KoKo Cocktails - CLOSED

4.5 star rating
189 reviews Rating Details

Category: Wine Bars  [Edit]

1060 Geary St
(between Polk St & United States Highway 101)
San Francisco, CA 94109
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
(415) 885-4788
Outdoor Seating:
No
Accepts Credit Cards:
No
Parking:
Street
Good for Groups:
Yes
Price Range:
$
Music:
DJ
Best Nights:
Fri, Thu, Sat
Happy Hour:
Yes
Alcohol:
Full Bar
Smoking:
No
Coat Check:
No
Noise Level:
Average
Good For Dancing:
No
Has TV:
No
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes

Review Highlights   

user photo
"The bartenders are fast and very knowledgeable." (in 62 reviews)
user photo
"My favorite happy hour is Bacon & Bourbon night at Kokos." (in 21 reviews)
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"black cherry cosmo was also very tasty ($7." (in 3 reviews)
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189 reviews in English

  • Review from Henry A.

    •  
    • 0 friends
    • 15 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    11/22/2011

    I really, really liked this place.  Sucks it's gone.  Just hope that their new space happens and is just as great.

  • Review from Peter D.

    Brooklyn, NY

    3.0 star rating
    7/10/2011 1 Check-in Here

    KoKo Cocktails is an awesome little bar.

    They have great prices for surprisingly good cocktails. They have a sweetheart of a bartender, who quickly and efficiently serves the room. The fun crowd makes KoKo group-friendly, but the sexay lighting renders the small space intimate enough that you might want to take your special lady.

    However, I can't overlook the fact that the sign outside advertises a pool table, and that you don't have one. After buying a drink and walking over to the road to nowhere that is the back hallway, I felt deceived. Hornswoggled, if you will. Perhaps KoKo will someday win back my trust, but only if one of the following happens:

    1. They take down the sign.
    2. They install a pool table.
    3. I get drunk enough to not care.

    I'm assuming it will be that last one.

    I would also like to take this opportunity to apologize to the lovely woman behind the bar. In the sobriety of daytime, I now realize that the owners of KoKo (not you) are at fault for this false advertisement. May I just say that your pants are lovely and not, in fact, on fire.

  • Review from Betty N.

    Santa Monica, CA

    5.0 star rating
    6/15/2011 6 photos 1 Check-in Here

    **GREAT EFFIN DRINKS AT AN UNASSUMING BAR**

    A touch of class.

    A touch of dive.

    Great balance.

    Our mixologist made us a mean drink that brought memories of New York and LA.

    And it was ONLY $8.

    THANK YOU.

    Fun atmosphere.

    One can dance, talk loudly, and sputter.

    No one gave a shit, it was that type of bar.

    Loved it, will return.

    HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

  • Review from Rye G.

    •  
    • 121 friends
    • 93 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    7/31/2011 5 photos

    Oh, a storm is threat'ning
    My very life today
    If I don't get some shelter
    Oh yeah, I'm gonna fade away
    ___

    How much did I enjoy Koko Cocktails? So much that I was afraid that writing a favorable review would increase the number of people I didn't want at the bar. You know how regulars get about their neighborhood bars.

    I liked the bar so much that I went to a Planning Commission meeting at City Hall to state my support for their move to Polk Street (as if this writing, their ABC stuff is still pending).

    But it all started with quality drinks served by quality people, patronized by quality people and in a location just off the beaten path enough to keep out only but the most curious.

    It's with a heavy heart I say goodbye to this place. New friends and new memories that will stick with me. For all the vitriolic hate that's spent by neighborhoods to keep bars away, it's important to remember that, for the most part, these are places of great socialization. Places that actually make a community feel a lot smaller. I visited new local businesses because I came here, I became more active in my neighborhood because I came here and I knew my neighbors better because I came here.

    When we diminish the function of a bar to simply a place to get drunk, we show our own ignorance.

    Any business is a reflection of the owners' ethics. Terrible owner, terrible business. That's the one constant across them all. Koko's owners should be a testament to naysayers that a bar, in and of itself, is not debauch and evil.

    Goodbye, Koko. And thank you. I hope to see the HiLo Club on Polk Street sometime next year.

