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Tempest Bar
Categories: Nightlife Bars Dive Bars Restaurants American (New) Dive Bars, American (New) [Edit]
431 Natoma St(between 5th St & Mary St)
San Francisco, CA 94103
Neighborhood: SOMA
(415) 495-1863
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 2 am
Sat 12 pm - 2 am
Sun 10 am - 2 am
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
206 reviews for Tempest Bar
Review Highlights
"5 gets you a shot of Jim Beam and a PBR, All Day Long."
(in 9 reviews)
"Free hot dogs for Monday night football, you say."
(in 3 reviews)
"Great place for stiff cheap drinks."
(in 14 reviews)
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206 reviews in English
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Review from Anthony R.
Berkeley, CA
2/6/2012 2 Check-ins Here
This. This this this.
Tempest is my go-to SOMA dive bar -- heck, it's my go-to San Francisco dive bar. It's seriously cheap, seriously grungy, and seriously fun.
$5 PBR and Beam, all day, every day. $7 tequila and Pacifico. (Unfortunately -- or perhaps mercifully -- the $2 "mystery shot" was discontinued the last time I visited.) Drinks are so cheap that not only do you want to buy one, you want to buy all your friends one. And when we're talking a group of four all buying rounds of beers and shots -- well, let's just say the details of some of my late-night departures from the Tempest are... fuzzy.
Even better, Tempest raises the ante with killer drunk food from the attached outdoor window. Greasy, carbolicious drunk food. Classics like garlic fries share the menu with more creative items like upscale homemade sausage corn dogs or Chicken-in-Waffles, delicious chicken confit mixed into waffle batter, poured into the iron, then cut up into strips so you can enjoy them as finger food with jalapeno syrup dipping sauce. Huge, huge win. Don't forget to tip your chef!
Uh, and they're open for lunch too and serve up pretty tasty sandwiches and even have table service -- this is completely incongruous with the Tempest at night. So that's cool too,but it's probably a place that's better suited for the evening unless you're trying to black out by the time everyone else gets out of work.
Are you still reading? You know you could be doing beer and shot specials right now, right? Like right now. -
Review from Travis B.
San Francisco, CA
2/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
It's a dive bar. It's in SOMA. It's great. I can't give it 4 stars though, because, well, it's a dive bar. It's in SOMA.
Look, you know what you're going to get, and in fact, you'll get that, so if you're after a low-key no-scene sort of place in SOMA, by all means head to the Tempest. Probably not a destination, at least not for me, as it isn't my neighborhood. I'll be back for sure, but I probably won't plan to be... -
Review from Eric S.
San Francisco, CA
2/2/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Four visits to the Tempest. Four near fist fights. Four stars.
What I love about this place is that everyone is welcome; you just need to not be a jerk. My 4 near-fisticuff-misses all went down like this: I accidentally bump some standing at the bar. They turn around and give me the "WTF" look. You know the one. Like when those ganstas roll by Ice Cube's house in Boyz In The Hood. So at this point, the situation can go one of two ways: 1. I give the look right back and promptly get my ass kicked. Or 2., I turn on my Minnesota charm and apologize profusely. So each time I, of course, go with option #2 and each time I make a new Tempest friend. One guy went from about to punch my face to giving me his card and telling me about his burgeoning music career.
As for the drinks, the menu is solid and there is always a shot-and-a-beer special. There is good food next door and a pretty good number of tables to enjoy your PBR and tater tots.
So if you are looking for a no-frills dive-y joint where you can enjoy a beer, come as you are to the Tempest. And don't be a jerk. -
Review from Bill B.
2/8/2012
If you're a bike messenger or a slightly grungy hipster, this dive bar is absolutely for you. Otherwise, meh.
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Review from johnny l.
Lafayette, CA
1/23/2012
I was sent here by the good chaps at the Chieftain since the Chief was sporting a big crowd of conventioneers and didn't want to have a bunch of coke-sippers taking up hours of table usage while watching a soccer game - I feel em.
Tempest is a divey bar, seems like an old warehouse of some type. The food wasn't bad, I had a turkey sammy. They didn't get the channel that was playing the Arsenal match, so, I had to watch a Chelsea match - not the end of the world.
Not like my Niners losing to that fucking scum NY Giants.
Ya feel me? -
Review from Angelica R.
Pittsburg, CA
1/29/2012
They have AWESOME drink specials. And I must say, the wings are good here as well.
I'm definitely not one to eat at a bar but the food isn't as bad as I thought.
I would recomment this place for people to try as a pre-game spot or to even chill for the evening. -
Review from Allison M.
San Francisco, CA
1/7/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I second Roy N. - From a dive bar perspective, the Tempest is where it's at!
