2 blocks from my work. Great happy hour prices. What more can a working girl ask for?!? There are no sign at the front with the name of this place, it's right around the corner from the Walgreens on First and Mission. You won't miss it if you go during rush hour. People are always sitting at the lounge area right at the front of the bar. This bar is a long recentagle with a wall of alcohol/bar on one side and 5 tables on the other. They also have a small balcony on the 2nd floor that have a few tables as well. I've never been in here when it's not crowded- it is always packed house here, even when i get off a little bit before 5! I envy the FiDi crowd that can get off early and grab the few tables that they have here. Like everyone else, they can whip up a fancy drink depending on your preference, but they also get offended when you ask for beer such as a blue moon - so don't do it. Btw, no food here, just booze. Enjoy! read more

I've been here twice. First time, I came here once for happy hour. WAY too crowded for my liking. Also, there is no food. Second time, I came here on a Friday night. It was very chill. The bartender was nice, but not too energetic. The raspberry gimlet is delicious! read more

I'm going to leave this review to be updated because I had a good time here but I could't thoroughly enjoy my whisky here. First off: I asked the bartender for recommendations on whisky and he asked what I like. Being new to whisky I didn't really know how to respond without sounding like a complete idiot. I really could have figured it out if I had some sort of menu but apparently at a whisky bar they don't have a whisky menu because they change so much. hmm. O well. He ended up giving me a whisky that I was not so keen over but also had me try a rye that was great. I definitely want to like this place so I'll give it another try. Kudos for the bartender for trying to help. read more

Friendly bartenders, decent selections... It's just been done before... Not saying that I wouldn't go here again next time I'm in SF, but I don't think I'd seek it out... The draft lines seemed fairly regular, liquor selections were OK, but nothing special... Maybe I've just been spoiled by the places I do seek out, saw the high reviews, and expected more... read more

Cool spot in SoMa to grab a drink. Came here on a Friday night and it wasn't too crowded, so it was fairly easy to order a drink and find a table. I like the front area where it's basically open to the outside so there's fresh air and not so stuffy unlike other places. Very laid back vibe with good people and good drinks. The back has a loft upstairs that fits more people. Bartenders are nice and keep the drinks flowing. It's not overly loud where you can't have a conversation but it's not quiet either. Good selection of whiskey but can make a variety of drinks if you're into that. GF ordered a gimlet and it was actually really good. I'll definitely be coming back here! read more

There was a software issue with emails getting through to the staff. Once Vernica contacted us she has been nothing but professional and helpful with planning our event. She gave me her personal number to contact her in case there was an email issue again. I can't wait to meet her and thank her for making this event possible. read more

Hands down the BEST whiskey/scotch/gin/vodka/mezcal bar in the area. The staff is hella cool and can take on the sometimes challenging FiDi crowd with ease. It's my go to spot for ANY new delicious bourbons that I want to try. They even let you bring in some grub if you are hungry. :) LOVE LOVE LOVE this spot. Come on Tuesday nights for some piano fun. read more

Amazing bar! Very friendly bartenders. Try the millionaire no 4. Great environment and very fast service.

I organized birthday drinks for a Saturday night at 83 Proof a few weeks ago and all reviews in from my friends were that this was an awesome place! I know I definitely had a great time because time passed super quick -- or maybe that was a result of the good drinks? ;) I will start off by saying our experience was made really great by the fact that we chose to go on a Saturday and it was much, much less crowded than a weekday evening. My group of 40 pretty much had the place to ourselves for about half of the night. Why did we love this place? 1. Bartenders -- the two guys on duty that night were awesome! Super friendly! They made us some fantastic drinks, including Manhattans that matched up to Bourbon and Branch and also coming up with a twist on a Kamikaze that almost everyone ended up ordering throughout the night! 2. Ambiance -- the high ceilings make the place feel bigger than it is. Most of all, I love how it's not pretentious, but still really modern. I feel at home here! Smaller groups will appreciate the loft seating upstairs -- it seats about 12-15 people. 3. Prices -- even without the weekday happy hour specials, my bar tab was super reasonable. And it's not like the drinks are watered down. My Manhattans were STRONG! It's nice to be at a placle that isn't looking to gouge customers. I'll be looking to come back here again very soon! read more

This place attracts a "fancy: crowd for happy hours. But his place has few seats and gets packed. Going here on a Friday or Saturday night seems to attract a more diverse crowd compared to happy hour. This place has small "loft" upstairs too. read more

