This is really a review for both Per Diem and Sutter Station Tavern! PD for food and SST for service. Wandered in here after work with friends after we tried to go to Per Diem for dinner but they were booked out for a private event. They told us to go to Sutter Station Tavern, where we'd be able to order food to be brought over from Per Diem. All the food we ordered was great, but the real standout was our bartender. She recognized that the brussels sprouts we ordered were missing the balsamic vinaigrette and gave us some from her own stash - it made all the difference! She also very kindly refilled my friend's beer after she spilled some of it. Nicer, old-school bar style, plenty of seating. Overall, great experience all around! read more

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I won't go in to the details but when we needed a good bartender, Barbara stepped up 110%

My favorite downtown bar. Barbara the owner makes the best bloody Mary's. She is super friendly We usually stop by on our way to the airport or during pride. read more

Always came down here since 2014. Had great times and memories with Barbara and her great staff.

Great atmosphere and friendly staff. Wide variety of beer on tap and the Lavender Haze cocktail is delicious. I will definitely be back!

Great spot but be warned, they DO NOT have pool tables any longer. Otherwise the drinks are great, not too packed, really friendly bartenders. read more

Like this place. Super cute small joint. Friendly bartender. Good music not loud so I can actually talk with friends. My friend had a very tasty looking cocktail. And they have Guinness on tap so what more could I ask for? read more

Sutter Station Tavern - the outside of the restaurant - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Nice bar in fidi for a casual post-work drink. They had a few happy hour deals going on like $7 beers and $13 cocktails but they had to be a specific kind. Good amount of seating, dimly lit, and I like the music they were playing. I actually really like the layout of the space. It's a long rectangular bar. Apparently where I entered on Sutter St is the back of the bar and the front entrance is on Market St. But I think you can enter/exit either way. The bar is separated into two separate areas with a large bar near the front of the bar Staff was friendly and service quick. Even checked in on us while we were at the table. Bartender told my date to offer me a chocolate from the bar counter which I thought was hilarious and sweet. Great bar and would definitely drop by again if I'm around the area! read more

I lived in San Francisco for over 4 decades and this bar feels local to me. The only thing change was removal pool table. Barb still same and staff 100%. read more

I absolutely love this place.The service is amazing and the people are incredible. Shala, Barbara and Frank are the reasons I keep coming back. The creativity in drinks that Shala brings, the compassion and dedication from Barbara and the protection from Frank is hands down the best I've seen. I have frequented many bars in the area and I can say this is my favorite. They've even hosted a party for me with all the bells and whistles. Reserve the cable car, you won't be disappointed. read more

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I hadn't been here since COVID. It was so busy! The drinks were incredible. The bartender was very busy but super nice. I can't wait to go back for happy hour. read more

Sutter Station Tavern - Spiced Eggnog! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

New drink for the seasons. Eggnog with screwball! Yummy. This bar always has new and creative drinks. read more

Sutter Station Tavern - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Loveee! Usually hit this place up walking home from work. Bartenders are so kind and attentive! Great deals, love the outdoor seating, and amazinggg happy hour deals. I often bring friends here to catch up as well :) good vibes read more

Sutter Station Tavern - Happy hour wine! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

My kind of place great drinks had a great prize with really great people behind the bar.

Met up a girlfriend for a quick happy hour. We decided to go to Sutter Station on Wednesday, September 12th around 6pm. It was pretty crowded when we arrived, but after waiting around for a little bit, we managed to find two seats at the bar. *Pear vodka w/soda ($5) x2 *Jameson irish whiskey ($5) x2 *Bud light ($4) x2 They have happy hour daily 12pm - 1pm and 5pm - 7pm. I don't really know what specials fall under this, but maybe the $5 jameson shots are a part of it? Not sure how much the bud light was, but I know each round was $14, so I'm guessing the price listed above. We were here for about two hours, so we had two rounds. The atmosphere after work is very lively. A lot of people talking and drinking. The vibe is divey as it's dark and kinda old inside. The bartender was nice and gave us our rounds when we ordered them. Not sure if they serve food here, but I saw people bringing in food from other places. Good that's an option in case you get hungry. Convenient if you want a few cheap drinks after work as the bus stop is right outside. read more

Sutter Station Tavern - Bud light ($4), Jameson irish whiskey ($5), Pear vodka w/soda ($5) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great place to get drinks after work. I ordered a hell or high watermelon and it even came with a watermelon slice!