There are always drink specials involving some sort of shot and some sort of beer, starting at $5 (I think that's PBR and Jim Beam). Since they stopped allowing smoking inside, my lungs can now concentrate fully on trying not to drown in beer, which is good. There's a pool table, music, tvs, and plenty of seating. Also, sometimes they have free food and football!
I was brought here on a first date- a ballsy move, but the guy must have known my love for these kinds of places. You can take the girl out of the dive bar, but you can't take the dive bar out of the girl. -
Review from Caroline L.
San Francisco, CA
1/9/2012 4 Check-ins Here
Tempest is definitely a hidden gem. You have to literally walk through a couple of alley ways to get to this place. Once you finally get there, you'll be so glad! They have really great deals on drinks, and if you're looking for PBR on tap for just $2, you're in luck.
Also...they have food, and it's around the corner. Try the burger with a side of fried pickles. You will not regret this choice.
The bartenders there are also great! Eric is the coolest guy ever. I love coming here after a hard day at work, away from the standard touristy bars around Union Square. At times it can be really chill, other times it's crazy and packed! No lie. Come here and you won't regret it!Listed in: Drinking my way through SF
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Review from Daniel B.
San Francisco, CA
2/3/2012
Love this place! Not only does it have a great Pabst and JB special for 5 dollars, but they also have some of best bar food I've ever had. You wouldn't think they even have a kitchen but they do. Outside to the right is a little hole in the wall where you can order your food. They have the best chicken wings, spicy, sweet, sticky Asian wings. So bomb! They also have these fries mozzarella sticks that are amazing as well. Burgers, pork sandwiches, fries. They got it all. And at a very reasonable price. Oh yeah and fried pickles. Now I'm hungry. Do yourself a favor and go. You won't regret it.
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Review from MakeUp M.
San Francisco, CA
1/8/2012
Okay bar. Probably would have gotten better service if I were a regular (it's THAT kind of bar) but it's a bar, nothing special. Same drinks you can get elsewhere, prices are standard, and food is average.
It rates a "meh" on my scale. That may go up to "meeeeeh" if they get more interesting characters in that place. There were a few--but the "too school for school' attitude of the owner and his lackeys was lame. I've been going to dive bars all over the world for most of my life and I know if a bar has "soul" or not, and this bar doesn't have it.
Entitled, snobby attitude with nothing to back it up? This bar is PERFECT for San Francisco! -
Review from A S.
San Francisco, CA
1/29/2012
Came here for the first time for food and drinks relatively early on a Saturday. Pleasantly surprised by the drinks (fresh lime juice in a $4 gimlet!) The menu was fun and inventive, but a little limited on options for my tender tummy....however, the cook was AWESOME and made me something special off the menu. He totally made my night!! Everything we had from the small kitchen clearly had thought and care put into it. A friend had the chicken and waffles, which was chicken braised in duck fat then mixed into the batter. The Sriracha maple syrup that came to dip it in was delicious.
Friendly bartenders and patrons, good prices, seems like a great place to be a "regular." -
Review from Whitney D.
San Francisco, CA
12/8/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Yes, Tempest is the epitome of dive bars, minus the quintessential collection of motorcycles parked outside. But that's because it's in the drrty SoMA!
Conveniently (and sometimes NOT so conveniently!) located a couple of blocks from my work, so definitely an after hours hang out. Cheap drinks, good music, friendly bartenders, chill crowd.
Yes, brave the smells of SoMA and check this place out if you're in the area! -
Review from J H.
Burbank, CA
1/28/2012
This is a DIVE bar for sure. If you are looking to get your money's worth definitely head this way. There is a minimum of 6 taps of beer plus over a dozen selection of "40s" to choose from, also a FULL bar in which you can really ask for whatever you want!! All the Bartenders are friendly and know what is up and what is down. Free food @5 on Fridays?.. many great traditions occur here
They have great food at lunch for more of a sit down and late night amazing munchy food at night until 1am. Delicious grub for not much money, at THE BOX, right next door from a concession like window.
Definitely some great times :) my vote for dives, diners, and drive ins in near future.. -
Review from Stephanie A.
San Francisco, CA
1/22/2012
All the bartenders are hot.
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Review from Andrew M.
San Francisco, CA
1/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
When you're not looking for a scene, or trying to impress anyone, and you just want an honest drink at an honest (if seamy) bar, Tempest is the place for you. There's even a kitchen outside and down the alley slightly where you can get a mean pulled pork sandwich. Great place to meet an old friend for a drink, and focus on the company, not the locale.
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Review from Victor G.