This place is great for happy hours. Their dark wood decor and friendly bartenders make this place a popular hang out. You'll find most people at this place right after work... around 5ish. So if you are planning on a happy hour with your friends or colleagues, grab a table early! This place fills up, fast! Love their mojitos as the bartender/owner will custom make one for ya... to your liking! This place does not have AC in the summer months so it can get pretty warm. They open their oversized windows for you but plan ahead to be toasty in the summer months! read more

My mojitio was not good. I don't drink alchol usually, only when a mojitio is around. I overheard someone else ordering one, and it made me SO happy. So I ordered one, and my tastebuds were not happy. Which meant my joy meter wasn't so high since liquor wasn't running thru my veins. The decor was nice, clean, sleek. Bathrooms clean. Whatever else doesn't matter to me. As long as I have a good mojitio that really makes my night.. :( I guess thats all I'd like to write about.. read more

You can walk by this place and not realize that it's there, or that it's open sometimes. It's chic, drinks are good (try their cucumber gimlet). I swear the bartenders know how to make anything and everything...they have an upstairs seating area and if you get there by 10:30 on a weekend you can find a seat, otherwise you'll be standing. If you're in the SOMA area, maybe you can go to dinner at Salt House and come here after for drinks read more

83 Proof - Whiskey Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I wanted to find a bar near work that is close by with good happy hour specials and found this place after reading one reviewer on Yelp mentioned that they make my favorite drink which is the gimlet. Since, this is our first time at this bar and not knowing how it would turn out, we were thinking one or two drinks then be on our way home. Boy were we wrong....let me tell you, this place does not disappoint. After ordering the gimlet, I asked the bartender to whip me up something special. I don't like the usual drinks on the menu, so my bartender made us a couple of his special drinks. It was very unique, different...like a party in my mouth..lol. In other words, they were all good. My friend and I had 4 drinks different drinks each before we decided to part with this bar... :-( Definitely a bar that I would recommend and will come again and again. read more

One of my favorite bars in SoMa. Decor, ambiance, and of course, the drinks are perfect. Located at, aptly, 83 First, it's a nice place to have a couple drinks on a Friday night. The bartenders are mixologist and will welcome any "surprise me" requests. First time I went, I simply picked a liquor and asked the bartender to surprise me. What resulted was a drink so unique I doubt I will ever have a chance to try again. Place is kinda small so it's not a place for large groups. Good for dates. Haven't tried the food. read more

I love this place! They don't really have a displayed cocktail menu, although I think they had an "unofficial" one that all the bartenders know. The three times I've been there, the bartenders have all been very knowledgable about drinks and very helpful with recommendations! They have a cocktail called "Black Heart" or something, which is a beer cocktail with crushed strawberries. Delicious! Seriously one of my favorite drinks ever. Not sure how good this place would be if its busy though, because the bartenders probably have less attention to give you. However I definitely recommend this place. Just tell the bartender what kind of drinks you like, and they'll make something you're guaranteed to like! read more

Great atmosphere and San Francisco ambiance. It gets crowded after work so try to get here early. The bartenders are amazing and know how to concoct anything! read more

83 Proof - Great selection!!!!! - Whiskey Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Cheap strong drinks. Hip owners. and Sky. Who could ask more of their local hip post-work cocktail establishment? read more

Great people behind the bar. Know how to run a good busy happy hour. The crowd on the customer side of the bar is a bit thick with with business gudgers, but sometimes if you walk all the way back you can find an empty stool behind a group of beer swilling manager types spouting their tales of sales bravado or whatever the hell it is those in the starched shirts are talking about. If I can get a seat, I'll stick around. They did a really nice job with the place. read more

We trolled in on a birthday night and I had no idea this place existed. A pretty good little bar I'd say. Good selection of spirits and beers on tap. I like the long bar extending from one end to the other with plenty of stools for everyone to hang. The spirits shelf is pretty solid. Good bartenders as well, who were prompt to place your order and with a smile. I'll have to swing by again sometime soon. Recommended. read more

83 Proof gets Crowded (I actually wanted it in all caps but that seems a bit too melodramatic). You have to walk through the narrow hallway to make it upstairs. Make it through the crowd and head up those stairs, it is worth it. There's more lounging space and it is slightly more quiet. Try the basil gimlet. Drinks aren't necessarily strong, but they certainly are tasty. Bartenders, like reported, are friendly. If you're in the area and don't mind getting your elbows bumped, check out 83Proof. read more

