"the bartenders are all very cool, the vibe is relaxed."
(in 156 reviews)
"I loved the exposed brick, dark colors and soft lighting."
(in 14 reviews)
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Mr. Smith's
Rating Details »
Categories: Dance Clubs, Lounges [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Civic Center/Tenderloin, SOMA34 7th Street
(between Jessie St & Market St)
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 355-9991
- Hours:
Tue. 5:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Wed. 5:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Thu-Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat. 8:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Thu, Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- Yes
541 reviews for Mr. Smith's
Review Highlights
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This business is a Yelp Sponsor
9/10/2009
10/28/2009
10/20/2009
10/11/2009
10/21/2009
10/26/2009
10/13/2009
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7/12/2009
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5/24/2009
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8/25/2009
6/17/2009
One of Mr. Smith's' Favorite Reviews What's This?
Kevin, your staff made my birthday amazing. From the hosts, server, DJ and bartenders. Everything was perfect, I will be back!
-Loved the area you reserved for my party.
-Such a great host and server. I think her name was Lani or started with a "L"
-Music was amazing.
_Everyone in my party loved the place! :)
People thought this was:
- Cool (1)
I had my birthday celebration here a couple weekend ago and it was a fantastic experience from beginning to end.
Kevin was easily reachable by email and helped me reserve a table for my party and was more than accommodating for my ever growing guest list.
The night of the party, entry and guest list for my friends were easy and painless. Our waitress was super nice and brought us drinks right away. The bar itself was great. Upstairs where I had my table was quiet and private while downstairs was packed with partygoers. All of my friends had a ton of fun! Thanks very much!
I really wanted to like Mr. Smith's better. Maybe if I had come on a different night (I went with my friend to a dental school party).
We got there fairly early (maybe 10:30, 11ish)? To my surprise, more than half the crowd was already drunk off their butts and slurring their words. I knew the night was either going to end rather quickly, or feel really long. It was the latter.
They do have excellent specialty drinks, though. None of that typical club drinks here (I'm talking about you, long islands and AMFs).
There are three floors for an open feeling. Just avoid being downstairs all night or you'll be sweating like little miss piggy!
People thought this was:
- Useful (5)
- Funny (4)
- Cool (4)
I got so drunk here that I almost don't remember what an ass I made of myself.
Almost.
Drinks were great, average price (about 7ish for a vodka drink), but mixed REALLY well. The bartenders Brad and David were super nice to me all night, even though you can tell by looking at me that this is not really my scene. Interestingly enough, this is not because of the staff, decour, location, or vibe. Everyone who works there was very nice to me, I like how the place feels, I like the layout (dancing is downstairs and you can escape it or dive into it whenever you want), and the bathroom is clean. The clientele unfortunately reminded me a little too much of home (The OC) and that was the only drawback for me. This could have been because there were 3 birthday parties going on (which apparently is their specialty) and that was the way the dice rolled.
Or OC people are even following me on vacation.
They refuse to serve Long Islands and "Bomb Drinks" which totally tickles me and I got a large dose of not-so-secret pleasure every time I heard Brad tell one of the Orange County-esque girls this info.
Guys at the door were amazing; good at keeping control, let me come and go as I pleased (with a hand stamp) and were just generally nice.
If I lived in SF....I would be here often. Lucky for them I don't.
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Funny (2)
- Cool (3)
Had my birthday here the other night and had a great time! We reserved a table, the booth across from the main bar and it was great. It was very central, in the middle of the nice upstairs area and a great place to mingle with friends. I would say that it was a bit hot at times though, but that might've had more to do with the alcohol from all the shots people were buying me.
The dance floor downstairs was cool, but it started to get hot later in the night. Try to get close to the fan and you'll have a great time. Since I turned 30, I wasn't looking for a straight up dance club but rather a place where you could mingle with friends and other people and dance when you want to. Mr. Smith's definitely fit the bill! Thanks Kevin for setting everything up!
This place is fun! I was partying here on a recent Friday night for a friend's birthday and everyone had a blast. I don't live in a bar or anything, but the venue gave me a homey vibe. I didn't check out the top floor but I like the layout of the street level floor. The bottom floor was described to me as "cave-like", and it was exactly that. It was humid and dark down there but they had industrial fans going and it actually wasn't so bad.
