Been coming here for a year and absolutely love this place! The vibe, the food, the drinks are such a great choice. Food: the food was quick and fast, best bar food I've had in the city. Tastes amazing and adding a beer was great addition. The service was quick and easy. Loved the ambiance and setting as well. Overall, a great place to hangout, drink, play some pool! Definitely would recommend to all my friends! read more

Tempest - Food - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Food was ok Macaroni egg rolls were ok , just needed a bit seasoning . Too bland for me . The chicken and waffles were good . I really liked the flavor of the chicken . Waffles literally melted in my mouth . Could have been a little sweeter . Also , just received an updated amount on the transaction from Friday night . My total was 57.63 . I left a $5 tip and the updated shows that a $6.50 tip was included . So they added an extra $1.50 to the tip they already got . I'm going to call them when they open but I do not like sneaky and dishonest patrons. All in all I only authorized this transaction for $62.63 . read more

This is a really cool, dimly lit, spacious bar with friendly staff, a pool table, decent food, decent drinks, and a fun atmosphere. I'm usually not a fan of tequila, but one of the bartenders recommended their double shot margarita slushy, so I went for it. I was pleasantly surprised, as it actually tasted good and definitely didn't taste like a double (not complaining, I consider this a positive thing lol). The food was decent, nothing too special but I also can't complain much. I got the burger, duck hearts, and shared an order of fried pickles with my friend. The burger was about average/slightly above average and I thought that the arugula was a nice touch. Dipping it in some ranch definitely improved the taste, as they do have some exceptional ranch here. The fried pickles were above average tasting and were lightly battered. The duck hearts however, were very disappointing. I believe this was my first time having duck hearts though, so perhaps that's just the way they generally taste and it isn't my thing. Overall, I really enjoyed this place and had a fun time. I give it an 8/10. read more

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Tl;Dr - Dive bar in the heart of SF that in many ways is the heart of SF. For those seeking uncomplicated drinks, their boilermakers are legendary. Oftentimes crowded in the evening, with playlists bumping. Daytime is laid back and chill. Box kitchen is affiliated with great food you can bring inside. Pool sharks lurk every night. "Welcome to my office," is something I very commonly say when I bring people over here, I've been coming here for almost a decade at this point. Dirty in a good way, this definitely won't be everyone's cup of tea, but for that certain kind of rugged gentleman, this is all you need. Beers and boilermakers are the bedrock this place sits on, it's a shot bar at the core but they do try to offer other things like frozen cocktails and a revolving pre-mixed batch offering. Bartenders are cracking, they don't fuck around and it shows. The solitary pool table is probably one of the most well known in the city, with regulars who will happily throw a little action on it if you get to know them a bit better. They do tend to be a little obnoxious when drinks are flowing, nobody has any business playing bank-only games when there's 10 people in line behind you, but it's the devil you know, right? But I digress, this is my home bar and I've probably been here more days than I could humanly count and for good reason. It's unpretentious, straightforward, cheap, and it plays some damn fine music. TV's are everywhere so it's a great game-day bar also. They could probably do MMA fights but they probably don't to avoid ratcheting up the broham level further than it already is. Yes you can definitely meet ladies in here. No, you probably won't take them home. It's loud, and attracts the real ones, not that candy ass crowd. The Box Kitchen is next door and they are attached to this place so you can go out grab some food and then take it inside. There's even a free arcade but pretty sure we broke the living hell out that multiple times, not sure the joystick works right. Ah well, this is why we can't have nice things. Still solid gold. You can't keep me away. I'll die in here, and host the funeral. read more

Great customer service, food, and ambiance. Thank you, Whelan, and also thank you to the cool gentleman at the food spot. It was my first time there, and you all made the moment. Respectfully, G OIF/OEF Combat Veteran read more

