Mean mean mean mean mean. Bartenders are so rude, I don't understand. Did I offended you? I'm really sorry if you found something I did or said offensive. read more

Came back after a long absence and their food blew me away! Wish this place was closer to San Mateo so I could come all the time. Every dish was amazing. I came with a friend who eats here allllll the time. The Sweet Potato entree was an EXPERIENCE. Such a unique concoction of flavors and textures. How could something so simple taste so amazing?! Would get again. Chips and Dip were surprisingly unique. The dip had a wonderful meaty flavor. Spiced Duck Hearts were great. Unfortunately I was so consumed with the other amazing dishes I ate this last, when it was cold D: nevertheless, it still tasted wonderfully spiced. And that sweet sweet slice of pineapple underneath was soooo good! Short Ribs were amaaazing! Crazy tender, with a kick of the Korean sauce. One of my favorite dishes of the evening. Pork belly was really really good, but if I had to choose between this and ribs, I'd go with the ribs. Great variety of ingredients and flavors. Drinks were on point too! I got the Pink Lady and my friend got a bitter drink. Both were delicious and not overpowering. One of my new favorite restaurants in the city :) read more

We needed to make an Ameoba run, and after too much perusing decided to take in some day drinking and lunch before the flight home.  Our girl recommend this place on the fly so we stopped in. They knocked it out of the park.  Good beer list but we got swayed.  The cocktails were inventive (mole bloody!) and awesome (Rusty Blade martinez?!).  Snaps for the bartenders. The food was simple but delicious.   Quite good. And the books are pretty hip. Well done people.  We be back! read more

I have been accused, on occasion, of being a shrew. Realistically, it's more of an observation, since I am generally a total asshole, with the occasional benevolent interlude. But while I do enjoy belittling children at every opportunity, there are certain things that do melt this heart of stone. And I mean besides a well-made cocktail. But on that note, the Alembic is the place for a well-made cocktail. Sans the Disneyish hype of Bourbon & Branch's faux speakeasy, Alembic has created a crisp, classic shrine to traditional cocktails; a drinking institution of institutions, featuring Old Fashioneds, Sazeracs, and what can only be described as a Real Daiquiri. But like I said, there are other things besides cocktails that make me crack a smile. And since the only thing I really care about is Edwardian-period decorative arts and architecture, my favorite thing about the Alembic is its built environment. The decorative aspects of the Alembic really set the appropriate background for a cocktail menu that aims to be both traditionalist and art nouveau. They've (wisely) antiqued their tin ceilings, unlike a certain downtown speakeasy, and their lighting evokes the early stages of electricity, imparting an air of authenticity to what is basically an artistic rendering of a period cocktail lounge. The bar itself, made from refinished Kezar bleacher seats, is both spartan and luxurious; a simple construction with a wealth of local ghosts. And, see, where most bars would have one or two really great aspects, The Alembic scores perfectly all around. The service is extremely professional. I guess the most notable thing is the maturity level of the servers. Nothing ruins a $12 cocktail like a giggly-ass sorority girl waitress (heart of stone!), or a ditzy but well-meaning post rock grrrl who's just cocktailing between band gigs. Alembic's servers are professionals. Adults. Living proof that one can be simultaneously young, attractive, and not an idiot. Also, they have excellent food. Surprisingly good, considering Magnolia's food sucked so hard for so long. But the Alembic, jewel of jewels, serves duck risotto cakes in a mango reduction, little Moroccan lamb sandwiches with harissa aioli, jamaican jerk chicken wings, and something featuring a quail egg. It's a refined, earthy, fearless bar menu of incredible flavor and quality. Also, the Sazerac is a fun thing to find on a cocktail menu. It's like a hidden wink; a Where's Waldo in the big world of bars. It says that a bar has respect for the drinking traditions of its elders; the drink is truly a heritage cocktail, with the heady flavor of the communion of deep South and French culture. But few people understand that a key ingredient in the cocktail is absinthe, and you're likely to get a glassful of whiskey and bitters in almost any part of the country outside New Orleans. The beautiful thing about Alembic's Sazerac is that they've got a sassy little absinthe impostor, an mystery anisette/chartreuse type liqueur, and one can order it "heavy on the anise" which is a beautiful thing. It almost makes me feel affection for my fellow man. Almost. The neighborhood deserved this wonderful place. Five fucking stars. read more

