This place is FUN. No, it's not the alcohol speaking. Go there for yourself, you'll know what I'm talking 'bout. Blackbird has the perfect lounge setup: a long venue with dim lighting and plenty of tables, chairs, and sofas along the wall. It's crowded but nowhere near suffocating, and if you migrate to the back, you can actually hold a decent conversation without making yourself hoarse. In the back is a pool table for those who like to pass the time hitting balls with sticks, as well as a photobooth ($5) for those who want to take selfies but don't want to be publicly judged for it. The only downside is that it's CASH ONLY. At the bar, you'll find paper menus that contain most of their drink options. However, for the real deal, they have a full menu on the wall to the left side of the bar. (GET THE) $9 NEW ORLEANS COFFEE, offered on draught, which is made with bourbon, Joyride cold brew coffee, chicory tincture (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/blackbird-san-francisco?select=VwPKpBRCT74aM6FVGoBDtg#KKWWlEea3KFrmC1iiU7uOQ). Superbly smooth with woodiness from the chicory. (GET THE) $10 POACHED PEAR, served up, which is made with pear-infused gin with honey, lemon, and Lambrusco. It tastes like grape juice (thank the Lambrusco, a red grape wine) or a dessert wine, though I would prefer it over a moscato any day ahaha. Menu: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/blackbird-san-francisco?select=VwPKpBRCT74aM6FVGoBDtg#PI8N4J73a1Kc35LouVMHdw and http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/blackbird-san-francisco?select=VwPKpBRCT74aM6FVGoBDtg#VwPKpBRCT74aM6FVGoBDtg and http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/blackbird-san-francisco?select=VwPKpBRCT74aM6FVGoBDtg#EQGFmrZIDfEKDhUa6cl5hQ Blackbird also runs a happy hour, Monday to Friday 5-8 PM. $1-2 off draught beers, $2 Bud/Bud Light/PBR, $5 house White, $6 house Red, $4 well drinks (1 liquor + 1 mixer), and $5 sours. See? Fun! :) read more

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I'd heard about Blackbird after I moved away from the city, but wasn't quite certain whether or not I'd really enjoy it as much as my friends suggested they did. You know what I'm saying; a good bar is like a style. Some people love one, some people hate it. You never know until you try it on. So since I was in the area, and a friend was meeting up some of his homies here to grab a cocktail, we thought we'd tag along and see for ourselves. It's an unassuming little place from the outside, as is the fashion in San Francisco... inside, they did a wonderful job. It's stylish and hip without being too intentional; doesn't do the "LA" thing and try too hard. Wood finishes and natural tones... it works. We ordered two drinks from the specialty menu, at random, and both were delicious. Not only that, they were reasonably priced. We had a nice time, enjoyed a chill crowd, had a drink, and left to meet another friend at another venue. Truthfully, when I move back to San Francisco, this would be my new go-to place on a slow night. I'd love to shoot pool, have a drink, hang out, mellow... it's a good vibe. I'm a believer. read more

Definitely my favorite bar in the Castro since you can actually hear people talk. Now that Churchill has opened up, the Friday night lines seems to have disappeared. Still wall-to-wall with dudes and the occasional lady, but at least tables open up and you aren't always getting belly bumped. Empties out around midnight since it's usually the first stop on a night out for most of the people. Cocktails are a little pricey, but always tasty. Sidewinder was ginger beer and mezcal mostly, didn't really taste the other misc. stuff. The spring of basil atop was nommy once you mash it into the ice. Initial impression is that the drink is all ice, but steep alcohol pours, so the ice kinda works out. The back area has cool newspaper headlines plastering the walls and the whole place has a vaguely classy feel to it. read more

Hidden bar on the street and you can't really see it if you're not looking for it. It doesn't say "Blackbird" on the outside, but look for the sign outside with a blackbird with a top hat on it! Came here on an evening and it was pretty dim inside. There's a long high top table right when you enter to the left. The bar is to your right. The menu is written on a chalkboard at the end of the bar (kind of hard to read in the dark). There is booth seating available across from the bar with stone tables. In the back, there is a pool table as well as a photo booth. The wall is lined with newspaper decor. Takes a little while to get drinks ordered at the bar if there's a lot of people. Will need to come back and try this place again since everyone talks about how great the cocktails are! read more