Dude, my friends recomended this place a while ago and for a bit I was a regular here. but stopped because one of the bar tenders literally tried chasing me down outside to fight me since I didnt tip him after 3 times of him fucking up a simple order those almost every other bar I go to doesnt get wrong. My friends long since stopped going here because of the service. I stuck around before that bartender but stopped going regularly since that bartender was usually there. Tonight, my regular bars were closed (Utah Saloon and chieften, excellent places). so I decided to give this spot another shot. stepped over to the door, theres a security person chair but no ones in it so I check for that bartender I dont like... dont see him. cool. maybe I can have a nice night here. I go in and get to the bar. was about to take a seat when some guy comes up behind me and starts telling me to go back to the door. I look at his clothes and dont see anything indicating hes security, no logo, no security on his jacket. so WHILE getting my id out, I start asking him who he is, he starts telling me security and when we get back to the door I ask him for his id first, I'm not just handing my ID to some rando. He then starts telling me to just leave. like, what. So I pause for a moment to try and take things in and hes just repeating I have an attitude and need to leave. After a moment, I decide to report this dude and ask about a manager. pointing out nothing I did was unreasonable. he wasnt visible when I walked in, he had nothing indicating he was security. No... I'm not the ass hole here... but hes kicking me out? He starts calling everyone over, and I'm saying I just want a manager. he tells me manager isnt here and starts calling like 3 or 4 guys while telling me I need to leave. So I ask for his name, appearantly people say his name is bang?, He tells me one of the guys is in charge and I start trying to talk to them about the situation... since they asked and they seemed like an employee from the bar. I start explaining, he shows where he was sitting (which was clearly a blind spot for anyone entering) and then he steps between us while the guys is still sort of taking in whats being said (I think he realized he was in the wrong and just needed to remove me before he looked more dumb and had to let me be). He then starts shoving me out while I'm still trying to get their name and then closes the doors on me. One of the guys who he called over said everyone knows hes security... clearly I didnt and that doesnt change that he should have something showing it. Ok, fine, I know the kitchen window is open and I go ask them for his name. I ask them for his name and they ask me what happened. I told them a brief explanation and they give me his name. I think them and let them know I didnt really want to hang around anymore, since I had to the name I was moving on. As I'm walking away, dude comes back out and starts taking pictures of me. Clearly hes REALLY embaressed now, seeing I'm still being heard and people are going to hear about the situation. Welp, tempest was supposedly a fun bar to go to for people... not that I see. read more

Stumbled upon this dope spot while exploring around the SOMA area of SF. Love the vibe of this bar. The drinks are CHEAP, and they do specials. For example, you can get a PBR and a shot of Jim Beam for $8, or a Modelo and shot of Milagro tequila for $11. Bartenders are social and friendly. Overall, just a cool place to hangout and have some cheap drinks. read more

Tempest - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

The kitchen was closed and I still recieved food afterwards and it was good asf I recommend

Nice dive bar to meet up with friends. There's a good beer selection and some nice beer and shot specials. They have a couple of TV's for sports and they also take credit cards. read more

Tempest - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My coworker and I went here for lunch today, we love the Brussel Sprouts that they no longer have when we did not know. The bartender (he was super nice) showed us the updated menu and suggested the Elote Corn Riblets, we had those a few weeks ago and they weren't great. Anyway I got the Summer Corn Salad and Fried Pickles to go. I get to work to see that my to-go salad was DRENCHED in green goodness dressing. Why? I should have checked my salad before I left but I never thought my salad would be soupy. I was not happy, I didn't have time to go back. I needed that salad because I was starving needless to say money wasted cause I'm not a huge dressing fan especially when it's so much. read more

If you want a wild, noisy, cramped experience then this is the place to land. Tempest truly lived up to it's name. The three of us arrived to a super-crowded environment packed full of people that somehow managed to keep moving like liquid. We got probably the last table by 30 seconds, accpting the amount of yelling there would need to be over the mayhem. There was a plethora of bumping into people or each other as the tables are very small and 500 (ok, not really) of them are crammed into one area. The drinks mimicked the table size, small. Also, not cheap proportionate to the size. Prepare to spend some time waiting for a chance to order that the bar. However if you've been to more than 2 bars ever, you know this is the case almost everywhere. Thankfully my friends adjusted and made it a good night for ourselves. read more

With a city as large as San Francisco it can be challenging locating restaurants where locals eat and drink with the perfect vibe desired. Not even the Yelp app can assist in every case. So when I asked a local about dive bars that serve a mix of clientele from bikers to bankers he told me Tempest was the place. I was not disappointed the first or second time checking them out. My latest grabbing drinks after hours with a friend. But I've also dined for lunch with my wife. It's unpretentious staff knows their customers well. Although I was spotted as a non local quickly the service was warm. My lunch sandwich was a soft shell BLT that I was surprised to see on the menu. It came with a side of fries. Although good I've had better back home in Virginia Beach. My drink a Jack & Coke came tall and strong! My female waiter followed up and smiled. Tempest is off the beaten track, heck I did not even know where I was, but the Uber driver did. The area is safe and the atmosphere is chill. Since I'm in the city less often I'm not sure about the next time, but recommend. read more