Oakland, CA
11/4/2011
Tempest Bar is definitley not a destinaion. but if you are near the chronicle building, this may be the cheapest liquor alternative there is.
surprised drafts (white lighting) just 4. black board specials include a beer (pabst/hamms) and a shot of jim beam for 5, or 2 beers for 5 or shot of jack daniels and beer for 9.
tempest is a nice hole in the wall to get a drink and designer drinks are not a requirement.
service on the slow side since a single amigo is the bartender, waiter, and busboy for the entire dining room and bar.
one pool table is in da house and many flatscreens. -
Review from Roy N.
9/12/2011
Please note that I am judging this bar from the standpoint of a dive. As far as dives go, I have to borrow a line from one of the Food Network guys that Anthony Bourdain once referred to as a bobblehead. Five star dive bar!
Popped into here around noontime today after wasting my entire Monday morning at 850 Bryant waiting for jury duty which never materialized. Tried hitting Ted's Bar and Grill across the street first so that I could imbibe with freshly released felons (I'm cool like that), but sadly they were still closed (jeez, where's a criminal to celebrate upon release nowadays anyway...LOL) so hit here next on my way back to downtown. It was supposed to be my next stop anyway.
The bartender, Jettav, was totally cool and rockin'. The pool table's coin feed was removed and set on freeplay so I was able to get some fun games in before and after my lunch. Pool table was good and imminently playable, although the bumpers will eventually need to be replaced.
As for cocktails, had an Absolut Mandarin and soda (they were out of my usual Absolut Citron) and a Sailor Jerry's and coke to celebrate getting away from 850 Bryant with the knowledge that many others who had been stuck there with me for jury duty simply went back to work. The horror, the horror!
I liked the decor (especially the hanging lighting fixtures) and was happy to see that dining here was not the afterthought that I had expected...there were plenty of tables out and menus on them in anticipation of diners. I ended up dining at the bar and ordered a philly cheesesteak sandwich with fries...it was really good! Loved the crispy fries and the cheesesteak was of good size and mighty tasty. Nearby patrons were also expressing how much they were enjoying their food. I found that pricing on both drinks and food was most reasonable too. Cool bartenders, divey decor, pool table, and even great dive bar food...what's not to love?
Great place and it's even better at night...I need to come here a lot more often! -
Review from Rosalia P.
South San Francisco, CA
12/30/2011
There are dive bars out there and then there is the Tempest. This bar has so much going for it, I would put it in a class of its own. The tempest class or bars maybe! Not only does The Tempest serve $2 PBR all week long, but it also allows animals inside. On top of that it serves food. How do they get away with that? Pure genius, that is how. Most places would be shut down by Health and Safety for letting animals inside, but since their food is technically next door and they are cool with you eating it inside the bar, there is no problem with animals plus food. There are nearly zero places I can bring my dog to in SF. Most of the parks aren't even dog friendly. So to have a bar that exists here just blows my mind.
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Review from Sam A.
Santa Fe, NM
10/27/2011
I haven't been here in a while (since I moved away 6 years ago), but I came back this past weekend and remembered why I love this bar. First off, it hasn't been taken over by the yuppies and the drinks are poured well and priced realistically.
The staff was friendly and I met a couple new people who were quite cool. It's a dive bar, which is the best type of bar. They do now have food, which they didn't have the last time I was here, but I hear it is quite good. I loved my Greyhound drinks and would come back in a heartbeat. I wish they had a bar like this in Santa Fe... -
Review from Steve B.
San Francisco, CA
12/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Just a cool and relaxed place to unwind, try the mystery Bottles!!!
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Review from Steph M.
San Francisco, CA
11/20/2011
This place is the ultimate dive bar. Cheap beers, $2 mystery shots, deafeningly loud classic rock. It's a cool brick building down a creepy little alley way. It oozes awesomeness.
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Review from George K.
San Francisco, CA
This place is simple AWESOME! They have recently just upgraded their lunch menu. The hamburger is great and for the price you can't beat it. I go here almost every Friday after work. The guys behind the bar are great and they definitely do not skimp when they are poring drinks!
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Review from Steve F.
Brooklyn, NY
1/20/2012
Cool vibe, but always too crowded to sit at the bar. Not the type of dive where you can sit alone at the bar on a week night. Also, the pool table's funny, and not in the good way.
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Review from Jeremy R.
San Francisco, CA
9/16/2011
This place is a little nectar nugget snuggled in the shadiest part of SF possible. The drinks are reasonbly priced, the food is good and the staff is super cool (and some hot) :)
Love that the music is being generated from a laptop which means that it runs the gammet of Too Short, White Stripes, Metallica, Black Keys etc ... something for everyone.
