ABV

If you like whiskey, 3 words: Trinidad Sour Cocktail.
Crafted perfection.

In a city with a seemingly endless amount of cocktail spots, ABV stands above the crowd! Bourbon & Branch still sets the standard against which I measure other cocktail bars, in terms of both the quality and the breadth of drinks offered, but ABV manages to offer great drink options in a more casual atmosphere. The place gets packed on Friday and Saturday nights, but I can usually walk in at most times and find a seat at the bar in short order. Sometimes you just don’t want to make a reservation to go to your favorite bar, right? Add in chill background music and a large menu of bar bites, which is available even late, and you get a combination that is unbeatable in my opinion.
I’ll echo the consensus and say that you absolutely must try the pimento cheeseburger! It has on multiple occasions hit the spot after a night of barhopping. In terms of drinks, there are many options from which to choose, and I recommend exploring the full menu, but a few of my favorites are the Mumbai Mule, The Jackel, and Whiskey in Church. Oh, and be sure to check out the bottom side of your coaster for some potential amusement.

Brunch review.
Overnight waffle — ⁴⁄₅
Pimento cheeseburger — ⁴⁄₅
Chicken Karaage — ³⁄₅
Avocado toast with Sesame salmon crudo — ⁴⁄₅
Overall, not as good as the dinner options. For brunch, «I’m a fan.»

Definitely overrated and overpriced, but a pretty good atmosphere for the most part. Me and some co-​workers checked out this place after failing to find anything else that had the kitchen open past 10pm (I mean seriously, how are the bars open until like 1 or 2 but the kitchen closed before midnight on a weeknight of all nights come on. I could see them closing the kitchen early on weekends but geesh).
Actually, we REALLY came because supposedly they had fish ‘n chips here, but lo and behold we were told that was from an old menu. Which sucks because the old menu is better than this new, hipster-​ville menu they have now. Like Who tf eats grilled octopus in a BAR? I feel like Bar Rescue has been through here or something LOL.
Drink: I ordered something called a Tarragon Collins, which I thought would have more of a berry-​like taste, but after some research realized it’s an herb, resulting in the drink being kinda minty and almost cough medicine-​like, but still drinkable. $ 11 for a medium sized tall glass.
Food: Three of us kept it safe and stuck with the only sane-​sounding thing on the menu: The Fish tacos. Of course the last of our party had to be persuaded by the upselling server and get the octopus, and falafel dogs hahaha, and luckily he liked it.
So to get to why this review has to be two stars: you only get TWO small fish tacos. for a whopping EIGHT (8) dollars. That’s like 4 dollars a taco. NO BUENO. Granted they are very good, fish battered and garnished with red cabbage and this creamy sauce, but dang this is a Mission bar not some upscale fancy restaurant. Not sure why you only get two tacos for 8 dollars. I could probably see 5 or 6 dollars for two but even that’s a bit much for a Mission bar. Shows you just how much gentrification is taking over, and it’s a very sad thing, people.

Yummy cocktails and it wasn’t overly crowded! Great place to hang out and chat with friends. The wait staff is super nice too, they accidentally made an extra cocktail and gave it to us to enjoy.

If you have a refreshing Mumbai Mule in one hand and spam-​like sausage steamed buns in the other, you will have yourself the makings of a good night at ABV.

ABV is very mellow bar that one goes to for high quality spirits. I can say wholeheartedly that they make a very good Toms Collins, and a moscow mule (but without the copper cup) but that’s not enough for me to forget the fact that some of the waitresses here are really snooty.
I was here for a friend’s birthday. Being in our early 20s, of course she wanted to go bar hopping. It was a fine idea, and everyone was really excited. She had never gone bar hopping in SF before, so she didn’t really know what to expect. She asked a waitress here for a long island (I thought that was a standard drink) but apparently it isn’t in a place like this. She instead got scolded about how it would cost well over $ 50 because the quality of spirits here were so high. Clearly, this left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth.
Final thoughts: This place makes some really good versions of my favorite drinks, but service here is seriously lacking; I could go to a lot of other bars that would gladly take my money and give me great drinks as well.

