chezburgersub

Coming from New England, I make it a point to seek out a great tiki bar every time I’m in San Francisco, and Pagan Idol did not disappoint. I stopped in on a Thursday evening in January after walking the city for an hour; if you’re coming in off the hills and feeling a bit warm, stick to the front half of the bar. It’s much cooler and more comfortable than the generously warm area in the back half. The ambiance is perfectly dim and leans a bit more divey than some of the more theatrical spots in the area, which I actually preferred. The decor is a bit more restrained but still captures the vibe perfectly. I started with a classic Mai Tai and it was wonderful. It’s a real deal and nothing like the versions we usually get back East. It actually reminded me of the ones I had in Hawaii. After two Mai Tais, I went with a house specialty called a Daybreaker. It comes with a two-drink limit, and the warning is well earned! It tastes fantastic, and I commend the effort to mask the generous alcohol in this drink. Drinks ranged from $15 to $20+. Whether you’re a tiki enthusiast or just looking for a moody spot for a solid drink, this place is a winner. I took my time with that last drink and enjoyed every bit of the atmosphere. I'll be sure to stop by again to try their other drinks when I'm back in town.

Fei Yu

Love the mysterious tiki vibes. Creative, craft cocktails made with love and attention to detail. Plenty to choose from plus party bowls that serve 2-5 ppl on the back. It's a must for rum lovers. For spirit forward, try Siren's song. Fruit centric, try banana be. There are 2 frozen drinks as well. The venue is surprisingly spacious inside with low tables and group booths that are first come first served!

Dianne Namgung

Sometimes Tiki drinks can be really sweet but our drinks at Pagan idol were super balanced. We discovered this as we were leaving but theres a back area to the bar. Ill have to check it out next time I go here

Gladys Soriano

We enjoyed a couple of delicious (and very strong) tiki drinks. The bar is very cool with great vibes and interior decor, and we had good service from our bartender. Although lowkey thought it was weird because he said he doesn’t drink or even taste the drinks when making them, but can’t complain because the drinks were great haha

Carl Foisy

Legit tiki bar in San Francisco. Located in the financial district, this place is true to form. We parked about a block away in a underground parking lot, pretty affordable for the area. The service was Swift and the place filled up pretty quickly. We arrived before 5 o’clock not long after four and we got lucky with enough room to sit. The decor was impressive. Solid spot for a first drink of the night.

+1

Mike B

Really a solid experience. They have done an amazing job on the decor, and the drinks are fantastic. Highly recommend giving them a try!

Miranda Rider

Absolutely awesome interior design and amazing cocktails. I’m obsessed with the wooden carvings everywhere and especially the twinkling stars on the ceiling. Amazing tiki vibes

Sharmili Roy

Had a fantastic time at Pagan Idol! I ordered the My Thai cocktail, and it was absolutely delicious — perfectly balanced with a tropical twist. The ambiance was unreal — moody lighting, Polynesian décor, and island vibes that instantly transported me somewhere exotic. What I loved most was the cool, laid-back atmosphere paired with soothing music — not too loud, just right for relaxing or chatting with friends. It's a drinks-only spot, but their creative cocktail menu more than makes up for the lack of food. Prices were very reasonable for a specialty cocktail bar in SF, and the staff was friendly and attentive. ✨ A perfect place to unwind — definitely recommend for anyone looking to escape into a tiki-inspired paradise for the evening

+13

Bijan Shahriari

Adorable little tiki bar, that is way bigger on the inside than it seems. It has incredible decor and really strong drinks! Keep in mind, you need to order your own drinks at the bar and pick them up yourself. Kind of like a British pub.

Mae .W

We were just walking by exploring the city when we came across this bar. I wasn't sure what I would like so the bartender made me a drink. It turned out awesome and I really liked it. The bartender knew what she was doing and we got drinks in a timely manner.

Lizette Wallace

as a longtime fan of tiki bars this one takes the rumcake home. the tucan sam drink was the best ever and i really liked the smoke machine and the fish. our bartender was very nice dont remember his name though. the only thing missing was a lighter for me to take home

+5

Cynthia De Las Salas

I absolutely love this little place. It’s so adorable and so cozy. I like the ambiance and the atmosphere makes you feel alive with a warm feel good vibe. We had a Banana Be, a Serpent and the Bird. We enjoyed our time together and the drinks! Service was excellent and the bartender seemed to know what he was doing so that’s always a plus. I hope you #enjoy yourself and don’t forget to add some extra tequila 🥰🤭. You won’t regret it.

