Hot Take: Weeknights are better than weekends for going out…read more Chill, less of a crowd, a locals vibe, and to avoid amateur hour. I'm personally over (and too old) dealing with sloppy drunks spilling drinks on you, getting pushed around in a crowd or end up in a middle of a brawl Blind Pig is that perfect spot, well at least on a weeknight: chill, low-key, and moody. And, most importantly comfy seating AND solid AZN inspired craft cocktails ($18-$19). Cocktails with black sesame, taro, pandan, mapo tofu, tea, and hot pot flavors? YAS! D R I N K S * Hot & Sour: Tanqueray Gin w/ Iichiko shochu, aloe, rose, hot pot paste, basil, citrus, peychaud's ($18 x2) The sichuan hot pot inspired cocktail was silky smooth from the milk-washed gin, nicely balanced - sweet (but not too sweet) and sour with a subtle málà numbing spice. Stiff yet easy to drink. The manager/bartender, Leo was awesome with great hospitality. Background lounge-y music is not too loud so you can yap and catch-up with friends. Overall, Blind Pig is a great place to unwind after work or start the night off. If it's too tamed for you, you can always go next door to XEX to make bad decisions - no judgement cuz we've all been there! ;) O T H E R I N F O * Walk-in only. PW to enter is on IG. * Blind Pig originally opened in Chinatown in a larger space but they're now in a more intimate space on Polk. * Blind Pig is under Mins Group (Sushi Sato, Sushi Hon, The Roll, The Buoy, Dento Piano Cafe, Dragon Horse, and more.) * No snacks/food but plenty of food options within walking distance.

Ah, I wanted to love Blind Pig, but I just couldn't get into it. This San Francisco speakeasy is an…read moreAsian-influenced bar looking to bring Asian flavors and liquors to the bar scene. I think in many ways, Blind Pig just fell a little flat. I would like to say that the service here was amazing. A bartender who sat with you to talk about the menu, the process, and your experience very passionately and intently.  However, I think that the bar program is a little unrefined. Every drink had 10,000 ingredients, and most of them did not work together. If the drink did work together, you just tasted nothing because everything blended together and you couldn't taste any special or fun ingredients.  Unfortunately, I don't think this spot is worth looking for.

Amazing experience and food! The dinner we had Friday was delicious and creative. I wasn't sure…read morewhat to expect but its a fun lil spot that has some yummy tapa- ish dishes! I honestly loved everything we ordered even tho everything has a hint of tomato I didn't mind it. The one dish that I thought could be improved was the shrimp more garlic& butter was needed...one photo is missing along with our drinks. The service and decore were both good / charming more of a bar vibe.

Super sketchy area ; that isn't the places fault of course…read morejust stay aware - just not a neighborhood to be heads down in your phone. We show up on a Friday w no reservation, was told at the door there was no availability. We walk twenty feet away, checked OpenTable and *every* time slot for the evening was available so we booked one immediately . Walked back to the doorman who didn't accept this or like this. He was obviously annoyed about being visibly called out. Eventually he went in and talked at length to the host (minutes) . He came out and said there no tables ready and (begrudgingly) offered we could stand outside for ten minutes in the sketchy street. Not even the lobby. Could be totally as advertised and I can give him the benefit of the doubt that he was (initially) just misinformed as to the restaurant status, but It felt very deliberate and off-putting so we left.

Hidden two floors below China Live Restaurant on Broadway Street is an entertainment space called…read moreThe Speakeasy (also the Palace Theater). I went to see a show " Italiani Veri "  last night. Fabulous cabaret-type show with performer Arianna. She's a true (veri) Italian from Milan who sang, danced and explained Italian culture as part of the entertainment. She has an amazing voice! She could have been a finalist at the San Remo Music Festival - the most famous singing festival in Italy. She fessed up saying she had been an Italian Mouseketeer! The venue has a bar/lounge to enjoy cocktails then a few steps down further is the theater. You need to be mobile since there are a lot of steps. Seating is first come-first serve. I have to admit that seating is quite tight. You are shoulder to shoulder with your neighbors. Get cozy folks. They typically have magic shows here! If you want to see a historic night club, this would be the venue to come to and enjoy a show. Italiani Veri show was a real treat! Highly recommend it!

My hubby and I had an amazing time!…read more We attended the 8P show for: We Call It Jazz, A Journey to The Heart of New Orleans. I bought our tickets through FEVER and got the rail seating. Very good view From entering to sitting down, we were well taken care of I had bought two tickets online but when checking in, it only showed one- I pulled up my ticket and the usher at the front quickly apologized and got us situated I really appreciate the quickness Everyone was super friendly We stopped by the bar before the show started and got some drinks Music was spectacular One of the best live shows I've got to experienced Definitely made me want to check out their other events 10/10 phenomenal!

The bar is beautiful, private, and romantic, with wonderful music and decor reminiscent of the…read moreearly 20th century. Even when you arrive you need a password, i loved that! The cocktails were solid and well-balanced; I particularly enjoyed the Pinhook Rye, neat, which was complex and delicious. Furthermore, the service was outstanding. It was truly one of the best bar experiences I have had.

Bourbon and Branch is a classy but casual spot to grab a drink in the Tenderloin. I went around…read more11pm on a Friday night without reservation, and got to hang out in the library area which was beautiful. I'm not a huge bourbon fan usually, but the bartender was super friendly and knowledgeable and whipped up a smooth delicious cocktail that I really liked. The folks here love what they do, and it shows. You need a reservation to get a spot in the secret room, but I really enjoyed the walk-in library area too. Great for chatting, as it didn't seem rowdy and was on the chill side. Would love to come back again and try more drinks!

