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Tony Nik's Cafe
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
181 reviews for Tony Nik's Cafe
Review Highlights
"the bartenders are super friendly and nice."
(in 46 reviews)
"The bartenders are very nice and make great drinks as well."
(in 4 reviews)
"Sebastian makes the best Sidecars."
(in 15 reviews)
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181 reviews in English
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Review from Alexander R.
San Francisco, CA
2/2/2012
Unexpected delight was discovered at Tony Nik's Cafe. The bartender was cool and friendly and worth talking to. The drinks were not badly priced for the area. The bathroom was small.
I loved everything I did here and everyone I talked to. Come on now, you know! Come on down and drink with your chill self. -
Review from Roy N.
1/10/2012
Been coming here for years. Something about the colors and darkness inside always reminds me of a place in Southern Cal that I used to go to years ago called Rebecca's. That was a long time ago and believe that although the place is long gone now, their claim to fame was the lime green banquette seating there that was used in the film, Less Than Zero. Or so I was always told.
Anyway, when the music gets a little too loud at The Saloon down the street and the crowd a little too crazy at Gino & Carlo, Tony Nik's has always been the perfect place for me to enjoy a good drink. A nice, dark, and relaxed little establishment that I have used as my escape to bar for years, Tony Nik's is a North Beach icon. Definitely one of the classier bars in the area in which to imbibe.
I'd forgotten how much I used to like this place. Used to come here a lot more in the past, but somehow I moved on to the next big thing...I definitely need to come back and spend more time hanging out here in the near future.
After a drink at Gino & Carlo, this was stop number four the other night on a fun Sunday evening of barhopping in North Beach.
Just for fun, here's a list of places we hopped that evening:
Larry Flynt's (UYE)
The Saloon
Gino & Carlo
Tony Nik's Lounge
The Boardroom
Bix
Golden Boy
If that wasn't an eclectic drinking itinerary, I don't know what is! -
Review from Alyssa W.
Nob Hill, San Francisco, CA
I struggled between 4 and 5 stars for Tony Nik's. I'll have to go with 4, only because I didn't get a chance to interact with the bartenders since my friends did all the ordering. I hope to chat them up next time and hopefully update my review.
Came in on a Saturday night with two of my friends. With an unassuming entrance in the middle of North Beach, the bar looks like a dive from the outside. It's quite the contrary.
Inside, the decor is clean, classy and clearly modern. It's longer than it is wide. The actual bar lines the left side as you walk in; there are small tables in the back with some booth seating.
Again, my friends ordered so I can't comment on the bartenders. However, they do make some great classic drinks! We ordered the following: old fashioned, martini, negroni, gin and tonic, and a whiskey on the rocks. All of them were very good. My negroni was craftily blended, smooth and strong.
The general atmosphere is pleasant, especially when you consider it's in the middle of a rowdy district. It's laid-back, and both the older and younger crowds seem to coexist peacefully. Scattered throughout are couples/two person groups and larger parties. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. They keep the music at a decent volume that still allows for great conversation.
This place has the thinnest bathrooms I've ever seen! There's one per gender. There actually ended up being a line for the men's while we were there, which I thought was unusual.
It never got too crowded (although we didn't stay super late). There was always room in the back. I think my friends and I had a fantastic time - and I expect to return often. -
Review from Cordane C.
San Francisco, CA
2/6/2012
My friends and I love watching Sat/Sun games at this spot because the atmosphere is always so absolute cool... Although I ended up doing the 'exact' opposite of what I'd planned for the day, I had one of the most enjoyable Super Bowl viewings I can remember watching the game at T-Nik's. I sincerely LOVE this place and the people that work and reside here for so many many reasons. Now there's one more! Tony Nik's is simply the Best of the Best...!
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Review from Mark i.
San Francisco, CA
1/3/2012
+4 for bartenders who're on point and know their whiskeys/bourbons/ryes. Plus their girl-y mixed drinks. Don't hate, just sayin'.
+3 for having a very cool layout and atmosphere - you'll understand once you get there. It's a bar to which you'll look forward to going. Srsly. -
Review from Kimberly Q.
San Francisco, CA
12/27/2011
Local watering hole - a mere few blocks from my comfy abode. As other lovely Yelpers have said, great drinks and really friendly bartenders. David rocks; he listened to me blathering on and on and was just so nice about it (my date didn't seem thrilled, however).
(Btw, they don't have my fave Scotch - Bruichladdich. I still love them though.) -
Review from Cecilia B.
San Francisco, CA
12/16/2011
Whatever happens in Tony Nik's, stays in Tony Nik's.
