Rye

Julie is my spirit animal. We have a group of people who come in often, I mean, like really often. The bartenders are some of the best in the city. We love them. Ask Julie for a Red Drink, it’s a drink she makes for me every time I go there and its f**king delicious.

We liked the vibe and drinks in this place. I had the merchant mule — its was darn good. The old fashion was good too. We’ll be back and next time trying the Gimlet.

Just the right kind of place to hang out in the Downtown SF area with a nice little décor which has sufficient seating spaces near and around the bar. The basil gimlet, as most Unilocalers have recommended, is pretty good. I also had the special Negroni with Fallaron Gin which was good too.

TL;DR — Post-​ramen drinks, yes.
–FEELS–
Dark and mysterious, industrial but cozy. Its a good date place ya’ll.
–DRINKS–
La lambada: I’ve kinda been on a mezcal kick lately and the mezcal cocktail they make here is stupendous. Its spicy and sweet and smokey and delicious.
Pimm’s Cup: Refreshing but still strong!
Price-​wise, yeah, its a little more costly than other bars. But the space and the drinks definitely make up for it!

This place is pretty basic. The crowd was not cute. Music wasn’t good, and no where to sit. The drink was pretty strong, it better be for 9 bucks. We left after one drink and I spent most of my time there talking to Quintin the bouncer, at least he was nice lol
Sorry but this area sucks.

It was beautiful weather wise yesterday, so a group of us wanted to go to a bar with a patio. When we found out said bar was closed, we decided to walk down the street to Rye. It was Wednesday, April 6^th around 6pm. We easily found a table for our group of five as it wasn’t very busy at that time. It was still happy hour, so we got $ 2 off all cocktails. I believe their HH ends at 7:30pm. Enough time to take advantage with two drinks!
Prices below are the prices on their regular menu. Not their HH prices.
*Nikka Presbyterian: Japanese Whisky, spiced ginger syrup, and seltzer, with a lemon twist ($ 14)
*Rye Old Fashioned Cure-​All: House made Rock & Rye, Tempus Fugit Crème de Cacao, and bitters; with an orange peel ($ 10)
I had the nikka presbyterian first. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was a nice refreshing drink. Spicy and bubbly, but it still packed an alcoholic punch. Turned out to be a nice drink to start off the night. The old fashioned wasn’t really my style. It was rather sweet and the crème de cacao gave it an odd flavor. I like a more straight forward old fashioned.
I liked the vibe of Rye. I seriously haven’t been here in 8+ years, but I remembered it having a dark boozy atmosphere. Yesterday, it was light and fun. I liked their leather ottomans /​chairs and tables. It was a comfy place to just chill and have a couple drinks.
Great place to hang out and catch up with friends. Make sure to get here before 7:30pm so you can take advantage of their HH special!

I like Rye. It’s dark, sexy, and classy. I probably should’ve tried their signature drinks but you know how much I love my Moscow Mules. I had to put down some collateral for the copper mug and while I don’t like that practice, I totally get it.
The other patrons were interesting and we had a nice conversation with a political geologist who has lived all over the world.

Came here on a Friday night and my bartender was great! I like to ask for custom drinks so I ordered 2 cocktails. My request = something light, fruity, no dark liquor, not too strong… The cocktails were both good but one of them was AMAZING! Watching her mix the drink was true art, she tasted it several times adding different ingredients and even brought out the electronic whisk to foam up the egg whites! The drink tasted like a sherbert, yum!
Service is a bit slow, but it’s because the bartenders are taking their time to make good drinks. Which they should, given the cocktails are about $ 15 (including tip). So it’s a bit pricey at $ 30 for 2 cocktails but what do you expect in downtown San Francisco…
This place has a bougie, laid back vibe. No ratchet drunkness going on. Everyone was sipping on cocktails and the place was full but not overly crowded. Our group of 6 all had seats at a table in the back. The bathrooms could use some cleaning but it’s not the establishment’s fault if people are throwing up in there… Nasty!
Definitely recommend checking this place out for some classy, unique drinks!

