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Categories: Bars, Dance Clubs
Neighborhood: MissionMon-Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
"I love me some biscuits and gravy. And some irish bacon, even if it looks like you're eating flesh and more specifically ears of an animal.…" read more »
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Let's start with the warnings
-Don't come here if you can only dance to rap/r&b music. Because you will not be having fun.
-Don't come here if you don't have cash.
Now onto the importants.
I came here with a group of friends on a random weekend last summer. Stepping into this place I thought it was just some beat up kick it spot with loud music. As I continued stepping in, I realized it was just a beat up kick it spot with loud music. But really it's exactly that kicked-back warm cozy vintagey vibe of the place that makes it so crackin. Downstairs was super busy with a large bar and hella tables to sit at (they were all full though). We were sitting down for a while at this table that had a glass top where you could see/play some old school video games. Cool. Nothing I'd spend a couple quarters playing though, but added to the whole vibe of the place. To get upstairs was a ten dollar entrance fee, but seeing my face probably made the girl workers shy since they ended up letting me and my friends upstairs for free.
I got a long island at the upstairs bar. The bartender asked if it was too strong, but I was being a man about it .. for a while lol. While I appreciated their generous offer to save me money by making my drink super strong, my stomach did not. But don't get me wrong, this is definitely not a negative. Just make sure you're well fed before you order a long island.
The upstairs dance floor was full of friendlies just trying to have fun. The crowd was very diverse (but mostly 21-early 30yos) and everyone seemed super cool. There was also no bitchy workers/bouncers to tell me to stop laying across the benches when my stomach was on fire from the long island. The music they play is more of a jump-to-this indie/rockish, but with a club-drum-and-snare pattern type of vibe which is fun after you've had a few of the drinks the bartenders make. Also they do not seem to care at all about a dress code. I came in jeans and a flannel shirt.
I can see how someone could not have fun here if they aren't into this type of scene, or are very narrow-ear'd about the type of music they can listen/dance to. But if you're looking for a night out at a place that doesn't care if you get a little bit too drunk or if you're dressed like you just rolled outta bed headed to class and are with a bunch of close friends, go for it.
I'm not quite sure why I like the Elbo Room--the music is generally shitty (except for soul night, clearly), and it's basically black out conditions, and it's cash only, but for some reason, it has a warm spot in my heart.
Good dancing, nice beers on tap, mediocre people watching--probably wouldn't hit on a first date unless you already knew he wasn't going to be a looker, basically b/c you won't be able to see them (a great combo w/ alcohol)--but always a nice relaxing evening.
Who was that girl writing the review in 2005? Certainly couldn't have been me because I've become quite a fan of Elbo Room over the years. It still bothers me that it's impossible to check out the crowd in the dim-to-no light but it's a great bar to stop into either on your way out for the night or on your drunken stumble back home. Their signature cocktails all come in pint glasses for about $7 a pop, which is a steal considering how much booze they put in them. 2 of those and I'm ready to dance!
Don't forget about the upstairs - they charge cover but it's a great space, fully loaded bar, and attracts some good DJs.
One star for no cover.
One star for the arcade games.
One star for the beer selection.
NEGATIVE one…
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In a stupor of Mission exploration I found myself here with friends.....
Downstairs was a blur of people ordering drinks at the bar, with a great vibrant crowd. Low light, bartender that was very attentive. My wallet spilleth forth.
Upstairs that night was Columbian and Panamanian Cumbia dance with solid beats. Hip shaking, feet moving...I think I found my groove. The dance floor quickly was packed with a good ratio of men to women. Hipsters, Latinos and Asians they were all represented well
How many drinks did I have...oh god......good thing is you could order at the bar upstairs as well with fast service as long as you could halfway mutter the drink you wanted these guys could make it happen.
Another great night in the Mission!!
This is one of my favorite spots for dancing. There's something for everyone - pool table for you gamers, photo booth for capturing hazy mugs, long bar for bar flies, and a dance floor upstairs to get your groove on.
