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Rating Distribution
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Review votes:
1889 Useful, 1411 Funny, and 1879 Cool
San Francisco, CA
Yelping SinceOctober 2006
Things I Love Find Me Inflagrante delicto
My HometownBurlington, VT
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...I'm creating food, art or mayhem
Why You Should Read My ReviewsGood karma
My Second Favorite Website The Last Great Book I ReadInvisible Cities by Italo Calvino
My Favorite MovieBrazil
My Last Meal On Earthwill likely be consumed through a tube. Tragic.
Most Recent Discovery Current CrushTSB
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 984-1973
The Plant Cafe Organic
Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Breakfast & Brunch, American (New)
Neighborhood: Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 398-2827
Rickhouse
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Financial District
On the second of my many evenings at Rickhouse, I fought the urge to order another J.J. Russell and instead pestered Brittany for a recommendation. She suggested a Sazerac so I let her know she was on the right track, but hadn't hit the mark so she told me to trust her and brought me my first Martinez, which blew my mind. From that moment on, I was sold. This is the best cocktail bar in San Francisco.
Since then I have fully explored the cocktail menu, and the bartenders, and I have never had anything but great experiences at Rickhouse. Joe and Amanda are great, but Krista is by far my favorite bartender in all of San Francisco.
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 398-0195
Cantina
Category: Lounges
Neighborhoods: Nob Hill, Union Square
Literally, nothing to complain about, and I complain a lot. The drinks were great as always, but the service was superb.
I wish I could up the rating to 5-stars, but one great night doesn't balance out all the awful ones. I was fortunate enough to have Duggan as my bartender, and I am curious to go back on a night he isn't there to see if the others who disappointed have started taking a little more pride in their craft.
2 Previous Reviews: Hide »
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3/29/2009
Warily, I suggested Cantina for a pre-show drink with friends, remembering how slow they have been in the past, but I figured it would be quiet at 6 on a Saturday.
It was dead, but that didn't make the bartenders any quicker or more efficient. I was the first of my group to arrive and Tall Asian Guy bartender gave me a menu and went down to the far end of the bar to polish liquor bottles and never came back.
There were two other couples at the bar, totaling five customers to two bartenders. After seven minutes of me trying to make eye contact with either of them, and listening to the second bartender talk about all the awards that Cantina wins for being a great bar, while she made drinks for the couple to my left, she finally noticed me dying and took my order, which she passed along to the bottle polisher saying, "could you make a Manhattan for FRUIT BOWL?" indicating the bowl of fruit sitting in front of me at the bar. I can see having spots at the bar designated by name for the sake of smooth communication on a busy night, but when I am the one of five customers in the bar without a drink in my hand, couldn't you at least refer to me as "that guy?"
My friends arrived and it took so long to make their four drinks that they had to chug their cocktails and we were still late for our show.
I used to think that the Cantina bartenders were slow yet methodical in their craft, and could at least respect them for making a great drink, but I am now realizing that Cantina has great drink RECIPES, memorized (or not) by lousy bartenders.
Long story short, the drinks at Cantina are great, but the service is beyond pathetic. -
3/5/2009
I appreciate a well-crafted drink. I don't appreciate waiting 20 minutes for it when there are three bartenders and only 25 patrons.
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 753-8867
Pluto's
Categories: Sandwiches, Caterers
Neighborhood: Inner Sunset
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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1/18/2007
I like this Pluto's. There aren't a lot off healthy, affordable options around Ninth and Irving, but Pluto's consistently provides fresh, clean and quick salads and comfort food at a fairly low price.
Their daily sandwich specials are tasty, and portion size on everything is generous. The garlic fries were a favorite of kids and teachers alike when I worked at the high school around the corner on 7th, and when I need a little home-style cooking, the mashed potatoes and stuffing with gravy usually do the trick.
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 558-8567
Barracuda Japanese Restaurant
Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Castro
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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4/17/2008
My little sister didn't want to park her Beamer in the Loin, so we went in search of a Red Box alternative, and Barracuda seemed to fit the bill.
It was a Monday night, so the place was dead, but the interior was sleek, the service was stellar (thanks Keith), and the food was not only great, but a great value. I didn't expect the selection to be a steal, especially after I looked over the menu and saw $10 rolls and $16 bento boxes, but both were not only great quality but also huge portion sizes.
Check out the Edamame hummus with crispy wonton chips, and the shrimp balls were good, but I think we only ordered them so Caitlin could have an excuse to announce that she loves balls.
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 864-6773
Taqueria Cancun
Category: Mexican
Neighborhoods: Civic Center/Tenderloin, SOMA
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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10/22/2008
Dirty, dangerous 6th and Market has been recession-proofing my lunch breaks for a long time. Cancun is one of the best deals in town, because the burritos are big, tasty and cheap, and the service is fast, but good luck getting a seat.
I spent the last two nights in the Elixir classroom for whiskey seminar/tastings and can't wait to get back in there. H secured the adjacent space where they have educational events on Thursday nights, and I just really dig it.
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 621-7007
Yelp's Mixtape Extravaganza @ Sloane!
Category: Local Flavor
Neighborhood: SOMA
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 775-5110
The Parlor
Category: Lounges
Neighborhood: Fisherman's Wharf
Drinks: these girls behind the bar had clearly never made a drink in their lives! We saw at least ten occasions where they were making cocktails, carelessly free-pouring and then just dumping more whiskey or vodka over the top upon straining into the glass to find it only half full. We wanted to go buy them a jigger, but figured they wouldn't know how to use it.
Service: Slow, lazy and crooked! Not only were they unaware of their own drink menu, but they were too busy chatting or making popcorn to take orders, so we had to go to the bar for a lot of our drinks. They had issues with their credit card machine, so when one friend went to pay for her drinks and they couldn't take her card, they told her they would comp the drinks, and so she tipped them with the little cash she had and left. They then put her drink on another friend's tab and refused to remove it, since she was with our party. Yes, this place is a straight-up scam.
Design: the speakeasy theme is payed out, even when done well, but when you half-ass it by stacking some whiskey barrels around a pillar, it's really pathetic. The back room, which is huge, looks like a roller skating rink.
Lighting: The place is so poorly lit, depending where you stand, it's either painfully bright or pitch black, and the bathroom has bare bulbs at eye level, which is just stupid. Paper towels would have been a nice touch too.
Comically, as we were leaving after 4 hours, there were three young women storming out of the bar chanting "Never ever go here again! Never go to the Parlor!" Clearly, we weren't alone in our experience. Embarrassed that I fell for the hype when I read that they were opening a good bar on Fisherman's Wharf. Please learn from my mistakes.
Date

The bartender looks like Billy Joel, and in their spacious bathroom provides plenty of room for hot lovin' but also offers a poster for a deal on staying at the attached hotel, should you want a more private location.
They have a good cocktail menu, the remodeled space is really comfortable and feels inviting and private, despite a fairly open floor plan, and the staff have always been helpful and friendly.