Bartender disappeared in the back with the blender that he was making for the drink for about 5 mins. At some point we were wondering why he was taking so long and why they didnt have ice cream out on the floor. Thats unprofessional to take someone's drink in the back where they can't see what you're putting in there. Anywhoo, he came back out. We addressed our concern and him and he told us we didnt have to drink it and he wouldnt charge us but we had to leave. Not to mention while he was making my Mai Tai he was pausing for minutes at a time to chat up girls. Also the other male bartender on the floor completely ignored me as I had my arm up and was trying to get his attention. I was ready for another drink and he wasn't doing jack shit. Made eye contact and chose to look away and ignore me. Well if you don't want my business we can take it somewhere else. Super douchey and unprofessional. Will not be back. read more

Something funny always happens when I go there. Sometimes just funny, sometimes odd-funny, and sometimes scary-funny, if there is such a thing. Its so campy I can't take anything that happens in there too seriously. The decor makes you feel like you should be drinking with Gilligan, Skipper, the Professor and Maryanne. During the day it seems to have regulars...could they be the aforementioned? Super yummy girlie drinks that pack a punch, someone up to some kind of mischief, and somehow people have actually managed to dance in there. It was a fun place to come up with improv sketches. And a good place to go if you don't want to take anything too seriously. Anything but getting drunk that is. read more

Its Christmas evening. You and your SO are meeting up with friends for dinner. Where do you do to warm it up in the Richmond? Trad'r Sams. Low key but festive (365) it is a perfect place to wet the whistle before a night celebrating all the money we are saving as DINKs and not having to blow the company bonus on cousin Johnny's sweater from Kohls and Uncle Bills 4th pair of warm winter socks. Cheers to being open for those of us who dont succumb to marketing siren song of the holiday spend bonanza and those of us who feel Bah Humbug a more appropriate salutation this time of year. We are legion and we are thirsty! read more

Ahh sticky chairs, urinal cake smell, people drinking foofy drinks and crappy beer. This place is always full of drunk post-teenagers, but its popular for a reason. I'm guessing its that people get drunk and bring home total strangers. read more

Trad'r Sam bills it's fare as polynesian. looking at the regular beer crowd, it was hard to tell. whole over the hill group just overaged college frats pranking each other. bar was one barrel full of laughs to them. . decor: dark, hard to see polynesian theme. round circular bar. flatscreen: espn sports music: loud jukebox pour: gin & tonic (4) -kind of weak -no draughts seen -bottles the usual bud, anchors, and micros. on draught: -friendly, prankish group -mixed polynesian drinks (6.5+) may be the best bet, no well drinks. read more

Things here should come with a warning label: feelings of drunkness in the glass/bowl are closer than they appear. Because you will be drunk. After having, by volume and taste, far less than you think it would take. This isn't any sort of problem but it's worth knowing before taking a punch bowl on the chin because it might just knock you out faster than you bargained for. read more

If I came here expecting to have a swanky Friday night filled with bouchy drinks and ritzy decor, I would have been severely disappointed. This is exactly what the term "dive bar" was created for. It's pretty small, with bamboo chairs/couches and tables with a U shaped bar in the center. The bartenders are pretty friendly, and they have a really extensive drink list, really extensive, and really fruity. Everything is basically drinks you would order on the beach in Hawaii. Nothing tastes like alcohol, everything tastes like a sugar coated coconuts, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Definitely get the scorpion bowl/whatever bowl, they all taste the same and they are hilariously-festive. But beware, we had four people in our group and ordered two, and that was PLENTY. read more

So many memories-so many good times. I prefer to go during the week when the clientele seems to be neighborhood locals and off duty veterans hospital employees as opposed to the weekend when you'll be lining up with students from USF-5 stars for the scorpion bowl alone-great dive bar with original tiki ambience-since 1937 read more

