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Retox
Categories: Nightlife Bars Lounges Arts & Entertainment Music Venues Nightlife Music Venues Lounges, Music Venues [Edit]
628 20th Street(between 3rd St & Illinois St)
San Francisco, CA 94107
Neighborhood: Potrero Hill
(415) 626-7386
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 4 pm - 2 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- DJ, Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
Emily M. said: "This past November I helped to coordinate Heart of SoMa at Terra. This was my second year working with Terra on this charity gala event. I cannot rave about the staff and venue enough! I worked mainly with Stephanie preparing for the…" read more »
70 reviews for Retox
Review Highlights
"This bar is awesome, the airplane basement/stage is awesome."
(in 16 reviews)
"Once inside, you are surrounded by friendly peeps."
(in 3 reviews)
"The downstairs music venue is awesome and really loud."
(in 22 reviews)
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70 reviews in English
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Review from Djinn f.
Emeryville, CA
12/18/2011
great spot great vibe!!
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Review from Fattfreddie F.
San Francisco, CA
12/16/2011
I have thrown up, fucked on the couch, and gotten beaten up by a bartender in here. Not all in the same night. Place is awesome.
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Review from Michelangelo S.
Seattle, WA
Retox and The Common Men made for an UNcommon Great Time!
SITREP
DIVE! DIVE! DIVE! [NO. That is not a command with the KLAXON HORN alert indicating that a SUB is SUBMERGING, but rather the heads-up that we have entered the "DIVE BAR" ZONE!]
I drove down from Sacramento with my crew of buddies to this Potrero Hill enclave of secretly talented & eclectic musical geniuses. THE COMMON MEN were showcased tonight and we were treated to fantastic musicianship and avante garde talent in every category of musical performance!
THE SET-UP
The RETOX itself is an exceptionally enigmatic venue in that half the downstairs room makes you feel like you are in the torn-apart & crashed jet fuselage from the series SURVIVOR.
While sitting in airline seats, you can look out airline windows and catch views of (pretend) exotic locations! It really is a mind-f*ck, but such a kitschy treat!
THE STAGE
You are in a very intimate performance venue and there is no barrier between you and the band, so it feels like they are singing and playing JUST FOR YOU. I absolutely loved it.
And because of this group-fan intimacy, this made the performance by THE COMMON MEN so much more intense and real for me. At times I felt like I was just standing in the midst of KIMBERLI (drums), JOSH (Bass), and KEVIN (Guitar & Lead Vocals).
This venue lends itself so very well for performances by talented artists with their enthusiastic followers.
THE STAFF
The Security and Bartenders at Retox were extremely courteous, pleasant and very exceptional at their jobs. Always friendly and engaging, I would be tempted to just go back and hang out, band or not that night, to enjoy a great quiet, chill scene.
THE LOWDOWN
The perfect chill hangout joint to being friends, listen to some tunes, or just have a drink. -
Review from Paul D.
San Francisco, CA
8/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Dive bar drinks, dive bar prices, great restaurant next door. Home of a good crowd and some decent tunes.
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Review from laura b.
San Francisco, CA
2/6/2007
After an invigorating hour of JAZZERCISE! and a delightful dinner at Layonna's (EAT THERE NOW), the hot ladiez of Yelp and I decided to have a glass or 7 of the finest vino Yield had to offer. Cruising up to Yield in the Shaggin' Wagon, we were saddened to see that it's held to the retarded SF rule of Thou Shalt Be Closed on Mondays Even Though Laura is a Lush Everyday of The Week You Are Losing Precious Income You Fools.
Before turning back around, I remembered a review that Dunzo had written about Retox and that it was in the neighborhood. Dunzo had a, well, interesting experience and I trust Dunzo to report accurately when the crazies are in full effect and since I LOVE the crazies, we decided to give it a try. Since Dogpatch is all but deserted in the PM, the Shaggin' Wagon got front row parking. I counted the steps I took from my car door to my seat at the bar. Twelve steps, people. And I'm short. Actually, I lie, I am 5'10", like a supermodel. Okay, I lie, I'm 5'6". Fine, I'm four feet tall*. Go away.
