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Blur
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 4 pm - 2 am
Sat-Sun 10 am - 2 am
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Wed, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Chantelle A. said: "The Big 4 was recommended to us by a SF local we met. The Big 4 Restaurant is located in the Hotel Huntington a few steps from our hotel, Fairmont Hotel. We walk in and I'm immediately impressed with the intimacy of the bar area, the…" read more »
272 reviews for Blur
Review Highlights
"They have great cocktails and a killer happy hour."
(in 64 reviews)
"The bartenders are always friendly."
(in 76 reviews)
"i'll definitely be back for trivia night."
(in 10 reviews)
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272 reviews in English
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Review from David M.
1/10/2012
So, this place is awesome for happy hour. They do a buy one, get one free...anything! To top it off, the bar staff is friendly, and doesn't force you to have both drinks poured at once, leaving the other to warm up on the counter.
I was also excited to try their food, but the kitchen was closed for reapirs. I'm sure whatever is coming out of the kitchen is what's being poured at the bar. Anyways, if you're in the area, or even if you're not, make sure to stop by Blur and grab a drink, they'll take care of you. cheers. -
Review from Vanessa S.
Oakland, CA
12/26/2011 2 Check-ins Here
My one of my favorite bands is Blur so of course, I'm going to go to a place that's called Blur! I actually came here twice during the same night. I came here before a concert, on a Friday, and after. When I was here before the concert, it was pretty chill. My friend and I had a few drinks. The drinks are great and the atmosphere is pretty cool. It wasn't too busy, which was nice. After the concert, it was totally different. It was crazy crowded and it seemed like it was all a bunch of college kids. It totally killed the atmosphere of the place.
I will come here again, but I'm going to make sure not to come here to late when the place is packed with college kids. -
Review from Alexis B.
San Francisco, CA
11/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good stuff! This happy hour sure makes me happy. In this town of pricey drinks, 2 for 1 til 6pm is a site for sore computer staring eyes.
Miller lite = $4 (so you get 2 beezies for $4! during HH). Bing! Winner!
The atmosphere / decor is pretty cool & chill. The bartender was helpful & friendly. I hope work has more happy hours at this location. -
Review from Jack P.
San Francisco, CA
1/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place had evolved from it's simple beginnings, but they're doing it right!!!
Great bartenders, great happy hour and great drinks!!! -
Review from Lauren M.
Mountain View, CA
1/15/2012
Awesome bar, probably my favorite in the City. Lounge-y feel, great happy hour deals. Cheap beers, strong drinks, friendly bartenders. Always good people at Blur, mixed crowd. Gets packed on the weekend.
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Review from Angela L.
1/17/2012
Confirmed! Second time here, and liked it again! On a Saturday night at roughly 10-11pm. Not crowded, good atmosphere, good music (mashedup house. woot ma faves) ... Will be go-to place if around area. ;P
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Review from Shad B.
San Francisco, CA
1/21/2012 5 Check-ins Here
Happy hour is 2 for 1 everyday. That is pretty hard to beat. One of my favorite spots on Polk; Blur has excellent drinks, good music and a good vibe/crowd.
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Review from Lina L.
San Francisco, CA
1/30/2012
Fun atmosphere, but loud. But that's kind of why it's fun. Drunken Saturday nights with lots going on - lots of people, noise, drinks, etc.
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Review from Jeremy S.
San Francisco, CA
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Decent selection of beer (both on tap and bottled), and my girlfriend likes the cocktails (especially the red headed margarita). Usually less crowded than the surrounding Polk St bars, which is a nice change of pace.
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Review from Chris M.
10/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Quick pit-stop to meet a friend.
I visited on a weeknight, it was pretty quiet but perfect to catch up with friend. Beers where cheap and they have a reasonable selection.
The bartender was super friendly and even treated us to a free shot of Jameson's, and some mobile phone advice (If you are interested Metro PCS is where its at apparently)
It is a cool bar, dark and mysterious. I hear it has trivia on Wednesdays... I may be back for that one day :)
It is tough competition on Polk St, but this place is worth checking out -
Review from Cameron B.
Washington, DC
12/14/2011
I was on a bar crawl with some SF friends when we happened upon this place. Interesting format with the menu suspended above the bar on the roof, and the eternal problem of the small-ones-y bathroom that always seems to be occupied this bar was actually quiet nice. Not many options but to snuggle up to another group. If they aren't on a date then you might just make a new friend. That being said the bar got very crowded as the night wore on and the bartender had problems keeping up with the onslaught so maybe come here on a more sleepy night!