This mellow pub gets my 100th review spot for being one of the best meals I've had during my SF trip. The warm ambience & gracious service from our server Rachel adds to the positive experience. Their upscale-pub menu is both creative and delicious. *** The appetizer menu is fixed, but their main entrees (even the sliders) & prix fixe specials changes regularly based on the avail of regional ingredients. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/f8fYPWuRB4o225YjPEjq8w?select=g_z8w-rF3B1TD9FOI0uSEw Their popular Bone Marrow appetizer piqued my initial interest, the sound of eating Jerk-Spiced Duck Hearts, Duck Confit Sliders & Beef Tongue Sliders sealed the deal. Once again I dragged my friend Salah with me. While he was worried at the thought of eating 'offal' items, I was ecstatic! ***Dine between the hours of 5-7pm to take advantage of the 50% discount on appetizers. ***No free refills on drinks: My friend was charged another $3 for his 2nd glass of ginger ale. DARJEELING & JASMINE TEA ($3): Recc'd by Rachel because I wanted something to sooth my scratchy throat. The floral aroma of the darjeeling (cross between black tea and oolong) pairs just perfectly with the sweet scented jasmine. Rachel repeatedly refilled the hot water, sweet! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/f8fYPWuRB4o225YjPEjq8w?select=NP3Ki5jvgSXm_EoAYMIgQA PICKLED QUAIL EGGS ($2 for 3 eggs): Boiled quail eggs are pickled in a tangy beet pickling juice. The sprinkle of sea salt adds a nice texture. Wish I ordered a few plates of this. So pretty & so good! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/f8fYPWuRB4o225YjPEjq8w?select=vzXqVNmZPJeBj9pFpKbpSQ JERK-SPICED DUCK HEARTS w/PICKLED PINEAPPLE SLICES ($5): Marinated in jerk seasoning & grilled to the perfect doneness. It's dusted with an herby, thyme-flavored salt. I didn't get the spicy jerk flavor but the seasonings worked, esp when you bite into it with the slice of pineapple. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/f8fYPWuRB4o225YjPEjq8w?select=ljlkQtKDj9dDPjKyhK0oDw BONE MARROW ($12) Fat, fat and more fat!!! Pure decadence & not for the diet-conscious folks. The marrow is sprinkled with a caper gremolata (chopped garlic, lemon zest, shallots & parsley) and topped off with garlic confit (garlic poached in olive oil). More fat is then added w/a drizzle of the confit oil! *faint* http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/f8fYPWuRB4o225YjPEjq8w?select=9NUwYmK1nQqWQPqqRjAMOA While I usually like my marrow w/a touch of sea salt, I think it should've been left out on this dish. The capers were salty enough. The delicately poached, sweet garlic was fantastic! Wish their was more marrow in our bone though. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/f8fYPWuRB4o225YjPEjq8w?select=pE4ij_GcyPbwFjjrXvTweA OYSTER 'PO BOY SLIDERS ($5 EACH): I was bummed w/the Beef Tongue Sliders' absence on the menu, but the oyster sliders made everything better. At $5 a piece, it's pricey but worth every bite. The cornmeal-crusted oysters were cooked perfectly, plump & juicy! The cornmeal crust was light and crunchy, not greasy at all. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/f8fYPWuRB4o225YjPEjq8w?select=3DGP6m8NSNaiFqI80dIMUw The fried oysters are topped off with a tasty heaping of kim chee & a charred jalapeno aioli. Perfection. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/f8fYPWuRB4o225YjPEjq8w?select=mmaKTNjfey3juFIVFX29Bg PRESSED DUCK CONFIT ($18): After having duck confit prepared the Alembic way, I wouldn't want to eat duck confit w/the duck leg/bones ever again. Alembic pulls the meat off the bones and then reshapes it into a cake, they even topped it off w/a piece of fried duck skin. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/f8fYPWuRB4o225YjPEjq8w?select=bUYfZbFMhNGwh9SJIK0KbQ Comes w/2 pc of the pressed duck confit cakes. It's served with endives, maitake mushrooms and a quinoa & sweet onion salad (the white cake in the middle). There's a sweet jam reduction & a 2nd brown gravy reduction under the confit. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/f8fYPWuRB4o225YjPEjq8w?select=5Hw2XtxKk9nbHhanxNya6Q SLOW-ROASTED PORK LOIN ($20): Cooked w/serrano ham, the pork is topped off w/broccoli rabe & a salty "XO Sauce" (aka Chinese Sloppy Joe mixture of shrimp, onions, garlic, mirin & soy). http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/f8fYPWuRB4o225YjPEjq8w?select=PuuT7IgBEISXaT-GRoM1rw Don't you just love the presentation with the fingerling potatoes? http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/f8fYPWuRB4o225YjPEjq8w?select=JldpApvXLlKd_aa3TKTcTw GRILLED HANGER STEAK ($22) The Chimichurri sauce wasn't too vinegary & salty, which was perfect since the steak already had a salty crust on it. The trumpet mushrooms, carrots & wheatberry grain salad were nicely cooked. Didn't care for the microgreens. It looked like curled cress or pepper grass, too bitter & left a weird feeling on my tongue. Everything else was delicious, I licked my plate clean. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/f8fYPWuRB4o225YjPEjq8w?select=F4WhugzfNcqyrVK6dl9e_g So glad I found this place! Alembic holds a special place in my heart, I'll definitely be back! read more