This place is bomb. Why? Because they’ll actually put raw egg in their cocktails. Secondly, the mixologists are super versed and willing to make any request provided they have the ingredients or can get them at the corner store. The outdoor smoking cage is rather nice too, it feels like an extension of the inside so even on a cold winter night it’s not horrible smoking out there and the cage also puts a much appreciated barrier between you and the Tenderloin street life that wonder up. Fairly priced for the quality of cocktails.

Bustling even on a weeknight. Intimate bar, good for small groups. Unfortunately my friend was only carrying her expired ID so we stepped in and out without ever trying their fancy drinks! Will have to come back another time.

To call the guys behind the bar a bartender would be an insult.
These guys are chemists.
These guys are artists.
These guys are… amazing.
Get yourself a mule, a gimlet, or a beer, and join me in the cage. You’ll find me there with a nice cigar just chillin. Give the homeless guys a couple bucks for a meal, it’s karma.

Rye is a nice bar. It kind of blends in with the other businesses on either side of it so you might miss it when looking for it, but I think that’s part of the charm. After trying to go to a very crowded Redford’s, we came here instead where we were easily able to get a spot at the bar. I didn’t check out the back lounge area, but I love the ambiance of Rye. They have a nice cocktail menu and I went with the La Lambada, a refreshing mezcal cocktail. We only stayed for one drink, but I was certainly curious to try a different one.

Great cocktail spot in the TenderNob. This place is very nondescript and you will almost miss it walking down Geary street, but once you walk in it is a great spot to spend time for some drinks.
ATMOSPHERE:
The place is quite big, the actual bar area only has a few seats but there is a whole other side room with booths, tables, and even a small little patio in the front. The patio is perfect for people watching and nice to cozy up on a date.
DRINKS:
The drinks here are solid. Prices are about what you would expect ($ 9-​$ 13) with a large selection of any spirit you could think of.
SERVICE:
I had great service here. The bartender greeted me immediately, got me water (always a plus) and helped my indecisive self pick out the best drink.
One tip– they use an iPad for the credit card payment system, great that credit cards are accepted, but i noticed when you go to sign it automatically sets to a 20%tip, I have a feeling this could throw you off sometimes (with the possibility that three drinks will warrant a $ 8 tip with the prices?)
Otherwise, great place to stop and have a nice drink if you’re in the area.

This has become my favorite lounge in SF, I love their drinks!!! The drinks have a lot of elements, but they’re delicious! The bartenders know their stuff. If you can grab a seat, it’s a great to chill.

Very smooth and relaxing atmosphere. Had a couple of beers and chatted with the bartender.
Was really cool coming in from out of town and being able to feel at home in a beautifully decorated lounge. I stopped by only for a while and all the time I was there I felt really at home like a local tavern back home.
Much love thank you Rye!

Awesome cocktail bar out in San Francisco. The bartenders were very knowledgable and know how to put on a show !

The cocktails were fine but man, the music was so loud I couldn’t hear 90% of what was being said in my group. It’s nice that there’s an outdoor area for smokers but every time the door opened, it brought in a waft of cigarette smoke– not great.

This is sucha cute place to catch up with some friends over drinks!

Wow. What a great little place to drink some awesome masterpieces of mixology. The hardest thing about this place was picking a drink from their extensive menu — from their version of the Moscow mule to an 18yr old Japanese scotch to the drink of the day. And guess what, I had them all

My friends and I were visiting San Francisco from Chicago and looking for a bar to go to and we came across Rye and decided to check it out. The exterior of the building gave it a very excessive feel with one big wooden door that opened and closed. The interior was dimly lit and people were everywhere. The cocktails were very exquisite and unusual mixes and you could tell that the company put a lot of time into coming up with which ingredients to mix.
I tried two different drinks that I can’t remember the names of off the top of my head, but an ingredient in one of my drinks was a liquor that was exclusively made in California. I liked both of the drinks I tried, but I felt that the glasses were very small for the price of the drink. Overall, my friends and I had a good time at Rye. I would recommend it if you’re in the San Francisco area and looking for a cocktail bar.

