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Categories: Performing Arts, Restaurants, Music Venues
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I've been living in this city for more than four years now and there's one thing that pisses me off more than almost anything else: that I only recently found out about this place. Octavia Lounge has single-handedly changed my week.
The only thing I can speak of is the Sunday brunch because I have yet to go there at any other time; but if you had been on Sundays you'd realize why you wouldn't have to go any other time as well. Between 11am and 3pm on Sundays they have an all-you-can-eat buffet as well as bottomless mimosas ($10) and bottomless bloody maries ($11). Need I say more?
The food is good enough as it is neither amazing nor terrible. But the wait staff is really cool. I said the word "cool" for a reason: because they truly interact with you. Unlike other restaurants where the wait staff is friendly and responsive, the staff at Octavia Lounge is personable and responsive. They laugh and joke with you and it truly seems as if they're having a good time as they do their work.
If you have the opportunity, go here on a nice warm, sunny day and sit outside with your mimosas. It's an incredible place to chill out and a perfect Sunday morning activity.
"Bottomless Mimosa" is so clearly French for "best brunch concept ever".
I found myself on Sunday in SF in the definite mood for brunchin', and Kirk B. and GS both thought to alert me to the deliciousness that is the Octavia Lounge on Sundays. We walked in, afraid it'd be crowded and unmanageable, but it was near empty, which suited us just fine. Our waitress was incredibly friendly, accomodating, and pleasant, and made the brunch even better. For a slightly steep price ($16), you get a full free buffet plus an entree, and for $10 you get the much desired bottomless mimosas. Huzzah.
The food on the buffet was interesting and pretty different: portobello sandwiches, mango chutney/turkey/muffin sandwiches, eggs benedict, fruit salad, coffee cake, spring rolls--but they were satisfying and hit the spot nicely. The egg scrambles, when they arrived, were pretty average, but the mimosas and the side buffet more than made up for it.
It's well worth a brunch stop, and this out of towner defintiely recommends it.
Just not my cup of tea. Everything was just ok. But what really sucked was the open mic performances.
There were so many cliches being spewn I almost had to drop Octavia from three stars to one star for nbot pulling the plug on these idiots.
Anyway, two stars. I say drop the prices and book better events. I bet if you had actually readings from talented peeps, you'd do better.
NEWSFLASH: Brunch does NOT suck! Not at Octavia Lounge!
Okay, you're saying, "Put down the crack pipe, chica. When did brunch ever suck? It's a meal you don't have to get up early for, that you can just stumble to hungover, that basically consists of all the best foods from all times of day, with a side of BOOZE. PARTY TIME!"
Except if you have dietary restrictions. Then -- it sucks. No one wants to eat fruits and veggies for brunch. Fxxx nutrition! You want DRUNKOVER food! You don't want to watch your friends lick the cream cheese off their fingers. That makes me do voodoo in my head to secretly increase the fat and calories in their meals and make them gain ten pounds. Because I am a mean, mean, vengeful almost-vegan when I'm drunkover at brunch surrounded by food I can't eat. And I am a powerful voodoo priestess, too. You should be very careful, if you decide to brave brunch with me, lest you walk away ten pounds heavier...
My friends are a brave brunch. They are well aware of my voodoo powers. And still, they invite me to brunch. A.K. picked Octavia Lounge a couple Sundays ago. I'd never been. I assumed it would be just another drunkover voodoo sesh. Like XYZ. Like Foreign Cinema. But...
NO!!!
They have lots and lots of things I can eat there! I had a vegan "eggs benedict" of sorts... Portobellos and spinach on English muffins drizzled with balsamic vinegar...
FOR MY ENTREE. That's not all I had. Because every entree COMES WITH the brunch buffet. Which also had things on it I could eat. For like a $15 flat fee. That's a lot of food -- THAT I CAN EAT -- for $15! And NOT just fruit. Hot damn. I had at least ten little cold spring rolls with sweet chili sauce. Mmm...
So... I MIGHT HAVE GAINED TEN POUNDS! FROM FOOD! NOT VOODOO! Oh, and maybe from the three pitchers of mimosas I drank, too (bottomless mimosas! $9.75 per person, or thereabouts...).
And I'm really glad I got to put the voodoo powers to rest for a weekend. Because A.K. is really hot, and I really don't want to make her gain ten pounds. But of course I would still love her if she did. But of course I'm not saying my voodoo powers are responsible if she does. Okay I'm going to stop incriminating myself now. A.K. is hot no matter what and I don't think she even ate anything at brunch so how could I have voodoo-ed her?
Bambi went to dinner here with the Heffa Friday night and had a great time.
The food was ok maybe 3 stars. The Heffa said get the pigs off the ZONE diet and feed them before you serve the ribs cause there was no meat on them bones. And this business with a wedgie iceberg lettuce is not cute. Come on now chop that lettuce and dress it up.