We live a block away, so this has become an extension of my living room. I go there with my husband, I go there without my husband. My husband goes there without me. Or with me.
Or we go with friends.
If there would be any other way of going there, we would do that too.
Sebastian is the best, and the rest of the guys are true stars too.
PS: This bar proved to be the best thing that could have happened to me the time my mother-in-law came to stay with us for a few weeks. -
Review from D. W.
San Francisco, CA
2/1/2012
Never a bad time at Tony Nik's! Great drinks, fun peeps, awesome bartender. Frankbastian (aka Sebastian) does up your drinks right! Don't hang in North Beach much, but when I do, this is a must-stop.
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Review from Rick W.
Orange County, CA
10/26/2011
A hidden gem in North Beach.
The plan was stop in with my wife for only one drink before dinner. Yeah, that didn't happen. After chatting with one of the nicest bartenders ever, we ended up staying there for over two hours; sipping on martinis and chatting it up with a great crowd. The music was fantastic (soul, chill, funk, rap) and the drinks were extremely good. What made it the best place ever was finding out from the new bartender (yeah we were there that long apparently) that our previous bartender (and new best friend) paid for our first round.
Highly recommend stopping in for a pre-dinner cocktail. -
Review from Jim B.
San Francisco, CA
12/25/2011
This is a great hidden gem in North Beach if you are going out and about for a good night in North Beach. The bartenders are very talented and mix up some of the best and potent drinks you can find...
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Review from Peter M.
9/28/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Tony Nik's is one of those neighborhood staples. The bartenders are true professionals. The drinks are stiff. The clientele is classy.
Shout out to Sebastian. Congrats on the addition to your family!
It's a long, narrow bar, and I've seen bigger bathrooms on a plane. There is seating in the back for groups of friends, and a good number of seats at the bar. Get there too late, and it's standing room only. Great place for a cocktail in North Beach. -
Review from Tami P.
Naperville, IL
10/8/2011
By far, my favorite and fabulous lounge in North Beach where the locals hang.
Sebastian manages the place and he's what make the customers keep on coming back. Besides serving a good drink, Sebastian is a good family/business man who is highly respected in San Francisco. He remembers who you are, what you like to drink and introduces you to other locals in the bar.
I definitely recommend anyone visiting from out of town or local to check this place out! -
Review from Scott M.
Los Angeles, CA
11/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Cool bar and even cooler bartenders. The Dark & Stormy here is great.
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Review from Eric P.
Daly City, CA
Updated - 6/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
UPDATE for 6/16/2011
Oh, Tony Nik's... you still know how to be the best there is. The Girlfriend and I stopped in last night for a few rounds of yummie libations, and though there were a bunch of people in the place, we still found a quiet table to hang out at. The nice thing about TN's is that, for the most part, the only loud noise - during the week, anyway, from what I have experienced - is from people talking. They have music playing in the background, yes, but this is one of the few places that I have found which doesn't THUMPTHUMPTHUMP you out of the bar with your ears bleeding from the loud music at the end of the night. This place is more for those who actually want to talk to each other... isn't that just cool?! :)
We love ya, Tony Nik's!
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Possibly one of the friendliest and best places I have ever been. Tony Nik's is a cozy, friendly, down to earth, and all around nice place to go to relax on a weekday after work. This is the way a bar should be... good people, great drinks, comfortable to the point where even if you've never been there before, smile and say hi to the bartender and to those around you, and you'll fit in well. The only time I was there and didn't stay for a drink was on a Saturday night... I was with a group of about 8 friends and we stopped in for a drink around 9:30... the place was PACKED. I think there was a private party in the back, and the bar area in front was tight standing room only. We were sad that we couldn't find room to stay and enjoy the place, but no worries... we're going back again soon. Earlier, this time. :)
All in all though, I would recommend this place to anyone... but it's also one of the places where I'd like to keep it to myself as well, because it is such a nice place. ;)Listed in: Best Martini in SF - so far -…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/11/2011
Possibly one of the friendliest and best places I have ever been. Tony Nik's is a cozy, friendly,… Read more »
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Review from Gina H.
San Francisco, CA
11/26/2011
Had the best first date of my life here!!! I'm new to SF and love bars that exude good energy that one is incapable of explaining with words why it's sooo good. I'll do my best to recollect. Solid drinks (pun intended), good lighting, great energy= best bar in NB! You can chill at the bar and talk it up with the cool tenders or sit intimately in the back. Thanks Tony Nik's!!!
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Review from Kali K.
5/14/2011
This subtle & unassuming bar has a reputation among "my inner beings" for seducing me once I enter. After I get past the no-nonsense bouncer, the bartender always manages to free me of my inhibitions w/ only the magic of his pour.