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Review from Liz W.
7/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here last Thursday for some late happy hour, right after work/dinner. The place was about 20 people deep when I was there, a few people extremely rowdy and drunk....and within 30 minutes of being there, it completely cleared out and only 3 of us were left! The bartender mentioned that people come in waves.. lol.
For the drinks here, I had a Blurry Samurai. It was great except for the fact that it was sooooo strong it felt like I was drinking straight vodka. Another bartender noticed the expression on my face and added some more pineapple juice into, which then afterwards I would give the drink a 4-star. I also wished they had put in more Sake, as I saw the bartender put a mere drop of it into the drink [it's made with vodka + sake, orange juice, and pineapple juice].
I also tried my friend's Blurry Mojito [good, probably 3.5 stars] and their caipirinha [2 stars...my friend's dad makes them and these are no where in comparison]. -
Review from Phan H.
Berkeley, CA
10/29/2011
A very small bar, not really a lounge. Came here on a friday night, lots of women were here, so it was an obvious choice. Pretty chill, not a bad place to come meet people.
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Review from D d.
San Francisco, CA
10/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Always wanted to try this place....it was super packed, we were able to order without a long wait, great drinks and menu....good music and crowd!!!!
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Review from Alexis R.
Santa Ana, CA
8/5/2011
Pros: Bartender are great, very nice individuals. Drinks are very good and they are sometimes generous with the alcohol. The mood is very: coooool.
Cons: You better go on thursday night because friday and saturday get UNCOMFORTABLY packed. It would be ok if people were dancing and doing their thing, but this place people are just standing and chatting.
If you are bar hopping, you can skip this one. Overall it was "meh. I've experienced better." -
Review from Rachel R.
5/23/2011
Mixed review on Blur....
My friends and I went on a Sunday, which is apparently their off day. They didn't have some of the drinks on the menu, the kitchen is closed and the bartender was a little iffy with the service.
Can't beat the happy hour specials though. -
Review from Christine L.
San Francisco, CA
4/23/2011
This was a post FiDi bar stop to continue an after work libation in honor of a colleague's new job. The venue had a nice set up with a nook by the window which fit our party of 7. Off the bat I loved the music they were playing on a Thursday night, which included Bob Marley and Michael Franti.
So here's where the stars disappear... It took forever to get service as the bartender was not even at the bar! Okay, I'm stretching the time with forever, it was more like 20 minutes. Good thing we still had our buzz from Harrington's to keep us distracted by the awful slow pace of the place. There was also a hanging microphone looking light that was used as part of our colleague's Bruce Buffer routine. It was great distraction from the non-existent service.
We ordered a carafe of some tasty sangria and that salvaged 1 star for Blur. The second star went to the light fixture in our window nook. -
Review from Lauren H.
San Francisco, CA
4/17/2011
A cool place. I didn't mind it at all. Drinks were averaged price. I like how they have a late night happy hour Sunday-Thursday. I've never seen that at any other bar before. It's a tight space though, and it got really crowded at one point. The music was cool too.
There was a real CREEPER there who kept walking past and smelling me. -_- He believed he was getting away with it, until I really got annoyed, and called him out on it. He grabbed my hand and said, "I can't help it, you just smell so good." The hell?! CREEPY! But, that's not Blur's fault. Unfortunately, sometimes I go out and run into the wierdos apparently. -
Review from Joanne H.
San Francisco, CA
3/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is for my friend Markus
:) -
Review from Lauren F.
3/2/2011
Just missed happy hour the other night, but the drinks were still reasonable. Came to visit with a few friends, and there's a perfect little nook right by the door that allows for just that.
Mind you, I have not been to Blur late at night (in fact, I left before 8pm), but the music!!!! It's great if you want to get all grindy and humpy, and it definitely brought me back to my hip-hop-loving college years! Top 40s all the way!! -
Review from Shirley L.
San Francisco, CA
1/15/2011
First things first: the bartenders are amazing! Theres only a handful of nice bartenders in the city and blur has them! The two guys who i ordered from were witty and funny, the drinks were strong but not too strong, and they can do bartending tricks yayyy.
Came here randomly on a friday night around 10 and i'm glad that we got a seat in the front because this tiny place got packed quick! Love their artwork on the wall (people under the stairs? pics) and their OG hip hop song selection. The crowd was friendly and sometimes a bit hipstery but very diverse. Love the quotes and pictures in the ladies room, can read them for days. I am definitely going to come back and try their HH specials
TIP: $15 minimun if using a card -
Review from Ashley H.
