Azul
Categories: Lounges, Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhood: Union Square1 Tillman Pl
(at Grant Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94108 (415) 362-9750
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 3:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Late Night
- Music: DJ
- Best Nights: Thu, Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour: Yes
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: Outdoor Area/Patio Only
- Coat Check: No
157 Reviews for Azul
One of Azul's Favorite Reviews
Some friends and I went to Azuls on a Wednesday night around 11. It was pretty slow then. But the atmosphere was great! They played a good variety of music and the server was super friendly and attentive. She even threw in a bunch of extra cherries in my 7Up w/ Grenadine.
They've got these super comfy high back leather couches that just suck you right in and make you feel like you're in a thrown!
I hear they have a salsa night too!
I had a shot of tequila here last night that was so strong that it made my nipples hard. Sadly, that's the most action I've seen in awhile.
Azul, giving single girls thrills since 2000 something.
Yeah.
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Cool (16)
I came here last Tuesday for a Big 10 Happy Hour. Though the venue and decor were cool, the drink I had was not so hot. It was called something like the "Habana Breeze" or something strange (I recall b/c it was like "Havana," but not quite). Basically it was coconut, pineapple, and maybe a bit of passion fruit, and seemed like it'd be a pina colada of sorts, with a twist! Instead it was sour, and I only sucked it down b/c I bought it, rather than the guys we were standing by ;) OK, ok, we just met them, so they didn't really need to buy us drinks. But still, it would've been nice.
Either way, my cocktail was sour, and I wasn't impressed. That said, the guys we met were fun and nice to talk to, so it was a good evening, even though I was thoroughly disappointed by my drink.
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Useful (1)
It's in the lovely old Temple Bar - and good for them, they kept the martini glass sign.
The bartender, Bo, is a real treasure - friendly, positive and professional. Makes very inventive drinks (including the balsamic-berry mojito mentioned below) and the best regular mojito in town. The apps menu is great for a pescaterian like me - lots of choices. It's not a dinner house, but you can put together a great meal of little plates. The music is cool at night, and outdoor seating a plus after shopping during the day. The restroom situation - one M/F only - leaves a bit to be desired - a throwback to the Temple, perhaps.
Came here last week with my coworkers for happy hour after I got off work. There were about 15 of us and we were able to reserve the couches with high backs - pretty damn comfy!
The bartenders and servers were very friendly. I tried this new drink - a strawberry balsamic mojito....DAMN! And I hate regular mojoito's, but this drink was real good. I recommend it to EVERYONE! This place rocks for just exposing me to this drink, if nothing else.
The ambiance inside is cool. Mostly white furniture and very chill. They played good music too. They have a little dance floor and a DJ booth, but they werent being used while we were there (we were there from 5-9).
I'd recommend this place to someone who wants a chill after work spot with some friends!
The drinks were good. The DJ spun some sick tunes. The service was seriously lacking, and they were pretty rude. I probably won't be back because the bad service overwhelmed anything good.
The food here is really good. I loved their cheesy garlic fries with blue cheese! We also ordered nachos and chicken wings (of which I didn't eat).
Unfortunately, their happy hour deals suck. Way too expensive. I think the mojitos were $7 (I don't think they got discounted at all from their regular price) and they were doing $1 off tap beer - lame.
At the end of the night, I got way over charged - they tacked on an extra order of fries, a vodka martini, and some other meat dish. I don't drink so they couldn't fool me! I had to stand there and fight with the bartender that I didn't order all that stuff. She eventually took it off but I was not pleased.
Really glad I checked this place out this past Friday. Wasn't planning on coming but my friends and I needed a place to catch a few drinks before dinner, so we decided to head to Azul.
First of all, it's very easy to miss the alley it's located in. But oddly, that's what first really got me interested. Azul is located at the end of Tillman, and upon entering, you are in a posh, modern bar.
Obviously the place is blue, but it's not too overbearing. We had a few appetizers, tuna tartar and calamari. Both were decent, but the reason I'll be coming back will be the overall vibe of the place.
The people visiting were down to earth, approachable, and everyone seemed to be having a great time. Nice little 'secret' place to grab a drink with a special someone.
I absolutely love that you can sit outside here. Inside is a bit too breeder-like for my taste. Drinks are good and the female bartender could not be nicer.
BEEN AROUND AND WILL COME BACk
I've ben to Azul's a few times and have enjoyed every round I made. The first time was that long happy hour session my friends and I had from 5:30pm - 2:30am. This was the third bar we hit up. I would have to say it's small, cozy, but fun. Maybe it was fun because I was with the best people I could possibly be with in SF.
The other times I've been here was for a quick drinking session before we hit up broadway and go bar hopping. Drink a little, dance a little, and leave.
