Steiners Tavern

owners awesome as so are the bartenders. great bar food

Lots of people mostly. Younger croud 23 37 but you can still have good time

Awesome bar, great food, atmosphere and excellent security!

Love this bar! Truly an escape from all the vineyards. Drinks are not pricey, they have a good selection of beers. The atmosphere is great and so are the bartenders.

Great location in the square, cool ambience, and friendly atmosphere. Popular local late night venue for post parties, weddings, etc.

Great little bar. Went here in 2017 during Christmas with my family and we all had a great time! Definitely recommend as a local favorite.

Another wonderful local dive bar full of very nice people. John was an excellent bar tender who made us feel very welcome. Wi visit this place again...maybe even later today.

Best place in SONOMA SQUARE to watch your favorite sports team and grab a beer , finger food or shoot a game of billiards 🎱 😀. Service is great and Hospitable. Cheers

Fun place to watch the game

This the best place that I have been to in a long time, pool tabes and darts plus great bar food and a TV from any abgle r view, The owner is a great guy a hard worker and he cares how the place, Steiner’s is doing, so get your shoes on we are going downtown for a drink at Steiner’s!

Excellent cocktail diversion to wine country. Efficent bartenders, great drinks, and no nonsense. Take a break in here. Later at night, there is music.

good water hole old place!

Great bartenders great drinks. Friendliest people you'll ever meet. Melissa Tim Natlie Mark O and Mark J are the best!!!!!!

Matthew was the best and most accommodating bartender! Thank you for making my friends bachelorette so wonderful.

Great dive bar that was recommended by a local couple we met at Roche. Great bartenders.

Another great downtown bar in Sonoma.. Cool bartenders-Mark, and that big guy...

Homey bar to warm up from the cold. Bartenders are friendly and pour a good drink.

Still a Winner here! Great drinks and food. Cool local Sonoma bar!

Great place to come too and just have a little bit of fun they have two pool tables clean restrooms and the food is amazening

What more could you ask for? Great bar food, good company, ability to choose music, and good drinks...

My favorite spot to shoot pool, drink beer and eat ribs. Well.... not necessarily in that order. The Ribs always come 1st. Best Ribs, The Shrimp Louie is delicious. The food here is always good. The people are awesome. I truly love this place, it will always hold a special place in my heart... the ribs too :D . Wyatt loves the ribs as well. Can't wait to go back. Steiners Fam, miss you all, love, Irie.

I typically go here after spending time at Cline Cellars Winery. Sonoma is a sleeping town as a exciting as Solvang but on Saturday night after 10 p.m. it's a mixed crowd from 50yo housewives to 21 yo looking for the nights hook up. Their sampler is my favorite thing to eat. For bar food it's delicious. I like the jalapeno poppers, chicken wings or strips, and corn dogs.

Great local bar open late in Sonoma. Mostly a spot for locals, but has cheap beer and great music, so a great spot to visit if you need a break from wine.

A great place to go when you are tired of wine tasting. Very clean, great staff, great food. Great selection of beer, Irish whiskey, and tequila. Don't be afraid of the salty locals here, they are just real people tired of wine too.

Great spot - meet for drinks and grab a bite. The food is excellent for pub fare and lots of options on the menu. It is a gem!! Open long hours and it’s right on the square. Great for Sports also....

Killer bar...easy choice if you’re looking for strong drinks and a fun atmosphere.

Steiner's Tavern is an awesome place!! It reminds us of the TV show Cheers. It's a place where everyone knows everyone, and they'll make you feel right at home. It has darts, pool tables and most importantly all the bartenders are great!! Just really nice people and a great atmosphere!! It's a must to stop in and have your favorite drink or beverage!!

This is a very popular tavern in town. It has a full bar with very friendly bartenders. It had multiple screens for sports and has a snack bar. The foods are very affordable with a variety of very delicious foods. It has loud music on Friday & Saturday nights. It gets really crowded (like a dance club). There are a lot of regular customers and a few tourists. It's located in the very heart of the Sonoma Plaza Square where thousands of tourists from many different places come to visit to enjoy dining, relaxing, shopping & sight seeing. Parking is not always easy on busy days. Thank you.

My wife and I had such a good time here sitting at the bar and watching football. The bartender was fun and super friendly. The chicken tenders were big, plentiful, and reasonably priced. Good selection of draft beers.