Wound up here as we passed it by on the way to our hotel after some fun in North Beach. The Gang of Four song that was playing made us stop and look up (always on the lookout for a bar playing good music), and it looked inviting inside so - how about a nightcap? Bartender (white or maybe Latino male, a little stocky) was really sweet and made us kick-ass drinks. The music (deep cuts vintage new wave and punk) continued to be fabulous. Loved this place. The only weird thing, that really has nothing to do with this bar, was that the next night it was more crowded as we passed by, some of their clientele was standing out on the sidewalk, and one young white guy loudly yelled "guten tag, motherf***ers!" at little ol' Irish and Italian-American us. Gee, I would have worn my lederhosen if I'd anticipated that one. read more

A friend and I were bar hopping and when we passed by this bar, I insisted we go in. The place is still as chill as I remember. Awesome atmosphere and a good crowd. Downside to this is that there was a lack of seating...and they actually have a lot of seating in this place. The menu changed since the last time I was there. They had some of the same drinks (old classics and favorites I assume) but they had a lot of new cocktails. I ordered the Silly Rabbit (vodka "Trix" syrup, grapefruit luxardo, licorice, soda) and my friend got the Shakedown (bourbon, pineapple, kahlua, orgeat, vanilla-orange bitters). Both were $8. Cash only. Place was busy so the bartender was busy but he did a pretty good job at paying attention to his customers considering the rush. My Silly Rabbit DID taste like Trix but it was strong enough for me to know it was alcohol. I enjoyed this cocktail A LOT. My friend liked hers too, but she told me it was a little too strong. It took her a while to finish it. I like that they make their drinks strong though! This is becoming one of my favorite bars to go to. read more

I have been to Blackbird a number of times and really liked the vibe and the drinks. Now I love my gays, but it's nice to go to a place right outside of the Castro to be around some (mostly) straights too! I was most impressed with the hot toddy I recently had...so impressed in fact that I can honestly say it has not been beat in my experience. Not only was there the right amount of hot water and booze, but they added a whole cinnamon stick, cloves and star anise- beautiful!! I can't give this place 5 stars yet, but I promise to keep coming back so that I can do so :) read more

Blackbird - Awesome hot toddy!! - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

First time at this week and a half old bar and I was wowed! Aside from the fact that it was a pool table, it's perfect for me. Location: The best of locations, right on Church and Market and accessible to anyone and everyone using any means of transportation. And most importantly, walking distance for me. Space: Beautiful, hip decor. I like the fact that they hide the pool table, because, seriously, pool tables at bars are unsightly. There's newspaper wallpaper, exposed lightbulbs, a beautiful bar, and red accents all throughout to illuminate the otherwise dark bar. I love the seating styles and the front of the bar, from the outside, looks pretty nice. Ambiance: A good, diverse crowd. Everyone was friendly enough. There were a good amount of homos, lesbos, people of color, white folk, men, women, young, old (I'm not kidding) and specially, beautiful people--almost as if it were planned. I don't remember the music though... Service: Great service! Specially Nancy, she was great. Attentive, fair with prices, took suggestions gracefully and knew her stuff. She made some great suggestions that worked out splendidly. Food/Drink: Great drinks! Sure, specially because I know exactly how I live my cocktails and the bartenders followed my instructions quite diligently and put some great insight and suggestions of their own. We had a Manhattan, a Cosmopolitan and a Vesper. They have Lillet Blanc and actually use Cointreau for the cosmos! You can't ask for much more. And most importantly, it's cheap! Overall: After a tragic experience at my favorite bar, Amber, this is probably heading to be my new favorite bar. Great service, great ambience, beautiful and well thought-out space and, most importantly, great drinks. read more

Blackbird - A Manhattan, a Cosmopolitan and a Vesper, it couldn't have been a better night. - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Excellent cocktails just a little pricey (hence the 4 star review.) Great place for socializing, getting drunk (duh), playing pool and to take pictures in the little photo booth! I really enjoyed the look and feel of this place. The ideas for the special cocktail menu on the board were great as well. But quality is what you pay for right? Come here and support your local gay bar. read more