+6

No food, just drinks. Go early this place fills up fast. I liked the bar seating. Make sure to eat before, the drinks are strong and

No food, just drinks. Go early this place fills up fast. I liked the bar seating. Make sure to eat before, the drinks are strong and

No food, just drinks. Go early this place fills up fast. I liked the bar seating. Make sure to eat before, the drinks are strong and

Need a tiki bar to kill some time in the city? Look no further! This is probably one of the most intricate and beautiful tiki bars I've been to. The inside is very well decorated & clean.\n\nShout ou…

This place has been on my to try for tiki bars for forever, and finally I got to try it this visit.\n\nLoves:\n+ Good drinks. The best drink for our group was actually the NA banana be... damn. So …

Hosted a corporate happy hour and it was a huge success. The vibes are amazing, staff is kind and friendly and drinks take you to a tropical oasis. Will definitely be planning more events here in t…

Hosted a corporate happy hour and it was a huge success. The vibes are amazing, staff is kind and friendly and drinks take you to a tropical oasis. Will definitely be planning more events here in t…

Came here on a Friday night for a friend's birthday, which ended up rolling into my birthday at midnight (was trying to keep it lowkey). When I showed my ID to the bouncer, he noticed and joked, …

I love Pagan Idol! The ambiance is off the charts and their drinks are really fun. They also make tasty and cute mocktails. \n\nI love the rainstorms, the little cabanas that feel private and cozy,…

Amazing Tiki Bar and drink selection. Their ambiance was worth the trip alone. They have one bar in the front and if you keep walking up a small flight of stairs there is a second bar with a massiv…

Absolute 100% & beyond Tiki perfection!\nInterior decor is spot tf on to the max!\nIt's dark & bright at the same time..\nDrinks are off the chains !\nAverage price \nClean bathroom\nPlenty of seat…

My boyfriend and I came here for my birthday. This place is great for groups, it's so lively from the music to the decor. It's a legit tiki bar/lounge experience. The bartenders really take their t…

Fun tiki themed bar with cute drinks. Near SOMA so easy to get to after work. Would recommend for happy hour after work.

Awesome place! Pure tiki from the decor to the music. Drinks…spot on! Fantastic bartenders, fun and know how to make a great drink! Want to immerse yourself into a forget-where-you-are tropical getaw…

Awesome place! Pure tiki from the decor to the music. Drinks…spot on! Fantastic bartenders, fun and know how to make a great drink! Want to immerse yourself into a forget-where-you-are tropical get…

Awesome place! Pure tiki from the decor to the music. drinks…spot on! Fantastic bartenders, fun and know how to make a great drink! Want to immerse yourself into a forget-where-you-are tropical get…

A unique Tiki Bar down the street from Twitch Headquarters. The bartender really paid attention to details making our tropical drinks. They have a unique atmosphere with an open area next to the …

A unique Tiki Bar down the street from Twitch Headquarters. The bartender really paid attention to details making our tropical drinks. They have a unique atmosphere with an open area next to the …

I got chicken Karaage and ramen with hot curry and fried gyoza. The ramen and curry were great and the curry was nice and spicy and the gyoza were fresh and flavorful but I would have liked them better of they were pan fried on the bottom instead of deep fried. I would try other things here for sure so I would recommend ordering ahead of time.

Katsu curry was good, chicken was tender, curry was flavorful. I got the large karage too for $9 the flavor is good I wish they will fill it up all the way to the top since i paid for the large karage it looks like i got the small portion but in a larger container.

Had the delicious Chicken Katsu curry (medium spicy) and was oh so delicious - perfectly crispy pieces and such a flavorful curry. As of yesterday, the place doesn't offer any dining options either indoors or outdoors, so you may want to figure out a nearby park or seating quickly to consume it while it's hot!

They say it is cheap. Well that is only to SF standards because I don’t find it cheap. Food is really interesting taste wise. Staff is friendly and food prepared to order quite quickly. Location is off tourist places and surrounded by many other cafes. Inside very little place for dining. Good for take away. Has toilet inside and no wifi.

Interesting Curry Style Japanese food. Line at lunch can run out the door and across the corner. When you ask for spicy, it is SPICY not for the faint of heart. Chicken is perfectly fried

I’m a regular but lately, there has been some deterioration in food quality. I usually get the curry pork cutlet.The pork was fried to almost brown (maybe they don’t change the oil that often being so busy). Prices have really gone up so I hope they give customers a break.

David Striker

Interesting place. All the drinks on the menu looked sweet so I asked the bartender if he can make me a rum drink that wasn't sweet. And he did. Perfect. I understand the darkness is part of the ambience but it's kinda too dark and took several minutes for my eyes to adjust.

Pratham Dalal

The drinks here are so decorative you will be sure to remember them. Definitely aesthetic but hard to have a conversation inside the bar. This is a great place to have a drink, but maybe not for a company happy hour.

Rhett Burden

A true escape from the everyday hustle of city life walking into Pagan Idol feels like stepping through a portal into another world entirely. You can tell this isn’t just a themed bar; it’s a labor of love that honors tiki culture with genuine respect and artistry. The cocktails are works of art in themselves.