  • Review from Emily D.

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    7/25/2011

    My roommate DJTINACHRISTINA and I used to come here all the time- like on a weekly basis. We were all over that.

    We will miss you, KoKo, and all your awesome margaritas.

    We never did find the pool table you advertised on your sign, but we didn't care. Drop a line for a fallen homie.

  • Review from Kenny L.

    Placentia, CA

    5.0 star rating
    3/6/2011

    Sunday night 7:30 Trivia!!!

    What are the drink specials?  $5 Greyhound and Salty Dog. Also Vesper
                                                   Martini later in the night.

    What kind of prizes do they    Used 500 piece "Bel AIr" classic car puzzle,
    give out?                                random t-shirt and action figures.
                             
    What is the mood of the          Really mellow and welcoming. No blaring
    place?                                     music in the background. Definitely a good
                                                   place to have drinks with convo.

    Categories?                            Current events, music (really obscure),    
                                                   famous 1sts, My So-Called Life TV show,  
                                                   dead or alive        

    Meaning of KoKo?                  Quite possibly awesome in Korean.

  • Review from Gracie B.

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    • 282 friends
    • 496 reviews

    Newark, NJ

    5.0 star rating
    6/6/2011 1 Check-in Here

    Fun trivia.
    Friendly staff.
    Diverse patrons (hipsters + us + old-timer with a walker).
    Cheap drinks.
    Awesomeness

  • Review from Marissa H.

    San Francisco, CA

    3.0 star rating
    5/18/2011

    I'll have to go back & experience their cocktails. Only had a beer & how can you screw that up? It was pretty deserted at 12:00am which was sad - where are all the people on a Sat night when the bar still has 2 hours till closing? But at least we got drinks & seats at the bar easily!

    Good dive place, check it out.

  • Review from Cena V.

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    • 25 friends
    • 14 reviews

    South San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    4/19/2011

    They have great drink specials! ... I asked for a $2 Modelo... bartender asked me if i wanted it with the "works"... I said "sure". In return I got a ice cold Modelo with lime, salt, and cayenne pepper!! Never tried it with the cayenne but mannn was it GOOD!

    Go here for good drinks and a chill vibe. Plus, youre surrounded by a variety of great food places just walking distance.

  • Review from Tiffany N.

    Denver, CO

    5.0 star rating
    1/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here

    When you order a mimosa at KoKo Cocktails you get a can of Sofia Coppola champagne and a glass of fresh squeezed juice. And if that doesn't say "I'm classy" I don't know what does.

    This place is awesome because it's still intimate and not overcrowded, but they know how to make a mean cocktail. It's dim and sexy and good for fun times with your friends, first date, or serious significant other.

    And if you go there you almost have to go through the rite of passage that is the TL Standoff. I won't tell you what's in it, you just have to take it like a (wo)man and enjoy the rest of your evening.

  • Review from Katie Anne N.

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    • 410 friends
    • 919 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    3/27/2011

    Whoa Duvall and Chimay?

    Whoa old school hip hop DJs spinning?

    Bomb bartenders and cool low key non douche bag vibe?

    Yes please.

  • Review from ruggy j.

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    Updated - 7/27/2011 1 photo 7 Check-ins Here

    Oh, TL Standoff - how I'll miss you!

    Listed in: Dive In!, Sauce it up on Geary

    Was this review …?

    3 Previous Reviews: Show all »

    • 5.0 star rating
      7/24/2011

      It's a very sad statement, but this is the last full week to enjoy, arguably, the greatest bar in… Read more »

  • Review from Connie C.

    •  
    • 5000 friends
    • 1522 reviews

    San Jose, CA

    5.0 star rating
    11/13/2010 1 photo 2 Check-ins Here

    For years I would drive by this place and not think twice about it. Based solely on the signage, I thought it was just a divey Korean bar. So, when the bros suggested coming here for some drinks, I thought the choice was a bit odd, but then again, Plan A was to go to a divey Chinatown bar.

