Tempest is my favorite dive bar. It's a few blocks away from my apartment and you can get a pbr and a shot of Jim Beam for $5. There's a pool table and lots of TVs so you can come here to watch any sports game you want. Box Kitchen is next door and they allow you to take the food into Tempest. Feel free to check out my box kitchen review if you have any questions about how good that food is. Don't order the cocktails here though (thank my gf for this recommendation). This is more of a beer and shot place. read more

Came here for a pregame before heading to the Mezzanine. Walked in and first saw a pool table, and a lot of people eating! I'm sad I didn't get to try any of their carby foods when I was there though. This bar has cool drink specials as well as delicious drafts. This dive bar is super affordable if you're looking for a place to hang out, chill, or pregame. My friends and I were a bit overwhelmed of the draft menu but I ended up getting a double IPA (forgot the name) and my friends got a Pale Ale. The double IPA was super tasty but I think the Pale Ale my friends got was a bit tasteless which was a bummer. I believe their menu rotates so don't expect to be ordering the same draft as you did before! P.S. Nothing can beat $6 shots! read more

Tempest bar is a hidden gem! My husband and I strolled upon this bar while walking SF! It has amazing food and good beers for a good price! It was our honeymoon and Levi and Randy plus all the staff made our trip amazing! They are the sweetest people in SF! I would definitely come back and visit! Especially for the great eats and wide selection of drinks. Great atmosphere!! Thank you Levi and Randy for making our last night in SF perfect! read more

Cheap beer and great kitchen .my husband wanted to go for the pool table . lots of local flavor as far as clientele. There were a few sketchy moments ( two large pitbulls entered the bar with their owners and they were pretty amped up and barking loudly and straining against their halters) but other than that every person we interacted with was friendly. If you are looking for a fun dive bar this is worth checking out! read more

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This place is always poppin off. Great food and drinks and even better service! Don't do the caesar wrap-- its literally a caesar pita taco. Everything else is amazeballs. They get really busy at lunch and right after 5. read more

The bouncer (working on 5/16 around 7pm) was blatantly trying to make me feel unwelcome and uncomfortable--so much so that after I went inside, I decided to leave and go spend my money elsewhere. Turned around and walked out. Which is a shame because expense reports are a beautiful thing and I travel to SF once a month. :) Anyway, this jerk didnt say a word to me except to stare/glare at me. Wouldn't answer my question as to whether or not he was the bouncer and if he wanted my ID. I'm 35, I was sober (it was 7pm FFS!), and know how to conduct myself--so in no way was I out of line. I wouldn't write a review if i felt at fault in any way. I even apologized and said I'm sorry I'm from out of town and not sure if I'm asking you a silly question but you haven't said a word so..? My friends are bartenders, my town is filled with bars, a few of them divey neighborhood type bars...which are usually the best ones IMO. And although I live Jersey and some would assume we would be rude to outsiders when hangin at our fave spot....we aren't...we welcome them and help them have fun with us. Not make them feel uncomfortable and embarrassed and unwelcome. Total turnoff and felt like the attitude I got didn't match the vibe of the bar. To the owner: Your bar looked really fun. But your bouncer is the wrong person to have at the door. Or on your payroll. 100%. (I also actually sent a message via the website using the party reservations page since there was no other way to email) read more

Good food (I had the buffalo chicken sandwich). Affordable drinks ($5 PBR and a shot). What more can you ask for? I would definitely come back! read more

Tempest - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

So I decided to take a cha ce on this dive bar and it was a dive bar. But, it was very friendly and I found the staff very accommodating. I got the Box Burger and garlic fries. I also purchased 2 different draft beers; while it was tough to get service for the beers that was only because the bar was hopping and only 2 bartenders were working. read more