We got our drinks in a timely manner and my Sex on the Beach was stronger than usual. I also liked the crowd that night! The only part I don't like about Mr. Smith's is the location and the fact that the alleyway where they expect you to wait in line smells like a port-o-pottie!
This place looks super sketch from the outside and is in one of the more ghetto SF neighborhoods, but the inside is surprisingly legit. There's 3 floors; ground floor is the main bar and lounge area, top floor overlooks the ground floor and is reserved for private parties, and bottom floor is the dance floor with a smaller bar and DJ. Cover is $10, meh.
The lounge area was really nice. But what makes this place so legit is the drinks are INSANELY cheap. Perhaps I'm used to ridiculous $15+ alcoholic drink prices in LA, but my friends and I were in disbelief with the $6-7 per drink prices. And, the bartenders and even the freaking BOUNCER were all SO nice and friendly! This was definitely an anomaly for people like me who are used to impatient bouncers and rude bartenders in Hollywood / West LA. Are people just chiller in the Bay Area? Haha.
Why I'm giving this place only 3 stars though is because THEY DON'T SERVE LONG ISLANDS, AMF'S OR ANY KIND OF BOMB SHOTS. WTF -- WHAT KIND OF BAR ARE YOU? What am I supposed to order now, lame fruity shots with low alcoholic content? (Yes that's what we ended up ordering; not bad, if you were wondering how they tasted.) And they played lame Bay Area hyphy music.... which I like and am impartial against most of the time, but honestly.... in a nightclub... no.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
I used to come to Mr. Smith's all the time between 2007-2008 and I loved each experience. I remember the music was great, a mix of top 40s with some of my favorite 80s tunes. The drinks were strong (always a good thing) and the service was friendly (bartenders, other bar ppl and even the bouncers!).
I was just there this past Friday and sadly I feel like things have gone down hill. The music was not hot and rather than dancing, people were simply swaying back and forth in awkward circles. The crowd has become less diverse--kind of like the bubble lounge crowd. I'd hate to say this but Mr. Smith's has become a poor man's bubble lounge--same type of peopele but in a smaller, less swanky kind of venue.
I'll probably give Mr. Smith's another shot but if my friends throw out bubble as an option, I would probably take that option.
Loved this place- went on a Saturday night. Good atmosphere, drinks, and music. No line to get in but a cover charge. Only gripe was when leaving the area late at night it can be tough to get a taxi.
Overall, casual lounge feel. Downstairs more dance scene. Good balance.
-nice decor
-decent drinks
-active dancefloor
-great people
-fun overall
-hard to find parking!!
-cover charge :(
In the words of my dear, fearless friend who drove us all here:
"Yeahhh... the TL at 11pm? Sure I'll drive but I hope you guys don't like your lives."
Friends not from the area: "....uh, what?"
Me: "Don't mind him... Alrighty we're here, everyone got their gatt?"
______
Once safely inside, we were pleasantly surprised by the clientele of young UCSF students dancing in circles and grinding on each other like it was a highschool dance. Wait, did I say pleasantly? Also, I'm just being an asshole- it was a UCSF party that night so ofcourse the basement was filled with prepubescent teens.
The bartenders are also very cool and accommodating to our incessant rounds of Jager bombs and "Heineken. No wait, Blue moon. Wait, you wanted a Corona? I want a Blue moon. And a kamikaze. Er.. can we pay separately?"
All in all, It was a reasonably fun spot. Just your average run-o-the-mill club jams. The layout was a bit strange, like a very tall and narrow red brick triple-decker cake. I don't know, I think after years of partying in LA I've become accustomed to shiny, sparkly, glamorous, sweeping panoramic views kind of spots with annoying electronic remixes. I hate that about myself.
I'll change, I swear. And Mr. Smith's, you're going to help me learn to appreciate the simpler things again.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (2)
Nice place to reunion with every Cal alum possible ... how can this warrant anything below 4 stars?
People thought this was:
- Funny (1)
Good bar, GREAT music, and a whole bottom floor dedicated to all the dancers. A win in my book.
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Funny (3)
- Cool (5)
Cliche evaluation: This place is legit.