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Whack! Whack! Whack! That's the sound of a baseball bat hitting a huge block of ice wrapped in a burlap sack. Crushing ice this way may look like a little, um, barbaric, I don't know if there's a reasoning for this but it sure looks interesting making fresh ice one drink at a time. (great stress release too) It was a little after midnight when we came here and thank God that the kitchen serves food til 1 am. The bar bites menu lists some pricey stuff so we only got 3 things to nibble on: - Pickled quail eggs ($2) - 3 pink quail eggs served with rock salt. Different but nothing special, expensive for a small serving. - Salt roasted beets ($9) - this was listed as a special for the night. Served with puffed barley, feta cheese and microgreens in a sherry vinaigrette. I love beets that's why we ordered this, but I counted only 4 quartered slices on the plate. Oh boo. - Pork slider with celery root-apple slaw ($5) - that's right. $5 for ONE slider. It's such a cute burger though and surprisingly packs a lot of flavor in each bite. The pork is cooked in a smoked Coke BBQ sauce, not too sweet either. It was served with pork rinds but these tasted stale. Needless to say, I wasn't impressed with the food but I enjoyed my mint julep, which is #43 on the Big Eat SF list. Generous pour of bourbon, mint, raw sugar and water, served in a pewter cup (just like the olden times!) garnished with a huge sprig of mint. Personally, I like bourbon only in cooking/desserts but I'll drink anything with mint in it. Next time I come to the Alembic, I'll be sticking to their well-made cocktails, skipping the bar bites and heading over to Escape from NY pizza down the block. read more

Alembic is known for their fantastic freshly muddled cocktails. I don't drink though. What I do applaud Alembic for - is their hospitable and personable staff - as well as their impressive and unique food menu - which extends well into the night. Yes - not only is Alembic one of the best places to grab a drink on Haight, as well as an artisan meal - but they also are one of the few places in the area that serve up food after 10:00pm. They even have a late night dinner menu - in addition to their lunch and dinner menu. With decadent menu items such as jerk spiced duck hearts, shishito peppers seasoned in anchovy salt, and grilled quail with porcini, corn pudding, charred broccoli di ciccio and pickled cherries - Alembic knows what they're doing in the culinary world. They're all about seasonal and local - and their food tastes it as well. When we came here on verge of "hangry-ness," our waitress helped us right away with ease and kind eyes. Since I don't eat much meat - and I stay away from dairy - she helped me customize my spring salad with shaved vegetables, sweet herbs, and pickled ramp - by eliminating the buttermilk dressing and instead replacing it with a lovely light Asian citrus based one. The salad was bursting with freshness and flavor and the dressing was terrific. Our waitress stopped on by our table to check in on us - and was extremely helpful and personable - when it came to any questions that we had in regards to the menu. If you're hungry late at night - skip the mediocre options and just walk on over to Alembic. They'll take care of you with a beautiful inventive cocktail and a sustainably sourced dish. Trust. read more

The Alembic has rich, tantalizing cocktails that are too hard to pass up. Every single option on their menu sounds amazing and I would love to try them all. So far, I've had the Jack Rose which intertwined pomegranate, apple, lemon, grenadine, and apple Jack whiskey. It was not only tasty but pretty, being that it was my favorite color pink! I also tried the Southern Exposure which consisted of Junipero Gin, celery juice, lime, mint and sugar. Yum! The bar itself is small, cute, and hip. The bartenders are friendly, and serve drinks promptly. They also kept refilling my water glass, which I loved as well. Didn't want to be hungover for work the next morning! Their food plates also look awesome, so it would be a great place to come for drinks and apps. Perfect little SF spot on Haight st. read more

Amazing cocktails and super staff make this a great place to meet up with friends or on a date. The food is also super tasty and a good assortment of burgers, crab cakes, leek and potato fritters, and chicken wings with a nice sauce. read more

Although I feel that paying for Bone Marrow is somewhat self-defeating (considering they used to throw it out only a few years ago), it's delicious. There's nothing else to say other than great selection, great service, and great ambiance. read more

The Alembic - Bacon Cracker Jacks - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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A recent change in management policy is a huge buzz-kill. Our first visit to the Alembic was on Saturday around 6p and got the last seats at the bar. Didn't think anything of it until we saw a queue form inside the door, which persisted for the remainder of the evening. I didn't understand why people would wait in line to sit in a bar. The drinks were top-class and the cocktails looked exquisite. We had whiskeys neat -- rye for me, scotch for the Mrs. Add some nibbles and a good night -- 5 stars, why not. Last night, I tried to take five of me best mates there around 10p and were turned away. Full. Well not "full", there's a lot of standing room. Did we want to wait 45 m? No. Did we want to give a CELL PHONE? No. Did we want to take our party of six, drinking two rounds down to the Zam Zam and give them our money instead ? Hell yes. Last thought: if the Alembic wants to play the velvet rope - manufactured scarcity game, consider upgrading the image of the person turning you away. Giant bodybuilder with a bluetooth flashing: no problem. Hairslicked Euro dude with an accent and a $1000 suit: sure. Fine hostess in a white blouse, little designer glasses and hair in a bun: OK. But a 20-something with an industrial staple in her nose dressed like pot luck from the laundromat? Give me a break. read more