Tempest - a neon sign on a building - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Randy is great!!! I live across the street and have been meaning to come visit tempest for a while now, and I am so happy I did. The staff and the ambiance here is one you can't get these days at a dive bar. It's welcoming, cute, great drinks, and even better prices. I came here with a friend for happy hour and was so happy with our time. Randy, our bartender, was above and beyond...whatever they are paying him it should be double. Not only did he suggest and make amazing drinks, when one of my friends wasn't too keen on a whisky drink, Randy remade it immediately to something my friend was accustomed to and enjoyed. I will be back many times and can't wait to bring friends with me. They also have a pool table and there was always so someone playing. This is such a cute hangout spot and perfect for a Friday happy hour. Thank you to Randy and team, cannot wait to visit see again. read more

Best dive bar in SOMA. The food prepared next door is so good! The crowd is mixed and sometimes folks can be less welcoming but if you just do your own thing, enjoy a couple drinks, you'll settle in just fine. I just wish the folks who hog the pool table would chill out and let others play. read more

Punk rock sports bar. Lots of space and tables with a cool punky/rock n roll vibe. While it gives off a dive bar feel, also has tons of TVs to watch sports and not too packed on a Sunday afternoon for football watching but enough folk to make it not a desolate wasteland. Service was great and staff were happy to pour a bunch of waters alongside our drinks, which isn't true for everywhere. Food was surprisingly good. I saw an award for best ribs but I don't think they serve them now. Brussel sprouts were decent but nothing special. Tacos were good but not quite on par with a proper taqueria - that being said, more flavor than some of the bad ones! Sandwiches looked solid and our group all commented that the food was much better than expected. All around a great watering hole and spot to shoot some pool. read more

I love the bar bites at Tempest the atmosphere is always lively and the customer service is amazing you can't go wrong with great food and drinks read more

Tempest - Tempest has great food - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Decent pub food but don't trust them to input your written tip amount correctly, they'll ignore it and charge you 30%.

This is a great bar on Natoma in the Soma district of downtown SF. This place has good drink combo deals, in addition to an awesome kitchen in the back that makes gourmet comfort food. My friends and I absolutely love the potato skins and mac and cheese egg rolls more than anything else. This is a fun place to come for a drink and a late night bite, and to play pool if you are any good (or not!). read more

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Fun dive bar. Chill atmosphere. Good beers on tap. Friendly service from the bartenders. Would return. read more

Tempest - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Wow.. very impressed with this bar. Very low key spot with really good food and strong drinks. Came here to watch football games. If you like hole in the walls with good service. Come here! There was even lots of street parking! read more

Tempest - Chicken and waffles, chicken with Buffalo sauce, salad - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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It's a hole in the wall place for drinks after work. Went there couple of times and really enjoyed the vibe. Drinks are really good and bartenders know what they are doing. It also have a pool table if you are into playing it while drinking. read more

A solid bar with a lot of seating and good vibes - we came with a group of 8 on a Saturday night at 9 pm and found good seating - it wasn't very busy around that time which we appreciated for our group. The drinks also came out fairly quickly. The downside is that this place is pretty dirty, it doesn't feel very clean and the place even has graffiti on the bathroom, so I feel like I wouldn't come again given the health crisis and wanting ample cleaning. read more

Best bar food in SF year after year. Good selection of beer. Pool table is small and hard to play on when busy. Staff is rad. read more

Found myself at Tempest three times during a five day work trip, so... You can say they're doing things right! Each time, I was here with colleagues. I can't really speak to my first experience because we had a few drinks before we came here, so it was uhhhh, a blurry night. Ha! The second and third times, though? Great! You can tell that Tempest is definitely a local hot spot for lots of people in San Fran. From twenty somethings to important looking guys in suits, it seems to have what we all love - CHEAP ALCOHOL. They've got great selection and hard-to-beat prices. In a dive bar, it's pretty much everything we were looking for (complete with sticky tables, score). I wouldn't say the service is out of this world, but it was always pretty busy when I was there so it's not like the bartenders had time to chit chat. From what I could see they got to me as quickly as they could, so I can't complain too much. I'll see ya next year, Tempest! read more

Tempest - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Enjoyed the ambiance very casual. Personally enjoyed the coffee old fashioned but I didn't try any food. read more

