WISH
1539 Folsom Street
(between 11th St & 12th St)
San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 431-1661
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 5:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m.
Sat 7:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Music: DJ
- Best Nights: Mon, Thu, Fri
- Happy Hour: Yes
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: No
- Coat Check: No
249 reviews
Neighborhood: Mission
"Still awesome. Went for the Sunday brunch. My friend got the boxty benedict and I got the one with the grilled soda bread. Pretty tasty,…" read more »
328 Reviews for WISH
Nice little bar. Nothing fancy but not dive bar ish either. fits right inbetween. clean, bartenders are nice, drinks and well mixed and not overly expensive. recommended for a chill night.
I can admit it: I have a crush on Wish.
It's everything I look for in a bar: small, intimate and lit well, with cheap drinks, comfy seating, clean bathrooms, lax bartenders... and freeeee popcorn. My inner salt addict just adores this place. Plus, let's be honest, with all the tea candles it's easy to pretend like I'm mysterious/famous/incognito.
Wish, my love, is situated literally a block from my place (which always makes me biased in the struggle to decide where we should go -- muahaha), but I stay away from literally any bar in this vicinity on weekends. The crowd is just... meh. If you want to know what I mean, take a peek at the crowd coagulating around Holy Cow, right next door to Wish. Nooo thank you.
Either way, I like Wish and it likes me back. Score.
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Even though this bar is literally 9 blocks from my house, I always forget that it's there. I've been there a handful of times, and enjoy myself immensely each time, but I inadvertently keep forgetting that it's there. Whenever anybody brings it up, my reaction is the same, "I love that place, why don't I ever go there?"
Well, I'm glad I went there last night. It was a mellow Monday, no more than 10 people in there between 7:30 and 9:00. But the service was amazing, the bartender was cool, the drinks were spot on (large pours on the wine, mind you), and the music was really triphoppy good. And parking for days around there.
Free popcorn!!!
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Dropped through here Monday night. It's cute space for single girls and older gentlemen. I am not saying anything like that people. It's a cute spot but I think I had bad timing it was someone's 21st birthday and I am too old to be in that mix. Try it out though.
You are like a dear friend I don't see enough. Last night reminded me how much I enjoy spending time at your establishment - good music (the weekly Friday Om party probably has something to do with that), very reasonable drink prices and my favorite type of decor - modern and intimate.
I promise to pay more attention to you in the future.
Ok this is the spot on week nights. Weekends I avoid like the plague! Awesome hip trendy staff:)) Cute bartenders that mix concoctions all night till the bell drops. The bathroom could be cleaner but, it's bar:( Great music if you are into groovin house beats. Dark and mysterious interior to sit and watch the view. The view being people walking across the runway style lounge. Characters from the area will ask for change. Please don't tease the locals! They were there before this lounge was.
Good spot for a nice happy hour on the week day after a long day. Fri, Sat, Sun everyone else will beat you there.
Like many other posters have said, weeknights are your best bet as it gets a little too crowded on weekends.
The place is small, but what do you expect from a bar?? The bartenders are cool and the "bouncer" is polite (wtf?). Great bar/lounge to wind down after work or maybe even a pre-party booze up preparation shack!
In fact I think I'm going to head over there right now...
Wish plays a lot of house music which wins a lot of points with me. In the corner you can dance on certain nights. But you can also talk, it is not too loud. The drinks are reasonable, $7 for a vodka tonic. It is not a dive bar but it is really not a chi chi bar either. The crowd kind of differs from night to night, I think I like the Friday crowd better. The space is long and skinny with one long bar on one side and couches and tables on the other. The service is usually pretty quick and although one girl screwed up my order once she fixed it in a second and then remembered my choice of drink for the rest of the evening. They also have more exotic drinks like mojitos if you are in that mood. The crowd that goes here seems to be mostly in the 20s and 30s.
Great bar, period. It's long and narrow, with no real dance floor to speak of, and it can get very crowded, but I can honestly say I've never had a bad time there. It just fits so many roles: evening starter, evening ender, "what the hell do we do next?" hang-out spot, or just a place to sit around, get drunk and listen to some good local DJs. There's never a cover, and while the occasional lack of seating can seem like a problem, close quarters in a fun environment often lead to fun and exciting chance encounters.