Pretty cool/chill lounge. I like their selection of beers and i was able to find parking easily. They also have a great cocktail menu. If i lived closer, this would def be one of my local chill spots to grab a drink! read more

Let's start with the good. Fantastic ambiance and really nice ans friendly bar tenders. However, for the bad, the drinks here are really bad. For a cocktail bar, the drinks taste incredibly boozy, they might as well just given you a glass of booz neat. I DO NOT RECOMMEND. read more

A very cool bar that I definitely will be going back to. The décor and vibe were great - a perfect spot for socializing. Unlike most of the other places in the area, some thought actually went into the design and they did a great job. I think I found a new favorite! read more

Hm, i think this is actually a 4.5 in my book. It was insanely crowded for a Tuesday night, so at first it took forever for us to get drinks - but we moved down to a different bartender, and he banged out half a dozen drinks in no time. I didn't catch his name, but it was the guy with long blonde hair. He apologized for running out of Glenlivet, and since it was going to take time to get a new bottle, he let me have the short pour on the house! Even though it was packed, almost everyone had a seat and you didn't have to squeeze anywhere. This is definitely one of the bigger bars I've been to. I love that they have a photobooth, and a pool table. If only they had some small bites, and the drinks were more generous, this would be five stars. read more

$5 yummy sours during happy hour (til 8pm!), I'm so down. And their actual cocktail menu is like UHHH HOW DO I CHOOSE?!?! Everything is so yummy. And strong. The place is really nice, with lots of seating and we were even able to snag some lounge space in the back on a Wednesday night. Great chill start to the night. Yes, my weekends start on Wednesdays. read more

Blackbird is a nice bar/lounge in the Castro area to get deliciously strong drinks. They have a fully stocked bar with many specialty cocktails on the menu that will please a variety of palates--from sweeter citrusy drinks to more spirited cocktails. I ordered a drink with tequila in it and definitely got me in a nice, happy state veryyy quickly. Cheers for sure~ I came here for a friend's birthday and we managed to squeeze our group of 10+ people along the small tables in the back, despite not having a reservation. Even though the interior echoed really loudly, my friends and I enjoyed the atmosphere and would come back again for drinks in the area. I need to try the photobooth and/or play a game of pool next time! In addition, the bathrooms are single rooms and actually kept pretty clean. This is always worth noting in bars. ;) read more

Come here for slamming cocktails! The list is really great and it's a fun spot for SF nightlife. Really fun and the place picks up energy as the night goes on. Dark, rustic vibe that it's easy to cozy up to someone sexy and just get lost in the night. Definitely come here for a night in SF to remember. read more

Came here with friends to get a drink before dinner. Location is prime and the setup inside is pretty nice. Service was friendly albeit slow. We ordered some drinks off their menu which were good - but honestly they each seemed to be one ingredient too complex. The Martinez has a very flowery gin that made the drink taste "perfumy" - we ordered it again with a different gin and it was very good. The Mash was ok. Solid Rye drink but the added mint gave it a weird flavor. Lastly I got their specialty oak-aged Manhattan with some sort of dry cocoa liqueur. Again, it was good, but the flavors did not really mesh well together. The oak and cocoa were battling to give it it's ultimate flavor. I wouldn't seek this place out, but I also wouldn't object if we were to go again. It's probably a four-star spot once you know what drinks there you like. My first experience was just a bit off. read more

Blackbird - Whiskey Mash - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I can see why this place is a hit or miss. It's all self-served and open seating, so your night here can be a good one or a bad one depending if you even find a place to sit and relax. We got lucky and managed to get a table a few minutes after entering. It's absolutely beautiful inside. They have a whole wall of drinks to choose from. Given that I'm not an alcohol connoisseur, it was overwhelming and I was at lost at to what to drink. It's all self-serve, so you have to order at the bar and bring the drinks back. Our group just took turns. The bloody mary had lots of veggies and was basically a meal in a cup! Barley wine was interesting. Lots of the other drinks my friends got were too. Not your typical drink to say the least. Just have an open mind when trying their drinks here. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get a group photo to commemorate the night but I lucked out again with spotting a waiter cleaning up a table next to us. read more

