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Categories: Bars, Dance Clubs
Neighborhood: MissionMon-Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
"Hands down the best bar in the city. The cocktails are incredible, the spirit, beer and wine selection spot on, the atmosphere mellow and…" read more »
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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 $2 pint of speakeasy prohibition served during happy hour. They have a very well curated selection of beer, and I really like their wide array of Speakeasy brews. It's my favorite local brewery and I cannot tell you how nice it is to sip a Hunter's Point Porter while beating the high score on Ms. Pac Man.
BEST BAR EVER,
7$ drink list rocks!
The drinks were super strong!
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.
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.
Pretty good place for a dive bar. Good girl to guy ratio which is surprising for the Mission. They are a cash only place which is a pain the ass but not a big deal.Not very expensive either.
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.
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
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!
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.
this place is awesome! or maybe im in a good mood. we came here on a monday night after dinner at limon and the bartender gave me a free bday drink. we tried the grapefruit ginger vodka drink and it was very good! then i tried the blueberry limeade, not as good as the first but still decent.
the place has pinball machines and a photobooth! though the photobooth was out of order we still took our own pics in it anyways.
best monday night ever
Afrolicious upstairs....best dance party EVER!!! I LOVE it up there on Thursday nights! But downstairs, although very nice looking, is always too loud for me. I've met friends here, and it always turns into a screaming match. However, I have met some awesome characters here, and I LVOE the photo booth....I have used it many a drunken time!
They do have pretty creative drinks at a reasonable price, if you don't mind waiting forever to be served and screaming your order at the bar tender. I had some delicious pomegranate lemonade highly alcoholic concoction on my birthday...it TOTALLY did the trick!
what a fun chill bar! i love the name...
was brought here by friends who live nearby, and it's one of their favorite bars ever.
elbo room has an interesting beer selection and fruity drinks, as well as fun sitting booths/pinball game room! so cool!
the music is a liiiittle loud at times, but there is a dance club/venue upstairs, so it makes sense.
it is super hip, and that's why i love SF - bars like this. very very chill.
I figured out why it's called the elbo room. You get elbowed constantly by flailing hipster limbs. Ouch people! Watch it. I was so annoyed last Sat. I just walked out.
Otherwise it's okay. The cover was $10 or $5 if you were semi-formal, er, basically wearing a dress for us girls. Personally I wish I never went and still had my $10 and a couple less bruises.
This is a really cool bar, the only draw back is it lives up to its name when you walk in you only have about an elbow room's worth of space to yourself. The atompshere and décor of this place is really bitchin! But the reason I personally love this place and is basically the main reason its got more stars then it should is because one of there special drinks is a DARK N' STORMY which happens to be one of my most favorite drinks in the world and this is probably the only place ive seen that knows what it is!!! I've never been to a place that is familiar with this drink.. Talk about a diamond in the rough!
The place has a small smoking patio as well that is gated to block you from walking out onto the sidewalk it actually looks more like a cage then a gate so its really funny when your walking by the joint outside because it looks like your walking by a Zoo with caged smokers.
The Elbo Room continues to be my go-to drinking spot in the Mission.
$3 well drinks and $3 pints from the second the doors open until 9PM, the prices are right where I like 'em, and the crowds treat me the way I want me to be treated (i.e. they stay the fuck away until later).
The Elbo Room does get crowded, but it does so gracefully--you never go to the bathroom and come out to a madhouse, it's just too big, there are too many seats, the bar is too long... It's usually a very chill place, except late Friday/Saturday and holidays, special events...
Bartenders are usually pretty cool, too. If you're going to be staying for a few rounds, a bit of advice--the earlier it is, the less likely there's a bus person, so bus your own table when you go back for more drinks. The bartenders appreciate it and if you're also a good tipper, you're well on your way to being a favored customer :)
EDIT: They *do* have the worst men's room I've ever encountered in my life. There's no door on the restroom, and it contains just a urinal and a toilet--and the toilet isn't in a stall, and has no seat. And I'm *still* giving the place 5 stars. RECOGNIZE, people!
Happy hour until 9PM?
I can never figure out why, when happy hour ends here, it's like 500 people…
Read more »
The only reason I go to Elbo Room is to steal their glassware. Seriously.
Though, at one point they had a super hot guy that checks IDs. But that was 2006. I'm living in the past.
Does anyone know why there is no w in the word Elbow? That has always stumped me.
Elbo Room is one of the better live music spots in the Mission. I've witnessed great performances on two different nights (one being last night). The upstairs, which requires a $10 cover has a pool table and large back room bar to keep patrons occupied until the live music gets started. We saw an electronic funkadelic group perform, which was cool. These guys were completely in their own world and their sound was super original. The crowd at Elbo Room was digging most of the tunes. In spite of the good vibe, the music wasn't really that dance-worthy so we moved on.
