Good luck getting service if you're not a regular.... It's a dive bar.... So take that with a grain of salt. read more

We are on holiday from UK we visited the bar Yesterday and were made to feel so welcome. If we are every in the city again we will definitely call in again. Great music, beer, and and very warm welcome. Theresa & Steve read more

best kitchen best beer and shot menu best retro video game machine where you can play ***elevator action*** #1 #1 #1 read more

I like a good dive bar. But the best ones don't necessarily need to offer surly service. The only reason why I've popped into this bar is to hang with colleague who seemed to love it. The pros are that it's big, has a mix of characters, and a kitchen. The cons are the service - I just don't like seeing strangers treat my friends badly. They're good people, Tempest! I wouldn't eat at that place either. My friend was chowing down on fries and a roach crawled onto his plate. No shame - the bar was loud, lights were bright... and where there's one, there are many more. No thanks. read more

Tried this gem for the first time last night. It did not disappoint at all!! Relaxed atmosphere and the crowd had great energy. Bartender was friendly, drinks were amazing, and the food was sooo good! Definitely will be back! read more

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Tempest is like a template for a bar. Not a fancy cocktail bar, not a craft brewery, just a straight up bar where you can kick back with friends over whatever standard drink you like. Divey in a good way, and the kind of place you probably don't want to go to the bathroom unless you really have to. More than anything for me, it's conveniently located by the hotel where we stay when out in SF. It beats the hotel bar on price and atmosphere, and was never too packed when I popped in. Looking forward to a few more pints next time I'm out in the Bay area! read more

I was in San Fran for 5 days and ended up here 3 of those days. I'm not sure if it's the super chill atmosphere they've got going on or that our company is just obsessed with this place, but spent some serious time here and I'm glad! You get a real dive-bar feel when you walk in but the place is actually pretty large. There's a pool table right when you walk in which is kind of awkwardly placed but people were playing. I felt like I was in the way of their game if I walked anywhere near the surrounding area. Oh well we sat at the bar anyway! They have an awesome selection of beer! I was digging how their menu is scattered all over the wall behind the bar- cool look! They also have random board games here that made it to our table. We were playing finger sized twister- what?! It was more entertaining than it should have been but we were loving it. There was one, one-stall women's bathroom. Usually this could be a problem with a long line at any bar but I luckily never had to wait! It was pretty well kept and the graffiti art over the entire bathroom was impressive. I also got a hot dog one of the nights from the box next door. I didn't want anything crazy on it, just mustard and they had no problem with making it that way for me. I came back in like ten minutes and it was hot and ready for me!! I'll definitely be back here for all of it again but not until next year when I'm back in town. read more

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Tempest is a phenomenal (I don't throw that word around lightly) hole in the wall dive bar. If you are looking for cheap beer with a lot of variety that has good crowds then congratulations this is it. The bartenders were pretty quick when I was there for the amount of people there on a Thursday. Nice draft beer options, and I had 3 beers for about $25 not bad at all for San Francisco prices. Amazing time this bar is a keeper for sure. read more

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Yes and no to the old Tempy at the same time. You can have the nest night with your girls here or be surrounded by tech bros.

WOW, Tempest did not disappoint this foodie!! Upon walking and I realize my posh-self didn't really "fit in" at Tempest. it definitely looks like a dive bar. All the chairs are miss match, there's graffiti on the walls, old school hip hop is playing and it's definitely not a place that you would go to on a fancy night out but DONT LET THIS FOOL YOU. The food at Tempfest was unbelievable. We tried the buffalo cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and the chicken and waffles. I wish we were hungrier because everything we had was amazing! The service is also great, they came and checked in on us quite a few times and even made sure we were in a good seat so our dog could be in the corner (he made himself at home on their chair in the corner). I'll be back next time I'm in SF and Tempfest is one of my top 5 recommendations ( also on my "San Fran" collection for those interested). Bonus that they are dog friendly!!!! read more

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Easy dive bar to enjoy. It's got everything, the pumping music that cracks your skull, a pool table, friendly and attentive bartenders, graffiti filled bathrooms and drinks on drinks on dranks. No food but you can bring your own in. There's also a spot next door that serves up the fried goods. Worth visiting again! read more