    Upon entering, all my preconceived notions about KoKo were shattered. KoKo is my kind of intimate bar with dim lighting, laid back vibe, great beats and an impressive collection of booze. Their specialty cocktail menu is full of Prohibition Era style drinks. They muddle fresh fruit into these bad boys, and all the cocktails are a staggering low price of $7 - love their Buster Brown. The bartenders are alums from Tunnel Top, one of my old stomping grounds, so it's no wonder why I instantly liked KoKo. Plus, they were projecting "Snakes On A Plane" on the wall while the DJ was spinning hip hop jams. Really, can a bar get cooler than that?

    If you and your pals are down to get sloshed, a quick way to get there is to challenge each other to the TL Standoff, which consists of 2 shots and 2 backs: Fernet & Coke and Tequila & Beer - taken in that order. Loser buys the round. Guess who bought the round? Yup, yours truly. It was all good though - I was still feeling so fly like a G6.

  • Review from Jackson Q.

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    4/9/2011 1 photo

    This place is waay more dive-y than I thought it was going to be. Is that a bad thing? You bet it's not! I love dive bars. I love bars altogether, to be honest. If you're the type of person who prefers to go to a "club", then your'e not my type of person, and you should stop reading this review immediately because the grace and charm of my prose is NOT meant for you.

    But if you're like me and you love a good, standard, American-ass dive bar then by all means- continue. I stopped by here with my friend after dinner and immediately snagged a seat at the bar (good timing more than anything) and ordered a Kamikaze (my drink of choice!). The bartender asks me- "as a shot or as a cocktail?" YES. I love my Kamikaze's as cocktails, and I love that he asked me for my preference. This thoughtfulness makes up for the CASH ONLY-ness (which does kinda suck- all bars, all businesses period- should accept credit at this point).

    The Kami was great, not too expensive either ($7). This place is pretty cute too, sort of uninspired but there's something vital about it, something that shouts "this is a fine place to hang out!". I can't put my finger on it- so thank you- KoKo, for containing that ever-illusive X factor.

  • Review from Nathan M.

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    • 37 friends
    • 59 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    2.0 star rating
    2/5/2011 1 Check-in Here

    It was a dark and stormy night. "43 Degrees Fahrenheit" my phone shouted at me when I checked the temperature. Gently I tapped the screen to refresh - surely it couldn't be that cold outside and yet so damn hot at KoKo's.

    A bead of sweat formed on my brow.  I tried to ignore it as I fiddled with my phone - but its inexorable march down the side of my face grew in my mind like a weed.  

    Jacket came off.

    Could I take my pants off?  A quick glance at the patrons said yes.  The bouncer, no.

    How many Modelos can people drink? Backup.  WHY are people drinking Modelo?  Maybe it's because it's so damn hot in here.

    Another beat of sweat forms and quickly dives down the path its lover had formed on my face.

    I start getting nervous.  Where's the door? What if I'm trapped in here, forced to sweat, wear pants and drink modelo all  night?  I look around; timidly at first, then progressively frantic.  

    Finding the door I stumble outside.  Oh, sweet cold air.  Oh sweet dim city twilight.

    I'm going to whiskey thieves.

  • Review from Dipper M.

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    • 4 friends
    • 12 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    5/6/2011

    Understated gem, creative+ prohibition-era cocktails with professional bartenders (who also own the joint).

    The three owners of KoKo's cut their teeth as bartenders at Tunnel Top (before it jumped the shark in 2003). A few years ago, they pooled their tips and bought this Karaoke 'let's do heroin in the bathrooms before turning our next trick ' hole, turning it into the classy, friendly, Bourban & Bacon themed, movie-projecting-silently-while-I-sample-Justin's- latest-elixir-to-great-tunes, golden find bar that it is today.

    CASH ONLY keeps the overhead low, and the drinks under $7 bucks, so no more of this silly whining. As far as I can tell, people who gave it less than 5 stars were either too drunk to give a proper review (um, why did they bother?), or bitched about the CASH ONLY thing, or didn't think there was enough of a 'scene' (in which case, good riddance... go back down to the Marina)

    No TV, no drama, friendly customers, amazing bartenders.

    Shhhh... don't tell anybody about this place, let's keep it in the family, shall we?

  • Review from Gabriela S.