Their '60's Soul Party nights are good fun. $10 general cover. $5 if you dress up semi-formal. Note that dressing up = no jeans.
I recently heard the Funk Revival Orchestra. I highly recommend them. http://www.myspace.com...
Went to Elbo Room a few times for Reggae Night on Sunday Night average atmosphere,cheap drinks & ok crowd....Not such a big fan of walking by & around all those Crackheads in the Mission & it would be also nice if certain people wore more deodorant before coming hahaha.Take the plunge & check it out.....
Elbo Room is a perfect disaster: a cut-and-paste amalgam of some of your favorite bar experiences ever, but packed and shoved into a narrow labyrinth of bowling lanes and broom closets.
Perhaps it hasn't scaled well with its popularity or needs a stronger door policy, for navigating this bar is a wretched proposition. Prepare to choose one of two levels to interrupt intimate groups (and have them shove you) to escape only to grandfather's private billiard abode or the most lonely pinball room ever put in a bar. There's also a high concentration of bro's (and their ho's) here, which didn't surprise me.
Upstairs and around the side of the building the hipster element comes to a raging climax, as arm-band seeking vermin grovel at the fleeting admission coupons or verbally suck off the staff for a spot. There was a fight and an overall slimy, smoky vibe. Not feeling it.
Still, nice decor. Come with friends to shield you from detecting the ever-present suck that will clutch you if they waver for too long.
If you'd like an out-of-San-Francisco bar experience, here's the spot that's trying too hard, as are a good portion of its patrons. They should seriously consider air-lifting this place into Los Angeles.
I've been coming here for years, since I was yay high to a margarita, and I've always appreciate the eclectic mix of music and performances given here. The Elbo Room is kind of an institution in that sense -- on any given night you can hear salsa, dub, funk, or spoken word. It also just has about the best margaritas ever.
The other night I was here for Funk-a-licious, one of the BEST shows in town, and wore out my dancing shoes and smile. I also engaged in an anthropomorphic discourse in the ladies room about the arrested development of the San Francisco male species.
Music, margaritas, and anthropology -- can it get any better?
Hip, funky and dark. The bartenders have been great, the photo booth is fun, they have live music frequently, and happy hour here is my favorite thing ever--$3 big, strong well drinks.
Spacious and fun, two thumbs up!
I can't believe I've never been here before. Even upon the entrance, it conveys that off-beat SF vibe (hipsterish n' emo n' alternative-ish).
Plenty of room to kick it and meet people. Separate room for live bands, spotted with intimate booths throughout the floor.
There's a miniature screen at the bar that plays interesting flicks...as well as a huge TV at the end of the bar that shows movies.
Last Call:
Met a bunch of nice, unpretentious folks while the jams rang throughout the evening. I'm definitely checking out some live bands next time.
The Elbo Room is a pretty okay bar. I've been here several times, a few shows upstairs and a couple times when bar hopping with friends.
You can find me in the photo booth when I come to the Elbo Room. Very fun and memorable way to capture the essence of the night and maybe even a few semi naughty pics. Hehe.
Last Night I took my friend Jenn to the Elbo Room, while we were waiting for her surprise birthday party to arrive at another location. We ordered drinks and told the bartender that we were going to use the photo booth. When we returned to the bar, she mentioned she never received her change from the drinks and asked for it. The bartender although nice, was convinced he gave it back to her and put it on the bar. He gave her back her change, but after making several comments about being sure it was left on the bar. She shouldn't have left it, even if she told him we were going to the Photo booth - but live and learn.
The Pomegranate Lemonade Cocktail in a Pint Glass for $6.00 (Happy Hour Price) was very good.
I have a soft spot for the Elbo Room (especially since its where I kicked off my 21st birthday).
Hellooooooooooooooo extended happy hour! Oh, I love you. I do, I do, I do. Death & Taxes, $3? UM, HAPPY HOUR FOR A HAPPY WOMAN.