Meh. Not impressed. The drinks are too expensive to be watered down so much (I drink Jameson and ginger, there's nothing special or difficult about that). The crowd is relatively annoying. Bartenders are fast, but suck at making regular (i.e. non-sweet) drinks. No need to return to this place.
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man, i'm going to rip on this place. when i was there it was fine, although the service was slow. whatever. what made this place a ONE STAR (i would've given it less, if i could have) was that i got major food poisoning from their finger foods. literally, hours after coming here i was vomiting, having stomach cramps, et al... had to spend 5 hours at the hospital, including a stint to the er. would not recommend this place to anyone.
Fri night, and I must escape the Middle Eastern/Indian sausage fest/high school party at Vessel (one girl told me she was 19)...On my way to the car I stick my head in here. Best part about this place was the butch lesbian who kept saying how attractive I was and if she wasn't gay...okay stop for a second!!! If THATs the best part about this place, then kick me in the balls if i ever set foot in there again.
I need to start focusing all my free time on DJing and getting a condo.
People thought this was:
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Surprisingly nice. I was here last Friday for happy hour with some coworkers and other employees and enjoyed myself. The bar area is decent and there are a few booths to relax and socialize. They also have a restaurant area for those who like to sit down and have a meal. We managed to squeeze in our party of about 12 into 1 booth - just pull up some extra ottomans and you're good to go! Just keep an eye out for others around you who may try to steal your seat while you're away - it was getting pretty crowded so it happened to someone in our party!
We had the calamari ($9) which was really good. The pieces were nice and thick and the batter was flavorful and crunchy, served with an aioli sauce. I also got to taste the cheezy garlic french fries ($4) - that was also pleasant to munch on - plenty of flavor there too!
I had the white sangria which was perfect! I agree with Natalie's review in that the sangria tasted very tropical, with pieces of grapefruit. I loved it! Alan ordered some beer that they had on tap - ice cold Sierra Nevada was one and it was also good.
Reason for docking a few stars - service was soooooo dang slow! Yea they were busy but it's not like the place was completely packed! My coworkers warned me that the male waiter was super duper slow so we ordered from the ladies - service was still pretty slow. BUT, they do a very good job of keeping the place clean, and constantly removing empty plates and glasses.
Overall, we all had a good time! The dj was playing nice music so it made the evening enjoyable. With it's convenient location, I wouldn't mind coming back for a few drinks!
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I have no idea what these guys are talking about. I've been to Azul several times in the past and have always had a good time. John, the owner, is a very friendly man who agreed to waive the bar minimum for a cross-company networking mixer that I organize every quarter for LGBT professionals of major Bay Area corporations. He shut down the place for our private event and had his best servers on the floor that evening. That's more than I can say about a lot of other bar owners.
The bartenders are friendly and very accomodating, food is good, and the ambience is decent. Great for after work happy hour! Highly recommended.....
I've been to this place three times over the past couple of years -- seems to be hopping more on weeknights than weekends. They've consistently had good music (Latin, hip-hop, etc... depending on the night) which has been good.
They used to have a cool little room with no windows downstairs with another DJ which was kind of fun, but that seems to be gone now. Bring back the basement!
This place makes my "Worst of SF" list. On a Friday night out with a friend we stumbled upon Azul. I It looked kinda cool from the outside, like a hidden club in an alley. However, what a waste of a cover charge!!! I think it was over ten each. While I am usually such a lady, I actually asked them to give my cover $ back! They didn't.
The floors were sticky and gripped the bottom of my shoes as I entered. The crowd was pretty much white-trash fried hair east bay girls or guys who looked like they were drug dealers. At first I didn't realize that they served food, then looking up stairs, I almost laughed. My friend ordered a vodka tonic, and me a club soda. We stayed less than 30 min. It was early in the eve (maybe 10) on a Friday, so they hadn't really gotten started. I didn't want to wait around.
Also, I should mention that I am really not into clubs. I'd say pretty much just a lounge girl. A wine lounge girl preferably.
Azul -- It's aiiiiiiight, I suppose, for a drink or two. I wouldn't want my entire night out to revolve around this bar. My boyfriend had a gig here and the dancefloor was big enough for maybe 25 people to boogie comfortably. The sound was pretty lame.
The location was nice and tucked away. I'd call it a decent choice for an afterwork bar or a casual date.
Basically.....AZUL.......it's just aiiiiight. Not great. Not bad.
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Do I rate a place solely on a company party with an open bar?
No...cuz that would automatically get 5 stars from me. I mean...lets be honest ...open bar?
However I have been here before, and it just isn't my scene. Rude bartenders, semi alright DJ's and too many douchebags to count. I love that word. You can write it in a review and people just know. They know what im talking about because they too have seen douchebags.
Kind of like this guy. http://img297.imagesha...