Id been in for drinks and hanging out but recently the first time for food. One of the most under rated menus in the city I think. Jerked duck hearts, smoked trout and roe, puffed beef tendons with Pho seasonings, sweetbreads, fried stuffed olives with anchovy,...everything was really tasty. Cocktails are also solid. The one drawback is it's on the older side and it's super dark, though in some cases that's a plus. Since the new kitchen is operational they're going to proceed with redoing the space itself and connecting the new eating space also. Defintely looking forward to the new look down the line. 4.3 stars read more

The Alembic - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

You walk into this spot and it looks like a small dive bar. It's dark and there's some seating in the back along with some board games and you order your food at the bar. So imagine my surprise when the food and cocktails were some of the best I've had for brunch in SF. I ordered the build your own brunch (choose 5/8 options), and found myself obsessed with their ricotta cheese, scrambled eggs, and avocado. Their treatment of the food is simple but effective and I will definitely be using a few tricks of theirs when cooking and obviously be coming back for brunch. They also are great if you need a late dinner with your drinks as their kitchen is open until 11pm! read more

The Alembic - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I love this bar! We went on Savoy night and got to pick out anything we wanted to drink from the Savoy Cocktail book, and the bartender would make it. Most of the drinks involved gin or whiskey, and they were all gorgeous to look at and even tastier to drink. If you want a fabulous cocktail, the Alembic is the place to go. read more

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The drink menu at Alembic is 3x longer than its food menu. If you're looking for fancy cocktails and a chill time at the bar, look no further. We came around 4:30 PM to eat dinner, but they weren't serving food until 5. So we ordered the duck hearts and tried to eat one heart every 10 minutes while counting down to 5 PM. There's booth seating in addition to the bar, and most people come here to sample the cocktails made by Mixologists. There are some pretty interesting names and questionable descriptions for the drinks, so definitely study the drink menu fully before ordering. We had the duck hearts, charcuterie plate, bone marrow, and koji chicken. The duck hearts are on one tiny skewer on grilled pineapple, but are pretty good. The charcuterie plate comprised of lots of different kinds of meats and some bread, but interestingly enough, no cheese. It would've been a lot better if there had been cheese. Everyone raves about the bone marrow here, and I don't think anyone can ever mess up bone marrow because it's so good on its own. But the Alembic doesn't really bring any quirks or special flavors to the bone marrow dish, unlike State Bird or Michel Bistro. I think the koji chicken was the best. It was tender and juicy, and the rice provided some much needed carbs. Our waitress was really nice, refilling our water every couple minutes and asking us how the food was. Overall a nice experience, though the food is a bit pricy for the quality. read more

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Haven't had the food, but the drinks were BOMB. For starters, I couldn't even make sense of all the drink offerings. I saw the bartender light a drink on fire and I was sold. I ordered the "blood and sand". It was: 3/4 oz Scotch whisky 3/4 oz rosso vermouth 1/4 oz cherry brandy 1 1/2 oz orange juice And don't forget to light that thing on fire! It was a sleek space on Haight. I would go back for some quality drinks. My drink was about $13 but it was a damn good drink. read more

One of, if not THE, largest selections of bourbon in the city. That alone gets it 4 stars. The cheese plate gets it the 5th star in my book. I'll be frank, we didn't drink cocktails. It was cold and rainy as we walked around the Haight, so we were going for the warming effect of whiskey - neat. I had a couple of very tasty bourbons and my S.O. had her beloved scotch - "the water of life". Neat and warm, with just a small touch of water added to open them up. Watching the bartender work her magic though, I could see that she was a person of skill in this area. I started off with a Hudson Rye and moved on to the Black Maple Hill Bourbon. My wife had the Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban and then tried the Scapa at the bartenders recommendation. The menu is small, but looked very tasty. We went with the simple, yet delicious, selection of cheeses. On my next visit, I will order off the menu and go for a cocktail - most likely a Manhattan. The problem will be deciding which bourbon to have it made with. They have the standards - Makers, Knob, Woodford Reserve, Jefferson, and the like. There are most of my favorites - Black Maple Hill, Eagle Rare, Buffalo Trace, Hudson Baby Bourbon, Noah's Mill, Old Portrero, Four Roses, Basel Hayden And a handful I have not had the opportunity to try yet - Willet's (the good stuff), Rock Hill, Hancock, Rowen's Creek, and many more Then there is the Rye - Rittenhouse, Wild Turkey, Russel's, Sazerac , Thomas Handy, Old Portrero, the aforementioned Hudson, and others But the one I was looking for that they didn't have is Pappy Van Winkle - what's up with that? The list of whiskey (scotch) was pretty good too. They have a very solid selection from around Scotland - as well as the rest of the world (St George from here in the Bay Area, House Spirits from Portland, and several from Japan). And for the non-whiskey drinkers, the other spirits were top notch as well as the selection of quality, local beers on tap and an interesting selection by the bottle. Hmmm, it's only been 2 days and I am ready to go back there. read more

