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I love coming to Polkcha for their Trivia Night Thursdays at 7:30-9:30 PM. The themes are always fun- there's four categories and one is usually music. Others vary from current events to sports, and one is always a category that the losing team from the previous week got to pick. My friends and I joke that we should try to lose so that we can pick categories that we like! It's nice that they give something for people that come to have a good time. Their cocktails are also yummy- the gwangjang with a full melona bar is usually my friends favorites! I opted for the zero proof sugarcane juice that they sell, which was yummy and refreshing. Parking nearby can be a bit of a hassle and seats go quick here, so make sure to come early (around 7 PM) if you'd like to secure a table and proper seating. This usually never ends up being the case for us, so we stand by the windowsill or write on the wall. The trivia announcers are usually fun and lighthearted, it's a great way to hang out with friends and see who knows what. It helps that the interior is so cute and that everyone is generally nice to one another.
Fun, decorative spot on Polk! The drinks were very unique and tasty, I liked how they had them in categories too. We went a little after they opened so it was pretty dead but I don't mind
My friend and I stopped by Polkcha on a Wed night to grab a drink after having dinner nearby and we were surprised to find the bar empty. I don't remember the last time I've had a bar to myself! I tried the Nishiki with gin, sake, shiso liquor, mint and lime and my friend got the Night Owl. I really enjoyed the Nishiki which was tangy and refreshing - just what I wanted. I also tried a sip of the Night Owl which was bright as well. The bar is super cute and vibey, decorated with neon lights and reminded me of the night markets in Asia and bars in Seoul. We ended up chatting with the bartender who we found out is also one of the owners and had a great time! It was exciting to hear about the trivia nights and other ideas they have in the works!
Such a fun bar on Polk! First off, decor is beautiful with neon signs and red lights like a night market in Asia. I sat at the bar and deliberated over cocktails with friends before getting Ajumma's Choice and letting the bartender whip something up for me. My friends got the Gwangchang and another whiskey based cocktail I can't remember the name of. The melona one was really good. My drink was also tasty and fruity -- only small downside was it was supposed to have egg foam but there was an egg shortage at the time lol :) The vibes in here were also very lively-- it was packed on a Friday night and there were a lot of groups just chatting. Menu is small but well curated. Can't wait to come back again!
Date: Thursday, August 14th, 2025 Time: around 8:30pm Party of: 2 *Back Bay ($14) *Fresh Press ($7) After dinner, drinks were in order. After looking around, we decided to stop by Polkcha. Parking wasn't too bad that day. We found a spot about a block away. Atmosphere here is fun a lively. Very interactive as I think they were also doing a trivia night. It was packed, so no seats avail. We used the little rail like table along the wall by the opposite side of the bar. Kinda in the way of people going in and out, but we were only here for a round, so it wasn't too bad. My drink was good. Not conventional in any way, but reminiscent of an old fashioned / manhattan which are two of my fav cocktails. My friend got a no abv beverage as he was the driver that night. Honestly, I probably would have loved this spot in my younger years, but as an old grandma, I found it too loud and uncomfortable. If you want something more chill, this is probably not the spot for you. But if you want a fun bustling atmosphere, this is a cool spot. REVIEW #3831
We came here on a Saturday night around 9pm and there was already a crowd waiting for seats so we were lucky to get two at the bar. I can immediately see why this place is so popular! They have a very unique drink offering, and a vibrant ambiance inside. The bartenders were all really friendly and helpful when ordering too. We got the ube cocktail which was a fun creamy creative drink which wasn't too sweet. The pandan reposado cocktail was very strong and the Campari overpowering. I asked for the bartenders choice and they gave me a mint lemon drop which was super refreshing and not too sweet, it ended up being my favorite drink of the night. This place is great as a cocktail bar but it does not have a lot of standing room so prepare yourself if you come because it gets packed!!