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    • 3 friends
    • 19 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    2/21/2011

    A dive bar for people with people with good taste.

    Sophisticated cocktails served with a hint of hipster condescendence.  A pretty good dj on most nights, old movies projected on the wall, and candlelit bathroom with dark emerald walls and a gold-framed mirror straight out of snow white.  Great spot. Cash only.

  • Review from Tom R.

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    • 1462 friends
    • 522 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    8/10/2010 3 Check-ins Here

    I've discovered the glory of The Old Fashioned.

    I think this place used to be a private Korean club. I remember once years ago trying to walk in here and being stopped by a doorman who said the cover charge was $40; I didn't go in.

    A while back I started to notice a hipster-ish crowd going in but I still didn't give it another chance until I was out with a friend that said that she loved this bar. We'd been hanging out at my favorite place all night, Amsterdam Cafe, so I figured it was only fair to go to one of hers.

    We got there and my friend pointed at the bar and said "That bartender makes a dynamite Old Fashioned, do you want one?" When I drink whiskey I usually drink it straight but I'm always up for trying something different and decided to give it a shot. Wow that was one good drink!

    Since then I've tried Old Fashions form several places and this was the best.

  • Review from Patrick B.

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    • 4 friends
    • 177 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    7/31/2011 1 Check-in Here

    this place experienced it's final night Saturday, if I am not mistaken, but it will reemerge like a phoenix somewhere, hopefully under the same vibe:  uncrowded, chill, nice dj tunes in the corner, low lit chill area to talk.  For anyone tired of the noise of Polk street (a la "Vertigo"), this is a go-to dive bar.

  • Review from Yeelo N.

    Mountain View, CA

    4.0 star rating
    2/14/2011

    I am loving this place.  Came here on a Saturday afternoon to celebrate some good ol' birthday day drinking.  The bartender, Justin, was awesome.  He was patient, very attentive and gave us suggestions on drinks.  The best part, after each one of his cocktails, he took a straw full, tasted it, and  made sure it was good.  That's attention to detail and standing by your drinks.

    I was here during an earlier part of the night, so I don't know if it gets crazy packed or if the patience and attention to detail dwindles later in the evening, but so far I am impressed.

  • Review from Genenester K.

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    • 3 friends
    • 3 reviews

    South San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    1/25/2011

    I like scotch.  I mean that or Irish whiskey, but mostly scotch.  Lots and lots of Scotch.  I'm also a fan of quirkiness, of weirdness, of that which is just a bit off the walked path, but not enough off the walked path to be noticeably off the walked path.  I like KoKo's!  The place is awesome: it has buried-in-the-wall artwork, it has organic, freshly squeezed juices for you cocktail lovers and it has the coolest bartenders, and door-men, and DJs one could ever meet.  And I should know, because liking scotch has brought me around a lot of bartenders, door-men, and DJs.

    What more can I say?  Drinks are well priced and full of quality stuff mixed with a generous helping of hutzpah.  Everyone is friendly.  And if a lady is hitting on you, but is visibly drunk, the bartender will suggest water instead of that martini you were about to order her.  True story.  Classy.

  • Review from Steve A.

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    • 40 friends
    • 95 reviews

    Reno, NV

    3.0 star rating
    3/14/2011 1 Check-in Here

    This was my last stop of my drunken night on the town. I hit the Geary street bar area because I know that this is the place to go dive bar hopping on foot to get my "Soused" badge for Yelp. It worked, I got the badge, and very soused as well. Job well done, I think. Now to remember.
    It is hard to review this place as by the time I got here I was already pretty drunk. I really did not notice or even care how clean the place was. They had beer and it was cold. Big plus for cold beer. Other than that it seemed friendly enough. I could see myself coming back when I am a little more ( lot more ) sober.
    Just stopped in for a beer before staggering back to my room to pass out.

  • Review from Angela B.

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    1/16/2011

    I've been wanting to go here for a loooong time.  The place doesn't look like much from the outside, but the cocktails are a) creative & inspiring, b) exceptionally well-made, & c) MUCH more reasonably priced than a lot of other places making similar styles of drinks ($7?  $8?  I wouldn't be surprised if some of the same concoctions were to go for $10-14 at some of the swankier cocktail spots in the city).

