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Redwood Room
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 2 am
Fri-Sat 4 pm - 2 am
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
617 reviews for Redwood Room
Review Highlights
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"...to find the chill ambiance nestled in the Clift Hotel." In 44 reviews -
"the comfy couches, and the yummy food (from asia de cuba." In 21 reviews -
"I ordered the cucumber martini and lychee martini." In 14 reviews
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617 reviews in English
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Review from Moua L.
Updated - 5/1/2012 3 photos
What a fantastic way to spend my 31st birthday. Got lucky and found out that Daedelus was playing, so I organized my night out with friends for their weekly free live music series.
I absolutely still love the Clift Hotel. They book the some great bands here. Hopefully they won't charge a fee in the future if this gets popular. I mean I can't afford a drink here ever, which specialty drinks are at $15 each.
Are they good? Well, I think I rather pay for a meal with that somewhere else, but continue to come here for the free show.Listed in: Meeting Places, Places to see great live music
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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4/18/2011
I think that The Clift Hotel adding free live music in the Redwood Room really amps up the pluses of… Read more »
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Review from Ohns O.
San Francisco, CA
5/6/2012
I like the idea of the Redwood Room. A cool and chic hotel bar and lounge. There is no cover... which is fantastic! And because the Clift is a pretty upscale hotel you're surrounded by well dressed people. Even though it's in the Tenderloin, there are a lot of people and security around you so it's pretty safe. And being inside a popular hotel, it's pretty easy to hail a cab. However, I could do without the...
...egomaniacal bouncers who make you wait in line outside a hotel for 40+ mins! Really? You and I both know this place is not worth that kind of wait.
...the over priced drinks. $15 USD for a cosmo makes no sense no matter which way you look at it.
...the women working the "night shift", if you catch me drift.
...the foreigners and/or older men who aggressively try to pick up well dressed young ladies who are out with the friends having a good time. Maybe because of the aforementioned point..? -
Review from Kari H.
Cupertino, CA
4/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Oh Redwood Room. How fun and awesome are your decorations? So cool.
Came here on Tuesday night with a friend. We tried to walk in the hotel's front doors, but apparently they have a separate entrance for the bar. Whatever. Checked our ids and we were in. The lobby leads to the bar, and the lobby is filled with cool decorations and fireplace. Reminds me of Alice In Wonderland.
The bar is easily accessible and it's really quite nice. Drinks are decent and not extremely overpriced. It's really nice to lounge here with a small group or just one other person.
Really enjoyed it. My -1 star comes from the bouncer guys outside being kinda bitchy about letting us walk in a specific door. We ended up walking out the same door they wouldn't let us in. OH well.
I highly recommend you check out the Redwood Room if you find yourself in SF. -
Review from Suz L.
San Francisco, CA
5/21/2012
Redwood is a great place to people watch. There's always an interesting supply of high end call girls, conference technie nerds and eurotrash. Love it!
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Review from D G.
Los Angeles, CA
5/21/2012
The bar lounge is inside the Clift Hotel. I really enjoyed it, and I loved the decor. The seating is very nice, and they have a good flatbread. Great atmosphere although the service is spotty. Not to be missed in my opinion when looking for a nice cosy spot for a drink.
Visited March 2011 -
Review from Keith E.
San Jose, CA
5/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
Was here with friends. Had a great time. I ordered a Hennessy side car. As it was a premium lounge with premium prices.. Emphasis on premium. I expected a better tasting drink. I guess you are really paying for the ambiance verses for a good drink.
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Review from David N.
3/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
The Redwood Room is a classic. It's a San Francisco icon.
My pal, Ana, who recently relocated from Hong Kong, is living next door and has never been inside. Mind you, Hong Kong is the gold standard for lounges with ambiance. Ana was blown away by the redwood panel and flopping down in the funky Philippe Starcke chairs. The plasma slide show is cool. Ana had to have the signature lavender martini (2), which she raved about. Those that know me, I ordered the Johnny Walker. Oh, and of course, fried olives.
The host and servers are so nice, I don't mind paying a few more dollars. I've been there many times and I've never seen any of the beautiful people there or escorts for that matter. Just being there with a good friend, made for a nice evening. -
Review from Gin K.
San Francisco, CA
4/2/2012
BEST: For the safety of it being inside the Clift Hotel. This lounge calls to the hardworking business class who after a long days work want to just enjoy a cozy atmosphere with great drinks and good company. There isn't a DJ, or loud music to disrupt conversation, just ambient music and warm voices from those around.