First time at this bar and met up with a friend after work during the MLB Playoffs. The venue is small, but the drinks were on point. The mixologist made every drink a tasty delight. Too bad the Giants lost the game, but it was a win for 83 proof. I've visited several times since. :-) read more

Expectation matters a lot. This guy at work has been talking up this place and how cool he thinks it is. He says he feels like Don Draper on Mad Men when he goes here. So me and a friend thought we should check it out. It is pretty close to my work so I could definitely add it to my unwinding spots. It was a disappointment right from the beginning. First, this is a sort of ugly section of 1st Street in a spot of the city that I find a little iffy to begin with. The door is also hard to find (that can be cool if you're going for the hidden club feel, but here it was just annoying). Inside you find a pretty average sort of tiny bar. The chandelier and the balcony are a nice touch but overall I wasn't sure what this bar was going for. Dive bar? Cocktail lounge? I don't know. It got average looking bar down though. The other thing was that something about the acoustics of this place just felt off too me. There weren't that many people but it still felt too loud somehow. Maybe I expected too much or came on the wrong night or just wasn't into it. Oh, the drinks were okay though. I just had a beer because I had to work the next day. It didn't do it for me. But maybe I will give it another shot on a Friday night and have something with a little more kick, like a Greyhound or a Zombie. That always makes places more entertaining for me. read more

Good selection of beers, during happy hour there was a pianist playing modern songs. Right when we closed the tab, he approached us asking us for a song for him to play. Nice place, I'd come back. read more

I have to say this is probably my favorite place for a downtown happy hour within a couple blocks of my office. On a sunny day, they open up the front windows which makes for a nice place to soak up some rays. It also feels really cozy on a cold, winter day. Speaking of winter days... this place makes the best hot toddies I've ever had. After having one here, I tried ordering them at a few other places, and nobody even compared. mmmmm... so good! I also like that the place is easy to miss. Not much signage. It's funny to watch people walk right by and not realize it's right there. It can get pretty crowded, so get there early and try to claim the mezzanine if you've got a big group coming. Good deals on beers for happy hour too! read more

This place was really cool. Very low key and the mixologist knew their stuff. The bartenders were all welcoming and courteous to everyone who walked in. read more

A great cozy, clean, and friendly neighborhood bar! There is a live piano player every Tuesday night which is a treat. One of my friend met her boyfriend here on a random night and i think he is going to be her future husband. I wonder if the same luck will apply to me if I keep coming here? read more

Looks can be deceiving for this barely noticeable joint. No flashy signs or velvet rope, a simple large window and a plain door is all that beckons to your thirsty self. Clean cut, presentable, and great drink prices makes 83 proof stand out. It gets pretty crowded when everyone gets off work (especially since this is a stone's throw away from the heart of the Financial District), so come early to stake a great seat. The bartenders are great, offer superb recommendations and are attentive enough to get you your drink promptly, even when it gets chaotic. I've taken a bunch of friends to 83 proof and not one of them had a bad thing to say. One of them liked it so much so that it's now their go-to bar of choice on a night out in San Francisco. A nice hidden gem amongst the concrete jungle of San Francisco. read more

Excellent selection of the brown water and reasonable prices (for a bar). I received some knowledgeable guidance and an introduction to some new single malts I would never have tried on my own. Also, they have free WiFi as I discovered one afternoon when I held a meeting with a visiting sales guy. I was the only person in the bar and got some work done while I sampled the scotches. The staff was very friendly. I'll be back again soon. read more

