MARTINI TOWER Here's was you do- order 12 espresso martinis and have so much fun!! I love that there is so much indoor and outdoor places to hang. Littleeee chilly outside but I also chose to go in the winter hehe read more

Balboa Cafe has my favorite fried chicken sandwich in San Francisco! The chicken is thin and crispy and the sandwich with the toppings tastes amazing. The sandwich comes with fries and seems reasonably priced for a sit down restaurant. Drinks here are great, I love the espresso martini, but I also come here just for the food even if I'm not drinking! It gets quite crowded at night so I prefer coming around brunch or lunchtime. The staff has been friendly and attentive every time I've been, and the seating inside is nice and comfy during cold weather, and sitting outside is great when the weather is good. read more

Balboa Cafe - Fried chicken sandwich - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Balboa Cafe is the perfect place for cocktails and a girl dinner! Ambiance & Service: We arrived at 6:30 PM on a Friday and were seated immediately without a reservation. The bar is busy and the restaurant has a lively atmosphere! Our server was excellent--attentive and relaxed. Food & Drink: - Espresso Martini: One of the best I've ever had! Perfect balance of sweet and bitter. - Corn Arancini: Our favorite app! Perfectly fried with creamy rice and sweet corn inside. The tomato jam added a tangy balance. - Brussels Sprouts: Crunchy, savory, and very tasty sauce! - Chimichurri Fries: Good but not amazing--we wished they were a bit crispier. TL;DR: Great spot for cocktails and a lively atmosphere. Must-try the Espresso Martini and Corn Arancini! read more

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Loved it. Of course had the espresso martinis...yes they are fantastic. Lunch was great. Service was impeccable. Also been here for evening cocktails and it an be very CROWDED...but that is the vibe. Recommend 100% read more

Ever got kicked out the bar because the bartender messed up your drink and threw a tantrum about it? I came here on a Thursday night with my group which was relatively busy. Ordered a drink with the bartender which he misheard for an old fashioned.. Messed up my drink? Not a big deal, already told him I was going to pay for it since I felt bad that he was the only bartender making drinks but he tells me he didn't mess up and it's what I ordered. This sassy little man proceeds to toss out my drink and tells me "You're done." Then has my group and me removed from the bar. My man if you ever read this, maybe you should look into getting a job as an librarian since you can't seem to handle stress in a customer service based job.. Shortly after leaving while still standing outside of the bar, another guy also got kicked out.. I found this to be quite funny actually. How are you getting upset at your customers because you can't handle your job? In a service based industry too is mind boggling to me. read more

We had a Mama/Son date here last week! He asked if I've ever been and I said I don't think so, until we pulled up and the place looked super familiar! I remembered and have to say that when my husband and I came right after Covid, I didn't really care for it, maybe because we sat outside? I don't remember the reason but I wasn't too happy, service wasn't up to par that day! Or it could be just the menu was limited because of the stupid Covid! But Mama/Son date day sure made up for it! We walked up and were immediately greeted by the happiest host I've ever met and the manager was with him too! Both smiling n so welcoming! He asked us where we wanted to sit and I immediately remembered I didn't want to sit outside! He sat us inside and the server immediately showed up took our drink order! I have to say while our server was very kind and attentive when she was at the table, there were long periods where she should have seen we needed refills as I didn't want to waive her down! But when she noticed she came over! The food we had was scrumptious! I will order the CobbSalad again, the Poké cones were delicious but would have loved mow maybe cause I'm Sāmoan and could eat a boat load in a sitting ha ha! My son loved his cheeseburger but didn't care for the fries! My Fish and chips was yum n plentiful that I brought them home! Manager noticed we barely touched the broccolini came over and asked if it was ok and when I said it was way too spicy, he took it off the bill! I didn't ask him to do that but I appreciated it at the same time! It was delicious but too spicy for me but if that's your cup of tea please order it! The busboys? Now they were on point!! I didn't have cash that day but would have gladly slipped them some if I did like I always do! Always keep a little cash on you so you can slip to the bus boys because they work just as hard if not harder than the servers! Will we go back? 1000% YES! read more

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My eggs Benedict were super yummy. I'd totally come back. We did a friend's bachelorette brunch here and has great service and good vibes, specially for the holiday decorations! read more

Balboa Cafe - Holiday Decorations - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here for a birthday brunch and was in love with their espresso martinis! Order it for the table you will not regret it. We loved all their brunch options so much. Their fries are perfect and the burgers all came out cooked to perfection. This is an SF staple for a reason, so do yourself a favor and stop by! Big plus? Tons of parking in the neighborhood--a rarity for any sf gem! read more

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This fancy lookin spot is just another watering hole. You can hang out and drink inside or out which is nice. You will meet some interesting people of all ages and backgrounds. The bouncer in the front makes it feel secure. The bartenders know how to make a drink. Good times overall! read more