There is no entry fee to this lounge.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ROOM: The entire room is made of real redwood trees so the walls are deeply red. Huge portraits hang along the walls displaying moving people posing (models in business suits or dresses) - it is not eerie - it actually adds to the lively of the room, a feel of movement. Underneath them are cozy couches and lamps like you would find in a living room. A waitress comes to serve drinks and places them on a long table. There is no need to reserve these couches or pay an extra fee for them. It is first come, first serve.
WORST: It is a tad small. It is simply like a "hallway", literally a lounge however I've been to many clubs, lounges, bars and even restaurant with the same building structure of "a long hallway". So if all the couches are taken, and seating at the bar, you'll have to literally "lounge" against a wall (stand). If you enjoy dancing and dark disco lights this is not the place for you.
MY EXPERIENCES: If you simply want to relax, and meet more upscale people as well as friendly bartenders and good service, this is the place to be! There is also a lot of foreign upscale people who come here to relax. I met a British group here and enjoyed friendly conversation. -
Review from Julia P.
2/10/2012
Great ambiance. Love the large chair in the hotel lobby.
Drinks were nothing special but not overpriced and decent buzz.
More of a professional after work atmosphere with plenty of seats if you come at the right time. Intimate lighting with glowing lights.
One of my go to bars for those who like this atmosphere. -
Review from Christina H.
Castro, San Francisco, CA
4/10/2012
I like. I come here dressed in my best skank outfit and pretend I'm a prostitute with my best friend. After all, this is where all the "escorts" hang out. We act snobby and have creepy old men buy us $40 glasses of champagne and I tell them my name is Candy. Good times, good times. Except, beware, the real prostitutes can get rather fiesty.
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Review from Tim N.
San Francisco, CA
4/15/2012
Came here for the first time with 3 friends on the night of Sun4/1 and as we walked in, the bar manager, David Knudsen took his precious time to explain the history of the Redwood Room, the entire story behind the plasma display of moving faces. It made us feel welcome!
The drinks were par excellence. The bartender Adam made us the best the best ever Rosa Picante and Sazerac.
*Pleasant/vibrant/relaxed atmosphere, ambient music, good drinks, comfy couches, beautiful people, etc.
I highly recommend this place and will certainly be back. -
Review from sasha h.
12/11/2011
i'm not sure what has happened to this place recently but i clearly need to stop going. Went here for a girls night out and saw several distinct groups people: 55+ with bottle service taking up one whole side of the room (seriously?!), cougars (expected that), teens with fake IDs and stuffed bras who were probably trying to crash the holiday party in the next room (creepy), 30+ there after work and still there (normal), single men with their wing man trying to chase tail and having no luck (yeah i know there are some of those in every bar). Overpriced drinks, so-so music and food that took 30 min to come out even though the bartender said 10 and way too expensive ($14 for hummus and hard pita bread). Still love that huge chair though and the look of the place.
random man: are you asian (yes this was his pick-up line, p.s. don't ever use this)
me: no (and then i just look away)
my friend: we are in the middle of a conversation
random man: I'm asian, I'm vietnamese. You look vietnamese. I'm here to get laid tonight but don't worry my friend likes your friend so i'll hook her up too
(as a side note, i don't look asian at all)
my friend: again, we are in the middle of a conversation (we then proceed to show engagement rings and give blank stares)
5 min later he comes back
random man: so you girls ready to F*** tonight?
really?! like really.. -
Review from Kyliie T.
San Jose, CA
3/31/2012
This place is cool for Happy Hour, but I went late night and it was really crowded. It was cool because a friend got us in fast, but crowd was so-so. Happy Hour food was pretty good. It's a good hangout for an afternoon.
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Review from Kelly M.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
A unique, upscale location. I've only been for drinks which can be pricey, but it has great ambiance.
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Review from Ken L.
3/5/2012
Why are the drinks here so expensive? And why are the people here always so tall?
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Review from Christy L.
San Francisco, CA
10/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
The vibe here is hip and so swank!
The crowd is very eclectic...people trying to be seen, young professionals, ladies trying to get their sugar daddy on...etc.
Drinks are tasty, but be prepared to drop a hefty dime.
Music is great - the DJ spinning on the night we went was off the hook! As many others have mentioned, no room to dance, so prepare to shake your thang where you can!
Crowded is an understatement. Couches and tables are reserved for bottle service, so unless you're reserving a table, chances are you're going to be standing all night.
