On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Mon-Fri. 3:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat-Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
"I loved my experience here. Came on a Mon. night, the place was half fun - live sultry jazz singer, great ambience. It did take the…" read more »
Loading...
A great addition to the Castro Renaissance.
I think one of the owners is a long time Castro bartender who I think took to reading the years of bitching on yelp from miserable gays like me and decided to do something about.
First of all the design is creative and inviting. The lighting is respectful like its shaded but you can actually see people and enjoy looking at them.
But what's best is the bar, its so elegant and it contains really great alcohol and drinks. Finally a Castro bar focuses on the drink making and not just that. They have a great selection of wines. Wines are notoriously bad at gay bars in my accomplished experience.
However, here they are actually promoted and the selection is admirable and thoughtful written out charmingly on butcher block paper twice hanging in two different ends of the bar.
I now look forward to going to a bar in the Castro to just meet and talk with folks. Blackbird makes that happen.
I dig the cocktails, definitely, and most of the crowd. Aviation might be my new go-to drink at any establishment that carries creme de violette. I cannot believe I just wrote that.
I DO NOT dig how crowded it is during a peak hour; just try to get there outside of 8 - 10 PM, otherwise you might need to throw elbows, and don't forget, these are all Castro gays who work out all the time and show off their huge arms in tight ironic Hillary Clinton t-shirts. So they could totally beat you up.
But seriously--the cocktail quality definitely suffers when it's crowded, which makes sense. So if there's a line three people deep at the bar, you might want to stick to MOOSE DROOL!
here is the breakdown of blackbird's 4 star rating:
-1: stirred, not shaken manhattan.
+1: manhattan was surprisingly delicious.
+1: cinnamon liqueur braised brandied cherries in my cocktail.
+1: actually, that gets two points. they're really good.
+1: old overholt whiskey.
It's really classy lookin. When I walked in If I didn't notice all the steamy hot gay men I would have mistaken it for a straight bar. It had some nice drinks and a pool table. I agree
What a gorgeous bar! Good wines and nice atmosphere.
I went here for a friend's art opening so I'm not sure if it's usually that busy.
I really like this place. They have some great cocktails and a good happy hour - pretzels baby!
The decor makes it appear like the left side of the bar is a different place than the right side of the bar.
And finally, to get the photobooth working you insert the money under the seat - now that deserves a +1 useful.
Stumbled upon Blackbird looking for a cocktail following an amazing dinner at Starbelly, the place was packed on a Thursday you could barely get inside.
My drink was awesome, so good I had another after I said I was going to go home. I had the Early bird, a vodka cocktail made with Elderflower, lemon and soda water. Very nice.
I'd come back, but if I had a group - I'd be prepared to stand or wait for a table.
A fun bar. You've got a little bit of everybody inside. Good vibe. The music isn't blaring, so you can actually have a conversation. Bonus star for carrying hangar one vodka. I'll definitely frequent this bar if only it stay this way. You never know . The Badlands "overflow" might make its way over. Sorry for the cheap shot...to each his own.
Love the atmosphere, love the drinks, love the bartenders and love the location!
They have a pool table and a photo booth too!!
Hmmm, I am torn on this review. I have heard rave reviews about this place since it opened. While it is a welcome addition to the Castro, it feels more SOMA-ish to me. Kind of like Wish on Folsom.
The decor is cool, lots of mixed seating options, a strategically placed (thank you!) pool table at the back, long bar and cool dropped ceiling. But the vibe felt off to me, almost confused? And whoa, I have never been in a noisier bar. What is going on with the accoustics in there?
The bartenders were attentive and friendly. I like the big scroll drink menus :) I will more than likely find myself in there again, but I found it just A-ok...
Two more experiences at Blackbird, and it has managed to scape itself up another star.
While their own drink menu is still horrendous and they haven't changed it 1 iota despite the promise of their tear down brown paper menu, my last visits were fun.