This bar is sooo cute ! If I lived in the area I'd totally be a regular. The decor, the Asian vibe I really felt like I was transported to a really cool bar in Asia. I went with the divisadora bc it had Ube. Anything Ube.. count me in. It wasn't overly sweet and the Ube and coconut taste was pretty strong. Def going back to get that and the pandan drink looked interesting as well!!
Really fun spot on Polk. Came here with friends and loved how creative the drinks were. I got the Gwangjang and the Melona popsicle in the drink was such a fun surprise. Everyone's drinks looked super unique and tasted great too. The vibe is lively and the interior has a cool Asian street market feel. Staff were friendly and quick with service. Seating is a bit limited, so it can fill up fast, but it's worth the wait. Prices are on the higher side but fit the quality and presentation. Perfect place to start the night or grab drinks with friends. I'll definitely be back to try more.
We came here on a Wednesday night and it was not crowded at all and had a lot of seating. There was one bartender so we ordered at the counter. Their drinks are sooo unique and we had to get the drink with the melona bar! It was so sweet and such a great addition to the drink. The bartender was super nice and I complimented him on his ability to bartend cause the drinks were delicious. Especially since I hate bitter cocktails these were perfect.
Great cocktail spot. Very underrated. The wine bar next to it for some reason gets more attention than this spot. This spot gets a bit hidden with the crowd outside. Definitely drop into this spot. Decor is really nice. All the drinks my friends and I got were amazing. The one with the melona ice cream was like drinking a ramune soda. Their ube one was also amazing.
Such a fun spot for some drinks. Creative asian-inspired cocktails with decor to make you feel like you're having asian street food. Melona cocktail is so delicious and fun! It can get pretty packed but there are tables farther back in the bar.
I visited Polkcha and tried the ube drink, which I thought was really good overall. It had a nice creamy sweetness, but there was also a tangy note that I wasn't expecting. It was interesting and made it feel a bit different from other ube drinks I've had. Majority of it was the ice cube but so it was only a couple sips but I did like the flavor. The space itself is super cute. The decoration and ambience really stand out and make it a nice place to hang out or take photos. When I went, they were also hosting trivia night, which seemed like a fun bonus. It's a nice option if you want something social, but it wasn't overly loud or pressured, and participation wasn't mandatory.
Very crowded on a Saturday night. Good tasting drinks. For an Asian bar they didn't play any Asian music but the melona drink was delicious really amazing bartenders to. Good place to pregame
Polkcha isn't one of those big fancy bars you see go viral on social media but it's definitely one you should visit if you're in the area. The decor is super cute and the bottles on display look so nice. The drink menu is small but all the drinks are unique and delicious in their own way. At times there's only a couple of bartenders but they do their best to serve everyone so be a little patient (as for every other bar). If you like every drink available but can't decide go for Ajumma's Choice and have the bartenders pick your drink! read more
2 years ago
A fun bar with amazing decor and unique cocktails! I love the Asian inspired decor, it makes the bar more lively. I went on a bar crawl on polk street, and this was one of my fave bars we went too. I tried their Gwangjang cocktail, which includes a whole melona ice cream bar in it. It's a sweet tasty drink, I recommend if you like sweet drinks or the melona bar. This bar has some seats, it's a good spot for a small group of friends. If you do come with a large group, it'll definitely feel cramped if you come in later in the night, so i recommend coming early in the night. read more
2 years ago
Really fun bar for friends to hang out at! We loved the decorations and how spacious the venue was. The bartenders were knowledgeable and really took the time to highlight their recommendations. They were able to craft something similar to a green tea shots for my friends and I to start off the night. This was definitely a crowd pleaser and we also got the Divisoria, Hoi An, and Gwangjang. The cocktails were all inspired by Asian flavors and were super unique. Definitely a unique bar within SF and I will be returning! read more
2 years ago
Loved it here! Drinks were creative and yummy. Service was quick. The inside was so well decorated, I could have stared at it for ages. The vibe was super chill. Kinda loud so definitely not a place you want to be having big conversations. It's a great place for a change of scenery. Will definitely be coming back here to try the other drinks. read more
1 year ago