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Love this place. The handcrafted cocktails show thoughtfulness in their recipes and are well prepared by an excellently trained bar staff. The diversity of the patrons is a hopeful glimpse of what the future will be like everywhere in the world: gay, straight, every ethnicity represented and people getting along. This place makes me proud to be a San Franciscan. read more

Cute and trendy. A friend and I went for happy hour on a Tuesday at 6:00pm and there were a comfortable amount of people. My favorite aspect is the environment of the bar. The wooden bent sculpture decor on the walls, newspaper print modge podged on to the walls makes for a sophisticated and cool place. I love that there is a billiards table to help with the overall vibe of the bar. There was plenty of seating but if you can nab it, the window seat right next to the front is the best seat in the house. There were plenty of interesting drinks to choose from and I am excited to come to drink more. The bartenders were friendly and poured a strong tasty drink. Definitely will come and bring more friends. read more

This place is special. It has a hip feel, yet it is comfortable, and the cocktails that are made are made with care. We recently had our holiday party at this bar, and the price was reasonable, the staff (from the staff at the door, to the bartenders and bar backs) were all a pleasure to work with. Every single person was excellent to us and good to our people. The cocktail menu is extensive and innovative, yet, they also have a wine and beer selection. Really, I can't say enough good things about this place. If you're planning an event, it's a perfect spot, and if you just want to have a drink or two after work, it is a good choice for that as well. What a fantastic bar! read more

Chill place to grab drinks! I came here on a Friday night, and this place was pretty poppin (all tables and bar seats were taken, so we stood in between the bar and the pool table). The bar was also playing some hip hop in the background which I appreciated. I ordered a moscow mule which comes with a lot of ice, but still tasted great. I'll be back! read more

This place is cute inside and very hip. However, I hate crowds so take my review with that into account, I didn't like how packed this place was. It was almost as worse as Q-bar. I hate establishments that ignore fire code. haha. Anyway, the drinks are good and the guys who come here are particularly hot. So, I might come back for the eye candy. (c; read more

Blackbird is the new darling bar of the Castro (even though it has been opened for awhile). They have a very loyal following. The atmosphere is nice and casual; the bar gets super packed on Friday and Saturday nights. Their gourmet cocktails are fantastic even though it sometimes slow down the bar because they take quite a few steps to make. The bartenders are generally friendly and quite efficient. I wouldn't recommend taking a date to the Castro but if you do, I think Blackbird would be your safest bet. Two downsides: the bathrooms need to be expanded and often boasts long lines and the bar needs to start taking credit cards. If Trigger can do it, Blackbird can step up and provide the same service. By the way, I rang in 2010 here with my friends, and we had a great time! ~A read more

Blackbird - Fun Times At Blackbird - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

The staff here are very friendly. I really like tequila drinks and a few of the workers recommended the Sangre Dulce as a popular drink.. So my friend and I both ordered that. However, it just didn't quite fit ours pallet. I didn't want to be rude, but I had to ask the bartender to make another drink. He was very nice about it. So we switched it out to the hourglass. It was still bad, but not as bad as the first drink, but I didn't want to bother switching drinks again, since that would be too excessive. I think I need to come back here again and try another drink. I feel like this place just doesn't make good tequila drinks, because everyone else liked their drinks. The ambiance here is good, plenty of tables and seats. Not too crowded either. read more

Love this place! Cozy, charming interiors, excellent drink selection and awesome bartenders... I had a mojito but they did offer a cool Winter Selection drink lost in anticipation of the Game of Thrones season release next week... read more

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Blackbird remains my favorite bar in San Francisco, and I was happy to be there again yesterday. Great drinks. I feel bad that they can only have 12 people total inside the bar at a time (that seems really, really, really limiting) but obv. this is beyond their control. There is great outdoor seating if it isn't too chilly/windy outside. Looking forward to everything reopening completely and being back to normal. If you haven't been here before, definitely check it out. read more