I have been a Tempest fan for around 10 years. I make an effort to support local establishments. Unfortunately my experience today may change that. Initially I ordered a Bloody Mary. Because no one had pre-made Bloody Mary Mix the Bartender could not accommodate. I ordered a Tempest Double Margarita which has always been made correctly, shaken and served in a pint glass over ice. What I got was a pre-prepared frozen foo foo drink in a tiny glass with no salt on the rim and no alcohol. I am not a fucking tourist. As soon as I ordered food a check was thrown in front of me, there was no one else in the place. I then ordered a $10 Stout and was charged $11. When I asked about the discrepancy I was told "they charge tax". This sort of lackluster service and lack of training or supervision is not the way to get customers to return. Just because it's slow doesn't mean service should suffer. read more

If I could give more stars I would. Super friendly people, great atmosphere, and AMAZING food. Seriously. I have not had anything on their menu that I didn't love. Their burger in particular is phenomenal. My only complaint is that other burgers now suck in comparison... read more

One of my favorite dive bars. I love the mezcal slushee that is always available. The service is good, the music is loud. The walls are fun and there is a courtyard out front. read more

Great dive bar atmosphere with elevated food. Prices are reasonable! They have a pool table as well. Get the potato skins! Excellent! read more

Tempest - Potato skins with gruyere, pork belly and quail eggs. Delicious! - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

By far one of the best dive bars in the SoMa area. Beers and drinks are cheap, and there's food just a step away from Box Kitchen next door (get the burger and fries). The selection of beer is surprisingly large too. It does get crowded since lots of people come here after work for happy hour / post-happy-hour. There's usually a couple seats available (and standing room). read more

One of my favorite spots during my recent stay in the Bay Area. A little something for everyone; if you want cheap beer and shots, they have you covered with $3 PBR drafts, and a $6 PBR/Jim Beam combo you can't go wrong with. If you want more expensive craft beers, they have an awesome menu. I loved the Hazy IPA. Next door they have a restaurant called "Box Kitchen" which you can bring your food inside after 4PM(they serve inside earlier). The food is amazing. The "Box Burger" may be one of the three best burgers I've ever had in my life. This place is a great bar experience. A classic dive bar that does it right. read more

This divey place is loud, echoey, and chock full of bearded millennials. So if you have a high tolerance for noise you ought to check this place out because the food is bomb! Everything is served in boxes which is unusual, however I suppose it more cost-effective for the restaurant. I ordered the falafel which was garnished with fresh baby spinach, homemade Aolei, and served on warm fresh naan. I also ordered the garlic Parmesan fries. They were seasoned perfectly and not overpowered by garlic. The food is reasonably priced and the selection is eclectic. This place has an edgy flair with it's exposed brick walls and dismembered bicycles hanging from the ceiling. The boxed food is outstanding in this grungy little spot I definitely will return. read more

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From the perspective of a non-boozy drinker, Tempest doesn't do it for me. I don't find it a super comfortable social environment. With alcohol, anything is a comfy social environment -- but if I'm joining and not drinking friends; it's just a bit too dark. The tables can be comfy and the noise levels aren't bad, so points for that. No real mocktails advertised either. Overall, Tempest may be a great bar due to its reasonable prices, cool pool table, etc, but I just never quite felt entirely comfortable there. And for a non-drinker, I go to a fair amount of dive bars and there are places where I have a ton of fun with the environment. This just isn't one of 'em, but I'm obviously not who they are catering to :). read more

I usually just get a burger for lunch but have recently expanded my selection to include their breakfast menu. But what really got me to Yelp them an update was their fried chicken. Their fried chicken had a sweetness to it. Not totally unlike San Tung's wings, but their flavor wasn't derived from the sauce but found in the breading itself. I liked it. I really really liked it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IynQCmqvXZs My only problem was there wasn't enough meat under all that delicious coating. It just felt like we'd been served a mini-chicken. I'm not saying Cornish game hen, but at times it was pretty close. I'm seriously close to bumping them to a four star rating, but . . . first I really have to try Darla's since she does the cooking for this place as well. read more

Pretty cool spot! Went in here before I moved and now I find myself coming in from time to time for a drink. A good spot to meet people.