Great local bar with good, friendly service. Pool tables and TV with sports.

Classic locals bar like the ones I grew up with back East. Cool and knowledgable bartenders who are super friendly. Great cocktails at a reasonable price. Good selection of beer and wine while located on the town square. Pool tables too! Great bar!

Great place to end the night! The bartender Murph I believe his name was was super friendly. Not crowded at all, just enough people to make the place feel lively. Food was fresh, hot, and delicious. Blenty of beers on tap, plus other beverages. Surely a place to visit while in Sonoma. Great local feel while out of town.

Pool! Darts! Liar's dice! The BEST hot dog I have eaten recently. Sonoma isn't only twee tasting rooms. Steiner's provides the welcoming atmosphere of world-class dive bars including the requisite snarky regulars holding down each end of the bar.

Very nice place to grab a drink in Sonoma, in front of the main park with really friendly staff, the hot dog was tasty in a reasonable price. You can watch sports and a have a good time playing pool or dices

+1

Great bar on the Sonoma Square.

Jason our bartender was a delight. My shrimp salad was so very good. I recommend it for a light lunch.

We were here after having drinks at another place for a Bachelorette party. The place was more of a dance place by the time we got there. The music was good and nice environment. We were here from 11 pm to 1 am.

First off, Mark is an amazing bartender. The place has a nice brick exterior, once inside it's a sports bar. There is plenty of room to sit at the attractive bar and chit chat while watching various games on multiple flats screen, TV's. There are 2 pool tables, video golf, darts, good grub, and the jukebox rocks! Located in Sonoma Square, a lovely, historical building, fun for locals, tourists, and business meetings.

What a blast! Went here twice during our stay. Once at night and the energy was "off the charts' and sooo much fun, and crowded ! And then again during the day...great atmosphere both times, killer Martinis, and the food was delicious... but how about that cool pool table in the back? Loved our time here! Highly recommend!

Local Bar/Grill/Pub/SportsBar in old town Sonoma across from the park. Had the lunch special Turkey Sandwich Fries Draft CoorsLight out the door for $20. Giants game on. Definitely a 49er bar in season. At least 8 locals holding court at 2PM. I liked it. I’ll be back.

Highly recommended!!! If you ever wondered where locals go, they go Steiners. It's a country style bar, super cool, so definitely rock your cowboy boots and or cowboy hats. It's great place for just a fun hangout or nightcap. It's right next to the main square!

I love this place 😍! Really good food and atmosphere, with excellent drinks and excellent staff! The combo plate is not to be passed up! If you are in the area and want a great drink (like peanut butter whiskey 🤤), or some excellent grub, go to Steiner's on the square in Sonoma. Also a great place to walk around after food and drinks 😃!

I am a great fan of a local dive bar. Steiner was awesome. Great people, enjoyed some good food. Great place to hangout and have a drink

MARK IS THE BEST!!!! He is just so welcoming and nice all the time, he always remember the drinks we like, he is definitely the best bartender in downtown sonoma!!

Mark was a delight, friendly and kind. The pool tables are kept in great condition, and at $5 for three games, it’s not too bad. There’s a Jukebox, and the beers are crisp, can’t ask for too much more!

Steel tip darts...gotta love it. Everyone here is just having a good time.

Rich Portmann

Steel tip darts...gotta love it. Everyone here is just having a good time.

Alan Menigoz

Local Bar/Grill/Pub/SportsBar in old town Sonoma across from the park. Had the lunch special Turkey Sandwich Fries Draft CoorsLight out the door for $20. Giants game on. Definitely a 49er bar in season. At least 8 locals holding court at 2PM. I liked it. I’ll be back.

Richard Ward

What a blast! Went here twice during our stay. Once at night and the energy was "off the charts' and sooo much fun, and crowded ! And then again during the day...great atmosphere both times, killer Martinis, and the food was delicious... but how about that cool pool table in the back? Loved our time here! Highly recommend!

Ash Ster

Highly recommended!!! If you ever wondered where locals go, they go Steiners. It's a country style bar, super cool, so definitely rock your cowboy boots and or cowboy hats. It's great place for just a fun hangout or nightcap. It's right next to the main square!