Once inside, we were given the royal treatment by the two NEW owner/bartenders. Retox changed hands just a few weeks ago and they are making some changes. What those are, I have no idea. I had some DRINKS. Moving on. They were both fantastically friendly and offered up strong and delicious drinks. Scott, one of the owners, tested some new shots on us, one of which Megan W. named, "21st Birthday" and Scott re-named, "Megan's 21st Birthday" so if you go in, order that! It's a delicious Mango shot of deliciousness. Also, you will be channeling Megan and instantly become sexier and snarkier. You also will probably begin to realize that there is no cure for the human condition and that the world is a big shit box.
Major bonus points: Scott's brother was there hanging out and he is a chef and when he learned that I am vegan, he offered to make me a VEGAN CHEESECAKE (hello, josua p! you have some competition! of the single variety! so nevermind!) and so we will be stopping in again shortly to taste his creation. Oh, also, the other owner is a drummer in a band that was rehearsing that night. AWESOME. are all men born with the truly evil "jam band" gene? Is it the same as all hippies being born with the "drum circle" gene? is it the same as me being born with the "kill all jam bands and drum circles and also you will be insanely good looking" gene? is this why i'm going to die alone?
Retox has tremendous potential. I mean, it's going to be easily accessible by the T line, parking is easy which cannot be said of pretty much anywhere else in this city (however, please stop beating meter maid's down. i know they eat their young but still. you could go to jail.) the bartenders/owners/band members/vegan cheesecake making chefs are all SUPER friendly and make you feel instantly welcome and well, after ten minutes I felt like fucking Norm from Cheers. But less fat. I am on weight watchers, after all. Norm didn't even TRY. I wish I was a man. All Norm had to do was eat one less cake a day and the fool could have easily lost twenty pounds a week. I hate men. I hate everyone. I think I drank too many Megan's 21st Birthdays last night. Or maybe I drank just enough.
*Actually, I'm 5' 5 3/4"Listed in: I am on a diet and will murder…
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Review from Autumn K.
10/14/2008
From time to time, I can be a very naughty girl. The past weekend was no exception. I used to get up to no good here when it was Sublounge and honestly, neither the space nor myself has changed much (except for my alcohol tolerance and their name). We ended up here after Decompression, so I'm a little fuzzy on the specifics. But I do know my drinks were strong, the music was good, and the bathroom lines were not unmanageable.
Note to reader: Should you see me coming toward you in nothing but American Apparel hot pants over fishnet stockings and 4" heeled knee boots, run screaming in the opposite direction. Those things give me superpowers. Most notably stupidity.
Overall, not a bad place to shake your ass, get tanked, and/or hurt the ones you love. Note to self: Too much vodka=bad Autumn. What can I say? I'll try harder next time :) -
Review from Cornelius S.
San Francisco, CA
12/18/2007
Retox consists of a very comfortable, friendly bar on the ground floor and a small subterranean music venue (downstairs, of course). The music room has a retro anarchist punk vibe to it (a la Club Foot etc in the 80s), with band stickers/graffiti all over and, literally, part of the interior of an airplane which gives you the feeling of being on a doomed night flight. Very cool.
Retox is in the south eastern hinterland of San Francisco. This part of the city has an eerie appeal. Like most industrial areas at night, it's very peaceful and yet vaguely menacing. For instance, you can rest assured as you set out for Retox that you will not have any problem parking, but you might be surprised by mighty rottweiler guard dogs trying to jump over a hurricane fence to eat you as you walk by a building site on 3rd street. -
Review from JAYCE B.
Burlingame, CA
6/2/2008
From a performing perspective Retox was an absolute pleasure to play at... the promoter provided PBR so my libations were free. The right promoter makes all the difference in the world.