Yesterday I came to Tempest to meet a friend for a drink. You normally wouldn't find me at a bar in SOMA but it was off the beaten path. Tons of bros wearing PWC red caps were present. I walked past a few chicks wearing sombreros too. There was also one lone bro who was super wasted and fidgeting around... when he left, he said goodbye to us and another group of friends nearby. Lol and we hadn't even talked to him. People sitting at the bar leave their belongings on the chair and don't return for 2 hours. The bathroom is unisex and I happily peed next to man in the urinal as he let out a big sigh. Drinks are stiff, especially the Moscow mule and tequila soda. Tables are difficult to grab. There's a pool table and annoying bros who get weirded out if you touch their shoulders to try to pass through the small slither of walkway. There are some cutie pies tech dudes but I can already imagine we'd talk about economics. read more

Hipster place. Good price for drinks. Friendly people. Dark climate. Very good dive bar. If you a tourist you have to go there. read more

This is a nice cozy dive bar. They have a nice fat list of beers to choose from -- and also for unclassy people like me, some really cheap ones ($2 PBR, Busch, etc). They also have a pool table, so it's a great place to start the night's heavy drinking. read more

4 stars for a solid dive bar. There's a couple of things I liked about Tempest: + It was only a block and a half away from the hotel my colleagues and I were staying at, so we frequented this bar at the end of our evenings. + Ridiculously, cheap drinks. After starting our nights at the hotel bar, which was triple the price, I really appreciated the cheap drink prices here. + Spot on service. Seems like my colleagues had mixed experiences, but the bartenders were nothing but nice to me. When I asked for recommendations, they happily suggested a few different beers. And they were quick to serve us. + On all the nights we were there, it just never seemed overly crowded. Nothing worse than feeling like sardines in a can at a bar. + Food window right outside serving up some delicious snacks. Pretty sure I got taquitos here one night. That memory is a bit fuzzy though. + They have a pool table. I did not play once. But, they have one, if that's your thing. One thing I don't like about Tempest: + The dirty, dirty, dirty, bathrooms. As a lady, it was really hard to use the bathroom when there was pee (or other questionable liquids) allllllll over the seat. No matter how drunk I am, I ain't peeing on that kinda toilet. Only pointing this out because this happened on all 3 nights I came here. Overall, solid experience the few nights I did spend here. High chance that I'll be back here again when I'm in SF next year. Until then, Tempest. read more

Tempest is one of my most favorite places in the city. Great drink specials, friendly bartenders, and it's been a good crowd every time I've gone. Also - the owner has been there when I was there before and he was just as cool as everyone else DEFINITELY RECOMMEND read more

Visiting from Los Angeles and found Tempest on Yelp. Friendly staff, made me feel at home. The food was delicious! I will definitely recommend Tempest to friends visiting SF. read more

Tempest - Awesome restroom graffiti! - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Dear Tempest, Sorry I was the dumbass who brought my food in from Tu Lan then thought better about eating it there once I realized Tempest has a kitchen, too. Thank you nice bartender lady for serving me really quickly despite it being three deep at the bar on a Wednesday and for the heavy pour. Thanks as well to nice waitress lady who didn't trip when she saw the take out bags on our table as she came to deliver my friend's meal. I realize I'm not always the sharpest knife in the drawer and you were really nice to my dumb ass. Everyone was nice, the bar was good 'n' divey the way I like it and the music playing took me back to high school. Me gusta. I will be back. xoxox ({}) Cootz OUT! read more

This is my favorite bar in SF. Properly divey, cheap, unpretentious. The staff are super friendly, and on top of their shit. The high ceilings make it feel open even when it is packed. I love the decor, bikes hanging from the ceiling and giant lamps. Special shout out to Box Kitchen, who are next door and make some of the best bar food I have had. Also super nice people. This place is a gem. read more

I love Tempest!! Been going here for many years and it is definitely a favorite watering hole. Cheap drinks, very divey environment and energetic crowds. Seating can be challenging, especially if you are looking for a table after buying some greasy spoon food from the kitchen next door (also delicious!). There is a pool table which is actively used if you're a fan. Only one however, so be prepared to wait and play with strangers (good way to make friends!) I was sad when they removed the old upright piano, but it opened up for some additional seating. read more

