Yayy!!! Another SF weekend trip. The reviews in SF keep on coming... - Locale Destination - It's on Grant Ave and Washington St in Chinatown, San Francisco. Bartender (Chinese) was friendly. Very dark inside, the lamps are very Chinese in red, iron cage got to be opened by the bartender for toilet usage downstairs... I'm not a regular bar hopper. So I'm not so sure about the classifications of bar like Dive bar, sports bar etc. Here's definitely the bar you bring the one you've known really well or friends, not a date. Dingy inside and sort of shabby & scary "Chinatown" atmosphere outside at night... Cash only for bar?!?! It's very unheard of such a thing in OC at least. You don't see that unless it's a little Asian food places... But almost all places in Chinatown are cash only. I'm sure they pay tax... - Gluttony Expedition - 2 weak drinks (with a tiny glass) for $12?!? TOTAL RIP OFF!! Even in OC, you can get a lot stronger drinks for cheaper price tag. Seriously!! I'm Asian and can't take a booze much. In OC and LA, I always got to ask "please make it weak". It still comes out with "strong" one for me. But if I didn't, the drink would be way too strong and I couldn't drink. (I'm very cheap/economical when it comes to booz ;p) Vodka & soda: Very weak. Midori like Chinese liquor with orange & pineapple juice: Very weak. - Conqueror's Deduction - I don't understand the reviews by SF yelpers here. I attended an Elite event (East side) , and all the SF yelpers were super cool. If people think here's cheap, they must be super rich or oblivious ignorant... $6 for ONE too sissy and tiny drink is a total rip off. You see $15 to 20 drink in LA but they offer a cool vibe, atmosphere or whatever at least. Here's not the case.... I'm not so familiar with SF, but this is definitely not cheap for watery drink and Cash only. I'm sure these "Cash Only" places help our economy and ridiculous amount of deficit in CA. read more

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"It was a hot and sweaty afternoon, the kind of afternoon that makes you see things... dicey things" There's no way I would have ever found this place if it wasn't for my bud, Ruggy. He lived in the city for quite awhile and has a great sense for weird spots and amazing deals, like three-dollar pizzas! But that's a tale for another review. A large group of us wandered through the streets of Chinatown for bit before coming to Buddha Lounge. Is it fancy? Not in the slightest. Do they have a bathroom? Yes, but it's in the basement of what feel like a scene out of "Deer Hunter". Do they have three-penis whiskey? Yes, but they were all out during my trip. Bummer My friends and I ended owning the jukebox and playing 1-4-24 for about two hours. 1-4-24 is a dice game, in which you roll dice in hopes to get 24, but you also have to have a 1 and a 4 in your dice arsenal... you know what, just Google it. Beyond dice games and three-penis whiskey, it's pretty much a dive bar that look like something out of, "Full Metal Jacket", "Platoon" or pretty much any psychologically messed war movie of the same vane. The bartender here is also pretty amazing, but be careful, this guy is 1-4-24 champ and he will get at least three of your five dollars. Buddha Lives! read more

Third stop on a Chinatown bar crawl. It was Friday, August 7th around 8pm. We stopped by for one drink. The drink of choice? Jameson! Washed it down with a water back. The bartender was really cool and I really liked the vibe of the bar. Cool place to drop by for one drink or even hang out for a couple of rounds. Very mellow. Another cash only bar, so remember to bring some money! read more

I've never had this much fun at a dive bar before! If you are bar hopping around Chinatown, this MUST be one of your stops. It's a small bar but not too popular, so perfect for bringing a few friends over. I didn't expect to stay for very long at first, but the bartender Mark is absolutely hilarious. At first I was annoyed because he only likes to pay attention to the section of the bar closest to the front door, but after a few drinks, calling him over didn't bother me. Plus he needs to buzz you into the underground restroom, so don't be shy to speak up. Cocktails are pretty good. Wide variety of beers, including the iconic Buddha shaped beer bottle. I was even curious about all the Asian bottles of whiskey strewn across the back counter. But the true prize is getting to play Chinese dice games with Mark. Ask him to teach you Liar's Dice or 1-4-24. You will have a blast and even make some friends on the other side of the bar like I did! Great bonding experience, and I'm totally coming back and bringing more friends to experience Buddha Lounge. read more