Came here with about eight people on a Friday night. If you know the area, you might hold back from going to this place due to concerns about your pre- and post-shenanigan safety. But, this is just another case where you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
On the outside it looks like any old spot, but it's actually pretty classy on the inside, with nice decorations and a dimly lit setting. Beers are around $5-6/ bottle Heineken, Corona, Blue Moon, or Bud light. Pick your delicious elixir. Nothing on tap which was kind of a bummer, but I didn't expect that from the bar/club hybrid scene. When you enter, you'll hit the bar with quite a bit of standing room too.
Downstairs is where the real party is at, the place for people to unwind after a stressful week and bust out their newly acquired dance moves. Or you just might be a jobless young'n looking for a kickin spot. Either way, you'll have a good time hear. The music is mostly hip-hop but the dj will mix in some surprises here and there. Good stuff.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
My friend Eleanor (not her real name) offered me $10 to dance with one of the very good looking bar boys. She upped it to $20 when she realized that every girl there would rather dance with him over any other guy in the place. Well- he or one of his attractive co-workers. I shook my head no and danced to Rhiana instead. Though, Mr. Smith's was devoid of good looking men who weren't payed by the hour, it was still good enough just to dance with the girls. If you're looking for a place outside "the scene" Mr. Smiths offers the top 40 without the usual marina d- bags bobbing their heads to Black Eyed Peas.
And in case you do get hot from brushing off an annoying dude ( or brushing up against a hot one), they are nice enough to have fans blowing ala madonna 80's video chic. I can get behind any dance place who thinks of the girls for once.
I like this place! Partied here for a bit on a saturday night. I liked the interior and the setup...small room upstairs, bar and tables midlevel, and dance floor downstairs. The drinks were good. Bartenders were attentive even while it was busy. Bouncers were nice, too. The crowd seemed mid 20's to early 30's. The music was decent too. It was mashups night and there was a lot of variety. Danced with the boyfriend a little and went back upstairs when it got too hot and crowded. We had fun but didn't want to bother with the heat. I'll definitely come back when I'm in a fun, dancey kind of mood!
OK place...... terrible location. However, if you do go here try the SWEET HEAT. I may swing by here in the future just to grab this awesomely unique drink but after I grab my drink I will head on out to someplace else.
OK so let me describe this SWEET HEAT drink and then I will go into the atmosphere of the place.
My girlfriends and I started talking to one of the bartenders, David. David asked us if we wanted to try something new and spicy. We agreed and watched him crush a habanero pepper over ice, add some other secret special ingredients and top it off with Hansons soda. Whew! This drink was out of this world! I have never had anything like it in my life. The drink was FAR from ordinary. It was extraordinary!! So sweet with a spicy kick. Wow!! So exciting.
I came here this past weekend to celebrate a friend's birthday. FYI -There was a $10 cover charge. When we arrived we went straight downstairs and started dancing. Well we danced for about one song and then headed back upstairs (the music was not that great). We had a champagne cocktail that was really good and then mingled for a bit. There was a bachelorette and bachelor party going on but besides that the crowd was not too exciting. We decided to explore the rest of the club and ended up walking up to the 3rd level where two private parties were being held.
There are a lot of places to lounge at Mr. Smith's if you have made a reservation. However, no reservation = no luck. I didn't find this place too fabulous. I would come back here again for some SWEET HEAT but that is about all.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (2)
- Cool (2)
I came here on a Tuesday night after getting denied entry to a show at the Rickshaw. The place at first glance is kinda sketch looking from the outside, but inside it's super swank. A rich red interior and a well stocked bar is what greets you at the entrance.
This place is an actual cocktail bar, so none of that AMF or Long Island stuff flies here. They even have a little printed note that says this. Anyways, the drinks were nice and balanced, nothing too hard or too watered down. The music here was surprisingly good too.
I would definitely come back here again, maybe on a weekend to check out what the scene looks like.
I have to give props to Mr. Smiths. Every time I go, I have a good time.
It all started a few years ago when one of my friends hosted my birthday party here. That's when the love affair began. We had the top floor to ourselves, with a bar dedicated to all our needs. From what I remember it was quite possibly the best party... ever.