So, my previous review was removed because it contained "incorrect business info." I tried to come here during their stated Yelp business hours, but they were closed for a private event. This is what happened, but it apparently violates Yelp policy to punish a business for their Yelp info being incorrect. That actually seems fair, in general, because these mistakes happen. Except that 83 Proof's Yelp hours match their website, so they're not incorrect on Yelp. And neither their Facebook page nor their Twitter mentioned this closure. Fine, maybe that review wasn't fair and Yelp was within their rights to remove it, so I'll leave a less emotional, more balanced review in hopes that it'll be allowed to stand: First off, I've been here before and the bartenders are great. So great that I've brought at least 15 people here who'd never heard of it, and all of them loved it. My favorite part of coming here is that you can chat with a bartender about what you like, and they'll make a very thoughtful suggestion. It's nice if you don't know your way around a cocktail bar. Then they'll make the drink, and make it very well. The atmosphere is nice too. Now that I've been fair and said what is good, I'll express annoyance at a business practice of theirs: closing for private events. This bar will be closed sometimes because they rent themselves out for private events. Obviously this is their prerogative, but I, personally, don't want to patronize a business that does this because I don't want to have to check their Facebook and Twitter every time I plan to visit. Other people may not mind, but this annoys me. It annoys me enough that I'll probably choose other bars in the future. So, hopefully this review will be allowed to stand since all I'm doing is complaining about a business practice, rather than complaining about their hours not matching their Yelp page. read more

If you have seen my previous reviews, you know that I have a love/hate relationship with tequila. I love it, I really do, but it makes me a little cranky and frankly really stupid. I tend to make some of my most heinous decisions while basking in the warm cushy glow of tequila, like hanging up on people for no good reason, crying to strangers, and trying to jump on the back of moving cars. Seriously. Last night, when I was waiting FOREVER for Nicole to show up for her office hours (just kidding, I was early), I got a margarita, because it's what sounded good. It's like a brazilian wax, you forget how much it hurts until you do it over again- such is my relationship with tequila. Okay, that bartender clearly didn't know that when it comes to my margaritas, anything more than a 1 oz pour will probably be too much for me. So he poured...and poured...and poured. I really do respect the fine craftsmanship of my drink (half a glass of tequila, triple sec, 2 lime squeezes and agave nectar, with a float of Grand Marnier), but man that sucker was STRONG. And it was only $8. Which may seem expensive to some (cheap asses), but for the amount that went in and the location of the bar, it was extremely reasonable. Suffice it to say that I switched to some rum lime rickey/fizz thing later, because I wanted to avoid any major embarassment (although I was a champ at the minor). I love love love the decor of this place, and their booze selection wows even me (when you work at a casino, you see more booze than you ever thought possible). There were also some really hot guys there who somehow failed to notice my super hot red shoes. How, I don't know, but when I'm in the mood for some banker love, I'm coming here. Next time I'm taking over the upstairs, though. Don't want to leave the poor Angelo all by himself again! read more

I work around the area, so I've come by this bar a few times to get a drink. Space wise, it's not bad, but it gets crowded FAST (popular choice?). You wanna do happy hour on a Friday at 6 PM? Go somewhere else. I doubt you can get your foot in the door. Due to lack of space and difficult seating situations (be prepared to stand and drink), this isn't one of my favorite bars to visit. But definitely not a bad choice if you can squeeze in. They have a huge selection of drinks! My personal fave is a good mule - Moscow, Kentucky, Mexican, you name it. And 83 Proof makes a pretty good one. If you don't know what to get, the bartender's here are always pretty helpful. This bar is definitely meant for the Financial Area. You won't find your average 21 year old hipster hanging around here. More of a mature crowd for sure, and you'll blend in more if you're a suit or techie. read more

i took the express train to FUCKEDUPVILLE last night, and it was an incredibly....umm....touchy-feely-huggy ride. i think i felt up all of the yelpers i met last night at my first DYL, channeling the amazing energy of cooter and adrienne (who almost didn't show, but thank god she did). and the ghost of doeke made a special appearance. they have newcastle on tap and mild sugared absinthe. so the express train had little green fairies pulling them at mach speed. my head was whirling with new names, new faces, old faces, hugs, cupcakes, birthdays, a hacking cough here and there and a couple of really good conversations (surprising, because this bar got as tightly packed as the subway in nyc at rush hour and it's about as big as one of those trains!). not usually my style of bar, but it was a warm night and i liked the open air window up front. i only spent $40 on drinks (i felt bad matt had to buy all the newbies drinks, so this newbie fronted a few rounds). having green fairies pull your train to destination FUCKEDUPVILLE has never been so fun. read more

This is my new favorite bar. I've been to a few happy hours and one group party in the upstairs mezzanine, and only have good things to say about 83 Proof. It's brand-new and modern/upscale in decor, but the vibe is mellow like a comfy Mission hangout. The folks that work here are some of the friendliest on the planet. They know their drinks and the beer is some of the coldest in town. Prices are ridiculously reasonable. Bonus -- sometimes you run into Nish here! read more