Trad'r Sam - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Super packed on a Tuesday night?!?! What is this? lol Came back here for my friend's birthday and got the scorpion bowl for her. (: Tried scooby snack and a cosmo like drink, I believe? Both were very sweet and actually pretty good... and that's coming from someone who doesn't really like to drink. Haha. Marvin is an awesome bartender btw. Super nice and super cool! read more

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I'm not sure why this place would be considered a dance club? Did I miss the next room or something? This is a very small place and gets super crowded on Friday nights. Luckily my friend got there around 8:30 and got a table for us to sit at. The drinks are just to much. They might as well just give us the bottle of alcohol to down it. I know many people like to drink straight alcohol. But even the piña colada was pure alcohol. I don't think that mixing alcohol with sweat syrup is a good combination for me. I woke up with a super migraine the next morning and did not go away for at least 4-5 hours. My recommendation is get there early to get a place to sit and socialize with your friends. If not then you will be standing the entire time. Sucks! Bathroom was actually a little dirty and the line was long. Only one stall read more

I've only been here once, but it was definitely fun! Went here with a small group and asked the bartender which crazy drink we should get. He suggested the "high-class" scorpion bowl. In other words, the deliciousness of the scorpion bowl without that nasty hangover! (It's only a couple bucks more for better alcohol, and it tastes better too.) Funny thing I noticed about this bar - EVERYONE shares their scorpion bowl. People will hop on over to another party's scorpion bowl, ask if they'll share, and stick their own straw in the bowl. If one party cannot finish their bowl, they'll hand it off to someone before they leave. There's so much greatness, it's hard to waste! Crazy, drunken, friendly people come here. read more

Total dive out in the avenues but best and strongest scorpion bowl I have ever had! Great place for groups. For a real treat go early and eat across and down the street at Khan Toke Thai House. read more

I have a really unhealthy relationship with Trad'r Sam. I've never been tipsy on one of their wicker chairs, only belligerently drunk, slurping from a bowl with at least four other people, all on a drink-induced sugar high. It's super cheap, so tacky it physically hurts (I've actually ripped a pair of tights on those same wicker chairs), but generally a lot of fun. There's tons of groping everywhere you turn, lots of quarters getting shoved into an electronic jukebox to play "Bitches Ain't Shit" on repeat. That kind of thing. If you come for a drink at Trad'r Sam, you will leave wasted, wearing only half of your makeup, probably with a straw or two stuck in your pockets. Oh, and as you may have already guessed, it's cash-only. read more

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The best "fish" bowl in the city is Trad'r Sam's Scorpion Bowl. Trad'r Sam is located in the Richmond and is a must if you're in the neighborhood and looking for a buzz. Be prepared to walk into a dive-y, hole-in-the-wall tiki room. Grab a couch (if you can), pull up some chairs, and split the infamous Scorpion Bowl (served in a salad bowl) with some friends. Who knows what exactly is in it but it tastes delicious and sneakily gets you drunk. **CASH ONLY** $14 real bang for your buck read more

Trad'r Sam - Scorpion Bowls - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

One of my favorite hang out spots, ever. ------------------------------------ Ok, I might sound like an alcoholic saying this, but swear I'm not. The service is so great here. The tenders are friendly, conversational, makes great drinks - but sometimes I think they make it depending on who's ordering.. Here me out, I'm asian but I have a higher tolerance than most and my best friend is black with a lowest tolerance imaginable. But when she orders, it's made much stronger than mine when I order. But it's ok, 'cause it's just THAT good! The Toasted Almond and the Tahiti Monk are our favorites. They're so similar, but so good. Yes, we only order the ice cream drinks. Judge me all you want, but it's literally the only thing we order there, and the only reason we keep coming back. The atmosphere is also great. The people who go there are super chill. They even have a mini arcade in the back room consisting of a pinball machine and a shooting game. Super cute. See you there, 'cause chu know I'll be back... like, every month... read more

