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    True Laurel

    4.1 (487 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

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    TRUE LAUREL ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - True Laurel

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    Citrus glazed carrots
    Karen R.

    A great bar with great food! I know they are recognized for their drink's & rightfully so, but the food is also very impressive! Space is small but they make the most of it, 2 bars and a dining area inside with tables as well as a parklet outside. Staff is very welcoming & friendly. Prices are reasonable as all the ingredients are seasonal & high quality. The Laurel martini was their take on a dirty martini & it was excellent. The pea-casso was full of spring flavor, sweet peas with an herbal dill flavor. Seriously one of the best cocktails I've ever had. All the food we ordered was fresh, delicious and prepared to perfection. Those crispy mushrooms are addictive, and I don't know how they get them so crunchy, wow!!! All I can say is BRAVO!!!!

    mai o mai & quinine cobbler
    Helen L.

    14th in top 50 bars of north america. they had really unique drink flavors! mai o mai was like a special smoky spin of espresso martini with woody flavors and smoother texture, the quinine cobbler was solid too - super refreshing. good amount of alc in both without tasting very heavy. good vibes too, lots of ongoing dates, and walk in was easy on a sunday evening

    True Brew - brunch cocktail & Carajillo
    Jenn D.

    Amazing drinks. Great service and the natural lighting during the day is such a vibe. The cornmeal pancakes are a must try, similar to an apple pie & really hits the spot.

    Jabez P.

    Drinks were very tasty. Always pretty busy on weekend nights but it was popping and they play good music here. I ordered the Mai o Mai and thought it was very good with the hint of coffee flavoring. Drinks are a little pricier but still very unique and bartenders put a lot of effort and detail into drinks

    Chicken katsu (it's big)
    Rachelle T.

    I love the vibe of this place! I'm all about the intimate settings, and this place is just it. My friend and I were able to get bar seating on a Saturday night for a walk in, and we got the drink: in the pines, under the palms. I typically don't get these types of drinks, but it was such a good drink to sip on with our food! The chicken katsu is big! Perfect for 2, and the salad on top was delicious and a good touch. The baked oysters were a good try, but they were a bit too salty for me and had a lot going on. Overall, a great date spot and would love to try the other drinks!

    Mai O Mai
    Anh T.

    I was lucky to come here with a friend during a weekend afternoon to this bar with no wait. While many people were still eating brunch, we had just finished lunch and wanted to try one of their many cocktails. After the bartenders finished up the drinks for customers before us, they took our orders within 10 minutes of us taking a seat. I tried their Mai O Mai. I loved watching them make the cocktail in front of me, creating the shape of the ice and placing a sweet fruit on top of the ice cube. The drink was citrusy and had a decent alcohol flavor, and I enjoyed how it was not too sweet. The drink itself tasted flavorful and "clean;" I just wish that there was more of the drink! While the quality was great, I think the price for the portion of the cockatil was a bit much. Overall, still a good first experience!

    Inside the patty melt, after I moved the egg. You can see the patty is well done (over-cooked). I had to ask for a side of ketchup,
    John N.

    The saving grace here is the quality of the cocktails, which are immaculate. Everything else was a miss for me, unfortunately. I came during a weekend for brunch. I tried their (supposedly signature) patty melt, and boy was it a letdown. Over-cooked, small portion, pricey. It is served à la carte, without sides, for a whopping $18. I opted to add a fried egg for another $4 (!), and it was bizarrely severed *on top* of the sandwich and not fried (sunny side up, instead). I had no clue how I was supposed to eat this careless mess, so I carefully moved the egg underneath the bread. The flavor profile of the entire thing was off, too salty, and again just a tremendous letdown of execution. The cocktails, however, were great. I tried the Carajillo, which is their take on an espresso martini with a dash of spice ($18), and the Bobby Boo-Urns, which is a scotch drink with a sesame flair ($19). To add insight to injury, they slap a mandatory 20% service fee on the bill, regardless of party size. So, after tax & tip, my weekend boozy brunch ran me $75. I can see the appeal if you want some unique cocktails, but if I'm being honest, there are many other great options throughout the Mission for a fraction of the cost. Definitely don't come here if you want food.

    Nathalie T.

    I have to tell you GET THE MUSHROOMS. This was the most tasty mushroom I've had (pictured) so crispy, not oily, and just delicious. The waiter was fabulous! They asked us what our preferences were and were able to make cocktails based off of our pallets and off menu. Drinks were great and love that they have some rotating drinks! Nice vibe, and would love to try other food again nextime!

    Chicken Liver Mousse with Rhubarb Preserves & Melons Triple Lindy Mezcal - Tres Melons, Aloe, Shiso n Dill for brunch at True Laurel
    Danny K.