+2

R M

What a cool bar ... Step in and feel transformed to a different time and place. Makes you feel like you are in a pirate of the Caribbean movie and or are treasure hunting. The treasure hunting might only be in your cocktail but I'm sure as the night progresses the bottom of the glass will be hard to find. Cool vibe great decorations perfect tunes to set the vibe and solid mixology... Love it

Victor

This is definitely a very unique tiki bar experience with lots of Hawaiin themed seating areas. Great bar. Drink selection was pretty expansive and friendly staff to help manage it all. The drink itself however I wasn't a big fan of, too bitter and alcoholic for my taste.

Drinks here are creative and quite good for tiki-esque. Bartender was extremely hospitable and friendly, big plus for me. This was the best experience for drinks my friend and I had in the city. That…

drinks here are creative and quite good for tiki-esque. Bartender was extremely hospitable and friendly, big plus for me. This was the best experience for drinks my friend and I had in the city. …

Great bar with a good vibe and fun drinks. It's much bigger than it looks on the outside and good for groups or dates! Drinks are a little on the expensive side but they're strong and taste pretty …

Great bar with a good vibe and fun drinks. It's much bigger than it looks on the outside and good for groups or dates! Drinks are a little on the expensive side but they're strong and taste pretty …

We went here after my friends wedding and all had a good time! The decor is very on theme and cute. The drinks are overpriced, but at least they are good and also on theme!

Great ambiance for a Monday night. Loved the Painkiller. I do wish there was also food but I would not let that stop me from returning.

TLDR: We had a great time. Great for happy hours. \n\nMaybeee some more light. Our eyes took a while to get adjusted to the darkness but we felt like it was almost pitch dark when we first entered.…

Got a medium spicy katsu curry and was fairly spicy! So if you are unsure, err on the lower side! Food tasted good, nothing super special. Not the worst curry I've had, but also not the best. Fairly liquidly curry, not thick at all. This is also one of those pick-up only locations, so don't expect to be able to sit down and eat. You order and pick up at the window.

The vegetarian curry sauce is good. However asking about if the tofu and vegetable curry has potatoes the clerk said "I don't think so, but you can order them as an add-on." I did that but it seems from other photos potatoes are already included so I paid the extra charge for no reason. Overall it was pretty expensive for curry ($25). I don't like that it's takeout only and you can't really tell that from the photos of the food on the reviews.

Ordered a Katsu Curry for dinner via DoorDash. The curry was subtle and good. However, the katsu was flavorless and unseasoned. I loved the pickled vegetables though! I probably wouldn’t order again.

Neil Janwani

($21) drink was 80% ice. tasted good while it lasted. good vibes too

Harrison Munden

Drinks are fine, vibe is meh, takes super long to order and receive your drink. Theres way better tiki bars in this city. It’s Saturday night and there’s one bartender with a full bar

service was ok, drinks were so so. Feels like there are better tiki bar options in the Bay Area. They definitely need to get bar branded mugs and / or mai tai glasses.

The atmosphere is fun. Heavily influenced by Disney's Tiki Room. \nI was expecting a REALLY good Mai Tai but it's heavy on citrus, doesn't taste right at all.

We were there briefly on July 28 for my birthday for our first drinks of the night.\n\nDrinks are pretty good, the atmosphere has cool tiki vibes.\n\n1 star for one of the bartenders in the front w…

Grumpy employees ruin the experience. Why do you work in a place that requires customer service if you can’t smile or talk to people. A pissed off bartender dude made my drinks- charged me $80- and…

Grumpy employees ruin the experience. Why do you work in a place that requires customer service if you can’t smile or talk to people. A pissed off bartender dude made my drinks- charged me $80- and…

I would like to give zero star for this place. I ordered 30 minutes ago online but had to wait in line for pick up. I asked for a bag for this take out but they said I didn’t order the “bag”. I had to say every time I ordered here I was offered a bag when picked up. I was being treated differently today because I saw others pay without a “bag” while I stayed in line but they still were offered a “bag”. And the ladies gave me extremely bad attitude I wouldn’t come here again.

Kristina Smolina

We usually love to come to this bar occasionally as it is a beautiful place with beautiful cocktails and vibes. I’d say it is one of the best bars I know in San Francisco so far. However, yesterday, to my surprise, they wouldn’t let anyone with a Santa costume inside. It was the first time ever for me wearing a Santa costume piece, and I wasn’t going crazy, just spending the weekend celebrating upcoming holidays this way. And I wasn’t let in just because I wore this costume. I understand something may have happened in the past at SantaCon when people may have gone crazy, and you decided not to let anyone wearing a Santa costume. But sometimes you can have a sober customer coming in a Santa costume and someone else who is dressed casually but already drunk. Why not let someone in or not by seeing the level of intoxication of the individual, not the sober one in the costume? Or why not just close for this day completely for particularly SantaCon?