Cocktail spot in downtown Redwood City with happy hour Highlights: - Happy hour; $3 off like can choose from most anything, Monday-Friday 3-6pm - Outdoor area on street to hang out - Nice bartender - Have more drink options posted behind the bar that are on the menu - 8 minute walk from train Midlights: - Drinks are just ok: vesper and old fashioned 3 stars Lowlights: - No snack options read more

This place is so cool and they have such great music on the weekends During the holiday season, they have a hot thoties. Totally recommend this for the cold season. The staff is extremely efficient with getting drinks together quickly, especially when they're busy I don't believe that they serve food The only area of opportunity for this place is for the amount of drinks that they're serving. There's only two bathrooms. So expect to stand in a long line. read more

Blacksmith - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Redwood City, California

If you haven't had the opportunity to make your way to Black Smith do yourself a favor and swing on in! Laren is such a delight and makes a killer Smash or Pass with Jameson, pineapple, strega, lemon basil! Such a fun and inviting environment to have a few drinks in! read more

Fat black bouncer refused to let my friend in on his birthday. I would say he has a complex but there's no point in stating the obvious. Last experience with the same "bouncer" he ask to see my id because I stepped out on the patio and wanted to go inside to use the restroom. He acted like he didn't just ask me for my id less than 60 seconds before that. Mind you the bar itself is over priced, uncomfortable and just boring. Hard pass. Won't be coming back, please learn to train your bouncers or remove the ones that can't remember carding someone for 60 seconds. read more

Blacksmith - Crowded loud and uncomfortable - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Redwood City, California

The cocktails we ordered were just average. I've had better. I did appreciate though that they allowed us to bring in a bottle of our own wine and opened it for us. What really pissed me off though is that after I signed the bill they increased the tip. How do I know this? It's because I checked my credit card statement a few days later. Luckily I kept the original receipt that I signed. What crooks! I won't be returning to this place again. read more

~ Shoutout SAM for being so uninviting ~ (Bigger guy with glasses and a half beard mustache thing he's growing) Hopefully he didn't just pomas that name because when I asked him the first 2 times, you definitely can see the wheels trying to crank but wasn't turning, Lol! Came here after dinner to grab some drinks with a girlfriend and the bartender SAM was so rude the second we walked in. We asked if we could try 2 types of beer (bc I never order my drink myself, I always have my bf order it for me). We asked to try a cider & a IPA beer and he was really hesitant bc as he was saying "if you don't like then why try it." Um sir.. if I don't try it, how can I commit to a full size drink?.. Sam then aggressively puts & pushes the cup of an IPA sample to me because he saw me walk away (he thought I was leaving) I was just taking snap shots for Yelp while waiting for him to make his rounds. I tried it and I liked it! It was literally exactly what I wanted. So for him to assume that I didn't even like it is was not very nice. He just met me like 2 minutes ago and there are different IPAs. Is it a crime to want a little sip of it before buying a full cup? - then proceeds to ask us for our ID's again AFTER giving us two filled sample cups of Cider and IPA.. He then proceeds to say our ID's were fake and that my passport is fake because I was born in an early year than everyone there (everyone there was looked around 35-70) Well anyways, I'm glad he refused our service because: 1. He was EXTREMELY RUDE from the start - not welcoming us in (okay whatever he's busy) but giving our drink and then checking our ID AFTER is kinda crazy... what if I actually wasn't old enough? Smh Sam Be more careful Sam!!! ! Don't serve drinks and then accuse customers that their ID is fake ! 2. The vibes in the place was definitely not it. It was weird from the beginning but we thought why not. Definitely trusting my gut next time. Thanks Sam! I'm glad you thought we were younger than we actually are ;) but no need to be so rude yk - If you want good service this is NOT the place. I've never met such a rude bartender - ambiance is mid compared to what I'm used to but just thought we'd stop by and continue our catch-up here. read more

Blacksmith - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Redwood City, California

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Excelente servicio:) Mi lugar favorito para después de un día largo. Marvin mi bartender favorito . read more

I really love this bar. It might be the open air bar seating by the front, or the bartenders ability to make a great French 75. Easily my favorite drink spot in Redwood City. Whenever the hubs and I are able to get away for a date night, we always come here first (or last) to grab a cocktail. The bartenders are really knowledgeable about cocktails, and I've never had a poorly made drink. I always try to grab seating in that window bar up front that opens to the street if it's warm. It's so fun to sit up there and people watch while having an excellent cocktail. They also have a small outdoor patio outside that window with seating. In the warm weather, the outside seats always get taken quickly! Like Nighthawk, this place does get busier later at night, but I find the service to be more consistent here. read more

Service was okay. But the bartender a girl charged more drinks than what we originally had. They are just taking advantage of drunk people.