Transformed, I am then sent out into SF's ambient North Beach, where intelligent hotties are just freely walking up & down the street (FREELY, just available & FREE) like, like, like...
(still agape)
...like Adonis-built co-eds looking for good times. Wait--Many of the guys in NoBe *are* co-eds looking for a good--Nm.
All's I know is that, when the sun comes up, the last thing I usually remember was being at Tony Nik's, so I guess that's a ((good)) thing. ?O_O?Listed in: The Yay! Area: San Francisco &…
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Review from Guillermo K.
Ann Arbor, MI
11/20/2011
This is a terrific place to get a drink. Good drinks, good service, decent place to sit. A little small, so don't come with a large group.
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Review from Donna J.
San Francisco, CA
9/1/2011
This place is nice the bartender is friendly and the anti sphere with the candles on the table give the place a cozy place. The bartender can make a strong dink and you dont test the alcohol in it so watch out but have fun.
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Review from rew c.
Santa Rosa, CA
3/25/2011
I Heart this place!
I was tooling around yesterday and decided to visit my old haunts. Started with a delicious sandwich at Mario's Bohemian Cigar Cafe - wow is that good with a glass of vino. Then I was in the mood for more beverages - so I hit Tony Niks and surprise surprise (remember Gomer Pyle) there was one of my favorite bartenders from back in the day - the Moose's day.
Devon - she's smart, warm, friendly, super cool and beautiful to boot! Had a blast hanging with her, Mark, and Josh - drinking on a rainy day with cool people. This is getting me Thirsty! Great great place. It's always good, but my preference is earlier than later - like another reviewer wrote - they treat you like a friend even if they don't know ya.
Devon made this amazingly delicious Manhattan style cocktail with an anejo tequila - I love tequila and this was a really well created cocktail. Thank YOU!Listed in: Dive Bars are Always Happy…
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Review from Mike B.
San Francisco, CA
6/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Cool vibe for an old-school cocktail lounge in North Beach and a relatively low douchebag ratio given the area.
Drinks are carefully crafted and prices are reasonable. -
Review from Nick S.
San Francisco, CA
3/23/2011
Tony Nik's may look like an old man bar from the outside, but the inside is cool and cozy. The bartenders are nice and know how to make good drinks. The bar-goers are a mix of young and old, newbies and loyal customers.
Tony Nik's is located really a few doors from Tony's the pizza place; a really convenient location when you're on the wait list for dinner.
Tony Nik's is definitely a gem. -
Review from Katie W.
Palo Alto, CA
2/21/2011
I met up with friends before going out to dinner at this dimly lit, cozy lounge.
I initially ordered the "Evita" cocktail because I love the combination of lime and ginger beer. The bartender eyed me warily and poured me half a shot of straight fernet - the primary liquor in "Evita". After I gagged down the fernet, the helpful bartender laughed and offered to make me a "Dark and Stormy" instead.
I look forward to more pre-dinner drinks at Tony Nik's when I eat out in North Beach. -
Review from Meagan H.
1/31/2011 12 Check-ins Here
One of my favorite bars in North Beach. We always find ourselves stopping by for a pre-dinner cocktail or for a nightcap before heading to bed when we have been out.
I love the dim lighting, the low-key lounge atmosphere, and the fact that I can usually grab a seat with my friends. Such a great break from the Maggie McGarrys, etc. that this neighborhood tends to be known for. -
Review from Jeremy D.
San Mateo, CA
7/26/2011
This place was pack the people inside kinda new each other the drinks were very strong and maybe that why this place was so crowed. I had a fun time just taking with some regular, they were telling me some story about this place the story were very interesting. Good place to have fun.
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Review from Pammy C.
San Francisco, CA
11/2/2010
When the Giants won the series, Sebastian the Awesome poured orange shots for the entire bar.
Right? Right. -
Review from Anthony L.
Castro Valley, CA
6/24/2011
Stopped in here on a Sunday during the North Beach festival. The place was obviously packed but they actually provided some good and fast service, so we were able to get some drinks without having to wait too long. Just a typical neighborhood joint though and pretty small, but I'm sure i'll stop in again the next time i'm in the area.
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Review from Jana S.
6/28/2010
Love this joint and the way they love, ok more like DEAL with me and my rambunctious friends. Always run into a friend or make a fun friend or two here.
It feels like home. That is all.Listed in: The Places I Go Out
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Review from laura b.