A very cool bar on Haight St that has an interesting theme night: The Savoy Cocktail Book night. You get to order pretty much anything out of that book, and these are some pretty funky cocktails from like the 20s and 30s, I believe. We ordered a variety of drinks with names like Elk's Own and The Corpse Reviver. They were surprisingly good, and it was just fun to look through that book at all the crazy recipes! The staff here is very friendly and helpful, and a lot of the drinks we ordered happened to be suggestions by the waitress. An unpretentious bar with a nice relaxed vibe, filled with good cheer and even better libations. That's a great bar in my opinion, and I think it'll be a regular stop for me whenever I'm in SF. read more

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I am super psyched that after my fail meal at Farina I was able to come redeem my night at The Alembic. I've wanted to come here, and had this spot bookmarked in my list for quite some time. It was in Haight & Ashbury but I didn't know where exactly I would end up at. I was pleasantly surprised to find plenty of parking at this time of the night right in front of the bar I had intended to go to. I also found a lot of random people milling about, one of which (I assume) wrote some nonsense on my car as it was cold and foggy that night. It's quite literally nonsense because I have absolutely no idea what it says. Regardless, coming into the Alembic, I expected it to be extremely busy on a Saturday night around 11pm but it was fairly loosely packed. We found a pack of four seats at the bar and comfortably stationed ourselves in awe of the amazing list of whiskeys, scotches, agave liquor, tequila ... so on written on the chalk board menu above. They also have an actual cocktails menu which has plenty of fun things to try, particularly a pisco sour that my friend was particular to all night. They had a LATE NIGHT menu and fun, funky bartenders who were very matter of fact. I did have the pickled quail eggs and the bone marrow. Both were AMAZING. Yes the pickled quail eggs come looking pink / red and almost diseased, but the salt on them are amazing. They come in an order of 3 for $2 which is not bad at all. But then there was the bone marrow. Oh I have had a lot of bone marrow dishes in my life. At famous restaurants, at Michelin restaurants, at hole in the wall restaurants, and at home made by yours truly. This was something SPECTACULAR. If you come here, you MUST get this. It is better than just about everything I've ever had except for when I was 5 and my mom made like 10 pieces and I was overfull with joy and ... grease. This is a must go for all cocktail lovers, whiskey lovers, scotch lovers, and good food lovers. This is in general a must go, and at the risk of packing this tiny little joint I say to you GO. read more

This was one of The Alembic's first nights of operation, and I was fortunate enough to stop in. Unfortunately, I had a cold. Fortunately, the nice folks at the bar made me a hot toddy, with a stick of cinammon and a clove studded lemon slice. Unfortunately, the cold made it difficult for me to taste the subtle flavors in the food. Fortunately, I could tell from the rest of the folks at the bar that they were enjoying their small plates of food. They're still getting started, so there are some elements of the menu that aren't finalized. One dessert item, the "manhattan float," wasn't available as the chef hasn't quite finished figuring it out yet. The interior has a rustic, old-fashioned feel - enhanced by "edison bulbs" hanging above the bar, and mechanical ceiling fans. The place is small - only about 10 tables and a couple dozen bar stools - so I can see it getting crowded once they hit their stride and get well known. read more