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had my frist date with my ex boyfriend here......
and then i saw it on bridezilla... so if you have ever been there you know that is really small but intimate. and all blue. its really nice place to chill. its near an alley by vessel. not a whole lot of space and not a whole lot of people. i really like how secluded it is so you feel like you know about this really cool little spot. its your little secret. but from seeing how many reviews there are on this place not a well kept secret... the funniest thing i thought when i saw it on bridezilla was 1.hey ive been there and 2. why are they trying to make it look like a super mega night club when the place can only fit about 75 people comfortably??? so i got a good laugh. over all it think its fun for first dates and just hanging out with your friends. the bartender is really good at the guest my age game too. he got my age within 1 month of my bday... extra tip for him
You know what?
I like this bar.
Someone come with me to get drinks!
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Who would've known this place existed off an alley way in front of the Banana Republic? But anyway, walk down Tillman and you'll walk up to Azul. It has a restaurant/cafe and bar all in one. I went for happy hour yesterday and ordered their $6 sangria. It was a white sangria and very tasty. It sorta had a pineapple flavor to it. I especially liked that they had little chunks of orange, green apple and grapefruit in it...so tropical! I had a sip of a cucumber cooler and it was also yummy, but potently strong. It had lots of lemonade to cover up the tons of vodka inside the drink. Yummers and a good way to get tipsy!
So we were chilling in the VIP section and Chris Rock was there, and yes, I still only give it one star. Yuppies bumping and grinding like a high school dance. No one could really dance. One bathroom. Just lame. No one was servicing us in the VIP section. I felt like I was back at home living in a suburb, not the awesome city of San Francisco.
Went on a Thurs. night for "just one drink" but ended up staying until last call after the DJ began spinning old school hip hop. I'm pretty sure my friend and I were the only ones in our 30s but we had a great time. Come before 10 pm to snag a sofa so you can watch the dance-offs and enjoy the scene.
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Very dissappointing. Went there on a mellow Wednesday evening for a happy hour. The first round of passionfruit majito's were undrinkable and the food was mediocre. The staff were nice though; they acknowledged the drinks were a bit off and replaced them.
It was happy hour. I had two cucumber infused vodka cosmos. Tasted a little light. I decided to go drink with the bigger boys and ordered a manhattan. Two of them. Oops! I was sorry...
Sorry I didn't order anything from the kitchen because well, mixing alcohol on an empty stomach is not fun.
I still made it to work the next day! Gotta Love It! Thanks!
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I like the happy hour 5 to 7p.m. Smells like bleach inside.
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OK So my roomie bounces for this swanky joint. He asks me to tag along on a lonely Saturday night so I can at least get out of the house.
We parked in a garage around the corner and strutted our selves over to the Lil alley that reminded me of stepping into a french bistro. At the end of the alley was Azul.
The folks inside were friendly and the bartender sure could hook up a Tokyo Tea that had this girl buzzed with delight!
OK so I crashed a private party... but after the hosts of the party found out that My roomie forgot about the private party.... They welcomed me with open arms.
The DJ was good and for this event he spun what they asked for.
So for a private party Azul is a wonderful place to be.
Next time buddy remember the schedule so I can join the regular masses. Stay tunned for the Regular crowd adventures! I will be back to Azul.
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There is a film noir-ish quality about Azul, the darkness with deep blue hues, white couches. Empty bars, people in secret rendez vous, murderer and victims. Yea I agree with Dr. Phil R's review. This is the bar to be when you're meeting somebody you're about to kill and you want to cover your tracks because nobody you know will blatantly chose this place unless they're an alcoholic and trying to drink their nights away.
Although the setting is a bit uncomfortable, the sofas are narrow and doesn't really give a sense of private space.The upstairs area has weird plastic chairs that seem to be gliding on the floor everytime u get up and down.
Doesn't do it for me, the wine list is short. But the people was nice, not too expensive and a nice hideaway spot after shopping hours i guess. No wait.
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Cool = hidden away location, bar with lounge sofas and good drink selection. Not cool = the level of noise in this place. I love music and love hearing patrons enjoying themselves. But this place is ridiculous - I literally had to yell for the person next me to hear anything I wanted to say. We stayed for one drink and quickly left. I didn't eat any of their food or sit in the dining area, but the bar experience was rough.
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Boring bar that has no one in it on a Friday night. It's almost like a cheesy dive bar that's been dressed up. I'll never go back.
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Only came here because Temple & Ruby Skye's had such a long ass line this past wkend and my guy friends were NOT willing to wait.
So, Azul, it was, where it was quite empty...
The crowd was a mix.
Not my scene, and not a place i would come often to chill at.
Man, SF and I do not get along when it comes to the party scene, keep in mind that i am from LA, and i'm not the typical LA girl.. i'm a girl who likes to explore lounges and honestly, i think i might as well drop my drinking // bar // club scene in SF...