Service was great. Loved the live show and the crowd. The service and the live entertainment earns them the 4 stars. I will have to go back again and try the other stuff on the menu.
Went here for brunch with a bunch of girlfriends right before seeing Sex and the City a couple weeks ago. The food is decent, but it's really all about the bottomless mimosas! Actually, not only do they have bottomless mimosas, they also have bottomless bloody mary's and champagne (the cheapo kind, but you don't notice after you've had a few) :-)
They also have a little hors d'oeuvres buffet table if you get Sunday brunch so not a bad deal. We all had a great time, and good thing I wasn't driving...got me a nice buzz just in time for the movie!
It's a Wednesday night and quiet on Market street.. My dining companions and I choose Octavia because of the free jazz starting at 8:30 pm.
My dinner choice was the Grilled Portabello Mushroom with Bleu Cheese and a side of grilled veggies (string beans, red bell peppers, onions) at $9.95. One of my companions chose the Octavia Burger with Bleu Cheese and a side of deep fried beets at $9.95. And craving french fries, my third companion orders a large order of fries that came with three dipping sauces (reduced balsamic vinegar, herb aioli, and spicy ketchup) at $6.95 and the Grilled Salmon Tacos at $9.95. We also shared the only dessert big enough for the three of us - the House-Made Double Chocolate Brownie Sundae at $6.95.
Our waitress, Megan, was informative and nice. Never rushing us at all and very easy-going. We ended up staying there for about four hours just talking, enjoying the music and the atmosphere.
Wednesday's Open Mic/Jam Session with The David Starck Trio was an interesting experience with various individuals hitting the piano, the drums, and the mike as they belted out their own songs. A very relaxing place to grab a drink and just listen to some musicians just jam. It probably would be worth checking out some of their signature cocktails too the next time I return.
Overall, not a bad pick for a decent meal and live music on a weekday. The weekends are definitely bumping more with bigger headliners and a $20 cover charge on certain nights.
Side note: It can get drafty heading to the restrooms as they are in the back and the side doors are all open for fresh air to come in. Silly to say, but you might need to bundle up on your way to the loo.
walked here the other nite....i always thought it loked a little dodgy from the outside.....and we had an AMAZING nite! the jazz was romantic and fun and fabulous. The Hot Club was playing and I highly recommend seeing them ( very Django Reinhardt inspired). As for the restaurant - it was elegant. we sat together along the booth and were cozy and comfortable.
the food was pretty good too - but it was more the whole package that made the evening so memorable. we had Tiger Prawns wrapped in proscuitto (always a good idea)...the chopped salad (it was HUGE - definitely something to share!) and the prawn/risotto - which fit my mood to a tee.
for dessert we had the Brownie Sundae - and i'm a huge fan of that. i was happily surprised when it arrived in one of those big glass sunday cups (like at the ice cream parlor) - with a heavy dose of whipped cream. i prefer my sundaes old school - not all dolled up and trying to be sophisticated - so this was perfect.
My boyfriend and I are in love... With getting drunk over brunch. Also, with each other.
We've been to the Octavia Lounge twice now, for their bottomless mimosa brunch. The first time, I had the crab omelette, and he had the portobella burger. Both were awesome, and we were drunk off of our asses by the end of brunch. Also awesome.
The second time, I honestly don't remember what I had, but the boyfriend had a french dip sandwich and loved it. Again, trashed by 1pm = awesome.
The nosh buffet in the back can be hit or miss with some of the offerings, but over all, is enjoyable. And, as someone mentioned earlier, they have GREAT vegetarian offerings.
Service is fabulous, but yes, can be a bit slow. The waitstaff is generally gracious and polite, but a bit overworked.
A tip for someone going to the bottomless mimosa/bloody mary brunch: Ask for a carafe straightaway. It'll make refills much quicker.
This place gets 3 stars on possibility alone. The place is pretty inside, and the live jazz is decent. the food that actually made it to our table was tasty.
unfortunately, our waitress was really stoned or really stupid, and never actually brought us our meal. when we asked her to take the main course off our bill, since it had never arrived, she got really really confused.
hopefully, this is not the normal experience here. i am hoping to try it again sometime.
This place may win the Chameleon Award for having the most changes of name and management in the last 5 years. In previous incarnations it was Carta, then something else, now Michaels. I have heard it was just purchased by new owners who have been working hard on revamping it... and I have been there a couple times since and have not been disappointed....
One thing that has remained fairly consistent even in the midst of all these changes is that this has been a good venue to see a cabaret or jazz set in an intimate supper club setting. Local jazz and cabaret artists seem to do well here, and you can get a decent meal and pretty good wine and enjoy the show for a reasonable price.