Jon Uskglass

I love this place 😍! Really good food and atmosphere, with excellent drinks and excellent staff! The combo plate is not to be passed up! If you are in the area and want a great drink (like peanut butter whiskey 🤤), or some excellent grub, go to Steiner's on the square in Sonoma. Also a great place to walk around after food and drinks 😃!

Jeth

I am a great fan of a local dive bar. Steiner was awesome. Great people, enjoyed some good food. Great place to hangout and have a drink

Paola Guifarro

MARK IS THE BEST!!!! He is just so welcoming and nice all the time, he always remember the drinks we like, he is definitely the best bartender in downtown sonoma!!

Tom F

Mark was a delight, friendly and kind. The pool tables are kept in great condition, and at $5 for three games, it’s not too bad. There’s a Jukebox, and the beers are crisp, can’t ask for too much more!

I gotta say. I'm at out of towner..the night called for some bar food. Mark is the most gentlemanly, considerate individual I had the opportunity to speak with on my week in Sonoma. Everyone is kind this way, but he kicks it up a level. Don't think twice about this place. He looks out for ya.

Had some drinks after we dined at another establishment on the square and had a disappointing dinner. This place saved the night! Super friendly and helpful bartender and had some fun playing darts.

We got married out in Sonoma and we went to Steiner's after our rehearsal dinner. We are from out of town and didn't know what to expect. We ended up coming back to Steiner's a few times before we left. The atmosphere and neighborhood bar feel are unmatched out in Sonoma. Classic bar food, great beer selection, and an awesome staff. This ended up feeling like our home base.

Max Jayes

I gotta say. I'm at out of towner..the night called for some bar food. Mark is the most gentlemanly, considerate individual I had the opportunity to speak with on my week in Sonoma. Everyone is kind this way, but he kicks it up a level. Don't think twice about this place. He looks out for ya.

Erik Hampe

Had some drinks after we dined at another establishment on the square and had a disappointing dinner. This place saved the night! Super friendly and helpful bartender and had some fun playing darts.

Brian Ferrarese

We got married out in Sonoma and we went to Steiner's after our rehearsal dinner. We are from out of town and didn't know what to expect. We ended up coming back to Steiner's a few times before we left. The atmosphere and neighborhood bar feel are unmatched out in Sonoma. Classic bar food, great beer selection, and an awesome staff. This ended up feeling like our home base.

I had an awful experience here, but then again it was just 1 bartender with a stink attitude. Apart from him, this is a great place.

Loved this bar. Nice local neighborhood feeling in the atmosphere.

A wonderful bar with a pleasant atmosphere. Visit it when in Sonoma

Went to watch college football. they didn't play the sound for the rose bowl so 4 stars given its a sports bar. but friendly people, food was decent, large portions.

Grown up in this town~all the best meet here!! Dedicated bartenders~should be extremely proud of their craft~their service& knowledge is greatly appreciated!! Dynamite Happy Hour!!

It was the busiest place on the square in downtown Sonoma, I went to three places as this one was the only one to seem like it had a crowd. Prices were ok and they had a decent selection of liquor.

Fun downtown spot. Line dancing the last Thurs of the month. Good drinks. Bar food!

Divey, dark, done right. Pool, darts, and dancing on the weekend this place gets the widest on the square

Love Steiners, great pubgrub, great bartenders old sonoma during day, younger crowd at night. Love coming here.

Good crowd on a Friday night. Bartenders did a good job keeping up with demand. Two pool tables.

Classic neighborhood pub with a good 'dive bar' vibe. Food is basic but good. Nothing fancy but you won't be hungry.

Good vibe. Good food + beer. Lots of wall candy to look at. Ate in alley off street. Gusty winds nearly blew us into same. Friendly service made it all good. Could have done without the black tape strung low to help you trip.

Steiner's Tavern was a chill way to end the night in Sonoma. Definitely a local's spot, with plenty of casual conversation and a relaxed atmosphere. Didn't try any food, but my beer was solid.

Lots of local flavor and history here. Service is friendly. The classic hot dog was well presented with a choice of mustard, ketchup, etc. but the hot dog itself was dry and chewy. Not what I had anticipated. The place is a good spot if you want to watch a football game. There’s plenty of large screen TV and there’s also a pool table.

Jeremy Yowell

Steiner's Tavern was a chill way to end the night in Sonoma. Definitely a local's spot, with plenty of casual conversation and a relaxed atmosphere. Didn't try any food, but my beer was solid.

