Located on the ground floor inside the Huntington Hotel. This space formerly served as the lobby & gift shop for the Nob Hill Spa. How this space has been transformed is remarkable.
A cocktail "salon" with small plates, they also do a martini service. Very swanky. It's beautiful. It's elegant. It's refined. It's impressively well appointed.
It's tiny. Definitely not ideal for groups, this is an intimate space that should be for intimate gatherings only. A group of, say 8 people, would literally take up almost half the room.
Tables are only available by reservation. You can chance it & maybe wait at their tiny bar for a table to open up, but I wouldn't recommend that. If you want to sit at a table, reserve.
The bar only seats 5 people. There are 10 tables, & they're all 2 tops. They obviously can join 2 tables together for a party of 4 or 5, but it feels like parties any larger than that not only monopolize the space, but change the whole vibe in doing so. Larger parties should head across the lobby to the (fabulous) Big 4 restaurant bar.
The menu is comprised of elevated small plates. Crab toast, shrimp cocktail, etc. I overheard a server telling a neighboring table that there is no kitchen per se & that they make the food orders themselves. This is certainly understandable given the size of the establishment & the lack of a real kitchen, but shortcuts like this feel haphazard & poorly thought out. At this high price level, should the same person taking my order then be making the order as well? Like when you go to the deli; "Joe" takes your sandwich order, & then turns around & makes the sandwich? No.
There are so many words to describe this lovely space, but "disco" is not one of them. I love disco itself, but disco music playing in this upscale environment is bizarrely out of context. It actually does the atmosphere a huge disservice.
The servers are kind & attentive. They've automatically brought over their charming business cards, & have even offered matchbooks. Last visit I asked if I could have a pen for a keepsake, & he happily delivered one promptly.
A stunning & elevated room, utterly perfect for a cocktail, glass of wine, & a quick nibble. But it is possible that they've bitten off more than they can (or should) chew.
Service & ambiance 5 stars.
Concept 3 stars.
4 stars read more