From that point I got hooked. My friends and I kept going back. Sometimes I would just go. It got a little crazy. Can you have bar withdrawals?
Before you stop reading my review because you think I'm not all there, just let me say that there is a little bit for everyone at this place.
If you want to chill and kick it, hang out on the main (2nd) floor.
If you want more privacy rent the top.
If you want to get buck nasty with some dancing freaks, go downstairs and party away.
Bottom line: Don't be scared of the location, yea it's in the TL, but it's next to the Federal building (there are cameras everywhere). If you're looking for a good night spot, that's not pretentious and has a good feel, check it out.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
One of my favorite all-purpose night spots (Bar,Lounge,and Dance). For several reasons (not in any particular order):
-Good and unique drinks and garnishes
-Fantastic decor, lighting, and color
-Fun and energetic crowd
-Dress code: casual to business casual
-Bottle service upstairs
-Lounge/booths
-Dancefloor downstairs (not a full-out club scene given the small dancefloor and only decent hiphop)
-Bar
-Central Location that's easy to get to
-Friendly security and bartenders
-Easy to maintain a conversation on the barroom floor
Heed this: They tend to close a lot earlier than the times listed mon-thu.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
Friendly bouncers, cute bartenders, nice decor, bottom floor for dancing.
It would have been a fun place but for unexplainable reason it was quiet and dull on this Saturday night. It was approaching midnight and NO ONE was dancing! The crowd on the main floor was filled with professionals (buttoned shirt, tucked into pants-kind-of-look) who seemed like they just came back from a long day of work at Yahoo (not that there is anything wrong with that!).
It was unvaried, uneventful, and lifeless. So we left. We'd give it another try another night.
still rocking it out after all these years.
came for a birthday celebration, and the night had all the elements of a good time
easy entrance, fun crowd, good music -- not too loud, enough fans thus not too hot downstairs, standard drinks, and of course the best part of any night is the great accompanying friends
$10 cover Fri., mostly hiphop music
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (2)
From the bumpin' top 40 music, diversed crowd, multi-level space, to the accomodating and friendly staff at Mr. Smith's, you can't go wrong on a Saturday night. I am a fan and I'd come back here again. There was a $10 cover charge. Love the exposed brick walls and a dance floor to gig at. The capiz lamp shades above the bar adds a sophisticated touch. Tables for bottle service lines around the bar where partygoers can drink to their hearts' content.
It's nestled right in the Tenderloin and parking could be a little tricky.
Time flew fast at Mr. Smith's and we managed to close the place down.
Mr. Smith's the best kept secret?! I think so!
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Funny (2)
- Cool (3)
Came here to celebrate a birthday.
The bday girl had the seating area right across from the main bar all reserved for us.
The vibe of the bar is great. The vip seating area we had was very spacious and comfy. The lady helping us out was great. She was very helpful and got us our drinks quick.
The dance floor in the basement is a decent size but is a little claustrophobic because it gets very crowded and the ceiling is super low.
The music played by the dj was ookay. Songs that you don't normally hear at a bar/club because they're older songs, but then again it's an older crowd of folks that are here.
All in all, a great bar with a great vibe.
Great place to drink, dance, and hang out with friends.
"Can we get that table up front right by the door overlooking the bar?" Kevin (the manager), "yea, i do have people who are supposed to show up for it. I'll give em 15 mins and then if not its all yours." Kevin comes back 4 mins later, "aww f*ck it, you guys can have it, lemme set yall up"
Very accomodating crew that works here. the waitress was on point. any mistakes that were made were made up twicefold in friendliness and prompt service tailored to our every needs. The doormen are cool and relaxed about mostly everything. I was trying to use the phone in the doorway but homeboy saw me, held the line, asked me to go ahead and step to the side so that i dont have to yell and hear better then just jump back in whenever im ready. they allowed anyone else that was going to join our table to get in free of charge and the music was overall top 40 fun tunes that i didnt need to feel all snobby about.
The top floors are loungy and the bottom is more grimey but definitely has the aura to go get your dance on. The crowd is fairly diverse and the drinks are reasonably priced. despite being close to 6th/mission, i like this place and may find myself here again with no hesitation. overall, its the little things that makes me a fan of this place.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
My kickball league is full of a bunch of drunken hooligans. This shouldn't be a surprise; most are. We're a bunch of twenty- and thirty-somethings who refuse to grow up and still hold onto a slice of college bacchanalia.