Tempest - Coffee old fashioned - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

I had a great time here, the staff was very friendly, the space is generous, and my friends love it too. We didn't eat anything, but next time we will. read more

Ok, What are the actual prices for drinks here? The guys all go to what's on the written board, NO TAX!!! But the skinny girl always charges for tax when paying with credit/debit card. Pay cash and she will add a Dollar more saying taxes. PLEASE CHECK ALL YOUR RECEIPTS THE NEXT DAY!!!! Also, I don't recommend paying with card, they tend to charge on top of what's already been charge. My bill said $86 for what I drank for $30 the next day. BEWARE!!! read more

Came back for the chicken carnitas tacos and the potato taquitos they were fire. Their jalapeño sauce and salsa verde had great flavor with just a hint of spice. Dug in but forgot the pic guess I'll have to come back read more

Tempest - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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the bar was so cool. bartenders were super friendly and helpful! the bar itself doesn't serve food, but there is a window 5 feet away (outside) that serves a great menu of late night snacks until midnight. i was seated at the bar, had my party save my spot, went outside and ordered and they gave me a buzzer for my food. we opted to take it home, but many walked back in and ate inside! super fun ambiance and experience read more

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We went here for lunch and it was pretty good. Started with the chocolate old fashion. Ordered the Birria tacos and fried pickles.Those pickles are so damn good. It's a cool little bar in Soma with good bar food. read more

Tempest - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Things I Like About Tempest: The pool table. The affordable drinks. The food from the Box outside. How serious Joe (dude with the beard) takes the pool list. That when I got $16 worth of drinks and handed the guy a $10 bill and told him to keep the rest, he didn't throw me out of the bar but instead we just laughed about it and now I'm the best man at his wedding.* Things I Don't Like About Tempest: I lost the pool table to a guy who was literally fall down drunk. Seriously, during the game he actually fell down, and the entire bar looked to see what all the commotion was. And then he beat me. (shameface) _____________ *That last part may not be true, but we won't know for sure until he gets married. read more

Tempest - Proper dive - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Excellent hamburger and fries. Best deal on a shot of Jameson at this place as well. Haven't been here for a while and visiting again today. Great hang out place and good food and drinks. read more

Food is delish. They even have a giant satisfying vegan bratwurst sausage. And everything else for my meat eating friends. Fries are yummy. And best of all, they're super dog friendly read more

Customer service was great but the food selection could be a little bit better; I do plan on coming back they have great beer selections but maybe tinker with the food menu read more

Tempest - Outside of Tempest is a little area to hang around - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

We were in SF for the weekend and this place was in walking distance. Great bartenders. Great drink specials. Best dive bar in SF! read more

Tempest - Sitting at the bar - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

I love this spot. Welcoming, diverse crowd, and I've felt comfortable here by myself, with workmates, or friends. It's true the food is pricey; so I get it when I have a bit extra cash 'cause it's good and I appreciate the veg options. I wouldn't be hanging out at a dive bar if I wanted a sparkly-clean, brightly lit spot with fancy bartenders. Great drink selection, tasty beer, I can chat at the bar or be left the hell alone after a bad day at work. ++ the bikes. What else do you need in a bar, really? read more

People call this a "dive bar", but I disagree. This place has a perfect dive bar feel, but you don't have to be afraid of what you'll see on your glass if you shine a light on it. For example, the walls in the men's room are covered with graffiti, but it was absolutely clean. If you want that dive bar smell, that I'm sure you're remembering now, you won't find it here. They have a good variety of beers including stouts, IPAs (if that's your thing), and dive bar staples like PBR. They also make some great cocktails. Much like the drink menu, the food menu was eclectic with things like chicken & waffles, barbacoa tacos, and mac and cheese egg rolls. But there was also a sprinkling of traditional pub foods like fried pickles and burgers to keep things grounded. I took friends here for lunch several times when I was in town for a conference, and they loved it. This place is great for anyone who wants great food and drink without being pretentious. read more

Tempest - :-D - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Good luck getting service if you're not a regular.... It's a dive bar.... So take that with a grain of salt. read more

Great food, great beer, great atmosphere. Good place to hang out. Good beer selection, burger medium rare. Can't ask for more. read more

Tempest - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Tried this gem for the first time last night. It did not disappoint at all!! Relaxed atmosphere and the crowd had great energy. Bartender was friendly, drinks were amazing, and the food was sooo good! Definitely will be back! read more

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