Our first night in San Francisco called for a place that was as much about food as it was about drinks. After some furious plane research, I landed on the Alembic, which boasts both and delivers on both. It appears my review will be nothing new to folks, as this place has been frequented by thousands of Yelpers, but I'm adding my two cents anyway. The Alembic is a versatile spot, good for a date, small group hang or post-work drinks and bite. The cocktails are top-notch and the food is far more than just "bar eats". They've got plenty of beer and wine as well, but come here for the master mixology--it's worth your time. Inventive recipes, seasonal offerings and great execution. They'll make you work for your drinks here, but I can pretty much guarantee that it'll be worth it. Came here at around 6:30pm on a Thursday night as a party of four. Though I read plenty of reviews and scanned through albums of photos prior, the Alembic's interior surprised me. A causal vibe, almost upscale divey. Not that I know anything about the energy of Upper Haight (I'm an out-of-towner), but the food and drinks menus suggest a place more heavily-manned, organized, well-rounded. There's nothing objectively *wrong* with the flow here, it was just unexpected. There are two rooms to the Alembic, one with booths and one with the bar area + small tables. Regardless of where you sit, you need to order everything up at the bar. I'd be fine with that on its own, but you need to go retrieve your drinks as well. So I felt like an awkward, desperate weirdo each time we waited for our drinks, hovering around by the bar, checking up like a helicopter parent. So that was strange. Luckily, if you order food, that will be brought straight to you. Crisis averted. As a cocktail nut, I have high standards. The Alembic met them. I was impressed and excited by everything that all of our party members order, and I can speak to a few of them. But I don't think you can go wrong here. The drinks are creative and delicious, so just make sure you take time to savor. My first drink, the Night Market (st george botanivor gin, cucumber-lemongrass shrub, thai chili), was my ideal gin drink. Herbal, a little bit spicy and refreshing. A perfect starter. I then tried the Golden Child (brugal anejo rum, turmeric, ginger, honey, creamed coconut, bee pollen) which was all kinds of decadent. Rich but still well balanced. And then my Brown Butter Old Fashioned (brown butter washed old forester bourbon, roasted sugar, bitters) was just wonderfully grounding. I love to end my nights on a spirit-forward whiskey cocktail, and this was just that. This whole liquor-washing trend is pure magic and makes for a more complex, intriguing sip. As a part of four, we basically ordered the whole menu. My research did not fail me: the food menu is full of elevated plates, diverse and delicious. Our eats, below: Deviled Eggs w/ eggs, cream, lemon, thyme, truffle, capers: A Flirty, fluffy and thriving. If you like deviled eggs, these are a worthy preparation. Light but still rich. Tartine w/ house ricotta, pine nuts, english peas, black pepper, honey: A+ Ricotta and honey are match made in heaven. We ran into ricotta a few times this evening and given that it's "house ricotta" here, I must commend the Alembic for their very successful production. Duck Hearts w/ jerk-spiced duck hearts, pickled pineapple: A+ My sister balked because she's all "oh I just love ducks too much I'll only eat turkey I hate eating birds" and so I ate hers without batting an eye. These were superb. Creative and uber flavorful. Gems Salad w/ avocado, cashew, carrot, red onion, orange, ricotta, green goddess dressing: A- All of the good stuff. Not spectacular, but got some more of that ricotta goodness. Solid salad. Kale salad w/ pomegranates, nuts: A- Same as the above, minus the ricotta. A nice winter salad with some fall squash, sweet potatoes. Earthy, grounding flavors. Mussels w/ garlic, fresno peppers, chipotle, pilsner, butter, & parsley, served with crostini: A- Probably the first time I've ordered mussels at a bar and I was pleasantly surprised. The spice added some nice complexity to the dish without overpowering the mussels. Scallops: A Sadly not on their online menu and I can't remember the full preparation, but considering I don't typically like scallops, I'd say this dish "exceeded expectations" (it's a report card joke...because I'm grading things...no?). Short Rib: A+ Another plate that was definitely above and beyond pub fare. Tender and incredibly flavorful. The food came out quickly, and thankfully we did not need to waltz into the kitchen to receive it. Prices are fair! For four people, each of us all ordering 2-3 cocktails plus all of this food, it was about $240. A great deal, in my opinion (though I easily could be way off because of the absurdities I experience in NYC). read more

You make me feel like a natural foodie... Couldn't help belting that out after Aretha delivered that wonderful performance at the Kennedy Center last night! And here, that's precisely what the food, drinks and vibe all do: make you want to be more of who you already are! Not to say this spot on the Haight is full of hippie love nor is jammed packed with a bunch of stoners (I did no examination whatsoever...), but I deeply enjoyed every moment I was inside The Alembic, and it may not have been just because of the food itself! Will get more into that in a moment. Our shared menu items to eat were these: -Pickled Deviled Eggs w Smoked Apple -Jerk Spiced Duck Hearts w Pickled Pineapple -Hamachi Crudo w Ginger and Radish -Mai Tais (1 each) Ermagerd, the dishes were each delicate and delightful. I particularly loved the Hamachi Crudo -- so vibrant in flavor! Was surprised how much I liked their version of the duck hearts, too -- I'd first tried consuming hearts at another location earlier that year which were nothing in comparison, plus the jerk-spice assisted ten-fold! Going back to the deeper connection for this, I will reveal a fact I *LEARNED* not long *AFTER* visiting this place: my grandfather actually lived during his early adulthood within about three blocks of here! So, whatever auras are still existing are going strong, because I was enticed. Plan to be back in the new year! read more

Gold chains & Limeades, maynne! (x_x) Limeade #supersour ($_$) Waitress' Chain #likeatyrionishangingfromhernecklace (^_^) Beef Tongue #popdatyolk (-_^) Beef Tartare #spicy (-_^) Neeardabeech Duck Hearts #squishy (-_^) Ryeman Bao #doughy Each item was deecelish not mind = blown. But I'd go back for Limeade & #blingbling any day. read more

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We were in haight ashbury taking in all of the culture and checking out the shops and were dying for a drink. We saw the clean design of the exterior and figured it was the kind of place we would Enjoy. Our drinks could not have been better. When you walk in you will see vibrant activity and buzz around the bar with some patrons going there to sit and others going there to order. We walked upto the bar and ordered some cocktails. I had the brown butter old fashioned it was awesome! Overall great bar. read more