Sunday afternoons from around 5-7 there's free jazz band concert, and open mic for vocalists afterwards... good quality. I'm hoping to be able to add a fifth star soon!
We had plans to meet my friends, Andy, J & Roland, for brunch, yesterday. When I called to find out where, Andy was pretty hungover and wanted something nearby his apartment. He suggested Octavia Lounge since he'd heard they had bottomless mimosas. Neither of us had eaten there. We'd only had cocktails and watched a fairly decent drag show.
When conveying the plans to my boyfriend, the conversation went something like this:
Steve: "Andy wants bottomless mimosas and not bloody marys*? What kind of gay shit is that?**"
Me: "Well, it IS a drag bar***."
Steve: "We're going to a drag bar for brunch? God I hope they aren't the same ones from the night before --I'm not so sure about morning-after drag queens."
Me: "I suppose that's why they give you bottomless mimosas"
It turns out that brunch doesn't come with drag queens. What a pity. A few drag queens may have made it far more palatable. Instead there was someone playing piano. I swear, the volume on that thing went to 11. Who wants LOUD cheesy 80's lounge music with their hangover?
The food was pretentious and uninteresting. The service was PAINFULLY slow and we had to get up to go looking for our server several times.
* They actually did have bottomless bloody marys, too --although getting them refilled was nearly impossible.
** Steve is an equal opportunity smart ass.
*** It appears that it's not a drag bar. We just happen to have been there on a special night.
(updated with 10/17/06 comment below)
As an amatuer wannabe crooner who habitually haunts karaoke bars, open mic piano bars, and well, just about any place that risks letting crazed customers like me up to the mic to sing, I award the Octavia Lounge 5 stars for its Open Mic nights.
I don't get up to the City often so have few chances to drop in, but when I have, I have always found *everyone* at the Octavia Lounge, the wait staff, the other singers, the host musicians, the drop-in musicians, to be talented, friendly, encouraging and totally without attitude. The food is more than fine enough to satisfy me, the various host musicians all excellent and able to play almost whatever you call out in whatever style and cadence you prefer, and this being San Francisco, home to scores of people with show-biz souls but employed otherwise, you usually get to hear some really outstanding drop-in vocalists. Professional cabaret singers drop in too, along with other assorted characters. Everytime I've been there, I've been treated to some outstanding vocal performance (in addition to my own, of course ; ).
...or entertainers of other sorts... Last time I was there .... Ms. Carol Doda -- who pioneered the practice of silicon injection for career enhancement purposes .. dropped in and sang a few... Hey were any of you *other* Yelp readers even alive when Ms. Doda started doing her topless thing in North Beach? I thought not...
Main point, if you have an affection for singing the jazz standards from the Great American Songbook and like to commune with others who do also, go here on their open mic nights.
-------Update 10/17/06------------------------
I notice a lot of reviewers blasting this place for slow service. I won't dispute that. If you're in a hurry for a quick drink or meal before you run off somewhere else in your busy, busy, very-important-date existence, I suppose it is not the place for you to go. When people like me go there, though, we intend to spend a few hours *right there,* lolling around, listening to - sometime appreciating - and always encouraging the other singers, chit-chatting with the hosts and other customers, taking our turn at the mic, you know, enjoying ourselves. So less-than-speedy service is not really much of an irritation to us. In fact, it's exactly right... If you have no use for open mics and no patience with amatuer singers, strong or not so strong, well, that certainly is your perogative ... (but screw you anyway ; )
I'm not a brunch person. I've been disappointed one too many times with the greasiness of the meal. However, Octavia Lounge was not too shabby. The french toast with strawberry jam and cream cheese, the scrambled eggs with avocados, and the must-order biscuits and gravy - all delicious! They have live singing also while you dine. Have a mimosa and the performances will sound even better! Heh....not that they were bad to begin with.
JONASAPPROVED!
Wednesday Night Jazz Open Mike - think "Ella does Karoake" back in the day.
There's so much TALENT in the city ( I mean musicians, not "hot ass") that it was killer to see.
When was the last time you saw an old cat who looked like he was from the Delta blowing trombone while a teenage looking asian kid with glasses wailed on piano and a white chic with blonde curly hair banged the beats on the drums???
Last night is a prime example why I wake up in the morning...
I live for moments like that where the eternal truth is played out for all to see:
It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, how much melatonin you have in your skin, your sexual preference, religious ideology or even how old you are. The VIBE is all we got, and if you're ONE With the VIBE, you're ONE with ALL LIFE.
.....And if it's the RIGHT vibe, I can shake my ass to it. Beautiful.
Music es mi vida- music is my life people.
I've been here on several hump days and I'd recommend this place to break the week up and enjoy a few glasses of vino with a pal or few.