Also, arcade games, pinball, photobooth, tons of seating, separate space for live bands. And E L. is right--no pretention! Something that is nearly impossible to find in a hipstery mission bar. I mean, really, what is it even missing?
I came for the Afrolicious new years, and I am still raving about it. There was a live band, two levels with two bars and a photo machine in the back. I love this place, and am considering doing New Year's here again. There was not much of a cover even for New Years. The crowd was young, so it wasn't like I was going to only meet old farts.
I just have to rave because it was a live band that played awesome Afrocentric music. Looovin' it.
Stopped by here for a quick drink last night and I'm glad I did. Happy hour until 9pm (it was a Wednesday) and $3 beers. They had Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat last night on tap and it was one of the best wheat beers I've had. Cheers to you guys for serving great beer! They had three Namco machines towards the front of the bar which we spent most of our time on. I heard they had a pinball machine and pool table but I couldn't find it, maybe it was upstairs? I will definitely be coming back here.
most every thing about Elbow Room i find rather nifty, indeed.
a few of the bar tenders are shrewed, not about being hospitable,
but other wize a rather enduringly comfy bar is down stairs with a general nicely mixed group and up stairs throws down some grand shows,
no doubt.
This is my favorite San Francisco bar. Somewhere between a lounge and a Hollywood dive, this place has the right mix of dark decor, cool people and strong cheap drinks. The best part though is the music. It is always a great mix of old music, new music, all great but usually songs I haven't heard before.
When I'm in the Mission, I always end up at the Elbo Room. While LA is dead over the holidays, this place was packed on Sunday, packed on Monday. Met lots of cool people, none of the attitude I'm used to in LA. This could be everywhere in San Francisco for all I know but it was at least the case here. And did I mention the cheap strong drinks, served by friendly, fast bartenders. (Sometimes they might even buy you a shot of Jamison :)
Been here both on a Thursday and Saturday night. It's loud on both nights so you might as well go here on a Saturday when its packed with people. It's designed like a speakeasy, with very low red lighting. People are generally cool, bartenders are quick but also willing to explain their drinks. They have arcades and a photobooth.
I'm totally diggin' the Elbo Room! I've heard a lot about it and expected shit, but I actually like this place.
After dinner at Luna Park a big ol' group of us wound up at the Elbo Room. It wasn't the least bit crowded and we snagged a big table with hard ass pews for seats. Normally at any club you pay premium prices to get this kinda seating so I was pretty pleased. The bar was quick to serve and you have to be a total idiot to not know what to order--they've got a huge list with prices, specials and all. Lot's of decent beers on tap and of course tall-cans are a staple.
The $5 photo booth is a treat and so is the arcade and of course this place is a music venue. Napkins have mindless trivia on 'em which is perfect for getting sloshed. The bathrooms were clean, but uhh, they've got no locks on 'em. The place picked up pretty quick and was packed within an hour. Ambiance is nice, music is okay, Cash Only!
My one big ass mistake here was giving back my free money. I gave the bartender gal a $10 bill for a Hoegaarden Hef. She gave me back $15.50. I know what it's like to be on the other end of the till, so I was nice enough to give it back to her. She, confused, went back to check the till and still insisted that all the money was mine for the taking. I'm too damn nice, so I gave her back the $10. Lesson learned: Next time the Universe gives you free money, you fucking take it!
