My group of five decided to do a random Friday night dinner. Since I wasn't sure of the headcount when planning, I suggested going to The Alembic. (They don't take reservations, so I figured it would be easier.) The majority of us showed up on Friday, June 8th around 6:15pm. It's wasn't too busy at the time, so we easily managed to find a table. *Deviled Eggs: eggs, cream, lemon, thyme, truffle, capers ($7) *Scotch Egg: pork & sage sausage, mustard gastrique, pic ($9) *Curly Fries: kennebecs, salt, cayenne, garlic, rosemary ($7) *Duck Hearts: jerk-spiced duck hearts, pineapple ($8) *Grilled Kale Salad: kale, kabocha squash, pistachio, red bell pepper, garbanzo, parmesan dressing ($12) *Ribeye Burger: 6 oz burger, acme bun, pickled onion, gem, heirloom tomato, aioli, beer mustard, with fries ($16), add Cheddar (+$2), Bacon (+$2) *Fried Chicken Sandwich: spiced & fried chicken, honey glaze, acme bun, house pickles, buttermilk, cabbage, with fries ($14) *Bucatini: tomato, capers, garlic, chili flake, oregano ($13) *Wonton & Dashi: crimini, porcini, dashi, bok choy ($14) *Octopus: braised in white wine and coconut milk, with crimini mushrooms, sea beans, shallots, finger limes, and red pepper coulis ($13) I wasn't super hungry, so I just let everyone order the food. I believe the octopus was a special and one of my favorite dishes. Nice chew. The duck hearts were also good. Slightly gamey, but very tasty. I adore my greens, so I enjoyed the grilled kale. The fried chicken was delish. The batter, nice and crunchy. I enjoyed the flavors of the deviled eggs due to the truffle, but the filling was way too runny. Would have been better if it were a little thicker. The scotch egg was missing that beautiful runny yolk. I wanted that liquid gold. *Brown Butter Old Fashioned: brown butter washed old forester bourbon, roasted sugar, bitters ($11) *Black Manhattan: west of kentucky no 2 bourbon, amaro nonino, black walnut bitters ($14) *Hi-Dive: bank note blended scotch, red wine gastrique, lemon, lime, bitters ($11) x2 *Night Market: st george botanivor gin, cucumber-lemongrass shrub, thai chili ($12) *Southern Exposure: Created by Daniel Hyatt, st george terrior gin, celery, lime, simple syrup, mint ($12) *Blanc Negroni: tapatio tequila blanco, dolin genepy, cascadia liqueur ($12) *Swizzle Me This: st george botanivor gin, trois rivieres rhum agricole, strawberries, lemon, lime, angostura float, black pepper ($13) *Golden Child: brugal anejorum, turmeric, ginger, honey, creamed coconut, bee pollen ($12) *Farmer's Market Smash: limited availability, old forester bourbon with bing cherry, sugar, lime, thai basil ($14) *B-Side: rittenhouse rye, medjool dates, fennel, peychaud's ($12) *Classic Negroni: gin, campari, sweet vermouth ($10) x2 *RITTENHOUSE 100 ($8), Up (+$2) *Glengyle 12 year ($14) Drink wise, we were all over the place. I started with the black manhattan which was fine. A touch too sweet for me, but nothing I couldn't handle. Afterwards, I wanted something light, so I think the bartender just made me a rittenhouse rye smash. I wanted an icy cocktail, but without too much sweetness. This ended up being perfect! I do love trying new cocktails from time to time, so this was definitely a lot of fun. And the food was pretty good as well. The only downer was they don't have TVs here and it was game 4 of the finals with the warriors. I ended up streaming it from my phone, but it would have been nice to watch it on a big screen. In the end, the won, so it was a pretty good night. Good drinks, good food, and good company. No complaints from me. read more

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I came to the Alembic on a Saturday night, there was standing room only. It took a few minutes to get a drink because the bartenders were swamped. Once I did get a drink the bartender gave me probably the stiffest drink I've ever had, which made me super happy as there was about 2 drinks worth of booze in my greyhound. As the night went on, we were able to grab some seats at the bar. standing is fine, but chilling at the bar is much nicer. And they do have hooks under the bar for ladies purses etc. We somehow found the time to google search what Alembic was, turns out its some kind of beaker set used to distill alcohol. Pretty cool. The bathrooms here were pretty new and classy, they actually had little hand towels to dry your hands. It was super sweet. read more