I'd recommend checking out this place if you're looking to catch something live, but not if you're looking to hold a conversation or meet new people. The volume is turned up a bit too much for my taste.
i'm really digging their new decor. well either it's new or i just never noticed it before :]
the only problem with Elbo Room is that too many people like it & it's always packed. *insert expected elbow room joke here*
why do they have to show movies on a huge projection screen?
big-boned older gentleman: " sooooo you…
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Went there last night on a whim and DAMN !! it was crackin! Downstairs was hella busy and upstairs was where it was at ! It was cool cause I really did'nt expect that much people and the Dj's where killin it. All in all had a fun time. Oh and the Bartenders are AWESOME......
I only hang out upstairs at the Elbo Room... one time the upstairs bathroom was DESTROYED so I ventured to the lower level for plan B. There were two 19 year olds falling on each other puking in the sink, but fortunately a functional toilet. I haven't been back down there.
As for the upper level I go the second Saturday of the month for Tormenta Tropical: a cumbia/electro/tropical/latin/bass/dancehall/hip hop slammed together party that stays fresh with visiting headlining djs who switch up the resident style with their own take on it. It's hot, crowded and sweaty but it's fun as hell to dance here. By the end of the night the stage is packed with bad dancers but it's pretty funny to watch... Yeah I've done it too and of course put them all to shame, ok not really.
I ended up there on Friday for "Treat em Right" their funk party and though I thought it would remain pretty mellow it definitely got wild. Thank you man with the afro, bellbottoms and the superfly moves. The crowd here is always friendly, especially on the insane sidewalk outside. Come to think of it, I think I have just as much fun smoking cigarettes outside this place as I have inside.
I've never had a bad bartender here, drinks are stiff, the help-yourself water is a life saver, but the cash only thing blows.
For nightlife...
DRINKS:
1.) Mule something = Dude. Don't get that one beer that says mule something. SOOOO DISGUSTING!!! Tastes what I would imagine a mule's ass would taste like!! uGHH!!!! I think it's a bartender's joke if he were to recommend it. Like snickering into his palm after your first sip and uttering under his breath "suckaa".
2.) Water = thumbs up for having a water dispenser on the top bar.
ATMOSPHERE:
Casual, two story. Downstairs has pin balls, few that don't work properly, bar, booth seating, and a photo booth. Upstairs has cover charge for the music, stage, pool tables, dance floor. I guess it's kewls... get your boogie on... or enjoy live performances... or shoot pool if all else fails to amuse you. Oh yeah... it got suuper stuffy in there. YUCK. But, there was this one sweet spot where the air conditioning hit. So if you stay there, it's all good.
CROWD:
Mixed, casual, Upper 20's?...
MUSIC:
The day I went was like funk..... It was cool.... I appreciate it. Another time I went, it was my friend's band performing... which fell under sort of the rock/alternative category.
PARKING:
Sighh... I was lucky in finding a spot after half hour of circling around...
Now i know why they call this place the Elbo Room! Because down below it's a packed place!
Great Live music! Get place! Great Vibe. Great beer!
Red Stripe for $3.50 - NICE!
I love how the live shows are upstairs with plenty of good named beers on tap. Love how downstairs there are tables that you can sit at that have pacman the sit down arcade which you can play.
And i really I love how there are pinball machines that you can play towards the back of the downstairs bar! I mean this place is pretty different in all appearances!
Check this place out if you haven't! My take! 4 out of 4 stars!
Plenty of guy/girl ratio! I highly recommend this place for live shows!
This place is awesome! Drinks are strong and inexpensive, the photo booth is amazing, and it is a great place to hang out while waiting for your table at Bar Tartine! They also had on some crazy bondage porn from the 1960's....great conversation piece for sure.
I really liked this bar. Fun casual atmosphere, yummy drinks, good music...and the photo booth.
I didn't even know there was an upstairs, oops.
After falling glass slipper over tiara and potentially tearing my lovely princess gown (as well as scraping my knee), I continued on the Princess Pub Crawl journey to the Elbo Room. Although it was not yet midnight and my invisible chariot had not yet turned into a pumpkin, the sparkle was starting to leave me and I was tired of searching for a prince.
Perhaps that's why I was completely disenchanted with the Elbo Room. First of all, when you're lugging a large bag so your morning walk of shame isn't too horrible, as well as carrying a cupcake tin that eventually goes MIA, shoulder to precious princess shoulder is just not comfortable.