Trad'r Sam - all the straws!! - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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After ordering multiple rounds, and while ordering even more drinks I asked for a water and the bartender refused. Yelled and me and said to go around the corner to the liquor store. So after spending $50+ on drinks I can't even get a glass of water? That sucks. read more

Trad'r Sam's is definitely a dive tiki bar, way out in the Outer Richmond, but worth the trek. It actually gets pretty packed on a weekend night, and they give you the best bang for your buck in terms of tiki drinks in the city. I have been to both of the other two tiki bars in the city, and although the location of Trad'r Sam's isn't as convenient, the size and price of drinks is much better! We got a bowl of drank for 16 bucks, that is a steal in SF (big enough drink for 4 people, we got 2 bowls and were sloshed). Check out this bar! read more

Great neighborhood bar with good people. The bartender was fantastic and the drinks were reasonably priced. We will be back the next time we are in SF. Every neighborhood should have a bar like this one. Thanks for a great evening. read more

Eheehe I love this place!! Everything is slightly sticky and whatnot, but you gotta keep in mind that there are crowds of buzzin' adults trying to squeeze through the bar to get to the other side. Not to mention some of these adults have bowls filled to the rim with alcohol and juice and are bound to spill some.. Be glad it's on the floor and not on your pretty little shirt. Anywho, all the bartenders here are awesome! They make yummy bowls..which I've tried all of... and they were all sweet enough so that even the sissy of the group won't complain. Besides that, they also make some pretty bomb shots! I guess this place is for you if you don't mind sharing "germs" (which reminds me..don't bring a sick friend!!), and if you don't mind getting a little sticky afterward. Oh, arrive early on weekends to grab a table. Or just learn how to be extremely invasive and hover over a group to get 'em uncomfortable! read more

on Friday night I went here for Friend A's birthday, and then to The Grand for Friend B's birthday party. If you like to (a) go out, (b) get drunk, (c) dance your ass off, (d) meet willing and able members of the opposite sex, all I can say is, the people at Friend A's birthday party all went home (and from what I could see, likely woke up) with a smile on their faces. Friend B's spent 5 times as much, waited in a line, and ended up with lots of cheap confetti in their overpriced drinks (and had a relatively 50% success ratio) This place is a sure of a thing as a bachelor/bachelorette party in New Orleans. "Party On Wayne" read more

A couple of my friends wanted to do something "spontaneous" on a Friday night so we ended up at Trad'r Sam! We have never been to this place, but my friend mentioned they are known for their scorpion bowls, so we had to try it! I would suggest coming here before 10 PM if you want a comfy spot in the bar! It's a tight space inside, but they have a great drinks menu to choose from! DRINKS ------------------------- - Scorpion Bowl - For $14, you can expect a good buzz from their signature drink. I wish I knew what alcohol they mix in this drink, but it was enough to get the three of us buzz! - Hawaiian Volcano - I liked this drink. Looks like a girly drink, but it was good, and strong! - Grasshopper - My friend ordered this drink! It was pretty good if you like minty-chocolaty stuff! ------------------------- Our overall experience here was alright. Even though the Scorpion Bowl wasn't my favorite, they have plenty of other drinks on their menu that I'd try next time! We liked the casual atmosphere of this place and their bartenders are nice and will definitely hook you up with the drinks.... A really big turn off about this place is that it's so small that on a busy night you'll find people drinking right next to their bathrooms. Their bathrooms are REALLLY dirty... LIKE SHIT ON THE TOILET SEAT DIRTY.... So I found it interesting that people huddled up near the bathrooms to drink! 3 Stars mainly for the drinks and the bartenders. read more

