When mission hipsters grow up they go to Dalva... I really like it here. No music really, but they play great movies on the screen. Bar tenders are pretty attentive. I would much rather spend my night at Dalva then Double Dutch, Kilowat, Delerium, Elbow Room.... etc. etc. etc. read more

Been here once with two girlfriends around 7 or 8ish, already hopping even then. Bartender was unbelievably nice, we ordered reasonably-priced beers from their respectable list of draft beer. Sat at the bar - this is the kind of place to come with one or two friends or maybe on a date, not so good for groups of people. Dim lighting, clean and cozy interior. Good location (in the Mission), we came here after an event at Needles & Pens and before hopping on BART. I'd be interested to come here later at night next time. read more

I'm not from the area and went to meet a friend there. Woman bartender wasn't friendly in the back. She said I needed to go to the front for wine, so I did. I received my wine in a cocktail glass, weird. The bartender said "we aren't a wine bar" when I asked if they had a wine glass. I understand you're not a wine bar but rather a specialty cocktail place. However, wine is clearly available so why not have a few glasses. Make me feel at least a little bit classy ;) Anyways, this place overall was pretty cool. The ambiance was nice and if you like specialty cocktails-that is what they have. Cheers! read more

1) Crowded - not very conducive for a relaxing chill moment with friends 2) Dingy 3) Went there for a mixer and didn't meet anyone interesting. I shouldn't blame the lack of interesting people on the bar but.. I'm projecting nonetheless. read more

I am not a huge fan of divey places, I don't like the grunge factor of the Mission and no, I don't think it adds "character" whatever the eff that is. Hipsters are more the (deserving) targets of snide remarks in my world. That said, I do occasionally find myself in the heart of hipster central SF and when I do, I always make a stop at Dalva. Pretty great drinks in the hideout and the music is not bad, if too eclectic. They make a great aviation cocktail and it's not toooo hipstery or crowded (i.e. elbo room) read more

Uncomfortably narrow...to match the uncomfortably narrow minded people I met there. This looks like a bar that most people might have a good time at. I just had an unfortunate experience here. read more

I can venture a guess as to why people love this place--they feel cool when they're in the "Hideout." I don't wanna get too Freudian up in here, but I think this claustrophobic cave feeds off our childhood desire to be in an exclusive area doing something really 'secretsy' (i.e. forts, treehouses, clubs, etc.). Well now that I'm a grown-up, or something like that, I can feel the difference between being cool and elite and being cold and elitist. Big difference. It seems that Dalva, and their clientele, hasn't quite figured that out yet. If I may return to the subject of adolescence--Yes, waiting 12 minutes for my Linkin Park song to download on Napster probably made me appreciate my music a little bit more, but waiting 12 minutes for my Manhattan doesn't make me appreciate my drink anymore than if I got it in 2 minutes. Now that that's out of my system, the drinks were good. Just as good as going to any other place that habitually serves "craft cocktails" (I'm almost certain that's how they would describe their drinks). I won't pretend to be hipster. I won't even pretend to be hipst. Maybe I caught some attitude because I forgot to wear my flannel out to 16th and Valencia again. Maybe I was just a little too buzzed for their liking. Either way, this is probably the hipstest bar in the Mission, and I'm just not sure how I feel about that. I'm not usually one to bash any small business, so 3 stars for them. I would definitely go back (if Delirium, Kilowatt, Monk's Kettle, Elixir, Casanova, and even Double Dutch were all closed). read more

Review of the Hideout: If I'm going to pay $10-11 for a cocktail, I certainly appreciate it if the bartender crafts it with care. When we ordered one of their specialty cocktails, the Bourbon Mule, our bartender made it, tasted it, decided it wasn't perfect, and immediately tossed it and started over again. When we ordered a standard cocktail, a Rob Roy, he asked if he could make something a bit more creative instead, and presented us with a similar and delicious drink using homemade coffee bitters. Hmm, I wonder if I can order off menu from now on... read more

I blame Dalva for my getting 'sneak attack' drunk last Friday night. You know the feeling - you're stone cold sober all night (though you've been drinking for hours and don't want to tell yourself that you're not drunk yet because, well, you may be an alcoholic and your tolerance is astronomical), until you walk in the door to your apartment and BLAM - you're hammered. From what I can pinpoint, I'm going to blame the ridiculously strong makers & gingers I was throwing back at Dalva at the end of the night for my subsequent shower stumble and the remarkably deep scratch I imparted on my own ankle during said shower. While sneak attack isn't the most fun of all varieties of drunk, at least you'll probably make it home with all your belongings - always the mark of a good night. FYI - Cash only! read more