God I love Polkcha. The drinks are delicious and creative and the bartender's choice never disappoints. I love the vibes and the ambiance with the asian neon signs and the decorated tree. The bartenders are friendly and the service is fast. Definitely recommend stopping by for a drink or two. read more
2 years ago
An asian themed bar with nice decor, a solid 3/5. We made it over on a sat night and it was pretty busy. Cocktails were decently priced. I want to say the cocktails sound better than they taste, many of them are an asian inspired version of a classic cocktail but I didn't pick up on many of the asian flavors (tasted pretty normal imo). Overall a nice bar for a pit stop while bar hopping. read more
Really great ambiance inside the bar. It gets a bit crowded and there is a line to get inside but the drinks were pretty good! Our bartender was working so fast and got everyone's order. He was also super nice and my friends and I really enjoyed this bar to pregame before heading to the Midway! read more
1 year ago
Really cool vibes, lots of neon signs and banners! Drinks are delicious, especially the one with the melona bar and their yogurt soju pitcher. Will note that all the drinks are very sweet and lower alcohol content. Can get super crowded so would recommend going early if you want to sit. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
My friend and I were visiting SF for a K-pop concert over the weekend and decided to check out Polkcha because we were intrigued by their Asian-inspired drinks. Plus, their clever Korean-inspired name pun was really fun! Ambiance: 5/5 Such a cool bar with awesome Asian-style decor that sets a great mood. It's a perfect spot for a date or hanging out with friends. Service: 5/5 Our bartender was incredibly nice and welcoming! We didn't realize they were closing soon, but he was still kind enough to make our drinks and let us take our time enjoying them without any rush. Drinks: - Gwangjang: 5/5 A twist on a Midori with a Melona bar! I rarely love drinks from bars since I don't do well with bitter flavors, but this drink was creamy with a slight kick of carbonation. Super dangerous in the best way--highly recommend! - Kuromon: 4/5 Not my favorite, but the little Polkcha bottle was adorable, and my friend really liked it! We had a great time here and wish we could've tried more drinks. This bar is definitely on our list for the next trip, and we'll be recommending it to friends! read more
Trade Routes is a friendly, somewhat grungy neighborhood bar on Polk. The photos on yelp make it look like a dimly lit, magical place but it's actually super brightly lit, well worn and not as cool as expected. The round map at the bar is super duper bright and the up-lighting of Grey Goose vodka (of all bottles) and others is a little tired. It looks really great in photos but in person... eek. We had to escape to the back just to chill and get out of the light. My rum drink with golden milk was pretty overpowered by the golden milk. It wasn't a winner. I was really sorry I had pre-dinner birthday drinks here. With a little hipping up, I think this bar could be pretty cool, though. read more
3 years ago
Great cozy location on Polk Street. Every time I've gone in I've had great service and drinks. The 'Spice exchange' is my favorite *chefs kiss* read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
Come here if you'd like to see temu skrillex make you a bomb cocktail. The service and drinks are amazing. Vibes 10/10 Particularly loved the back bay, sesame washed; and the nishiki, pandan, green chartreuse. It's quiet on the weekdays but bustling on the weekends. read more
4 years ago
Drinks were just average, but the main reason the one star is how shady this place is. I had tipped 15% and clearly checked the box on the receipt, and days later, I found that I was actually charged for the 20% tip amount. This is completely unacceptable and ridiculous for an establishment to do this. Luckily, I was able to dispute this with my bank and provided them with the receipts for confirmation. It's not just a matter of a few dollars or cents but the shady and unethical practices that say a lot about the workers and owners. All I can say is keep your receipts and double-check your bank statements after visiting. Review of the drinks - I came with 2 other friends for the lunar new year event and we got the white rabbit, baba mama, jinju, and serenity. Jinju was by far our favorite, it tasted just like juice. Baba mama was pretty good, I liked the floral hints of the drink. Serenity tasted like herbal medicine and the white rabbit was underwhelming with no white rabbit flavor whatsoever. They have a small selection of small bites, but you have to go over to the restaurant next door to order and bring it back into the bar. This would have been a 3 star for me, but just the pure shadiness, I would have given a 0 star if I could. read more
Business owner information
Ryan M.
