The Summer Place

I wanted somewhere to have drink and read my book near the hotel. What I found was one of THE best bars in America. Exceptional service. Truly personal. The drinks were so special (spicy margaritas for everyone). The other clientele were delightful. I’d go there again tomorrow in a heart beat. Also excellent value. Thank you!x

Eva Agus

Rachel the bartender is awesome! There’s no menu, even the draft beer is by type not brand. Ordered the cucumber gimlet: Amazing, more tart than sweet. Also the whiskey pours are super generous. Great for pre-shows at SF Masonic.

Lucia Hinton

Our bartender was Rachel, she was very nice, the espresso martini was excellent, and the overall experience was great thanks to the attentive service and the wonderful atmosphere.

Thomas Frehner

Lovely bar with a very friendly and fun bartender. Delicious cocktails 🍹 Great and fun atmosphere. Open until 2 am. Check it out!

Kelly R.

I’ve been to The Summer Place a few times after work to catch up with friends, and it never disappoints. It’s a chill bar with a relaxed vibe—super cute, very clean, and thoughtfully designed. It feels like the kind of spot made for both genuine conversation and social media photos. The drinks are always good, the bartenders are friendly, and prices are reasonable for San Francisco. Perfect for an easy meetup with friends—great vibe, great drinks, definitely worth checking out.

Cynthia De Las Salas

This bar is so cute! I loved the ambiance, the music 🎶 and the service. Top notch! And the drinks were amazing! So yummy and worth every penny. If I would have had one more Christmas morning I’d probably still be there, dancing in front of their Christmas tree. I know you will #enjoy your time and make memories. You only have one life ❤️😌🙌🏼.

Benjamin West

The Summer Place is a hidden gem in San Francisco, offering a cozy, dimly lit atmosphere that perfectly blends a neighborhood feel with refined elegance. The warm glow of the bar and rich wood tones create an inviting space to unwind, whether you’re a local or just passing through. But what truly sets this spot apart is Dan, the owner and bartender, whose deep knowledge of Japanese whisky transforms every visit into an experience. His passion for whisky history and craftsmanship shines through as he guides guests through an impressive selection, from well-known names like Yamazaki to rare, hard-to-find bottles. Whether you’re savoring a neat pour of something exceptional or enjoying a perfectly crafted highball, every drink at The Summer Place feels intentional and curated with care. Dan doesn’t just serve whisky—he shares stories, making the experience as rich as the spirits themselves. For whisky lovers and those who simply appreciate a welcoming bar with character, The Summer Place is an absolute must-visit in San Francisco.

Josh Odintz

Go here to drink. Amazing cocktails. They know how to use bourbon and rye and make it so nice.

Marit L

Very cool spot. Cocktails were $14 a drink. I asked for a bartender choice and he walked me through the process of how to order what I like. I think his name was Dan. Small seasonal menu with 4 cocktails and 1 shot. Dog friendly. Can seat about 30 comfortably. Very well decorated for Halloween. Huge blow up decoration outside.

Richard Jones

Great bar just up from The Grant Hotel where I was staying. No food served but great atmosphere. Friendly staff and met some great people. They also take cash or card payments.

Sara Newman

I wanted somewhere to have drink and read my book near the hotel. What I found was one of THE best bars in America. Exceptional service. Truly personal. The drinks were so special (spicy margaritas for everyone). The other clientele were delightful. I’d go there again tomorrow in a heart beat. Also excellent value. Thank you!x

Great energy in this elaborately decorated bar. We were there in October and the Halloween decorations were a blast. Drinks were creative and well made.

Cool place. VERY knowledgeable bartender. Great liqour selection (especially if you like bourbon). Good beer selection. Vibes all the way around. Food is not served here but you are allowed to bring your own.

I used to go to the old Summer. I now come to the new. The news owners are terrific. They gutted the place and gave it a total refresh. All the bar tenders are rock stars (and friends of mine). Everyone has a great time. Lotta regulars. The music is great because everyone who works here has taste.

This is by far the best bar I’ve been to. The bartenders are incredible and bring the great vibes. I got married this week and visited 3 times and they remembered and made us feel special. Can’t recommend them enough

Peter deLappe

I used to go to the old Summer. I now come to the new. The news owners are terrific. They gutted the place and gave it a total refresh. All the bar tenders are rock stars (and friends of mine). Everyone has a great time. Lotta regulars. The music is great because everyone who works here has taste.

Mark Sanchioni

Great energy in this elaborately decorated bar. We were there in October and the Halloween decorations were a blast. Drinks were creative and well made.

Dathan Stone

This is by far the best bar I’ve been to. The bartenders are incredible and bring the great vibes. I got married this week and visited 3 times and they remembered and made us feel special. Can’t recommend them enough

Jarrod Hill

Cool place. VERY knowledgeable bartender. Great liqour selection (especially if you like bourbon). Good beer selection. Vibes all the way around. Food is not served here but you are allowed to bring your own.

Michael Arredondo

Came here after a show at the Masonic. Could tell it would be good. I was right. The bartender knew her stuff. Perfectly mixed cocktails made with experience, not thoughtfulness - she didn't need to think, she just did. Tons of liquor lining the walls and i'm sure she knows how and when to use any of them. If i lived in the area i would be here often.

Great potential, loved the decor but with no creative drink menu it is lacking what could be a great concept. They do have an extensive liquor selection from all types and high end varieties. The bartender was knowledgeable and friendly but a little condescending when I asked for a suggestion. I didn’t let on about my bar knowledge and was letting him talk. I do think he was trying to be informative but it came off as a little rude. Great concept with a lot of potential.