Brave the pissy soaked alleyways of the hell that is sickth street and grab a stool or a table! -
Review from Jeff M.
San Francisco, CA
1/18/2012
Bring back the pasta alfredo!
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Review from Jeff K.
Union City, CA
9/15/2011
Well, my review is from the stand point of a performer.
On 9-10-11, my band DE'JAH BLUE performed at the Tempest. Man, the crowd there was amazing!!! The place was really comfortable, and is a really kick back spot to enjoy. We can't wait to perform there again. GREAT ATMOSPHERE!!! Thanks TEMPEST for having us!!!
Link to the performance that night:
http://youtu.be/HIX4kp... -
Review from Emily D.
9/17/2011
A $5 special of PBR (on tap, you klassy peeps!) and a shot of something that burned really badly and killed all the bacteria in my mouth, lead to DJTINACHRISTINA getting hit on and propositioned to go on a midnight canoe ride. And, another tidbit- heroine is bad.
Gripe:
Weird seating arrangement.
Highlight:
THE BIGGEST DISCO BALL I'VE EVER SEEN. -
Review from Peter C.
San Francisco, CA
9/12/2011
(this bar = Gucci Mane - Wasted?)
This bar kind of has everything and the only true downside is that, whilst the opening hours are generous, due to the bar being located in the United States, it does eventually have to close.
I probably come here twice a week on average. As a resident of SOMA, this is by far the best bar you can go to, drink beer and anticipate good music.
Speaking of beer, Pabst is $2 and Gin and Tonics are $3. I have no idea if this bar sells other beverages, presumably, but I am not sure why you'd ever want to drink anything than those two aforementioned drinks.
Oh, there is the Pabst special - a Pabst and a shot of whiskey - for $5, but for that price you could have Pabst and a Gin and Tonic. I guess if kids want whisky give them whisky, but seriously, Pabst ($2) and Gin and Tonic ($3) = $5.
The crowd is cool. I did once watch (grudgingly) my friend get a hand job, but that is a story not appropriate for Yelp - and certainly not a criticism of the bar - note my star rating dudes.
There is a pool table, which is kind of cool, I guess. I am more of a drink beer and exchange racial jokes kind of guy.
Speaking of racial jokes, if you have, as American say "an accent" this bar has perfect acoustics and ambiance for no one to notice. It's a great place to be relieved from the objectification you (and I) suffer from each and every day.
Oh, the food here? pretty much amazing. The corn dogs and the garlic fries.
What would I change...
I kind of think there needs to be a juke box (although I worry that this is the first step that'd mean the pool table becomes a foosball table and blam we are in the marina), and them to sell some kind of sugary food - and pistachios, man, I love pistachios.
This is literally the best bar I have been to in San Francisco. -
Review from Michelle G.
Daly City, CA
8/23/2011
Killer bar!
The tall African American guy (forgot his name...one of the owners) is a really nice guy and is always good to us.
Cheap drinks, great crowd, cool place!
Best to cab there or get dropped off. If you have to walk, avoid Sixth Street. If you do bike or walk, come up from the backside. -
Review from Kathryn M.
San Francisco, CA
11/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Yes, yes, a thousand times YES. This place is so delightfully seedy I can barely contain myself. From the random old dude with the gigantic beard that seems to live here to all of the super old dudes that wander over here from the Chronicle, it just doesn't get any better. The bartenders are a lot of fun and make some STRONG drinks on the cheap. I come here fairly regularly for Happy Hours, intending to stay for a drink or two, and then find myself stumbling out like 5 hours later... and THAT is the mark of a good bar!
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Review from Carl S.
San Pablo, CA
1/6/2012
Wow I love this place, its defiantly a dive bar but the prices are unbeatable, I come here every few nights spend a fiver on drinks and am starting to meet a lot of nice people. The music can get a little loud but its not enough to review negatively. The decor is incredible with a real piano and a bunch of random junk just tied to the rafters and the walls that all come together in a nice mix of home bar feel. My roommate who originally asked me to come out to this bar now insists she's becoming a bar fly as she comes and drinks to have fun and is "not looking for poontang, as she brings her poontang with her". Food next door is really good all kinds of sandwiches and other good eats, pretty much standard bar food, I stick to the garlic fries personally cause they're only a fiver. food cost is between three and six bucks, so its a good deal for downtown SF and they do hook you up for your $6.
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Review from Jeanette G.
San Francisco, CA
1/2/2012
smile. have a mystery shot.
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Review from Annie T.
7/27/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Best.... Bar.... EVAR!!!!