A real hole in the wall dive bar in Chinatown. There are three things here that I'd recommend checking out if you happen to be in the neighborhood and don't have any plans. First, the Buddha beer is mildly entertaining. Pretty average beer that comes in a green Buddha shaped bottle. Nothing that will rock your world, but it's the small things in life, right? Second, they have a Chinese herbal liquor that will knock your socks off. Not sure what it's called, but it comes in a bottle that only has Chinese labels on it. Doing a shot is like doing an alcoholic version of the cinnamon challenge. Lastly, you have to try to make some conversation with Mark, the bartender. The guy always has some crazy stories, some of which I hope are made up. Never had a dull time here, mostly because engaging with him is always very entertaining. read more

Buddha Lounge - Fortune favors the bold. - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is probably the only bar in Chinatown (unless you go more towards FiDi) so you have no choice but to give it a try. Do have a friendly conversation with the owner because he is a great man and loves to converse with a hint of sarcasm and humor. Don't expect them to have a full bar. They are good for shots, one or two wines, and beer. Fancy cocktail beverages are out of the question but that's okay! Do come here to drink because prices are cheap and they do a generous pour. Don't drive because first of all, this is a bar and there will be drinking involved and second, parking in the proximity of the area basically does not exist. Any time of the day. However, there is a lot about a block away. Still not recommended, be responsible! read more

FRONT ROW VIEW OF CHINESE NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATIONS Step outside the front door here on CNYE and get ready to put on your protective eyewear. It's red paper madness out front and most of the crowd has a lighter in their hand. "*Flick*flame*boom*" say the firecrackers! For a break from the deafening, smokey air, step inside the Buddle Lounge. It's a small seating area with stools pulled up at the bar and also at a shelf along the wall, with a narrow pathway between these spots. You can't fit a lot of people in here, but I imagine it's not quite as packed most other nights of the year. We make a point to stop in here and across the street, every year as we celebrate! The bottled bear wasn't super expensive but I wouldn't call it cheap. It was $5ish? if I remember correctly. Guess that's about average. Good tunes were playin'! Some 80s love song came on and I let my vocals go free! La la la la la. Friends were probably thankful for all the noise outside at this point, and suggested we leave the bar. Good idea, friends, before I really start singing! read more

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Ed M. might be my long lost brother and we don't even know it. Apparently some of my brethren in LA Yelp mistaken him for me as he eloquently described the situation in his review of Damon's Steakhouse where hordes of female Yelpers clamored around him like a rockstar all because of mistaken identity of me. OK OK, I kid about one part of that story. Just won't tell you which part. I didn't mind letting him have my fallouts or groupies because I still remembered the first time I met him and the cool gestures he had shown. On a afternoon of overstuffed dim sum lunch and sipping of bobba drinks at Ten Rens with a collections of misfit Yelpers both from the North and South of Fresno, we happened to upon an interesting door way. It looked like a erecting....oh I can't really say it. You have to look at it: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/51gscyjxkVari5gK3qIsTA?select=7rwxgO7B0sIHVkOebET2wQ . I don't want to say a certain Yelper was taking massive picture of it, but if you have to know... *cough*Miak.*cough*. Going inside of this place, a small divey looking bar encase the joint. Right off the bat, my pal was already hitting on the two KC tourist enjoying their last sobriety moment before slurring into never-ending giddy laughs. Gotta to hand to my boy Mike for that. I had honestly never heard of the Irish Car bombs. Good Ol' Ed M. was going to introduce it to us LA Yelpers and pop our Irish Car Bomb cherries on the spot. As you can see, the mad scientist Ed was at work mixing the drink to spite us http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/51gscyjxkVari5gK3qIsTA?select=xmRPxx7VJEyhSuGw-HZIvw . However, he decided to join us on the fun. No need to laugh, but he did finished the Irish Car bomb faster than 5 of the other participants from LA. Two of us blamed on the nasty bobba drinks. Ha! The place was obscure on the corner of a Chinatown. I can only imagine tourist or some thirsty fellas looking to hit that quick drink would show up at this dive of a place. It looked very interesting enough on day time. The fact he decided to shell out the muhla and paid for our drinks while trying to show us Chinatown was a gesture that was not lost on me. So obviously I was going to let him slide on mooching off using my name sake. Now Ed, if you do have the phone numbers of some cute Asian chick from Temple City, I expect you to turn that over to me. You know that was meant for me right? Ha! read more