Hi Pei Ting -…
1 year ago
I love how unique the cocktails here are! We got the gwangjang (melona popsicle) cocktail and the aperol spritz (upside down polkcha glass bottle). Both were pretty strong and slightly bitter, but I appreciate how inventive they are. The ambiance was also great and reminded me of an asian street alley way. Would love to come back to try the ube cocktail! read more
2 years ago
Some friends and I went on a Friday night and got really lucky to find lots of seating at such an otherwise crowded bar! Loved their menu and interior -- such creative and tasty drinks inspired by various Asian desserts. I got the Divisoria which had a lovely texture but kinda wish there was no lime haha. Really pretty place that I'll be returning to! read more
2 years ago
Went here last night with my cousins and I loved the new vibe that the former Trade Routes gives off. Asian themed. Neon lights. Loved it. Drinks were also pretty good. Beautifully made and pretty damn tasty. Now getting that out of the way. My gripe with this place is the service. You guys can rebrand all you want but if you're going to keep the same rude staff, you're going to go nowhere quick. The bartender who was making our drinks was clearly drinking and forgot our order. He took forever to make our drinks because he was taking shots with patrons in between making drinks. A Temu version of Skrillex claiming to be the owner of the bar. Then back pedaled and said he worked for the bar came up to our group and kept talking to us which I did flat out say, "hey stop wasting our time. If you want to keep bothering us then you can buy us a drink". He was taken back by my forwardness and still kept talking to us. At some point he went to the bar and "ordered drinks" only to get called over by the bar staff to take a shot. At that point we left as it was nearing 2am. Another bartender (he looked like the character Mario) said as we left the establishment, "the guy did order you shots but now that you left, you can't come back. BYE" and closed the door on us. The only shots I saw was shorty shooting his shot and embarrassed that he wasn't getting anywhere quick. I know what the response to this is going to be, "we have no affiliation with Temu Skrillex". And my response is, you guys know him enough to support his harassment of me and my cousins and continue to serve him alcohol and drink with him. That's more than enough affiliation. read more
Business owner information
Ryan M.
Hey Tiffany -- glad to hear you enjoyed the vibe and the drinks. We…
2 years ago
Cute Asian theme/inspired bar with a Melona popsicle in their cocktail. A must try! Warm and cozy bar with fun and nice bartenders read more
2 years ago
The drinks are outstanding! We really enjoyed the night owl and kuromon. The space is thoroughly decorated and every corner has something cool to discover. We came on a Friday night and it was packed. We had no issue approaching the bar and ordering but couldn't find an open seat so we enjoyed our drinks standing, there's a shelf/drink rail so it was not uncomfortable to do so. The service was great, everyone at the bar was friendly and professional. read more
After seeing new about this new spot, I wanted to check it out with a few buddies. First off, the whole vibe is very fun. You feel like you're not in SF anymore. The drinks themselves are very good. The Gwanjang and Nishiki were both very good but it seems like you really can't go wrong. Plus the staff were all super nice and helpful. read more
1 year ago
This is a super cool bar on Polk! I like that this is a play on night markets in Asia. The decor is pretty cool, however it is a pretty small place. I went on a Saturday night and it was suuuuuper packed in there. It did get less crowded as time went by, but I was shocked at how many people fit in there when I initially got there. It did take some time to get drinks at the bar, but once we did get them they were very much worth it. I really enjoyed the Gwangjang which had a melona bar in it!! The drink was bitter at first but once the bar melted the drink was so creamy and refreshing. Definitely recommend that one, and to drink it once you're able to mix in the Popsicle. The Kuromon was also a really tasty drink, was basically like an Aperol spritz. My boyfriend tried the Nishiki and enjoyed that as well. A friend tried the night owl but thought that one was okay. I definitely want to come back, but try to enjoy it at a less crowded time. read more
