Buddy

Cocktails are executed nicely. The ratios to everything were perfect, not overly sweet and not too boozy. The wines we tried were a completely different experience. I’ve never tried oranges before and wow it blew my mind. They were different, a little funky but still delicious. I highly recommend coming here and trying out the natural wines they have to offer.

Will Krispin

Buddy Bar is one of those spots I've become a big fan of. Nestled in the Mission, it's quickly become one of our favorite dining stops whenever we're in the neighborhood. It strikes that rare balance: a casual but well-appointed atmosphere, staff who are not just knowledgeable but clearly enthusiastic about what they do, and food and drinks that are inventive without ever tipping into pretension. We've now been a few of times, and each visit has been a reminder of why Buddy stands out. The menu changes quite a bit between visits, which makes going back genuinely exciting. Some staples remain--anchoring the experience--but the new additions have always been fantastic, each one crafted with real thought and flair. Both times, we've insisted on what has become our go-to move: letting the staff guide us through dealer's choice. It's the best way to experience Buddy, because you don't just get food--you get the perspective and excitement of the team who know it best. Every dish they suggested was a hit. On one visit, that lineup included Za'atar Pommes Dauphine (crispy potato puffs with labneh and pickles), Yogurt Dumplings with herbs and spiced oil, and Lentils en Papillote served with mushrooms and bright pickled accents. Another night, we had their crisp Fried Chicken, a delicate Kafta Wrap tucked into phyllo with herbs and pickled onion, and the show-stopping Habibi Tiramisu, layered with cold brew, cardamom, orange blossom, pistachio, and topped with a cloud of kataifi. Each dish felt inventive yet grounded--familiar flavors given new dimension, plated with care but never overproduced. And while we usually lean toward interesting wine pairings (Buddy has a great list of natural leaning wines), at our visits we embraced the cocktail program. True to form, we left it to the staff, asking for dealer's choice all the way through. Every single cocktail was spot-on--balanced, creative, and well matched to the food--even if we don't actually know what they were called. That sense of trust, and the payoff it brings, is part of what makes Buddy special. In the end, Buddy Bar manages to cover the spectrum. It's a fantastic casual stop when you want inventive dishes or a well-made drink. But it also shines as a spot for a date night or a dinner with friends, where the energy of the room, the thought behind the food, and the warmth of the staff come together in just the right way. For us, it's become one of those Mission places we can't help but keep coming back to.

LoMo Phillips

Wow, Buddy is truly such a gem. If you ever want a delicious meal full of flavors and textures, you gotta go to Buddy! We sat outside to enjoy the warm San Francisco weather. It was right on the sidewalk with no parklet, but it was fine. Here’s what we ordered: - Corn Fritters - pretty tasty, great crunch, while still moist. Pretty corny-tasting, but well-balanced with the creme fraiche and the saltiness of the smoked trout roe. - Carrots - wonderful crunch and even more delicious seeds and tahini sauce. A must have! - Smoked whitefish tonnato - strange flavors and texture at first, but it grew on me. Not sure if the crackers added much, but the dish by itself was a fun combo! - Fried chicken sammy - perfect crunch (sensing a theme?) and wonderful flavor. The bread was buttery and garlicky, and the chicken was moist. Our waitperson was super attentive and our food was perfectly spaced out time-wise - we had a small table, and they brought out just enough food at any one time to make sure we had room to eat. IMO, deserving of a Michelin!

Alison M C

I wish this bar was in MY neighborhood. Standout food, quick and efficient service, friendly atmosphere, good music, and delicious wines. We had both orange wines (one mineral and one juicy), the lambrusco, a white sparkling, and a medium-bodied red--all wonderful. For food we loved the trumpet mushrooms in chile oil, the crisp/sticky chicken sandwich on perfect toast, the fresh bread with curry garlic butter, the charred cabbage, and the refreshing scallop crudo. Plenty of sauces to sop up with bread. Could also eat the warm olive mix all day as well. I had such a nice time I forgot to take more photos. Ambience was relaxed and intimate. Everything about our late dinner was top-notch. 20% tip was absolutely earned + I appreciated not having to think about it. If I lived closer I'd be an instant regular. Can't wait to come back.