Dalva is a great place for when your date makes plans with you at 10, but then doesn't show up until nearly 11. Yep that was my experience. Normally I wouldn't come to such a dive, but I was invited by a potential date. I dragged my friend along so I wouldn't have to wait alone. It was supposed to be poetry night in the back room, but apparently poetry night is a thing of the past. We arrived and it was elbow to elbow with people. Opted for the Sangria at $5. My friend had a Stella served in a huge pilsner glass also for $5. We thought the bartender said $10 for each, but after her $10 was sitting on the bar counter for much too long we decided to ask the bartender how much our drinks were. No wonder he didn't take the $10 because our drinks were $5. Since I am so inclined to drinking $10 cocktails I gave him the money without hesitation proving my utter confusion. Bartender was super friendly. DJ sets up in a tiny corner in the front. Music ranged from some barnyard two step..whatever that is..take it as you will. Music got better as the night progressed. Whatever happened to my date you ask? Well after 2 glasses of Sangria I invited another friend as my girlfriend had to leave. By the 2nd round he ended up showing up. This place is great for being stood up as the drinks are fairly cheap! You will be drunk by round 2. read more

Sometimes a good cocktail is worth the wait. And I'm not talking about waiting in a sea of people because the bartender ignores everyone except for the hottest skirt at the bar. I'm talking about waiting at a lowly dive bar while a bartender carefully crafts a fine drink. Skip the front main bar - the Hideout in the back is the place to be for drinks and a dark cozy corner to hang with friends. The bartenders take forever to make the drinks - looking for specific ingredients and running back to the stock room to get something that's missing. Needless to say, your top shelf drink won't have some cheap liquor or mixer substitute. The special cocktail menu drinks are a bit pricey, but be adventurous, and trust the bartender. read more

Dalva is a great place to catch up with your friend who is a total square and would take you somewhere totally lame if they could. You would much rather be at the Kilowatt, but you know you totally can't talk in there, and besides it would only depress you that you can't get shitty drunk and have safaris anymore. Dalva's that elusive middle ground between degenerate and douchebag. Refreshingly mellow in the sea of irritation that is 16th street. read more

A great spot somewhat hidden to the untrained mission eye. Sandwiched between the Roxie and another spot, its easy to miss this bar when just walking by. Also located right next to Truly Med... grab a lamb shwarma and go to Dalva for a cold beer or a strong cocktail. There are 3 "places" to sit there. One is the main bar area, the other is the "secret" room (not much of a secret really) which has seating downstairs next to a bar in back, and then there is the upstairs. Its actually a really great spot to book the spot in the back/upstairs when you have a big party of people coming with you. I believe you need upto 13-ish people to book the upstairs. Grab grub with your big group, bring it upstairs, take over the area and order drinks like you're at a friend's house and chill. (well, except for the fact you're paying for these here drinks). Its got personality and just the right amount of hipster nocturnal thing going on where its not annoying or obnoxious. Gets pretty crowded on good nights. read more

The drinks here are great. Those alone I'd give a 4.5 stars. I can ask for a Bee's Knees and they know what I'm taking about and how to properly prepare it. The atmosphere was meh. Like a 2-3. Come here to grab a few good drinks then hop to the next spot if you can still walk well. read more

Mojito is strong and fresh. Definitely weak on the cider but pretty sweet. Bathroom is horrendous. Had to tiptoe to the toilet to make sure my boots werent touching the pee stained floor. ICK. read more

I love the drinks here. The pimlico, brilliant! But this place gets off the hook busy. Like, you can't move busy. I mean it is a long hallway of a place, but it gets too packed. Smoking back room, not that great. I mean it's cool to have a group back there and you all smoke and that's agreed upon. But it gets downright hazy back there. Come out smelling like a prisoner who's in lock down and all he (or she) has is a carton of Kools to pass the time with. Stanky! But that being said the drinks- again they are great. They also show good movies sometimes. read more

This review will go straight to the point. Five stars for one reason: comparative advantage of restroom sanity over surrounding dives. That and the yellow wall. read more

Such a fun, chill bar with great music (from Guns 'n' Roses to Gladys Knight). And they let you eat your food from Truly Mediterranean!

I came here with a bunch of yelpers for a MAD MEN party which was in the HIDEOUT upstairs. It was pretty crowded and there was bar specifically for the hidehout which was nice. It held maybe 5 seats but there was a sitting area next to it. The bartendars were really cool and attentive. Even though it was really busy they do acknowledge you. They had some delicious and creative drinks like the grapefruit fizz..which didn't even taste like a grapefruit soda. I am not a fan of grapefruit but this was delicious. The music was super loud in the main bar and they had a big screen with something playing. I didn't really pay much attention to see if it was a movie or music videos. They also have a juke box which is always a plus in my book! Drinks were a bit pricey but thats the price you pay to be different. read more

I'll keep it plain and simple, it's like a party in a closet. But a fun party none-the-less. There's a hidden treasure in the back. Me likey the Dalva read more