The owner, Patrick, is quite cool and he seems to put service at the top of his priority. The bartenders are also attentive and they're good at filling up your glass.
The food is actually above average. The cheese plate rocks, fries are nicely seasoned, crab crakes are very moist- all appetizers(except for the cheese plate) are half off during happy hour , til' 7pm during the week, so you can get your buck banged. Their mind-numbing specialty martinis are also half off til' 7pm. I hear they have a buffet breakfast which can feed appetites a plenty, and after tasting a Manhattan a couple Fridays ago, I'm sure the bar can whip up delightful Bloody Marys and mimosas on the weekend.
The wine list is diverse and they give you big pours. The cabaret and jazz performances are fine and after several large pours of vino it will all sound like Etta James.
Brunch. Ok, not exactly the most elaborate of cuisine and therefor not always the best cuisine to base a review on. However, be it the only meal I have ever eaten here then this is what I have to say... err, yuck?
Yes yes yes the bottomless mimosas flow, the apparent vogue of getting fucked up drunk over breakfast didn't fail to miss this establishment - as a way to entice one inside? Perhaps. The food was below average and they missed out the avocado which we were still charged for. I ordered three eggs, ham and mushroom. I got that, only scrambled together, allowed to get cold and rung up at the shocking price of $14.99 (I could buy a DVD for that!) Not to mention that it took well over half an hour to arrive. They provide a buffet to keep you occupied while you wait for your "entree". Tsk tsk tsk, bad idea - unless you like cold cilantro spring rolls and dried biscuits as an "appetizer" (?), however the buzzing flies were a nice touch :-)
What goes better with a cold brunch than a view of an overflowing trashcan and a bottle of windex? That was my partners favorite part, mine was the bad decor and exposed wires everywhere... I mean what else would you expect at those prices? What with paint costing what it does these days...
Ok so now I feel bad. I just slated this place like a nasty little bitchy queen (I'm actually a nice large well mannered gay man, so not far from). The thing is, the service, although slow at first, was great! The staff were all very polite and catered to us well. The host is adorable and the piano player was fantastic. It's just one of those good intention type of places I feel, it didn't mean any harm but it just didn't deliver either. (It also needs a damn good scrub!!)
If you want to get drunk over brunch then this place could potentially be for you. If you require a little bit more then keep heading towards the Castro and you'll find a whole assortment to choose from. Like many of San Francisco's supposed hot spots, this one has the great space but has yet to do great things with it. I hear that the candle lit evenings over cabaret are well worth going to though, and after all you really can't see the duct tape on the carpets once the lights are dimmed.
Reminds me of a YMCA cafe, only slightly less cruisy. Oh yes and the church next door freaked me out a little, always been slightly intimidated by those that wave their arms in the air to, well, anything - especially at that time on a Sunday morning... well, any morning.
This place is around the corner from where I live and ever since the reopening under this name I've wanted to check it out... we went over last night and it was an open-mike night / going-away party. The music was fun and the crowd more fun -- lots of singing, talent, and good times were in the room. I ran into an old friend I hadn't seen in ten years who's been taking acting classes with the guest of honor.
The food was solid, drinks and wine list were good values, and service was excellent at our table. I can't promise every night will be as fun, but it sure was a great first-time experience!
As you an see from the varying reviews and stars this place still isn't quite hitting it!
This was my second time returning. The first I went for brunch. The bottomless mimosas and bloody Mary's is what attracted me. I certainly got my money's worth. Sure they are $9 each but when you have 4 of them you can't complain. In addition the brunch was pretty good. You choose one main entree off the menu and then have access to the buffet. The buffet had lots of little different nibbles including biscuits and gravy. I was happy with it.
Now for dinner. I met my two friends on a Friday night at 8:00. We were taken from the bar through a curtain to the table about 2 feet from the bar area. Once inside we were told there would be $10 per person added to our bill for entertainment. Common the entertainment could be heard from the bar area with little issue, why charge the people who would be eating and then on top of that the performer passed around a huge tip jar!
Sure it is a throwback to the old supper club days but it was a bit schmaltzy to me. I guess they are trying to compete to Martunis.
Let's get to the meal. I only had an appetizer of French Onion Soup. I think they need to go back to culinary school and figure out how to perfect it. It was salty and blah! And the crock wasn't hot enough, the crouton was about the size of a silver dollar and the cheese wasn't oozing over the top like it should be. If you want to see how a French onion soup should be made go to Absinthe!
My companions ordered main dishes. One ordered the rigatoni and meat sauce. I didn't have any but he said it was good. I personally think for the price of the dish it could have been more. The other person ordered halibut. I think it was $23. It was served on a medley of "summer" vegetables: peas, corn and something else. I can pretty much guarantee this corn was not fresh off the cob nor were the peas fresh. For $23 I think that is so wrong!
