Awesome open mic night on Tuesday, great owners and bartenders that make conversation with each of their patrons! Local gem for sure. And they allow outside food in ! They also stream MLB games read more

"What high school did you go to?" Ifykyk. That's when you know a bar is hella SF. In early 2024, Would You Believe? changed ownership and had a facelift so I would ignore all the prior reviews (I would have given 3 stars back then). They're def more of a low-key cocktail bar than dive bar now. (Note: former owner, Shirley still owns Bottom's Up in The Excelsior). Signature cocktails are only $12 and during HH on Monday - Friday, 6 pm - 8 pm, they're $2 off ($1 off draft beer + $3 off well shots). I can't speak for their cocktails as I stick with sipping tequila neat or chilled. FREE freshly popped popcorn for the drunchies. All the staff (Randy, Gordon, Nick, and Robert) are super kind and customer oriented. Mix of high tops and bar seating with TVs for watching the game. Trivia Tuesdays and there's a pool league on Thursdays. 90s R&B playlist (digital jukebox). Overall, love the new and improved Would You Believe? for a low-key night. If you find yourself in Inner Richmond, hit them up! read more

Would You Believe - My ride or die - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

If I lived in this neighborhood, believe me, I'd be here more often. Would you believe me? You should. I just happened to be walking out of the Rose Garden in Golden Gate Park and found myself on Geary looking at the sign. Because I'm, ahem, a bit older than your average Yelper, my immediate reference for the name was the catchphrase on the beloved 1960's old sitcom, "Get Smart". Agent Maxwell Smart would start a line to his put-upon Chief with "Would you believe...?" Well, I don't think this neighborhood bar pays tribute to the show, but there's a nice friendly vibe here where I could picture myself as a grizzled barfly going on about my favorite episodes of "Get Smart" to absolutely nobody listening. Fortunately I was in a more sober and congenial mood in an empty bar just as they opened at 6PM. What helped was that Randy was such a nice, patient bartender. I perused their signature cocktail list and immediately pounced on the $12 Marina Espresso Martini, which mixes Ketel One vodka, coffee liqueur, chocolate bitters, and Philz cold brew (photo: https://yelp.to/3MvDZD8TzH). Randy honestly confessed he had never made one before, but he did a fine job. Would you believe I got a second one to buoy his confidence? OK, would you believe... COCKTAILS - 4 stars...a fine espresso martini for a rookie AMBIANCE - 4 stars...comfortable neighborhood spot, more polished than a standard dive SERVICE - 4 stars...Randy did just fine TOTAL - 4 stars...a friendly watering hole that could open a bit earlier RELATED - Exploring the Richmond? Here's my collection of places I've patronized and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2HvkBu7 read more

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We checked out Would You Believe since it was close to where we had dinner and I'm so glad we found this gem. This bar is clean and spacious with bar and table seating, a pool table, and an AMI jukebox. Drinks are very affordable for SF standards ($12 cocktails!). Everyone we talked to in the bar was so fun and it was easy to make some new friends here. Our bartender Amanda was super cool, she created such a welcoming vibe. I even played a game of pool with the owner Gordon and I'll definitely be back for a rematch. Great vibes, service, and people here - Would You Believe is not a place to be missed! read more

ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PLACE!!! Micky is the best bartender ever ! And prices are AMAZING!!!! A Shirley temple and a Castro Cosmo were $15.21! 10/10 recommend this place. The music, the vibe, the people 100000/10 read more

Would You Believe - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

After putting my little pup to bed, I took my friend to one of my favorite Shabu places in the IR. Dinner was delicious and as our girl's day slowly coming to an end, our conversation turned from more serious to lighter topics. And with our bellies full and our bodies warmed, all she wanted was a nightcap. Since we were just steps away from a few bars, it was a bit hard to choose, but Would You Believe?? we came here. Lots of bottles lined the wall behind the bar, a pool table also occupied the space inside. Sometimes they have parties here, but on this night, it was quiet with just a few patrons. This place is managed by a pro who is known for her amazing cocktails, but my friend opted for the tried and true--classic Dirty Martini. Served in a beautiful tall martini glass with tiny olives. Perfect way to end our day fulfilling a fun day with some surprises, lots of good food (mostly), walks, conversations, and lots of drinks (somewhat). We bid farewell afterwards as a hired car pulled up to take her back to her hotel. Until next time. read more