Jonathan Farrell

Lots of local flavor and history here. Service is friendly. The classic hot dog was well presented with a choice of mustard, ketchup, etc. but the hot dog itself was dry and chewy. Not what I had anticipated. The place is a good spot if you want to watch a football game. There’s plenty of large screen TV and there’s also a pool table.

great beverages, and definitely has all the games for football sunday albeit it may be a little cozy

It's steiners what can I say. Dive bar upstairs and the food is pretty good. Not many other options in cayucos

Oh boy, so it's not bad, but once it gets busy, man, it takes a hit. Sometimes you get ignored, sometimes you get skipped, and sometimes you gotta wait a pretty long time just for a drink. At least, that is what happened on New years Eve. Many of us didn't want to wait almost an hour to get a drink, usually its the people not ready to order or taking too long to order, but this was different. Many of us noticed we weren't getting our drinks and got upset when some random girl skipped in front of everybody and got a drink right away. People split up into 2 separate groups just to try and get drinks. Not gonna lie. They gotta do better on keeping track of who is next because I definitely wasn't the only one waiting so dam long. Other than that it's alright.

Great traditional tavern atmosphere in the heart of Sonoma downtown plaza. Enjoyed the pool and darts, however, it was $31 for 2 pbr bottles and one white wine.

Foo Deyy

Great traditional tavern atmosphere in the heart of Sonoma downtown plaza. Enjoyed the pool and darts, however, it was $31 for 2 pbr bottles and one white wine.

Hipster douchbag central. If you ain't wearing flip flops and a man bun, don't bother. Girls are hot though

So you can’t really go wrong with beer… except when it’s flat like it was here. The games were fun except the darts the plastic casing kept falling off all of them… lol. Our competition didn’t go so well, but mostly the bartender was so awful to us. Is it because we were women? Is it because we asked for stuff… like beer? Is it because he hated us for smiling? I can’t really say but when a bartender hates humans and will only serve you after 20 minutes of waiting patiently when there are two other people there… I’d say go elsewhere where someone doesn’t look at you like a bug and has better beer.

Sangita Patel

So you can’t really go wrong with beer… except when it’s flat like it was here. The games were fun except the darts the plastic casing kept falling off all of them… lol. Our competition didn’t go so well, but mostly the bartender was so awful to us. Is it because we were women? Is it because we asked for stuff… like beer? Is it because he hated us for smiling? I can’t really say but when a bartender hates humans and will only serve you after 20 minutes of waiting patiently when there are two other people there… I’d say go elsewhere where someone doesn’t look at you like a bug and has better beer.

This place needs less racist bartenders. It's a shame to deal with being ignored because of the color of your skin.

Place has horrible service. We sat for 10 minutes and never got noticed. Many other place to go in the square, don't waste your time here.

Was very rude when we asked about watching a game. In a time of Covid and not much going on you would think they would be accommodating, however, they dropped the f bomb several times when we inquired about watching the game. Will not go here and would NOT recommend to anyone based on the attitude of the person answering the phone.

We are aware that it is tough during these times but it does not mean you need to be rude to potential customers who are checking to see if you are open. They have a reputation around town for being harsh as we told this story. Do not recommend.

Went here ordered a round of drinks (1st time really) didnt give the bartender his $4 tip he got mad refused to serve me so I left... hope your bartender is happy he made your company lose PLENTY of purchases... oh well next bar got them.

Most unprofessional and rude bartenders I have ever encountered. They were cursing at the customers and acting like a bunch of drunk fools. They ignore anyone that isn't a "regular". Unless you enjoy being ignored or yelled at stay clear of this place!!!

The bouncers here park in handicap spots despite not being handicapped. If that’s the type of crowd you want to hang with then this is the place for you.

This is the worst bar I never have been true! The stuff that work at that bar is awfull! The employees are problibly messing around! Because after I brought an very expensive glass of vueve someone else just came and toke my glass away seing it was time to go home! What was a insult after paying to my drinks! Do never weist your time going there! It's a waist of time and I will call my credit crate company to take all that credit away! Worth service I ever got on my entire life!