Why 1 star? Because I'll just never understand rudeness in a customer service industry. --- --- --- I've written over 2,000 reviews and this is only the 15th time I've elected to leave a 1-star rating. It's really difficult for me to have such a bad experience that I'm compelled to do such a thing, but I just can't help it after my visit to Tempest. A bunch of co-workers and I had just come from a party where the theme was to dress like a rockstar. I had a mullet wig, sunglasses, a mesh shirt, etc - I really committed. Some of my co-workers were only mildly rock-starred up, but a short while later, some of the others that were really themed out also joined us here. I stood at the bar behind a co-worker who was sitting down as I waited to order a beer. I watched the bar tender as he repeatedly served everyone around except for me. I kept making eye contact with him, which would result in him darting his eyes away from me and walking in the opposite direction. Eventually he said something super sarcastically about me wearing sunglasses inside. I couldn't quite hear him, so I just said, "yeah we all just came from a party where the theme was to dress like a rockstar.... but hey, can I get a beer?" He walked away. He went to the other bartender, said something, pointed at me and kept walking away. Eventually the other bartender made his way over and I asked, "is he mad at me for wearing sunglasses inside?" "No." ..... *stares at me* ...... "Uh, okay.... well he has passed by me several times and is ignoring me, so I think he is. I told him I just came from a party with a rockstar theme, but I'm not sure what his deal is." "Well, you ARE a rockstar," he said sarcastically. I then ordered my beer. He handed me my beer and I handed him my credit card and said he could close it out. And then he did the weirdest thing that's tough to even explain without physically acting it out. He starred down at my credit card in his hand, sarcastically laughed, emphatically bumped his shoulders up and down and gave me the same body language as if I'd just handed him a dirty diaper. After about ten painful seconds of this, he eventually went back and ran my credit card. I have no idea what this entire thing was about between these bartenders and why they had something against me. But for the rest of my life, I will never understand how people can work in the service industry, but be unfriendly to a patron for no reason. read more

Dropped by Tempest after attending an event at the Mint last Thursday. We wanted to check out Cavelier for dinner, but there was about a 2 hour wait, so we headed to Tempest for some drinks to wait it out. I love all kinds of bars and that includes dive bars! Tempest has a great vibe. Everyone is just having fun doing their own thing and I like that. Lucky for us, I spotted people leaving their table right when we got there, so I snagged it right away. We spent a good 2 hours drinking, talking and having snacks from Box Kitchen next door. If it were super busy and we didn't have a table, I may not have had as much fun. But I had a blast just hanging out with good friends! read more

Tempest - Busch and whiskey shots - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

I had th chi Ken and waffles which was pretty good. I also enjoyed the tempest margarita made spicy with some added jalopenos. Yum.

It was a Monday. After a long day at work and and even longer weekend. I had an appointment near Union Square and called a friend to meet for happy hour. I suggested Rickhouse. She suggested Tempest. I'm not really the dive bar type but I said "Sure", especially after reading some funny reviews like Sunny S's. Luckily, I was in the mood for beer and they had a good selection on tap. (They do have a full bar but probably not going to mix up a well-crafted cocktail) We both got IPAs ($6 each). Tempest has an easy, casual environment, absolutely no pretentiousness whatsoever, and we were able to have a nice chat unbothered by anyone. I was a bit peckish and she told me that I could get something from the place next door (The Box) and bring it in. I went for an order of brussel sprouts and they went amazingly well with my beer. Yummy. The funniest thing about the place is its bathroom. I'm not too much of a primper but what girl doesn't check her face in the mirror when she's washing her hands? Good thing I didn't care too much what I looked like (see my photo of the mirror). Really hilarious and gave the place such character. It was a good way to end a Monday. I'm glad I came. read more