Would You Believe - Dirty Martini - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We were wandering the Richmond and found this cute cocktail spot! Not divy as you would anticipate. Pool tables (always fun) and amazing cocktails. Warm lighting and just bright enough to be a great date spot. The bartender was super sweet and she can make any drink! Very much enjoyed our stop in! read more

Would You Believe - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Under New Management First of all, Would You Believe? was closed for a couple of and have now reopened - sort of a soft reopening as they get the kinks worked out. Based on our visit, I would recommend you give then a shot (get it, give a bar a shot?) but go easy on them while they get into their groove. My summary: Would You Believe? is a good quality neighborhood bar with a friendly vibe offering good drinks at good prices. We will be back Now the details: Last weekend (before this weeks Pineapple Express) my SO and I zipped down Geary on the reliable 38 to pop into the Richmond Branch of the SFPL on 9th Ave. Books in hand we wandered back to Geary and being late on a Saturday afternoon I suggested we hang a right and get a tasty libation before heading home. We walked by Would You Believe? (WYB) and saw people inside setting up and I thought "it looks pretty nice in there" - but alas, they were not open yet. So we popped across the street to The Hearth, a local dive bar and had a couple 1 Plus 1's (a 1+1 is a basic cocktail like a G&T, vodka tonic, rum and coke, whisky highball, etc). Chatting up a couple folks there we asked about WYB and learned it was another neighborhood bar that had just reopened after being closed for a couple of months and there opened up around 6 pm. When we finished our drinks a little after 6 and headed out the door we saw that WYB was now open so we once again crossed Geary and stuck our heads in. It was pretty quiet and looked rather nice. Sitting at the bar we were met by a friendly bartender as we looked over the cocktail menu. Without going into the running commentary, I simply share what we learned. 1. WYB has new owners. The reason for being closed for 2 or 3 months was the long process of doing business with the city in SF - getting a new bar license for an existing business, getting set up with distributors, etc. 2. the interior is pretty much the same with some minor upgrades. That said, it looks pretty nice, has a quality pool table and a good sound system for the video jukebox and the several TVs they have for showing sports. Looking at the older photos on Yelp, it appears not too much has changed. 3. The new owners have put together a nice cocktail list with specialty cocktails named after parts of SF. While my SO had what we call her holiday cocktail (bourbon and soda with a cherry), I ordered the specialty Negroni of the list - it was pretty good. 4. And prices are quite reasonable for SF. The specialty cocktails are $12. A quality non-well cocktail (Negroni, Old Fashioned, Old Tom, etc) at most decent places in SF will set you back $15-$22. The prices are in line with a neighborhood bar bringing in the locals. 5. They have a nice selection of spirits, a decent selection of beer on draft and by the bottle/can, and a few good wines. If I remember correctly, they had at least 12 American whiskeys (bourbon, rye, and malt), ~6 Irish whiskys, and another ~6 good scotch whiskys, as well as 6 or 7 Japanese whiskeys. They offer plenty of variety in the other selects too (rum, tequila/mescal, vodka, gin, etc,). And finally, I personally would not call WYB a "dive bar" as it is labeled here on Yelp. To me it is a neighborhood bar - meaning it is inviting and friendly, they have good music playing (or pick your own), prices are very reasonable, and you and your friends can meet up for a few drinks, talk, play pool, and have a good night out. We will be back. PS: the official opening hours are 6 PM, but they open early for special sporting events. We were there the day before the 49ers played the Lions and they said they were opening at 3 for that game. PPS: I was wondering why the overall Yelp rating is low for a place I liked - only 3.2 stars. In looking at the reviews, it seems that a large number of reviews back in 2005-2010 that were 1-3 star reviews. So don't let the lower yelp rating fool you - things change in 20 years. read more

Would You Believe - a man sitting at a bar - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here first for a little pregame before a New Years eve event and my word, awesome place!! It wasn't that busy, but that just meant we got the full attention of the bartender. Got the LA water and stoplight shooters, both strong and good. Sorry can't remember your name miss bartender but you're super awesome! read more