Great bar, customer service is always top notch, Drinks are pretty good and consistent. The owner Barbara is always an amazing and cordial host. read more

Shala & Anu are my go-to's here. They make the drinks strong and on point. The bar just went through a major remodel too and it looks great. Awesome spot to catch the games or sit with friends and avoid the commuter traffic. Always a good atmosphere and a mixed crowd. Not sure about a lot of the older reviews for this spot; I've only ever had good times and better service. read more

Sutter Station Tavern - Remodeled bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Went for a happy hour with some colleagues, they had a great drink selection in the happy hour menu from 5 to 8 pm. They also provide free peanuts and chips for snacks and the waitresses are super nice. This place doesn't get too crowded so it's really great to come they have outdoor seating also. read more

I cannot believe I have never been here. Came early after work on a Wed. The martini glasses are frosted. This place has a nice "old man bar" feel that I enjoy. Hope it stays in SF forever and the the hipsters don't ruin it (Jeez I am getting old and sound like a little old lady!) read more

Sutter Station Tavern - Frosted martini glasses! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

It's probably no surprise that the character I most relate to on "Cheers" is Norm... Ed -- "Afternoon, everybody!" Customers -- "ED!" Woody -- "Hey, Mr. U, what do you say to a cold one?" Ed -- "See you later, boss. I'll be at the Sutter Gutter." When I meet people in the middle of a work day, my usual choice is Starbucks or Peet's. Coffee is the ideal noncommittal beverage for a noncommittal conversation. But I have one friend and former colleague I see every now and then in the FiDi, and when I first suggested meeting up for coffee, we ended up here. At first, I was a bit taken aback not because I'm some prude but I kept having images of a made-for-TV movie made back in the 70's when some married alcoholic ad agency guy would stumble out of a bar too scared to face his judgmental wife at home. Y'see, he got fired for being drunk at a big client presentation that lost his agency its big account. Sutter Station looks just like one of those lonelyhearts bars. What can I say? I like the place. If Current TV ever decided to remake "Cheers" in San Francisco, this is the tavern they should use because the bartenders are friendly and the taps are full (see photo). They have Guinness right out of the tap, which was nice since I just came back from Dublin where I took the tour of the storehouse and got the free pint. We were having a great time. So the funniest thing happened the last time I was there. I was approached by a fellow Yelper who recognized me from my profile, and he was gushing about how great he thought my reviews were. My friend was watching this gobsmacked by the outpouring of affection to me. He actually said it was like meeting a celebrity. I must have turned fifty shades of red. No autographs please. DRINKS - 4 stars...good for a midday pick-me-up AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...Cheers, SF-style SERVICE - 3.5 stars...pours 'em just fine TOTAL - 4 stars...You want to go where people know, people are all the same... you want to go where everybody knows your name... ED! read more

Sutter Station Tavern - Sitting at the bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Stopped in after watching the SF St. Patrick's Day Parade. We noticed the sign for green beers and Jameson specials during the weekend so we decided to stop by on the way back to catching the trolley back to Fisherman's Wharf. The place is clean, the polished oak and old leather booths made it feel like an old timey pub, and someone had pumped in some serious into the jukebox (AMI) and used it on some 90s music (always a nice touch). The best part about this place was the ultra clean restroom considering it is a Pub on Market St. I definitely think this could be a great after work spot, a quiet day drinking location, and for sure a poppin place to be at night (or Happy Hour). Good job Sutter Street read more

Sutter Station Tavern - Green beer and Jameson - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

bartenders were amazing and so kind and helpful. the beer selection was OK, didn't try the food. busy for happy hour but calmed down later.

