Burritt Room + Tavern

My friend had recommended this place for Happy Hour. We should have just stuck to drinks because the food was terrible. That being said, the live music, atmosphere, and cocktails were great (and pretty good size glasses of wine as well!), so I’d definitely come back… just not for the food.

Place was just blah… I don’t know what this place is trying to be. Just seems to be wanna be bourgeois.

I booked a 1000-​point Opentable reservation here after watching The Maltese Falcon. Just kidding, I didn’t, but I could have. I’m sure some people do make a visit here after watching the crime film. Mystic Hotel is quick walk up the hill from Union Square or a slightly unsavory stroll down the Stockton Tunnel. Once you find the place, enter through the lobby and up the red-​carpeted stairs, you’ll find yourself in a low-​lit bar. It has a classic old-​school vibe with chandeliers and brick walls.
If you are dining, the host will lead you through the bar and into the dining room. We came for dinner, but I could definitely see the appeal of the velvety red couches and jazzy ambiance of the tavern. Most of the menu consisted of modern dishes, and also featured a couple of steakhouse items, which reflects the Charlie Palmer Group.
We started with some craft cocktails. As usual, I went with a citrus cocktail and it was sweet, refreshing, and tart.
We decided to go for a cheese & charcuterie board with 1 cow & 1 goat cheese, and cured pork products. It was served with mixed nuts, pickles, mustard, jam, and grilled sourdough.
They forgot our wedge of goat cheese, but then brought it out on a separate plate. I would have been fine if they left it off our bill, because after a few bites, goat cheese is a little too sharp for me. With drink in hand, and cured meat, bread & cheese in front of me, I was fully satisfied.
$ 17 Sourdough Pancake w/​Foie Gras Butter & Maple Syrup:
Mr. Joy ordered this out of curiosity. I like pancakes, but I don’t love pancakes. I admit I didn’t expect much — maybe something pretentious with very minimal, if any, hint of foie gras. However, this single pancake obviously exceeded my expectations. It was thin and light, but buttery. Honestly, I couldn’t really detect the taste of foie gras. It was simply just a very rich flavor with runny syrup intermingling with the butter.
$ 29 Grilled Steak & Fries w/​Chili Remoulade:
Not bad. It wasn’t very juicy, but had a nice char on the outside. The chili remoulade was great with the fries.
I’d return for cocktails & appetizers or bar food. I’m not sure I would return for dinner, but the tater tot poutine sounds interesting.

Went here for the first time last night, and was thoroughly impressed. Very classy ambiance, friendly crowd, and excellent bar tender. I took a chance on trying their smokey old fashioned and was truly impressed. One of the best I’ve had in the city. Also, the live jazz band was amazing. This is a great place for after work drinks, pre-​dinner cocktails, or a drink before a night on the town. I’ll definitely be back.

I, too, must thank Dave H. for putting together an incredible UYE here. While I didn’t get to try much food and drink, (only a negroni in honor of negroni week) I really fell in love with the ambience at Burritt Room + Tavern. Dimly lit and well-​decorated, I felt like I was in the kind of lounge where James Bond would meet/​take a damsel. It’s not somewhere I would go all the time, but for a date or special occasion, especially if you’re looking for a reason to dress up, (not necessary, but fits the environment) I would definitely recommend it. Just go when it’s dark, because it looks like you don’t get the same effect when sunlight streams in, and be mindful that the kitchen closes (I’d call to ask when) before the bar!

Many thanks to Dave H. for organizing this UYE Happy Hour here. It was a great opportunity to come out to see a new venue and meet some people!
The walk here from the Powell BART station goes uphill a bit, and the Mystic hotel is down stairs to get you to Stockton St. But once near the Mystic Hotel, the signage is pretty clear for the Burritt Room and Tavern.
The first thing that struck me was the über cool décor, closely followed by a live jazz band that really knows how to lay down a groove that will make you want to move like a cat. The band was loud, but was somehow not overwhelming.
I ordered an «Old Currancy» which is a deft concoction of Rye, Black Currant, White Pepper, Punt e Mes. It had a ruby-​like hue with bright red peppercorns floating in it. It was fascinating to watch them craft each cocktail – their basket of herbs and fresh fruit was pristine. Truth be told, I’m not into mixed drinks so it took me a long time to finish it especially because it was on the sweet side for me.
My next drink was a lovely glass of Port Charlotte Scottish Barley Single Malt Whisky that was heavily peated and smoky. It was like drinking liquid BBQ! How I wish I had a steak or chops to go with it! My bar buddy ordered some Cheesy Tater Tots and really enjoyed them – they smelled delectable, but I was still full from lunch.
Classy décor that will make you want to dress up, snazzy live music, interesting seating! A great venue whether you are dressed to impress or in your comfy casuals!