Great place to come and enjoy the atmosphere and people watch! -
Review from Stephanie M.
San Francisco, CA
11/15/2011
Things to do when at RR:
-Sit on the gigantic chair
-Play some piano
-Check out the haunted paintings that follow you with their eyes
-Sit at the bar, order an overpriced $17 whiskey, vodka, or perhaps a $22 martini
-Try to reserve a table
-Check out their bathroom, its so white
-Don't eat in the hotel, go explore somewhere else
-Women: Run away from old dudes who try to hit on you
-Men: Run away from the cougars who already have a hotel room -
Review from C Q.
San Francisco, CA
10/1/2011
It's that one bar offa Geary inside the Clift Hotel yo.
Known for dirty businessmen to pick up high-class hookers. I never knew until I witnessed firsthand walking by and saw a drunk (hooker) running out of the double doors of the hotel to puke on the side, ew. Accompanied by her refined and polished suit of course--stay classy ha.
It's a really nice bar though, def upscale, adjointed to Asia de Cuba restaurant. The portraits on the wall have the eyes that follow you, which is definitely a good trip when you're buzzin.
I liked the Gingerberry drink or something...it's $15, but good to try once.
Unfortunately I'm a beer drinker and can get 3 beers for that price, so you won't find me here too much. -
Review from Lauren B.
9/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
I am obsessed with the walls at the Redwood Room! They make you feel like you are in a palace and really set the mood. I love the overall style of the place. It's different than anywhere else in the city. It has a clean modern feel but also a timeless feel.
There was a short line but it moved fairly fast. The crowd consists of people of all ages from all over the place. It can be a bit crowded but it's a little more on the upscale mature side so you don't have to worry about some drunk 24 year old knocking your glass over.
. . . and yes, the stories of the hookers are true. -
Review from Shira H.
10/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Fancy shmancy. My friend and I entered into the gorgeous bar area, with dim lighting and an upscale, older clientele. After we bought our drinks, which were pretty pricey, we kind of stood awkwardly in the middle, looking for an open corner/chair.
The bouncer was nice enough to see us standing around, and ushered us into two open seats. I think the seats were a bottle service area, but we didn't question it. There were two older men sitting across form us, who decided to strike up a conversation. Being the nice ladies that we are, we chatted with them for a bit.
However after finishing our drinks and surveying the crowd once more, we realized it was just a bit to posh and the crowd was a bit to old for us. So on to the next we went.Listed in: Union Square-ISH
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Review from Nelly S.
San Carlos, CA
3/14/2012
Love this place, from the great atmosphere to the most interesting people watching, always a great place to bring my out of town friends to.
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Review from Jeff S.
San Francisco, CA
12/18/2011
I've been enjoying the Redwood Room since 2001 and believe the ambiance and atmosphere of this historic bar is top 3 in SF.
I've usually come between 6-10 for after work drinks, on a date before dinner drinks at Asia de Cuba or many nye in early 2000s.
I feel the staff always treated me well. When the hotel was owned my Ian Schrager I'd say the vibe was a bit different and there was a LA Hollywood attitude which I liked behind the bar.
The vibe has changed a bit but so has the city so enjoy some swanky cocktails and head off to dinner or your room. -
Review from Courtney T.
Prescott, AZ
10/24/2011
I have this love-hate relationship with Redwood Room. Sometimes it works, meaning the atmosphere isn't dead with the lifeless souls of wheeler and dealer 30-something's, and then sometimes it is and your lemon drop isn't even good enough to make up for the lifeless souls.
I definitely am leaning more towards the love part of the relationship though; even if the mood is off, people watching at the Redwood Room is awesome. As "C" said, hookers and businessmen. -
Review from Alon B.
Austin, TX
11/22/2011
We were in town to play a show and stepped in here for a drink and ended up staying for hours....
Ambiance - Ok... lets get this out of the way: There ARE creepy subtly moving portraits on the wall. The bad news: They are, in fact, creepy. The good news: They make me seem less creepy. The bar is appointed in dark woods and seems to have a lot of 1930s throwback speakeasy vibe to it. Having said that it's open with great flow.
Service - The bartender was prefect. The made really good drinks and was very nice and welcoming despite the fact that the bar was very crowded. She also made us some random shot (or two) which was kind of delicious.
Overall - This is a place I'll 100% return to when I'm in San Fran again. Everything about the place was great and I'm a fan. -
Review from Alex K.
11/3/2011
Great ambiance. Dark woods, an old school bar with a modern twist. Bartenders made some great recommendations for local eats and some items on the bar menu.