Great place to stop for a quick pop (aka cocktail) if you will be getting on or off BART at the Montgomery Street Station because the entrance to BART is pretty much right outside. Would not call it a high high end classy place (it is a "Tavern" after all), but it's clean and has a happy crowd. Lots of business people blowing off steam after work. Also a couple of pool tables in the back if that's your thing. I end up stopping by every few weeks and will keep going back as long as the beer is cold! read more

Was attacked by an employee with a trash can... I tried to use the restroom and offered to buy a drink to do so. The bouncer- heavier set man in an orange tee shirt told the bartender to 'cut us off'- as in remove us from the bar when we were offering to purchase something to use the bathroom. Things progressed from there. Once we left due to the bouncer's aggressive behavior toward us, he came out multiple times while we were waiting for our uber outside and physically threatened us. At one point, he threw a huge recycling bin towards us at which time we called the police, who waited until we got a cab from this bar. I had to tell him verbally multiple times to move away from us because the police was on the phone as he made aggressive gestures. This is the photo of what was thrown at us (blue bin). Please do not go here. Unsafe for women alone at the least. read more

Bartender was unnecessarily rude, did not receive a warm welcome here. Would not recommend, the ambiance was also subpar.

It's divey but the experience is worth it. Have no mistake, Sutter Station Tavern is a no-nonsense watering hole for those seeking a drink at almost all hours of the day. The characters are colorful. The drinks are plenty (and reasonable). The service is affably gruff if you can imagine that. Perhaps therein lies the charm of Sutter Station. A dive bar in the middle of a quickly gentrifying city. Weekdays you have a post-work FiDi crowd and weekends they're fending crazies from stumbling in. All part and parcel of being a stalwart on Market Street. Daily drink specials and happy hours too. read more

Very cool, laid-back bar with very fun and nice bouncer and bartenders. They make a mean long Island iced tea !!! Perfect down-to-earth bar to snag a good cocktail before the thing you're doing later read more

This is considered a dive bar in SF. We ordered a mimosa with cranberry pitcher and spilt the fee ($16 so $8 each). This was enough for two people to have between 4-5 champagne glasses each. Our initial bartender was very attentive and helpful- she even served a customer after she had clocked out from her shift. The second bartender (older Asian lady) ignored us the whole time - mind you we were sitting at the bar near the door-which was where she came each time to make drinks-LITERALLY right in front of us. We patiently waited as we sipped our pitcher down for her to even acknowledge us and ask if we needed anything- she DID NOT. Therefore due to lack of service We decided to leave. Upon our departure my friend asked her - "why she didn't ask/assist us?" to which she replied, "oh yea I should've -do you want anything?" Really tho-MIND BLOWING. We left and thought wow what a waste of staff as she only attended to certain attendees. read more

Sutter Station Tavern - Alcohol - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Dive bar? Are you kidding me? It was one day, a long time ago. Now it's just another generi-techbro wannabe. So sad that the last dive in the FiDi has sold out. Yuck. read more

Absolutely loved our experience here. Barbara, the owner was charming and most enjoyable. Had a few different cocktails made from herbs and fruits she grew in her own garden. Absolutely top-notch! She graciously gave me a hoodie as a gift, which really made my day. Next time we're back in the city we will come in for a visit. Thanks so much for the hospitality. read more

Stoped by this bar last night with a few friends and had some good drinks some good laughs And made a few new friends out of the cool people I met there. First of all this bar is beautiful on the inside and extremely clean which gives a great vibe and ambiance when u first walk in The owner Barbara was very accommodating and knowledgeable she made me a side car drink that was zesty and satisfying in the way that gets you buzzing and feeling good fast. The female bartender erlinda took her time to entertain us with some friendly conversation and she was very easy on the eyes too if you know what I mean . Definitely going back to have her make more drinks for us soon and to enjoy the fun atmosphere down at sutter station tavern read more