Parking was quite horrible... Walking 6 blocks is not my thing. Mind me, I was in my 5 inch heels. Someone want to pick me up or something? Ok, well, my guy friends DID offer a cab, but I felt stupid because I was the only one complaining. Next time, im DEF taking a cab cause I endedup getting blisters!
They have comfy couches inside that's perfect for us people who like to lounge around, and theres an outdoor place for those who like to smoke and get a whiff of fresh air.
What's UP with ONE bathroom? I couldn't believe that I had to share, SHARE with a bunch of MALES, at a lounge for that matter. I've learned men, sober or not, have a trouble time aiming their wee wee inside the toilet.
Ew! Ew! Ew!
First impression: not super great and not super bad, but the bathroom really killed it.
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Been on like 3 different dates Here.
You know when you go on a date or "meet someone for drinks" and it's sort of like this weird not sure if it's a date thing? That's really what I mean when i say 3 dates. The martinis are good. Nothing to write home about. I think they have the big olives which are the only thing worth making martinis with. Why do they even make the small olives? I will sacrifice the tiny bit of vodka that I will lose for the larger olive.
Anyways. 2 of the three dates turned out not to be real dates. The third turned out to be a date and we drank like fish. The girl forgot where she lived and we drove around in cab for a while trying to find out where she lived. Needless to say it was whaaaaaack
Oh the Calamari was cold. booo.
Cool spot if you're downtown and looking for a watering hole.
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Kind of a tucked away place. I've been here on varying nights. Some nights are super packed (of course on the weekends). I never really know what the music schedule is like, or at least I'm not smart enough to figure it out. It is hit and miss with the crowd depending on music. Some nights are better than others but every club/bar has it's ups and downs. The weekday crowd is pretty chill. For happy hour they also serve food, it's surprisingly good and well presented for a lounge. Crazy cool Vietnamese bartender chick!
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Even though this place always tries a little too hard to be the freshmaker of swank, I have always kind of liked it. The vibe is good -- servers who are always cool and bartenders with atypically generous pours. Despite an array of eclectic designer sofas, I find it a comfortable setting for standing around and doing the people-watch thing. And not a bad locale, despite its retail-heavy surroundings.
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Yeah, I dig it ... but not in a final destination way.
This isn't the sort of bar that I would actually leave the house for but I have ended up here in a 'hey, wanna stop in and grab a drink' as we're on our way to and/or from somewhere else. Never disappointing. Great people watching.
I chalk up the scene as a deliciously cozy swank lounge with a side of dark hidden alley dive bar. This is a great place if you need to get out but would rather not bump into anyone that you know.
it's okay... the lay out doesn't really make sense... especially when it is empty. The bartenders are friendly and professional but the place just needs customers during the work week and it should do fine.
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I checked out Azul for the first time two months ago when my homeboys were spinning their soulful house set/rotation. Just missed the guest list. Paid $10 cover - not bad. I like the digs of this place. I'd come back here again. It was a small venue for good soulful house music, though.
The sound system could use some work. Drink prices weren't so bad. Parking is just right across the street, easy access to get to - you can't miss Tillman, especially if you're in between Sutter and Bush! Right next to Nine West! BAM!
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This place is cool, a bit out of the way and hard to find for some. Ive worked the door here a couple times, the crowd is cool, usually gets pretty full. The bathrooms can be a problem but theres a seperate one near the DJ booth upstairs if you know about it you'll be there instead of waiting in line in the stairwell. Party buses frequent here so be prepared for the drunkards!!
Theres a room downstairs and seating upstairs with the main room in the middle of them...the bar is big and looks great, but tastes better!!
Nice spot!! Classy and trendy...wont be back unless theres something great, Im not gonna hate, its just not 'it'.
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So, I tell my local SF friends I wanna go bar-hopping in the Mission and they bring me here. WTF. NOT HAPPY. But I try to make the best of it (and pound some double stoly & soda's in the meantime) and I make the following observations.
PLUS:
- Open tables and chairs - nice to be able to throw your stuff down and walk around and dance.
- The DJ that just kept playing old school MJ and Prince (musical genius of our time).
- Easy parking - big lot right across the street. Almost unheard of in SF.
MINUS:
- One bathroom. No really one bathroom - unisex (which I don't mind) but c'mon, 1 bathroom. NOT ACCEPTABLE.
- The vibe in there altogether. I prefer to forget about it. But let's just say, at one point, I felt like an extra in "Night at the Roxbury"
- The exremely RUDE bartenders. No really, I'm a girl, you're a boy, You're supposed to be very nice to me (and then expect a big tip after you wink at me).
- The serving drinks in clear plastic cups. Sure it's more sanitary than glass, but I feel like I'm back in high school when I drink from those.
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