Taught one of the bartenders to make a French 75 one night and they are still friendly and fast.
I'm knocking Blackbird down a peg to counter the gross over praise of what is for all intensive… Read more »
I am of the strong opinion that San Francisco's gayborhood needs more class. Compared to others of similar repute, too many of the Castro's bars are ho-hum, if not downright dingy...this place is a breath of fresh air.
Blackbird is visually refined, yet comfortable. It brings the style in spades, but doesn't do it in a minmod steel-and-strobe lights way. The plank lumber drop ceiling over slate tables compliments dangling oversize light bulbs hanging over the bar; the bathrooms and pool table in the back hold their own.
Once you're in and have taken in the surround, the drinks are reasonable and the clientele is friendly. WIN! Castro bar of the year '09!
In my book there used to be no such thing as a stumbling block to Lucky 13, the unanimous choice for my roommates and I to get hammered.
But then this place transformed from creepy poophole to kind of awesome bar but don't get me wrong, I'm not completely won over.
I'm not super huge on the crowd. It was a bit too dressed up and showy for my tastes. Additionally it seemed like everyone was having a birthday party here but this was an easy thing to get past. The best part about this place easily is their diverse selection of beer and the great bartenders. Shaun (probably misspelling your name) is an asset to this venue in terms of his knowledge of beer and ability to recommend something good. I had Mama's Little Pils on draft and was very pleased with the choice. Add this to selection of ambers and interesting domestics they have on draft on this place soon becomes a decent spot to come have some beer.
The space is good, it's roomy and there's a pool table that wasn't too tough to get in line for. The wall paper scheme they have going is kind of awesome too.
Don't misunderstand, you're still my love Lucky 13, but this place isn't bad.
Ah... the Castro. Anything opens, and there is a crowd. This one however, is a great addition to the area. It's a nice looking place. I would say that anywhere else it would just be a neighborhood bar, but here it looks really classy.
Say what you want about people dressing up or down, t-shirts or shirts. Quite frankly, I've never seen so many people wearing shirts with buttons around here. Again, anywhere else, this would just be a regular bar I guess. Here it seems like a nice addition to diversity...
I wouldn't say that this place was dressy (because it isn't) but if you don't want to be part of this kind of "scene", there are plenty of other bars in the area where you won't feel out of place in shorts and a t-shirt.
I tried a glass of the tannat, awful. But the beers were good and so was the jack and coke...
Blackbird was eh.
I'm kind of a cocktail snob, so I was super excited to see, on their giant butcher-paper drink menu, that the bar uses Laird's Applejack in one of their signature cocktails. Laird's can be tough to find (or, at least, it was in Boston. I'm a newbie to SF, so maybe that's not the case here?).
My favorite drink in the world, a "vintage" cocktail called the Jack Rose, is also made with Applejack, so I asked the bartender for one.
She didn't know how to make it. Which is absolutely fine. I don't expect that every bartender know how to make relatively obscure cocktails. But she was totally bitchy about it, and acted like it was either something I'd made up in college, or some chain restaurant cocktail that doesn't exist in "real" bars.
So that sucked and made me feel stupid.
I could have just told her how to make it, but I ended up ordering whatever cocktail it was that had the Laird's in it, and it was pretty good. Very autumnal. So, three stars for the drink. No stars for the bartender's shitty attitude.
Lots of dudes. Dudes that like to stare, ogle, drool and snicker.
Pool table is a nice touch especially if you wanna bend over and offer your ass to the crowd. The photo booth is also useful to take a picture of your trophy or disgrace.
I'm giving it 4 starts because they offer tannat and malbec by the glass. Only place in the U.S. that I've ever seen that even offers tannat. The wine prices weren't outrageous so I can't really complain.
went for a drink to meet a dear friend. Escaped the crowd by sitting at the bar. Was sipping a delicious cocktail when my friend showed up looking gorgeous and sexy. All adds up to a fantastic time.
And a jay- song was on.