I am disgusted by the service and treatment received at this establishment. At 1:57 on the dot my drink was taken and poured down the drain without warning. This is extremely disheartening to me because I heard Sonoma is a warm and welcoming place. My husband and I stopped in after dinner expecting a nice time. My husband happens to own a bar in New York City and would never take something someone paid for and pour it down the drain. He would say, "You need to leave we are closing". It is appalling # 1 someone "the bartender working this evening" thinks it is his right to take a beverage without allowing me the chance to finish it and pour it away to the sewer. We would have happily left with no issue and finished our paid for drinks. This is a courtesy. We are on our holidays. Unfortunately this experience has left an incredibly bad taste in our mouth about Steiner's. DO NOT COME HERE.....SPEND YOUUR MONEY WHERE IT WON'T BE POURED DOWN THE DRAIN.

If there was a way to give less than a star and still review I would have done that. I'm from S. Oregon, which is about 6 hours away (driving). I was down here in Sonoma with my friend and his family to catch the National event at the drag strip. Saturday evening (7-30-16) we found ourselves at Steiner's. We came to Steiner's on a recommendation from my friends dad & sister who had been there last year during the same event bars in mind that we are all from S. Oregon). As you walk in through the western style swing doors your struck with a laid back atmosphere. With the bar to your right, pool tables in the back, and the dance floor up front you can see where the night could turn out to be a winner. There was no cover charge, and like I said it seemed pretty easy going at the start, granted we got there a little after 8 so the night was plenty young. At 10 pm we were informed a live dj would be coming on, also we were told by two employees that my friend needed a different shirt (he was wearing a tank top, it's the middle of summer). So, with a little grumble, he bought a Steiner's shirt. Shortly after my friend and his family left; I decided to stay to enjoy the night and would catch a cab to the house. Enjoying my atmosphere through a couple drinks I eventually got cut off by the bartender (middle aged woman). Curious as to why she did so, I inquired to the reasoning behind it. Before telling me anything she waved for her bouncers to take me out. As the bouncers (yes that's plural; by the way I'm a hundred and 70 pound 22 year old) approach I think "no big deal trav, just go out, catch a cab and go home" , which I was fine with because the Finals would be held on Sunday (7-31-16) at the drag strip. When the bouncers show up they immediately grab my arm (I have pictures of the bruises), and start leading me out. Irritated at the fact that they instantly grabbed me, I started mouthing off. That's where it went south. After being pummeled for awhile before the sheriffs showed up, I have finally gathered my bearings & incredibly made it to work this morning (Monday; 8-1-16). What I do remember is I did not throw the first punch. I'll make another review of the damage after I go to my doctors appointment. Needless to say I probably won't go back to Steiner's and can't say I recommend it to anyone. Poorly operated and ran on a business aspect. Very unprofessional and I may recommend that they screen who they hire a bit more thoroughly.

Mistakenly came to this bar after Murphy's closed only to be disappointed. If your looking for overpriced drinks, a sketchy atmosphere, and rude staff this is the place for you. This "bar" left a very bad impression after an otherwise amazing weekend in Napa/ Sonoma. Will definitely not be back.

Bartender was a complete jerk! Accused 16 other friends of being under age. Absolute horrible customer service and discrimination. He claimed to see us in the newspaper yet we live nowhere near here. Would not recommend this bar. Go to the bar across the street.

The old bartender with long white hair was a complete failure for your establishment. I watched him discriminate against a bartender for looking too young, and several others for being “young looking”. When they asked him why he was being like that he laughed and said “what are you OFFENDED”? Guys like that have no place in our world, let alone the service industry. Those visiting Sonoma, avoid this place-IT IS TOXIC!

Bartender manager got his panties in a twist for saying the drinks were pricey , wasn’t even talking to him in the first place.