I’ve frequented Rye off and on for years (many years) and over this time period, I can honestly say I now have a new found appreciation of this lounge spot in the Tenderloin. The layout and décor looks mostly the same. How can you miss the smokers cage facing Geary St?
The Basil Gimlet is the staple drink I’ve come to expect to not let me down and it did not on my most recent visit this month. We visited during New Year’s weekend so it felt like the crowd was abnormally thin, which worked out because ordering was a breeze.
Although service has never been an issue, I can imagine it being difficult on a normal Friday/​Sat evening to get your order in. If you do get frustrated there are plenty of other watering holes within walking distance. For my buck, Rye is a solid option.

We had couple of hours to kill before our show and we were looking for a place to grab a drink. The place had a minimalist exterior… you will miss it if you blink ;).
Surprisingly spacious and very elegant inside. It was a quiet night and we were able to sit at the bar. All the drinks we tasted were very good. Very friendly bartenders and good service. Would love to go back on a more happening day.
They had a pretty diverse variety of drinks, … lombada?, moscow mule, … thistle? and something else.

A cool place to hang out for date night. It looks like a small place from outside but is pretty decent sized. Bartenders were friendly and gave good suggestions. Tried a few of their signature cocktails which were all very good. My favorite was the Moscow mule and something ‘thistle’ — forgot the name now :(Oh well just have to go back for it!

I visited Rye in 2011 and I remember having great drinks and a fun time… My impression was so good, that I confirmed it was still open so that I could return on this recent trip.
Our experience was as great as it was a few years ago. Cocktails are amazing. Bartenders here are experts and will not serve you a bad drink. The basil gimlet is still a winner, however the birds of a feather is a solid choice for bourbon/​rye drinkers. If you love an old fashioned or a Manhattan, then this cocktail will leave you going nuts.
Fridays and Saturdays it gets busy, so plan accordingly. Seating is available indoor and outdoor. Music was great and the vibe was fun. I would certainly return on future trips.

When my best friend showed up on my doorstep from Hawaii, I needed to figure out a quick weekend extravaganza. Amongst all the touristy things, I decided to think of a few places to start the evening right. After searching Unilocal,I came across Rye. The ratings were good and in a place where Unilocalers can get pretty brutal, I was excited to try a place that actually did well.
Walking in, it reminded me of a cool hipster speakeasy take of a bar. Exposed brick, dim lighting, dark features, high tops, booth seats and bar seating, this place looked legit!
Our mixologists weren’t much of talkers but they sure were efficient. For my drink I got the Pimm’s Cup #5 as it was told to be one of the most popular. For $ 10, you’ll get their house-​made creation of a Pimm’s number 5 with a rye whiskey base, lemon, English cucumbers, mint, ginger syrup and seltzer, garnished with a mint sprig. Definitely a GREAT DRINK. The mint and ginger flavors married well and the seltzer gave it a little kick. Definitely my drink of choice there from now out.
This is one of the reasons I love the Tenderloin. Great spots that show San Francisco’s best culture. Don’t be scared of the neighborhood. Put on your big boy/​girl pants and get down to this place!

Rye is a pretty freaking awesome bar of you ask me. This place has one of those modern, yet trendy vibes to it that makes it a fantastic ambiance to get your drink on. The drinks here are very eclectic and flavorful and the bartenders are fairly skilled on their craft. Naturally this place has a huge whiskey selection, primarily bourbon but some hard to find bottles as well. They can also make fantastic gin concoctions and they fabricate a delicious Moscow Mule. Overall, Rye is a fantastic bar with an awesome ambiance that’ll keep you coming back.
Pros–
Drinks
Service
Whiskey selection
Bartenders
Ambiance
Décor
Bar layout
Cons–
Small
Pricey per drink

This was a great place to get a nice cocktail. The lighting was very dim and the atmosphere was very dark/​romantic. I like that it was in walking distance from my hotel that was located in Union Square.
The price was reasonable for San Francisco pricing. It Also felt very large inside compared to a lot of the places in the surrounding area. It was recommended by a friend and I would pass on the recommendation to anyone in the area.