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

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After a rough day at work, my coworkers and I came over to the Alembic as our first stop for the night. We each started our relaxation with a boilermaker, and paired it with several appetizers. The selection was awesome, and the staff were all fairly friendly when preparing it. I appreciate that there are quite a few options in their drinks as well as their food menu. There's a happy hour as well for a few dollars off on the bar bites and beers. The beer options are extensive, and each person has a different beer palate so I'll focus on what we ate for food. Popcorn: Solid popcorn, great snack to go along with the drinks House potato chips: Decent onion dip, solid crispy chips Tartine: The ricotta, honey, and pine nuts make for a decadent combination on this tartine. Would definitely get it again! Bone marrow: One of our friends said that she had never tried bone marrow before... so we had to order a plate. Pretty decent flavor, great with the bacon marmalade. Hummus & Flatbread: This was better than I expected. The hummus is well made and packed with flavor. Overall, the Alembic is a solid place for a drink and some snacks. I would definitely return for another try at some of the other food options, as well as their extensive drink selection. read more

Beautiful, intimate cocktail bar - I liked my seasonal cocktail, and I LOVED the Brown Butter Old Fashioned. The food was just ok - the snacks were tasty enough, but were small and took a while to get - and it can take a long time to get a bartender's attention, but this is in part because they're putting so much care into each drink. Definitely a place I'll return to. read more

The Alembic - Lovely seasonal cocktail - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

My visit to this place has been a LONG time coming, and boy did it NOT disappoint. As you walk in, you immediately see the bar to your left. There are table booths as you walk deeper into the space, but food can be ordered in either area. Onto what matters most, THE FOOD AND DRINKS! We ordered the bone marrow and jerk duck hearts. If you haven't had bone marrow before, I highly recommend you try it here. It is the DELICIOUS. They give you some type of bread, some lemon juice to drizzle and capers to pair it. It's fatty, but boy it's good. As for the jerk duck hearts, they had sliced pineapple to go with it. The pineapple is a nice touch to balance the jerk style flavors of the duck hearts. The only down side about the duck hearts is you only get two skewers (if I remember correctly). As for the drinks, I had a Brown Wolf. It's a bourbon drink with spiced pear liqueur, amaro lucano and mole bitters. If you were to think of a cinnamon spice/christmas appropriate drink, this would be your go-to. All in all, this place is awesome. Not the cheapest place in the world, but the cocktails are well crafted and the eats are BOMB. I'll be back [Arnold Schwarzeneger voice] read more

I've been here a few times and I always like to bring out of town guests here. The barkeeps are always really nice and conversational and make hella good craft cocktails!! I absolutely love coming here for drinks and a snack PROS: - I love the design, decor - Craft cocktails are really good. Some of the best ever - Barkeeps are pretty cool, conversational, and can work with you on creating a drink - There is seating at the gorgeous wood top bar, some by front window, towards the back, and in a side room with a sitting window area CONS: - the side room with the window seating area is always really stuff. They should make those widows operable and open them, especially when it's hot - would be nice if they had free snacks like nuts, chips, popcorn, or something. read more

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Great late night food! All the "snacks" on the dinner menu are available late - until 1am! They may not be entrees but you can still get a great meal out of it. * Free popcorn - 4 stars This was fresh, tasty, and had a great unique seasoning. * 30-day notice (cocktail) - 3.5 stars (flor de cana rum, lime juice, banana cordial, yellow chartreuse, chili tincture) Legit spicy! The rum was a little on the strong side and added a bit of bitterness, but I still enjoyed this. * Jerk spiced duck hearts w/ pickled pineapple & thyme salt ($5) - 5 stars pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-alembic-san-francisco?select=tIzcFw6my6cwLly8PW4cQQ#HvGk4AWjdKvwfxxyxHUNhw Wow, I loved this! The hearts were kind of dry but they were very densely packed and amazing in texture (grainy) & flavor (gamey, savory). The pineapple gave it a sharp sweet/tart kick that worked really well. * Shishito peppers w/ smoked anchovy salt ($6) - 4 stars pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-alembic-san-francisco?select=tIzcFw6my6cwLly8PW4cQQ#6u-qtczB913mVgvAwHg7jQ A little on the bitter side, but the salt was amazing. It was lightly salted but had a strong flavor. The peppers were a tiny bit on the soft side for me, I would have preferred a bit more of a crunch, but that's just me being picky. They did a good job giving them a slight bite & crisp yet keeping the peppers soft. * Pork belly sliders, smoked honey mustard, pickles, mizuna ($5) - 4 stars pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-alembic-san-francisco?select=tIzcFw6my6cwLly8PW4cQQ#tIzcFw6my6cwLly8PW4cQQ The bun was buttery but could have been a little more toasted. The pork belly was a fantastic thick chunk of fatty delicious meat. The greens were cut into kind of big pieces that didn't make it the easiest to eat, but they all added well to the overall flavor. read more