As with most real dive-dives in SF, when I went to Tempest a few months ago it was FULL of tech bro's in their standard tech bro uniforms trying to act like they belong. Cool spot in and of itself, they had a great beer selection and their specialty drink board is good for a laugh. The food next door that you order and can bring in is what makes the spot. I tried the fried macaroni and cheese balls. Solid bar food, and everyone else around me seemed to agree. Service was a little slow, it was slammed on a Saturday and they needed some additional help behind the bar. read more

I love this place! This is probably one of my favorite dive bars in the city! I usually go here for the food, but it's great to sit in and eat your food with a beer. Super loud, super busy, and can be super crowded but it's lively here with a ton of character. Food is great and the service is fast and friendly. read more

Cool bartenders sadly pulled down by the clowns posing as cooks. Decent late night food - god forbid you want any modifications. You may offend the cook. read more

I live a block away from Tempest so this always ends up being my go to bar because I can easily stumble home (of course, only after getting a burger from Box Kitchen). It's a dive bar with the eclectic crowd you'll find in SOMA. This is the perfect place to come on a week night and enjoy a couple drinks with some friends. I always walk out with AT LEAST a good buzz and it's because of the following: 1.) I never have cash 2.) $10 minimum on credit cards 3.) Tempest's (very strong) well drinks are only $4 4.) Do the math, I need to get at least 3 drinks 5.) After 3 drinks, I somehow end up buying shots (of course, at least $10 worth) 6.) Get burger 7.) Stumble home Tempest, you get me EVERY TIME. read more

This is a great place to grab some cheap drinks, play pool and eat greasy bar bites while in San Francisco. It's a little off the main street, so make sure to fire up the walking map before taking the trek by foot. Inside, there are plenty of tables - we had a huge group come in and there were plenty places to stand/sit. The bar is large and they had a decent selection of beers and top shelf spirits for whatever you might want to indulge on that night. If you're asking for something super specific, know that they might not have all of the ingredients to make said drink. It is a dive bar after all! I stuck with my Jameson and ginger while I was there and was perfectly content. I didn't try the food as I was still stuffed from dinner, but a few of my colleagues put some orders in and said that it was good. Think greasy spoon fare with a flare. Everything comes out in little cardboard boats to keep it extra classy. The bartenders were nice and there was a good mix of ages there for a Monday night. I'd definitely come back for some drinks when in the area. It's super low-key and wont break the bank. If you're into sports - they had some televisions showing different games. For those needing wi-fi for checking in or other data draining task, the bar has free internet for ya. Just ask for the password at the bar. read more

Dive bar: an informal bar or pub. Such bars are sometimes referred to as neighborhood bars, where local residents gather to drink and socialize. (Thanks, Wikipedia!) Although the neighborhood looks kind of sketch, this dive bar is freaking AWESOME! Why? Let me tell you the ways: 1. Mixed crowd - some locals and some people who just want to grab a drink after work. Everyone seems to be having a great time regardless! 2. $5 for a shot and beer. Granted, it's Jim Beam and PBR, it's five dollars, people! 3. Other beers on tap are around $5-7. Where can you find these prices in other parts of the city? 4. You can bring food in from Box Kitchen (located right outside). The food is bomb! 5. They have a pool table if you want to do something other than drink. They do have a $10 minimum if you use a credit card - but you can easily hit that amount. :) If you aren't trying to spend a lot of money to get a good buzz going on, Tempest is the place to be. Sometimes it is hard to find a place with happy hour prices and provides food, but Tempest hits two birds with one stone. My friends and I were feeling quite happy (aka drunk) with both the drinks and food an hour or two after we arrived. And really, it's a glorious feeling checking your credit card activity the next day without having a heart attack. Highly recommended! read more