I have been to this establishment multiple times but I have to say that Harry makes the best old fashioned!!

Came here on a weekend with hubby and we had a great time and the service was amazing . Our bartender was Harry (very knowledgeable on cocktails) and we really liked because he made us the perfect cocktails (just the way we asked for ) and provided the best service ever. We will definitely be coming back to celebrate more special occasions at this place. I highly recommend this place - has the perfect atmosphere and the best bartender (Harry) . read more

Went in on a week night around dinner time and it wasn't too busy but we just went for a drink before dinner. The bartender wasn't too busy but he was very slow. Very very slow to come to serve me. The bar had empty seats and he didn't clean the seats so it was a little unwelcoming and made me feel like I shouldn't have been at the bar. Once served though I was happy. The drink was really good so I was happy there. It was loud so it's not exactly a chatting spot but it's a bar- it's been here for awhile and there's a reason for that. read more

Blacksmith - Layla - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Redwood City, California

Even though it was St Patrick's Day and the bar was slammed, we had incredible service and drinks. I didn't get our first bartenders name who made us our first two drinks but he was so awesome. You could see the care he put into each cocktail. Even on the waters he brought us, he put a lemon and a lime wedge on it. Even when he refilled the waters he put a FRESH lemon and lime wedge. Those details do not go unnoticed. Thank you! Liz was standing in front of where we were seated and we had great conversations with her. Even though she was super busy making drinks, she talked to us for a while and was so friendly and professional. The drink prices were very good, especially for the quality and the location of the bar (right in downtown Redwood City). Overall, ambiance was so fun with a DJ putting on some great music and people all around enjoying themselves. read more

Blacksmith - Hibiscus lemonade - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Redwood City, California

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over priced crappy drinks, pee smell from the bathroom came all the way out to the main room. hard pass

The bar itself is fine. I encountered very rude staff, especially the bouncer who wouldn't let people seating outside in the patio back in to close the tab. I have no idea how this can be even a legal practice. read more

Blacksmith - The security guard that is not allowing people in to close tabs. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Redwood City, California

A very fun bar to visit downtown. They play some good music and the drinks are very good. The bartenders work quickly and are pretty nice. And the bathroom here was clean! read more

Came here for a Sunday evening night cap and it was great! It has a dive bar vibe but great beer AND cocktails. The prices were great and I'd come back in a heartbeat. I have to give a notable shoutout that the bathroom was very clean! read more

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Liz was our bartender she was amazing she was able to adjust the flavors on the menu based on our taste preferences. She also made cocktails that were not on the menu. If you want delicious cocktails, great service and an awesome bartender look for Liz. The ambience of the bar is very sexy, cool, hip and modern. Great for a date. Overall a great experience!! read more

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Came here on a Friday night around 9:30. Looked pretty busy from the outside and could hear the music from a block away. We were surprised there was a live DJ. All seats inside were taken but there were still seats on the heated patio and on the extended patio in the street. Took a while to get a drink at the bar, I think there were only a couple bartenders working. But they were able to make drinks pretty quick. Prices for drinks are pretty much what you expect. With the music they were playing, some people looked like they wishes there was a bit more open space to dance a bit but it definitely looked a bit too crowded as it was inside. Overall, I'd come back and recommend it if you want a casual place to get a drink on a Friday night. The area, overall, has other bars and other spots open pretty late so in general this is a great place to come to. read more

I came to blacksmith today and Michelle was our bartender when I tell you it was only 1030 and that bar was absolutely packed and she decided to do last call while everybody else still wanted drinks and gave everyone attitude when they kept asking for drinks was insane, the drinks are good but michelle was so shitty, speaking under her voice being rude to my dad was INSANE . do better michelle read more

Friendly service, good drinks, and nice atmosphere. Very chill place, love the music here. I think having a printed menu to review drink options would be a great addition! read more

Blacksmith - Layla -- very tasty and refreshing. Tropical, but balanced. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Redwood City, California

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A friend recommended this place to me. It was a lot of fun to find somewhere that had a DJ with people doing non-stop dancing on a Friday, and Saturday considering how much the consequences of Covid had killed the nightlife in so many other places. Some people there were even dressed up as opposed to the usual hoodies, just got out of bed look that is unfortunately all too common nowadays. I came back on a Monday night just to see what it was like the rest of the week, and I really felt welcome by the bartender, Darcy and everyone there. For the first time in a long time I didn't feel invisible in the crowd. read more