AND A JAY-Z SONG WAS ONNNNNN
Oh, Miley.
Anyways. This bar is very to the point, so I'll be to the point.
Staff: Friendly as can be, and super cute in a non-modeleque kind of way, but cute nonetheless.
Drinks: Tasty and priced correctly. Yes, correctly.
People: Imagine all your friends in one place. Yep, they're there.
Location: 20 feet from Church Street Station and about 15 bus stops. Couldn't be better.
Blackbird is where business happens.
Out of the ashes of the old dive bar The Expansion, briefly reincarnated as The Metro, comes another new spot in the Castro's refreshening nightlife: Blackbird. The decor is deliberately rustic chic, which could easily have looked like a stodgy bar my Grandfather would have gone to without the elegant touches that makes this probably the best decor of any Castro gay bar (even beating Trigger in some respects).
I went once on a Monday evening, when it was pretty busy (on a Monday, no less!), and again on a Friday when it was jam packed. As other reviewers have mentioned, if you push past the knot of people in the front, there's a bit more space farther inside. It's a nice place to meet friends and visit, but also surprisingly easy to mingle despite the long bench and rows of chairs. Another excellent addition to the Castro.
This place was HOT.
Hot, like.. I had to step outside cause I was sweating so much from the temperature inside!
Hot, like.. hot guys everywhere. Seriously well dressed and good looking crowd.
Hot, like.. super crowded! this place is popular!
I don't know if I am hot enough to come back here but if they let me in once, maybe they will again. :P
A lil' bit of everything for everyone:
Pool table? Check.
Photo booth? Check.
Ample seating in various forms? Check.
Historic literature plastered on the walls? Cool artwork to look at? Double check.
Great beer? Cocktails? Cordials? Wine? YES.
On the beer side,I love that they have Sudwerk! As a UCDavis grad, that makes me proud. Booze-wise, they have chartreuse and a nice little drinky called the Early Bird - really light yet flavorful drink mixed with Elderflower liqueur, Vodka, and soda water.
Good happy hour, great vibe.
Love it. This place is just what the neighborhood ordered. Good beers on tap, good cocktails, and great atmosphere. Only downside - this place is cash only, otherwise I would have given it 5 stars. C'mon, it's 2009 and you don't take credit cards?
I've been to this bar twice and have enjoyed my time here. It's been super packed...almost unbearable, but what bar in the Castro is not on a weekend night?
The drinks were good and the staff was friendly. I like the little photo booth in the back. The decor is interesting. It reminds me of something from Chicago or New York - almost like a loft feel.
Definitely worth checking out!
Enjoy!
Sometimes you just want a bar where you can wear a black wife-beater and tight jeans, grease up your bulging arms (and bulging bulge) and dance your pretty little heart out.
I never want those bars. And this is certainly not one of those bars. And this is why Blackbird and I are about to embark on a beautiful relationship. One where we might occasionally make out after a few drinks (but I won't go any further, I swear!).
This is a great cross between being divey/chill and trendy/fun. It's a very long and narrow bar with lots of seats and tables (made out of bark?) all down the left-hand side. There are some old school red diner booths in the back that sandwich an old pool table. Some of the walls have old school SF Inquirer front pages (and by "old-school," I mean JFK and WWII style). Other walls have paintings and funky lights.
I hear it can get crowded depending on the time of night, so either come here in the early evening or as your final spot.
There's going to be a good drunken story to come out of here.
A new venue for the Castro, and truly when they say they are a dive bar - that they are. It's really different from what the Metro was, however, for being a dive--it comes with a great ambiance, style, and a nice retro feel to the place.
The photo booth is a good place to document those drunken stories.
We entered it three times, that night.
It's a nice crowd, some trying too hard--but some, who looked like they'd be well equipped to try a few things... on you.
Blackbird, I will be back.
I spy with my little eye... hipsters and h-mos and yuppies - oh my!