Trad'r Sam - Hawaiian volcano - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've been here several times, and have to say it's one of my favorite bars in the City to chill out on the weekend or after work. This isn't the kind of bar you want to go to if you want quiet conversation or if you're too dressed up. This is the kind of bar you go to when you want to chill out with cool bartenders and get a strong drink at a REALLY reasonable price. There are a few things you should know: -bring CASH--ATM/Credit Cards are not accepted here. (There is an ATM at Geary and 25th) -Peak times get pretty crowded, so if you don't like crowds this place is not for you -Take a look before you sit down; you never know what's spilled on those booths By the way, I LIKE the decor in this place. It wouldn't be the same without it: specials sheets taped to the wall, the curtain at the entrance, the Christmas lights up in April..... Hell, I might go there after work today for a couple. read more

Trad'r Sam is a great dive bar option. If you're looking for cheap tiki drinks, this spot is the best in town. Their menu has whimsical descriptions that tell you nearly nothing about what the drink will taste like, but that is part of the fun and charm. Bring cash! read more

We have been coming to this bar for years and have always had a good time until a few weeks ago on October 5th, we had the worst experience we have ever had at a bar. The bouncer was so rude, unprofessional and on such a power trip. My friend had just gotten engaged and we were there to celebrate and when we asked why he was letting people cut us in line (after 20 minutes) he had no explanation other than they were his friends. He then proceeded to not let in my newly engaged friend who was there to celebrate because he did not like the way she took her ID when he handed it back to her... such a jerk on a power trip. We will not be coming back unfortunately as we prefer to be treated with respect. read more

Come here for a dive only. With that said, drinks are inexpensive, people are quirky and friendly and you'll probably get a bit drunk. read more

This is one of my favorite dive bars ever and a definite must-visit location in the city of San Francisco. It's cozy, the drinks are interesting and shareable, and the neighborhood is mellow. Nothing else to say really--I haven't been here in a while but can't wait to have another chance to check it out. read more

I stopped by during the work day and had a pina colada. It's not my drink, but when you walk in it does feel like you're entering a tropical getaway. The huge round bar in the middle says hi, swim on up and we'll get you a tropical drink. It smelled of fresh fruit sweetness so yeah, heck, I wanted that pina colada. And it was good. Really good. A good pit stop if you're in the area. Me likes! read more

The fascination with Tiki culture has really puzzled me--until I tried this place. Great crowd, bartenders who care about crafting a quality product (one redid my pair of cocktails due to a minor error), lots of lounge space for getting cozy with a date. I especially love that the menu, which consists of dozens of drinks, and lists no actual info about the drinks--just corny sayings. read more

Great for groups, come early for a table! read more

Trad'r Sam - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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6 of us Came by today at 12pm and the doors were locked. Then, I went online to see that they open at 10:30am. Then we called the location and a women answered and said that they were open, but she locks the door cause she is alone. She told us to come back and knock on the door to enter. 3 of my friends wanted to go anyway, while the rest of us went somewhere else. Why open the bar if you are not going to unlock the doors? I mean, do you expect people to call 1st before they come? Why not just put a sign on your door that says "Open" but "Knock" to enter. I'm wondering how much business you have lost by this practice... Ok... when I went to get my friends, they said they didn't have to pay for their drinks and were really taken care of. Updating my 1 star review to 4 stars read more

ummmm...hellz YASSS to this ragedy Bar!!!! on Geary Blvd. great watering hole, dive spot to get your WASTED at lol came in with a coworker buddy and had 4 beers and a couple 1800 shots small establishment inside not much seating tables, lotsa liquor bottles ...ALL BAR! read more

Being that it was Friday night and we didn't want happy hour to end, my friends and I migrated over to Trad'r Sam from Chug Pub. My friend Josh had recommended this place since it was close by to his pad and for their famous Scorpion Bowls. I've seen Scorpion Bowls at sushi places, so I wasn't too surprised at the large serving. But when one of my gfs decided to go ahead and order 3 bowls for the 7 of us, I got a bit worried. We got there around 10ish and the place was packed! Trad'r Sam is a small dive bar with limited seating. So, for a good half an hour, the seven of us stood around with bowls in hands. As the night progressed, we befriended with some others who decided to share their seats with us. One of the gals had ordered a bowl for her friend's birthday, but the birthday girl was too gone to even take a sip. So the generous non-drinker donated the bowl to us. Four bowls later, everyone was feeling pretty buzzed with smiles on their faces. So if you're feeling thirsty, check out the alcoholic slurpee! read more