I love this place. Been coming here for a few years now. Prices are average but the ambiance is cool. They have bar seating and a lounge area with couches. There's also a large open space which I am assuming it must be for dancing? Not sure. It's great on a hot evening since you can sit in their outdoor area and people watch. They even have nice overhead heat lamps for cool/cold nights. And the best part that keeps me coming is their Old Fashioned. That's the only drink I ever had there and I swear it's probably the best. The way they make it is nice to watch as they light the orange peel on fire. Service has always been quick no matter how busy they are. read more

Blacksmith - Their Old Fashioned is delicious! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Redwood City, California

Penny for my thoughts you say. Well, Honesty is the best policy. They say if someone breaks your trust shame on them but if they break it again shame on me... but when it comes to bars I always say go to a bar when they're busy, then go when they're soft, and then go when I'm drunk, then you can write you're review. -been coming here for years and I must say longest relationship I've had besides work. They make tasty beverages, the place is nice and if you're good you' will fit right in. Local boy showing you my review for this place and it's been high time. Geez, their gonna tackle me when they see me, hopefully they don't see this, might go into hiding. Tastefully arranged vinyl like ambience all the way to the barkeepers crafting cocktails on Carrera marble, balanced out by their unique perspectives and life stories. Hernan is a heavy duty dude with a big heart, divine Darcy calm collected, wiseman Matthew truly pioneering a music repertoire, or Marvin and Sam being the absolute devil's pride and joy. I can not imagine anyone not being attracted and impressed with these guys. F this is long. I'll write a book next time. Cheers. read more

Good drinks and fun night life area; there's also plenty of restaurants in the area to visit!

Great drinks! Stopped by here after work for some seasonal cocktails and I really loved the chai sour and the espresso martini. Highly recommend getting drinks here! However, the bartender experience we had was not the friendliest. She was in the worst mood ever, and it seemed like the bar was very understaffed and the bar was quickly getting more crowded. As my cousin and I were discussing which drinks to order, we both decided on the Chai sour (which had egg whites), and my cousin's boyfriend overheard her mouth to herself that she's never putting an egg white drink on the menu again. I get it takes a lot of time, but to hear that wasn't a great customer experience. I still gave her a good tip to hopefully cheer her up for the holidays. read more

Blacksmith - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Redwood City, California

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Went here for some late night drinks. It was pretty popular. Bartenders were really nice and engaging, drinks were good, vibe was lively. They had outdoor seating for a quieter atmosphere with heated lamps. Nice place to catch up or meet up with people. read more

I love this place! Especially for a Friday evening hang! They have really nice outdoor seating, which is not managed but I've not had trouble finding a spot. Their sweet potato fries are to die for! The dips they give with the fries are insane! Some of the drinks I've tried: Hibiscus Lemonade (5/5)- delicious! Especially if you don't mind a bit of sweet in your drink! This one is my personal favorite here Oak and Cherry (5/5) - good if you're a bourbon lover! I personally am not a big fan, but my friends loved it Chupacabra (4/5)- delicious again. They have a nice spice mix on the rim, which was the highlight for me Blackberry smash (3/5) - this was decent. Would recommend Aperol Spritz (0/5) - this was pretty much the worst drink I've ever had. Tasted like lemon juice and bitters read more

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Can I give a ZERO rating here???? I am the designated driver tonight and I ask for a water and I'm denied THEN I ask again (nicely) and I'm ridiculed?? I decided to come here in hopes the customer service would be better....NOPE!!!! Bald male bartender who works Friday nights, you need to grow up and get some emotional intelligence. Some of us have common sense and that should be supported not ridiculed. read more

Blacksmith - JERK - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Redwood City, California

There is a bartender there, who even after buying 70$ worth of drinks in one round, if you don't give him a good tip he will straight up tell you that he isn't going to serve you anymore because you're not a good tipper!? Fun place, but not feeling that bartenders attitude. Don't know his name unfortunately read more

Blacksmith - Bartender who won't serve you if you don't tip him good:( - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Redwood City, California

