly open the door there were so many people crowded around the bar. I managed to get in and ordered just a simple slice of pepperoni.
I had no desire to sandwich in at the bar so I stepped outside with my cheesy, greasy, juicy slice of goodness. Thick crust...mmmmmmmm..... Hit the spot after missing lunch and took all of ten minutes from the time I left the North Beach Post Office.
I got back to the clerk, my tummy satisfied--and proceeded to wait another 25 minutes. Damn, am I glad he suggested food!
Summing up: Quick. Cheap. Filling. Solid slice of pizza.
True Equation:
152 drinks + 1 slice of Golden Boy = 23% decrease in severe hangover
Everyone who has been there knows this is true. It's not the best pizza in the city and they never have the pizza combo you want but who cares? It is good and hot plus they serve beer.
The one time I made a daytime sojourn I barely recognized the place.
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