What is surprising is that a classy establishment like Mr. Smith's would be willing to host my league's end of the year party. Or more specifically, my kickball league's OPEN BAR. Open Bar to your average SF denizen means "Sweet, I'll have a couple pints before heading off to the night's target destination." Open Bar to kickballers, very similar to yelpers, means "Sweet, that sounds like a challenge. How long do we have?"
For an event that started at 7:30, the free booze was killed off by 9 pm, and what was left was a motley crowd of wasted 9-5ers with Peter Pan complexes. It was fantastic.
And throughout the whole thing, Mr. Smith's took care of us and easily handled our increasingly boisterous revelry. Our drinks were always served promptly by attractive bartenders and cocktail waitresses. They were patient with us and never lost their cool, which all things considered, was quite impressive.
Even after the free bar ran out, they still treated the league members well. When I dropped my ruby red & ginger ale in the middle of the dance floor (I still maintain my teammate knocked it out of my hand), they were quick to mop it up and even better, gave me a free replacement.
Mr. Smith's would be crazy to host an event like that there again, but you can bet that if they do, I'll be first in line.
People thought this was:
- Useful (19)
- Funny (16)
- Cool (18)
Came here to celebrate a friend's birthday and had an awesome time! Everyone is really friendly, from the people at the door to the bartenders (probably the friendliest club workers that I've ever encountered). That night, there was no cover before 10pm.
Tricky thing is that the floor when you enter is super small. Upstairs is reserved for parties so you really have to go downstairs to hang out. Decor on every floor is cute though. The DJ was good. The best was the bartenders. Yes, the hot one is really that good looking. Plus, when I didn't know what drink to order, I told them I wanted something sweet, and they made me a drink that was exactly what I wanted! I asked them for the name and they said it's just something they created. Drink prices are also not that bad.
Once it gets crackin', it's super crowded and can hardly move. There's only 1 bathroom down there and it's gender neutral so there's a bit of a line.
Random: The funny thing is that when we first got there, it looked like we walked into the capital of bachelorette parties! I think there was 3 going on that night. Still good times.
The hottie that had me wet and sticky wanted to just show me off here tonight and I just did NOT like the vibe...tooooo forced by the skankers that were hangin out tryin to rub my hottie...!!!
I mean the staff and all are pleasant enough...it is not their fault that the hottie men are not goin in for blah-thunder thighs and siliconed pads on the bridge and tunnel shiksaz.....
Go there if you want to find a place close to nothing....I would pass on a Sat night and get my hotties hoppin in to make it a scorchin one.
Mr. Smith's is AWESOME.
Really REALLY cool front doormen (THANK YOU), friendly-ass bartenders, and people generally here are JUST nice.
We had bottle service upstairs which overlooked the main bar, complete with lounge chairs and a mini bar. Tres awesome.
After an hour or so, we proceeded downstairs for some dancing. Yes, it has divey moments, but they have the basics:
- DANCE FLOOR
- DJ
- FAN
- BAR
- COOL PEEPS
What else do you need?
I highly recommend.
People thought this was:
- Useful (12)
- Funny (10)
- Cool (12)
To the WINDOW...
To the WALLS...
To the sweat drip down my BALLS...
To all SKEET SKEET SKEET SKEET Muthafu***rs
*************
Chiggidy check yo self before you wreck yo self...'cause I'm bad for yo health, I come real stealth...
************
Never trust a big butt and a smile, that girl is *POI----SON*
************
That was Saturday night and I still can't get the music out of my head. SO MUCH FREAKING FUN! And hey, I didn't write 'em! So don't judge me for saying skeet. (or is it skit?)
That basement level is off the hook when the music is good. A little crowded, but who cares when it's that much fun. The DJ turned a little weird corner after 1am, then it was time to GO. One tip: Get yourself on the guestlist or arrive before 11pm to avoid the $10 cover. Even if you do pay cover, it's worth it!
AND LAST THING: Big ups to my YELPTASTIC peeps Hayley, Angelo, Kareem, Ryan, Jason, Ting (and anybody I can't remember) for helping me to celebrate my big 3-1. You guys really got me off my CRAMPY you know what !!!!