My number one gay brought me to Blackbird for an after-work cocktail on our way to the Cafe re-launch event and I'm sold. It's filled with people from all of the surrounding neighborhoods, and I love a mixed crowd.
Bar staff was talkative, attentive and made sure that our pretzel cup was never empty. And they weren't shy with their whiskey either.
Now, if only they served some nom-my nibbles I'd REALLY be hook-line-and-sinkered.
I came here for the first time last night, and must say I really enjoyed myself when the place wasn't packed to the brim.
I walked in, and loved the rustic, sea breeze warn decor. The lighting was soft and inviting to the eye. The petrified wood tables added a nice touch to the seemingly sailor jaunt the place could have been back in the 1800s. The layout is long and narrow: bar on the right, seating on the left--seemingly reminiscent of similar bars in NYC.
The drinks here are good, especially taking into consideration of the fresh ingredients they have available for the drinks. I did notice that the bartender was able to make my drinks, and if he didn't know he quickly found out from another bartender (my Kentucky mint julep for example), and learned my shot later, buffalo sweat, was bourbon and Tabasco. I will say the bartender was rude at one point, and is part of the reason why knocking them a star. If you start out asking me what I'm ordering, and then immediately turn to the person next to me and flirt with her before coming back and asking me what my drink is again, I'm not going to be a happy camper.
The other point I didn't really care for was when the place got packed. It was really hard to move throughout the bar, and it took a fair amount of time to get through the crowd to actually get another drink.
The crowd here is mixed, yet is certainly well-balanced from what I could tell. For this seemingly being a straight/gay bar, it seemed to lean slightly more towards gay scene. In any regard, a few guys certainly caught my eye.
All-in-all, another great bar to hit up when it isn't packed. I would certainly check it out even though it is a few blocks away from Castro.
Okay, I've only been to this bar twice and I like it already.
I love the crowd at this bar, I honestly thought I was in a different city. None of the people looked familiar, and believe me you see the same faces in every bar in SF. I like the ambience, love the lighting, ample seats and decent drinks. This bar introduces a whole new "middle end" scene, and is a great hang out on the weekends.
On the downside, it does get super crowded, but hey that's a part of the fun, right?
Love, love, Looove.
Happy hour is awesome, $3 well drinks and a few bucks off of beers. It's such a great place to meet people, no matter where you live it's always easy to get to church.
Only suggestion is for them to get the credit cards going - but they're on it...
My new favorite bar. It looks amazeballs after the remodel. So thank you blackbird for contributing and encouraging my alcoholism.
And it is one of the few bars (shockingly) in sf that might actually be mixed.
Now this is my kind of bar. I wish it could be a bit more gay, but there's nothing I can do to control that.
Part of me wants to give this place low ratings, so it'll keep the douche bags (that go to Trigger) away, but that would be too selfish.
Friendly staff, cheap drinks, cold pint glasses for beer and delicious cocktails.
Now if they could only start taking credit cards!
they have a decent happy hour and beautiful decor. they pasted old newspapers on the wall from WWII and the quake of '89. they also have a pool table and photo booth. this place does get really crowded during the evening time, so come early!
I was here for a happy hour event on Thursday. The warm wood paneling and windows add to the street. I loved the decor of the bar. I loved the long row couch that lines the wall in front of the bar. The offer a great selection on tap and an eclectic full bar.
I like the amount of people at this event . The bar wasn't too rushed. One could move and not spill a drink. I imagine the pool table can be moved and that space would be the dance floor.
The proximity to Church street station MUNI is an added bonus. I can see myself back here.
There's a new bird in town called the Blackbird, so hold on to your tail feathers and puff up those plumes coz this bird is flying high and beating the competition!
Headed there for the first time Saturday night around 1030PM to meet up with the BF and his friend, and all in all, had a really good time!
THE GOOD:
- Modern, hip and definitely a bit swanky (you're right, Gregor G.) YET balanced perfectly with friendliness, diversity and charm
- Almost reminded me of the bar in "Cheers" with the warm color tones in side, but just turn the "well dressed+gay and mixed crowd+cool" knob all the way up!