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The waitress service and the drinks are good. The bad is when it's too crowded and the bathrooms become gross. The music / DJ need more heart as well as the seating arrangement of the bar. Sitting with a group of friend is nice until people from the other tables start snagging chairs as soon as you get up for a smoke, bathroom break or a drink. Be prepared to sit down all night if you wanna keep your seat or keep your women.
In the light of the early evening, this place does not look like its glamorous photos - but no matter, it's still a great bar.
I came here at 5:30 with a group of friends from work. They have a nice long bar, bench seats and ottomans, with a DJ and friendly bartenders. We munched on some pretzels and I ordered my standard Gin and Tonic. $5 - hmm, not bad, not bad at all. My inner cheapskate thought, "This place is growing on me."
They had free sushi for happy hour and it was actually really good. The place started to fill up with young, hip, fairly attractive couples and singles. We had a great time! Good music, cool people, cheap drinks and free sushi - who could ask for anything more?
Kudos to the bartender who proactively comped a drink that was taking far too long. You've earned a loyal group of happy hour patrons who work down the block.
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I dunno why I haven't reviewed Wish yet. Not that it needs a 316th review, but it's not like I NEEDED those Effen & sodas at Wish the other night, either! :D
Wish has been around a long time - and the chillaxing vibe hasn't deteriorated a bit. The bartenders are cool & friendly, the drinks are good, and the atmosphere is loungey and flirtation-conducive. It's a great date spot. The beau & I tend to come in when it's not packed - earlier in the evening or on weeknights - but we occasionally stop by on the weekend too, and we've never felt sardineified.
I love this place.
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WISH = Sweet, Smart, Strong and Sexy.
...Coincidentally how I like my men...
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Grabbed a couple drinks here with a friend the other night and definitely would come back here. It has a very chill and fun vibe, so it's perfect for chatting. The decor is nice but not pretentious; the crowd is fun and friendly but not loud and obnoxious.
I love Wish. I've been here twice. Once on a Monday and again on a Tuesday. I know I didn't go on a busy night, but parking is good. The ambiance is great.
There are only 1-2 bartenders but they do a good job when it gets busy. They give out free popcorn. It was my cousin's birthday and they let her bring finger foods and cake. She puked right by the bar and they didn't kick her out. There's no bouncer, no cover, no dress code. Love it!
The only thing I don't like is the weird trance/house music and the DJ who doesn't take requests.
I'll try coming on a Fri or Sat next time. =)
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I was sort of impressed. Then again, I'm always sort of impressed when I've been drinking.
Wildly enough, we got served quickly. Which is good, because I felt my buzz going down--and that was rectified IMMEDIATELY. Damn those are some strong drinks.
When I read Donna's review and she talked about the bathrooms, I literally had to sit here and think about whether or not I remembered what they looked like--turns out I do, just not so much.
Also, is it strange that everytime I thought about writing this review, all I could think about was "I wish I were an Oscar Meyer Weiner"?
Mmmm..they have popcorn here! Great for Yelp drama. Host a DYL here? *grabs popcorn*
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This place was EMPTY when I came. extremely boring... Very small location, not a lot going on. Most people are next door a Holy Cow. Came to see DJ Squid cut it up and ended up with a 2 hundred dollar ticket for blocking a handicap ramp. Not worth it at all.
Just a really great bar.
GREAT:
- Amazing, super nice bartenders. Soo easy to flag one down and very patient.
- Comfortable seating, though I wish there was more of it.
- Good, $8 mixed drinks in addition to the normal stuff. Solid beer list with a dozen or two beers. They had legit drink menus too so it was really easy to see everything they sold.
- All-you-can-eat pretzels. Nice, though they made me thirsty so I had to keep drinking. Sneaky.
- No cover.
- Great music but chill enough such that you can still talk to your friends.
- A girl was walking around selling candy and snacks, baseball stadium style. Kind of cool.