Parking was easy. Dogpatch is pretty sleepy, even on a Saturday night... except at exactly 2am everyone comes outside to argue with someone. I don't understand it. Dope though, fun to watch.
The bar is nice and the downstairs venue is tiny and easy to pack.
Bam. I'm sold.
The fact there is a flight of stairs is normally a pain but they have a house bass cabinet downstairs, so I was set.
Very pleased with the night at large.Listed in: I live in a van with three…
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Review from Chris S.
Long Beach, CA
5/7/2008
As a touring musician I came through town and played a show at the Retox. I don't drink so I cannot comment about the drink selection or prices. Here's what I'll say however...
Showtime was 9pm. I arrived, as asked at 7pm. The soundman showed up at 9:30pm. During the performance he constantly left the mixer and soundboard to run upstairs and sit at the bar, watching a movie. He had to be retrieved numerous times to come back down and do his job.
No one from the venue collected the cover charge for the bands. The only reason we got any money is because the wife of one of the musicians stood up and collected "donations" in a hat.
Honestly, it felt like we were squatting. Not one person from the venue spoke with me about anything. No one took any responsibility for booking the show and no one acknowledged us.
In short, it's doubtful that I would ever perform at this venue again. I have played in hundreds of clubs, spaces and bars and this was one of the more dehumanizing encounters I've had. -
Review from Angi C.
San Francisco, CA
12/23/2008
I was looking for a place to host a joint birthday/farewell party for me and shawn g. The place must be fun, not already crowded on a weekend night (since we were expecting like 50 people), not charge a cover, hopefully not require a 'booking fee', and in an area of town where parking is actually not an impossible Mission (ha). After emailing with Mike the owner, we decided to give it a try because it seemed to fulfill all our requirements.
We were not disappointed! All the couches in the place meant all our friends had plenty of places to gather and chat and snack on the cupcakes that someone brought. Mike even found me early on in the night and made sure I know where to find him if I run into any problems or if people are waiting too long for drinks. He also handed shawn and I some free drink tickets - Wee! All night long, the bartenders were super nice and very generous in their pours, making for a rowdier and rowdier party. I even remember a little impromptu capoeira session going on towards the end of the night. Hmm actually, now that I think about it, I hope we didn't break anything in the bar. Some of my friends loved the place so much that they've been going back for non-party drinking since.
Thanks, Retox for an awesome party!! I can't wait to host the next party there! -
Review from Kathryn E.
Oakland, CA
11/24/2008
Retox is having a little bit of an identity crisis. Is it a dive bar or a lounge? No, it's both. Is it an airplane-crash inspired venue or someone's basement party? Both.
It's probably the first place I've been where the bar and the venue portions were so completely separate from each other. Call me blonde, but it took me a second to figure out where the venue portion of the room was, as they kept the door closed to the downstairs and the door man wasn't manning his post yet.
Beer wise, they only had one thing on tap (I think it was Anchor?) and you could see the keg behind the bar, meaning that unless it was sitting on an ice block, it wasn't cold. They have an ok bottle and can selection if that's your thing.
You could practically take a nap in the bar/lounge area, there are so many couches. Then again, they do blast AC/DC and Poison, so don't expect it to be a deep slumber.
The downstairs venue area, however, is not for the relaxation-seekers. The flashing airport windows and vintage first class seating are creative, but the rest of the room reminds me of high school when my friends had shows in their basements. It's small, kind of cramped, and the smal "stage" area is not suitable for a band with a brass section, that's for sure. If you're in a band with more than 3 people and you like to move around when you play, you probably shouldn't book a show here. There's also a beam smack dab in the middle of the room, which, while obviously important to the structure, doesn't do much good in a venue.
If I lived in the neighborhood, I'd probably welcome a place like this, given the rest of what the neighborhood offers, but it doesn't really make sense to travel to a place like this without a purpose (like seeing a friend's band). It would also be a great place to take someone who's in a wheelchair if you want to see them cry (I'm pretty sure there's no secret elevator to the downstairs area, after all). -
Review from Nivek M.