We came here for happy hour after work on a Friday. It was really crowded but it was expected for any happy hour place in FiDi. The drinks were cheap and the bartenders were friendly so I didn't mind the crowd. This might not be a good place for larger crowds because of the small walk space and the large crowd in there for happy hour! There were groups crowding the bar area which made it difficult to put orders in. If you're able to get close to the bar, the bartenders are attentive and get to you pretty quickly! The first round we got 2 cranberry vodkas for $4 each! However the second round, we got 2 orange juice vodkas and they came out to be $5 each. I'm not sure why we got charged different prices for the different well drinks. I wish they had a menu or sign that says how much the drinks are. I couldn't find anything on their website either. It seems like they have some inconsistencies, but the drinks are a good deal at $4-5 nonetheless. read more

My very fuzzy memories of 83 Proof say that this is a five star establishment. Albeit a tad pricey. The best part of the evening was Sky - the amazingly tattooed owner/bartender - who is hawt with a capital HAW! He & his staff were really patient with us, even the drunkie drunks... (er-um, me.) Had a good time there, would recommend it to anyone as a swank FiDi happy hour spot. Cheers, 83 Proof! I have to go lay down to fight the hangover that you helped to create. UPDATE as to Drunken Antics from 83 Proof: -Apparently, a bunch of Yelpers were walking behind me as I exited BART; but, I did not notice them - they were drunk invisible. -My roommate told me on Sunday morning that I tried to talk her into fighting with some random chick at 83 Proof -She also told me that I presented a very compelling argument for this; and, that she almost did it -I stole Adrienne G's lighter -I walked... wait, STUMBLED from Van Ness & Mission to 16th & Mission -I called Rose L. repeatedly b/c I wanted her to come get a bacon dog with me -I couldn't find a bacon dog vendor for the SECOND week in a row (though I could smell them) -I bought a cheeseburger (again) at BK, but did not throw it at anyone -I found Karl L. on BART & walked half way home w/him (b/c he lives in the same general direction that I do) -I left tons of funny drunk messages for people -I kicked my cell phone (the battery of which was dead) under my dresser & it took me 14 hours & a lot of crying about how I can't afford to replace it to find it... read more

I want to like this place, but it's so full of stuck up bartenders who want to make it as "hipster" as possible thinking they are in the Mission or something. I hate places who think they can just choose to serve those who 'they' think is cool or whatnot. Your location is in SOMA; just deal with it. That's my opinion. read more

Came here after work with a friend around 7. Well, it was just after 7, but it wasn't our first time there, so we weren't sure whether happy hour had ended. The bartender was really sweet. She let us buy beer at happy hour price anyway :) The place was crowded, but it didn't seem like anyone had a problem getting a drink. Although the place looks intimidating at first because everyone's dressed up, the people we met were friendly. The crowd was younger than at other FiDi / SoMa places I've been to. I live near happy hour places that cater to 45+ year old execs, so this was a MUCH better change. Much less pretentious. Bartenders seemed like they knew what they were doing as far as drinks go, too. I will go as far to say that these bartenders seemed like a better mixologist than the one I had at Bourbon & Branch. Coming back! So close to my work. read more

what a cool little bar - think of a smaller, swankier john collins (the bar) with a sprinkle of nua (the restaurant). i had the pleasure of popping the bartender's cucumber gimlet cherry (he claims he had never made one before) and it was quite memorable. i'd never seen a man put so much love and detail into my one drink of the evening (lightweight that i now am). one round for 6 of us and it only came out to $40 with tip. what's not to love?? TIP: the bar is unmarked except for the silver "83" by the door, and the japanese chex mix was a nice touch to keep from getting too hammered on an empty stomach. refills happily given. read more

I have a Chartreux headache right now. All I recall is that it's some sort of anisette type absinthe concoction made with 150 different herbs by monks. Where you get this stuff, I have no idea. But 83 Proof has it, and you really just have to try it. Let me stop my review right there and say the name alone warrants half its stars. And these guys know what they're doing, my martini was well made and the place was packed for being open for barely a couple weeks. I love the worn-out wood look of the floor and the bar and all of the decor. It does get a little loud in there, but I hear they're working on it. I'm giving this place five stars just for the most random, yet thoroughly enjoyable happy hour I just may have ever had. Unicorn shots anyone? read more