- A staff member was going around wiping down the tables, keeping them clean.
LESS GOOD:
- Crowded. Great for a small group of friends, but don't come with a large group.
- No dance floor, though Holy Cow is right next door.
- Not especially diverse. On a Friday night most everyone in here was white, with a dozen or so Asian people, and everyone was fairly cleaned up and semi-dressed up. Dunno if that's good or bad but it is what it is.
- Bathroom was clean but smelled funky.
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I was very gratefully allowed to crash butt end of a certain company's party in SoMa. The party broke off into pieces and my piece ended up at Wish. I've been here before but quite honestly I always have fun at Wish! Especially when it's a chill night with some cool peeps and new friends.
Besides...they have perfect lighting which makes EVERYONE look good! Which serves well for flirty exploits.
I need to come back more often.
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This place is a great place to hang out with friends and just kick back. I totally dig the vibes there - the lounge music is sophisticated with a touch of edginess to it, the numerous tea-light candles strewn about the interior gives everything an intimate glow, and I loved the comfy sitting areas that were strategically placed to maximize the space. The drinks were also pretty good, though depending on what you order, they might be a bit light on the alcohol. My mind's a bit fuzzy on all the drink names, but I remember thinking they had some interesting choices that tasted decent.
The crowd is mostly mid-late 20s, and they're all pretty laid back as well. I'd definitely come back here if I were in the area again.
I've celebrated my birthday here a few times and so have my friends. It's our fave spot. Great drinks and awesome bartenders. The place is chill, cozy, warm and inviting. I heart Wish.
I kind of adore this place.
The drinks are pretty good, the prices are average, the girl bartender with the short hair is super cute I'm jealous of her.
The crowd... I would say is pretty diverse, but not so much in the gross dirty hipster meets goth boys and girls sort of way. Every now and then I start feeling I'm at Icon because it gets really Asian, and then I start freaking out because I feel like I';m the onyl white girl in the room. Then I realize I'm not actually white. I'm Asian. I just don't realize it.
It's kind of a sexy bar.
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Came here on Friday. Great saki martinis, crowded earlier in the evening but died down towards midnight. Great place to end the week, listen to music and hang with friends.
I wish I could spend more time there. One of my favorite spots in the city. Music is always on point The spaces lights and loft like finishes complement the lounge music the DJs pump out most nights. Drinks are great, and the bartenders are always cordial. The cucumber basil tequila gimlet is fantastic. I've done after-work things, out-of-towner things, birthday parties, dates, and hung out with the guys here. It works for me in all situations. So you probably shouldn't go because only I like it in all situations. It has plenty of seating, but that cuts down on the standing room, so it can get kinda packed on the typical nights.
My favorite detail is the bar made from 'reclaimed' bowling alley hardwood.
Just watch out for the Holy Cow crowd on your way out, or someone could puke on your shoes.
A very chill bar thats good for a small crowd of friends. It is very small so it can get crowded but its relaxing and good place to catch up with people. It's not beautiful inside but it definitely strikes a good vibe with the dark ambience.
No cover, and no dance floor but that's what next door is for. Come here to pre-party then get the party started at Holy Cow.
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I fell in love with the look of this place immediately - very dark intimate bar, tiny candles perilously perched everywhere. Everywhere. Two girls' hair caught on fire. Seriously.
We were early and there were just a few random people here (one chick feeling up her own breasts while her companion watched... ), but as the night went on the place filled up with a nice variety. The doorman was friendly, the bartenders attentive, the G+T's packed a solid punch.
Mix of barstools, chairs and a comfy sofa.
Go here. Often.
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Very mellow atmosphere, the bartenders are attentive and pour solid drinks. They had a wonderfully sippable Chamucos tequila which I don't find too often. It's not a huge place, the bar takes up about a third of the real estate.
One of my friends wanted to come out for bday drinks here, and he was able to reserve a "table"-- basically a bunch of seats up in front-- so they're accommodating on that front too. Really nothing to complain about, good times.
I love wish. It's got a great vibe and a great crowd. The drinks are great. The couches are awesome. The candles burning is a sweet touch as well.