It's a pricey spot to have lots of cocktails. Some pretty unique mixes.
The modern aspect is the furniture, the electronic music in the background isn't loud to drown out a conversation. -
Review from Tasha A.
San Francisco, CA
7/8/2011
Are you a sugar daddy... Yes? Then this is the right place for you my friend! You will be the hit of the evening at this "swank" lounge.
No? Well, you'll still have ladies of the evening hitting on you like you're one regardless of wether you're sitting next to your date or not.
It's a win win! ;)
This place can be pretentious, fake, and there are prostitutes in the lurks. Hold on to your men, girls! And men- hold on to your wallets and wits.
It's great for people watching * and*listening. Especially to the overly made up women in tight small dresses and tacky knock off stilettos chatting and primping each other like little monkeys in the "ladies" room .
"OMG. Those guys are SOOOO boring! Like, the guy I'm talking to is totally married too. I dont care though, I'm still gonna talk to him 'cause he's totally buying us all our drinks...yay" ooof.
I've had hookers try and poach my date and guy friends while I've been at the table. One was really, hot, until she walked closer, with every step she aged 1 year, and didn't take the hint to take a hike very well.
I do love... the decor, watching the people in the photos eye F*&% and hate each other. The drinks are great and the little nibbles are not bad. It's perfect for a night out with a small and intimate group of friends when you're able to get a table to yourself.
Irregardless of the other clientele, you'll have great people watching, and people dress better here than at 90% of other places in SF. -
Review from Jeff G.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Fine redwood and well dressed socialites does not make me desire this place anymore than I would otherwise. This place is quasi-classy but it just feels skeezy and it was packed. The whole time that I was there I kept praying that there wouldn't be an earthquake because 1.) the wood is probably pretty heavy and would crush me and my friends and 2.) I think the rescuers would just skip any rescue attempts because they'd detect an extreme arrogance in the rubble exuding from the many douches that were gracing Redwood Room with their presence. I can't recommend this place to anyone. Sorry. There are many better places to hang out on a Friday in SF.
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Review from Anna K.
9/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place makes me think...
"i have many leather bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany" -
Review from MIA N.
7/18/2011 3 Check-ins Here
This joint is overrated or maybe I'm jaded.
Usually start the night off here before heading to Ruby Skye.
Love the smoky elegant interior and the unique twists.
The bar does get a bit crowded so I recommend coming a bit earlier and grabbing a couch.
Crowd-wise, always creepers on the loose, as expected, but they are worse here and linger!! Avoid eye contact and do not show any signs of interest and you're good to go. -
Review from Mark M.
Los Angeles, CA
1/26/2012 2 Check-ins Here
One of the more upscale lounges in San Francisco, the Redwood Room is a very cool looking lounge with a ton of ambiance. It's the type of place you'd expect the Hef to show up in his smoking jacket. A little swank and high society vibe if you will. Easily one of my favorites when visiting SF.
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Review from Aidan B.
Los Angeles, CA
11/6/2011
I loooooove this place!
The vibe, the setting, the people!
The bartender made me the best spicy drink I've ever had in my life!! It had HEAT! And they were so strong. We wanted a table because we were going to meet my bf's friend for a drink but they required bottle service. Why would 2 people pay $400 for a bottle? I wish they had more seating. There's a table where you can stand and have drinks. Getting drinks isn't a problem. We had some bar food that was AMAZING! I was stuffing it in my mouth. I know I'm a fatty!
This is my favorite place! I'll be back soon! -
Review from LARISA M.
7/23/2011
This is such a fun place to people watch! I can understand if you are single this bar would seem a little creepy with all the guys on the hunt and all the young girls looking for a sugar daddy, but to me, I could have stayed all night watching all the interactions.
Drinks are pricey for sure, but the decor, environment and people are worth it! -
Review from A A.
San Francisco, CA
1/20/2012
I used to like this place until I came one weeknight for my birthday.
I used to come here a lot for drinks, so I was excited to show it to some friends of mine who wanted to take me out for a birthday drink. We came mid week, dressed nicely, and although the place was not busy at all, we were treated like dirt.
The main reason for one star is the terrible customer service and attitude we received all night. Here are some examples:
Once we got the attention of our servers (we had two, both horrible throughout the night) , she really didn't want to explain anything about the menu or the drinks.
We asked for the amazing blue cheese stuffed olives they usually have in their martinis (as listed on the menu), and received plain olives without any explanation.