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AMBIENCE: 5 stars. If I lived closer to this establishment, it would be my go-to for drinks and apps with friends. Its warm, moody-rustic interior will make you want to stick around. DRINKS: 5 stars. Mostly for their beer options. My FAVORITE beer ever is served here, Geisterfaust ghost town Pilsner. I'm ruined for anything else. FOOD: 4 stars. I can ONLY speak to their dinner menu. Here are my observations: *The menu is small...great for someone indecisive, not for someone picky. *Do you love bread? It's great here. And... also $7. I still get it, because, carbs. But come on...$7?! Still would recommend trying...especially dipped in the soup... *The butternut squash soup...mmmm. Comforting and light. NOT made with loads of heavy cream!! Fairly sure it's a broth base. For someone dairy sensitive, this is an awesome find. *Tartine w/ ricotta, delicata squash, toasted pecans and maple was the inspiration for this year's Friendsgiving side dish I brought to a friend's house. Super delicious. Overall...pretty pricey, but on par with most of SF. Don't come here to get stuffed. Come here for a few drinks, and to share delicious apps with a friend! read more

The Alembic - Tartine: crunchy bread topped with house ricotta, toasted delicata squash, toasted pecans, and maple. SO autumnal. Delicious. - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Even if you book here on open table they will not honor your reservation if other people come before you and hold a reservation. This is not a great way to do business. Cancel your open table options for people who spend money to Uber all the way here for a table that is not available for an hour. read more

At long last the hood has a decent place to eat and drink -- I now have more than Cole street to hang out. Lets see, the drink menu is great, they know how to make all the good stuff they have great beer taps (thanks for having guest taps I like magnolia's brews but there is much better out there). The food needs work, the menu is too gastro pub I am not in London I am in the Haight -- the Chef is cool and I think over time he will work out the menu to go better with the drinks. Back to the bar, first I love the hooks under the bar, that way you can hang your coat and not sit on it. East coast bars all have hooks, we have the weather to support more bar hooks I say. Also the booze menu on the chalk board reminds me of my favorite haunt in NYC for beer (DBA for you in the know). All I can say is that I just may keep company here. Cheers! read more

I wasn't thrilled when the bookstore people took over my favorite neighborhood cocktail spot, and frankly the cocktails aren't as good as they once were, but that isn't a reasonable standard. Regardless, I am so glad we still have the Alembic! During the corona-pandemic the Alembic has been offering weekly meals for pickup or neighborhood delivery at a price that can't even cover the cost of ingredients, encouraging folks to buy an extra for a neighbor who could use it, and they are delicious! Last week, I accidentally placed my order for pickup and it was so late when I realized why it hadn't been delivered that I just shot them an email saying, "my mistake. I hope someone there will enjoy the meal," if only to be sure they wouldn't wait for me to show up. To my shock, someone called me and kindly offered to drop it off on their way home after work. Such amazing service in a time when every little gesture means so much. Great food, great service, great neighbors, and completely drinkable cocktails. The Alembic will be the first place I visit when the world returns to normal. read more

What a fun spot. The cocktails were really creative. I had 2 of the Chamoy-kin Me Crazy (I don't even remember if that is what it was actually called) but it was a mezcal based cocktail with chamoy and it was so good. Very tiny spot but there are some tables in the back for seating. It is first come first serve. You have to order drinks at the bar and then walk them back to those seats. Also too there is a pretty decent food menu and you can order, and then they will try to bring the food directly to you if you are seated. Service was actually pretty quick despite it very quite a busy Friday night. I would love to go back - there are so many more cocktails I want to try! read more