Lying in the heart of the Mission District, the Elbow Room is a dark cave that welcomes those who need to drink, play pinball or hide from the fog. I had two pints from their diverse selection of reasonably priced draft beers and sat over candle light with a couple of my friends. We especially enjoyed a trip to the photo booth to take goofy photo's and also the trivia napkins. If you are looking for a mellow night in the company of friends, hit the Elbow Room up on a weeknight. However, if you like crowded bars, then the weekends might be good for you too. In short, it is a reliable joint.
came here one night to celebrate my friend's birthday. i walked through the mission to get here, passing by the usual mission drunks and shady characters, love this neighbor. immediately, when i hit valencia, it was yuppy ville with some yups in leotards, licking ice cream cones. sometimes, i hate this city, or at least the people who inhabit it.
this place was absolutely packed and with the worst kind of yuppies. how can you wear a suede suit into a packed bar where no one can maneuver or hear each other? how can a bar even allow people such as that in there? the only redeeming quality of this yuppified, pretentious bar? cheap, non-alcoholic drinks. otherwise, haul ass and find yourself a real place to drink, e.g. durty nelly's in the sunset. pubs beat bars any day, especially ones packed to the brim with a bunch of arrogant, snot-nosed, pretentious yuppies. did i mention this place is full of yuppies?
Didn't hang out downstairs, only upstairs. I don't know the other nights at this venue, but the Bersa Records party we went to was amazing. Sound system sounded pretty good, cheesy circus lights with some pretty fun music and a bunch of dancing freaks all around me.
We were only here for an hour or two and couldn't stop dancing. It was a lot of fun and I highly recommend coming for an event or even having an event at this wonderful gem of SF.
Probably my new favorite place in SF. Even though I can't dance for the life of me, this place was packed with really nice people and a live crowd! I will be back many more times!
I was very excited to beat the high score on the Ms. Pac Man game in the back corner of the bar. And, they reset the scores every night, so every time I come in for a beer, I either have to play Ms. Pac Man until I reset the high score or be restrained. I'm obviously a pleasure to go out with.
I used to live in Berkeley and I went to the Elbo Room often. It will always hold a special place in my heart. The ambiance is sweet, it's dark with lots of different types of seating, and they tend to play something exciting on the back flat screen tv. The last time I was in they were showing some movie about ninjas.
There's nothing like a ninja movie to pair with a $2 pint of speakeasy prohibition served during happy hour. They have a very well curated selection of beer, and I really like their wide array of Speakeasy brews. It's my favorite local brewery and I cannot tell you how nice it is to sip a Hunter's Point Porter while beating the high score on Ms. Pac Man.
Dope spot in the Mission. Had been here once but didn't know it. I remembered when i saw the pac-mac tables in the front.
Awesome club night. took out of town guests to see Bersa Disco cumbia electro and it was AWESOME! good vibes. decent drinks and close proximity to clarion alley is a plus in my book.
I love it! I had a genuinely good time here. No pretention, despite it being written up and chatted up constantly. There's a reason (it's fun), and hipsters DO have souls!
This is a great bar - go have fun.
3 stars for the crowds downstairs, 5 stars for great, intimate shows upstairs.
Loud and divy. But, fun and full. A good date place, no (unless your date is a mute). But, good to meet friends and chat!
Ok, all is forgiven. I've come back here a few more times since those bad experiences, and Elbo Room has seduced me yet again. I've rekindled that old flame. And truly, the chill interior is probably one of the most reliable in terms of aesthetics. Anyone I take here from out-of-town takes an instant liking to the strange eccentricity that is SF...
Used to like this place before it became a cheap imitation of its former self. It's now an obnoxious… Read more »
This is my fave venue for the annual Lit Crawl, as well as one of my fave Mission dive bars. Happy Hour ($3 microbrews) is until 9 pm and they have a good range of yummy cocktails, as well....Pineapple Caiparhinas, anyone??
Cash only and usually crowded, so go prepared to squeeze in, spill some bills, and have a great time people watching an interesting crowd of local hipsters and curious visitors.
I had a blind date with Elbo Room last Wednesday. The sign and people standing outside lured me in.
I first ordered a draft and hit the head, the toilets have no seats, and apparently in protest someone decided to make a "statement". After an experience like that, a 4 star review is tough to acquire. But I alerted the bartender who thanked me and sent cleanup in. After it was described to him he thanked me again and bought me a drink.
The crew in here, bartenders and patrons, are very diverse and super friendly. There were good bands playing upstairs for a meager $7 charge, which I of course indulged in.
