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    Kava Bar

    4.6 (88 reviews)
    InexpensiveLounges, Tea Rooms
    Open 3:00 pm - 11:00 PM

    Kava Bar Photos

    Business Info

    KAVA BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Divey
    Casual
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Kava Bar

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    Reviews With Photos

    Yeah, Bula! Lovely kava in a lovely atmosphere. Comfy chairs and attentive host. $20 size shown, take home what you don't finish.
    Marcia S.

    Wonderful service and a calm ambiance. $15, $20, and $25 sizes available. Take home what you don't finish.

    its kava. it's why you're here
    Kirk J.

    This is a bar, named Kava Bar, which serves Kava. If you like Kava, or have never heard of it, you should go to the bar that serves Kava named Kava Bar. If you dislike Kava, uh, I've got bad news for you about the Kava Bar... Anyways, most people presumably fall in the latter category - Kava is a root tea from the Pacific Islands. The specific restaurant is Fijian, which you can tell from the smiling portrait of former general turned Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama (very interesting person, but sadly not relevant to Yelp reviewing). Kava tastes like what you'd expect a root tea to taste like (bitter, earthy, etc.) However, it's a delightful drink. I can only describe it as having the positive effects of beer (relaxation) without all the negative impacts (of which there are innumerous). Also numbs your tongue. The actual Kava was fairly high quality, which means it's a great way to try out Kava, since Kava is apparently something that's pretty easy to mess up when you try to make it yourself (pretty jarring when it happens - I drank frat bro-brewed Kava once in college, which went as badly as you'd expect). The ambience of the bar was great, much more of a comfortable lounge (very welcoming to an older clientele) than one of those uncomfortable, poorly lit, overly loud music hosting, American style bars where regrettable acts take place in. Service also great, the hosts were very nice and helpful. Also, the prices are very affordable. You can get a small bowl for $15, a medium bowl for $20, or a large bowl for $25. They're all pretty large, because Kava drinking is clearly meant to be a communal act. Bring your friends! Great place to hang out! Will definitely be back if I visit the Bay Area again.

    small size
    Michelle V.

    Came here late night on Saturday, around 9 PM. There were two groups of people sitting and relaxing. The store was pretty quiet and dark. There is a lot of island decorations and snacks by the front counter. The Olympics were playing, and the ambiance was very calm. The shop owner was super friendly and approachable. He gave us directions on how to drink and serve the kava. It was our first time trying it, so we got the small size for two people. Remember to swirl the liquid around! I was nervous to try it because of the reviews of people saying it tasted like dirt, but it just kind of tasted like a powdery drink, neutral and herbal. I am a fan of Chinese herbal drinks, so this was a bit different but it wasn't too weird. My throat immediately went numb after my first cup. We felt a little loopy and just sat around until a bit before closing. We saw the people next to us play cards, but I'm not sure if it's provided. I enjoyed my experience here and would come back with more people!

    Kava root

    We own Kava Sol in Ohio and made Kava Bar our literal first stop luggage in hand when we got off the plane in San Fran. We were lovingly greeted by the owner and he showed us his production and operation area where he gets root straight from Fiji and pounds it on site. Served in an authentic tanoa, it's strong and smooth kava. This is a very authentic and traditional kava bar - straight up kava only. Amazing authentic experience and so grateful we stopped! MUST TRY for experienced kava drinkers.

    Such a special place. The Kava is homemade and pounded in house. The atmosphere is so great offering drinks, snacks, and service to lounge while you drink. Definitely bring your friends here and hangout!

    Small
    Doug C.

    You can feel it after drinking 2 cups I was sleepy...blood pressure was down also. Very interesting.. tastes bitter like chinese medicine. Good for helping you get to sleep as an alternative to alcohol... You can buy the same kava powder they use to make the kava and the filter bag. There are videos on youtube showing how to make it.

    Great price for a good value and quality kava blend

    I have never been to a kava bar, as they don't have them in my home state. I didn't have any kava with me on my trip to SF, so I found the Kava Bar on Yelp, so I called and asked if they offered the powdered root for purchase, as well as the drinks. He did, so I headed that way. Rakesh (I presume the owner?) Was very helpful and friendly. They had all the items needed to make kava at home, and have me a complimentary drink in the traditional coconut cup. I would be here all the time, if I lived here! The kava was fresh and thickly condensed, which numbed my mouth and tongue quickly! Will be ordering my kava from him in the future!

    Kava.
    Libby J.

    Well, this was a unique experience. This place is such a hole in the wall in Downtown San Bruno (say what, there is such a thing). It is quite the dilapidated downtown...it has so much potential. Anyway, this is the real thing here. I can't say kava tastes like dirt. It might taste worse. I could only stomach two bowls based on palatability. Oh man and it makes your tongue feel numb. And apparently has almost any health benefit you could think of (look it up). You may not think you need any of the lollipops at the counter to go with the kava, but you will. So the owner here is super friendly and explained the process to us. They grind the root right there and everything. We went around 9:30 PM on a Tuesday, and there were a bunch of guys just shooting the breeze and playing pool. I can't describe the feeling post-kava. You just need to go try it for yourself.