Good service. Elegant but comfortable decor. Good selection of cocktails and beer on tap. The beer menu has plenty of options beyond IPAs. There's a surprisingly large and diverse selection of booze behind the bar. A good drinking option in the Upper Haight. read more

Came here for a chilled dinner. I loved the atmosphere and the sitting area. We ordered the Hanger Steak (25$) and the Gems Salad (12$). Both were really good though I admit that we thought that the steaks portion would be a bit larger. We also ordered the Golden Child (which I recommend) and the Nueva Ola (was ok) from the cocktail menu. But all and all this was a nice place to enjoy our dinner. read more

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Tried out their brunch on a Sunday morning. It was great! A modern, foodie menu with healthy and delicious offerings. I had the build-your-own brunch, which is a fantastic idea. I got some of everything I wanted, and none of anything I didn't want. Staff was friendly, there was no line, and the interiors were pretty and clean. I will say the brunch left me not quite full -- a bit less quantity of food than I might have expected for $16. But I suppose we could all use some belt-tightening. read more

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Get ready to get all cozy with your neighbor because the alembic is one hell of a small bar. It's not that big of a deal, but for some it may be a deal breaker. The ambiance is A1, classy and modern. The aesthetics were visually pleasing with a nice chandelier in the back, black lounge booths, and dim lighting throughout the place. I would have to say, this spot is one that looks like it would be located downtown SF. That's the not the case, because this is located in the good old Haight street. Now on to the cocktails, the drinks were crafted with precision and attention to flavor. We ordered two rounds with craft cocktails running at $13 and beer clocking in at $9. You can easily rack up your nights bill to $100, so tread carefully if you aren't willing to shed out the cash. read more

Fantastic neighborhood bar, and worth the trek across town. Lots of great nooks for meeting up with friends, social bar area, private booths and great cocktails. Have not tried enough of their food just yet but am a big fan of what I have sampled so far. read more

The Alembic - Old-Fashioned Cocktail | https://eddie-hernandez.com - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Cool cocktail bar thats nice to hangout and get a drink. Real chill and date worthy. Not for the turnup.

I came here on a Wednesday with a friend after we had purchased ($40) tickets for the three course prix fixe menu plus three cocktails from a liquor.com offer. Everything was ok, but I think that was the problem. Nothing really impressed us between the food or cocktails. Also after tax, gratuity and supplementing an appetizer and cocktail, our bill for the night was $140. So we didn't really end up saving much on the deal anyway. The highlight of the night was the pork belly which had crispy skin similar to Chinese style. But at $18 for two small pieces, this felt like a bit of a rip-off. I did enjoy reading the descriptions of the cocktails, they are very colorful and seem to have some really interesting ingredients. Service was okay but our waitress wasn't exactly knowledgeable with the cocktails (didn't know ingredients or preparation) or food. An interesting experience but i don't think I'll be back. read more

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What's not to love about small plates, amazing craft cocktails, and this romantic interior? It's helpful to know that while the bar opens at 4 pm, dinner isn't served until 5:30. So, we ordered one of everything we could! The vow of silence and bitter buffalo did not disappoint. Other guests loved the brown derby and coconut milk IPA. The pottery and beer mugs were cute touches. I enjoyed the ambiance and every pickled item that made its way on to my plate! read more

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Very "high concept," but they sure do make a good and imaginative cocktail. The kitchen serves small plates that may not fill you up (except the burger), but work well if you're going out afterwards or aren't too hungry. They don't have the dining room anymore and no reservations, but we managed bar seats. read more

1 STAR: ATMOSPHERE, RESTAURANT, and DESIGN - unique design, comfortable chairs, music wasn't overbearing. 1 STAR: STAFF and CUSTOMER SERVICE - I cannot recall my server's name that night but she had short hair. Perfect service! .5 STAR: FOOD and PRESENTATION - everyone has a different palette and their food just didn't appeal to me as much (but I did post my favorite I had from this place). 1 STAR: COCKTAIL MENU - you HAVE TO order something from this list! 1 STAR: BIRTHDAY - very thoughtful and genuine; dessert was on the house for a birthday boy from our party. read more