Drinks arent too pricey which is great. Bartender was quick to serve. Cash only which was a bit of an annoyance, but whatever. Loud music so if you're going here to chill, thats great - but if you're here to chat, might be easier to go somewhere else. There's a neat little bar cave at the back that i like too lol read more

Favorite cocktail bar. Head to the back room because they have a different menu and prepare to be rocked. The price is 10-12 so pretty standard and there somehow was not much of a crowd, even past midnight on a Friday night. If you want to enjoy some awesome cocktails and hang out with friends, this is perfect. read more

Hideout is in the back of Dalva, and lacks windows, so it was pretty warm the whole night. The upstairs looks to be a whole other private area, but if they have a birthday up there you're out of luck. No bar though, so you'll be forced to walk down and mingle with the other non-cool people. Has a great selection of tequila drinks, but didn't really feel the whiskey ones they had. Guess I'm more of a Bourbon guy. Props to them for knowing how to make "smokey" tequila drinks for the ladies, though. Pliny for over $5 was steep, but the best I could muster (hard to find this anywhere, anyhow). Keep your eyes peeled the whole night...we were able to upgrade our seating arrangements from hovering near the bar to a small corner table to a large booth by the end of the night. Truly was sad to give that up when we left. Bring that cash money too...credit kindly not accepted here. read more

This review is for Hideout. This is a bar within a bar. This bar is in the back of Dalva and their menu is specialty cocktails. My favorite drink here is the dirty pigeon. I did try the doorman, but it was too strong for my taste. Place does get crowded, but luckily with my eagle eye, I was able to snag a booth just as the group was leaving. The space in Hideout was just too tight. I think if I didn't get a table, I would have left early. No where to put anything. There is an upstairs area, but that night there was a private party. Even then, the space upstairs was even tinier, and there was no bar. Overall, good cocktails, small space. Get here early! read more

Nice chill bar that we found while walking around between Hayes valley, Castro and the mission. It's a bit of a younger crowd but worth checking out if you are near the area. Bartender made a great sour martini for us, super strong but the best part was it was cheap. One of my favorite new bars in this area!! read more

Perty good drinks/nice happy hour spot in the Mission. I will put it on my list of highlight Mission dive bars to frequent...

This bar is long, they have a great friendly crowd, the drinks are great, they have some cool IPA's, They have another lil bar connected to the place towards the bathrooms. This place is pretty rocking and they have some great karaoke on Sundays. read more

This place had a nice selection of drinks and a cool vibe. You have high bar stools for each table and there's a "Hideaway" in the back. Is that where the karaoke happens? I didn't check it out but may have to! A nice chill place to head with friends for some nice booze and some good ol' chatting away. It wasn't busy when we went and had a huge open space. I can see it filling up on the weekends though. We went on an early Sunday afternoon. It was a chill spot we needed! read more

Dalva could be an extension of my living room. It's dark, comfortable, and great for conversation (on weeknights, of course). There's a film projection wall, which is part entertaining, part cliche. It's pretty standard that at some point while you're at Dalva, your conversation trails off when you and your drinking buddy get distracted by an odd Fellini-esque scene involving a clown, a gun and an umbrella. But no matter. Even when it's packed, Dalva is a nice change from some of the madness you encounter on 16th Street. read more

Ahhh Dalva, dark, daring, & definitely a cool hang out spot! Thumbs up for the dimly lit ambiance & old school B&W movies on the screen in the back. Situated in the popular Valencia & 16th area, it was a nice little spot to stop by and have a drink. Lovely wall with a list of drinks to choose from...My friend & I were definitely amused by the drink names cut out in pieces of paper & taped to the board, nice touch! A good selection of beers, mixed drinks, & sangria! We were saved by indulging in some Sierra Nevada! Bartender was nice, and helped us right away. I believe this place gets crowded on weekend nights. We luckily went early, and grabbed the tall table & chairs on the side wall. Bathroom was mediocre, and fairly clean. A DJ was spinning some mixes up front, so if you like loud music to enjoy with some drinks...dive on over to Dalva! Plus bart is only a couple blocks away. read more

I don't know if Mission district or San Francisco bars in general are best suited for me. I felt really awkward at all the ones I went to practically, but this was one of the better ones for me. The main room was very crowded. I couldn't even get to the bar. Good thing we were with big guys that could butt their way in. But then there was no where to stand so we had to move towards the pool table. And then we were in their way. Also, we had the misfortune of standing next to a group that had dropped their glasses twice and refused to pick it up or tell the bartender about it. So there was just random glass on the floor. I also know that they let underage people in, which isn't a big deal, except that it was really crowded and it just made me crankier. We finally made our way into the second room where it turned into a weird prom scene. People were seated in a huge circle along the wall talking but not dancing. But that changed after about an hour so it wasn't sooo bad. The entertainment was a transgendered woman dancing very brazenly on a small ledge. I was worried that due to her size she might lose her balance and take out a bunch of people. But she did it like pro. :) There was also a tiny arcade room to the side. And people were smoking inside all the rooms. The bathroom was small, but not bad. I guess I just don't like crowds too much. But I did enjoy watching the dancer. read more