    I started with a regular Manhattan, which was one of the most fantastic Manhattans I've had out at a bar.  And $7!  $7!!  Just fantastic.  Other delicious beverages included a Star Daisy (Gin, Applejack, lemon juice, triple sec, sugar) and a Smoke Weed (Mezcal, lime juice, sugar, cayenne pepper).  This was my personal favorite, as I am a huge fan of all things Mezcal & spicy.  I plan on trying to make one at home in the not-too-dim-&-misty-future.  There was a fourth drink made with tequila that was a special for the night, and I wish I could remember what all was in it.  I do remember that it was just as excellent as everything else we had though.

    And of course, the real bonus is the proximity to the movie theater on Van Ness.  Go over early, grab your tickets, then pop on over to Koko for a few drinks before the show.  Can't beat it.

  • Review from Noel J.

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    • 151 friends
    • 349 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    5/8/2011

    scrumptious cocktails, italo disco on the last Saturday (if the dj cares to show up) of every month.

    fun.

  • Review from Tamar D.

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    12/24/2010

    Meanest whiskey sour I ever had - and for $5 bucks during happy hour!  Richard, the Primus bartender, makes a helluva drink.  

    It's small, dark, takes cash only, plays movies on the projection screen, and started to get jumpin' on this eve of Christmas eve after about 8.  I could definitely spend time here.

  • Review from Sabrina M.

    Grapevine, TX

    5.0 star rating
    7/23/2010 2 Check-ins Here

    Okay, I'll be upfront. I just got back from this place. So, I may be a little bit tipsy... so my judgement may be impaired. Probably not, though.

    First of all, cocktails for super super super super cheap. $7 for most of the stuff on the menu, though the bartender kept suggesting some personal mixes he makes, for which he charged $6. For San Francisco? Pretty cheap. Considering I was just in New York paying $10-12 a cocktail about a week ago? Even better.

    It doesn't hurt that the bartender was also super cute. Perhaps that is my impaired judgment speaking, but I don't think so... but maybe this is a result of the free shot he gave me because some other chick ordered one but didn't pay for it, or something...

    I suppose I can't rate them low on service! Let's see... I started out with some weird gin and tonic-y concoction the bartender created himself, followed by this spicy cocktail (I forget the name). I eat a lot of spicy food and am used to it, mostly because I always have a cool beverage near by to appease me. The fact that my cool beverage had a spicy aftertaste was a little unsettling... but I liked it. Yes, I did.

    I was going to order a pisco punch afterwards but the bartender recommended a simpler pisco cocktail (for those like me who had never had pisco before). Um, it was delicious. The cocktail was milky white with mysterious orange specks in it, and was sweet without being too sugary. Awesome.

    Also, I have to say.... cleanest and most spacious bathrooms of any bar I've been in, perhaps.

    P.S. Please be impressed with my mostly accurate grammar and spelling. I write this less about half an hour after leaving KoKo Cocktails, so.... yes.

  • Review from Young L.

    •  
    • 186 friends
    • 74 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    11/18/2010

    man i really thought this place was a korean karaoke place and avoided it. I was very pleasantly surprised when i walked in and found a cool bar with good music and good drinks for great prices.

    The night took a strange turn early on (something about bear costumes and hugs) so i didnt know what to expect but we ended up staying for several hours listening to old school hiphop, watching snakes on a plane followed by 9, and people watching.

    They have all sorts of drinks but for a great time, all you need to know is "TL Standoff".  

    Also, the picture in the back corner is not a woman holding a monkey although it looks a lot like one. she is instead holding a puma/cheetah/large cat. dont be fooled. you've been warned.

  • Review from Emily C.

    •  
    • 98 friends
    • 12 reviews

    Saint Paul, MN

    5.0 star rating
    7/20/2011 1 photo 4 Check-ins Here

    Koko's is my absolute favorite bar in the Bay Area, and since I've moved, I've missed it terribly.  It has a super familial atmosphere, while maintaining an awesome artsy vibe.  There are always amazing d.j.s, but it never feels super intense or annoying on a weekend night.  Obviously, that's great, because there's sort of a divey feel to it, and you don't have to be stressed out or wait forever to get a drink.  Plus, the bartenders and owners are fucking rad!