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Ok, 4+ years later. I fell like I should update my review. Drinks are meticulous and delicious. I had a perfectly crafted Mai Tai. My wife enjoyed a Death and Taxes. Christian is the new bar manager and is going places. He's changing up the drink and food menu next week. Stay tuned. The vibe: Totally hipster. Everyone is exactly 27 years old. All the guys have neck beards, including some of the women. Be prepared to get cozy with your bar mates. It's a tiny space, but worth it. read more

Made a pit stop one sunny Saturday afternoon and walked out a big fan. Really friendly service, creative af cocktails, and a super cute interior. I had the After School special and it was so good! It tasted like a PB&J - hint of peanut with a backbone of berries and anejo rum. Very different and tasty. I had a slight buzz after one but then we had to move on. Wish i had more time to lounge at this lounge-y bar. Will be back! read more

Delicious food and wonderful wait staff. Don't walk - run - to this restaurant! I also deeply appreciate caring for their community as they confirm patrons are vaccinated. It is the least we can do for them and for one another. read more

My go to neighborhood bar. The bartenders know me by name and remember favorite drinks. They also did such a great job of taking care of their staff during the pandemic and now taking care of their patrons with asking for proof of vaccination. Makes me feel so comfortable and confident relaxing here for an amazing cocktail. read more

***Drink review only*** Came by for a nightcap, and was blown away by the menu offerings. This has to be the most impressive selection of brown water I've ever seen. I'd say they offer at least 100 different forms of bourbon and scotch. The clientele was quite hipster-ish, but the place was so dark and sleek that it didn't even bother me. That being said, the prices were a few bucks too high per glass, in my opinion. read more

Fantastic establishment, very responsive to customers and the community - I always feel welcome here. I appreciate the current policy to require vaccination for indoor seating, but most of all, I appreciate the hospitality and the cocktails :) read more

I live in the Haight so the Alembic is the place to go when one wants something special and unique. A friend and I went last evening for drinks and appetizers and were wowed by the deliciousness that abounded for us! The drinks were amazing: Farmer's Market Smash and the Golden Child are definitely not to be missed! And, the Hummus & Flatbread were delicious, as was the Tartine (really fabulous!). A very comfortable booth made our time there very happy! read more

The Alembic - The unbelievably wonderfully delicious tartine! - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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While I had high hopes for this place, the food just didn't quite come together and the execution was poor. Friday night, cold, foggy SF, this place was very cold with the door open, the vibe was more Mission than Height, hipster meets foodie. The food: Duck hearts: the pineapple was nice, but the dish was overall bland, the hearts kind chewy, and you couldn't tell they were hearts, could be badly cooked liver Ricotta: was a nice dish, nothing elaborate, but light, the ricotta with the pears and crostini was just well balanced and yummy to kick things off Chicory salad: this was bitter, mostly leaves and hard to eat, the other ingredients while I think were supposed to balance the flavors just were hard to find and get into the same bite Fried chicken: the best dish of the night, smoked collard greens, nicely executed chicken, was just yummy, although the bowl was very awkward to eat from, why would you serve it this way? Rabbit: was very excited about this dish, but it was so poorly done, the rabbit was dry, strange texture, the foie didn't seem to do much and was hard to distinguish, the risotto was more like rabbit food and the artichoke hearts were undercooked. I can't really find anything in this dish that was done well, a waste of a rabbit. Dessert: Pim's cup was interesting, the cake was nice, but the pairings on the side were too much, while the dish looked pretty and elegant the taste didn't match, it was just a mess I really hope this place improves over time, they seem to care about the food, but miss on the execution. read more

Amazing drinks and food! We just dined here tonight. We had the night market, golden child, black Manhattan and white negroni. We also had the potato croquettes, burger and diamond holes- seriously delicious! We will definitely return. As far as service goes there was a female server who was great. The guy bartender had a bit of an attitude, but never mind- next time we will only order from her (and make sure all the tip goes to her). read more

Dark, vibey cocktail bar adjacent to a bookstore. Definitely a Haight Street gem. Great date spot. They also serve hot chocolate and hot cider drinks around holiday time! read more

Great cocktails and fun atmosphere (went on a Friday night). Outside doesn't do the bar justice.