Tracey Ray

Great potential, loved the decor but with no creative drink menu it is lacking what could be a great concept. They do have an extensive liquor selection from all types and high end varieties. The bartender was knowledgeable and friendly but a little condescending when I asked for a suggestion. I didn’t let on about my bar knowledge and was letting him talk. I do think he was trying to be informative but it came off as a little rude. Great concept with a lot of potential.

Mark Pyzyk

I was devastated to see that they redid the bar in a generic modern style. It used to have a lot of atmosphere—vintage, divey, and dark. It's just like any other place now. The service was nice—but I wouldn't go back.

What a disappointing experience. We went to the bar because their signage said they served “spooky drinks” for the Halloween season. The venue had no AC and was filled with cheap inflatable yard blow-up decorations for a sweltering Party City vibe. When we entered no one greeted us, and we sat at a table for a while before going up to the bar to order since we eventually figured out no one would serve us without being at the counter. The bartender said they didn’t have spooky drinks despite their advertisements, so we asked what the house cocktails were. She said she didn’t have those either. I asked for a Blue Hawaiian, but they don’t have curaçao either. At that point I asked her to make me something sweet and tropical so she’d have more leeway in being able to make something, since there seemed to only be roadblocks with trying to get a drink made. Despite asking for something sweet, the drink was both bitter and tart, since she had oddly added bitters to it. Each member of our three-person party had a drink that was made either wrong (for two of them - a dark and story, then a Moscow mule), or tasted bad (all three). When it came time to close the tabs the bartender gave one of my companions the wrong card. She didn’t seem to care about the patron’s experiences or be concerned they were advertising things they didn’t have. All three of us agreed we wouldn’t return.

Konrad Juengling

What a disappointing experience. We went to the bar because their signage said they served “spooky drinks” for the Halloween season. The venue had no AC and was filled with cheap inflatable yard blow-up decorations for a sweltering Party City vibe. When we entered no one greeted us, and we sat at a table for a while before going up to the bar to order since we eventually figured out no one would serve us without being at the counter. The bartender said they didn’t have spooky drinks despite their advertisements, so we asked what the house cocktails were. She said she didn’t have those either. I asked for a Blue Hawaiian, but they don’t have curaçao either. At that point I asked her to make me something sweet and tropical so she’d have more leeway in being able to make something, since there seemed to only be roadblocks with trying to get a drink made. Despite asking for something sweet, the drink was both bitter and tart, since she had oddly added bitters to it. Each member of our three-person party had a drink that was made either wrong (for two of them - a dark and story, then a Moscow mule), or tasted bad (all three). When it came time to close the tabs the bartender gave one of my companions the wrong card. She didn’t seem to care about the patron’s experiences or be concerned they were advertising things they didn’t have. All three of us agreed we wouldn’t return.

I was patronised by the male bartender - around 30, with grey hair - when I asked if we pay now or later (sorry for interrupting your conversation to try to actually order a drink) he said “That’s how a normal bar works”. Needlessly rude. Hire nicer staff.

Yummy drink, horrible service. I was here on a Friday and there was one female and one male bartender. They both took multiple shots and did not serve us for 30 minutes. We asked for another drink and were ignored. Their friends that walked in were served immediately.

tl;dr: Not a safe place for women!! My friends and I use to love coming to the Summer Place, but we’ve stopped going because of a creepy regular who appears to be close friends with the owners. This guy basically lives at the bar and I'm sure spends a ton of money there. He constantly stares at us, which makes us feel unsafe, and has followed members of my friend group out of the bar late at night, trying to convince them to go home with him. He appears to target women much younger than him who are super intoxicated so they are unable to consent or push back. On a few occasions after following us outside he has grabbed friends of mine inappropriately, tried to corner them, or pulled them by the arm to isolate them from the group. At this point we know to watch each other’s backs whenever we see him around, but unfortunately he is almost always at the bars in the area, especially at the Summer Place, which is why my friend group has pretty much stopped going there altogether. I’ve spoken to other girls who have had similar experiences with him, even female bartenders who felt uncomfortable with his advances, so his behavior seems to be an open secret in the local bar scene, and the management is aware of it. I know of at least one other bar nearby where he's no longer welcome for this reason, but staff and management at the Summer Place clearly haven’t taken action, because my friends and I can still see him sitting there almost every time we walk by. This has been ongoing for at least a few years from what I’ve seen. The reason I’m posting this now is because this lady I know who is literally the coolest and sweetest person, was just permanently banned from the Summer Place after slapping this guy during a confrontation at the bar over his actions. Meanwhile he doesn’t seem to have faced any consequences at all from the bar for regularly making their female customers feel threatened and unsafe. It’s disappointing that the Summer Place seems to turn a blind eye to women's safety concerns. Their priorities for what kind of customers they want to feel welcome there apparently lie elsewhere. I can't recommend this as a safe place for women.

Lily P

I was patronised by the male bartender - around 30, with grey hair - when I asked if we pay now or later (sorry for interrupting your conversation to try to actually order a drink) he said “That’s how a normal bar works”. Needlessly rude. Hire nicer staff.

Nicole Pimentel

Yummy drink, horrible service. I was here on a Friday and there was one female and one male bartender. They both took multiple shots and did not serve us for 30 minutes. We asked for another drink and were ignored. Their friends that walked in were served immediately.