Super fun place for hanging out and definitely puts a spin to mini golfing with the unique San Francisco-themed designs at each hole! They also have a bar with many options for drinks. The lines may get long but they move pretty fast. Definitely would recommend this place! read more

Don't want to wait 10 minutes for your cocktail to be made, as your "mixologist" slaps the ever living crap out of that poor basil leaf, and then pay $15 for it? Come to Sutter Station. You know you love and miss a good dive. Cash only, beer in a plastic cup, stiff pours, workers who get drunk and rowdy with you, pool tables, loud singing. Of course, dives are the best when they're not packed to the brim, which Sutter Station can be during certain times of the day and certain events of the year. Take it for what it is and have fun! read more

A great dive bar on Market, which is still not insanely overpriced like everything on Market. We mostly were hanging out near the bar, so the service was pretty much great. The bartender accidentally made us an extra drink, and did not take it back, but we were okay with it since they didn't charge us. I've come here a couple of times, mostly after work on a weekday. If you're early enough, you get a spot pretty easily. But it pretty much fills up fast, especially Wed-Fri, and on days it can get pretty crowded with no space to move around. You can also play pool here, but usually whenever, I've been here, it's always busy and a wait for the tables. Music is okay, and not too loud. But the bar in general is loud when crowded, so group conversations become less and less appealing as the night progresses. But definitely check it out, especially if you work nearby and are looking for a spot to hang out after work. read more

Dive bar... very divey -- a hangout for guys, mostly older guys starting at 11am in the morning. Overall, great, fun crowd! After stressful day at work last Friday, a few of my co-workers and I decided to check out Sutter Station since our work place is only a few blocks away. It wasn't too crowded, there was a buffet of free food, pool tables, empty bar stools and tables to sit with friends. The guy bartender was friendly, nice and funny. One of the woman bartender wasn't as nice, friendly or funny. I was bummed that they ran out of mint because I really wanted a mojito. Instead, I got a shot of fernet with a ginger ale chaser, then topped it off with Pilsner to end the night. During the raffle drawing, one of my co-workers won a pair of leopard print thong... so random, weird and at the same time appropriate because of the laid back, comfortable atmosphere. Two quick drinks is the way to go. Done and done, I cannot imaging staying at this bar longer than that or at least I prefer not to... read more

While I appreciate a "dive bar" being located relatively close to my work, the crowds and service are not worth putting up with. This place gets packed after work and you have to squeeze through lots of people. Then at the bar, you're lucky if you can get served within a few minutes. Better off either paying a little more elsewhere or just going back to your hood and drinking close to home. read more

Great place to get cheap drinks. Cocktails are just about $7.50 there. There is also a billiards table there that costs $2 a game if you and friends want to play. Con: no food served, small variety of drinks read more

HORRIBLE. If I could give 0 stars I would. I've never had any problems with my I.D before. I came to visit from Las Vegas and I got the worst service. It was older lady that grab my ID and said, "I don't know if it's real." Should she really say that in front of me?? The lady spend around 10-15 minutes trying to figure out if it was real by using the black light or she doesn't know how to check ID's. If she don't know how to check ID's, maybe she should of ask someone else. Worst experience ever and the lady giving me attitude. Never had a problem with my ID before. This is my first time giving a place 1 star review. I do NOT recommend this place. read more

After 2+ years of frequent downtown happy hours, I am happy to have finally found the perfect local pub. Fun, friendly, courteous, fast, attentive. Classic structure and finishings. Outgoing service with excellent guidance to house specials. A world-class selection of the very most top-shelf drinks. Ice cold and fresh beer on tap poured into polished and chilled glassware. I only hesitate to submit this review in fear of this peaceful little gem becoming too popular. My partner was amazed after a seemingly endless flight of drinks to be so inexpensive. Fantastic happy hour selections. The owner/manager greets you and a relatively large staff smothers you with service. It's no surprise that tables and bars are spaced with happy smiles. Brava, Bravo, Bravi. read more