Pacifica, CA
9/15/2007
Went down to Dogpatch (http://pier70sf.org/do...) last night to check out Club Something at Retox with some friends.
Retox is a very cool bar with a low key crowd made up of (last night) various ages (20-something to 40-something) and styles, including some who looked like they were there for the club i.e. dressed in various shades of black with or without fishnets. The bartender was nice and the drinks were good.There's also a nice dimly lit downstairs dance area where bands sometimes play.
Club Something (Indie, New Wave, Electro, Britpop--http://www.myspace.com...) was very cool although we didn't stay late enough to see one of our favorite DJs--Melting Girl (http://profile.myspace...). We did, however, really enjoy the fab tunes spun by Daniel Skellington (http://www.danielskell...). Since no one was dancing upstairs in the bar we stayed downstairs with Daniel and had a good time. I only wish there had been a better turnout to fill the floor and hear what a great job he did mixing it up. What was especially annoying was people who were obviously there for the club but were too cool to dance.
I'll be back to check this place out again. Parking is great and the empty industrial feel of the area reminds me of SoMa back in the day before whiny loft owners' complaints shut down many a cool club. -
Review from Cork C.
San Francisco, CA
3/17/2010
I love dives but this place is bad. The band I went to see played 2-3 hours late due to bad management. There were people smoking cigarettes throughout the bar. The offenders were even chatting with the bartender while smoking without consequence. I think worst of all was the general character. Some smelly salty regular felt is was appropriate to say "smile c*nt" to my friend who had been waiting 4 hours to hear some music.
Seriously I hate giving such a terrible review but everyone even the chain smokers in my group hated this place. -
Review from Lauren C.
San Francisco, CA
4/14/2008
I love the "airplane" basement!
This place is difficult to reach w/o a car, but fun nonetheless.
Good bar upstairs w/ live jazz some nights. Great place to see live music downstairs too. -
Review from Heather H.
San Francisco, CA
4/29/2008
First off people in San Francisco need to learn what a dive bar is. A dive bar is a place where the floor is obscured by years of mistreatment and where the paint is peeling off the walls and the locals are eying you up in a not so nice way.
This is NOT a dive bar.
There's comfy couches, rad lighting, a nice big bar and friendly locals. I would totally go to just sit and write and hang out with people. Also people that are complaining about the prices of drinks...are you kidding? Where the hell do you normally go to drink? 5$ is the cheapest I've been charged for a drink in this city for a long time!
Another also, if you don't like the area of a bar or restaurant you are FREELY visiting do NOT mark a star off of your review. If you don't like the neighborhood don't GO there. Simple, yes? A lot of businesses rely on yelp and word of mouth and it's so incredibly stupid to complain about the location of a bar because if you don't want to go there... DON'T GO.
/rant
This bar is awesome, the airplane basement/stage is awesome. I shall return! -
Review from Ashley Z.
Oakland, CA
3/15/2009
I dug it.
The downstairs music venue is awesome and really loud. So make sure you like the shit kicked out of your eardrums before venturing down the steep stairs.
My drink of choice (7&7) was poured fantastically every time.
I only wish there had been more of a crowd for a Thursday evening. -
Review from paul k.
San Francisco, CA
4/29/2006
Dogpatchers..Listen up...
I'm walking to Reno's Liquors on 22nd and 3rd to buy me a $2.00 out the door Forty when out of the old Sublounge comes the thump thump of music. There's a new sign..Retox. I walk in and start to vibe with the music and look at some great photography on the walls, a woman walks up and says "Hi, I'm Deb the new owner, welcome to Retox. We just opened today."
She introduces me to Michael, the other owner as she's pouring me a Big Daddy. Two way cool young first time owners of a bar. They seem to have the vibe right. It's chill, a good crowd, filled with a lot of burning man'ers. Good music with a very nice and friendly feel coming off the two owners. I wish them success. Hit this place up before Dogpatch becomes the go to little area of San Francisco. Because, you know it's coming. -
Review from Tyler W.