Dive. PBR + Beam Special. Dive. $5. Dive. PBR. Dive. $2. Dive. Happy Hour. Dive. Until 8pm. Dive. Cider on tap. Dive. Mixed Drinks. Dive. Strong. Dive. Cool bartender. Dive. Bike messengers. Dive. $10 credit minimum. Dive. Smoking indoors. Dive. After 4pm. Dive. Pool table. Dive. Free. Dive. Jukebox. Dive. Yes, this might be a dive. ;) Don't wear anything requiring dry cleaning. It's smoky in here. I've read that Darla of Darla's owns this joint. Seriously? Will have to try out the food some time. read more

Tempest is a true dive bar in a very dirty part of the city. Back in the days when I use to live near Natoma, I'd stop by here to grab a burger at Box Kitchen and drink $2 PBRs to wash it down. Although this bar draws in the techy crowd from all the offices nearby, it still has its character intact and I love stopping by. In addition to the cheap PBR, they've got quite a list of craft beers on tap and a pool table to top it off. read more

Oh boy. So Tempest was the latest DYL venue and while I'm the last person to stir the pot with the DYL Gods, I gotta say that I can not endorse any bar that allows smoking inside. C'mon people, we live in California for a reason! Not only are my lungs killing me from the hour or so that I spent in this virtual ashtray but my wool coat and sweater need to immediately go to the dry cleaners, do not pass go, do not collect $200. They get two stars for decent happy hour specials, although I couldn't stand to be in this place long enough to enjoy them. read more

Please note that I am judging this bar from the standpoint of a dive. As far as dives go, I have to borrow a line from one of the Food Network guys that Anthony Bourdain once referred to as a bobblehead. Five star dive bar! Popped into here around noontime today after wasting my entire Monday morning at 850 Bryant waiting for jury duty which never materialized. Tried hitting Ted's Bar and Grill across the street first so that I could imbibe with freshly released felons (I'm cool like that), but sadly they were still closed (jeez, where's a criminal to celebrate upon release nowadays anyway...LOL) so hit here next on my way back to downtown. It was supposed to be my next stop anyway. The bartender, Jettav, was totally cool and rockin'. The pool table's coin feed was removed and set on freeplay so I was able to get some fun games in before and after my lunch. Pool table was good and imminently playable, although the bumpers will eventually need to be replaced. As for cocktails, had an Absolut Mandarin and soda (they were out of my usual Absolut Citron) and a Sailor Jerry's and coke to celebrate getting away from 850 Bryant with the knowledge that many others who had been stuck there with me for jury duty simply went back to work. The horror, the horror! I liked the decor (especially the hanging lighting fixtures) and was happy to see that dining here was not the afterthought that I had expected...there were plenty of tables out and menus on them in anticipation of diners. I ended up dining at the bar and ordered a philly cheesesteak sandwich with fries...it was really good! Loved the crispy fries and the cheesesteak was of good size and mighty tasty. Nearby patrons were also expressing how much they were enjoying their food. I found that pricing on both drinks and food was most reasonable too. Cool bartenders, divey decor, pool table, and even great dive bar food...what's not to love? Great place and it's even better at night...I need to come here a lot more often! read more

The service and food was fantastic would highly recommend. For my first restaurant experience in San Fran I'm very satisfied

I've been to the Tempest two times. The first time, last year some time, it was a less-than-memorable experience. Not that it was a BAD experience, but I was in a crapper mood to begin with... It was my ex of 9+ years' 30th birthday (okay, so I know exactly when it was -- whatevz), and I was all bummed and sad, and MISSING HIM. Damnit. Ugh... I hate to admit that. I was not in the mood for my usual dose of dive bar fun. I even failed to notice that it was a smoking bar. WTF? How did I miss that one? I kinda just felt like we were in a big K of C hall, sitting at some crappy Formica tables on stacking chairs with too much fluorescent lighting, drinking cheap beer, and I just kinda wanted to go home. (But instead I left and went to the Arrow Bar, got way too drunk, stayed up way too late, went to Naan N' Curry, and ate way too much late-night drunk food. Same difference.) Last night I went back to the Tempest, for a going-away party. It was open just for us, but I think a lot of the people at the party were regulars, and if that's the case, I need to spend more time here. Wait a minute -- no I don't. I don't need to spend any more time in any more bars in SF. But for the sake of finishing this... I had an awesome time. I didn't mind the lighting, or the cheap K-of-C-hall feel, and it's a smoking bar!, and since we ruled for the evening we got to play all manner of ridiculous music, including Terror Squad!, and everyone danced even though it made no sense for a bunch of punk rock people to be dancing to Terror Squad!, and oh it was such a good time... The Tempest is WAY better than I remembered... read more