    Seating area

    Real kava drinks served here in the traditional way, strong and robust, more concentrated than that in Hawaii. Chill atmosphere to vibe out or hang out with friends. The owner is from Fiji and is super chill and friendly. It's lucky we have a place like this in the bay area.

    Kava

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    10 years ago

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    Photo of Lin E.
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    9 years ago

    I've been here three times already and I think I will continue to patronize this business. I like coming here. It's pretty chill.

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    10 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    Photo of Jason C.
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    10 years ago

    Really good Kava. Excellent pricing as well. It appeared to be a lot of locals when I was there. Will be back again for sure!

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    10 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Kava bar San Mateo best in USA fresh kava made in front of you clean kava bar good customer service friendly service thanks again rakesh

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    Page 3 of 3

    Ask the Community - Kava Bar

    Is the lava bar open on Sunday or not? Website says no. Google and Yelp say yes. Called but no answer?

    no..

    View All 2 Questions

    Review Highlights - Kava Bar

    Rakesh opened up this bar truly out of a love for kava and just spreading good vibes.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Nice location and view of the water along with the airplanes coming in and out. The bar area is…read morereally big and very open with glass ceilings, lots of windows, and multiple TVs. I didn't try any food this time around but I will say the person next to me had a steak rice bowl that looked really good. It must have been because I was looking one way for a little while and when I looked back, the bowl was empty! I had a great time and was served by the bartender JP. He did an excellent job, was super hospitable and friendly, and made some of the best strawberry infused lemon drops. I'll definitely stop by again when I'm in the area.

    The biggest highlight of this lounge is definitely the view. Unfortunately, it was already dark…read morewhen I checked into the hotel, so I wasn't able to enjoy it until the next morning, it was beautiful there. I'd definitely recommend visiting during the day or around sunset if possible. We grabbed seats at the bar and stayed until closing. The lounge was pretty busy and seemed a little understaffed, but the staff worked hard and were friendly throughout the night. The bartender was especially sweet and quickly figured out what kind of cocktails I liked after a couple of drinks. As for the drinks, their specialty cocktails were just okay for me. Not bad, but nothing particularly memorable. We ended up ordering classic cocktails instead. Overall, the views and service were the highlights of my visit. While I probably wouldn't come back specifically for the food or drinks, I did appreciate the staff's effort and hospitality.

    Photos
    Chips and guac
    Chips and guac
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    Calamari fritti
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    Lovey's Tea Shoppe

    Lovey's Tea Shoppe

    4.4
    (344 reviews)
    4.7 mi
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    Such a gem in Pacifica!!!! You can't miss it. It's right off the highway from Pacifica to Half Moon…read moreBay. I've been wanting to try and am grateful we did! Highly y recommending you book beforehand as the place fills up fast. Once you booked, you pre-pay for everything and just come and enjoy your tea on the day of. This place is so cute! It's located near Rockaway beach, a nice area in Pacifica. There are ample parkings in the back of the store. From outside vibes to the indoor decorations with all the tea sets and cute little tables and small mirrors and trinkets on the walls. It reminded me of Bridgeton and Victoria time. I could spend an entire afternoon here looking at all the cute tea set. Because we had our puppy with us, we opted for an outdoor seating which was equally as nice! Large white-and-yellow-striped umbrellas gave us some needed shades as it was a sunny day. Our table was covered with cute table cloth and everything looks neat and clean. We were started with teas first, and each of us got to pick our own tea. My sis picked the Lychee Rose Green as I had my eyes on the Dragon well. Our teas came out fast and were quickly followed by the yummy high tea display. Starting from the bottom, we had Cucumber with Dill Cream Cheese Chicken, Apple, Walnut, Cranberry Salad Cream Cheese with Guava Jam, Pastrami with Cabbage Salad. This was followed by a warm Scone with Clotted Cream & Jam; a toasted Crumpet with butter & Lemon Curd; and a selection from their Sweet Tray! Everything was so delicious and paired so well with our selections of teas! The service was attentive as well as they checked on us frequently and refilled our tea pots when needed. We had a wonderful time here, slowing down and enjoying the smaller things in life :)

    I always feel bad leaving lower reviews, but this one did not meet any of our expectations (there…read morewere 5 of us). Maybe we expected more since we really enjoyed Lovejoy's the last couple times we went there (I believe they share the same owner, but I may be mistaken). While we give the buttery and fragrant scones very high marks, and the salad and the crumpets were ok, the sandwiches and desserts were not great. The bread was dry and the filling was skimpy compared to many other high teas we have tried, and the petit fours were plain and seemed store-bought. The crumpets came after the desserts because they forgot to serve them to us (not a big deal and they were very apologetic). For the price, we expected more than one tiny item from the dessert tray. The teas were all lovely, but they were out of their Pacifica Blue tea which we were specifically looking forward to trying. This is the 12th tea service we have tried in the past couple years, and we find that we prefer teas that include an assortment of more deluxe dessert items (like SIP or Rotunda in SF), and sandwiches that are made with a variety of breads such as rolls or mini croissants along with the traditional sliced bread, and with more generous filling.

    Photos
    Outside (9/21)
    Outside (9/21)
    Adorable tea pot
    Adorable tea pot
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    Kava Bar - lounges - Updated July 2026

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