San Francisco, CA
4/30/2007
Quiet little bar, a notch higher in the "scene" column than dogpatch, but nowhere near as fun by my standards. They do support the community a lot and are kind enough to show some of the student's movies from my school. It's a really great bar for the area and has a great space, if this bar was in North Beach it would be packed every night.
If you spend time in the Dogpatch (and you should), this should be a very frequent place to go. -
Review from Teddy d.
San Francisco, CA
6/28/2006
Went by last night with Dunzo S. ... well well well the old Sub Lounge is all grown up and pretty... well more like handsome. Dark wood and Burgundy.. my 2 favorite colors in any bar. It was empty considering it was 1130pm on a Tuesday night in Timbuktu but Mark behind the bar was quite engaging and made the stop worthwhile.
Now the real question is " Where is the other Bottle?" ... well you all had to be there to get this one.... Dunzo knows...
They will start having DJs as soon as the permit business is settled with Silly Hall. Definitely an escape from the rest of the city -
Review from Derek D.
San Francisco, CA
7/2/2006
Retox...Sublounge Redux
As a near by resident i'm hoping this recent addition to the Dog Patch area will reap the rewards of the 3rd street light rail project that promises to bring more people and new businesses to the area.
If you ever went to Sublounge you know that the music was good, when it was packed it was super-packed and always had a good feel to it if you showed up often enough to run in to the people who were there last time.
Retox seems to be getting off the ground, they've revamped the interior and replaced the eclectic-burningmanesque interior that was Sublounge with more of a straight-a-head lounge vibe. It's clean, fresh and as any good lounge should be dimly lit for those evenings when you want to steal away in the corner with your someone special.
I'll be keeping my eye on Retox making sure it stays around so I've got a little place i can pop into for a nice low-key drink. -
Review from Jason W.
Oakland, CA
9/11/2007
Retox is a great place to get super fader, walk back to the downtown area, and laugh at everyone who waited 15+ mins in a sweety nasty bar packed with people. You know those "bars" that have 50 Cent on Repeat and charge $20 for air plane styled drinks!
It is the GEM which is lost in the mist of the Dog Patch and has me returning every month. I like being able to walk into a place and get a drink with no problem and not hear 50 cent blaring. You can do that here and do it well.
Not to mention good music and not super packed crowds. Just a small bar in the middle of the patch serving up good drinks and music. It's a great place for a group of friend to get together and get smashed.Listed in: Places I've DJ'd / Burned The…, Places I get drunk
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Review from Natalye S.
6/30/2008
Kind of a weird place.
Went to see a show on a week night. Saw tons of people in their business attire. No signs or any way of knowing where the band was. I felt like I had missed a memo or something. I asked the bartender, who referred me to a guy standing nearby, who told me I had to go downstairs for the bands. Oh.
I felt like I was in a sewer tunnel or something. A completely different room than upstairs. Dark, musty, shadows, whatever. There was no cover? Not that I'm complaining. The airplane decor was cool. It felt very Lost-esque. Other than that, not a place I'd be dying to go to again anytime soon. -
Review from Amy A.
San Francisco, CA
8/27/2009
Why the hell can't I find my review for Retox? I'm sure I reviewed them years ago!
Retox is an awesome little watering hole in the dogpatch. My buddy, Mike Broadus bought it when it was the old Sub Lounge. That place was a dump. Broadus lovingly redid everything.
The drinks are strong and cheap. The music is great and often live. Parking is easy and it's right by the T.
I've thrown parties there and they are very reasonable to work with!
What's not to love?Listed in: Burner )'( Owned Businesses
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Review from Loli L.
San Francisco, CA
12/9/2009
hee hee.
After scoring a first-class seat downstairs I felt strange urgings to partake in some mile high activities. I giddily rolled down the nearby airplane windows and straddled my companion... and then the band began to play.