THIS PLACE IS ONE OF THE RUDEST BARS I’VE EVER WENT TO. I’m sorry, I really am. I was hoping that ABV would live up to its 4 star value, but what a complete waste of my time /​money.
I came here last night with a group of friends on a Mission bar crawl adventure, and because one of my friends has never had an AMF before (I KNOW RIGHT? talk about insane.) I thought now would be a good time for her to try one.
So I politely flag down a waitress (I don’t usually like to use that term because it sounds degrading but she was so rude that I’m going to use it now) and ask for three AMF’s.
She responds in the rudest way possible that this establishment not only does NOT make that drink, but that they only serve high quality cocktails and if I want a high quality AMF, it’ll cost me $ 50 a glass.
At this point, I’m more shocked than anything that she was so curt to me, as I thought I asked nicely. Struggling to figure out how to bounce back and order another drink, I mumble a bunch of random «classier» drink names that hopefully she’ll accept, only to which she says «nope, we only make what’s on the menu.»
The lady needs to calm down, I haven’t gotten into a fight here yet, and she’s already looking like she wants to kick us out.
My friend saves me and asks the lady nicely that we’ll take 3 of whatever is the most popular drink, and she takes my credit card and disappears for what felt like forever and comes back with a disgusting concoction of apple brandy and other things I can’t even begin to pronounce.
But she doesn’t bring back my credit card. I asked her where it was, and she looks at me like I’m an idiot and says «I left the tab open.»
No just give me my credit card back, I only ordered that drink because it was too embarassing and shameful at this point to just walk out.
I really can’t find words to describe how frustrated I was that on top of treating me like I was some mongrel who didn’t deserve to step foot into ABV, she treated my other friends who were there as well really nicely. I guess I should have just ordered my drink up at the bar, because the bartenders seemed really nice, but if the rest of the establishment is going to be rude and impatient with newcomers, I don’t need to come here anymore.
I guess ABV’s too good for me but that’s fine, I’ll take my credit card elsewhere.

Came here for the pimento burger. Worth it! A word to the wise: their menu changes so don’t assume they will have all the items you see on Unilocal.The pimento burger brought me here and I was eager to try a chicken pot pie empanada I saw on Unilocal,only to find that they didn’t have it.
Anyways, ABV is a really cool spot with awesome staff that was really easy to talk to. The sign is just a little discret sign next to the menu outside and you can easily miss it when walking by if you aren’t familiar with the area. I could definitely see why the pimento burger made it to the big eat list. You have to try it for yourself. It has a certain mix of flavors that distinguishes it from other burgers, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. It is rather small and definitely not a meal by itself (or maybe I just eat a lot). It is bar fare afterall, Just REALLY well executed bar food. Also got the mumbai mule. it was good but I probably wouldn’t get it again. Everyone around me had really interesting cocktails though.

*** In Short ***
Small, cozy bar with friendly staff and tasty craft cocktails.
*** In Depth ***
Not having tried the food yet, there’s actually not much more in-​depth writing to do. Finally made it out to ABV several months back, and, with all that I’d heard about how small the place was, I was actually pleasantly surprised to find it larger than expected.
Ended up trying their Celery & Gin, as well as a Mumbai Mule, both of which were fairly tasty.
***Accessibility Info***
Venue — It’s been a while since I last went, but I recall a combination of traditional bar high top seating and lower not-​quite-​dinner-​height seating. As expected with any packed bar, getting around on a busy night can be a little difficult, but that’s solely due to the crush of people, rather than the venue itself.
Bathroom — Didn’t try.

Excellent service and delicious drinks in the heart of the mission district. Drinks are some what pricey costing between $ 11 — $ 15. I had the Mumbai Mule, which is saffron vodka, lemon, ginger, mint, soda, and St. George California Agricole Rum as a Daiquiri.
It’s a dimly lit clean environment with fast, talkative servers and bar tenders. I went on a Wednesday and had a great time and experience, I can’t speak for the other days. But, I’ve been told it’s a popular bar that’s packed all week long especially on the weekends.
Overall, great place to hang out and I’ll be back soon!