Balboa Cafe - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Came here Saturday night on a date Food Burrata with beets $20 (5/5) melted and refreshing. The toast was a bit too hard Lamb shank $32 (5/5) HUGE portion. Lamb was so smooth it fell off the bone. Paired with a side of grits that seemed like grainy mashed potatoes. Also has veggies! Well spiced. Risotto $27 (5/5) full of flavor! Reminds me of sour cream and onion chips which is my fav. Love the mushrooms and the creaminess of this dish. Crème brûlée (5/5) served with a side of biscotti. Nice caramelized top. Drinks Espresso martini (5/5) the best espresso martini I've ever tried Cade Sauvignon Blanc (5/5) sweet, but not too sweet to be a dessert wine. Turns out this came from their winery! Service (5/5) : Cloudy (Claudia) was very attentive and quick to help us order. I told her I'm a fan of sweet wine and she surprised me with a great choice. She's so sweet, just like the wine! Very friendly and made us comfortable. Ambience here is loud, so feel free to be yourself. I can't wait to come back and try other dishes! read more

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What's great about Balboa Cafe? The espresso martinis! They live up to the hype and give you the caffeine and alcohol kick you're looking for. I would say this is the best espresso martini in the city! What could be better about Balboa Cafe? The food. I was underwhelmed by the Duck Confit -- which was a bit dry and uninspired. Additionally, the coffee we ordered was lukewarm. You'd hope for a piping hot cup of coffee to enjoy with your brunch food, but my party and I were shocked when our coffee came near cold. All in all, Balboa Cafe is a great place to be seen, but I don't think you necessarily come for quality food. And that's okay! read more

Still excellent food after all these years. Weekend brunch today was great. Park in the Lombard parking garage or you will be driving in circles. read more

Came here for GNO on a Friday night and it was extremely crowded. This was my second time at Balboa (I first came on a Saturday) and both nights were very busy. There's indoor and outdoor (heated) spaces to hang out, but both are packed. We came for the espresso martinis and they didn't disappoint! They have a decaf option which I love!! read more

Balboa Cafe - Espresso martinis and Don Julio shots - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Had Sunday Brunch here at about 11, wasn't too busy yet. After we got out table they picked up pretty fast. Walking to the place, looks a like a whole in that wall spot, I was thinking to myself great, places like that are usually really good, but once inside, this place looks immaculate, table clothes on table, looks very fancy and I instantly felt under dress. The service was excellent, but a little slow at the same time, the good thing is they do not rush you outta there. Small menu for brunch and the same for the dinner menu. They do have a large wine selection. We started of with the Ahi Tuna Cones, 10 Stars!!! It was fresh and very tasty, nest time I would just order that. LOL!!! The Egg Cocotte with Oyster Mushrooms, Potatoes, Cream, Broccolini, Aged Gruyere was excellent. Perfectly made. 5 Stars.. The American Breakfast was typical, with 2 Eggs over-easy, 2 Pieces of Chicken-Apple Sausage & 2 Pieces of Bacon. 4 Stars. The Famous Balboa Mary was one of the better Bloody Mary's I had. Made perfectly with Tito's Vodka. The Plumpjack's Cadillac Margarita with Don Julio Blanco was very good as well. They gave a good amount of tequila. read more

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Went here twice in one week while visiting SF. The first night, we came without a reservation for dinner and got seated right away around 8 pm. We got lucky as it seemed to be the only available table, with many people only drinking. I had the pasta of the day, which was shrimp scampi. It was good but nothing special. However, the vibes and service were great. We enjoyed some wine, and there was live music and the place was pretty packed. I came back later on a Thursday night and got espresso martinis. The vibes were good and lots of people standing around the bar or outside. read more

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I will never go back there. My friends and I tried to enjoy a happy hour drink before dinner elsewhere. Bartender was so slow and made 2 rounds of other customers drinks and ran credit cards before finishing my order. Then we were told Can't stand here, the entire length of the bar. it was ridiculous. Drinks were meh. There has to be a better place to grab a drink in SF. Highly recommend looking elsewhere as this place sucks. read more

This is a reliable, first class place. Great bar. Never seen so many espresso martinis at once. Classic hamburgers on sour dough. Consistent quality across the board. Excellent special and salads. A real San Francisco institution. Exactly as it was 30 years ago. Really noisy. Great service. read more

Great place to go good atmosphere good people nice place to hang out!!!! if you're bringing people from out of town, that would be a great place to take them too one Hospitality just a great atmosphere read more

Great food and a really nice atmosphere. Saiid our server, helped me choose from the menu and was extremely professional. He made the whole experience even better. read more

Such a small amount of food for the price. Host was touching woman who was having stomach problems. Creepy.