On a completely different note, I like how they have a monitor over the bar (on the 1st floor) so you can watch the band playing in the basement. You can't hear them play but it's still fun to watch them gyrate and wiggle about. -
Review from Jacqueline W.
Solano, CA
6/9/2010
I stopped in here on a random Monday night with a friend....def in the dive bar category but I like this place.
It's exactly what you would expect of a dive. Dark. Minimal effort in terms of decor/ambiance. Old school bar stools and random cushioned benches.
The bartender (Fawn) is super friendly though and made me feel like I had been to this bar a million times. She is awesome. Pretty chill local crowd. Good tunes. Great drinks.
I did not have the chance to venture downstairs, but I have a feeling I will be back on another random night. -
Review from Mike Y.
Marietta, GA
6/3/2009
I went in and sporting my english accent that I so try to get rid of, I proceeded to drink shots with the owner and a good friend of his. At least I thought it was, I was pretty faded that night. I had a hell of a time. The second time that I went back, I sat on the stool at the bar to start off the soon to be crazy evening, turned towards the bar and a hang nail protruding from the bar ripped into my $150 pair of lucky brand jeans. Damn...... So much for that....
NUFF SAID!!!! I'M OUTIE!!!! -
Review from Megan D.
San Francisco, CA
3/1/2008
Went here for a show this weekend. The downstairs is dingy and small -- cozy enough to make you feel like you're at a house party (except for the somewhat-creepy-but-still-rad airplane paraphernalia). The upstairs is more spacious with some comfy couches.
Beer drinkers be warned -- they don't have anything on tap besides Amstel Light (wha??). Well drinks are about $1 more than what I'm used to paying. They do take credit.
I don't know that I'd add this to the dive bar rotation or come here just to hang out, but it is cool that they have lots of local bands playing (one extra star for that). I'd go back for another show. -
Review from wayne s.
San Francisco, CA
4/14/2008
Let's first start with the name. Retox? Strike one.
It's in the dog patch. Strike Two.
It's not developed yet, sure there's the T-Line, and you know where that goes?...Nowhere. A cab took forever to get there, then i get accused of stealing the taxi, i did, but krikey, i had to get the heck out of dodge, err, the daaaaaaawg patch.
Upstairs is alright, if they have a decent dj, playing dnb or something interesting, but the second time I came, there was lame music, and very lacklustre crowd for a saturday night, BUT i went to show support for my friend's band, and the bands play downstairs...
Downstairs is kinda cruddy. It's like a garage basement thing with pillars obstructing your view, they have cool airline furniture and windows, which i will add a star for...however, this place has a lot of room for improvement. -
Review from Mike W.
San Francisco, CA
5/29/2006
Like a desert traveler spying an oasis from a distance, I thought I was seeing at a mirage when I caught a glimpse of the Retox Lounge while heading through the industrial wasteland of 3rd street. When I got closer, the vision didn't disappear....A new sign came clearly into view, and the the soft, rhythmic thump of hip music spilled out through an open front door.
I half-expected the Retox to be a gritty dive with rotgut hooch, decomposing furniture, and naught but bottled beer. But once inside I found a tastefully accented space with a simple yet modern feel to it. Lots of nicely finished wood, a decent selection of drinkables, and a fairly modern playlist made the Retox a truly odd find this far out in the boonies.
The patrons were an odd combination of nouveau-artisans mixed with salty shipyard hands, and the diverse crowd wove an interesting tapestry of discussion fueled by a wide range of conversation topics and equally varied opinions. Similar to the Dogpatch several blocks over, the clientele has a pleasantly pre-dotcom and non-pretentious feel to it.
It's is an out-of-the-way spot, but if you ride the 22 Filmore or the 48 Quintara to the end-of-the-line you'll wind up about a block from the front door. Be sure to plan your return-leg transit....stray taxicabs are scarce as hens teeth in this neck of the woods, and if you miss the last bus it's a long walk back to civilization.... -
Review from Lizzie C.