James Balaguer

This was fun! I saw this in a SFGate article, had to try. They had a great happy hour set up that I built an early dinner around. 4 drinks and 4 plates for less than what you'd pay in SF normally at this tier. Service was great, chatted the owner a bunch, plus staff seemed skilled, warm and close knit. Highly recommend, especially if you like a veg-forward menu.

Tommy Lei Studio

5/5 experience. The clams were so fresh and delicious. The wines and cocktails were all excellent.

Lior Abraham

Great little wine bar with delicious food. They had a quirky bit quality selection of wine. One with a foul cheese odor that nevertheless tasted great, and one called couple goals. The beef appetizer and salads were particularly delicious and importantly, quality bread and service. Mushrooms an absolute must order. Waitress a little harried at first but she caught up and was great toward the end.

E Lee

Great neighborhood wine bar. Love this place starting from the ceiling of the entryway with grape lights to the wonderful tableware. People are friendly and the drinks are very unique. I would come here solely for the food. Music is good but maybe a tad loud for catching up with friends.

Danielle Veluz

New favorite spot in the Mission - and I'm not even a wine person! We ordered the following dishes along with a couple of cocktails. As for food: Crudites - a plate of bright and fresh summer veggies Little gem salad- crisp greens slathered with a generous serving of blue cheese dressing- not my favorite but I'm sure blue cheese fans will love it), Charred cabbage- very interesting flavors! Loved the tamarind in it, complements the smoky charred cabbage well Roasted trumpet shrooms- this everything I had hoped for- a simple dish with sophisticated flavors ranging from sweet to earthy with amazing textures all throughout (I am still dreaming of the honey + feta + salsa macha flavor combo as I write this before going to bed lol) Chocolate brownie - delicious and moist butterscotch brownie with dessert wine poured over it (+$9) Even without the draw of it being a wine bar, this place is worth checking out for the amazing veg-forward options, welcoming and casual ambience and great drink options. A bit on the pricey side considering the automatic +20% added in but the whole experience made it all worth it. Would definitely go back for more.

Joshua Yuan

Parking could be crowded but hopefully it's fine for you. This place is pretty small, so I'd recommend a reservation or be ready to just wait until a table clears out. The food is really creative and good. They try to explore lots of unique flavor combinations and aesthetics too. Of course it's also a wine bar if you want to drink as well. I liked the burratta and strawberries dish, and the mushroom one. Everyone working there is quite chill and very nice.

Sara Starr Poulsen

Places like Buddy make me want to pack up my Seattle life and relocate. The vibe is decidedly laid back yet perfectly poised. If your effortlessly cool, well traveled uncle that always wants you to “check out this album” was a restaurant it would be Buddy. I ate half the menu and wanted the other half but was too full from the generous portions. Every food item was ten times better than the menu description.

Krystalina Rattanavong

Cocktails are executed nicely. The ratios to everything were perfect, not overly sweet and not too boozy. The wines we tried were a completely different experience. I’ve never tried oranges before and wow it blew my mind. They were different, a little funky but still delicious. I highly recommend coming here and trying out the natural wines they have to offer.

buddy has a great vibe but the true star of the show here is the Ilna pop up! We’ve begun to make it a Sunday tradition given the constantly shifting seasonal menu of modern Mediterranean. We’ve been wowed every time but I’d say the various duck confit iterations remain the star of the show.

One of my favorites in SF! Food/wine list constantly changing with seasonal offerings. The team delivers excellent and efficient service as well. It's compact but not overly loud. Sitting at the bar next to the open kitchen is a great way to experience Buddy.

My wife and I were walking by and thought this place looked charming. Little did we know the food would blow our minds. The salad was great, the crudo was something out of a michelen star restaurant (I would go back just for this) and the chicken wings were great as well (very crunchy breading, great flavor).

Dunja Mrdjen

My favorite first date spot. Delicious appetizers and great wine selection. Pity about some of the staff being pretty unfriendly but I took is as part of the city vibe.

Helen Pfeiffer

buddy has a great vibe but the true star of the show here is the Ilna pop up! We’ve begun to make it a Sunday tradition given the constantly shifting seasonal menu of modern Mediterranean. We’ve been wowed every time but I’d say the various duck confit iterations remain the star of the show.

Gary Christian

My wife and I were walking by and thought this place looked charming. Little did we know the food would blow our minds. The salad was great, the crudo was something out of a michelen star restaurant (I would go back just for this) and the chicken wings were great as well (very crunchy breading, great flavor).