Good happy hour and cool decor. I liked that my pilsner urquell came in this big cool pilsner urquell mug. Not that it really matters but sometimes it's the simple things. Sadly the cocktails aren't cheaper during happy hour so I'll have to sample them some time after 7pm. read more

As I've stated in a few other reviews, I don't generally comment on bars unless there is something really special about them. Blackbird definitely has a special touch which made it both great and memorable. Namely, the game of thrones theme that it sports in both title and menu. Dimly lit and full but not overly crowded, this was a preliminary stop on a night out in Duboce to meet up with a larger group at the newly opened Brewcade down the street. (Side note, that place was underwhelming.) What made Blackbird great was that their specialty cocktail menu, which seemed to be what you were intended to order, is entirely game of thrones themed with each drink having a specific reference and style. We tried about half of the drinks on the list and just about every single one was excellent. I specifically recall the Red Wedding and Three Eyed Raven being delicious. Overall, the nerd in me loved everything about this place and I would definitely go back again. I'm not sure if there are any other game of thrones themed bars but until I find another I'm going to say that this is "as good as it gets." read more

Sorry! For bad review. I just visited SF; found the bar are close to my hotel. Drink was okay, but service was very poor. I sat at the bar. First bartender took care me very well. However, after the first bartender has changed his working shift. Another bartender had an attitude about serving me. He skipped to ask me a next drink. I have waited 20 minutes to order my second round. Finally, I gave up and asked for my bill which was open tap. He asked me my name, but I wasn't sure about my name on tap because first bartender just took my credit card. He told me "You don't know your name." !!!!!!!!!!!! What kind of service is??? Then he couldn't find name on POS. He asked me again last name. I am a manager in busy restaurants in NYC. I believe if this situation happen there, some of restaurant's employees have to say apologize to me. read more

Still a super fave!! Let's all stop at Blackbird before Xmas!! So nice! Great bartender and lovely welcoming atmosphere!! Ten stars and ten hearts too! Great crowd xox read more

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The 3 words that come to mind every time I think of Blackbird: Mixology Hipster Heaven. The ambiance is chill and welcoming. The crowd is mixed (from straight to gay to hipster to workaholics) and I love it. There is plenty of space to just hang out with friends. They hang artwork from local artists to sell and change them out regularly. This bar gets very crowded on weekends and especially during happy hour when everyone is just getting off work. Happy hour deals are AMAZING. Their drink menu changes every season, so come by often and try as many drinks as you can because before you know it, they're gone. Their drinks are delicious and strong (my two favorite things when it comes to drinks lol). They only accept CASH, so come with your pockets filled. read more

Blackbird - Seasonal menu. Love their new drinks. - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I first read about this place in a list of best date places in Duboce/Castro area. While I wasn't here on a date I can see how this would be a good first (or any) date. It's unpretentious, not too loud and has a very comfortable/cozy vibe. Plus service was really accommodating. There is also a pool table in the back if the conversation isn't flowing. I was here with a friend on a Sunday afternoon. We were here maybe an hour and in that time it went from four people in the whole room to a fully packed bar and a few people at tables. So you can tell this place is popular for good reason. While the decor and room are rather dark, being here in the middle of the day there was the perfect amount of light spilling in that I didn't feel bad about drinking at 4 on a Sunday (but let's be real I've never felt guilty about drinking on a Sunday). I ordered a beer on tap. My friend ordered the Pimm's which is pre-made and poured from a tap. We both felt it was a little overwhelming with the ginger flavor (couldn't taste much of the other flavors) so my friend asked for a little more Pimm's. The bartender let us know that since it was pre-made he wasn't sure if there was any Pimm's left. He went to check but they were out so he suggested soda water (this definitely made the difference). My friend then ordered Grand Marnier on the rocks. Despite the bar having many unique bottles of liquor, this was not a popular one so again he had to go in the back to search for the bottle. He could have easily said they were out but it was nice for him to go get it. Behind the bar is a cooler solely filled with oversized ice cubes. I really appreciate bars with giant ice cubes so your drink is never diluted. This alone would make me come back for cocktails. Plus I just really liked the names of some of the cocktails. I'm disappointed after living in the area for so long that this was my first visit. I'll definitely need to make up for lost time! read more