This was my last stop of the bar hopping my friends and I did on our night in San Francisco. This is a cool spot to meet around and hang out with friends or potentially meeting up with someone new. The place is low lighted and the vibe of the place gives it an early 20^th century style type of bar (I wanna say 30s/​40s) along with some more lounging areas on the right side of the bar.
I ordered a cocktail there and I must say, I was really good! the bartenders were attentive with everyone and they served everyone and a decent time. Overall, this place is great and i would come back again with my friends and try out the different drinks that they offer.

Great selection of whiskeys, and a very cozy, intimate environment. There’s some bigger bench seating down behind the bar and some high tops on the «first floor» when you first walk in. It also looked like they had a little caged area that was outside but fenced in where you could drink and hang out– which is a nice option as well.
Service was great and the drinks were delicious. Can’t complain!

I always seem to end up at Rye at least once during each of my trips to San Francisco. The bar is just a little off the beaten path from the busy shopping area, and the scene is dark and chill.
Cocktails are inventive and reasonably priced, and I’ve never experienced any hint of snobbishness from the bartenders when I’ve asked for drinks off the menu. Finally, they have bar snacks. And who doesn’t love some bar snacks?

Love this place. Great simple modern décor, good music and great drinks! Their cocktails are really good. It’s half inside lounge half an inside outside patio.
It can get pretty busy though so you might have to stand a while before snapping a chair at the bar.

Rye has that kind of warm, welcoming atmosphere that is such a rarity in modern cocktail bars, and bars in San Francisco in particular. I’ve been here three times now and each experience is positive and unique. It goes without saying that they also mix a damn fine cocktail.
Rye doesn’t seem to feel the need to impress you with a comically massive wall of every liquor imaginable and bartenders with bow ties. So many cocktail establishments feel cold and intimidating in this sense. Rye’s bar area is relatively small with a laid back feel that makes it easy to chat up a neighbor. I’m not going to pretend I’m any expert on cocktails, and theirs are just as pricey as anywhere else, but I appreciate their laid back attitudes and willingness to play around with recipes.
If you don’t think Lower Nob Hill and the Tenderloin have much to offer as far as a classy drink, think again. Rye is worth the visit and a welcome haven for both casual and serious cocktail afficienados.

Pretty solid. A friend and I were bar hopping in the area and saw the reviews at Rye. I dig Rye since it’s got a nice vibe, and is fairly spacious and comfortable relative to other bars. The place is pretty big — there’s the initial bar area and a few seats, but if you go onto the side, there’s an outdoor… patio, not really a patio but a more outdoor seating area vs. smaller intimate table for twos and comfortable couches. The place isn’t too loud which I like and also is well-​lit enough for a bar at least.
We came on a Friday night around 10pm and looks like we got pretty lucky since most Unilocalers complain about long lines — I pretty much came in and got my drink in under a few minutes. Can’t remember what it was called, but it was pretty delicious.
tldr; would recommend since it doesn’t feel too crowded, but maybe we just got lucky since it was early — good drinks though

Okay, você está em San Francisco! Go big or go home! (Brincadeira)
O Rye não é o bar mais hype da cidade, mas tem o seu glamour. Na noite de sábado que viemos aqui (após um exaustivo passeio) tudo que eu queria era mordomia. Não, não quero ficar parada no bar por horas até que alguém me veja e me atenda, eu quero uma garçonete!
Pims’?Eles tem Pims’ no cardápio! *_​* Momento mais alegre da noite foi descobrir que posso beber essa «sangria inglesa» feliz da vida!
Sente no sofá, com calma escolha seu drink e enquanto você curte um bom hip hop pode bater um papo com os amigos e curtir a vibe. Não, aqui não é um bar para dançar, então o hip hop é na verdade bem lounge.
Vem curtir uma night tranquila, ou começar uma grande e intensa noite de fancy cocktails por San Fran! O bairro é um pouco como o baixo Augusta em São Paulo, só fique atento para os loucos da rua e você estará bem!