Trad'r Sam - Our naked Scorpion bowls :( - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I came here on a Thursday night with a group of friends and came out pleasantly surprised. My brother told me to go here...and my friends and I were thinking..."I don't want to drink at a place called Trader Sams". We decided to drive by and see check out the atmosphere...and if it wasn't hoppin...we'd keep driving to another place. We thought it was worth a try...so we went in. Very interesting place! Decorated in a Polynesian style with huts. Semi-circle shaped bar with a few tables. If you don't get a table here...not too much space to stand around. We were lucky and snatched a table around 10:45pm. I'd recommend going earlier if you are with a big group. The special drinks here are all fruity and decorated with fruits and those little paper umbrellas. For a group of 7, we ordered two Scorpion Bowls. HUGE bowl of alcohol...very tasty. It was $28 for the two...gave the bartender $35. So he whipped out his alcohol and spiked it some more! That's what happens when you tip generously. It took a long time for us to finish this drink...it was that big. We also ordered a Volcano...which came in a huge ass cup! Everything is just big here...it's pretty cool. It's a pretty mixed crowd here...everyone very friendly. I get tired of hanging out in an all-asian crowd sometimes...so this is a good place for me to get away from that. Mixed crowds are more friendly, outgoing, and willing to move away from their group to socialize. That's the way I see it at least. And it is cash only! ATM machine available...but that probably charges you a little fee to use it. read more

Trad'r Sam - careful...it hits you! - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

You come here to drink. No, not for the vibe or the people, you come here to get a big scorpion bowl and get f*cked up basically. The drinks may taste good and are fruity, but be aware that they are loaded with cheap alcohol. They have a lot of tropical drinks and some with ice cream. The place is not super big so it can get hot and humid when it's crowded. The bathroom also smells like yack so try to avoid if possible. Don't expect good service, the bartenders can be rude sometimes (not to girls at least from what I've experienced). The crowd is very mixed and weird. Now just imagine these people getting very drunk and what the bartenders have to deal with, so give them a break. read more

Trad'r Sam - punch bowl - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Trad'r Sam. I've been passing by this place since I went to elementary school and wondering what IS that place with the weird art pieces in the window. The first time I went with my bf and 2 friends from out of town, I was debating over to just get a pina colada or the infamous scorpion bowl. Well since it was all of our first times, we HAD to get the scorpion bowl. Let me tell you... after the first sip. I was thinking... what's all the rage about!? It tasted bland. Serious. Bland. I mean i don't know what I was supposed to taste since the very efficient bartender put everything together in a snap. All i can remember was champagne, pineapple juice, variety of rums, and maybe a pina colada mixer? But either way it got me pretty tipsy. Second visit (next night). Again with bf but 2 different friends. Their alcoholic selves demanded 3 bowls. So live it up? I ordered the scorpion again because the other 2 haven't tried it, Hawaiian Volcano, and Tidal wave. When i ordered 3 bowls the bartender gave me a smile that said you're sure huh? haha both the bartenders were really nice. Boy did we get wasted. Well I ended up puking before the end of the night, probably because of my lightweight-ness or sipping from all three bowls. Most of the bowls were not that sweet.. actually it was barely sweet. The scorpion bowl this night was significantly better. Volcano was ok.. i heard it's supposed to taste better out of the three. there were still chunks of ice in it though. The tidal wave was blue.. and sorta sweet. *Cash only *juke box takes card only? read more

