This unassuming storefront is a sports bar that specializes in rugby and tapas because the owner, Wally, loves that rough sport and great food. Gecko’s is in the old Nob Hill Shopping Center, next to the Co-op, and the cook, Mickey, would be called Chef Mickey if he cooked at some upscale Heights restaurant. Besides Mickey’s incredible soups, some of the tapas seem a little out-of-place here, like this one:
Yes, that is a lobster tail on a bed of spicy kim chi with pita points and garnished with lettuce. The price? $9. That is not a typo. Their calamari is the best I’ve ever had, and the ground lamb meatballs are served gyro-style. The red mole grilled beef tacos are superb and so is the shark sandwich. Note the plethora of seafood rather than bar food–but they have some of that, too. The drinks are poured generously and many craft beers are on tap. I would move in and sleep in the kitchen but my wife–and Wally–won’t let me.
If you bring your dog and eat on the patio, a server will bring the pup a bowl of water. Now that’s service!