Shall I move to the waiter? Well he was so unknowledgeable about the food. He had no clue as to what the special was and then when he came back he didn't even do it any justice. In fact if he was the only one waiting on tables and telling the guests what the special of the evening was I can't imagine they sold any that evening. He really seemed like it was a bother to be there working and quite honestly they need to do themselves a favor and get rid of him. I only wish I knew his name as I would call the owner.
Octavia has the potential to become something better. They are in a good location for the symphony and opera. I think they should consider having a shuttle bus to bring people back and forth to the shows in civic center and perhaps market themselves to the tour buses. However, before they do that they need to focus on the food. Hayes Valley isn't too far away and they could really benefit from that clientele.
I will try it one more time for dinner but not anytime soon. I really hope they can figure it out.
On another note the sign on the awning looks cheap and therefore gives the wrong impression of the place.
This is a jazz place and my friend sang on Friday night and though the bar area was loaded up with folks, the dining area was sparce.
They have a private room area for bigger parties but the focus is the bar. The music is great and live jazz is always a fun accompaniment for wine and dinner.
Right on the corner of the new Fell Street/Octavia exit it is warm and well lit and shut out the noise of the cars and street.
Ideal for a romantic dinner.
Wandered in for a light bite before having some drinks.
We ordered roasted beets and vegetarian spring rolls.
Decent wine & cocktail options.
Wasn't crowded, service was pleasant but a bit slow. We were near the bar and could hear multiple waiters sashaying about, bitching about diners.
"Well! *Sheeeeee* just needs to know that everything's not just going to take five! minutes!"
"Honey, that's not how we make *that* on the East Coast! Ugh!"
At the end, we were surprised when a jolly gal came by to ask us if we wanted to sing. Er, no. Stuck around for a bit and realized we'd made a good decision. Those who were singing were good at it.
Where to for drinks?
The Mint!
Good intentions. Great attempt. But(t).... something gets lost in translation.
I come in and order a martini.
"Umm.. what kind of gin did you want that with?"
I ask what they've got. The selection is surprisingly narrow for a place that calls itself and appears to be a jazz bar.
"Hendrick's."
"And did you want to pay cash or use your card?"
For some reason, this becomes a pivotal part of my drink order from here on out. It also necessitates this weird bartender switch, where one bartender goes into the back, the bartender that has just emerged from the door leading to the back discusses my order with me. The original bartender I ordered from emerges with a seemingly filled shaker and begins to make (or finish making) my beverage. The martini is fine, but the whole process confused me. Eventually I got an unitemized receipt and found that the martinis were $12 each which isn't completely unreasonable but at the same time I'm not in Las Vegas. The bartender shadiness was not a high point.
Otherwise, the club was decent. It was roomy, nice and luckily uncrowded enough so that there were seats available. It's a pretty roomy place and I like the design.
While I could imagine parking my Caddy at the curb, walking in with a suit and fedora, flipping a half dollar to myself, that image was dashed by the band of old fat guys chugging Bud Lights at the front, obscuring most of the bar.
Decent. I know someone who often plays jazz here but otherwise I can't see myself coming by too often.
Got there at 1, didn't get our food until 3:30. We were told we would have our drinks while we waited, but didn't. And we had to go to the bar to get our refills because the wait staff was too busy to do it for us.
We could tell Brian, the waiter/host/busser, was very busy and WAY overworked. He was great once he had a chance to touch base with us (and took 1/2 off the entrees) but by that time it was a little too little too late.
The food was good, but not worth going back for if we have to deal with all the bs again.
If I may brag: G and I are fast becoming pro's at having nice nights out on the cheap... and what a nice evening it was! We went to Octavia Lounge with a $10 http://restaurant.com credit in hand, which we'd purchased for cents after a http://restaurant.com 70% off promo. We also made a point of coming during Happy Hour, when appetizers and cocktails are 1/2 off. So, after coupons and HH discounts, we had a dinner of calamari and shredded chicken nachos and two drinks for $10. (Note we also gave our sweet, attentive, spank-me-I'm-flaming server a generous tip and paid the performance cover charge, which was an extra $15.) So my glee at having such a bargain evening probably contributes heavily to my positive experience.
As for the quality -- appetizers were well portioned and edible but nothing special; I doubt I'd want to pay full price for them ($8-11). My Etta James cocktail of Absolut Pear with a "splash of apple juice" left me good to go after just one. This is a nice space, good calendar of jazz and blues. The bottomless brunch sounds like something worth trying. We'll certainly come back for HH!
Bring earplugs. At least if you come during an open mic session.