San Francisco, CA
9/17/2011
I came here on a Friday night. It was a pretty cool place but there was nothing special about it. Saturday got pretty full, but not as bad as some of the other nearby bars. I left with a pretty average feeling about it. I'll go again, why not, but it isn't really a destination type of bar where you plan your night around it.
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Review from Marc A.
6/22/2011
Three stars for the late night happy hour and friendly service but minus one star for the bartender not knowing how to make a B52 shot.
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Review from Corey V.
12/30/2010
This is my favorite bar in the city and I've never written a review for it!?
That's a damn shame. 2 for 1 happy hour, great staff, good food, good drinks and a great atmosphere. I always have a great time here whether you're watching a game or enjoying an after work drink. There really is just a very cozy vibe to the place that makes you want to relax and enjoy a drink.Listed in: Favorite Bars
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Review from Connie C.
8/18/2010 1 Check-in Here
I came here with my co-workers recently to celebrate. We couldn't resist the happy hour special, 2 drinks for the price of 1. Instead, I should have listened to my inner pessimist self that it was too good to be true. As we walked in, I should have been suspicious that for such a good deal, there should have been more people present. However, that is not the reason I give them two stars.
I found out that the HH special has to be two of the same drink in order to be the price of one. I didn't mind at first, until I actually sipped my drink. We had the white peach bellini and it was horrible. I tried another drink, the mojito, and it had too much mint taste and nothing else. It tasted like a watery mint drink. Gross. A couple of my other coworkers complained that their drinks were not good either and by then, you could tell that we wouldn't come back. The only ones who didn't complain were the ones who had beer, wow...... -
Review from Rosa D.
San Francisco, CA
8/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Beware if you come on the weekends... This place gets extremely cramped. It's very very tiny (comparable to a high school classroom) and seating is very limited. If you arrive any time after 10pm, I guarantee that you'll be standing up 99.9% of the time you're here. Getting a drink can be a little time consuming, but at least you don't have to wait in a line just to get in. The crowd is generally friendly and the bartenders seem enjoyable. I wouldn't call this place a lounge though.. feels more like a dive bar.
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Review from Kimberly B.
San Francisco, CA
6/15/2010 1 Check-in Here
I stopped in here for a drink after an opening reception at a gallery a couple of blocks away instead of visiting my usual bar (Hemlock Tavern).
I was there on the early side (8PM) on a Saturday night, so there were only a few people and it was kind of quiet (blaring music notwithstanding).
Plus
*The cucumber caipirinha was kind of pricey at $9, but it was strong and not too sweet, so at least it was worth the money.
*Friendly bartenders
*Giants game on TV
*"Poker Face" and "Bad Romance" were both played
Minus
*I was by myself and not carrying on a conversation with anyone, but the music was still too loud for my taste....even Lady Gaga.
All in all, it was a nice bar, so I'll probably be back at some point and try their sangria.... -
Review from meg w.
Chicago, IL
7/10/2010
I was here darn early on a Friday, HH had started, but there were only about 10-15 people there. Too early for me to get the full Blur effect.
I love the look of the place, i felt comfortable immediately. There's bar seating, bench seating along one wall and I think a few tables? I liked the crowd. I didn't see one douche. HH is buy one get one free. Two sapphire ups, twist = $8. Really? Maybe it was $11. I didn't pay.
I have this thing where I assume cute or pretty, thin, blondes are bitches. It's like a package deal. But, just like recently in Santa Cruz, I was happily proven wrong. Our bartender was all these things - cute, thin, blonde. And she was amazingly friendly, she even offered up other bar choices in the area when we settled up.
The music piping through was decent. I'm going to stick around longer next time and watch this place come alive. -
Review from Tom K.
San Francisco, CA
6/29/2011
Great place to go get a drink or 5 on Polk St. The vibe in this place is chill and friendly and the crew working there are awesome.
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Review from Amanda S.
Palm Springs, CA
6/14/2010 3 Check-ins Here
I'll take this place over Vertigo any night.
Amazing happy hour. Kick ass sangria. Need I saw more?! -
Review from Alexa B.
San Francisco, CA
12/20/2010 1 Check-in Here
Good place, pretty small.
Nothing really stood out in my mind as amazing. -
Review from Brianna H.