Great place for the end of the night yesterday with a totally chill atmosphere with plenty of attentive staff. My friend who told us about this place was a little hesitant (as its his personal spot), so I really hope it stays this awesome forever

Dr. Loosen. best Riesling.
Service was so so. a bit slow in my opinion.
Cocktails weren’t great, but great wine selection.
Cured meats and cheese was a great hit.
Poutin was super savory, but too salty, but still interesting to try.
Halibut was really good, light and fresh mild fish.
Burgers were over cooked for my friends. fries were way too salty, but the brussel sprouts were really good.
Nice jazzy music at the bar, overall ok place, food wasn’t bad.

If you have some chedda to spend, I definitely think you’d be happy about spending at Burritt Room + Tavern. Let’s first talk about ease to BART. It’s there, so for us East Bay cats, this is a great spot for City dining. Let’s then talk about that live jazz music. That’s easily some street cred when taking out of town guests to dinner. Let’s talk about the great bar with front row seats to said jazz, or the upscale dining room with little tucked away, enclosed tables, perfect for a private evening; both will leave you impressed.
The cocktails all at about $ 11-​$ 12 were tasty. The wine list was pricy. Not really any bottles under the $ 55-​$ 60 mark, just an fyi. We opted for some starters and we all ordered entrée’s and I must say, we all wished we just went straight starters the whole time, they were that good.
— Cheese and meat plates. A nice selection with some unique flavors. You pick your poison, so nothing standard.
— That tater tot poutine. SWOON. Get it. Chunks of perfect meat in a lickable gravy over perfect potatoes.
— The fried brussels sprouts are a must.
The lamb porterhouse was good, but a super small cut of meat and the fish, although a larger cut of fish, was ultimately dry and ran on the bland side. I know, sad right?
Service was impressive. They are on their game and with these prices that’s appreciated.
100% I’d come again for a nice evening out. I think I’d go with an array of their sexy starters in lieu of the entrée, but that’s about it!

I wanted to like this place, but the service was slow and the cocktails were meh. There are just too many cool places to go that are much better! Unfortunately Burritt Room seems to trade on its location near Union Square.
Walk on over to Stookey’s Club Moderne instead!

Dinner review.
Tater tot poutine + short rib — ⁵⁄₅ — Super savory. No onions next time.
Buttermilk fried chicken + chicken liver mousse — ⁴⁄₅ — Great flavor on the chicken and biscuit. Liver unnecessary.
Sourdough pancake + pork belly crackling + foie gras — ³⁄₅ — Too many tastes and textures. Still good though.
Fries + chili remoulade — ⁴⁄₅ — Good sauce with strong caper flavor
Lamb porterhouse — ⁵⁄₅
Ho-​ho (chocolate cake, vanilla buttercream, passionfruit curd, hibiscus powder, chili) — ³⁄₅ — Again, too many conflicting flavors shoved together.
Overall, great tater tot poutine. «As good as it gets.»

I have been here twice and each time was a good experience. I give it 3.5 stars. This most recent time, I came with eight girlfriends and we had a feast.
Decided to do family style — 4 appetizers, 8 main courses and 4 desserts. Yes, this is a group of woman that can eat! ;-)
First we started with drinks. After first round, waiter told us we can get a punch bowl of «mass appeal» so we did. It’s a vodka based drink. Delicious. My only complaint is our waiter could have told us this earlier so we could have saved on first round of individual drinks. The bowl was HUGE. We finished it but more to avoid wasting.
Appetizers — two kale Caesar salads and 1 poutine, 1 fried chicken. Everything was good as we were all hungry but nothing was exceptional.
Main course — 3 pappardelle seafood dish, 2 flat iron, 2 pork shank, 1 lamb. Pappardelle was really yummy. We started with two and had to order one more. Flat iron was also very well prepared. The other two was good too but not as memorable.
Desserts — apple cake, espresso cheescake, panna cotta and cookie plate. Loved the cheesecake and apple cake.
Overall a good experience, slightly on the pricy side but the atmosphere is great, so worth it.