Tempest - Mirror in ladies bathroom. - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Tempest is a great place to come to watch a game! I came here to watch the Sharks game and it must be good luck cause they won 4-2 baby!! This place is pretty casual and the bouncer is awesome. At the bar, there is a minimum for 10$ if you're planning to pay with a card. The food here is very good. I've only tired the Potato Skins with roasted potato halves, crispy pork belly, charred green onions, gouda cheese, crèma, quail egg. SOO GOOD! You can definitely share this. I also heard Fried Chicken Sando buttermilk fried chicken breast, bel pease cheese, caesar cole slaw, soft roll. fries or a salad is pretty good too. I feel like you can't go wrong whatever you order food wise. The beers on tap has pretty great selections too. I'd definitley would come back here again for the food and the environment. read more

Tempest - Potato skins with pork belly and quail egg - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Looking for a laid back spot to chill at away from all the tourists and shops around Market & Powell? Well the Tempest is in an alleyway behind the SF Chron about three blocks southwest. Fun atmosphere, great beer list, decent food, reasonable food and NO TOURISTS to speak of. The service was fine even when packed. Adequate seating, pool table. This place is everything a dive bar should be. Give them a try. read more

I love a good dive bar, and this place is just that. Pool, football on TV, lots of interesting looking characters milling about. Drinks are good and the specials seems to rotate through different days of the week. Our pretty, dark haired bartender was chatty and quick-- AKA the perfect mix to get you buzzed and have a lively conversation with. The other bartender checked on us once, too, which signals to me that A) they split tips and B) they have good service. Another awesome thing about this place? Being next to Box. Order your food there, wait inside here with a drink, go pick up your delicious food and return to your drink. Good business model! read more

Tempest - Xoxo - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Food wasn't great, I got the chicken and waffle and fried pickles, the waffle was cold and both the pickles and chicken were way too salty. Also, as we were eating we saw two mice run across the floor, which made me lose my appetite. read more

It's hard not to like a dive bar with an excellent selection of beers on tap but man can it be hard to grab a drink here at times. Decidedly a locals watering hole, Tempest packs it in after work with a mix of thirsty patron who work or live near this part of SoMa. You won't be disappointed with the choices on tap. Bartenders are marginally friendly and getting their attention might take a while but be patient. The adjoining Box Kitchen offers up pub grub to go with your libations. Think of fun takes on classics like mac n' cheese egg rolls and pastrami tacos. Not an immediate go-to choice for a watering hole but still Tempest is a solid choice for no nonsense drinks post-work. read more

This place makes one hell of a specialty Moscow mule. It's a double with lots of Lime and vanilla. Absolutely delicious! The staff are really nice and it's right down the street from a local community theatre with all Filipino volunteers. I liked this place even though the surrounding area is pretty rough. read more

Gotta say.....I kind of love this place! Its definitely not much to look at but they have an amazing beer selection! Lots of super local micro brewed beer. Its also very reasonably priced. When we came on a Thursday night, it was really crowded so be prepared to put on a pretty face for the bartender in order to get noticed at the bar. I came with a large group of ladies and had no idea that this place was in the Tenderloin. Apparently the neighborhood can be a bit rough and there were definitely not a lack of aggressive male types. We were fine though since there were so many of us. Just stuck together and we were fine! Beware the group of guys that occupy the pool table. There's a sign up sheet but it can be very hard to get a game in. Someone even tried to offer us $20 for our spot! read more

Tempest - Bar - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

The staff at this place are very rude, disrespectful etc. There any many ways to talk to customers and acknowledge but they lack knowledge and do not know what respect is. Please don't waste your time going to this place and give your money to someone who deserves it. The bartender with bleach blonde hair was so rude to me, she wouldn't interact with me when I got to the bar and just ignored me as I am a Hispanic person but she greeted the white couple that arrived after me. I was also checking the reviews the owner seems ok with his staff being disrespectful and racist to customers!!! WTFF!??? DISGUSTING!!! This place deserves zero stars!! read more