I went to ABV on a Tuesday night with some friends for some post-​dinner cocktails. The space is nice with plenty of tables and an big communal table on their second floor mezzanine in the back which was where we sat.
I had the High Altitude Highball which was with Hakushu Japanese whisky, génépy, and soda. It was a pretty strong drink and you definitely taste the whisky. This would be a great pairing with anything on ABV’s food menu. It was a great after-​dinner drink for me. I enjoyed it.
Even though I just had one drink there, I thought ABV is a very cool bar and I’m willing to go back to try them again for their food menu which sounded amazing, especially the Mapo Sloppy Joe, Pimento Cheese Burger, and Kimchee Fritter. Looking forward to trying those out and other drinks as well.

The drinks at ABV are good though I haven’t identified any to-​die-​for (or to-​come-​back-​for) cocktails on the menu yet.
The snacks are interesting and creative. Everything we had was $ 7-​$ 8 a plate and served as finger foods without utensils.
In order from most to least favorite —
* Mapo sloppy joes — Spicy and flavorful. Served in fluffy lotus buns. Would definitely order again.
* Tomato toast with chevre, mostarda, basil — The sweetness of the mostarda really enhanced the tomatoes.
* Fish tacos — Standard stuff.
* Kimchi fritters — Too many bonito flakes for my taste. Soft and mushy without much kimchi flavor.

Neat spot, my Manhattan was solid, and it adds another option to this 16^th street stretch of bars when it’s not a Kilowatt or Double Dutch night. (though really every night should be a kilowatt night)
I really want to try the food here, and when I do, I’ll update this.

Decent amount of seating. Straight forward venue and well-​made cocktails. Whiskey in church is beautiful and smoky and delicious and generously poured.
I had one or three then went across the street to Monk’s Kettle for a burger and beer. Great night.

Every once in a while you eat or drink something that resonates harmoniously on your palate. The flavors and textures are so remarkable that they become ingrained in your memory and the experience of enjoying said item simply cannot fade. These are the menu items and experiences food and drink lovers seek out, and I can say confidently that ABV has many of them to offer.
We came to ABV by another awesome recommendation from the best bartender in Seattle, future husband of Unilocaler Katy H, the one and only Jim, who has no initial because he isn’t on Unilocal.
Katy H suggested we make our way here after enjoying a beautifully hot, spicy, sticky and sweaty meal at nearby Mission Chinese. So, with the promise of AC and great drinks, off we went!
This is a sexy bar. Combining accents of industrial concrete and metal with organic elements like warm woods and dim candles, the ambiance kind of wraps you up in it and makes you forget about what lies beyond the doors or who’s tweeting, texting or Facebooking you for the duration of your visit.
The menu alone could keep a cocktail lover entranced and entertained for hours. Divided by base spirit, there are some very interesting drinks here. In my old age I’ve begun to appreciate the simpler things, so I tend to stick to those with the fewest ingredients, but I also enjoy exploring the broad spectrum of each type of spirit, and lately I’m all about Mezcal and gin.
Being the first night in SF I thought I’d saddle up to something a little smokey and spicy and settled on a mezcal cocktail that is a riff on the classic Blood and Sand. From the first sip to the last, I savored each and wished the glass would never go empty. I fell so head over heels for this drink that I began to proudly parade it down the bar offering friends a taste, which in hindsight was a bad idea because I got less :(oh well! I even went so far as to snap a shot of the menu and texted it to my bartender buddy in Reno hoping he’d perfect it by the time I got home (he hasn’t).
Oh how I wish I could just have another, or maybe one of their other clever concoctions. Either way I know I couldn’t go wrong here. This is my kinda bar. Great drinks, educated staff that can explain the nuances of the many spirits that line their shelves, and a killer atmosphere that just may make you feel too comfortable!
Run, don’t walk to check this place out. You won’t be sorry.

Specialty cocktails galore! I got their Highball, which was a spritzer with a slice of lemon exterior layer and Japanese dark liquor. It was pleasant for the whiskey, cocktail lovers with a hint of refreshing zest from the lemon!
They have other cocktail varieties, so if whiskey isn’t your cup of tea, there are others that will suit your style.
Service was splendid and ABV offers industrial décor to bar dining as well as upping their bar bites.
I really like their bar bites! Their grilled octopus with snazzy squid ink ranch on top of spiced up and nicely crisp, diced potatoes, was like a gourmet gastropub dish. Too bad it is served up in petite portions. I could have ate 3 of those orders and that would have cost me a mighty 30. That would have been a mighty meal somewhere else. They offer other delights, such as kimchi fritters and mapo sloppy joe, that caught my eye.
I will definitely be back for more tries on drinks and bar bites.