Burritt Room and Tavern is hidden away in the Mystic hotel on the second floor. If you didn’t know it was there or weren’t seeking it out you likely would not find it. And that’s definitely a good thing. It’s not crowded by tourists and seems to be a meeting place for locals.
The menu is features steak of course since it’s a Charlie Palmer restaurant and it doesn’t disappoint. The C.A.B. Flatiron was perfectly cooked at medium rare with a dollop of goat cheese. It was accompanied by paprika fries. The fries were crisp and thoroughly dusted with paprika.
Service was spot on. Quick and friendly.

I dig this place. Sweet live jazz and wicked cocktails in the speakeasy bar, and jazzy approaches to New American classics in the dining room. The chef boldly pairs savory and sweet, bitter and salty, and everything in between, so this place is for the adventurous foodie and not the boring folks who want the same olé dishes. If you don’t like inventive flavor combinations, don’t come here (or just be quiet while we bliss out).
The Berlinetta is a refreshing take on a bourbon old-​fashioned, with a heady burnt orange scent and taste balanced by the bitters, Cynar liqueur (no, it doesn’t taste like artichoke), and Italian vermouth. However, my friends complained about their cocktails (a Sazerac and a Cadillac marg), so I’m not sure about the bar’s consistency.
The short rib had to be the most creative version I’ve had in awhile. The meat was cooked and seasoned perfectly, and I loved the trumpet mushrooms and quince slices paired with the beef. The kabocha purée was sweeter than I prefer, but it’s not a necessary component to the dish. One of my guests also thought their entrée was too sweet (the chicken with maple roasted carrots), but everyone raved about the fried Brussels sprouts with yogurt sauce.

Burritt is located inside Mystic Hotel– you enter, pass the lobby and up the stairs to the tavern. No real sign, so just keep walking up!
Nice atmosphere and crowd and great live jazz! Lots of fancy cocktails (that’s what they’re known for) and other drinks. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to try the food, but the drinks seem legit.

I am not a fan. The food lacks much to be desired, and the bathroom is forever out of toilet paper (literally every time I’ve been) and repeated request gone unheeded. And the drinks? OMG bad, and the bar tenders are an unimaginative bunch — when I request a «fizzy grapefruit concoction» anywhere else, usually I get something fun and creative. Here, I get some weird bitter tart drink that I have to go back to dilute and sweeten: the mark of inexperienced bar tenders. Totally second rate.
So why do I go back? Great live jazz band… like crazy good… from 6 to 8 (I think?) mid-​week. Extra star for that but otherwise I would totally skip this *blah* place.

I was highly highly disappointed by the food here. When you walk into the hotel, you walk past the lobby into the restaurant. The ambiance of the restaurant was nice, dimly lit, had a coat rack, and had a old school theme to it.
For the appetizer I ordered some kind of pork plated over polenta and literally 50% of the pork was fat. I was able to take my knife and cut the pork square into 2 even top and bottom pieces of fat and meat. For the entrée I got the trout with with some kind of vegetable I forgot and it was the smallest piece of trout I’ve ever seen, plus the skin was way too overcooked. The best part of my meal was the dessert, the rum cake.
The reason I’m not giving one star is mainly because of the bartenders (5 stars for the bartenders!). They were really friendly and knew what to make me just by saying, «I want something strong with whiskey.» We didn’t have to wait long at all for drinks. The servers were also friendly but I interacted more with the bartenders.

We came on a Saturday night around 6:30pm and the place was packed. Waited about 10 minutes until we found some seats at a long, high table.
I ordered the burritt burger and the patty was quite sizable in size. The toppings are off to the side so you have to assemble the burger yourself. I’d highly recommend ordering this dish if you’re starving.
The pork chops are cut into bite size pieces and easy to share. It comes with a dipping sauce that I’d highly recommend.
The cheesy tater tots are tasty as well. It isn’t overflowing with cheese so the chances of burning your mouth when biting into one is greatly decreased.
I can’t wait to come back here and try out their cocktails!

Burritt Room + Tavern is located on the second floor of Mystic Hotel. Do you like jazz and creative cocktails? This could be your new favorite spot. I came here for a friends birthday and had a great time. Relaxing ambiance, great service, delicious drinks, and tasty bar bites (haven’t been here for dinner yet). We had a large group so we reserved the back area of the lounge. There is a minimum that you have to spend in order to do this, but I don’t remember what it was.
Favorite cocktails
Mass Appeal: Vodka or Gin (I went with gin), Elderflower, Ginger, Lime, Grapefruit Bitters
Maiden Voyage: Gin, Fino Sherry, Maraschino, Cardamom
Going to keep this review short because I have nothing bad to say about Burritt Room and can’t wait to bring back some friends for cocktails! This is a great spot for a girls night out, birthday, date night, maybe even bring your next Tinder date here?