I came here because i know thy serve the same bone marrow dish as the Michel Bistro in oakland. And I loved the bone marrow dish here. It was cooked perfectly, with chewy fat and soft texture. I also had the quail dish, cooked excellently--comes with squash and lentils that complimented the protein so well. AND THEN the dessert-- the bartender recommended the spice cake. Let me tell you, this is no ordinary spice cake. Very sweet, but still light, balanced w acidity from apples and sorbet. Of course, this bar is in the haight so it's very hip and youthful, which I love. Bartenders there were so accommodating. All in all, a lovely dinner. read more

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Middle ground. Politically, being a moderate these days is akin to saying, "Please, don't elect me." Apparently you have to either out-conservative or out-liberal the next guy. It's like a giant bar bet to see who has more polarity, and we all measure to see the winner. There's no politics at The Alembic, unless of course you get daring and bring it up over drinks at the bar. But you will, however, find a striking resemblance between their food & drink, and our current political climate. There is no middle ground. Nothing moderate. It's either a bit hit, or a big ol' miss. Since I don't drink, I can't comment on the bevvies. But all my dining companions lit up like little stars when they drank, so I'm going with hit. The ambiance? Cramped, for sure. But dark and not pretentious. So that's a hit. And then the food. Oh, mama. Some hits. Eggs. Bone marrow. Brandade. Bread. Big hits. And then the sausage. Mediocre is probably a compliment. And those chicken wings? Look, I'm a fan of wings, in all shapes and sizes. And it hurts me to be critical. And I'll eat just about anything. But those wings were kinda inedible. Maybe they weren't executed right? Because I don't think anyone would serve those for more than a few nights without hearing some strong feedback and pulling them from the menu. I say, go and get something to sip. If you want to grab a little something to nosh, give it a go. Most of the bites are small and spendy, so maybe not the best place to get a whole meal. But nibble? Sure. Just know that when you wind up that bat and you're ready to swing, there could be a heroic hit, or that memorably bad miss. read more

Quality cocktails that are only a 10-minute walk away from where I live? HOW DID I NOT DISCOVER THIS EARLIER. As others have mentioned, the service at the bar is shizz. We went on a Saturday evening around 10 PM, and it was decently full (about 10 seats at the bar, 8 more tall seats along the wall, and tables that can seat about 16 or so). Despite having two gentlemen behind the counter, only one seemed to be the real bartender--the other served as the real butthole. Fortunately, the waitress managing the small sitting area was very pleasant. Other pluses are that they have a fantastic selection of food and beer (according to other reviewers), they offer $10 combo drink specials, and they take card. They have a legit metal-bound binder of alcohol that definitely wowed my whiskey-whizz friend. For those who prefer mixology, their ever-changing cocktail menu features a page of the canon (aka classics) (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-alembic-san-francisco?select=Gjc-uCYRdKuRmqoXiuXgfg#gHWOnfryFbHOt2tnlGKMsA) and a page of the new school (aka the funky stuff) (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-alembic-san-francisco?select=Gjc-uCYRdKuRmqoXiuXgfg#eer3sc--l2Yl49bEvwJmsQ). We started off with 2 new school cocktails: the $11 VASCO DA GAMA (four roses bourbon, garam masala spiced apple syrup, and a wee splash of islay scotch, stirred briskly and tossed on the rocks) and the $11 SOUTHERN EXPOSURE (St. George terrior gin, fresh mint, lime juice, a touch of sugar, and a little shot of fresh celery juice). The Vasco da Gama had the strongest alcohol tone than all of the drinks we tried, and you could definitely taste the kick from the garam masala spice. The Southern Exposure was a unique spin on the classic mojito--my friend described it as "earthy," which could be attributed to the celery. Quite frankly, there was nothing more delicious than drinking something "loaded with antioxidants to help deal with the Haight's population of free 'radicals.'" In between our two rounds of drinks, we got the $2 PICKLED QUAIL EGGS (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-alembic-san-francisco?select=Gjc-uCYRdKuRmqoXiuXgfg#Gjc-uCYRdKuRmqoXiuXgfg). OMG GET THESE NASTY-LOOKING PINK EGGS AND POP THEM IN YOUR MOUTH. The first taste that hit me was that of vinegar (I literally felt like I was eating the sauce for xiao long bao), but then you get to the creamy yolk, which mixes oh-so-perfectly with the salty acidic vinegar that it's pickled in. And with each drink you finish, the quail eggs taste that much better: the salt helps cut the bite of the alcohol. srsly, the two of us both had to take a moment when we would close our eyes, stop talking, and just let that damned quail egg melt in our mouths. asjfnkdhbgkdgalsndnhfhhhhh. We topped off with 2 old school cocktails: the $11 FRENCH 75 (cognac, lemon, honey, and a touch of champagne) and the $11 PISCO PUNCH (kaffir lime leaf-infused pisco, pineapple gum, and fresh lemon). The Pisco Punch was refreshing, with a more dominant lime flavor than pineapple. As for the French 75, all I can say was that it grew on me the more I drank it hahaha. Before we left for the evening, the pair next to us said that we had to order the BLACK DUCK for next time. The gentleman politely shoved his drink in our hands, and after a sip, we both agreed that it tasted like a creamsicle bourbon hehe. Oh mang, they actually ran out of the Nine Volt when we went. GOTTA GO BACK FOR THE NINE VOLT. AND THE BLACK DUCK. AND MOAR QUAIL EGGS. read more