Next is happy hour ;)
People thought this was:
- Useful (19)
- Funny (21)
- Cool (19)
Went here last fri night for some drinks and tunes.
spent most of our time downstairs dancing in the brick walled basement. bartenders were friendly and knowledgeable. getting a drink wasn't a problem either.
the dj was pretty crappy. i know everyone's a critic right? but in my drunken state i remember completely stopping and looking at my dancing friends who also stopped and saying "what the heck?".
hopefully he was not a resident.
People thought this was:
- Cool (1)
Totally satisfied with my birthday reservation at Mr. Smith's. Kevin was great from the start and followed up beforehand to make sure everything was good to go. We had 2 reserved tables w/ bottle service on the main floor/bar area which felt pretty cool, even though people were stealing our seats by the end of the night. Bottle service charge is suuuuper reasonable (believe me, I shopped around for weeks!) We only had to buy 2 bottles of bubbly (for $45 each)....so basically, 1 bottle per table. Most clubs have a minimum $175 bottle service charge, but Mr. Smith's is way less uptight.
I was looking for a place with a loungy feel, top-40 dance music (not because it's my fave, but because it's great for booty-shakin;), reasonable bottle service charge and decent service. Mr. Smith's checked off on all of the above. I would go back just to dance downstairs in the "underground" DJ station. Really fun, not creepy or rave-like, just a spunky, eclectic bunch of kids (yes, it's a younger crowd...mostly 20s it seemed).
Dress code is semi-casual, although we found out flannel shirts do not count as "button ups". Nice jeans, nice shirt is cool for guys. GIrls, you know what to do.
If you don't want romance, you just wanna dance...this is a great place to unleash the urge. I will definitely be back.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
I thought Bubble Lounge took the cake for number 1 dance floor that smelled the most nar nar. Wrong, Mr. Smith's you win that title. You attract patrons who produce tons of pheromones. I highly recommend coming here if you are on the prowl because all I could smell was "hot, hot, hot, sweat sweet. Red, red, red, red meat." Screw the perfume, just come pre-sweaty and get each other drunk and I'm sure there will be a love connection in the making. However, if you don't come with a buzz or inebriated, the bartenders are friendly, the service is quick and the drinks are reasonably priced and strong.
The main level is very small. In fact the whole place is small, yet you don't feel claustrophobic. I initially came here for a TNT fundraiser and surprisingly I find this place is more fun when it is packed them empty. I'm not really sure what the upstairs is all about, but I guess if you want some privacy you can meander up there with your group.
People thought this was:
- Useful (7)
- Funny (7)
- Cool (7)
Mr. Smith, you are like the hot guy who plays dungeons and dragons; you make a girl wonder what is wrong with you. I am not usually one who needs a sexy crowd to enjoy myself (see Poleng Lounge review) but I guess I need a "cool" crowd.
Your décor, your bartenders, your location all call for sexily composed clientele, but the 25 yr old jumping on your couches like a teenager drunk for the first time negated all coolness. And the crew of fools grinding up on each other like they have never seen a member of the opposite sex, much less, danced with them, was just odd. Thankfully, you pulled out the good hip-hop around 11:30 and we danced the night away, but I have to admit, it was a bit of a struggle to get there and it was better if I kept my eyes closed.
...that's what she said.
So, if you are in your late 20s to mid 30s and are worried that you will act-a-fool because you haven't gone out in eons, Mr. Smith's is your place. Trust me, you will be among fools.
I will only be back to Mr. Smith's for happy hour, when hopefully the novices will not be present.
People thought this was:
- Useful (4)
- Funny (4)
- Cool (3)
As mentioned by others the atmosphere is great. The drinks here are very particular though, I was disappointed that two of my favorites, the bloody mary and Irish coffee aren't served here. Fortunately they do have great dirty gin martinis, extremely friendly & helpful staff and doormen, and very good music. I like this place a lot.
If you get bottle service here it's worth noting that you get a 1 Liter bottle as opposed to a 750ml like you get in most other places. Nice touch.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
Mr Smiths is a reliable old friend. The bouncer manages the neighborhood riffraff while still being pleasant and friendly. The bartenders and servers are friendly. The music danceable.