TLC — Red Light Special
…might as well be the theme song of this lounge. Perhaps the dim lighting, sophisticated aura, and intimate quarters sparked my arousal – it’s kind of sexy in here.
If you like a well-​crafted cocktail, you have to visit. Fancy a cocktail with citrus notes? I really liked the Poquito Picante (Tequila Blanco, Aperol, Lime, Burritt Serrano Tincture). My hubby thoroughly appreciates their well made Old Fashioned.
Friendly bar service, great drinks, and chill ambiance.
Love their bar bites. You must order their Cheesy Tots with their homemade ketchup. FORGET elementary school cafeteria level tater tots. These are grown man status tots. Also, try the Beer Braised Pork Shank with Drakes IPA reduction, garlic and onion. Flavorful meat and crispy on the outside – so damn scrumptious.

When the Mystic Hotel was built in 1907 on Stockton Street between Bush and Sutter there was no Stockton Street Tunnel and the street’s grade went up to the top of what is now the south entrance to the tunnel. In 1913 when the street was lowered to accommodate the new tunnel that would open the next year, the main entrance and lobby for the majestic Mystic Hotel was suddenly on the second story of the building — so they repurposed what was the basement as the main entrance, and that is the genesis of the funky arrangement you negotiate to get up to the Burritt Room + Tavern today…
From Stockton Street you can still see the large window on the second story that was the main entrance before the tunnel was constructed, which serves as a metaphor for what you’ll experience in the bar. Classic, yet new. Everywhere you look you’ll see remnants of the old — the walls stripped to the original brick with recovered molding and fixtures (classic) while the bartenders mix any variety of cocktail with bitters and even soda water they concoct themselves (new)… that’s right kids, even soda water, historically called seltzer and made by introducing pressurized air into still water, which they do right there at the bar…
Check out the Craft Cocktails menu, filled with some of their classically-​inspired signature drinks. As a rye drinker I like the Whodunnit, a great mix of rye with some secondary mixers (not too ‘light’) and some of their house-​made cherry bitters — with a title that honors the neighborhood’s Dashiell Hammett legacy.
There always seems to be a fun crowd, and the entertainment is good, solid bar & lounge fare. As for the food, I have only eaten there once but the space is cool, menu is interesting, substantial, rife with fresh ingredients, and features unique entrees and apps. To be honest on my visits so far we’ve had such a great time in the bar that I haven’t really noticed the food other than it was good, presented well, and the service was equally top-​notch.
They’ve filled a unique and historic San Francisco place with a fantastic restaurant and lounge. It’s a great ‘date night’ or get-​together spot. Many thanks to the legendary Abby S. for her review that motivated me to check it out, it’s a great spot to stop if you’ve visiting FiDi /​Union Square or on your way home to NB, TelHi, Russian Hill, etc. …

Secret passageway in the lobby of a random hotel in Downtown SF, up a mysterious stairway lined with dark red velvet carpet and a flamboyant chandelier, leading to a large, dimly lit tavern-​y room with swanky live jazz music… yas. Besides the bragging rights associated with a knowledge of hidden restaurants, the clandestine location prevents Burritt Room from becoming packed like most places in Downtown SF – we walked in at 7pm on a Friday and got a table for 4 with no wait, which essentially defies the laws of SF physics.
For a fancy gastropub, I expected artisan presentation in tiny portions. However the entrees turned out above average in portion size (in SF standards at least) and with sufficiently aesthetic presentation (except for the steak, but then again what can you do to decorate a plate of steak and fries).
HOUSE CURED DUCK TASSO (cornbread, chanterelle mushrooms, mint, bourbon honey aioli, $ 14): The amount of duck was disappointingly skimpy – we divided this in 4 and some pieces didn’t have duck, so we almost suspected they messed up the order and mistakenly gave us some vegetarian thing. But besides the lack of duck, this was definitely a noteworthy appetizer. The cornbread was fluffy like focaccia and the mushrooms were robust and flavorful, so perfect I don’t think I can go back to generic mushrooms.
FALL FRUIT BRAISED SHORT RIB (red kuri squash, trumpet mushrooms, quince, orange + truffle vinaigrette, $ 28): Sounds way too sophisticated for peasant-​rank foodies like myself, but it does not take a gastronomic expert to appreciate the melt-​in-​your-​mouth short ribs. The way it soaked up the orange truffle vinaigrette made it more tender and added a nice complexity, and the squash purée is definitely worth an honorable mention.
GRILLED C.A.B. FLAT IRON + FRIES (ancho chili + onion jam, chili remoulade, $ 26): FYI CAB stands for certified Angus beef. Despite being a bit overdone to some dehydration on the outside, the interior still had a nice juiciness. Decent steak overall, and the fries with spicy sauce are addicting.
1 appetizer and 2 entrees was actually the perfect amount for 4 people, and we didn’t get any odd attitudes from the servers for sharing entrée orders. The manager even stopped by at the end to collect our plates and ask how our dinner was. Hurray for unpretentiousness! Also, I highly recommend conserving stomach space for dessert because Joy’s Place is close by, and heaping piles of green tea/​red bean snow ice from a Korean café is always a good idea.
On a side note, I’m quite amused by the name Burritt Room. We call it Burrito Room for lawls :3