    Updated Review (10/11/2025) Today, I decided to stop by True Laurel for an early dinner and some drinks right around opening time at 4pm on a Friday. There were just a few people seated, so I was able to get a nice table outside while the weather was still pleasant. It didn't take me long to figure out what I wanted to order. A TL Patty Melt with an heirloom tomato addition. For my drink, I ordered a Love Below, which includes Solera rum, lovage, seasonal tomatoes, dry vermouth, citrus & tequila. The Patty Melt came out in about five minutes, with the drink arriving a few minutes later. I placed the order around 4:10pm and received everything by 4:25pm. The Patty Melt was delicious and filling enough. The Love Below had a bit of a raisin-like taste and it never really developed further from that taste. I was planning to order more food, possibly the sweet corn gazpacho and a Mai o Mai cocktail. I looked over at waitress as she walked outside and went to check on other tables before walking back inside. Every single time she came out, I tried to get her attention but she never even glanced in my direction. This happened maybe 5 times or so. After what seems like an eternity, I looked down at my clock. It was a few minutes before 5pm. I had just sat on the patio at True Laurel for 30 minutes without a single visit from the staff after the initial order. Just completely ignored. I have praised and recommended True Laurel to many of my friends and the online community for the past couple years. I was rewarded with the worst hospitality I've ever experienced among the many cocktail bars around the world that I've been to. It's unimaginable how a business associated with the vaunted 2-star Michelin restaurant Lazy Bear could have such poor service. I decided to get my check, pay and get out of there. To add insult to injury, I saw that the bill already had an automatic 20% gratuity applied, which normally denotes that the service was above average. Knowing that 20% gratuity is guaranteed regardless of their quality of service seems to have led to systematic complacency. I don't imagine I'll have any desire to go back to True Laurel anytime soon. It's really sad because I genuinely liked their cocktails and food.

    Crispy Hen of the Woods Mushrooms
    Sharon S.

    True Laurel is tried and true for me. I never have a bad experience here. I love the atmosphere here. Service is always consistent, friendly and we never feel rushed, even though there is a 1.5 hour limit at the table. I recently came here with one of my longest, dearest friends. She heard the hype about this place and wanted to check it out herself. We had every intention of having dinner but ended up getting the crispy hen of the woods mushrooms and the salt and pepper calamari for nibbles instead. Both were delicious and addictive. I tried the fifth sun cocktail and also had my regular, in the pines, under the palms. Friend got the God loves figs. Parking can be challenging in the neighborhood but I usually get dropped off so not an issue for me.

    Must!
    Jasmine C.

    Oooooookay, this place will live in my head rent free. From the ambiance, service, food, drinks, and the vibe - there's nothing to not love. Their cocktails are AMAZING. My favorites were Quinine Cobbler (light, fruity, refreshing, and hydrating!), Melons Triple Lindy, and Bobby Boo-urns but you won't go wrong with any, really. As for the food, please please please try the Crispy Hen of the Woods Mushroom and thank me after. It's fried to perfection that you won't even know it's mushroom that you're eating. We'll absolutely need to be back to try the other scrumptious goodies but for now... au revoir

    Doreen C.

    We stumbled upon this place after walking around the neighborhood and realized it's a top 50 bar in North America! Even though it was during brunch hours, I'm very happy we decided to grab food and try the drinks here! I ordered the chicken liver mousse toast and that was soooooo good. I love pate, and they did an absolutely amazing job balancing the flavors with the jam. The sourdough toast was also perfectly toasted. I also ordered the true brew - a really good coffee based brunch cocktail. 10/10 would recommend. Honestly, if I came back here I would order the same things over again just cause it was that good. Overall, Definitely consider coming here during the day time. There was no wait (which I assume there probably is if you come at night). I absolutely loved my time/the food here! Can't wait to come back again!

    $70 for 3 drinks is a bit much..
    Rona S.

    I went here for drinks after dinner. Was looking for a chill spot for drinks where my friends and I can talk and enjoy the rest of the night. We came by on a Saturday night, the dining room was super busy so we were told we can be on the outside area. It wasn't too cold that night so we were okay with it. We got our drinks, we all thought they were okay. A lot more spirit forward I think. I didn't give it a 4 stars because I think it's just too pricey. We had 3 drinks and paid almost $80 with tip. For what it is I think it was just a bit too expensive.

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    Ask the Community - True Laurel

    Does the restaurant allow kids?

    Yes

    Does anyone know if they allow kids on their patio? Thanks!

    Yes, you can bring kids.

    Traveling to the City in September. Best bet night to go on where Nick will be bar tending ? Thanks !