I came here on Friday around 7:30pm after ordering a buttermilk fried chicken from box kitchen (which was amazing as always, but that deserves its own review). This review is about the doorman at Tempest. After checking my ID, he paused before handing it back. Then he said, referring to my driver's license photo, "A terrorist if I ever saw one!" Uh, what now? I don't throw around the term 'micro-agression', but I'm Arab-American and have had my share of being called a terrorist. I was dumbstruck and just shrunk, waiting to get my ID back. Maybe he thought he was being casual or funny. Felt like one more reminder of the class- and race-based cleansing of San Francisco. After he finally gave me my ID back, I went inside while his friend outside laughed about the comment. Guess I'm thin-skinned, but I suddenly felt unwelcome, so I left. read more

Anything named after a Shakespeare play is an instant hit with me (fun fact: I wrote my undergrad thesis on good old Shakey). But don't be misled, while you might find the odd guy who claims to be a magician (probably don't believe him), this ain't no high brow joint. This place is a legit, solid, quirky dive bar. In a bit of a questionable area (so I'm told) you'll find all sorts of people here - at least, that's what I found late-ish on a weeknight! The important things to remember are that the beer is cheap, and they actually have a great selection! Grab a brew, play some pool, or just enjoy the 'eclectic' art scene while you chat with your friends. read more

Funny how sometimes my regular go-to bars go overlooked in reviews. No matter the person, I recommend this place to any visitor or local looking for a new bar. It's beer and cheap wells, along with mystery shots, and go to shots of Jameson, et al. Thus, vomit near the door way. Thus, it's on Natoma off 6th & Mission, the notoriously gnarly intersection. Their Box Kitchen brings the best dive bar food in the city. Also, this place is one of the best -- if not -- the best lunch spots in the area. They throw down tablecloths for it -- and the Wednesday special is a rack of ribs. And note, their chicharrones are the tops. Even when packed on a Friday, there's typically plenty of space. Yes, the surly pool shooters are a bit much, but just steer clear... they're a good addition as they're *way* into what they do -- rather than you know... The Page. read more

Great bar in SF in SOMA. Go, don't waste any of your time looking for another bar. This is the best dive bar. Great bar, tons of beers to choose from, great music playing, the bartenders are so accommodating and the door man is a sweetheart. It is very crowded on a Saturday night, but the nice thing is one can find a seat. There is always movement. Plenty of tv's to watch your fave sports. I loved the gals bathroom! read more

I was sent here by the good chaps at the Chieftain since the Chief was sporting a big crowd of conventioneers and didn't want to have a bunch of coke-sippers taking up hours of table usage while watching a soccer game - I feel em. Tempest is a divey bar, seems like an old warehouse of some type. The food wasn't bad, I had a turkey sammy. They didn't get the channel that was playing the Arsenal match, so, I had to watch a Chelsea match - not the end of the world. Not like my Niners losing to that fucking scum NY Giants. Ya feel me? read more

Lots of dogs. Dogs and hipsters everywhere. Gross, it smells awful in here. And ugh, when was the last time this place got new furniture? It's so crowded here after work, you can hardly even find standing room, and it's always so god damn loud! Ew, that creepy guy is hitting on me again. NO, for the last time, NO I do not want to hear about your conquests at the Power Exchange or play pool with you. Oh wait, did I just see a sign for $5 whiskey and PBR? I have TWO words for you, Tempest Bar: FIVE. STARS. *Fist bump*. read more