Huntington Beach, CA
3/30/2010
I've stumbled in here an unmemorable number of nights out on Polk Street...but the last time I came here was the first time I crossed this threshold stone-cold sober (don't worry, I was in better condition when I left..or at least a much bubblier mood).
This place has a decent happy hour, and the pizza was cheap & good -- dare I say, better than Palomino happy hour pizza? Well, for one, the crust was thicker, so it was definitely more filling. Perfect crispiness on the bottom, soft dough and perfectly browned cheese on the top. I must come back to make sure this was not a fluke. At this price, I can definitely afford it.
The best part? The bartender bakes cookies!!! She claims she brings them to every shift. What can I say? The way to my heart is certainly through my stomach, which is most susceptible to COOKIES! (though the combination of alcohol certainly helps accelerate the easy battle for my affections). And once you have my heart, it's a short path to my wallet.
Trivia night, on the other hand, moved a little too slow for my liking...but I'm a stickler for efficiency--why can't you have someone tally WHILE the rounds are going on??
On an unrelated note, love the hippy trippy type artwork here. Bathroom appears to be tolerably clean on most occasions. -
Review from Maria B.
San Francisco, CA
Came in for some drinks after OtG and the place was pretty packed at 9:30. But even though there was a crowd around the bar, the bartenders are real attentive to getting your order. good job ladies!
found a table to just chill at for a little bit when we realized they were playing music. mainly top 40 stuff, but catchy nonetheless. blur had a good vibe and well priced drinks. what more do you need?
left early when it was getting a bit too "bro-ski" for our group. but i'd come back.. -
Review from Mirba E.
San Francisco, CA
7/30/2011
I've been to this bar several times already, and I already knew they always have all kinds of drinks on the menu. My most recent trip there was for a night out with some friends who wanted to get a drink. I'm a regular gin gimlet kind of girl, or even just give me a beer and I'm good to go. But Blur always has those huge boards above the bar with drinks specials, and specialty cocktails. And, they had a specialty cocktail list on the bar counter. Naturally, my friends and I like trying new things, so we ordered a few drinks from the list. My one friend ordered one and got an eye roll from the bartender. I ordered one and got a blank stare. Another friend ordered one and stared at her like she said something wrong, and so she was about to change her order but the bartender said, no no, just stick with the vodka gimlet. We ordered a second round of drinks, this time from a different bartender, and got another weird stare, and I got a sarcastic "Really?!" What a way to make your customers feel comfortable.
So are the drink lists just there for show? Maybe. Did the bartenders just not want to concoct a drink slightly more advanced than a shot and a beer? Maybe. Will I be going back? Most likely not. There are plenty of other bars around with way friendlier bartenders. -
Review from Keane L.
2/4/2008
The best moments in San Francisco are quiet and cozy - warmly drenched by the lazy afternoon sun - especially when combined with friendly service, Racer 5 and a plush window seat by the street.
Life, open for viewing beyond sheltered pane.
Crackheads sure are ugly. -
Review from Jaime C.
12/17/2008
Forgive me Father, for I have sinned.
It has been 22 years since...okay, well I confess I've never confessed before. Mainly because the one time I went to church I wouldn't shake people's hands and say "May the Lord be with you" (I'm pretty sure you didn't need me to tell you that He was), and my mom burst out into tears.
But I'm not really here to confess why my mother is on at least four pill bottles of depression medication, but rather about this one bar I went to (my four pill bottles of depression medication come in forms of pint glasses filled with beer).
I'm in love with the bartender. I know this is a slippery slope, since the more Trumer Pils he serves the more and more in love I'm going to fall for him. He's considerate, smiles all the time, makes sure your drink is always filled and is on Vertigo on Monday nights serving PBR soaked hot dogs--and yes, I just gave away my most precious secret. It's okay, you're bound to secrecy so I trust you.
You know? I think I'm just going to start going from now on. I mean, if the bar is empty enough he'll ask for my iPod again and I would get to play Festizio when Keane walks through the door and loudly proclaims, "WTF". Then I can listen to Brand New while I admire him making the guy to my right the 8 jack and sours he'll consume before I leave.
Okay, I think I'm better. Thanks for listening, Father. Also, if I forgot to mention I was Jewish does that negate everything that just happened? Nevermind, I'll feel guilty regardless. -
Review from Julie M.
3/9/2009
I LOVED it here!!