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Got turned away because of our SERVICE ANIMAL no other bar had this issue don't come here if you got your service animal

After invading TenRen tea down the street, a huge group of Yelpers owned the Buddha Lounge. In the company of SF and LA Yelpers alike, someone chanted Car Bombs and in we went. This place is smaller than my kitchen and we packed it to the gills. As some started to do their bombs, some of us chatted with two girls from Kansas City, who genuinely seemed ready to party even though it was like 2 pm. They also pointed out to us that the doorway looked like a penis. As we got rowdier and rowdier I could see it in the old bartender ladies face that she was thinking, "What in holy fuck is going on here?" So we had our booze, said our goodbyes to the Kansas City girls and the Buddha then went back to it's normal quiet daytime programming. read more

This is a terrible bar. Do not come to this bar. ... ... ... ... Ok, if you read this far, come here. The usual bartender is Mark, who is crazy as shit and likely my favorite bartender ever. He is amazing, pours great drinks, and runs this place like a boss. Come in here and revel in one of the best damn bars anywhere. As others have said - cash only! And be ready for strong opinions! If there are Chinese patrons here, it's some amazing dialogue!!!! read more

DO NOT COME HERE! it's a terrible, terrible place. I may be trying to keep Chinatown's best kept secret just that... read more

How many stars can you give a bar? How can you give just one? It's a bar! There is alcohol. You drink it. If you have a good time or not, it's completely up to you. You can't blame the bartender. You can tell from walking in the door, this is not a fancy place. What gave that away? Look at the neighborhood that you're in. You're in Chinatown. Stop acting so stuck up. Order a beer or a shot, or both. Don't ask for fancy cocktails with cut fruit and paper umbrellas. Go there at night. Bring a Chinese translator. "Mok" the bartender likes to speak with a conjured up "Yan Can Cook" accent. We all know that Martin Yan fakes the accent. So does "Mok". You can call him Mark. Who knows what his real name is. Like strippers, I'm sure "Mok" is just a stage name. Although I would feel really weird about tipping a man named "Jasmine" or "CoCo". Yeah, Chinese bartenders use stage names. Just go to one of those clip joints with a bunch of Asian girls hustling drinks, in a bar that really only needs 1 bartender, and all those bar girls will be using stage names. Now which bars hire a bunch of girls wearing too much make-up and not enough clothing? Hmmm.......... Surely, places like that don't really exist outside of Vietnamese coffee houses in San Jose. "PR" joints are more of an urban legend, right? Just like the fable of the old Korean women who bartend because they're too old to work in massage parlors, right? "Mok" will do the same. The rotten bastard will flirt with you, wink at you, offer back rubs, and anything else that's borderline sleazy for a big tip. He's not to turn your back on. Keep one eye on your wallet at all times. You will wake up the next morning with a bad taste in your mouth, a throbbing head, a soreness likened to prison lovemaking, and no money left over. No promises that he'll kiss you first. read more

Buddha Lounge - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Disgusting and overpriced Mai Tai Went with a few friends and ordered Mai Tai's today for everyone. The staff are nice enough but the Mai Tai's made us all want to hurl. They have some undrinkable Chinese liqueur in the Mai Tai instead of rum! And they are $9 each! read more

This little bar is cute and fun but nothing too special. I came here one night with a few girl friends because it was right by my old apartment. We had a couple drinks each before going out elsewhere. We also played Liar's Dice (one of my favorite bar games!) with some boys at the bar and the bartender. Because we won, the boys bought us a round of drinks! With my victory and liquid confidence, I slipped one of the boys my number as we left the bar. He took me on a nice date a week or two later but nothing came of it... read more

Haha~! This place was cool. Our bartender was like 70 years old (refer to pic). It was a random bar we went into after our nasty drinks at TenRen's. We ordered Irish Car Bombs and our elderly bartender didn't know what that was so...being the cryageeee and clever SF yelpers...they ordered Guinness and Bailey's and made it themselves. We took our shots and left...good times...good times...could've been better...it was a tease. We needed to drink more but we had places to be... read more