People thought this was:
- Cool (1)
This is the 2nd time I've been here, but it was soooo great the first time I totally didn't remember ANYTHING. Haha, so...now I can legitimately write this!
This 1st visit here I threw a birthday party for a good friend -- everyone had a blast.
The 2nd visit here -- Saturday night of Memorial Weekend -- I threw a reunion party for another good friend -- again, everyone plus me had a great time!
Why?
GUESTLIST: The whole process of getting it organized was super smooth. Just call them up and email them your list of folks.
LOCATION: One block away from the Civic Center BART station. One block away from the 800 all-nighter bus. Extremely convenient for those of us that don't want to drive!!!
COAT CHECK: Yes! They have coat check. $2/item.
BOUNCERS: Chill, friendly, understanding folks. 3 of my friends on the guestlist were running a lil late, but we were able to squeeze them all in. Just be nice to them!
BARTENDERS: Super friendly. It was a bit crowded, but all 3 bartenders upstairs were still very attentive to our drinks and checked in on us to make sure if things were good even after giving us our drinks. Speakin of #'s, they are well staffed - so you never really have to wait! 3 bartenders upstairs. 2 bartenders down stairs. Very fast, attentive service with a smile! And they were all dressed neatly in nice vests and a collared shirt. Trendy =).
DRINKS: Very reasonable prices.
- Basil Gimlet: $8 -- delicious! Not overly sweet. Plus a bit of a kick from the chipotle powder.
- Shot of Don Julio: $5
- Tequilla Sunrise: $6
- Gimlet (the regular one): I forget the price...but just as delicious to the point that this could actually be my new favorite drink...
AMBIANCE: Chill! Not super stuck up or snooty. Not super dirty. Perfect balance! You will feel at home here =). I mean..you still prolly wanna dress to impress, but it's definitely not the kinda club where people give you looks for dressing down a bit =P.
LAYOUT: Awesome -- 3 levels of dancing and bars.
MUSIC: Great mix of 80's, 90's, and today's hip hop (with just a tiny bit of house squeezed in every now and then). Love love loved it! Danced the ENTIRE night is how fun it was!
CROWD: I've read a lot of comments saying that this place isn't very diverse...but, I honestly think that this place is the most diverse club I've been to in SF..like..ever. So, I don't know what they're talking about =P. I think it's a great mix of everyone! It's also totally not a club where a bunch of sleezy guys stand around waiting to zoom in on the chickas - which is another plus =). The crowd is just as chill as the bartenders.
And...I think that about covers it!
Friendly. Chill. Awesome. Just go. Haha.
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Over the years I've been here a hand full of times and even though it gets really crowded like any other bar/club I've always enjoyed myself. I've lost a couple of friends here before only to find them 20 minutes later or the next morning at a stranger's house. It's centrally located, nice inside and usually has good music. No long islands or bombs of any kind at this bar, but I guess that's OK. It keeps the riff raff out.
I like long islands and bombs of all kinds.
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If Mr. Smith's was a dress code, I'd call it business casual -- functional and not over the top. The laid back atmosphere is fitting for large groups deep in conversation who have no interest in screaming over the music. Big thanks to the adorable bartender who hooked my girls and I up with some stiff drinks. I don't know if I'd rank this venue as a mixologist's heaven, but I will give them some street cred for the delightful concoctions. As any one on the verge of a mental breakdown after a rough work week, I left the bar quite smashed that Friday evening. In fact, I barely recognized the old hobo popping a squat outside of the bar. You're in bliss when the Tenderloin seems like innocent Disneyland.
People thought this was:
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I came here on a Sat night for a friend's bday party. Let's keep this short and simple
Pros:
- reasonable drink prices
- we had bottle service, with good service
- Roomy venue with three floors
- GOOD Musci!! I can't stress this enough, they had a really good mix of every type of music.. and not hour by hour like some DJs do, but all mixed in together.
- Putting together a guestlist was easy to coordinate with the club.
Cons
- a bit stuffy downstairs in the clubs area, but didn't realize it until coming upstairs
- bathrooms are a bit small
Overall, I liked this place and would come back.
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