Oh dear. I think I caught them on a bad day. My bartender was a total ditz. It would have been endearing if he wasn't *my* bartender. First he dropped my drink and broke the glass. Then he asked if we wanted to keep the tab open and we said no. He forgot to close it out. Then we kept trying to flag him down for at least *ten* minutes and he made eye contact multiple times but failed to come over. It was so hilariously bad that we ended up making a game out of it. Not a drinking game though because we were done with those. Ultimately we had to stand up and ask another bartender to close us out. I was here catching up with an old friend and we stopped in for a drink. I'd been here a couple times before. What I loved then and now: the drinks are good. The music is good. It's a fun vibe in there. People come in and know the bartenders and other patrons sometimes. It's noisy boisterous friendly fun, and it's got real character. Drinks are on the pricey side, but it's right on Haight so... So honestly if you can take the bad with the good and don't mind fighting for a bartender's attention if you happen to hit this place on a bad day, then you will still have a great time here! read more

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The drinks are as good as they get and the bartenders are great! Stopped by here a few nights ago, and though the bar area isn't too large, we were able to find 2 seats at the bar. I looked at the drink menu and wasn't really in the mood for any of the listed concoctions, so I asked the bartender to whip me up a drink with ginger beer and either whiskey or vodka, whiskey was preferred. Well the bartender didn't disappoint. She spent a few minutes mixing things, tasting, adding things until she was satisfied with her creation. And boy, was it delicious-though I have no idea what it was LOL! My friend got a drink on the menu and liked it as well. Bathrooms were fairly clean. There is a full restaurant, as well. read more

Rude service at The Alembic, which had been a go to spot for me in the Haight. One afternoon this week I was cooling my heels with a drink while my family visiting from the East Coast was exploring the Haight. I asked them to meet me at the Alembic before we headed out to another part of the city. As soon as my 19-year-old niece and her 40-something parents walked in, the bartender shouted at her - "Are you 21? You can't be in here if you're not 21. You need to LEAVE." My startled niece, who hadn't tried to order a drink fled outside with her mom. My glass was empty, and they had been momentarily standing near me - NOT trying to sit and order anything - as I gathered my things to leave. As I walked out, the bartender, who clearly realized she had been harsh, flatly offered a non-apology saying - "She can't be in here. I don't want to lose my job." Now, of course I don't want anyone to lose their job but there's a nice way and a sh***y way to approach that situation, and this was the latter. The bartender could have approached the parents/me (we were a small group, clearly together, not a pack of drunk underaged college kids at midnight on a Saturday looking to get served illegally), and asked nicely - "Hey, does she have ID? No one under 21 is legally allowed in the bar. Sorry, those are the rules." But nope, she decided to be rude about it. With that kind of attitude, I definitely won't be back, and I won't recommend the Alembic to anyone. Too bad. read more

Awesome. 10/10. Could not recommend going here highly enough. Awesome ambiance, amazing cocktails, on point staff, fantastic food.

Bar review only. Trying to kill time waiting for a friend, my SO and I made an impromptu visit to Alembic. I was told by my better half (the one with better memory) that we had been to this place. No recollection. Being not the bar fly type, I was convinced to go there with the promise of Happy Hour small plates. The restaurant area seemed to be still closed. Got there around 6p on Monday - a little quiet with about 5 or so people in the bar. A little quiet for even Monday according to the bartender, but it's also probably because everyone is staying indoor due to the Sonoma/Napa fire. A little disappointed that there was no "Happy Hour snacks". After perusing the menu a bit, I ended up with "Lucinda" and my SO with Yurei. Lucinda: el silencio mezcal, sfumato amaro, lime, crème de cassis, grapefruit ($13) Yurei: iwai Japanese whisky, dios baco fino sherry, honey, smoked asparagus infused sochu. ($13) Lucinda was a winner for me - slightly smoky from the smoked mezcal (think 'kahlua pig process'), delightfully refreshing from all citruses and slightly sweet from the dark red from crème de cassis. Yurei came with a large block of square ice cube. It was dry, slightly smoky and smooth. Love the innovative craft cocktails at this place. And best of all, the Bartender was great (that's you, Mr Z! - thank you). As a non bar-fly type, I truly enjoyed this place and wouldn't mind going here just for the drink. read more