Tl;dr: The Tempest has well made drinks, a fantastic beer list, awesome bartenders, good food that you can bring in, and great prices (especially for the area). Can get a bit packed but understandably so. Longer version: I love The Tempest but the after work crowds are a little too crazy for me personally. The funny thing about this place is that I actually came here with a few friends the night before an interview that I had in San Francisco. After getting the job and moving to California, I ended up moving a few blocks away but didn't realize it was so close to the bar. On the day I moved in, I actually happened to come to a nearby restaurant with my family and realized how close it was. I then came here a few days later after my first day of work and have been here a bunch of times since. So, it's one of my favorite bars in San Francisco just due to those memories. Other awesome things: the drinks are very reasonably priced and always have a generous pour. Awesome beer selection, both bottled and on draft and it changes often. I like to come here to watch sports and they have multiple TVs and are always happy to switch to what you want to watch. I've mostly had simple mixed drinks (whiskey sodas for the most part) and beer but they have a punch and some other stuff on the menu and will make you whatever you want. And you can go next door to get food from Box Kitchen and eat at the bar. Like I mentioned, my least favorite thing about The Tempest is that it can get really crowded and loud, especially post work. Weekends are usually a bit better and lunch during the week seems to be the best time by far (at least in my opinion). Weekday lunches have lunch service inside the bar so you don't have to go outside to order and then pick up your food and are just a lot more chill. If I wasn't working most of the time, I would definitely come here during that time. read more

Tempest - beautiful - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

I recently moved to SOMA, and Tempest has become one of my go-to establishments for a pint. This bar has the "local-dive" feel, but offers a compelling and frequently rotating tap selection. I like that Tempest features local breweries such as Alameda based Faction Brewing, but also occasionally will feature my favorite Seattle brewery, Georgetown Brewing Co. Whenever I see "Bhodizafa" on tap I get super hyped and have to stop in for a pint. This neighborhood bar is a place where locals hang out, and is also very service-industry friendly, being a favorite spot for after-work drinks. I've got to give a shout out to Brooke and Ben, these two members of the team have been the most memorable and helpful. Attached to Tempest is the Box Kitchen, which serves up some great bites that you can bring into the bar. I would highly recommend stopping by to grab a snack and beer here on Natoma St. read more

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If you are looking for rock bottom prices on alcohol and a comfortable relaxed atmosphere this might be the dive bar for you. An odd Tuesday night 5/17/16... technically Wednesday after closing there was an impromptu performance on the drums on the sidewalk after closing. I hear one of the past bartenders was there and it is a good sign when the guy who used to get paid to be here still comes around on his own free will. Louie's and Connecticut Yankee are the same owners - interestingly enough you can get a sort of difficult to find shot at any three of these - a higher end chartreuse. read more

I am almost tempted to give this bar a one star review in hopes that it will remain a local hidden gem, but, alas, the Yelp crew, whose offices are close by, have discovered this wonderful hole in the wall and now it's only a matter of time before it becomes even more trendy and crowded. I love the Tempest. Its unassuming decor and ratty chairs that you have to be careful or they will cut your bum all contribute to its grimy appeal. The beers are cheap for the neighborhood ($5 a pint) and the staff is cool and laid back. During lunch hours they actually put down table clothes and serve delicious food from the kitchen next door. During evening hours you go and order the food yourself and then bring it back to the bar. There is also a pool table, but when it gets busy and crowded its more of an annoyance that something fun. read more

Read some great things online here about the food and made sure I went over to get some good dinner to bring back to my hotel room. To my disappointment, the grilled cheese sandwich was tinier than any sandwich I have ever seen. Even worse, it was NOT grilled. The cheese wasn't even melted within. The bread was not toasted or grilled...it was like someone half heartedly took one slice of bread, split it in half, put some cheese on it, and then tried a minute on the grill and gave up. It was raw bread. None of the toasty crunchy melted cheese goodness one expects. So much for my dinner. Soup was okay but bland. I won't be back ever again to waste my money read more

Tempest - See the unmelted cheese? Not cool. It is supposed to be a grilled cheese sandwich :( - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This place is packed and busy sure but their staff is incredibly rude and disrespectful. Their pricing is of course cheaper but the quality of drinks isn't the best. From a dive bar, I don't have high expectations but some respect would be nice. read more

Amazing food! Great service delivered at at an Amazing bar! Look no further than beer on tap and order on pizza! Great service! read more