Great place to go for a drink! I love the music and the atmosphere. They have a cute outdoor setup as well if it is warm enough to enjoy your drink outside. Inside is dark with plush couches and comfy cushioned bar stools. The bartenders are attentive and accommodating - on the night we went, my friend was recovering from a night out the night before and just wanted something non-alcoholic, so they came up with a blackberry mojito-type mocktail for her. I also had a special request and wanted the blackberry smash, but requested vodka instead of Jameson, and the bartender was happy to oblige. Our drinks were tasty overall, but we both agreed that they were a bit too sweet. 5 star potential if they dialed back the sweetness. They had fun decor up for Halloween that was just the right amount of spooky - creepy clown head lights, spiderwebs, etc. I loved that it acknowledged the holiday but still had an adult feel and went with the decor in the bar. Overall - different and interesting drink menu (just maybe request they make the drinks a little less sweet), great vibe, and friendly service. Parking in downtown Redwood City isn't too bad - there is a good amount of street parking and a few garages nearby. We'll be back for a proper girls night out next time! read more

Blacksmith - Blackberry smash with vodka instead of jameson (and Halloween decor in the background) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Redwood City, California

Oh wow I've been in the hospitality business for 18 years and I have never in my life been treated in the worst way possible in my life the way I did tonight by Michelle. She was sincerely the worst bartender I've have ever met came at 10:20 and as soon as I sat down, she told me she was doing last call when the establishment says they close at midnight. I told her to serve me two drinks and she gave me attitude then the bar got full of people and as people kept coming over to order drinks, she told everybody that the bar was closing and it was barely 10:50 PM full of people and she told everybody that the bar was closed then I asked her if she could pour me a glass of whiskey she told me that she was closed and gave me attitude telling me straight up to my face that the bar closes when the bartender says it closes. I was speechless when she told me that. As a business owner, I would get her fired immediately because ruining business but if you don't care keep her all I know is that I'm never coming back and will make sure that the people that I know and regularly go there with they are not coming back either because a few of them were there tonight and will never come back again. Good luck on your business blacksmith on hiring and keeping people like that my advice make better choices if you want to keep making money and grow. read more

Really enjoy this spot! The margaritas with a tajin rim definitely hit the spot. We enjoy the happy hour and vibe when we come. The bartender Matt is always providing great service. read more

If I could leave zero stars I would. The bartenders are nice, drinks mediocre. My issue here are the bouncers. They are homophobic. We arrived with a big party for a birthday, which they knew because we were all dressed in theme, they let everyone in expect one person. The bouncer at the front claimed he wouldn't let him in because he was "intoxicated" even though he wasn't stumbling or slurring. Because he wasn't intoxicated, we had two drinks before we arrived. I went outside to see what was wrong. Told the bouncer he was completely fine. I stated how there were clearly girls in this bar that were hammered that you let in, but you're not going to let my coherent sober friend in. He kept ignoring the statement trying to say we were attacking him. When we were only trying to slice the problem. The only way I see it is that they wouldn't let my friend in because he was gay. I had more drinks than him, and they let me in. But not him. They let other girls and other guys in that were clearly drunk but not him. Disgusting. Don't support businesses like this read more

Lame, over price, drink at home! Went Saturday night not busy couldn't get a drink, we had to go across the street, won't do back. This was a good place years ago. read more

The bar is fully open inside and outside, but we sat outside at a cute wooden table. Everyone seemed to really love their drinks. I loved mine! The server was nice, though she mixed up our credit card for the check. It seemed to get a bit crowded on the inside, so not necessarily super covid safe, but the outside area is great! read more

Blacksmith - hibiscus lemonade - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Redwood City, California

Older dude salt and pepper hair spikes drinks. Be careful with that guy. I went there with some folks after work had literally one drink from him and got wasted off that one drink. Thank god things were okay but yeaaa you should never be that messed up off of one drink. My guess was he put some fet or her in it or maybe like a sleeping pill. Either way be careful. You've been warned. read more

I am newly relocated to Redwood City, and was looking for a fun/casual bar downtown. I noticed that when I looked up The Blacksmith on Google maps, they had a picture of an old fashioned, one of my favorite cocktails. I was not disappointed! Angelica was the bartender on my first visit, and couldn't have been nicer, welcoming me to the area, and making me a great Old Fashioned. I didn't get a chance to sample the food from the kitchen during my visit, but everything else was great! If you're looking for a very nice place in downtown Redwood City with indoor and outdoor seating and a full bar, I highly recommend The Blacksmith! read more

Blacksmith - Old Fashioned - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Redwood City, California

I love this place for the setting. Dark, rustic, comfortable, and really good drinks. I've tried a number of their special cocktails, but the smoky oak one (blanking on the name) really hits the spot. On a few weekdays I've actually come here to read (yup, readers at bars exist and we like to mind our business). I came once on a friday... I didn't know they got so busy. read more

Can't beat the location. I love that this place feels like a hole in the wall and a super cool place to be at the same time. This is my go-to bar when I want drinks but not food. read more