Casi me muero de la risa cuando, al entrar al Rye, alguien me dijo que era un sitio «muy europeo». Cualquier europeo en su sano juicio, al entrar en un sitio como este en su país diría que es «muy neoyorquino». Así que imagino que hay algo de cultural en este tipo de afirmaciones que hacemos de cuando en cuando.
Pero a lo que interesa: un sitio muy guay para tomar un cóctel en San Francisco. Quizá deberían mejorar los sillones (aunque entonces correrías el riesgo de quedarte sopa) y la iluminación, aunque en este último caso habla el español que hay en mí, acostumbrado a que los restaurantes tengan una iluminación tal que pareciera que están ardiendo.
Cócteles muy bien preparados, precio razonable, ambiente muy molón (gente de unos treinta, con atuendos informales) y un ambiente muy propicio para tomar una copa y charlar todo el tiempo que haga falta.

Dunkel ist es hier, sehr dunkel. Und gemütlich. Der Raucherbereich erinnert mich immer ein wenig an einen Zoo, denn er ist zur Strasse hin eingezäunt. Sieht von der Straße aus sehr lustig aus die Raucher im Käfig zu sehen. Aber zurück in die Bar. Am Wochenende wird es hier ziemlich voll und auf seine Cocktails wartet man schonmal né Weile. Aber es lohnt sich, denn sämtliche Cocktails, die ich bisher getrunken habe, waren wirklich super und außergewöhnlich. Der Spass kostet zwar ein bisschen, trotzdem war ich der Meinung, dass die Getränke jeden Cent wert waren und 10 Dollar für einen Cocktail scheinen in der teuren Stadt ja ohnehin fast Durchschnitt zu sein.

Nach einem üppigen Dinner in Fishermans Wharf war es an der Zeit, den Fisch mit ein paar Gläsern Alkohol runterzuspülen. Das Rye ist der ideale Ort für ein paar entspannte Drinks mit Freunden: dunkel, gemütlich, nette Cocktailkarte, nicht zu teuer. Besonders gefällt mir die Backsteinmauer und der Raucherbereich im Außenbereich des Lokals.
Eigentlich nichts besonderes, aber einfach ein netter Ort, wenn man keine Lust auf clubbing hat bzw sich vor dem «richtigen» weggehen mit ein paar Drinks aufwärmen möchte.

Llegué a Rye en un taxi amarillo. Cuando salí del taxi sonaba algo de ese Hip-​Hop potente que tanto escuchan en los USA, cuando puse un pié en Rye sonaba quizá algo de John Coltrane, quizá no había música… no lo recuerdo, estuve hablando mucho rato. Si no había música en mi cabeza lo adornaré con buen jazz desconocido y salpicones de blues auténtico, del de allí.
Al entrar me encuentro una decoración industrial de jaulas, asientos de madera, asientos también de ladrillo y también grandes sofás en los que sentarte y sujetar tu cóctel como en las películas americanas. Pero sin la sombrilla. Ni la chica rubia. Ni los bañadores. Porque esto está en el centro y es oscuro como la boca del lobo; la luz recuerda a estancias iluminadas por velas.
En la barra, montones de cajitas con contenido diverso; mondas de naranja, menta, hierbabuena, trozos de sandía, gengibre, hielos picados, azúcar en polvo y en grano. Limones exprimidos con la mano y olfato de especias antes de añadirlas a la mezcla.
La liturgia de la preparación fue más allá del espectáculo; era una meditación excelsa de las cantidades y el equilibrio. Nos busques cabriolas o ejercicios de equilibrio fantástico. La sopresa está en el sabor y la textura de lo que te vas a tomar.
Una zona para fumadores separada casi a la intemperie se convirtió en mi espacio natural. Eran tres muros de piedra, un techo sobre nuestras cabezas y una red metálica que nos separaba de la calle. A veces tirité del frío así que sorbía rápido mi bebida en pequeños tragos que me calmaban. Acabé el primer cóctel, entré a la barra, pedí un segundo.
Lástima que no tuvieran Bloody-​Marys ni los prepararan. Es la forma en la que suelo medir la calidad de la coctelería.