Between AudioDub and Melissa Supermoto, Elbo Room might have had the highest concentration of coolness in San Francisco on 11/4/2009.
Came here for new years, very crowded, they should've added another bartender...
2.5 stars, not 2. I'm trying to be nice here, people.
So. The Elbo Room.
Um. Yeah.
So.
I obviously don't have that much to say about it - except for it was hot, sweaty, dark, and really crowded & my drink tasted like rubbing alcohol.
Saving grace: pinball machines!
But that's about it.
BEST BAR EVER,
7$ drink list rocks!
The drinks were super strong!
Had the best time here. Great drink specials and not too pricey. Comfy booths. Nothing swanky about Elbo. Has just the right balance of hip and divey. Your bound to meet fun and interesting people here. Watch out for the guy with the afro wig and safari hat. He'll let you wear his hat if you ask.
Tip: have cash because they don't accept cc. They do have an ATM though.
dear employees of elbo room,
why are you so self-righteous and rude? i just asked you for a glass of water, which i tipped on because i work at a bar and dig the whole solidarity thing, why the 'tude? and on a not-very-busy thursday, but why every time?
you work at a bar. you serve beverages as your job. i'm not hating on that, i do the same, i just do it without taking myself so goddamn seriously for it. just a bit of perspective.
i'm really sick of going out in the mission, its starting to feel just as oppressive and judgmental and shallow and lame as the marina, just in different clothes. maybe next time i'll wear my non-prescription coke bottle glasses and get something other than rolled eyes.
One of my favorite bars in the city and always stop by if I am in the neighborhood on a weekend.
Extended happy hours til 9pm and amazing variety of beers and reasonable prices.
Great music playing, plus who doesn't love the video game machines within the tables. Dimly lit to add some ambiance.
Love it
This is one of my favorite places to end the night in the MIssion! Got to love the retro style photo booth and there is almost aways live music with a cover upstairs. Drinks are decently priced. The cover was only $10 for the upstairs band. Even on a Sunday the place is hopping!
First off - I think the mission is awesome! Its such a cool, chill area. Elbo Room is a really great representation of the vibe you'll feel in the area.
Its one of the bigger bars that actually has a real live dance floor! Downstairs there is never cover but tends to get really packed. If you want to go upstairs they generally do charge cover (I have been able to just walk up a few times) that I've seen anywhere from $5 - $15.
I paid $15 to hear Trakademics spin there a few times. It was worth every cent! Make sure you have cash though because thats all they take up stairs. There is an ATM in the back but you'll get hit with a couple doller fee to use it.
Like any place in the mission, dress code is strictly Chucks, Vans and skinnies (LOL.. geez I wish I could button up a pair of skinnies =P). Anything with a collar and you are probably over dressed.
In closing, go to elbo room if you wanna hang out, be low key, chill with friends and me other fresh people!
I'm beginning to hate going out in my neighborhood (it overrunneth with bridge/tunnel/hipsters/douchies), so it's very special to find the good ole Elbo still keeps it's local charm. Moody lighting, bartenders make great drinks (I've been hooked on their dark & stormies), and the crowd is not too obnoxious. I first saw Little Dragon here, a few years ago, so props to their event booker for having great taste, and having the foresight to book amazing talent! I wish I had money flowing out of my pockets so I could afford all the soulful, weekly parties.
this spot was pretty tight I gota say. I went there on a Sunday and it was crackin'. The drinks are reasonably priced, I recommend staying with the beer, the mixed drinks were kinda weak, tho I like my drinks real stiff so I usually have this same complaint.
The bar has a real chill vibe, diverse crowd, and it's pretty ez to get away w blowin in the dance area, which is probably the greatest thing in the world.
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San Francisco, CA
Category: Dive Bars
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Dance Clubs
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Dance Clubs
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Nightlife
Neighborhood: SOMA
Category: Dance Clubs
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