The vibe of left door is really nice inside. There's sit down tables and also a bar area. The…read moreservice is really good here. I wish the vegetarian options for food were better. I tried the mushroom pate and did not like it. The flavor and consistency was not great. The charcuterie cheeses were good but the bread did not go with it very well. The tempura was done well but I think the vegetables they use for it should be different.The drinks are pretty good and unique. Best to make a reservation as it can get crowded.

Come here for the live jazz on Sunday nights from 6:00 to 9:00 PM! It's a great time to listen to…read moremusic with friends and enjoy a cocktail before the start of the week. There is an extensive cocktail menu and small bites. The cocktails have a lot interesting ingredients. There are also alcohol free drinks available. Its setup is speakeasy style. It may be hard to find the entrance it's located just above the bus stop bar. If the door is open you can walk right in or you'll have to ring the doorbell. A lot of care was clearly put into the interior design. You can sit in the lounge space or over at the bar. It is recommended to make a reservation ahead of time to secure a spot. They do have a fee if you no show for your reservation.

Marcus made the Devil in Miss Jones and it was amazing. The flavors were unique and super…read morerefreshing. He had great energy and made the whole experience better.

Great location, vibes and drinks! Ask for Jake at the bar! Great venue for birthday parties.read more

Second only to the Branch next door. What gems these places are. we try to visit every time we…read moreenjoy an eve in the city. the drinks are phenominal, the service top notch, and the menu is vast. true old world mixology at its very finest. whatever your flavor preference you can indulge to your hearts content here. One of the very best speakeasy vibes in the whole city. no pics allowed inside. treat yourself to an evening here and learn why... reservations required! cheers!

We visited the Wilson & Wilson to celebrate my husband's birthday. While the cocktails were good…read morequality and the atmosphere was cool, the service unfortunately soured the evening. We had a 1.5-hour reservation starting at 8:00 PM (confirmed for a 9:30 PM end time), but at 8:50 PM, the bartender told us we had to leave by 9:00 PM. We were already finishing up, but I politely mentioned that our confirmation stated a 90-minute slot and tried to show him the email just so they were aware for future guests. Instead of a professional correction, the bartender argued with us, insisted we only had an hour, and told us we had to go. We didn't want to escalate or ruin the birthday mood, so we just paid and left. It was an unnecessarily tense end to what should have been a fun night.

Came here to support my sister, Cuntalina Teeseeee, the girls and I have to say WOW!…read more The drag show was absolutely amazing and full of energy. From start to finish, it had the whole room dancing, clapping and screaming with joy. You can tell how much work goes into these performances and it truly shows. The Harry Potter themed vibe is also super unique. The lighting, the artwork, and the overall atmosphere make this place stand out from your typical drag brunch. If you're a Harry Potter fan, this spot is a must. The food was fresh and delicious, but let's talk about Nate the bartender, super cool, kind and welcoming. He really brings great energy to the space. Definitely try the Love Potion, it's a standout. I'll definitely be coming back. Highly recommend this place to everyone!

For the muggles who are Harry Potter fans, this themed bar is the place for you!…read more I've been meaning to try this place out and stumbled upon it when we saw a line outside of Westwood. The themeing is so on point inside! Some of their drinks are interactive which adds on to the themes. My friend thought the wands were available for show and borrow and got charged $20 for the wand xD I gotta say the night we went, bartender was pretty slow... it almost felt like he forgot our order bc it would take a while and when finished making drinks it was actually another groups order. The bartender wasn't super busy either. The drinks were hit or miss, espresso martini they had on the menu is probably premade bc I asked to change the liquor and he said I wouldn't be getting the one that's on the menu. Tried the one on the menu and lowkey hated it, tastes watered down and bitter. Although I tried my friends "butterbeer" cocktail and omfg if you have to order something get that. It was so good. Drink costs were about $16-$18. For me, it was nice to try and a fun experience! But probably one and done ToT

While my most recent visit wasn't as memorable as previous visits Local Edition is still a…read morefantastic place for craft cocktails and live music. I have been a few times and the wonderful times I have had before is what took me back in February on my last visit to the Bay Area. They offer live music in music and old school speak easy vibes. I will say the espresso martini was not as good as I remember from my previous visits as it was too sweet which of course could have been our fault since bartender heard us talking about how my friend liked his drinks sweet. All in all a great night out with friends or even a date spot when live music is on.

Great place for live jazz. Acoustics are good, and the sound system is OK…read more No food; they put a lot of focus on drinks. Here's the drink run-down: 5/5: Under market: Lillet Blanc spritzer $15. 4: Rosebud; a grapefruit French 75 $16 4: Dublin Down: Great sour with Irish Whiskey. $16 3: Aldo Nido N/A. good NA but heavy on the juice. 3: Ava Gardner. Lots of ginger heat. $16 3: Brass check: An OK Bourbon sour. $15 2: Silver mirror. An OK take on a martini. 2: Cynthia's Pearls. Generic cinnamon flavor. $15

**you may need a reservation !!…read more We were so lucky to get in for 2 and then 4. Kinda confusing us to where you enter, you go upstairs to get in to this place. Server, was ok,, no clue of his name. I have the Oaxaca princess, and hubby had the old fashion (sometimes) Really nice place for cocktails!!!

I came here for an event. I thought the ambience was interesting; cozy, but the photos on yelp show…read morea pretty sultry vibe, and it was very well-lit when I arrived, though it could've just been the event organizers' preference. I think the drinks were good, but not exceptional, especially at the high price point. I also think that location is a little too random for me to come here regularly, but I did enjoy the speakeasy vibe. I also got lost trying to find the bathroom - it's down the hall!