After hanging out here for dinner, I have a new found and unexpected appreciation for American Idol. People who have little talent should be told so, not politely applauded and encouraged. I hate to rain on the parade, but my ears have feelings too. And while I'll change the channel if ever skipping onto American Idol, I can't exactly take my plate of food outside. Not that there weren't some good performers - I really enjoyed watching one of my friends sing. But damn I cringed a few times with some of the others. I ended stuffing napkin pieces in my ears. My point is that I'd rather not risk the enjoyment of my dining experience having to endure LOUD amateurs.
Food: The Symphony (oysters, prawns, and crab legs) wasn't worth it. It didn't have the freshness and flavor I expected. I had a taste of the nachos, which I think are a better appetizer option. For my main dish, the pork loin was hearty and satisfying as it arrived with a creamy polenta and swiss chard. To finish things off, the chocolate souffle did a serviceable job of giving me that sweet kick I need at the end of a meal. My hunch is that the simpler more hearty dishes are the way to go here. The prices are quite reasonable.
I'd consider coming back if professionals are performing at a sensible volume. Call me an old codger. Go ahead. I'll whack you with my cane so hard I'll hurt your whole family.
Damn, who's that awesome jazz pianist that plays there? =P
Too bad that tango quartet doesn't play there on Sundays anymore.
Sunday brunch was good to go.
Bottomless Mimosas....need I say more?? I like this place mainly because it's a chill place to hang out for brunch. I have been here twice and sat in the bar both times. I like to sit by the window and watch the foot-traffic on market street. You can see some pretty interesting people walk by...including a man in a gorilla outfit on stilts!!
The food here isn't GREAT, but its good and the service...well....a lot of times they forget things, but they are super nice if you remind them. The first time we went, they brought out the wrong entree, but were quick to bring out the correct one and of course they comped it. All entrees are $15 and it comes with a complimentary brunch buffet with has lots of little finger foods to nibble on while you wait for your main meal. They change up the buffet items each weekend, which I think is super great!
I really like that you can sit around for hours and they don't try to scoot you out. The bottomless mimosas (and bloody marys...if you prefer those) end at 3pm....and that's when the live music starts. This place is great for a relaxing weekend brunch.
If you are looking for super duper great food, I dont think you will like this place much, but if you are looking for a place where you can have a chill brunch and just hang out for a couple hours....this place is really great. Also, you can't be one of those people who gets upset at forgetful waiters/waitresses!
Images that come to mind when I think of my dinner here last night:
A septagenarian lounge singer in a silver besequined blouse
A fancily dressed drum player who tapped incessantly on his shoes between performances
A surprisingly good rigatoni with pulled pork
A waitress who brought drinks to our table approximately two decades after ordering and made a snide comment about me and a fish taco
Green tinsel on my head!
I went here last night to hang out with a friend who is moving back to the East Coast. They have recently redesigned Octavia Street and it is easy to get to from Highway 101. I found parking right on Market Street.
The Octavia Lounge has a small bar area and a larger restaurant area with a stage and live music. The jazz quartet that was playing was excellent. As it gets later, additional musicians drop by and join in, and they sometimes have some improv/jam sessions after that.
It's a classy place! You would definitely want to bring a date here. It's not too loud for conversation either. I ordered the vegetarian summer rolls. They were excellent, very fresh and with delicate flavors. A peanut sauce and a more spicy sauce were included. The house wine starts at $7 per glass.
It felt like I was in the TV show CHEERS....where everybody knows your name. I went there to check out open mic night based on the yelp reviews. Every single person was so kind & I ended up making gr8 networking connections. The atmosphere was pleasantly plain. Not too crowded and not too loud. Happy hour has martini specials of all types (with cutesy names), & I had the John Lennon. I tried the famous garlic fries with 3 sauces. I hardly tasted any garlic ($1.00 extra), but the sauces were fun: mayo, ketchup, & bbq. I later ate the chocolate souffle with vanilla caramel gelato. Mmmm, next I plan to inhale the chocolate brownie....
The waiters/bartenders were gr8 eye candy (whatever their orientation)! Many of the staff, including the owner would stop to chat with the patrons.
The open mic was ok. They sang mostly show tunes which were a bit above decent. A big plus is that they are dog-friendly!
I'd definitely go back, but I dunno if I wanna sing to that sort of crowd, at least not yet. . . .
Had brunch here today. The bloody mary's are blooding freaking good. The buffet that comes with brunch isn't worth writing home about, but the entrees are fantastic. I had the croque monsier (and incidentally, the crocque madamoiselle as well due to an error in the kitchen). High quality ingredients cooked superbly.
Bottomless brunch drinks available :)
The food was tasty, but the music was awwwwwwwwful.
We went for dinner on a Monday, and the piano guy was crooning corny tunes way off key and then bringing up sodden audience members to do the same. It would have been kinda funny, but the sound system was so loud we couldn't hear one another across the table. (They really don't need a sound system for a venue that size....)