Weird beer and weird movies on projection. And a dog who wagged his tail furiously with excitement. This place is chilllll (but we were there on a Tuesday). Moose Drool Brown Ale caught my eye so I had to try it. I was imagining more of a Newcastle Brown Ale taste, but this was much darker and stronger. It was actually closer to a taste of a porter because it was a dark brown ale. Cool vibes I'll be back to taste more beers. read more

I stopped by here with some friends to grab drinks and just chill. I've been to Dalva before and I liked it so I suggested this place. The place has not changed since my last visit. For a Sunday night, it was pretty packed. This may or may not have something to do with the Karaoke they had going on. I never asked but I'm assuming this means that Sundays are karaoke nights. I've never really cared for karaoke, but when you're at a bar listening to other people go up and possibly going up for yourself....it's the best thing EVER. Especially when alcohol is involved. I ordered a Black & Tan while my friends got a whiskey/coke and a cider drink respectively. I originally wanted a white Russian but they didn't have milk. That's the only downside to this bar....they run out of things a lot. Or don't have it in stock. Didn't really faze me though. I enjoyed my drink although I admit that I've had better/prettier versions of the same drink. Plus side to this bar is that the drinks are much cheaper. We all paid around $4 I believe. Anyway, the best part of this place at the time was karaoke. It's just too damn fun! I like Dalva. read more

Dimly lit, drinks are ok and I swear, they play the Strokes on the jukebox every time I'm there. Good happy hours, your typical divey Mission bar, good place to start the night out, but not an all night hang. read more

Here's the short and sweet run-down on Dalva (keeping in mind I went during happy hour). Their drink prices were good. They served perfect tasting vodka tonics that still managed to hit me like a runaway truck. And the back room is a Yelper Paradise, maybe even better than Danny Coyle's upper level seating. The only downside, really, was that it's your standard Mission District shoebox joint. People were stacked two-deep table side and three-deep bar side, and trying to get through wasn't always easy. So, -1 star there, but Dalva is still a great place to grab a drink with friends. read more

There's absolutely nothing wrong with this bar, but there's nothing particularly remarkable about it either. It's one of those narrow tunnel bars with nice moody lighting and orange, textured walls that are exactly like the ones in my parents' living room. There's a particularly nice little room in the back but alas, it was reserved for a private party. Also, props for having a DJ that played music I could still talk over. Certainly an essential stop if you're doing a 16th St bar crawl, but it probably won't be the one that stands out in your memory the next morning. read more

After nearly a decade, I finally got to live out my vicarious Third Eye Blind lyrical fantasy! Okay, so that's a meaningless abstraction, but it was nifty to not only go to the bar that they made famous, but to thoroughly enjoy it. Judging by some of the crazy stories here, it was probably helpful that I went at about 5:30 in the afternoon, when the sun was out, the crowd was light and orderly, and the service was fast. I met high school comrade Mia L. (from those heady Third Eye Blind days) and savored a delicately prepared Bloody Mary. There are some bartenders who just can't be bothered to give the proper attention that a Bloody Mary required, and the gentleman behind the bar at Dalva went above and beyond, and was not fussy about it at all. That alone earns five stars (even if it might have been a different story at midnight or so). read more

Eh...Meh...Yeah... It's not a bad decor. I like to think of it as a lessor version of Skylark. Dark, divey-ish but not super divey. Bathroom in the back that's scary, but that's to be expected of any place in the Mission. The problems are crappy drinks, weird beer selection, and not so friendly barkeeps. I might come back, but there are soooo many places I'd rather try first. read more

I enjoyed a Moonlight Special here. I planned on only staying for one drink until my cousin showed up and we would go to dinner down the street. I stayed for a few more drinks than expected and I wished i could have gone back for more. If i lived in SF, this would be my drinking spot of choice. The bartender was friendly and he knows how to mix a damn fine gin and tonic. Dalva loses a star because the jukebox wasn't working when I was there. My cousin showed up and I gave her a big hug. I downed my beer, sad that I wouldn't be able to return to Dalva before my trip ended. If I ever go back to SF, I hope to return. read more

While I've never thought Dalva was too special, it was a great place for a crowd of us to celebrate a promotion, a birthday, something while still being close to the action and not being mobbed by large amounts of people. First place I've ever had a red bull and vodka. I've never been so hyper in my life. If it seems they make the best, I'll add a star. read more