Although it is rather large and there are places to sit, they really need to consider crowd control. I'm not a fan of having to use my royal wiles to get people out of my way, nor am I a fan of bartenders who completely ignore patrons. Seriously, how can you ignore a giant frog and a princess?
This just will not do.
So yeah. The Elbo Room. Definitely good. Great atmosphere. It is nice to be able to transition from the dance floor upstairs to the bar downstairs.
Its a good thing I can swim. I almost drowned in the bathroom.
It's in the heart of the Mission. What's not to like. I just have to go here whenever I'm in the neighborhood.
It's quite obvious, that sometimes everyone needs a little Elbo Room.
Went here last night, because after a failed attempt at doing Happy Hour at Parea, we decided that drinks were in order before any meal were to get started.
And so walking by, their sign that said "SF's Longest Happy Hour" caught my eye, and who doesn't love an extended Happy Hour? I know, I do.
Going inside, it was dark... candle-lit for the most part and it was nice. Definitely cast the mood for an alluring, watering hole. Drinks were not bad, served like how drinks should. Double shots were doubles, Tecate was served in the can and Pomegranate Lemonade had a hard kick.
The photo booth is fun. Because who doesn't love to take photos when they're drunk. Although, we went on a slow night and it was nice - I'm sure on a weekend, the place is a totally different scene.
Dear Elbo Room,
I really want you to be my spot. I can feel like you and I have similar interests in mind:
+you are affordable in that 6 dollar HH drinks come in pint glasses, and I can say no ice without shade from the bartender
+you make one of the best moscow mules I've had since russia
+you use Russian Standard vodka in your drinks (aka drunk juice)
+your well drinks are strong, when I stop drinking the fancy specials
+ye olde porn montage playing at the bar.
+pacman
So elbo, as much as I love the things above, there are some things imma need you to work on:
+the burlesque show during pride weekend was an hour late, cost too much and the drinks at the upstairs bar were literally in shot glasses (and cost 8 dollars)
+heinous hipsters who show up en masse (though ironically usually after HH's over at 9, and by then I'm pretty wastey)
+although you're a long bar, you dont have much depth which means a whole ton of people breathing down my neck at the bar looking for a drink.
So elbo, until we meet again you'll have to be 4 stars
Lost Coast beers on tap! What? I can't hear you in this jam packed place. LOST COAST BEERS ON TAP!!
Alright. Get the Tangerine Wheat from Lost Coast. I swear it goes down like water. I drank two of them in what seemed like no time at all. What a delicious beer.
The pinball games were really fun except for the Simpsons game that kept eating my quarters. Solution? Car key in the coin slot. It'll set the quarters loose and might get you a few free games courtesy of the last pour soul who couldn't figure it out and left, frustrated, coins still in the machine.
Really busy, but what can you expect for Saturday night? Pretty cool place.
I'm not always a fan of the downstairs part of the Elbo Room. It can be packed. Sometimes stale. (Though their photo booth deserves some major props.)
But the upstairs of Elbo Room on a Sunday - is the place to be.
The. Place. To. Be.
(even with its limited bathrooms)
Sunday Reggae/Dub nights are better than ever this year.
They've been rotating out a slew of incredible DJs and the crowd always has a positive vibe to it.
Just know that the upstairs room doesn't start to fill up - until about 12:00am - so don't be discouraged if you arrive early, and see only a handful of people swaying on the dance floor.
Heading down the stairs - just before 2 - in my new blue embroidered vintage dress, Sol Food lightly bouncing in my stomach, as a solid reggae version of Bille Jean followed me into the windy San Francisco night is one of the best ways to end the weekend.
One of the Best.
I think for as long as I live in San Francisco - I'll make sure to make it out to Sunday at the Elbo Room. At least every once in awhile. It's been a tradition since I first moved here...and i hope to keep it that way...
Trust.
I like to get my jam on at the Elbo room for reggae nights, where there's plenty of elbow room to… Read more »
The first night i went here was a sat night and it was packed. Wall to wall people and hella hard to get drinks. It was like 100 degrees in there also. The music was not what i particularly like but theyre was music videos projected on the wall which was cool. We had one round n decided to leave. The second time i went it was a tue night and it wasnt very crowded but the bartender was a #@#$%. we stood theyre for a good 10 min while she talked and then served other people who came after us. My friend got so pissed that he refused to order a drink there and we left before even getting one. Overall its kinda lame and i would say maybe on an off night if you wanna just go with a friend to have a drink in a chill place, it could be an option. But i doubt I'll ever go back
My sister and uncle wanted to get a drink while we were hanging around the Mission and so we headed over to the Elbo Room. The joint always has a nice atmosphere. While we drank our $3 pints we played videogames of the Atari variety. When we left a band was bringing in their equipment.