Would You Believe - Stoplight shooter - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Went here recently with some friends and it's always a chill time at Would you Believe! A solid go to spot and the music is always good. A special shoutout to Gordon for the great service and hospitality! read more

Jasmine is simply the best! Actually nice, REAL, a fantastic bar keep and beautiful to boot (inside and out) Coming back here just for her but also this bar is clean, has a rad pay by game poll table, nice seating, digital juke box and decent selection of booze. Cocktails with large maraschino cherries if that's your Jam #girlfrienddrinksFTW read more

One of the best "Dive" Bars in San Francisco! God rest John Fracchia, the original owner of Would You Believe!

Stumbled in here, always on the hunt for a good cocktail in the Richmond! I can throw down as much beer at a dive as the next gal but sometimes you just want a cocktail. Would You Believe doesn't have fancy signage (does anywhere on Geary?) but is such a chill spot. There's high tops and a pool table plus the bar. My dude and I had some excellent cocktails here - an amazing Earl Grey old fashioned, the house take on an espresso martini, and an especially good Paloma. Sitting at the bar, it seems like a real local spot and everyone is friendly. Had a great experience with Amanda and Nick here on different nights. I see on Yelp that they are under new management and it shows...don't be deterred by old bad reviews. We'll be back for sure! read more

Great neighborhood bar. Friendly staff. Had a great Negroni. Friend enjoyed her Cosmo. Will definitely go back.

Wow... not open on Sunday? I recalled they were open everyday. Nevertheless, I recalled this is such a great bar! Great drinks, cheap tequila shot, and great bartenders! read more

This cute bar is located only a block or so from Shabu Club! My boyfriend and I came in for post dinner drinks and as it was super early, it was almost empty. The space is super clean with a pool table and juke box and a handsome bar area with plastic barriers. Our bartender, Carolyn, was super friendly, nice, and helpful. The staff is very warm and cheerful to the patrons. We asked for her recommendation, and she made us 2 dragon slayers. My boyfriend and I loved the fruity drink- you can't taste the alcohol until the very end which was all 151 rum haha! Overall, would love to come back again! read more

Would You Believe - 2 Dragon Slayers- the 151 is the only thing I regret in this drink! - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great place to play pool and hang out, love coming to this place. Must come when Amanda or Linda is working, makes it a great night.

Stopped by for happy hour, and this place was perfect! Cheap cocktails ($5 until 8pm!) and not too crowded, with great service from the bartender who made six drinks for our table in record time. The jukebox is great, but be careful - if you come while we're there, "Burning Up" by the Jonas Brothers will definitely be playing. read more

Would You Believe - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place use to be really pack during my days but not any more. My friends still come here once in a while since they are regulars lol. I usually come here to meet old friends and plus this place has a pool table. Overall cool place to mingle and chat. read more

Would You Believe - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My friends and I used to come here a lot during summer/winter breaks for dollar shot Thursdays from 10pm-12am. The well shots are cheap and they get you drunk enough to walk all the way to Abbey Tavern or Ireland's to dance, so it's always a good time! Now that I have work every day.. Probably not the best idea to get drunk on a weekday hahaha. It's a small place, with just one bar, a couple tall tables, and a few bartenders. They cover up the pool table now so you can't put your shots on there anymore, ha. The bartenders aren't really the friendliest (I was trying to be super nice yesterday!!!), but they know what they're doing in terms of getting to whoever came to the bar first. Yesterday I came here and unfortunately the dollar shots have raised to $1.75 shots!!!! One seventy five shots just doesn't have the same ring as dollar shots.... Nonetheless, it's still dirt cheap especially when you don't care about what alcohol you're drinking. read more