Seriously. Best bar ever. Definitely on friday's there is some really delicious complimentary grub... in the way of meatloaf and mashed potatoes or shepherd's pie or some other hearty "must have" because you've had too many shots in between 3 and 5 pm.
The kitchen is really fantastic - definitely try the corn dogs (I order multiples of these for friends every time we go).
This is our new fave and we're fans for life. -
Review from Kelly S.
San Francisco, CA
6/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Oh sweet Tempest, how do I love you? Let me count the ways:
Dirty Bingo on Sundays, where a roller derby hostess asks to see boobies and gives away free playthings and t's and shots, while dressed like Leelou Dallas from Fifth Element.
The pool table, where a steady group of decent players will let you in the fold, should you be able to keep up for a game or two. Well, kinda.
Doggies, always around and behaved, although open to petting.
No more smoke, so glad they stopped allowing cigs in here, I hate going home and having to shower.
The new look, exposed brick everywhere, so old skool and downtown dive-sheik, new paintings so rad, and a crazy saloon style bar.
The new owners, my age, kick back, remember my name every-stinking-time I return, which in this city I find is less amazing as everyone is pretty decent to patrons and remembers each other by sheer proximity of encounters within the city's tiny geography - but it still sizzles my ego.
$2 PBR, $5 PBR + Jim Bean shot. Anchor on tap, just the basics, always there and reliable.
The new kitchen. Holy Crap there are some good finger foods to be found in the Box. The new chef whips up some crazy fun dishes, a burger, a Mediterranean wrap, those fried cheese sticks, and the Jalapeño mini corn dogs with Jalapeño Aioli.
Indoor bike parking, thank you dammit, as long as you can fit it in and keep it out of the walk way, it's good indoors. TWSS. But serious, considering the nabe it resides in, this is a huge plus. Not having to worry about a downtown/6th street bike rip off.
Also, my friends and I, although alternative routes exist, usually say that the walk down 6th from Market is kind of the gauntlet you have to pass in order to be worthy to visit the Tempest. Like a right of passage. Just don't pull out your phone, or look most anyone in the eye on the way down.
No website, but if you follow them on twitter (@tempestbarsf), they'll send you updates on specials and events. Love you Tempest, literally my neighborhood dive. -
Review from Gordon R.
San Francisco, CA
7/27/2011
This bar primarily served as a place for the printers at the Chronicle to eat lunch. It was practically a dead bar. Then it changed hands and it has had a remarkable re-birth!
The bar is nearly always busy. Locals in the area flock to it after work. Play pool hang out. Eat the great food.
As a neighbor the best part has been that it has brought people to the block at night and made it not a place that thugs from 6th street want to be!
This whole block of Natoma has benefitted from the Tempest.
Due in no small part by the really friendly staff there. They seem to really care about the business and the neighborhood.
Thanks guys! -
Review from Stuart M.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 8/28/2011
Oh man. This place used to be great with the previous owners. I really try to not be one of those people that pooh-poohs all change, but in this case the change really is for the worse. My friend and I came here at 6pm on a Saturday and we could barely hear each other talk. For some reason they were _blasting_ the music. And it was _really_ bad music. The bartender was trying to DJ and doing a really poor job of it. I asked them to turn it down, and they were nice enough to do so.
We left after one beer, had another at The Chieftain, and as we walked by Tempest again we could hear the music really blasting.
Also, they carded both of us; my friend is about 40 years old. He was surprised but happy to comply but the bartender was getting snooty with him.
This used to be a newspaper/working-class bar. Now it is a "too cool for you" bar.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/10/2007
In the infinite wisdom of my drinking state, I thought that the best review I could have would be to… Read more »
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Review from andrea f.
San Francisco, CA
5/1/2011
I don't know if its because I have become older and crotchety, but Im starting to hate every bar out there as well as the patrons.
NOT the case with Tempest. This place is rad and unpretentious.
This place is what a bar should be...a great space to grab a cheap beer, bullshit with friends, maybe shoot some pool, and have a good time.Listed in: where i get my drink on.
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Review from Connor Skye R.
Oakland, CA
11/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Thumbs up for yet another dive bar with cheapo shot-and-beer specials. Gets the job done every time.
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Review from Charlie A.
San Francisco, CA
7/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
So I came here to meet a friend that I hadn't seen in years. After suggesting different bar and times to meet up he said Tempest.
I get there, catch up with my friend. He introduces me to the $5 Jim beam shot and PBR.
At first I think, "hmm" but then immediately I say "hells to the fucking yeah"!
We drink. I blackout.
I love this place.
The End. -
Review from Buckeye W.
San Francisco, CA
12/11/2011
Best dive bar in SF. Period. Just watch your step in the alley on the way out.