San Francisco, CA
2/21/2008
I do like this place quite a bit. My band played a show here less than a year ago. Before the show, I've never heard about it. I did read Yelp reviews (go me) before the show, though.
This place is cute, for lack of a better term. I love that the downstairs area is decorated with parts of an airplane. They have airplane seats, and a section of airplane windows along their walls. The next thing you'd expect is a stewardess pushing a cart of alcohol your way.
The staff here is also really cool and friendly. They were helpful in getting our equipment inside the building and were very social. I'd like to go to this place again just to hang out. Even better, I read someone's review on this place recently and apparently Retox is accommodating with parties. Guess whose birthday is coming up... -
Review from Rebecca H.
San Francisco, CA
12/4/2006
This place was, in terms of atmosphere, just as many people have already described: chill, good art, relaxed but fun vibe.
So, I was all ready to have a wonderful time, until I scanned the back bar and discovered that they did not carry any bourbon (except Snob Creek). Irish whiskey, yes. Scotch, sure. But when you are a bourbon girl, it's hard to recover from a discovery like that. -
Review from Nessie V.
3/29/2008
Upstairs: Dive bar, didn't spend much time here.
Downstairs: This is where the band was I was going to see. You have to go through a door that says "Employees Only." It is small and it really seems like someone's basement, even with the airplane seats.
Drinks were not as expensive as yelpers lead me to believe, but there is no bar downstairs.
Plenty of parking around, but you never know how safe things are in dogpatch. -
Review from Caroline L.
San Francisco, CA
6/5/2009
I was a bit confused when I got here... went here to see this super awesome hip-hop band called The Feed perform, but when I got here I was inundated by people from the Hell's Angels and other biker dudes. My friend and I cautiously proceeded and the guy at the door asked, "Oh, would you like to come in?"
Once we got in, we heard the music and trudged downstairs to find a performance area! The place kind of tripped me out... think of how TV shows have a scene on an airplane, and the set is basically just half of an airplane. That's what it looked like with a few airplane seats and airplane windows. The walls were covered with stickers and set lists. A perfect venue for music groups to perform: not too flashy, but underground enough to feel super cool. Well... just me.
It took me a while to realize that there was an airplane theme. When I got back upstairs I realized the bar looked like an airport lounge. And the bathroom was like an airplane bathroom (a nice clean one, by the way). I kind of dug it. The bartender was cool... as were all the people. I want to say I was surprised, but at the same time... I don't for fear of being hurt haha.
I don't think I'd really ever go back here, but I honestly had a great time because I got to listen to some great music and hang with some cool people. The place was pretty chill. The biker angle really threw me for a loop, though. -
Review from Inna V.
San Francisco, CA
3/23/2007
The owners of this place are very down to earth. I feel like we're old buds having a drink together rather than a sucker customer paying 4 bucks for Stella (the only thing they have on tap).
And if you don't have cash, theres a $10 minimum. So drink!
The place is quiet and relaxing during the week or loud and "exciting" on the weekend. Either way, I like the decor and the people and the proximity to my residence.
Parking is also super easy after dark. -
Review from Warren L.
San Jose, CA
6/2/2008
Nothing on tap, was kinda disappointed there. Apparently the single Heineken tap was not working. My friend and I had a few Fat Tires for $4 each, which was a decent price considering it's in SF.
Never been to Dog Patch before, but as for the neighborhood safety level, it seemed harmless enough... don't know about the sketchiness people seem to be mentioning to comment in depth.
Now for the music scene:
I went with a friend to see a few local bands playing there that night in the airplane-basement. Definitely cool decor, but I'm not sure about the $8 cover for two reasons: the show didn't start even close to the time it was scheduled, and coming from a professional musician, the sound was absolute garbage. For reference, I paid less than $20 to see Bon Iver at the Independent and M83 at GAMH. This place seems to be over-shooting their reach... Also, the lineup was six bands... SIX. And the headliners didn't go on until almost 1AM due to the lack of punctuality.