My Fiance who was born and raised in Sonoma was visiting her mother who was at the hospital recovering from Surgery. After a long day she at the hospital she asked if I wanted to go get a couple drinks downtown. She took me to Steiner's where she sated everyone used to go as a young adult. We got there about 9:30 pm. We sat ate the bar that was not really all that busy. The bartender a muscular guy greeted us and asked what we wanted. She ordered a glass a wine and I a beer. A bout 45 minutes later a bouncer approached me asking me to remove my Oakley Ball cap. I looked at him with a confused look but with out hesitation took it off. We both ordered another drink and as doing so we saw the bounce that told me to remove my hat poring himself a drink from an alcohol bottle in his sweatshirt. By this time the bar had gotten quite busy with young people and with the bouncers drinking we decided it was not a place we wanted to be. I asked the bartender to close us out and my wife put her jacket on and I put my hat back on. I was immediately approached again by a bouncer that aggressively told me to remove my hat. I stated we where leaving and I do not understand the thing with the hat. He said to take it off and get the F out. I asked to speak to his manager. He went and got the manager whom I said why are your bouncers giving me such a hard time we got up to leave I put on my hat and now they are in my face. He stated to me that the bar has new policies that go in effect after 10 pm and hats are not allowed. I said that's fine but we are leaving. The bouncer said take off your hat again getting in my face. I stated I am leaving let me get my credit card. I turned to the bartender and was grabbed by three bouncers they pulled my pants and underwear up my rear end picking me up and took me to the from throwing me out of the bar. They had my Fiance sign for the tab she was being approached by locals apologizing for the bars behavior and left. We reported the incident to the police which they investigated the incident finding out that this establishments cameras some how where not working that night. Surprise surprise. If anyone was there on Friday Nov. 29th and saw the incident go and report it to the Sonoma Police. This place needs to be held accountable.

We have been coming to this bar for a long time and have never experienced anything like this. The bartender we encountered was extremely rude and racist would not let us speak. We were not being disrespectful in any way, yet he immediately told us he could ‘kick us out,’ which felt unnecessary and intimidating.We ordered four drinks, and unfortunately they were not good. What made the situation worse was the bartender’s attitude — instead of trying to help or listen, he was dismissive and arrogant. We came in expecting a welcoming and relaxing experience, but left feeling uncomfortable and disappointed.This is not the level of service we’ve come to expect in Sonoma, and we hope management looks into this so it doesn’t happen to other guests.” Bartender name was Paul I don’t know what was going on with him he should not be behind bar or serving customers if your don’t know how to talk to behave with customers doesn’t matter if you are owner you should learn to talk to customers

Wish I had checked the reviews before making the mistake of stepping into this place. From the bartender to the bouncer, the staff were straight-up hostile and racist. Mistreated our entire party as we were made up of Latinos. It wasn’t just us either — we saw them act the same way toward other customers. I’ve noticed the owner tries to brush off similar reviews, but don’t fall for that. It’s not a one-off. To top it off, when we asked a few servers at other nearby spots for bar recommendations, they literally warned us not to go to Steiner’s. A couple locals even said they avoid the place completely. That tells you everything you need to know.

I'm keeping it short and sweet. I'm not the type to give a review, but I had to make sure people knew about this place. Suppose you're debating going in but are still on the fence because of the reviews; don’t. Save yourself the hassle and avoid this place at all costs. Tourists aren’t welcome, and all the employees are short-tempered. There are other places in the area that you can go to and spend your hard-earned money. The entitlement is probably the worst I’ve experienced at any bar I’ve ever been to.

Really wish I read the reviews before I made the mistake of visiting this bar. The bar staff from bartender to bouncer were incredibly rude, misogynistic, racist, aggressive, and homophobic to not only my group of friends but others at the bar as well. I see in other reviews that the owner/manager has made some responses to try to discount people’s similar experiences - don’t believe his excuses. The staff at this bar are toxic and dangerous. If that isn’t enough to convince you: when we asked servers at other restaurants their bar recommendations (we aren’t familiar to the area), they straight up advised us not to go to Steiner’s and multiple locals said that they personally avoided it.

I came here with a large group as an after-party for a wedding. We were all in great spirits and yes, most of the group had already been drinking. The staff was really nice… to the white people. If you look hispanic at all, watch out. They were definitely treating half of the wedding guests much differently. Right after calling one of our friends a homophobic slur, one of the staff members (bald guy, on shift 4/25) tackled him and had him in a headlock on the sidewalk out front. Cops were called and despite it being on video, friends were cuffed and booked for the night after being assaulted by staff. When it’s literally your job to deal with drunk people I think having de-escalation skills is important. Also maybe don’t be racist and homophobic just as general life advice. A local gave us a tip the next morning that this isn’t an uncommon occurrence at this specific bar, and there are plenty of better spots walking distance to choose instead. I’ll definitely be passing that info along to other friends from the Bay that take trips up to Sonoma to visit.