The first thing I noticed about the tempest was the masonry that didn't appear to be braced at all. Don't come here if you're anticipating a significant earthquake. Otherwise, the drinks are cheap and strong (AK's vodka & soda contained little more than a splash of soda) And the bartenders are friendly. I should also mention that on any night of the week they offer a shot of Jim Beam and a pint of PBR for $5. The Tempest is a bar for drunks with an eye for value. You can smoke inside. Everyone around you can smoke inside too. This may or may not be a plus. The decor is odd; It feels as if a regular bar had to move in a hurry and all they could find was some warehouse space so they set up shop there. A pool table, a couple video games (Midway classics! GALAGA, bitches!) formica tables and plastic chairs. The regulars aren't really punk rock kids or hip hop kids or hipsters or dive bar types, but a little bit of all of these types mashed together. Mostly top 40 stuff on the jukebox, but there's also a little salsa music in there; Have you ever seen drunk punk rock kids attempt to salsa dance? If not than you should check this place out sometime. read more

$2 beer great tap selection all the way up to Mezcal. Loud music, big screen for the games.

I'm not going to tell you anything more than what I saw: Unsure as to whether we were in the Valley of Bath Salts Homeless/Ultra-Indie Metahipster or a symposium of graffiti artists-turned-frat bros (yes, THAT diverse), we ordered a round of it-doesn't-matters and sat at a table, moments before being instructed to get food from The Box, through a hole in the wall with a door in the hole. The food? Oh, just your average pork belly and Gouda crema potato skins topped with quail eggs, sweet chili chicken wings, truffle fries and fried brussels sprouts, which will be expounded upon in a soon-to-be-gushing review of Box. Mentioned here, as they've got a friends-with-benefits thing going on: get ishfaced at Tempest, stuff ishface at Box. It's a mutual using, under the same roof. Like boning roomies. The happenings? Staff dropped volume on the 90s grunge-a-thon (Tool, Nirvana, Alice In Chains, and the list goes onandonandonandon) to allow an intoxicated patron gather everyone - yes, everyone - in the bar to awaken his even more intoxicated from a table-top nap to the tunes of Happy Birthday to You! Because it was his birthday. Because. Sure enough, we all congregated and on a three-count, belted our best version. Woke the dude up, and he promptly flicked everyone off, smiling. Five minutes later, he fell off his chair, bounced his skull off the concrete floor and celebrated the waning minutes of his possibly last birthday possibly concussed and zooming off in to the moonlight aboard SF's finest ambulance. That happened. Rocks. So. Hard. read more

Neat place to hangout with friends. They have a good selection of beers on tap for a decent price. Many are from local breweries. There's plenty of seating. The only caveat is it's not exactly in the nicest area of San Francisco so I wouldn't come here too late at night. read more

You know the feeling when you enter a room and a little hollow piece of your heart is involuntarily stuffed with snowy cotton like a human Build-A-Bear, gently patted down and tucked into every hidden corner, and then sewn up into the tightly woven hug and kiss of a cocktail in your hand and in your veins and all is right in the world so long as you remain within the dive-ridden confines past that portal-baring threshold? That's how I feel about Tempest. If you have the honor of experiencing Nicholas as a bartender, consider yourself #blessed. Let his silly self do whatever the f$&k he wants back there, because he'll make you one of the better whiskey cocktails you'll have in all your SF days. You know, the kind of drink that sparks a runaway day that summersaults into evening/night/"it's late"/Last Call, before you can remember all the kinds of trouble you've gotten yourself into via a retrospective montage that starts skipping and the audio cuts out juuuust when it's getting good. Most importantly, if your heart is in it, if you commit to the Possibility of Greatness, Tempest will bring out the best in you and me. Is there anything better than that? read more