Ultra fobbiness to the MAX! And that's how I like it! Now, there really isn't anything about this place that would indicate it catering to a certain ethnicity, but since it is the Richmond district, I suppose by default, it would be majority Chinese. Seriously, other than our group of Chinglish speakers, I don't think I heard anything other than Cantonese the entire night! I was invited to Would You Believe? for a birthday party, and after catching a glimpse of the exterior, I was thinking it would be a relatively decent size. Upon entrance, I was shocked to find a tiny little dive barely larger than a normal 1BR studio. The design is basically an elevated bar area, with a sunken section offering a bit more seating and a pay per play pool table. Despite the size, Would You Believe? actually does have a touch of charm. Being a bar n00b (I have never had a drink in my life), I really don't have much basis for comparison, but as far as I could tell, this seems like your typical, comfortable, neighborhood hang out, which is never a bad thing. Amazingly, there is no bouncer, and patrons are free to walk in and out as they please. I wouldn't be surprised if a minor or two made his way in here on occasion. The customers themselves are well mannered, and I didn't notice any inkling of rowdiness, so that probably explains why the staff doesn't feel the need to hire any security. The hostesses come in a few different varieties, but of course all the same ethnicity (take a guess). My personal favorite is Aileen, who has more of a down home, nice girl persona, but as always, these are the ones you have to most watch out for. One of our group members seemed to have the hots for her, and I'm pretty sure he'll be back to pay her a visit. On the downside - and this is a biggie - the boys bathroom is absolutely RIPE! The aroma is so bad, it often emanates out all over the rest of the room. As mentioned earlier, Would You Believe? is not exactly the largest place, so you can imagine how uncomfortable this can become. There is a reason why the door is permanently propped open. The digital jukebox is a nice alternative to a live DJ, and songs range for $0.50 for the classics, to about $1 for the newer hits. I didn't get a chance last time, but for my next visit, I have accumulated a playlist of songs containing the word, "believe," in honor of their name. So far, I have come up with... Robin Thicke - Can You Believe? Cher - Believe Brenda K. Starr - I Still Believe Whitney Houston - I Believe in You and Me Any other suggestions? Meh... on second thought, this is about limit of what the remaining two bucks in my not so pimp wad can get me. read more

Okay, SF is getting more expensive. We all know it. It's all the news wants to talk about (unless they're talking about trump). It hurts. This is the sort of awesome, cheap, hole in the wall local place that hasn't gotten the memo. Please support them. $5 cocktails ALL THE TIME. $1.75 shot night. Need I say more? Okay, how about: the $5 cocktails are REALLY GOOD. This isn't some weak-ass, $5 well drinks at happy hour thing. No, these are put-you-under-the-table-but-still-taste-good, always-available drinks. Need to get drunk for $7? Get a dragon slayer and tip 40%. Or maybe you wanna keep it sweet with the killer cool aid. Whatever your poison, you can leave here on the cheap and feeling amazing. Sunday night, Monday night...awesome. It's quiet. Bring your friends. Come hang out. The place is yours for the taking. And oh btw they're open til 2am. Every night. How cool is that? We all know someday this place will get with the times. I'll hate that day. Enjoy this awesome dive bar while it lasts, San Francisco!! read more

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oh yeah, i so was one of the hot bartenders here. HAH (and i was the one solely responsible for introducing shirley to the mojito, 6 years ago...i remember it clearly: i was teaching shirley how to make it and one customer looked on with a confused expression and thought we were making spring rolls because of all the mint leaves. whatevs, foo) read more

I come for $1 shots and only that. Thursdays are CRAZY busy now though. Nonetheless, when my friends and I are ballin' on a budget, we end up at WYB. dollar special ends at 12, fyi! read more

Would You Believe - Dollar shots, take advantage. - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

If you are a person who cannot tolerate the taste of hard liquor, like me, come here. I love the drink options that are offered here. Very creative names & very tasty! Try the wet pussy, it's sweet, & goes straight down (no pun intended) btw, on Thursdays from 10pm-close, $1.75 shots! read more

Would You Believe - Guess which drink I got ...... Hehe - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We have no clue what the bartenders name is but we love her. Thank you for making it comfortable for a couple of new yorkers

Odd name for a dive bar. The sign says cocktails but this is a beer and shots joint. Very divey...think pool and dice. Unlike most dives, place is clean including the bathrooms and the clientele is non menacing. We love this place. read more