Came here for a friend's birthday. I love the video games that bring back childhood memories. Drinks are good and not too expensive and plenty of seating for catching up with old friends. Unfortunately, Elbo Room doesn't have a lot of elbow room, but still a great place. Another awesome bar in the Mission!
i come here fairly often and always have a good time.
it does get super crowded but its part of the atmosphere, and the elbo room gods have typically shone kindly upon me and ive never been without a table.
love the photobooth and they make theee best dark n' stormys!
First bar I hit up since I've moved up here for Grad School. I'm not complaining too much, It was Friday, it was packed, only two bartenders, but they do give you your money's worth for waiting.
So as long as they understand how long you've waited and reciprocate with a heavy pour, im not complaining.
Sure it was crowded, but I guess thats what a good bar does. Maybe next time I'll check it out upstairs.
Ok, so I was totally looking forward to going forward to going here. I had heard they do reggae/dub night on Sundays and I had my roll dawg Rebecca with me. And, we like to dance. We may be of natural Caucasian descent but, I like to wind my cute round azz from side to side like I was BORN to shake. HEEYYYYYYY
After we paid $6 cover, we headed upstairs to the bar and bought some $2 Red Stripes. Reggae/Dub music blasting from the speakers and I couldn't see shit. Who was I looking for? No one in particular. Not that guy standing on the wall or on the outskirts of the dance floor that looked like Jon Heder, who was already busy doing the "White boy bounce". Dub music is great for all those white boys who can't dance but, at least can keep a beat. Bounce, bounce, bounce. It in no way shows you how, ummm, how, he's gonna, you know.. (wink, wink).
Ok... I just read that and realized that I'm hating. Just a little. Truthfully, I just prefer my more uptempo Dancehall joints. You know, the reggae anthems and remixed beats. I love hearing the "smack" "smack" of those island boys hitting the walls and ceiling beams when the DJ drops their song. Oh yeah.. smack that sh** honey, smack that. But, this place is a great place to just kick back and listen to some good music. It's a little loud to actually have conversations with someone else. My voice is a bit hoarse today.
Anytime you can hang at a bar for a solid 3-4 hours without getting bored or pissed off on a Friday night, it's an automatic 4 star write up for me.
In an effort to get our drink on in the Mission without encountering a Chinese fire drill due of weekend warriors infiltrating the 'hood, a buddy and I settled on Elbo Room. Being a huge fan of dark, dirty dive bars... I felt right at home here.
Dark - Check
Old school video games - Score!
Cool music - Uh huh
Good beer to liquor ratio - *Belch*
Interesting mix of people - You betcha
Though I thought their Moscow Mule was the worst I've ever had in my life, the rest of their cocktails were on point. I ended up sticking with their special Manhattan, and next time I'm there, I might tap the brakes on 'em just a bit. I woke up with a RAGING hangover the following morning. No bueno.
Yeah, it's filled with hipsters... but what do you expect? It's like walking in the rain without an umbrella and complaining that your hair got wet. You outta know what kind of people you'll be surrounded by when getting saucy on Valencia.
It was a couple years ago, but you always remember your first, don't you?
The Mission, San Francisco: an unusually warm summer day heading into the mid-eighties. I needed relief from the heat, and I knew he could give it to me.
He asked if I wanted to try something different. With a bit of trepidation, I nodded 'yes'.
Eagerly, and with a generous hand, an Elbo Room bartender set about making for me my first tequila Cosmopolitan.
Oh, give it to me, baby....
Yes, yes, the Elbo Room space is really dark and definitely has its brothel moments, but it is also very comfortable (nice choice of seating in this place). I like the bar for early evening incognito drinking and a little movie watching. I also like the bartenders who are usually very friendly, but if there's trouble, they'll handle it. Drawback: live music nights it is really just too crowded. Avoid the bar stools near the front on these occasions.
I love, love this place... I go early to avoid the crowds, but its nice at night too... if you can get a place to sit.
Reasons why I love this place:
Happy Hour till 9 pm!!!! $3 beers rock!
Photo booth, duh... fits lots of people and gives 6 photos.
Great booths to sit at.
Dark even in the day time, I love how you feel like it's midnight at mid day!
Their movie selection... I mean I have seen some crazy stuff there, usually an odd movie with naked people, I love the french subtitles too.. makes it so much more entertaining!
Their friendly and fast service.
Honestly never been upstairs but will check it out now that I see Reggae Sundays =)
Dub Mission rocks! and rocking harder then ever for 13 years now, wow a weekly club night that has been going for 13 years is few and far between, much less a dub party, dj sep is a great dj and host and always brings in top notch guest!
big up, here is to 13 more years!!
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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