Cute little wine bar and small plates type of restaurant. Very European inspired. Nice cocktails too. Liked the vibe and food, service was a little slow.

The small plates and drinks were delicious. The place has a fun and cozy. However, it's definitely loud, so don't expect a quiet conversation. The service was efficient, but maybe too efficient—we felt a bit rushed, with the bill arriving practically as we finished our last bite. We all felt like they were clearly focused on turning tables (despite the fact that we all ordered a bunch of plates to share). You won’t be disappointed with the food or drinks though. Reservations are a must, and honestly, it's probably best for a lively happy hour rather than a relaxed dinner.

Rishab Narang

The small plates and drinks were delicious. The place has a fun and cozy. However, it's definitely loud, so don't expect a quiet conversation. The service was efficient, but maybe too efficient—we felt a bit rushed, with the bill arriving practically as we finished our last bite. We all felt like they were clearly focused on turning tables (despite the fact that we all ordered a bunch of plates to share). You won’t be disappointed with the food or drinks though. Reservations are a must, and honestly, it's probably best for a lively happy hour rather than a relaxed dinner.

Nico

Cute little wine bar and small plates type of restaurant. Very European inspired. Nice cocktails too. Liked the vibe and food, service was a little slow.

Kristina

Service was incredible🙌🏾 The Yellowtail crudo offered the most balanced perfect bite. The chicken wings left a little to be desired but everything else was magnificent

atmosphere and service was fabulous. intimate, cosy and dark, perfect for a date or an relaxing evening with friends. however... food needs work. yellowtail crudo just did not work with the coconut milk and pomegranate. charred cabbage was hard, bitter and the sauce was too sour.

Mixed experience at Buddy during lunch. The concept seems creative but execution needs work. Food: Corn fritters were disappointing - mushy texture, bitter taste, didn't pair well with toppings. Yellowfin crudo was okay but nothing special, a bit sweet. Trumpet mushrooms had potential but the sauce was too sweet and overpowering. Fried chicken wings were the worst dish - impossibly thick, hard batter ruined otherwise decent chicken. Drinks: Limited to 18% ABV and lower, but bartender made a solid old fashioned-style drink with good effort. Service: Automatic 20% service charge added to bill. Overall: Restaurant tries hard to be innovative with nice presentation but flavors don't come together. Food quality doesn't justify the automatic gratuity. Would not return.

cantik

Mixed experience at Buddy during lunch. The concept seems creative but execution needs work. Food: Corn fritters were disappointing - mushy texture, bitter taste, didn't pair well with toppings. Yellowfin crudo was okay but nothing special, a bit sweet. Trumpet mushrooms had potential but the sauce was too sweet and overpowering. Fried chicken wings were the worst dish - impossibly thick, hard batter ruined otherwise decent chicken. Drinks: Limited to 18% ABV and lower, but bartender made a solid old fashioned-style drink with good effort. Service: Automatic 20% service charge added to bill. Overall: Restaurant tries hard to be innovative with nice presentation but flavors don't come together. Food quality doesn't justify the automatic gratuity. Would not return.

Duong Le

atmosphere and service was fabulous. intimate, cosy and dark, perfect for a date or an relaxing evening with friends. however... food needs work. yellowtail crudo just did not work with the coconut milk and pomegranate. charred cabbage was hard, bitter and the sauce was too sour.

Great ambiance, stellar service, but food falls a bit flat. The scallop crudo was a miss, the herby butter that came with the corn bread was odd and missing acidity/brightness. Best thing we ate was the mushrooms but even those the salsa matcha had burnt sesame seed. Would probably come back but just have wine and simple small plates.

Very cute place, our server was really nice. However, here's what makes this place bad: 1. You need to inform people about the chicken wings and spices you put on, the one you add to the wings made our tongue numb. Luckily for us we know what it is, but some customers might panic about having an allergic reaction. 2. Second, server didn't inform us about service charges being already included so we end spending much more than anticipated. I'll might give them a second chance and come back in the future.

Dušan

Very cute place, our server was really nice. However, here's what makes this place bad: 1. You need to inform people about the chicken wings and spices you put on, the one you add to the wings made our tongue numb. Luckily for us we know what it is, but some customers might panic about having an allergic reaction. 2. Second, server didn't inform us about service charges being already included so we end spending much more than anticipated. I'll might give them a second chance and come back in the future.