Such a cute place! Definitely an older crowd but food was phenomenal. The BLT was to DIE for. Fries were cooked to perfection!! Can't wait to go back and try something new. read more

Fingernail in tequila redbull. Bar tender was not apologetic. Never have had this happen to me. Unfortunate.

Very rude waiter today who was both rude & sarcastic when I said the wind inside the restaurant was cold. And asked if they might shut one if three doors right next to us. Just a rude and indifferent attitude. Food takes much longer than it should considering a rather simple menu, and two times now, medium well has been bleeding & about to walk off the table - $19 burger, virtually inedible and after so much time waiting, no time to get it recooked - both recent visits! So, it's not the same old Balboa Cafe from bygone days. It's a shell of its former self. Don't waste your money. read more

Balboa Cafe entrees tasted so fresh and delicious tonight! First time visiting!!! MUST GO ON A WEDNESDAY!!! Chicken main course was delicious. Which is only served on Wednesdays. Super fancy names. Luckily, I let a friend order for us. The spaghetti corn balls filled with risotto were sooo amazing and presentation was decadent. Poke was okay. Mussels eyyy. And dessert really hit the spot!!! Vanilla crème brûlée! The food runners were really attentive. Server tonight was just okay but the quality of the food made up for mediocre waiter service. Overall, 5-star experience for the food. Most of all, I appreciate the food runners, chefs, dog treats, and lavender-scented elegant soap. read more

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Oh man, I can't even tell you the last time I came here. I'm guessing I was somewhere in my twenties when I was probably trying too hard to be cool and hanging around people who were making the same effort. I still felt that same vibe among the patrons I saw at the bar and the adjacent tables. Only now they're working at some tech start-up trying to one-up each other. Late one weekday afternoon, I happened to be walking by on Fillmore and noticed the hostess standing outside not looking that busy. I innocently asked her if there was a table for one, and she hesitated but a passing waiter said there was an empty high-top. If it wasn't for that waiter, I'm sure I would've been sent on my way. Sure enough, I was seated at the much desired table. There was only one choice for me on the menu. That was the $19 Balboa Burger on a Baguette, because that's their classic offering. It was a hearty, juicy patty - rectangle in shape to match the dimensions of the split baguette in which it's encased. Pickles, onions, butter lettuce, and shoestring fries came on the side, and I asked to have sautéed mushrooms inserted for just a $2 charge (photo: https://bit.ly/3lcXiKJ). It was just as I hoped, and they made me feel like a valued customer. No need to be cool anymore. FOOD - 4 stars...a good, solid bar burger with fries hit the spot like way back when AMBIANCE - 4 stars...still a scene to be seen SERVICE - 4.5 stars...it started with the thoughtful waiter and carried through my solitary dining experience TOTAL - 4 stars...108 years old and still a reliable go-to spot RELATED - Exploring Pac Heights? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2Djsn6d read more

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I came here on a weekend and it was packed! So many people inside and outdoors during around 4-5pm, LOTSS of young adults I didn't see many families there. Many were having dinner and others where there at the bar hanging out getting drinks kr waiting for there drinks to take to the outdoor seating area. (bar is first come first serve) I was told that the espresso martini was their most popular drink so my friends and I ordered some and they were great! I saw them brew the coffee right in front of me and i also substituted the vodka for tequila. I would say it is pricey but I had to try one at least once! read more

Balboa Cafe - Espresso martinis - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place is quite a vibe on a weekday or weekend afternoon for drinks and food. The food is good, but nothing special so what I really recommend is going for an espresso martini. They have one of the best in San Francisco. read more

Balboa Cafe - Espresso martini tower - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I heard these are the best espresso martinis in town so obviously had to try them out, and they lived up to the hype! Balboa Cafe gets pretty packed in the evenings, so we were lucky to get a table outside. The espresso martinis were absolutely delicious - a perfect balance of silky espresso without being too overpowering. Can't wait till I get the chance to go again! read more

Balboa Cafe - espresso martini - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Had a horrible experience here. Who ever is hiring the bartenders really needs to do a better job, absolutely pretentious and on a power trip. We came here on a slow Monday to grab a drink after dinner, and was turned away because my license expired the day before on my birthday. He smirked at me and said it was illegal, mind you I just turned 38. I've been here plenty of times before but this left a horrible taste and I will probably never return. read more

Warning: baby unfriendly! Disappointed! I've been to balboa cafe before and enjoyed the historical nature of it despite the "old man" smell that permeates it and was excited to bring my newborn and MIL to brunch but was very disappointed by the attitude of the hostess. It was raining quite hard when we came in, and there was an open table that she refused to give us because it's a "party table" and she instead had us wait in the rain with our baby for an undefined "15-30 minutes". On top of that, we were asked to move the stroller into the rain so a waiter could walk covered to lift up signs that had been blown over. We finally threw up our hands at the disrespect and walked to Home Plate around the corner, where our family was welcomed and treated kindly. The lack of consideration for a very young baby was astonishing, I will not be returning. Guess this place isn't much for the community. read more