Blackbird - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Service=Wicked hot bartender chick than had an excellent personality and great smile... Atmoshere= The back half of the bar is wallpapered with old newspapers and colorful artwork. The lowered false ceiling, red half circle booth seating and wooden stumps for cocktail tables really create a comfortable but stylish place to hang out and play pool or have cocktails. The celing fans kept the place well ventilated. I loved the lighting fixtures that hang above the bar. ...raw round hand blown balls that hang randomly from black wire. Homo factor= 70% gay and 30% straight.... everyone seemed comfortable Price= $ average Parking= normal castro parking... if you can take the train you should... besides you shouldn't be drinking and driving :) Bathrooms= very clean. read more

Came here for one of my first nights out in the SF and it was great! Given it was one of my first times out in San Francisco, I wanted to make sure I had a great night out...and this place was a great starting point. We were already drinking beers before going out and wanted some old fashions, and the ones here were pretty good. The bartenders were also super helpful in helping us figure out what were wanted besides those. For a Friday night of course it was packed, but we still had comfortable space around use. We played a few rounds of pool which was super fun and you can find the table in the back of the bar. If you want to access this place, it is close to both MUNI and BART. Will be back. read more

Came here on a Friday night around 8pm. There was a birthday party going on, but the crowd hadn't moved in yet. Even though it was pouring outside, by 9pm the whole place was packed and people were trying to reach the bar. The bartender was doing a great job of remembering the order in which people showed up though - no one was left out for too long. It's very dimly lit and decorated with candles and has a rustic sf style decor inside. The area in front of the bar is very narrow, but once you walk to the back of the bar there's a bigger space with a pool table. Their cocktail drinks are strong and unique, and they have a pretty good beer selection as well. My friend was thoroughly excited that they had a canadian tripel beer that he's been searching for. chill vibess. it was a good bar to just catch up with my friend but not have to be super classy about it. read more

December 31, 2015 was the night in question. Why would I have malicious intent when I have no "dog in the race," so to speak. A mere patron, and not a rival bar owner nor Emily Post-man, rude is rude and not a prickly sense of self indignation over what used to be known as common courtesy, especially from the 'tender who was being fiscally appreciated by way of receiving $2 per libation pour, from me, in tips alone. Weird how it's nigh 3 years later and this honest review, however snarky, haunts-on. Your Venerable BarOwner-Honor, HMU. I remember that night still, with the exception of the name of said barkeep. A description of them I can provide. Alas, it's almost 3 years past the original review. I hope to hear from you in "mah DMs." read more

What a lot of bars lack in quality they make up in charm or kitsch--and vice versa. Blackbird hits a home run in every area you can think of. With a Twin Peaks-inspired cocktail menu that will make any David Lynch fan reel with delight, an atmosphere that is the perfect balance of classy and cozy, wonderful service and talented bartenders, and a POOL TABLE...it's really all just a recipe for success. They have a killer happy hour, putting most places with an even remotely similar vibe and decor to shame. $1 off draughts and $6-$8 for select happy hour cocktails, all excellently hand-crafted. Blackbird is a great date spot, place for getting a drink alone, or meeting up with friends to chat or shoot pool. You can really dress the experience up or down, depending on your mood. Blackbird will abide. read more

Solid bar off Market Street in a super convenient location in the middle of the city. Service was very very good! Had one drink, and it was well made, but not as unique as drinks I've had at other bars. There is a bar with seating and then tables down the other side of the bar. Plenty of room for standing, and the overall atmosphere was comfortable albeit a bit dark. read more

Lovely venue when its empty. The last few times i tried to go here, it was way too packed to even enjoy it and had a hard time getting a drink. Came here during the day so it was empty and quiet. I tried a mocktail and had the bartender make up something with raspberries and mint, he was super nice and just went with it. It was a great spontaneous non-alcoholic drink. The Pimms Cup was also a good drink that my friend ordered. read more

Blackbird - Mocktail with raspberries, mint and grapefruit juice. - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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