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    4.3(454 reviews)
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    Cool bar with bites in the Mission District. We got there shortly after it opened at 4pm on Friday…read moreafternoon. I was craving a refreshing craft cocktail and got one with the Green Emmanuelle. I liked the cardamom in the Beauty Mark as well that my partner ordered. We ordered shishito peppers and mushroom bahn mi sliders. The mushroom bahn mi sliders were amazing - the quality fillings and taste of the soft bun - I was unexpectedly hit with a bite of spice from maybe jalapeño seeds left but didn't sour my experience. The shishito peppers ended up being extremely spicy as well, those are usually just a few spicy and not the majority. The roasted lemon and salt was a wonderful combo but just too spicy to eat. However, the server very kindly removed it from our bill without us asking. We order the crostini because we were still hungry and that was an absolute hit. Delicious med-soft crostini with luscious berries and sweet honey. I didn't care my hands got sticky as it was soooo good! Great experience, I would be weary if the peppers as I'm a bit spice-intolerant but everything else was spot-on.

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    Blind Pig Speakeasy Lounge - Hot & Sour: Tanqueray Gin w/ lichiko shochu, aloe, rose, hot pot paste, basil, citrus, peychaud's ($18)

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    Ah, I wanted to love Blind Pig, but I just couldn't get into it. This San Francisco speakeasy is an…read moreAsian-influenced bar looking to bring Asian flavors and liquors to the bar scene. I think in many ways, Blind Pig just fell a little flat. I would like to say that the service here was amazing. A bartender who sat with you to talk about the menu, the process, and your experience very passionately and intently.  However, I think that the bar program is a little unrefined. Every drink had 10,000 ingredients, and most of them did not work together. If the drink did work together, you just tasted nothing because everything blended together and you couldn't taste any special or fun ingredients.  Unfortunately, I don't think this spot is worth looking for.

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    Pacific Cocktail Haven - Silk Street: Song Gin, amaro, jackfruit-coconut cream, sudachi, longan, pandan - Perfectly balanced, not too sweet

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    My wife & I visited SF for the 1st time & stayed at Hotel Emblem next door. We noticed so many…read morepeople coming in to this place we decided to look it up & see what the fuss was about. Seeing that it was named one of the top 50 best bars in North American, we had to check it out! We came in a Thursday night in mid-April about 9:45 PM. They have security outside thar checks IDs & also manages the queue in case the bar gets too crowded. We had no issues getting in, but there were zero indoor seats available - both the bar & table seating. Thankfully, they have a really cozy & well-lit patio area. The waitress let us know that even the outdoor patio has table-side service, so we made ourselves comfortable on the outdoor bench & within seconds she had brought us waters & cocktail menus. Weather outside was really nice, so I'm glad we actually sat outside. Each cocktail is $20, which definitely is a little steep, but I think the creativity, quality, & prestige of being named a top 50 bar supports the price. Each part of the menu is organized by liquor ie whiskey, vodka, brandy, gin, etc. We tried 4 drinks total. I only took menu photos of the pages we ordered from but they have a lot more selections. We ordered the Kung Fu Pandan, Silky Street, Rice Rice Baby, & Tropical Gangsta. We had some favorites over others, but all were very well crafted! The drinks came out pretty quickly considering how busy it was. The only hiccup was our final drink took quite a while. Turns out the ticket machine malfunctioned & deleted orders put in & caused a back-up. The waitress was so apologetic & ended up comp-ing 2 drinks, which she definitely didn't have to but it speaks volumes to the high standards they hold themselves to & their customer service. Overall, highly highly recommend checking this place out for a fun night out or post-dinner treat! Glad we made the decision to stop in!

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    Shoji - Uni Amaebi Don: Soy marinaded raw sweet shrimp, santa barbara uni, ikura, soy marinated yolk ($44 +$3 nori)

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    This was my top dining experience in San Francisco, and I would HIGHLY recommend everybody to come…read morehere! I took my two friends here for a birthday celebration, and it was so magnificent.  It looks very unassuming from the host stand, but you are transported into a beautiful dining area as you are ushered in. Lush velvet booths, a beautiful mural behind a magnificent bar top, and even perfect table ware!! I love when restaurants pay attention to details. Everything I ordered was delicious. The oysters, uni amaebi donburi (Sea Urchin & Raw Shrimp Rice Bowl), Tom Kha Ceviche, and the chicken egg salad sandwich. The bites were truly so decadent, balanced, and well-executed. The oysters were fresh, plump, and perfectly topped with sweet and citrusy flavors. The bite of the night was the uni amaebi bowl. They load you up on sea urchin, shrimp, and roe. It is bursting with flavor, and paired with PERFECTLY COOKED RICE.  The drinks were also amazing! I got the matcha cocktail and the espresso martini. I mean... phenomenal. Everyone wants to do a matcha cocktail, but I don't think a single bar program is going to put one out as perfect as Shoji's. It's delicate and earthy, and the perfect drink to pair with their menu.  Dessert was also good! Tea-based affogatos. They're fun. Ugh, I want to live in SF just so I can frequent Shoji. I will be back for dinner and to try their day time cafe. Get a reservation if you can, it is so worth it!

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    True Laurel - cocktailbars - Updated May 2026

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