- REALLY nicely done up inside with the suspended ceiling with patchwork wood panels, awesome art on the walls and the neat wooden furniture mixed in with simple 80s metal chairs
- The drinks were priced just right and made really well... take a cue "rest of the competition"
- The staff, right from the bouncer to the bartenders to the folks picking up glasses were friendly, down to earth and happy to be there... take a cue "rest of the competition"
- Despite how crowded the place were, the bartenders were quick with getting our drinks and always smiling.... THUMBS UP to y'all for doing such a superb job!
- The crowd was definitely the winner for it was really great to see such diversity in the already mixed crowd (and I HATE to use the world "clicks") but pretty much every "click" was there and having a good time mixing with one another
- The other winner was that either they don't play any music or the music was played so low I could not hear it, but I could ACTUALLY hear my conversation with others and vice versa, instead of nodding my head like a dumb ass
- The N, J, F, 37, 22 Muni lines run close to it and its right by restaurants, other bars and the Castro is a hop-skip-jump away
- It's definitely not a "dirty jeans + torn T-shirt + flip flops" kind of place, but it was nice to wear something dressy and mingle
THE BAD:
- Someone was having their birthday celebration the night we were there so it was really packed to the gills to the point where it was shoulder to shoulder standing space, but I did not mind it too much
- Since the place is very long, it can get pretty humid if you're standing in the middle, which probably explains why the most packed crowds were by the entrance
THE UGLY:
- None that I can think of
Blackbird get my thumbs up, slap on the back, whack on the tush, kiss on the cheek, motoring breasts and a good old Yelp 5-star!
Nice to have you in the hood!
I've been here 89869018985 times in the past week or so. It's safe to say that I love Blackbird.
The bartenders are on point and serve up some mean cocktails with a smile. Love that.
My only requests, and they're small, would be getting Miller Lite available and possibly adding back the jukebox. I'm a sucker for putting too much money into a jukebox to play a song I've heard a million times.
Otherwise, keep on keeping on you sexy beast. Xoxoxoxo.
Was here last night for the opening and was super impressed.
The renovation was a big success. The…
Read more »
I met up with some friends here for a cocktail before heading to the Swedish American Hall and it did not disappoint.
Having gone there when it was the Expansion, I was amazed to see the transformation. I have nothing against the dive it was before, I love dives, but this new bar was a little lighter, a little bigger (hey must have knocked out a back room or something), and a lot less dreary.
I also find that a bartender can really make or break a place, and the guys here made it. They were extremely nice, patient and made a mean cocktail (and reasonably priced ones at that). And the dark wood bar against the light wall was striking. I also liked that although it was a Saturday night, we all got a seat. And it had a nice friendly vibe and so close to my house. I'd definitely go back there again.
Daddy likes. It's a little swanky for a place that insists it's still just a neighborhood bar, but they have a GREAT wine selection and very friendly folks 'tending. I was a little aghast to see they actually painted the beautiful wood on the bar that's been there since way back when it was the Expansion, but I suppose that's better than having removed it. It can get a little douchey in here, but weekend afternoons are still delightful for chatting and clinking.
No, I swear it's a mixed crowd!
What a great new addition to the neighborhood!
It looks kind of swanky, but it's filled with a friendly mix of locals. It features crafty cocktails and high-end beers, yet you can still grab a $3 can of Tecate. It's gay-friendly, but not a gay bar. It's straight-friendly but not a straight bar. It's stylish, but not intimidating. It's poppin' at night, but is perfect for happy hour...
Blackbird's got it juuuuuuuuuust right.
(21st Amendment Watermelon Wheat, FTW!)
I was at Blackbird on a Saturday night. There were twice as many people there as the occupancy limit. No credit cards accepted. No lock on the bathroom door.
I'll pass.
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
The things I do when I walk down my…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