Came in to see the holiday decorations and grab some holiday drinks. The inside was fully decorated to put you in a Christmas mood. They had different types of holiday drinks. The cookie shots were our favorite. The bartender was super friendly and attentive. For a Wednesday night it was not super packed but still had a few groups. Great place to catch up with friends. read more
New drinks only bar that opened up in the russian hill area! Everything is asian inspired, and I love that there's drinks from almost every asian country. Everyone had the melona bar drink so we just had to try it out, and it was delicious! Light and refreshing. We also got a baijiu cocktail and a coconut tequila cocktail that were a bit more spirit heavy but super unique. Bartenders were very busy as the bar was pretty packed, but were still fantastic and treated everyone kindly. read more
Randomly saw this bar on Yelp and we decided to check it out. We loved the Asian flavored drinks and it was a great experience! The staff were super friendly and it's a perfect for a chill night getting drinks with friends. Highly recommend getting the ajummas choice and telling the bartender the flavors you like! We'll definitely be back in the future! read more
2 years ago
Located in Nob Hill, this Asian street market-inspired bar features vibrant decor and a lively atmosphere. The space is cozy and can get quite packed, especially on weekends. My friends and I visited on a Friday night, and it was quite busy! I feel like this would be a good place to chill with friends when it's not crowded and a good pre-game spot on the weekends. Street parking is available but can be challenging to find during busy hours. The service was fantastic, with staff checking in on us frequently. The bar offers a variety of craft cocktails inspired by Asian flavors such as pandan, yuzu, and lychee. I tried the Gwangjang, a fizzy and refreshing drink featuring a Melona ice pop, although it wasn't sweet enough for my taste which to be fair I like my drinks very sweet. I preferred my friend's drink, Ajumma's Choice, which was ube-flavored and didn't taste like alcohol at all! I also tried the Divisoria, a ube and coconut-flavored cocktail, but found the alcohol aftertaste a bit strong. The Hua Hin had a similar alcohol profile as well. I would go back for the vibes and get Ajumma's Choice noting that I like it very sweet. P.S. They host trivia nights on Thursdays at 7:30 pm :) Follow @michellehan.guide on Instagram for more! read more
Ooooh always a fan of an Asian bar with fun cocktails!! I saw the melona cocktail and I WAS INSTANTLY SOLD. The drinks were soooo delicious! The ambience was also fantastic. All the decor is so cute and reminiscent of Asia. I also went on a Thursday, which is their weekly trivia night and it was sooooo fun! The host did a great job leading the event, and the themes were really great! Plus the prizes/punishments were amazing! Def want to become a regular here! read more
Came to try the Chinese New Year cocktail menu in February. Walked in on a Wednesday around 6:30pm, seating is first come first serve. Not too busy when I visited, found space at the long communal table in the back. Drinks: White Rabbit Slushy - a bit boozy and unbalanced, odd flavor that didn't quite mesh for me, also didn't remind me of the flavor of white rabbit candy, would skip this. Jinju juice - pretty good, fruity with great citrus notes, a bit heavy on the ice but a tasty drink overall, nice and refreshing, great one to start the night. Seeds of serenity - smokey with a hint of fruity sweetness, a bit too smokey for me, but if you like mezcal this one is for you. The atmosphere was so fun, awesome to see a bar decked out in Chinese New Year decor. Overall drinks are hit or miss, the beverages lean towards the boozy end and seemed a bit unbalanced. read more
2 years ago
My new favorite bar on Polk street! I love the Asian inspired drinks. The drinks are super cute too. Each speciality cocktail is named after a market. My favorite drink was definitely the Gwangjan. read more
More info about Polkcha
1750 Polk St
San Francisco, CA 94109
Polk Gulch, Nob Hill
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https://www.polkcha.com
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Can this accommodate big groups?
it's not a large bar. They have a communal table in back and a small lounge area that accommodate about a dozen people.
Do they offer mocktails?
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Polkcha - cocktailbars - Updated September 2026
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