I asked her at one point during the night to help me explain the story of the moving paintings, and to my surprise, she very rudely and curtly said something like: "it's about some guys and girls ... and you can really just make up your own story, it doesn't really matter, you know that, right?" and walked away!!!
And on top of it all, not once did they say a "happy birthday" when my friends stated that we came her for my birthday, let alone a candle or a complimentary drink, shot, or smile (not that I expected anything at all, but this is the only establishment that I've been in where on numerous occasions, someone refused to smile or say happy birthday to a customer celebrating a birthday). It was a bit bizarre.
These points might sound small one by one, but the whole experience throughout the night just added up to a bizzare and very rude encounter towards us. As I mentioned above, I used to come here several times a year and always brought out of town guests by to show them the redwood room - given the horrible experience we had, I have not been back and have no plans to return. -
Review from A A.
Chicago, IL
2/17/2012
Really nice time at this well designed lounge. No complaints at all. Surprised the reviews aren't better from a star rating perspective.
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Review from Mei C.
San Francisco, CA
7/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Love the bar area. Love the bartenders. Love the lounge area and the seating. Loved the well dressed men. Loved the lighting. Loved the Tradewinds drink - though it was very pricey.
Loved the big chair. Is it touristy of me to want to take photos posing on it? I don't care! :D
Did not like the creepy men who sat next to me and eyed me while Will was using the restroom.
Hope to drop by again - this time with friends and a reserved table :)Listed in: Indulgences, Hotel Bars & Lounges
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Review from Julia G.
5/31/2011 2 Check-ins Here
When I think about the Redwood Room my mind immediately wanders back to a time when I visited about 4 years ago. I was standing near the bar when I saw a man that looked exactly like Marlon Wayans. I didn't think much of it in the moment but when I saw another man that looked exactly like Shawn Wayans a few minutes later, I put two-and-two together. Shortly after that Damon showed up and before I knew it, I was amidst a full-on celebrity entourage.
My friend at the time went up to Marlon while he was at the bar and asked, "Are you Marlon Wayans?" His response was, "Not tonight, I'm not," and then turned around to pay his bill.
I vacillate between loving this place for that experience and cringing at the thought of spending $20 for a martini. -
Review from Ryan M.
San Francisco, CA
2/19/2012
Always a good time. Great bartenders
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Review from Alex B.
Los Gatos, CA
10/18/2011
This place is rather posh and well decorated, from the rooms to the obligatory SF #socnet millionaire crowd. The doorstaff are quite accommodating and solicitous, esp compared to the NYC, LV or Austin scene. The waitstaff are mostly good. The music is loud, but there's no room to dance. If you want to sit, grab the first empty seat you see - no holds barred in this place.
Given that there is a dearth of truly swanky lounges in SF, this does quite nicely in terms of location, ambiance and clientele.
Only negative is that the bartenders are not anywhere near the level of what you may come to expect from the NYC, LV, or Austin scenes. No "mixologists" here - if you want anything off the menu or beyond dead-simple (i.e. more than three ingredients), you'd better be prepared to provide a recipe. -
Review from Rory H.
6/29/2011
Put on your fancy suit, reserve a table and have some fun.
The DJ was nothing more than typical San Francisco mostly underground Techno and every 30 minutes a sing-a-long 80s Rock Ballad followed up with a Top 10 Pop song .
The wait at the bar is HORRIFIC and CROWDED so get a table and flag down your waiter. The lounge furniture and tables are chic and comfy. The decor is very modern with hints of old world luxury. The 3D digital pics on the wall that look like creepy old family portraits are a nice touch.
Whatever you do get a table. -
Review from Audrey P.
Boston, MA
4/2/2012
A group of us visited the Redwood Room on a Saturday night as part of our dance competition weekend. We valet parked the car and enjoyed some cocktails/apps and dinner in the main dining room. The food was delicious. My friends particularly enjoyed the crab and pate apps. The dark panels and mood lighting offered a nice ambience, but it was difficult to see our menus, so thank goodness one of us had a flashlight app on the iPhone. The pics of Gustav Klimt's artwork, including The Kiss, prompted some interesting conversation. My only complaint about dining here was the parking, which cost $50! I've never paid that much for parking in any other city where I've also been a patron, but I was told it wasn't outrageous for San Francisco. There is a $9 flat-rate parking garage down Geary Street, but since it was raining, we decided to valet. The Redwood Room is a landmark and worth a visit. They have some oversized furniture in the lobby that served as a fun backdrop for some photos.