Buddha Lounge - Our bartender~!! - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place is small, dark, and the locked door for the stairwell to the bathrooms make this place feel sketchy. Definately a low-rent sorta place. Ignoring that, its a cool spot for a drink. The seating is interesting... I will confirm that the bartender is cheeky :) read more

A small quaint little dive bar in Chinatown, I came here to meet up with friends for birthday celebration drinks. It's a small, rather cozy little place with a lot of regulars that know the bartenders. Lots of conversation going on, very friendly staff. Despite it being my first time there, the bartender remembered what I was drinking each time I went up to the bar and happily put together a vodka/cranberry for me each time. The prices are *really* good, probably some of the cheapest I've seen in the city. I could easily drop $20 here and walk away quite tipsy. A jukebox in the corner provides music so it can range from country to rap to old school heavy metal. I heard some Willie Nelson followed by old GNR. The music can get *really* loud in here and given the small size of the place, it's not really good for conversation if someone's fed the music machine. Check the place out if you're looking for something new and interesting! read more

This is one of my all-time favorites bars in San Francisco. It's a straight up room with a long bar that serves liquor--no bells and whistles. It's in Chinatown, close enough to the Financial District, Downtown, and North Beach. It's hole-in-wall yet on the corner of a semi-busy street. The glowing neon lighting is inviting. The bartender Mark is a fun smartass. The drinks are cheap. They have dice in cups here to play whatever possible games (like Liar's dice and 1-4-24). I learned how to play 1-4-24 here--pretty fun. When I went there was this really creepy dude who just bought some water and stared HARD at this 2 Asian girls that become part of our group for like 2 hours. He straight up STARED at them very creepily for 2 hours--no shame. Then he tried to follow my friends and I home. You may find this fellow here--beware and watch your things. read more

Buddha lounge is an inexpensive dive bar in Chinatown/FiDi. They have buddha beers, in bottles shaped like buddha. It tastes like Heineken in my opinion. The bartender is a funny guy. We played the "lie or die" dice game, which I won't even try to explain on here. He explained how to play, but we needed a practice run before we got the game going. It could be complicated if you are in the midst of the night's fun, but it's quick to follow along. The end result of this game is that the loser buys a round of beers for everyone, and it will never be forgotten who lost. It was a fun night overall and there are several other bars in the area to do the Chinatown bar crawl type of thing. Buddha Lounge is on the lists of best dive bars in SF, so I would agree, it is a place you have to try out if you are in the city. read more

Nice dive bar spot in Chinatown. Incredibly fun. Cash only though! I got the Chinese mai tai but my friend got the Buddha beer and loved that read more

Buddha Lounge - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Stopped in here during let San Fran visit . Small establishment with great service and environment. read more

Buddha Lounge - My zen - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

A must for a drink . Awesome , fun Staff China town . Love this place ... been coming Here everything I come to san fransico ! read more

I actually really like this bar. I might seem like a glitz child of the glamour moon but in all honestly, I'm pretty low key and if you're just looking for a gin shot to spruce up your night cuz you just got off work but don't wanna go home, here's the joint. The bartender of the night I went was all kinds of sugar and the atmosphere was totally space tiki. If you're a humble sort with a taste for little frill but tasteful touch, come here. read more

A dive bar in Chinatown? A dive bar in Chinatown!! I'm pretty sure Buddha's is the first bar I've ever been to without beer on tap. If you're looking for some barley and hops it's gonna come in a bottle, and the selection's quite limited. But it never seemed crowded so there's always a stool. Just don't come by on a Sunday, because they're not open. read more

Buddha Lounge - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Super dive. I love liars dice and the Buddha beer bottles. Bartender provided peanuts / popcorn. Pretty much a basic small little dive that I will return to frequently! By the way, play Liars Dice against the bartender and tell me if you win ;). read more

Buddha Lounge - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Learned how to play Liars Dice here with my fiancé'. Bartender was rude but in a very charming way. This place is super divey but good fun!