Would You Believe - Pool! - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Cool spot - really unique like the name. Sometimes there are two cute bartenders. One girl is dressed all sweet and innocent and the other is dressed more...............s......e............x..........x........y. I don't think I achieved and even number of dots between the letters - do you? Fun atmosphere and weird shaped bar. read more

Pretty nice spot and cheap drinks!!! $5 cocktails !! There's $1 tequila on Thirsty Thursdays, as well! Need I say more? I recommend the Dragon Slayer to get a nice buzz going. read more

I'm biased. My BFF works here! Hhaha. But have to say that this place is good for me. The bartenders are really nice. The crowd is friendly. I will challenge anyone to a game of pool. Hhaha. I get my drinks made by my BFF so she knows what I like. This place is Cash only which is a minus. After drinking go to Jack in the Box or Korean food down the street! read more

I went to this bar with my girlfriend for date night last weekend. Linda was amazing and made us the best cocktails. I asked for her recommendations and she made me a lavender drink that was very refreshing. Will definitely be coming back. read more

Reading over some old reviews of this place made me glad to have gone more recent than like... last year lol. Because I noticed they didn't have a credit card machine, I guess they do now because my bf charged our drinks there. I like it here, the bartender was cute, she was nice, wasnt bitchy like other hot bartenders, the drinks were supppper good and they had a long list of crazy drinks for you to try, the only problem was I went on a Tues and it was all old folks in there LOL. I was going across the street to My Tofu House for dinner and my friends were late so I decided to have one of my favs: a Dirty Martini. The bartender made it the way I liked it EXTRA DIRTY!!! with extra olives. She wasnt stingy with the olives too, she put some in my martini glass and gave me another shot glass with a cup full of olives. I love olives, they make me happy LOL My bf had a few well happy hour drinks, vodkas & crans, simple but yet made strong. Just the way he likes it!!! hahaha I gave her a 25% tip the entire time. Good drinks and good service deserves a good tip. Sometimes if I'm generous and I like the service I'm getting I'll give her a 50% tip. I use to serve liquor so I have an idea of tipping. Maybe I'll come on a more busier night and I hope I'll get the same bartender because she was gorgeous, talkative and friendly... but then I'm sure she was working me for my tips LOL... read more

Can't go wrong with a dive bar. Very small joint, a single pool table taking up the main area. Good drink specials and chill vibe, sometimes all a person wants is to hang out without hearing 'hipster, gluten-free, or hand-crafted' come up every other word. Also, bathrooms are very clean. Plus one for that! read more

I used to come here with friends circa 10 years ago. It was my idea. We played pool the first time. What an exciting way to start the weekend! BONUS: Each time I'd get drunk. I would go to Jack in the Box across the street to get a burger and eventually sober up, drive home. read more

This bar is awesome! I love the bartenders there, they are so friendly. They have many different cocktails for $5 each (get the Dragon Slayer - it SLAYS). Also, they make a mean fishbowl margarita!!!!!! On Thursdays, it gets wild in there for "college night" $1.75 shots (they have deals if you get them in bulk) so bring your friends and start your bar hopping night right. They have other really great daily specials ($5 Hennesy, Jameson, Johnnie Black.. depends on which day). It's a small bar that plays sports, has a pool table, and juke box. Overall I love going there for the chill vibes and cool people. read more

Would you Believe I wandered into this place on a fluke? Would you believe this is a little neighborhood place with cute and friendly bartenders? Would you Believe there's a decent selection of booze and beer? Would you Believe that If this place wasn't way out in the boonies I'd come in from time to time? read more

A very amiable waiter named Linda helped explain the how to properly consume the drinks. Nice casual vibe -- when I went there wasn't that many people there (this was a Saturday night). Has a pool table and a couple of TVs. There's also an awkwardly placed urinal in the bathroom. read more