  • Review from Dave N.

    •  
    • 16 friends
    • 239 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    6/28/2011

    KoKo, a renovated, reimagined Korean dive-bar on the edge of the Tenderloin, is a good bar.  I think it started out as a kind of hipster hangout that tried to serve good drinks, and it's slowly evolving into more of a neighborhoood bar... that serves good drinks.

    The house drink special menu has sometihing on it for everybody, though they do have a full bar of relatively upscale liquors of every type.

    Our bartender is always good, and he makes good, honest, tasty cocktails.  He is also experienced at taking care of his 'regulars', and once prompted us to get our drink order in before a large group of indecisive 21-year olds could monopolize his efforts.  That's a good bartender!

    I would go back.  I do go back.

  • Review from Drue C.

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    • 368 friends
    • 900 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    3/2/2008

    I am happy this bar is under a new listing on yelp, as so not to confuse the old with the new. Now the memory, and documentation, of what a dive this bar used to be can live on;

    http://www.yelp.com/bi...

    I do not want anyone to forget why plastic surgery is bad and the old owner was a solid testament to why you should not go all fucking Michael Jackson crazy with the reconstruction.

    About the new KoKo. It is most certainly no longer a dive, but more of a chill loungy bar that isn't quite a lounge. Dark lights and red and wrought iron accents give it that atmosphere initially but it also has a friendly and casual feel that most lounges fail to capture.

    Thank goodness my wise companion helped me get over the initial disappointment at another fallen soldier in the land of seedy dives in the up and coming "Tendernob". As he pointed out it is not the new owners fault that the neighborhood is changing. Though I wanted very badly to find things to hate about the new KoKo, I couldn't. They have a nice selection, fair prices, really cool bartenders and a good thing going. So, until that changes I will look at this place, without bias, as a nice new bar, not as a shell of what used to be.

  • Review from tinna h.

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    7/6/2009

    Until recently, I wasn't aware that KoKo Cocktails had a drink menu. I thought it was like every other bar that you walk into where you just order the standard, and that was it.

    But now I know better. It was probably not such a good idea to end the night there after a handful of Chimays somewhere else... Those specialty drinks are really something! Fresh fruit and absolutely tasty.

    A random movie plays on the screen on one wall, and there's usually a DJ around, mixing some beats too.There's a bus stop right outside, and another one up the street on Van Ness. Super convenient! One evening, I couldn't wait to get home to use the restroom, so I wandered into KoKo Cocktails and used theirs. It's clean enough!

    I'm a fan. YAY!

  • Review from Jaime C.

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    5/8/2008

    4 stars for:

    -Getting cash out at a sex shop located *right next door*
    -Finally meeting Princess Buttercup (Hey girl! :D)
    -Being told a story about how the cab driver's niece totalled her car on her way to her job to Mitchell's Brothers because she fell asleep and that he has a gay stalker who shot him twice and how has the Hells Angels on his side
    -Serving up a *mean* vodka cranberry. Twice.
    -Having a location walking distance to other bars once I'm too trashed to want to stay in one place
    -Walking with Adrienne G to get cash out when a bum asks her for a cigarette, turns him down and he continues to flip her off while walking back.
    -Having a nice bathroom. I think.

    I don't remember much after the drinks.

    Omgosh YAY you have tables!

  • Review from Locks B.

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    • 102 friends
    • 6 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    3.0 star rating
    4/21/2008

    This place is like a secret I wasn't supposed to know about.
    I'm not going to tell anyone else. And when mentioned to me, I'm going to act genuinely surprised to hear about it.

    "KoKo's? What? Naw never been there. Sure, I like checking out new places."

    It's better than: "I was geeked up after 10 min of being there and it's darker than a Vampire bingo hall, but I liked it."

  • Review from Jonathan H.

    •  
    • 86 friends
    • 1 review

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    6/18/2008

    Reasons why this is my favorite new spot in the city:

    -The bartenders are friendly, accomodating, and professional. In fact, three bartenders run the joint.