After a lengthy google and Unilocal search, I decided to have my birthday dinner at The Burritt Room and Tavern. There are a few reasons why I chose this place. 1) They were able to accommodate a group of 12 people with only a week’s notice 2) reviews raved about the quality of the food and 3) my friend personally recommended it.
The restaurant is located on the second floor of a building and as you walk up the stairs you’ll notice a chandelier made out of wine glasses and you’ll here the sound of jazz and old classic tunes playing from the room upstairs. From that point I knew I was going to like this place.
The restaurant has a main room that includes a bar, a live band and a few seats that seemed meant for drinking and listening to music while the second room beyond the main room included a few long tables and along the wall were individual rooms that each had a round table inside. They had curtains at the entrance of each small room to allow for dining privacy should you desire it.
We sat at a long wooden table that comfortably sat the ten of us. The room was dimly lit and the table was just big enough where we didn’t feel too cramped but were still able to hear each other over the music. I loved that the live music was audible from the room next door but wasn’t overwhelmingly so — we were still able to hear each other without having to yell.
We all started with some drinks. My friends had a really good shandy that I tried and I asked the waiter to make me a drink that he thought I might like as the none of the drinks on the menu really stood out to me. He brought me back a drink that tasted like a grapefruit vodka. It was a nice balance of alcohol and grapefruit where neither one was too overwhelming. I later had a margarita that was really good too.
For dinner my friend and I split the rib eye steak dish and the seaweed scented pasta dish. Both were really good. The pasta wasn’t as soft as I imagined but I really enjoyed the shrimp sauce and the flavor. The steak wasn’t too tough and the peppers and figs complimented the dish perfectly. I loved the fig jam that the steak was served with. There was an overall consensus at the table that the food at this restaurant was tasty and of good quality.
I was brought a slice of cheesecake with a candle in it for my birthday and I felt that the taste and texture wasn’t as rich as I would have liked but some of my friends really enjoyed it. What I really appreciated was how the waiter brought over plates of free cookies for my friends so that I wouldn’t be the only person having dessert.
The service, the food and the ambience all made for a pleasant experience at the Burritt Room and by the end of the night I felt that I’d made the right choice when picking out a birthday dinner venue. The portions were at a decent size and the prices weren’t ridiculous. Everyone I encountered from the hostess that took down my reservation over the phone to our waiter were all friendly, polite and pleasant. I’d definitely recommend the Burritt Room to those looking to have a swanky but affordable dinner in the city.

This is a diamond in the rough. You would have never known that this spot existed because the exterior looks dreary and you have to enter through the hotel lobby to get to this place, upstairs.
Stepping into this restaurant, there was live music playing and a full on bar. That area provided a jazzy, speakeasy ambiance. If you head left, you get to dine that way and it has a sectioned off private, curtained-​down area. That had an industrial, dark contemporary feel to it. Great for one on ones and for secrets to be revealed behind the curtains!
They offer wine, beer and cocktails. Plus, gastropub gourmet food! Yum! I loved my onion jam steak with generous portioned fries! The pork belly as a starter, was nicely tender with okra that cooked well and complimented the pork belly richness.
This place is swanky and sexy. Let’s keep it that way.

Burritt Room screams sexy! I can see why Janice loves this place. The cheesy tots were a little heavy in my opinion but I loved the fries with the aioli. Janice and I were doing mocktails that night, while the men had drink drinks. But I did have a few sips of a jalapeño margarita drink and it was great, definitely packed a punch. The mock tail was refreshing and still well crafted.
There was live music that Thursday evening and our waitress was very attentive. I will definitely be coming back for a some great sips and nibbles.