I wish I could rate this place lower. We came here after a friend’s wedding, hoping to end the night on a good note—but what we witnessed instead was violent, racially charged, and deeply unsettling. The bar owner and staff exuded entitlement from the start, giving clear preferential treatment to white patrons while targeting and scrutinizing our group and other BIPOC guests. Things escalated quickly when a bouncer started a physical altercation with a much smaller brown man. The bouncer ended up putting him in a chokehold long after the scuffle should have ended. Multiple people had to physically pull him off. Afterwards, instead of showing any remorse, the bouncer smugly gloated about being trained in hand-to-hand combat. It was disturbing and triggering to witness, especially for those of us who are already too familiar with violence against people of color by those in positions of authority. I wish I could say this was a one-time incident, but after speaking with other restaurant staff in the area, we learned that similar experiences have happened before. They even advised us to steer clear of this place. This wasn’t about safety. This was about power, ego, and racial bias. I would never recommend this place to anyone—especially fellow people of color.

Vinicius Ferreira

Wish I had checked the reviews before making the mistake of stepping into this place. From the bartender to the bouncer, the staff were straight-up hostile and racist. Mistreated our entire party as we were made up of Latinos. It wasn’t just us either — we saw them act the same way toward other customers. I’ve noticed the owner tries to brush off similar reviews, but don’t fall for that. It’s not a one-off. To top it off, when we asked a few servers at other nearby spots for bar recommendations, they literally warned us not to go to Steiner’s. A couple locals even said they avoid the place completely. That tells you everything you need to know.

Monica Niblett

I came here with a large group as an after-party for a wedding. We were all in great spirits and yes, most of the group had already been drinking. The staff was really nice… to the white people. If you look hispanic at all, watch out. They were definitely treating half of the wedding guests much differently. Right after calling one of our friends a homophobic slur, one of the staff members (bald guy, on shift 4/25) tackled him and had him in a headlock on the sidewalk out front. Cops were called and despite it being on video, friends were cuffed and booked for the night after being assaulted by staff. When it’s literally your job to deal with drunk people I think having de-escalation skills is important. Also maybe don’t be racist and homophobic just as general life advice. A local gave us a tip the next morning that this isn’t an uncommon occurrence at this specific bar, and there are plenty of better spots walking distance to choose instead. I’ll definitely be passing that info along to other friends from the Bay that take trips up to Sonoma to visit.

Erica Wong

I wish I could rate this place lower. We came here after a friend’s wedding, hoping to end the night on a good note—but what we witnessed instead was violent, racially charged, and deeply unsettling. The bar owner and staff exuded entitlement from the start, giving clear preferential treatment to white patrons while targeting and scrutinizing our group and other BIPOC guests. Things escalated quickly when a bouncer started a physical altercation with a much smaller brown man. The bouncer ended up putting him in a chokehold long after the scuffle should have ended. Multiple people had to physically pull him off. Afterwards, instead of showing any remorse, the bouncer smugly gloated about being trained in hand-to-hand combat. It was disturbing and triggering to witness, especially for those of us who are already too familiar with violence against people of color by those in positions of authority. I wish I could say this was a one-time incident, but after speaking with other restaurant staff in the area, we learned that similar experiences have happened before. They even advised us to steer clear of this place. This wasn’t about safety. This was about power, ego, and racial bias. I would never recommend this place to anyone—especially fellow people of color.

Alyssa Pandolfi

Really wish I read the reviews before I made the mistake of visiting this bar. The bar staff from bartender to bouncer were incredibly rude, misogynistic, racist, aggressive, and homophobic to not only my group of friends but others at the bar as well. I see in other reviews that the owner/manager has made some responses to try to discount people’s similar experiences - don’t believe his excuses. The staff at this bar are toxic and dangerous. If that isn’t enough to convince you: when we asked servers at other restaurants their bar recommendations (we aren’t familiar to the area), they straight up advised us not to go to Steiner’s and multiple locals said that they personally avoided it.

Alex Leon

I'm keeping it short and sweet. I'm not the type to give a review, but I had to make sure people knew about this place. Suppose you're debating going in but are still on the fence because of the reviews; don’t. Save yourself the hassle and avoid this place at all costs. Tourists aren’t welcome, and all the employees are short-tempered. There are other places in the area that you can go to and spend your hard-earned money. The entitlement is probably the worst I’ve experienced at any bar I’ve ever been to.