Trad'r Sam - top to bottom. Hawaiian Volcano (whipped cream mixed in), Scorpion, and Tidal Wave - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Trad'r Sam has apparently been around forever and everyone knows about this little spot...except me. That changed recently though and I am definitely a fan of this place. I came here with about 5-6 of my friends and the first thing I noticed was that everyone had some sort of bowl drink in front of them. So sure enough, we all ordered some bowl drinks to share as well. We got the Volcano Bowl, the Scorpion Bowl, and the Tidal Wave Bowl. While all three were delicious, the Volcano Bowl was definitely my favorite. If you're feeling adventurous, order all three and drink all 3 at once by using three straws. The initial taste feels kinda weird but after a second or two, it is completely and utterly delicious. The only downside I had to this place was that it was cash only and they don't have any beers on tap. They do however have a vast selection of beer bottles so it's not all bad. Plus, with delicious, fruity, powerful drinks as an option, there's not too much reason to go for a beer when you're here anyways. If you're in the area and are up for a drink, definitely come check this place out. read more

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Maybe I've been spoiled by New York City with its well decorated bars and lounges and staying up till the sun comes up before going home since last call is 4am. I've also become a huge fan of fishbowls after going to college in Ithaca (shoutout to Level B), so after raving about them to my friends who live in San Francisco, they brought me to Trad'r Sam. The place is very small. When you enter, the bar makes a huge semi-circle, and there are maybe about 10-15 tables total surrounding it. There are gaudy decorations with patio furniture, twinkling lights, and destination signs to replicate a tiki bar. My two friends and I shared the notorious scorpion bowl. I was still buzzed after drinking earlier and from dinner and was hoping to sustain the buzz at Trad'r Sam. I wanted to see how their fishbowls measured up to the ones on the East Coast. It didn't taste particularly strong, but it was very sweet. The three of us played a drinking game to down it quicker, but that just ended with all of us suffering more from brain freeze more than anything else. One of my friends, a guy, was definitely feeling the effects of the alcohol, but my other friend and I were unfazed. Maybe that bowl was a fluke, or maybe it wasn't mixed well? However, the bowl was very nicely decorated, donned with orange slices, maraschino cherries, little umbrellas, and several long straws for sharing. So far, San Francisco has yet to rep the West Coast and impress me; I'm on Team East Coast all the way. read more

Trad'r Sam - scorpion bowl - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I wish I lived in the neighborhood so I could spend more time at this excellent dive bar. Angie, the bartender, is kind of hot in a Peggy Bundy kind of way and pours a stiff drink read more

Trad'r Sam - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

First Tiki bar I've been to and it was great experience! I came here with a group of 7 and was seated at one the booths. We had to order our drinks at the bar but the waits weren't long at all, even with a large crowd. Scorpion bowl - served in a very shallow bowl that is good to split for 4 people. Of course, you can ask for more straws if you'd like. Definitely could taste champagne or something similar to a mimosa. Warning, this can be deadly. Hawaiian Volcano - Was served in a fish bowl. If you like sweet, this is perfect for you. Tidal Wave - Also served in a very shallow bowl. This blue drink had more of an alcohol taste but still good. It had a weird frosty foam on top which I didn't really like much. This place is dark with loud music and also has a TV. My group and I were able to watch the Warriors game while bonding over our drinks at the same time. read more

Trad'r Sam - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Every city has that trademark hole-in-the-wall bar that serves great drinks at great prices. This place does it for me. Of course you can get the scorpion bowl to share for $14, but I would suggest grabbing a couple rum drinks for around $7 each instead. There are many options to choose from, and they do not skimp on the alcohol or the portion size. In fact, the waiter made extra on both of our rum drinks and proceeded to grab a second cup to pour in the rest for us. The flavor is also on point. The delicious fruity flavors of the drinks helped to mask the taste of the rum. Finally, the customer service is on point. It's hard to believe that one kind lady can serve a room of 30+ people with ease, but she does it with a smile. read more