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Alembic has really good cocktails and just a nice overall ambiance. It has a good mixture of your classic hipster sf and also a fancyish place proper tables and stuff. I forgot the name of it, but I got some kind of horchata cocktail. It was really good and something I've never had before! Another thing I haven't tried before was the bone marrow appetizer. It was literally a bone cut in half with garlic and butter and other stuff in it. It was V good. The bread that was served with it was a little over toasted and crunchy for my taste tho. I did however think it was expensive. I think it was around $17. I took a look at the rest of the dinner menu and everything seemed really pricey, so I def wouldn't come here for foos often. However, if you do dine here, I'm sure that it would be reallyyyyyyy tasty and just all around great quality. read more

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

What a spontaneous find.... for drinks ! Was driving in the area with the bf when we decided to grab something to eat before heading back home. Looking through Yelp, the bf stumbled upon The Alembic. We arrived around 8 ish and there was a half hour wait. Damn. Must be good if there's still a wait at this hour and the place was packed with many standing bodies. So we decided to stick around the bar area. The restaurant was parted into two rooms. The main entrance led to a room with a full open bar. The ambience was very hipster and laid back. The room was dimly lit and had candles everywhere. The theme comes off with a little old fashion twist cause of the wooden decor but also with a hip and gothy vibe. This seems like the kind of place you bring someone for drinks; to hangout and catch up over cocktails. Man, do they have a huge selection of alcoholic beverages ranging from beer, wine, to cocktails. In less than 20 minutes and after ordering two cocktails: the last word and communist, a waiter told us our table was all ready! :) We were then led to the other side where there were these cute romantic booth seatings with candles on every table. F O O D: - CHARCUTERIE PLATE ($25): this was a meat platter consisted of a variety of meats: smoked German style sausage, duck, smoked chorizo, spicy capicola, salami cotta, etc. honestly the bf and I didn't even know which was what and what was which. But all the meats tasted very interesting and unique; definitely not in comparison with your average packaged ham or Oscar Meyer wiener. Some were spicily good and some were a bit salty but paired with bread was just fine. (3.5 stars) - MUSHROOMS ($14): wild mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, and rosemary. This dish was by far my most favorite of the night even though it was very small in portion. The sauce was so good I can't even describe it !! Literally had my lips licking after every bite ! (4stars) - DIVER SCALLOPS ($14): made with blood orange and saffron- vanilla, the scallops itself were nicely cooked and soft. I can't say I love this dish but it was different and nothing like other scallop dishes I've had in the past. The blood orange made this dish very citrusy and sour. The bf actually didn't like it at all so I had to eat it all. Can't say it was horrible but can't say I loved it either. ( 1.5stars) - PORK BELLLY ($17): with smoked leek Chowder and manilla clams. The bf thought this dish was good; flavorful and fatty enough. I usually don't eat pork belly but I did try the meat part and thought it was dry and kinda tough to chew. (3 stars) - BONE MARROW ($17): with capers, gremolata, garlic confit, and JB toast. Bone marrow is only good served hot so when you take a bite of that fattyness, it would melt inside your mouth with a burst of hot slimy delicious flavors. Sad to say, the bone marrow we got was only warm and not hot. So when I went to scoop it from the bone, it came off as a big chunk. Even when I tried to smear it onto the bread, it remained in a chunk form and didn't melt off into my bread :( (2stars) D R I N K S: - THE COMMUNIST ($14): upon arriving and sitting at the bar, I asked the funky and quirky bartender to make me something strong that's popular amongst females but not too sweet. She told me that this drink was pretty popular. It was light and gave off a citrusy floral kind of taste. I enjoyed it a lot ! - THE LAST WORD ($14): every bar we go, the bf always asks to see if they make the last word. It's his favorite cocktail and he finds that a lot of places makes it different so he loves trying the differences. He too liked his drink a lot that he ordered a second one ! - SOUTHERN EXP ($12): for my second drink, I asked our server to recommend me something similar to the communist and he brought me this drink. It was definitely stronger than the communist which I liked and the taste was awesome. Was made with gin, lime, celery juice. I enjoyed it very much. Overall, the drinks here were bomb! Definitely outshines the food, imo. Can't say I'll ever get some of the dishes again, but there was a few that was interesting enough for a second chance, perhaps. One thing noted is that if you're a bread lover like I, beware that they charge extra for bread. We weren't informed of this and was surprised when we saw the additional charge. It's not about the money, but it would've been nice to be informed. service was attentive considering how busy they were even at 9/9:30! By the time we finished at 10, there was still a good amount of people waiting at the bar area. read more

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