San Francisco, CA
9/26/2006
Actual conversation had by Laura B., Joy M. and two Random Older Mob Types (ROMT) at this fantastic throw back to old school North Beach which I imagine was vastly superior to the current super cheese-ball incarnation. One of the only reasons I travel to this part of town. Simply fantastic.:
Seating arrangement is as such:
ROMT #1, ROMT #2, LAURA B., JOY M.
ROMT #2: What are you lovely ladies doing here?
LAURA B: Having a drink.
ROMT #1: What are you ladies having?
We tell them, get a free round, thank them, it's delightful.
ROMT #2 to Laura B.: nice ring...you engaged?
HE POINTS TO A LARGE FAKE DIAMOND AND FAKE RUBY RING IN THE LIKENESS OF HELLO "MOTHERFUCKING" KITTY THAT WAS PURCHASED IN NYC CHINA TOWN.
Joy M.: YES. She is engaged to be married. That is her ring.
Laura B.: What can I say? He loves me.
And scene.Listed in: My life is in shambles.
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Review from Flor D.
1/20/2009
Solid and right in the heart of north beach.
Not sure how we ended up here, I just know that we did.
Funny how bar stories always start out that way, right?
Our group of 20+ crowded this skinny, narrow, functional bar. Complete with standing bar area, sofas in the back, Dj in the front, this joint was exactly what our rowdy group needed.
Tony Nik's is not a dive. Clean, decent drinks, friendly staff, and 80's music on Tuesday Night. Go figure. Who knew I would bust a move to Michael Jackson, Rick Astley, and Prince. -
Review from Joe C.
San Francisco, CA
5/29/2008
If I had a nickel for every drink I've bought at Tony Nik's I could buy some more drinks. Hmmm. No that really doesn't capture the charm of the place. On week days, it's about as chill and comfortable an after-work watering hole as a person could want. The decor is nicer than one expects from an uncrowded neighborhood bar, and the vibe is much nicer than one expects from a bar with such nice decor. Go - see for yourself, but if you bring all your Marina-Single-Wannabe-Bridge-And-Tunnel-SUV-Drivin g-Douche-Bag friends, I will have to hunt you down and kill you.
P.S. The only reason I knocked off one star is that I am almost always just a little bit cold in this place. Brrrr. -
Review from jason g.
San Francisco, CA
8/31/2008
Came here after Joey and Eddie's. I think I have one sentence that can best describe this bar.
A dive bar that is now a lounge because of its professional servers and renovation 7 years ago.
Will definitely come back. Service was quick. Price is reasonable. Very beautiful people here. They even have dice cups here. Love the old and faded sign outside of the bar but the super modern look inside.Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from luis m.
Oakland, CA
10/24/2007
A retro chic oasis in the chaos that is North Beach. It's a great place to get away from the *loose off the goose* titty shirt wearing twits and chodes that flood the area. The bartenders are very nice and make great drinks as well.
They do have the smallest bathrooms ever though. -
Review from stephy s.
San Francisco, CA
6/23/2008
Solid.
As a new to the SF scene and a gal who's still trying to learn about the different neighborhoods, i had pretty much written North Beach off as a tourist trap with Italian food. And while that's true on some levels, there always seems to be a bar that shatters the stereotype and Tony Nik's is it.
From the moment I walked in, I was treated like a local. The bartendress was rockin with her cute pigtails and friendly smile. The "regulars" at the bar were quick to say hello and offer me a seat as they muddled away at a drink and talked about how much they loved their neighborhood and the bar and everyone you looked at was having a great time.
The surrounds were very retro, which I always love and while I wasn't planning on having hard liquor, well, when you are surrounded by a vibe like that and coming off a long and stressful week, there is no shame in having a martini with three olives on the slightly diiiirty birdy side. And they make a good one here. Actually they made 4 good ones here, but hey, who's counting.
Answer: Your liver, stephy!Listed in: San Francisco Date Spots, San Francisco Bars!
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Review from Edward N.
San Francisco, CA
12/10/2010
This is the definition of a neighborhood bar. Friendly customers and Great customer service. Every time I go there I'm greeted with a big hello and always end up having a interesting chat with someone. It's just a good vibe.
And it doesn't matter whether it's Sebastian, Devon, Dave, or Darin...you are treated like a local. I've become friends with all of these people - they're just all cool and unique tenders.
And it's so funny when the negative reviews always seem to come from someone who was trying to get a beer at 2, was turned down, and tried someone else. That's why I love this place. They cater to people of all types who are respectful and filter out the rest. Best pub in SF!!! -
Review from Celeste M.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2007
One of my flatmates is a big Phoenix Sun's fan... she loves Steve Nash. She wanted to watch the game at a bar so we decided to head out to Tony Nik's after getting a quick bite to eat. I can never say 'no' to going to a bar and getting some beer especially with the cool roomies I live with now. With gelato (scharffen berger and pistachio) on hand, we walked right in -- four seats available right by the bar. Had a pint of Guinness as I enjoyed my gelato. The bartender was really cool about us having brought gelato inside the bar, he was friendly, nice and quick. Before I can even ask him for a glass of water, he was already giving each of of us some. I was impressed with the service considering he was the only bartender there while more people started rolling in.