Everyone I know loves this place! They're popular for their espresso martinis of course, and they're always poppin' on a Thursday-Sunday night, but on a more chill weekday night, you can actually sit down for some food and their fries / calamari / dinner are all slightly pricey but really good! The outdoor area is also super nice to sit at - it's fun and warm too (they have heaters)! read more

Balboa Cafe - Menu - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My friends and I came here for a late lunch and absolutely loved it! Sid was our server and took such great care of us. We had seen the espresso martini tower online and we asked if we could get one and he said yes! We ordered 8 for the 4 of us and then they ended up giving us an extra 4 as well to make the tower full. That is honestly some of the best service ever. We also shared the pasta special, calamari, and fries which were all very enjoyable as well. Coming here was definitely one of our highlights of San Francisco! Thank you Sid! read more

Balboa Cafe - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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While trying to enjoy lunch with a friend at the Balboa Cafe a couple walking with their dog. It was clearly NOT a service dog. They put the dog on a stool at the bar and proceeded to feed the dog. Our waitress, carrying my plate walked past the dog and petted it. Then she put my dish in the hand that she petted the dog and placed it in front of me. WTF! I'll never go there again. read more

Balboa Cafe - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

My sister finally took me to her favorite stomping ground. I'm embarrassed to admit I had my first espresso martini and I was not disappointed AT ALL. I can see why this is their thing. The vibe here is unmatched. Be ready for a heavy crowd but wonderful service from the bartenders to security. Can't wait to be back when I'm in town again. read more

Balboa Cafe - Crowd outside - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We came here for their most famous cocktail--the espresso martini. There was a long line to enter around midnight, but we were able to order the martini in around half an hour. Ambiance is lively and full of people going out, which contributes to a fun environment--be careful not to spill your drink in the cafe! The martini itself was sweet, but not too sweet, and bitter, but not too bitter due to the espresso. Very strong drink, though--I was fully drunk after half a drink. Would recommend for a night out, although prepare for a long line to enter the bar. read more

Balboa Cafe - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Popular spot known for espresso martinis in the Marina. Came here for dinner on a Friday evening around 9pm and it was pretty crowded. We didn't have reservations for our party of four but we nabbed an inside table with a less than 5 minute wait. Outdoor seating with heat lamps is also available. The Mac and cheese was the crowd favorite. I did enjoy the poke nachos as well, though note that there is a lot of mayo-based sauce on top. The buttermilk calamari came in a huge portion size so that's a good option for those groups that are hungry. We got a salad and risotto to round out the meal - those were alright. Service was pretty slow but it was a busy Friday night, so we just went up to the bar to try to pay the bill. read more

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I tried their famous espresso martini! It was just okay LOL. I'm not sure if they claim to have the best espresso martini in town or if local residents feel that way, but I was pretty disappointed. It was super bitter and the balance of acidity to sweetness wasn't there at all. We had to stand outside because the crowd of people by the bar was so rowdy and packed in, but the tables outside were really dirty as well. read more

Balboa Cafe - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

AJ is your go to and Balboa. Tues, Wed, Sun Go check it out! Great guy! Have fun! Great vibes! Outdoor patio read more

I got the lamb chops. I ordered medium, received it well.. inside was cooked through; it was gray, not pink. I hate to be that person to return dishes, but the observant server saw I wasn't touching my food and came to talk to me. The chef had to give his 2 cents, backing up his "skills", forcing the server to come back with the plate to reiterate it was medium. So apparently, cooked through with gray in the middle equals medium. This speaks volumes. Others at the table, along with employees, agreed it was well done. I received a redo and honestly, I was nervous to eat it, given the pettiness of the chef. Tldr, doneness was off, I wouldn't order it again; also lacked flavor. The 3 stars were for the super nice server. What a rockstar. read more

Balboa Cafe - Lambchops: 1st attempt - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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omg a ~marinaaaa~ classic! you won't find me in the Marina often, but I do love me a lil espresso martini & I have to admit Balboa Cafe does them really well! The ambiance inside also adds to the experience, with all the dark wood and white tablecloths - I felt very classy sipping on my drink. Their fries were also delicious! I saw another table get them, and fries are my kryptonite so I had to grab some as well. Great texture and wonderfully seasoned. Don't know when I'll find myself back, but I wouldn't be mad making a return! kinda scared to see what the vibes are like on a night out though haha read more

Balboa Cafe - Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California