Garlic fries were extra-yummy, and the assorted dipping sauces were like crack.
This was not our first choice for brunch, but since the crew I was with had (a) gotten lost and (b) was so late that we lost our table at the intended brunch spot, we looked to the Octavia Lounge to satisfy our need for bottomless mimosas.
The place itself was clean, the live music was delightful and the crowd seemed upbeat and really enjoying themselves. The brunch buffet was fine, but the service left something to be desired...specifically...service. We waited about a half hour to have our orders taken, then it took another hour to get the food to the table. Getting our drinks refilled was another matter entirely. We had to become the people that we generally look down on...you know, those people who hail the wait staff to the table. :::shudder::: however, a deal is a deal and if you tell me that I can have an endless supply of mimosa, then by george, you best have some follow through.
If your friend's recent ex turned out to be a real skank and he's feeling a little bit down, this is the place to take him for a manly heart-to-heart. If he is gay, he will find sexual stimulation in the chiseled features of the bartender or the babyfaces and tight asses of the youngish male waitstaff. The bar will be full of cougar gays and he just might find him a sugar daddy to delightfully bounce him on his wrinkly lap. If he is straight, he will be borderline entertained/annoyed by the loud, gay festivities at the small bar proper. It will remind him of all of your gay friends and of why he no longer goes "dancing" in the Castro with you on the weekends. He'll be entertained by the raspy-voiced elderly tranny at the bar and the so-so live jazz vocals with pretty good musical accompaniment flowing from the main dining room will set the mood for him to tell you all about how that boy/girl done did him wrong. There's lots of wine and a long list of cheesy jazz-themed specialty drinks to wash down all that bitterness and to toast to new beginnings with.
This is also a great place for girl's brunch- they may bring you pitcher after pitcher of free mimosas long past closing time. Like, to the point where your boyfriend has to bring his truck and pile you and your five comatose girlfriends in the back. Thanks, Honey! And thanks, Octavia Lounge. If Gay camp is wrong, I don't wanna be right.
This place probably has the funniest clientele of any bar I've been to. There's a always a character or 2. They have all sorts of fancy cocktails so it's a good place to go if that's your thing. The downside is drinks are really expensive unless you're there for happy hour-- then it's half price and therefore tolerable. Overall, I would say give it a try for happy hour, but if you're too early/ too late, I would just go across the street to Martuni's and get your fancy cocktail there.
This joint opened just in time to establish itself before the slowly-emerging new-and-improved Octavia Boulevard makes its debut. They feature vocalists and pianists like Tony Award-nominee Sharon McNight and Mark Stevens, and questionable talents like the seemingly omnipresent Donna Sachet, one of the city's leading drag queens. Contrary to inaccurate reports, the owner's not new - he previously has run restaurants in the same space, but now he wants the emphasis on music rather than dining. Still, there's a varied menu with corn fritters, vegetarian spring rolls, Hoisin-glazed baby back ribs, and the like, and a nice weekend brunch, so despite his inclination to entertain, Michael obviously is a restaurateur at heart. For those who imbibe, they have what must be the longest happy hour anywhere, 1:00 to 9:00pm Tuesday through Friday.
I went here on a Thursday evening with a friend, hoping to find a romantic, quiet spot to share a drink and chit chat. It wasn't crowded at all, which I initially took as a bonus.
It took far longer than you'd expect to be greeted, especially considering there was nobody else sitting even remotely close to the bar.
The bartender finally took my drink order after 10 minutes. I'm still not sure why I waited around that long, I should've left and gone across the street to Martunis- a place I *know* for a fact serves great drinks, and serves 'em fast. I digress.
At about the time the the bartender began to pour a stiff whisky doubler, a slightly rotund, definately bitchy waitress interrupted him and demanded that he hand her her drink order first. Which she had yet to put in. He looked up, looked at me, and then stopped making my drink! The waitress then glared at me like she had been there first, and if she didn't get her drink, the next thing she'd be demanding was for me to clean up broken tumbler glass shards, which had scattered on the floor after being smashed up against the side of my head.
I still didn't leave.
At that time, I was instructed to take a seat and that they'd bring the other drink I ordered (black coffee) to our table on the sidewalk. It seemed romantic, sitting under the awning, sipping warm whisky and waxing nostalgic on a brisk San Francisco evening.
Soon, we became numb and frozen by the wind, noticing that there were exactly ZERO heaters placed near or above tables to warm patrons on nights like these.
I asked myself, "What bar has outside seating in this city and doesn't have heat lamps?" Call me a finicky jerk when bringing this up, but don't expect to keep a customer if they nearly freeze to death before they can finish their first drink.
And for those of you who ask, "Why not go back inside, bitch, and drink your man cocktail there instead?"