It just seems like a really cool place as well. You feel cool being there. I've been during the week and on the weekend... during the week has been a better experience.. not AS crowded and very laid back, relaxing.
One of my favorite bars in SF.
Great drinks and Dj's without being to much of a "scene"...
Lounge like lots of great house music to dance to...
Fun!
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I like WISH a lot, very modern but still comfortable and laid back. There's plenty of seating along the bar and lots of reconfigurable cubes along the wall. The bartenders are nice and competent, making a great mojito and vodka martini. When I was there the music was loungy-modern but not at all unpleasant. I'd definitely come back for a drink if I was in the neighborhood.
Ive only been here once, but i would defintely recommend this place to others out there who want to just relax, conversate with friends and drink up. Ambiance is nice and calm. There is lots of seating from chairs by the bar to sofa lounges on the side walls. There is no cover charge which is cool, however if you are looking to dance there is really no dance floor. There is a DJ however playing and mixing it up on the turntables. Place must be great for Happy hour. But this is a perfect spot to start off your night then you can even hitt next door to Holly cow if you like to dance and shake your behind...
Big fan. Great place to get a couple vodka sodas before upping the intensity somewhere else. there's about 100 clubs/lounges/bars within a couple blocks of this place.
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Great little lounge with no cover charge, Wish has an intimate feel to it. The crowd is a little more mature than those who are next door at the Holy Cow. It's very loungy with small tables and mini stools through out the place.
I wish upon WISH that from now on for the rest of my life, every night out will begin in a cozy dark corner with a delicious martini and house music that promises aMAZing things will happen tonight.
My friends and I got the sweet leather couch seating and some strong drinks and shots. Daft Punk playing in the background. Nicely dressed crowd.
Funny incident: due to all the mini ambiant candles around the bar, a woman's hair caught on fire! Luckily her guy friend was smart enough to empty the ice bucket and put out her very stinky hair with the ice. That $%#& smelled NASTY! It lingered in the air for a good 15 minutes. I bet she was embarassed.
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Not crazy about the weekend crowd sometimes but this is a great place to come chill with a friend and pound a few drinks. Very comfortable vibe and nice bartenders.
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Sweet little WISH. I never really want to leave this place, but I always seem to be with others who do.
Big happy points for the black cherry lemon drop, the never-pushy staff, and the really nice music. Seriously ... I soooooo didn't want to leave the last time. The brothers in the back had just spun up a nice little old-school groove to "I Want You Back" and wouldn't you know it, that's when my out-of-town sister decided she had to get her dance on.
Sigh. I never get quite enough WISH in my life ...
Time after time, Wish has earned its place as my all-time favorite bar in the city, like a good friend its always there for me. It's many personalities seem to always fit my mood. Its been surprisingly mellow and comfortable on a weeknight when I need to chill and unwind. It's been raucous and crazy when I'm showing my New York friends that San Francisco does know how to party. It's been a reserved table up front when I'm trying to win a new client. Its been the place to discover new music when my ipod just isn't cutting it.
The drinks are always perfect and generous at that. The bartenders are quick, professional and nice (there's a surprise) and will humor me when i need to vent. The dj's are always interesting and the doormen are polite yet discerning enough to keep out some of the 11th street "color". Wish has a comforting vibe and a trendy edge without over doing it. As has been said, it can get a little too crowded on the weekends but is usually perfect on any weeknight.
Loungey little place that's easy to miss in the SOMA area. I walked past it a few times and have never noticed it until I met up with a co-worker & his lady just recently. Not sure what time happy hours begin, but it went up to 8pm on a quiet but pleasurable weeknight. It's slick and sleek, with a casual vibe. Good choices of beers, wines, cocktails & even scotch. The bar area itself is well-lit, but the areas away from it are dark and conversations are audible, even with the DJ spinning in the backdrop.
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I came here for the first time after a rough day at work and was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere and vibe. Maybe it's a little too nice for the neighborhood. Oh well, it's a pretty cool place I must say, although I'd hate to be in there when it's super crowded (yeah, I'm too old for that shite).
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