Fun relaxing and great atmosphere reasonable prices what more can I say. Great place to hang out with friends and meet new ones

Great corner stop dive bar in Chinatown. The vibe was mellow and the bartender was easy going. Small in size but enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. Wanted to swing by long ago, so glad got chance to go finally. Walking distance to my hotel, cant complain there. read more

Cool little dive bar in Chinatown. It looked like it was run by a husband and wife which I thought was cool, and the drinks were good ! Not much to do inside but it's a chill place to have a drink read more

Buddha Lounge - Delicious margarita ! - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

This isn't a fancy bar at all but if you're looking to take it over with a few friends it's your place. Liquor selection is very basic but the Buddha beer is worth the trip. They staff are extremely friendly! They have dice and cups to play games. The ATM has a $4.99 fee so take cash before hand because it's a cash only bar. read more

Great local vibe. Best game of dice in town! Perfect place for a low key HH stop during the week or a quick stop before heading out on Fridays read more

The Buddha Lounge is a good spot if you enjoy frequenting dive bars. While the Chinese mai tai was a hit with the group, the t-shirts were the biggest crowd pleaser. Certainly a place to stop in and grab a drink but make sure you have cash since this is a cash only establishment. read more

Buddha Lounge - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Very cool entrance but kind of sad and divey when you're inside. Good spot to get a drink on Christmas eve (it never closes). read more

Buddha Lounge - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I don't usually hang out in Chinatown at night, but if I happen to find myself in the area [once in awhile, I am in North Beach, and that's just a hop, skip, and a jump away], I'll likely stop in at Buddha Lounge. It's small, and there's an old juke box. It's not too loud, so you can easily grab a drink and chat amongst friends for a bit. The bartender [Mark] is great. He pours strong drinks and never fails to crack me up. Check the other reviews. You'll see what I mean. My last visit left me worried for my life, wondering if I was allergic to that random new liquor from China that I decided to be adventurous about and try. Turns out it was just a reaction to an insect bite... I hear the bathroom's disgusting, so I try to hold it until I get home. But if you really need to go, Mark'll buzz you in. He's got a bathroom gate buzzer every few feet under the bar. read more

Creepiest bathroom in SF? Yes. Most expensive High Lifes in SF? No. Bam! read more

I went to the Buddha Lounge about 17 years ago on my birthday. Behind the bar in a large pickling jar there is (was?) liquor with a real (preserved) cobra in it. Already drunk, I begged and begged for a shot of cobra liquor. Since it was my birthday and I wouldn't shut up, the bartender (er, Hostess?) gave me a shot. I immediately blacked-out and lost 2 days of my life. This may have been the night I was stabbed but I am not sure since the entire weekend was a blur. Moral of the story: never drink cobra liquor. read more

It is very strange in here....... The downstairs cellar (where the restrooms are located) has a gate on it. Is this where they lock you up if you are misbehaving? If so, then you would have it better than the people upstairs because there is more room in this near empty room than the upstairs bar provides. I would not put it past the bartender to lock you up if you are acting badly, because the bartender seems like the sort of guy who would do this if you got on his bad side. He would also be the type of guy to make sure he fed you plenty of alcohol for your entire imprisonment. read more

Very divey bar, but the vibe was great we felt like like San Franciscans as we meshed with the locals in there. Prices are cheap, they have a jukebox, and they have buddha beers which was the beer of choice at $5 a bottle. They didn't have the Three Penis wine, so I have to go back to try it. The beer tasted like heineken but it was the experience, we went for the experience. the Bartender was really cool and very informative on the bar. You have to get buzzed in through a fence to access the bathroom that was really cool. 1 Star for ambience 1 Star for staff 1 Star for prices 1 Star for location I would definitely recommend anyone visiting SF to come here. read more

I think this is where my friends dad got hit with a bottle on top of his head years ago. He wasn't rude. He wasn't drunk. He wasn't cheap. He was white. HAHA, I really don't remember but you got to ask Jimmy for that one. Anyway, I haven't came here since last time my friends from Fresno wanted to come here, I had no clue until he told me the story. So when I came in, I will always remember. I came in. I had one quick drink. I had to leave, I knew I didn't belong. Too witty for this area. Oh well.... read more