Hey, man. Any place that pays attention to the non-​drinkers like me gets love. Not that that is automatic qualification for full stars, but it was the icing on the cake. I’m usually sipping water when I’m at a watering hole, so the «0% ABV» section of their menu is pretty attractive, if not a simple way to take care of the teetotalers.
Add in the not-​aloof bartenders (the cooler-​than-​thou barkeep has their place, but ABV isn’t one of them) who was willing to talk about the drinks, a pretty snazzy bar (that pressure activated cup washer was hypnotic) and a location with plenty happening around you, and you’ve got a recipe for the W.
The place has a few small seats, but we sat right at the bar. I chose a pineapple basil concoction from the mocktail menu, and it was fresh and lovely. Not too sweet, pretty simple, and enjoyable enough to nurse for the evening.
Lest you think they’re about the mocktails, I can report that that part of the menu is but a teeny weeny part; they have lots and lots (and LOTS) of booze on hand and can pour many kinds of full-​spirited beverages.

I would give this place more stars because the drinks were very good but there was an obvious lack of seating so most of the patrons had to stand by the bar and that blocked the walk way so people were bumping into each other.
I came with a bunch of friends and we were bar hopping in the SF area. I decided to try their version of the moscow mule which turned out to be absolutely interesting. It tasted like an indian cuisine and the flavor was very deep and it had a nice spicy kick to it. I really enjoyed my drink and it was decently strong but nothing crazy. The menu of food looks very interesting and I would come back and try their asian fusion food items.

I dragged my boyfriend here for some ill-​advised drinks on a random Tuesday night.
Actually, my intentions were to drag him to ill-​advised drinks at Hog and Rocks, but after walking by, we decided the scene was a bit too much for us, so we walked down Mission (which actually transforms into a dangerous crack den after 8) to ABV – an excellent alternative.
The cocktails are impressive, but even more impressive is the bartenders who are making them. These kids know what they are doing, and not in a holier than thou bartender-​beard-​vest kind of way (vexing and tiresome, especially in the Mission), or a Tom Cruise re «Cocktail» kind of way (which still beats self-​righteous steam punk), but in the refreshing «I know what I’m doing and I’m the best at it but I’m still humble and friendly» type of way.
Our bartender was the master of multitasking — no small feat in a fully packed house with a complex cocktail list. Even though our bartender was clearly busy, he greeted us and gave us menus right away. I was appreciative, because that almost never happens. After perusing the cocktail menu, which divides cocktails by type of alcohol (I.e., vodka/​gin, agave, whiskey etc.) I started with the Transamerica Punch, and for my boyfriend, the Tarragon Collins. Both drinks were tasty, but the Tarragon Collins was the winner of the evening for me — with only gin, lemon, tarragon and soda, it was clean and refreshing, and the tarragon worked nicely with that simple combo.
For the next round, which we were able to order with relative ease following our first round due to our attentive bartender, I ordered the Mumbai Mule, and the boyfriend ordered the Lefty’s Fizz. I loved the Mumbai Mule (just wish it were served in a copper cup), and my boyfriend’s Fizz was also good but smoky, so keep that in mind if you aren’t a mezcal drinker. I really love egg whites in a drink you know? It’s so enjoyable.
My only regret (even though my motto is «no ragrets») is that we didn’t order snacks, especially considering our dining experience later that evening, which I will refrain from addressing until I give a certain unnamed establishment a bona fide second chance. But my boyfriend had been to ABV before, and he quite enjoyed the falafel lamb dog. After all, how could that be bad?
All in all, I advise that you have all of your ill-​advised cocktail needs met at ABV on Tuesday nights, Wednesday nights — or hell — all of the nights. Normal Mission crowd: hipsters straight up with a twist of douche. Typical San Francisco cocktail prices, but remember that ATMs in the Mission are on lockdown after 8, but ABV accepts cards. Service is outstanding. Bathrooms are clean. Walking after 8? Skip Mission and use Valencia, unless you need crack. And cheers!