I didn't go back in because of the "jazz" they were playing, which was some hack wannabe "crooner" warbling on a static-filled mic. He had zero stage presence and a horrible tie. What he sounded like can only be loosely described as garbage. Imagine a bunch of rustling, filthy newspaper pieces, co-mingled with some broken glass shards, several wisps of soiled toilet paper, and dry dead leaves, all crumpled into a ball and dropped onto Market Street outside. Repeatedly. Now imagine Tony Bennett, clutching said crumpled up heap of refuse, strung out, nearly passed out on the ground, yet with Mic in hand, singing like it was the main stage at The Sands. You might still be able to appreciate his rendition of "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" but you'd probably cringe.
That's what it sounded like.
Alas, we finished our drinks, closed out the tab and got the hell outta there. Next morning I noticed they also charged my credit card for three different transactions. I wondered aloud, "Who the fuck spent $280 dollars at that place in one sitting? Who the FUCK would've tolerated the crumpled-shit-sounding jazz singer for *that* long?!"
Needless to say, I then had to waste a half hour of my time on the phone with my bank trying to justify what happened with my bill, but I did finally get my money back.
Open for as long as I have lived around the corner from it, I made my first foray there just tonight.
I was pleasantly surprised by the friendliness of the service and their thoroughness.
The menu was refreshing and offered a nice, vegetarian friendly selection. The food itself was simply adequate. I was glad that the vegetarian rolls were spring rolls and not fried as I expected but my taste astonishment ended there.
The drink prices, at $9.50, are about the same as more elegant venues, so when we finished our food, our tired bodies wanted to stay for another drink but our dehydrated wallets told us we'd be better off at Mecca where for the same price we'd at least get ambiance.
Also, the place was extremely cold, not in charm but in temperature and when asked to fix this we were told that they couldn't.
So I may be back, because its so, so close but I'll go with a sweater and some seasonings in my pocket.
Had Sunday brunch here today, and the food didn't exactly excite me -- the buffet bar was fly-heavy and featured many items that would've tasted better with a warmer under them, plus my crab and avocado omelet was just not very tasty -- BUT the bottomless mimosa for only $9.95 more than made up for the mediocre grub. It's a really cute space and I would like to see how they fare pulling off cabaret night, since they boast of evening cocktails coupled with live performance. Definitely deserves another look.
I'm always wary whenever I hear the phrase "bottomless Mimosas" as it relates to brunch. After all, what better way is there to mask mediocre food than to inebriate your customers? By the third glass of bubbly, who the hell cares if the eggs are a tad too runny, or if your toast is cold? It'll all be forgotten by the time your headache sets in.
I did not indulge in the bottomless Mimosas when I had brunch at Octavia Lounge recently. In hindsight, I wish I had.
When our server took our order, he explained to us that each entre on the menu included Octavia Lounge's buffet. Said buffet was located immediately next to our table and consisted of various items - chicken skewers, shrimp spring rolls with peanut sauce, toast points with spinach pate, buttermilk biscuits, sliced bread to toast, and a spinach salad, among other things. It was a very hit or miss bunch. The spring rolls, though not stellar, were pretty good. The chicken skewers and toast points with spinach pate, however, tasted like they had been sitting out a bit too long. The buttermilk biscuits were very good. We had a Southern boy with us, and even he liked them.
After a very long wait, our brunch entrees finally arrived. Mine was a disappointment. I ordered a scramble with bacon, onions and pepper jack cheese. It arrived at the table with tomatoes instead of onions. (I promptly sent it back, and it was promptly returned with onions.) The eggs were overcooked, and the ingredients tasted like they had been thrown on top of the already-cooked eggs rather than scrambled in. The potatoes were also not to my liking at all. (Nor were they to the liking of several people at our table, who left them pretty much untouched, as I did.) They were greasy and not very warm. They also tasted a bit off, like the fat in which they had been cooked had been used one too many times. (In all fairness, I have to add that two people at our table liked the potatoes, so maybe part of the problem is personal preference. Or maybe it's just that the Pork Store's hash browns have ruined me for all other breakfast potatoes. But I digress.) My cappuccino was pleasant, but the regular coffee I ordered afterward tasted like it had been brewed the night before.
Our server was very nice, and we were well attended to. As previously mentioned, though, our food took far too long to arrive, and the restaurant was not busy. It's a shame, because it's a great space. The rooms have lots of light and are nicely furnished, and the walls are painted deep, warm colors. Add to this a pianist playing throughout the morning, and you have a potentially great brunch spot. Now, if they could just get the food right...
Pickup Special
Neighborhood: Mission
Breakfast Special
Neighborhood: Civic…
San Francisco, CA
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: SOMA
Category: Lounges
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Outer Richmond
Category: Jazz & Blues
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