Good crowd (cute men), wonderful service, definitely a great bar! I can't believe I've waited almost a month before checking out this bar -- it should have been one of my first stops right after I moved in North Beach a month ago. Will be back here again for sure, perhaps to watch Giants games!
FINAL SCORE:
- Golden State Warriors (124) vs Phoenix Suns (119);
- Celeste: 5 pints of beers
* Yay Warriors ... Andris Biedrins is so cute * -
Review from Jill C.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2008
I ended my first date with a dear old boyfriend here. We enjoyed one last cocktail and shared a sweet first kiss, ten feet from a highly inebriated girl who was taking a time-out with her face smashed against the upholstery of the couch.
New love? A cozy nap? You can have it all at Tony Nik's. -
Review from Chris E.
Fairview, OR
5/27/2008 1 photo
Tony Nik's holds a special; place for me. It's the first place i ever went. Back in 1966, on the way home from the hospital, my parents stopped by here to show me off to all their friends. It was a regular stopping place all through my youth and the site of my first legal drink 21 years later. Butch walked (later shuffled) the boards behind the bar for nearly 40 years of my life. The place was where the old school SF sportos would bullshit. He poured a short, stiff drink and could make a pot of coffee last a week. He was an old school, cash on the bar SF bartender.
I think Butch would like the new Tony Nik's. He'd hate the music and the frou frou drinks and probably wouldn't understand what the hell people were talking about, but he'd like seeing his bar full of happy people having a good time. I feel just as comfortable there as I always have. -
Review from Justin C.
3/13/2009
Pros: nice-shaped small bar. probably good for mixing and for happy hours
Cons: young male bartenders, douchy clientel, it's in the confluence of two streets that attract marina striped-shirt assholes, transplant "locals", and B&T weekend warriors. North Beach sucks: in case you plan to go to this bar and you don't like it, you are surrounded by other bad options. You'll have to take the bus or a cab or walk to the Geary corridor or to the Financial District or to the hipster Mission bars. Otherwise you're stuck in North Beach, which is, let's face it, a shadow of it's former self.
Drink elsewhere. -
Review from Marcos R.
7/21/2009
I hate to give away my usual hangouts in the City, but since there are a whopping 135 reviews of Tony N's, I guess I'm not giving away much at this point.
For me North Beach is far from tolerable on the weekends, but a great place to hang out weeknights. Tony Nik's is great for many reasons. It's small, unassuming, it has a core of regulars, and that really makes you feel like N. Beach is still a real neighborhood.
The bathrooms are SUPER tiny. Like something you would see on a train or a propeller DC 9 plane. If you can get there between 4-6pm on a weekday, grab a spot at the bar, keep the vibe friendly, and keep it real. Oh, and enjoy the cocktails! -
Review from Leigh c.
San Francisco, CA
10/10/2007
Alright, so I studied abroad in Sydney in college. One of the guys who was in my group of friends while studying there - it turns out he's living in SF for three months while he hangs out with his girlfriend who lives in South SF. He lives in North Beach, and gives me a call so we can catch up.
Now, I'm all excited and he suggests Tony Nik's. Having never heard of it before (living in Duboce Triangle, you don't get up to North Beach that much). So I get there, small bar, good (read: dark) lighting, only two guys in the whole bar. Who, of course, are gay - because my Fairy Godmother is looking out for me...I haven't been to a "straight" bar in a long time, so once I do, the blow is softened by encountering some of the gays. Phew.
So I order a drink, siddle up to the bar, and tell the patrons about who I'm about to meet. So we're having a great old time. Then my friend comes in and it's a great time catching up.
Then. Well, I've considerably eased up since my college days, and I should have known that seeing an Aussie friend from college would be a drinking match waiting to happen.
Fast forward - 6 Vodka-Tonics later...all is good, but then he tries to kiss me, which is no good, no good at all. Coincidental timing -- right about this time, the bar starts to fill up with people (and its quite small) so I take this as my cue to leave (that is, after the fat man next to me asked me to feel his behind...and oh yes, his date was next to him).
Got soaking wet waiting for a cab too. But, I'd definitely go back - the bar was lovely. Despite the unwanted advances. I'll give it four stars, because there's no window to climb out of in the bathroom.
