Swiss Louis


A quaint Italian restaurant in a corner of the 2nd floor of Pier 39. Swiss Louis has a curt but efficient order-taking method that leaves diners without any connection with their waiter and a decoration and lighting combo that is aesthetically pleasing while minimalistic. Their food and views of the harbor add to the quiet date appeal of the establishment.
Seating: Most tables have a table near a harbor front window, and I got one near it. However, the view port was dark and glare-y, and I could hear enough sea lion barking in the distance in the lulls of conversation to make me slightly annoyed. Counter-intuitively, this sea lion proximity improved my dining conversation, because when people were talking the barking was silenced. The table was set before we got there, with three glasses, one of water, one for coffee or tea, and one for a soft drink. I liked the diamond pattern the glasses formed on the square table, and having so many drink options made me forget for a moment that free choice is an illusion. The servers were fun and plentiful, not afraid to talk even though they weren’t our individual servers and still ran a tight ship.
Decor: The paintings of towers in black and white were placed on any wall space available, which was very little. There were no dividing walls, just pillars of stone like the walls of a McDonald's, but more tasteful. The roof was high, with lights hanging on strings instead of mounted to the ceiling. The lights were dim and set a quiet atmosphere, but more than sufficient to see the food and your friends. Some of the chairs were on an elevated portion of the floor, which is a plus. Windows lined every wall that had a good view, and combined with the ceiling, gives a very open feeling to the whole house.


Actual Food: I ordered the tomato fettuccine, which tasted like the sourest part of a tomato sprinkled on top of slightly soggy noodles. Overall, too much tomato overpowered the garlic and everything else in the dish and left me feeling like I’d just eaten a raw tomato in noodle form, sorta like how the Grapple (grape apple) tastes like a grape in apple form. Their chicken marsala was tender, and had even better noodles than the pasta. However, the quantity of mushrooms on top of the chicken fillet means that mushroom-haters will be sure to complain that “the flavor lingers”. I liked them, personally.

Rating: The big roof and sheer quantity of windows make Swiss Louis inviting for a couple or a group, who would either enjoy or hate the friendly-ish staff and the food. 13/19 sour tomatoes

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