Would you believe? I am going to start my review with that question and reference the fact that there is a 24 hour Jack in the Box across the street? I can't believe it either!!! It seems, in reading other reviews, that A. you have to ask the question using the name of the establishment as a play on words that is clearly overplayed and B. you have to mention another crappy establishment in the same review. So, there, done....I said both and its useful and funny and cool and now that that important, witty and original idea is out of the way I can move on to actually reviewing the place. I toiled over whether to give this place one star or five because it is just that bad, but settled on one since I will likely never return. Upon entering my friends knee jerk reaction to the entire setup was "Wow, this is what Miami is like..........................................................oh, wait, no its not!!" I think the bright blue lit up floorboards and plants surrounding the pool table alongside the fact that the bar was on a raised platform and had more funky lighting built into various surfaces may have been quite Miami-esque but one look at the black velvet wall and the clientele and we knew this was no Miami. No, we then knew we were actually in the Twilight Zone. The patrons here consisted 100% of Asian male tweens with fake IDs staring at the beautiful, very friendly Asian bartenders who only seemed to scrutinize the IDs of the white people in the bar, namely myself and my friends. Okay, I lied, we were not the only people of age in the bar, nor the only white people. There was the token 800 year old white guy who insisted I take his chair while he went and gambled hundreds of dollars away on a pool game with a 20 year old shark, while Babyface blared in the background. And even though the only females were behind the bar there was that one who miraculously appeared, in the restroom stall, right when I had to use the restroom. She took approximately 20 times longer than any female I know and then hit me with her purse on the way out. By the time I finished she was, once again, nowhere to be found. It was about this time that T Pain started playing and they cranked up the volume as he sang about buying some baby girl a drank. It was also about this time that we knew we had to leave. read more

One of these things is not like the others. One of these things just doesn't belong. Can you tell which thing is not like the others by the time I finish my song? Give up? Ok, it's me - the white girl in this bar. I'm generally fine with situations like that, but some of the guys in this place were C-R-E-E-P-Y! And this is coming from a girl who has a creepy mustachioed friend named Dirty Dietz who looks like he just crawled out from under a trailer park and likes to ogle girls until they get very uncomfortable. Dirty Dietz would probably get creeped out by this place. Plus, it's small. Very small. And doesn't seem to have much character. My friends were reminiscing about their underage childhood in the city and wanted to come here, like they did in the good old days. These aren't the good old days and we didn't stay long. Two stars because they carded me. I'm old. I like to be carded. read more

So i have this friend who lives right on top of Would You Believe. He has a tall giant for a roommate. He is single and looking for a significant other. AND he lives on top of a bar. Sounds familiar? No. Not Ted Mosby. Meet my vegan-version friend, Vegg Mosby. So I was just hanging at Vegg Mosby's place on Thursday night waiting on him to find "the one" on Tinder, Coffee Meets Bagel, Match.com, etc, where many girls have profile pictures that make them look dangerously better than they do in real life. I thought that it would be a better idea if Vegg saw some girls in blood and flesh. So in accordance with the Bro-Code, I steered my friend in the right direction and suggested that we go to McClaren's...oops i mean, Would You Believe. Dollar Shot Thursday was on full blast when we arrived. All these college gals and guys were ordering whole plates of shots. Hey, it was only a dollar. My wallet beamed but my liver cringed. A pretty bartender girl asked us for our order through the loud noise and the dense crowd. I tried to open a tab, but they had all these security rules where I can't close the tab below $20, and I had to give them my ID to hold, create a password with one uppercase, and tell them my mother's maiden name. A lot of trouble for alcohol thats poured straight from some questionable PLASTIC bottles. (But hey, they were a dollar.) So after one shot in, Vegg Mosby said, "I don't want just any girl. She needs to be smart, good-looking, and interesting." After the second shot, he said, "But I guess she should be vegan. I don't want to kiss her after she just ate a burger yabish?" Three shots in. "Actually if she's smoking hot I don't care if she's vegan. Or at least a specific part of me doesn't care." Four shots deep. "My girl...she would love eggplants..but not eggs...just eggplants." Five shots. "I want a gi..gi.....grilled cheese......" Vegg Mosby didn't meet the girl of his dreams that night. But for just $5 each, it was pretty entertaining AND the bill was cheaper than the Jack in the Box that we got afterwards. In retrospect, I think it is best that Vegg didn't meet his future wife at Would You Believe anyways. Imagine him having to point out this bar to his kid and be like... that's How I Met Your Mother. read more