    -A wide variety of excellent dj's play there on almost a nightly basis.

    -The drinks are quality and affordable.

    -The atmosphere leaves nothing to be desired.

  • Review from Rachel F.

    •  
    • 313 friends
    • 160 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    4/19/2008

    Ok, so I'm blind. Well, probably mostly blind, particularly in my left eye. I have to wear contacts during the day and then I pop on the thick as bottlecap glasses right before bed. These days I'm running a little low on the super duper strong contacts for the left eye, so I'm making do with weak-ass right eye contacts in my left eye. So I'm at least half blind for the time being.

    And the mood lighting in KoKo Cocktails did nothing to help my current compromised seeing situation. I felt like my grandma, holding up the bills close to my eyes to see whether I was holding a 5, 10 or 20. Yep.

    If it was in a little better locale, I'd schedule my next blind date there. We always look pretty in low (or in this case nonexistent) light.

    I like that the bartender saw my empty glass on the bar in front of me and kindly interrupted my conversation to ask if I needed another drink. That's good customer service.

    Their frou frou cocktail menu was rife with deliciousness, but I didn't try because I'm more of a standard drink gal. Although I'm sure they were lovely.

    This would make a great after movie drink place on a date.

  • Review from Alejandra W.

    •  
    • 223 friends
    • 189 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    Updated - 3/15/2009

    Did I mention how rad the bartenders are here?

    ...People still say rad, right?

    Listed in: Typical twenties

    Was this review …?

    1 Previous Review:

    • 5.0 star rating
      2/4/2009

      Coocoo for KoKo.

      Black Cherry Cosmos FTW!

      Was this review …?

  • Review from Rocco B.

    •  
    • 142 friends
    • 548 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    3/16/2008

    The last time I went into Koko, it was because I really had to take a piss.  It was the scuzziest dive to end all dives.  Because they don't usually like non-customers using the bathroom, I grabbed a quick shot of Jim Beam.  It was in a crappy rounded 1oz shot glass and cost $6.  SIX BUCKS!

    That was the old KoKo, but now it's got new owners and it's totally revamped.

    They did a great job of cleaning the place up.  The bartender / owner told me that they got it done with about three weeks of 12 hour days.  They must've been slave drivers or really hard workers.  If you've seen the before and after, you'd understand why.

    They have interesting bottled beers and a nice top-shelf collection too.  I even saw some of the bottles they use for well drinks, and they're a cut above your standard Popov.

    We had Sapphire martinis.  They were huge and the guy made them with care.  At about 6.50 a pop, they were a nice deal too.

    It's neat that they kept the old name and sign.

  • Review from Mari A.

    •  
    • 327 friends
    • 319 reviews

    Concord, CA

    4.0 star rating
    4/21/2008

    Gold boots, lost/found red leather jackets, homeless boyrfriends, the beautiful table and fantastic eyebrows sum up my wonderful first experience at Koko Cocktails!

    Bartender is a very cool chill dude with a great smile.  The bar carries Hanger One vodka (HURRAH!) BUT unfortunately, they carry every flavor except my love, keifer lime. Still, good variety of alcohol and very good prices.  Crowd is a great mix and I'll definitely be back again!

    Minus one star for being a cash only establishment.

  • Review from Berna T.

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    4/19/2008

    My idea of a good time doesn't always include hanging out in the "Loin, but this week's DYL was just within walking distance of my apartment which let me conveniently leave the vehicle parked safely - and allowed me to drink (ir)responsibly.

    The bartender who started off our night, Justin, was friendly and had some really cool tattoos.  I sat at the bar with a couple of friends and chatted while sipping some Maker's Mark (with a ginger back).  The bar pretty much cleared out when the DYL crew decided to head over to a different bar at about...oh I have no idea what time...but I remember I was about four or five whiskeys deep and about $40 poorer, which means that the drinks weren't too expensive and I tipped on every pour.  

    Crap, my head hurts.

  • Review from Derek B.

    •  
    • 346 friends
    • 208 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    1/22/2009

    It's still bigger than hip hop hip hop hip hop hip
    It's bigger than hip hop hip hop hip hop hip hop

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