I came here 2x during my weekend excursion back to my hometown... on Friday night I got here around 10:45-11:00 and it was super packed. We somehow found some room to sit on the velvety benches alongside the wall. The vibe in this place was rockin' - everyone seemed happy and enjoying themselves. The drinks were SO STIFF. I swear, I was nursing my one drink the whole time...
Next night arrived around 9:30 - DEAD!! I counted about 12 people in there. But after a couple Lotus Lemondrops, sure enough, it was packed again around an hour later. Fun!
The bartenders (male AND female) were so awesome and their drinks are lethal!! I really heart this place... And I will not make any pun/wordplay on the name of the place cuz that is just...... yeah.Listed in: I Left My Heart in San…
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Review from Lauren F.
Oakland, CA
6/7/2007
*Useful review at the bottom.*
Now I am not an aggressive girl. Other than the occasional get drunk and somehow coerce a friend to come home with me, I have a hard time talking to guys I like. I can't approach cute ones in bars, engage in witty banter, hell.....to be quite honest I'm kind of a bad flirt. Now people who know me might say different. But that's cuz you know me, I'm comfortable with you, and I don't worry about what you think of me because you have probably already passed judgment. I'm shy. Honestly. I'll talk your ear off, but I'm shy. A night at this bar was one of the only evenings that me being shy thing was forgotten. Before my "I'm almost 30, I should say what I feel" phase, I made a complete ass of myself at this bar.
Walking distance to the restaurant I used to work at, this used to be one of our go-to bars after work. After a tough day at the "office", I tended to get pretty drunk pretty fast, because time was limited. Couple that with a friends birthday evening, and game on. There is a cool place to sit in the bar, with big comfy benches and adequate space to talk....on a not terribly busy night. But this night in question I chose to sit at the bar. The somewhat metro-sexual absolutely adorable bartender had a girlfriend of mine and me totally entertained for hours. Talking about the drinks he was pouring, making us laugh, calling us gorgeous, we forgot all about the birthday girl and other people in the bar. He had us. So....I took that for interest.
Now, I'm a terrible flirt...I'm also a pretty bad judge at whether a guy is just doing his job, or genuinely flirting, but the well mixed cocktails and the good company had me convinced he liked me. So.....After many martinis, and the announcement of last call, we headed out for the evening. But I want to see him again! I want him to know I like him! So....I wrote my number on a napkin. As I walked out the bar I handed it to him, and said something stupid I'm sure. Probably something un-witty like "Here is my number". Lame. I probably did it while giggling my face off too cuz this is totally out of character for me, but i had to do it. And i did. And i ran away like a school girl, expecting him to never call, but proud of myself for sacking up.
Anyway, long story long....a few weeks later, after not calling me (as i expected) he comes rolling into my restaurant with one of my co-workers, who actually bartended at Blur too. (I guess I forgot that in the story), saw me, said something to her...and laughed. Needless to say, there are no more napkins in this fair city floating around with my number on it...but i guess the experience made me feel kind of liberated. Took my ego down a notch, but liberated nonetheless.
* Ok....Useful portion of the review.....decent drinks, a good happy hour, nice seating area, and a DJ most nights that sometimes gets too loud to hear yourself talk. I don't make this a destination, I don't even know if he still works there, but if I'm doing a crawl of Polk Street Gulch bars, this is always a stop. -
Review from Adam X.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 2/10/2009
This really is one of the best bars in SF. The bartenders are amazingly friendly, the drinks are outstanding, and the ambiance is just what you'd hope for from a great spot. Leather wrapping around the walls, good stools, long bar, and t-lights all over the place and on the tables.
Grab a corner and relax. Just dont drive...1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/6/2008
If you are within cab or walking distance (which i am) Blur is a great spot to meet a few friends… Read more »
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Review from Christina O.
San Francisco, CA
2/25/2010 4 photos
*Happy Sigh* Last night was a Blurrrrrr...
So thankful I found this place :) and on the best night of the week! So Wednesdays at Blur are Trivia Night! I was a bit skeptical about staying to play, but I said what the hell! Gave it a shot, me and my friend joined in on trivia night TEAM KC woo woo! We played three rounds and when you answer the last question correct your team gets a free shot! Love it!!
The place is really nice inside, I love how there were local artists paintings around, the place was super comfy and roomy, and bathrooms were real cute, loved the murals BONUS they were clean.
$2 PBR's, free shots for my team for getting the capital of Brazil right, cool bouncers, met a lot of cool people, you can def catch me there next week for trivia night!