The scheduled start time was 8pm. The first band didn't go on until 9pm.
The slim pillars in the basement are ghastly... they obstruct the view of the stage (which was a three-inch raised area of about 10x10 feet, to be generous) in the most terrible way. The bassists of most of the bands end up standing "off-stage" to the right (three-inches lower). This place is so unbelievably small, and not cozy. I suspect that the ones who say it is cozy didn't see what grave injustice it was to the performers...
Every vocalist's microphone was clipping immensely except for Kevin (from Sulky Darky) doing a one man, whisper-quiet act. Everything was also gained up to high hell, (they must have been killing their small active Mackies). As a result, not only was it painfully loud (it must have been 100dB+) for a room that is only 50% longer than my two-car garage, but all of their vocals were completely obscured by a ridiculously amateur mix that was completely bass guitar heavy. Several people were plugging their ears here and there.
The bass in each band was completely over-powering except for The Dandelion War, who seemed to have formed a relationship with the largely absentee soundman after a few times playing there. He actually stuck around for them, manning the board. At all other times, the bass was head-shakingly loud, and my ears rang for the rest of the night. And although the Dandelion War had a better mix, they still had brutally over-gained vocals.
As mentioned in Chris's review, the sound man was more often absent than present the whole night. There's only one band he stayed to actually mix. During another band's set, I heard a huge, sudden cranking of the reverb level on one vocalist's microphone, only to be dipped back suddenly realizing how wet it was. This guy was truly un-professional. I'm not blaming him, because perhaps he isn't paid enough to do his job. But someone should take responsibility for this gross error. I'll be taking my local-band support money elsewhere.
Don't bother bringing earplugs if you care about the integrity of louder music in general, because this place just doesn't do the bands justice. The bands that played redeemed the one extra star. Props to Meta Bear and The Dandelion War, and even Sulky Darky (with all his technical difficulties). -
Review from R A.
San Francisco, CA
9/29/2009
My friend just played here last weekend and I had a blast. Yes, the basement SERIOUSLY needs a fan or some windows opened PLEASE! it was super HOT in there!
overall, parking is easy, the place seems safe, and the prices are cheap. a good hangout spot that is not crowded on a saturday night. -
Review from shannon s.
San Francisco, CA
8/31/2006
The Retox is a really cool loungey bar. The owners are super nice and always ready to pour whatever your heart desires...
It's a great after work, after the game, and after nothing in particular other than wanting to have a drink bar.
Check it out! -
Review from Morgan L.
San Francisco, CA
2/22/2011
This bar has a nice cozy Dogpatch atmosphere, and the amaretto margarita drink that I had was nice, but the bartender sucked! I was here Saturday night and he asked my friend and I if we wanted a drink. We said no to him and continued our conversation. We were talking about Norcal and just happened to mention "Sierra" in regards to the PLACE Sierra, while looking directly at each other and not at the bartender, yet he came back in a few seconds and put a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in front of me and walked away. Now of course I had to buy it because then our group would get treated like shit for the rest of the night, but he must have been drunk or something to think that we were actually ordering a drink from him. I'm not coming here again if I see this bartender there.
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Review from Mary B.
Pacifica, CA
11/30/2010
Went in on Saturday night and my friend and I were literally the only people there, besides one of the owners and the other owners brother. Maybe its just me, but I love empty bars. Michael(pretty sure his name was Michael...I was drunk so forgive me if its not!) let me make a playlist on his computer, so of course Im in love with the place. Drinks are cheap. Company was good. I dig it.
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Review from Nadeem A.
Union City, CA
4/15/2010
My band played a show here in March with two great bands. Playing in the downstairs dungeon was fun, lots of people showed up, and the people from Retox were pretty friendly. All in all, a great place to play a show, but you gotta keep on top of everything yourself to make sure the show runs smoothly and on time.
Listed in: Rockin' Out