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Review is based on drinks alone as renovation is under way on the restaurant. As of now its a dark bar with a smallish lounge type area in the back where they specialize in classic cocktails and inventive takes on the classics. They use top of the line ingredients and I see the pride in their mixology. Its the kind of place where you can sit back, relax and enjoy your libations!!!! I do want to try their food as I heard it is really good. read more

The Alembic - Sunset scavenger hunt - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Super strong drinks that are hand crafted. I felt the flavors were ehh, mainly because I'm a vodka girl who likes a bit of frou-frou-ness in my drink. Don't expect that here. However, my date loved all the cocktails we ordered. Just wish the bartenders were a bit friendlier. read more

The Alembic - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Bone marrow is like the nectar of the gods, the meat gods. Finding a place that does it well is like finding a diamond in the rough. Luckily my friends also worship the meat gods and let me know about The Alembic and how bone marrow is a staple on the menu. I actually never think about eating in the Haight-Asbury area, but someone was visiting from out of town and wanted to get to know SF better, so off we went to try it. Sadly Yelp mobile misrepresents this place as a dive bar, but it isn't a dive at all. Walking into the bar, it's only light sources are from the window and candles. The back where they serve food is actually quite nice. Pickled quail eggs and duck heart were ordered to start. Both were quite tasty and not overpowering in flavor. I ordered the fried oyster po' boy slider, that was a fried oyster with napa kimchee and charred jalapeno aioli. So... good. I could eat 5 of these. For din I ordered the bone marrow of course and it was sliced well so that all the bone marrow was accessible, and was perfectly cooked. Overcooked bone marrow would be the equivalent of eating air, as it tends to dry out and then not be the cholesterolly goodness. Since my main courses were relatively light, I opted for the hazelnut cake to finish off dinner. It was nice and warm and paired perfectly with asian pears. Overall I really liked the Alembic, they had great food for a bar and well mixed drinks. read more

The Alembic - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

It was been awhile since a restaurant has blown me out of the water with both food and service. My boyfriend and I came here on our date night before seeing a performance nearby at Milk Bar. The performance was scheduled to start at 8:00 PM and we arrived to The Alembic around 7:15 PM. We were immediately seated and explained our situation to the waitress. She was so helpful and professional, and that made all the difference in our rushed state! We quickly decided to order the bone marrow and pork belly, so the waitress sent our request to the kitchen ASAP. Then we got our cocktails. The Brown Wolf cocktail was good, excellent if you are feeling like bourbon. My boyfriend got the Southern Exposure, which I ended up liking more because it turns out I was in a girly drink mood. Ironically, the waitress bringing our drinks assumed that I got the girly drink at first... The food was AMAZING. The bone marrow contains caper gremolata, garlic confit, and JB toast. The pork belly has charred broccoli, maitake, aztec apricot, sprouts, spring onion. Would HIGHLY recommend both. The flavors and portions were perfect, and they definitely called me to come back here again to try more of what's on their menu. Needless to say, we made it to Milk Bar on time (incredible!) so thank you Alembic for such a wonderful culinary experience and for kicking off our date night in class and style! read more

This is my favorite spot on haight. I recently sat down in the back to try something on their dinner menu. We had the bone marrow and it was pretty good; it's a deceiving dish because it looks very big but most of it is just bone. Excited for their expansion! read more

The Alembic - Bone marrow - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've been out of the country and it's been a few weeks since I've been to my 'local' so they're excused (perhaps) for not recognizing me... certainly the hostess was new to me... nonetheless, don't they know there's an economic crisis in this country? I can understand having to wait 45 minutes for a table, but then she asked for my cell number so that she could text me when a table became available. "You don't have to text me. I'll be right at the bar." "We don't have space at the bar right now." What are they trying to pull? They think they're Bruno from Zam Zam? It was pouring rain outside. Where did she think we were going to hang out for 45 minutes? I hate to wish ill on any one's business, but geez people... get a grip on reality! You don't send paying customers away... certainly not at the prices you're charging for your cocktails. Two thumbs way down! I just wanted to add that I really liked this place, so much so that sometimes I'd be there 3-4 times a week... which made me stop and do the math. Since I refuse to go there any more, they will lose no less than $500 per month from me (based on an average of $40 per visit from me alone - and usually a lot more). And since I'm not alone very often, that's $1000 dollars per month. And since my friends won't be going, you can probably add another $2-3000 per month. We need another cool eatery in the 'hood to take advantage of the $$ the Alembic is kicking out the door! read more