Dalva

Dalva or Hideout, front or back, same location… just take your pick.
Came here with some girlfriends on a busy and crowded Friday night. We heard of Dalva before as people in the industry, and were excited to check this place out. Got here around 9−10PM at night so the crowds were getting a bit dance-​y, slosh-​y, and dare I say it… sloppy. But we were looking to wind down and enjoy a couple cocktails/​beers.
After walking straight to Hideout in the back, we realized that it was a dark cave-​like space where bodies were up against each other… like a dance floor without any DJ or music! The poor bartenders looked horrified and bored because no one was ordering drinks. People seemed to stare at them from their cramped space like festival go-​ers stare at DJ’s.
We got lucky and found bar seating and ordered a delicious Hermitage stout and cocktails. As we looked around, the scene in Dalva consisted of a few two-​top bar tables and bar stools… tables were pretty scarce. So this isn’t really the place to have a huge group come in – don’t expect to stay together if that’s the case. It’s great if you’re looking to go out with a roommate or even with your boo. I would consider Dalva to have almost a divey vibe to it on Friday nights after 9:30PM.

So I’ll be honest that I’ve never sat at Dalva proper, but I have been to the Hideout several times. The Hideout sits at the back of Dalva, once you make your way past the bar and find the doorway leading to it. That’s pretty cool in itself. The drinks at the Hideout are some of the best I’ve had in SF. You can see the detail that goes into each one and the skill of the bartenders. The drinks tend to stay away from sweet flavors, but there’s an option for every preference. Noise level is low, which is always a plus. Pricey as any trendy Mission bar.

Dalva is one of my favorite bars in the Mission. The best part about Dalva is that it’s two bars in one. The Hideout is the bar within Dalva. They serve the most amazing cocktails I’ve ever had in my life. Other Mission bars might be more trendy like Trick Dog and ABV, and they do have awesome cocktails. However, my local recommendation is definitely The Hideout.
The front bar (Dalva proper) takes credit cards but The Hideout only takes cash. There is an ATM by the bathrooms if you need one. You can go straight back to The Hideout and ask for a menu and choose your new favorite cocktail (I have faith you will be returning, lol). Their menu consistently changes but they will always make old menu drinks if you fell in love. My favorite drink ever is the Grapefruit Soda, which ironically has zero grapefruit in it besides the garnish, but tastes like the freshest grapefruit you’ve had in your life (with a touch of vodka, of course). It is SO GOOD. Watch out though, like all of their drinks they are pretty strong.
Ambiance: perfect for a first date or a GNO. The lighting is dim but not dark and it’s not too loud at all so you can have a nice conversation. It’s ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ on getting a table. High turnover but low amount of seating. All of the bartenders are brilliant and very nice and prompt.
This is a great spot to go before or after dinner at one of the delicious spots around the area like Monk’s Kettle or Lers Ros.

I enjoyed this bar but really loved the Hideout bar in the back– It’s ambiance and fine cocktails are just my taste. Would love to go back on a weekday evening with my boyfriend and not with a huge group of friends. Definitely more of a dark chill-​out place.

This review is about the hideout at dalva.
Hidden in the back of dalva is the hideout with one guy that I can vouch for that’s extremely talented at making craft drinks.
I looked at the menu and nothing really popped at me so I got a boulevardier for me and a whiskey sour for my fiancé.
Let me start off by saying I wasn’t that impressed by the whiskey sour, due to the fact that they didn’t implement egg white. On the flip side however, they made me a great boulevardier.
It seems as they have the drinks on the menu down so, I could tell just by watching the execution, however I’m sure they’d make a great old fashioned. They also have a cozy room upstairs to sip on your fancy cocktail you just grab and it’s secluded so no one is really there to rush.

Go to the hideout bar in the back. It’s dark and romantic.
David is a true mixologist, he will make all of your fancy cocktail dreams come true. If you’re there on a slower night just tell him your fav drinks and he will mix up something amazing. I am so impressed with his skill, he made me the best drink I have ever had! I’m still thinking about that pink tart frothiness that gave me a great buzz!
Thanks for a great experience David, we will be coming back to visit all the way from seattle whenever we can!

I’m a fan of any good dive bar. The drinks are solid, fairly priced and well-​executed.
Now, the Hideout is a whole other story: it’s got low ceilings, it’s perpetually crowded, the drinks come out slow as molasses, and it’s always too hot. I hate it. People love it because of its hidden nature, but I personally could do without it. If people insist in going in back, I order all my drinks in front.

Very cool place. Just stopped on for a quick drink while waiting for a reservation elsewhere but will definitely be back to enjoy more. Love the ambience and style of this place.

Dalva is a cool-​ish little dive in the Mission. They have two rooms, the back one called «The Hideout», which features pricier cocktails and a slightly sexier, more romantic ambiance. This would be a good spot to bring that special someone, get shitfaced, and cuddle in the corner, snuggled up in one of the booths.
Their Sunday night karaōke is a really good time. Jose the KJ kept us entertained, even picking random songs and handing us the mic on the fly.
The bartenders tend to be a little on the surly side, so be prepared to wait a long time for your drink, and don’t expect a smile or a thank you. A couple of times, I’ve waited at the bar for 5 minutes, and no bartender was to be found anywhere. I went to the back room, and the same thing happened. Where did they all go?!
They only have one unisex restroom stall, so don’t wait too long to relieve yourself.

Excellent bar on a weeknight. Not too crowded; very chill place where you can still talk. Bartenders in the front and also in the Hideout have been very friendly and approachable. They knew what to recommend.
Had the: (in Dalva)
— Boulevardier: sweet upfront with a surprisingly bitter aftertaste, very addicting
Also had: (in the Hideout)
— Altered State: my new favorite; do not be deceived by its transparency — it’s smoky, complex, and beautiful
— Gin & Celery Tonic: total thirst quencher, very refreshing and good use of celery bitters
Can’t wait to be back! Reasonably priced.

I’m not from the area and went to meet a friend there. Woman bartender wasn’t friendly in the back. She said I needed to go to the front for wine, so I did. I received my wine in a cocktail glass, weird. The bartender said «we aren’t a wine bar» when I asked if they had a wine glass.
I understand you’re not a wine bar but rather a specialty cocktail place. However, wine is clearly available so why not have a few glasses. Make me feel at least a little bit classy ;)
Anyways, this place overall was pretty cool. The ambiance was nice and if you like specialty cocktails-​that is what they have.
Cheers!

To the folks at Dalva,
I popped into your bar last night for a quick cocktail and I have to say, your bartender was one of the rudest servers I have ever had the misfortune of running across. He was extremely disrespectful and condescending to me and I couldn’t help feeling like it might have been bias-​based as I was the only large woman in the entire place (everyone else seemed to be getting wonderful service) that wasn’t white or Asian.
I just wanted to let you know that it is NOT okay to treat people like that, regardless of who they are. I am paying a customer, like everyone else there, and while I don’t expect special treatment, I do expect common courtesy and respect from someone who’s working in customer service.
This is a very diverse city, which is what makes it great, and treating people differently (because you don’t feel they belong inside your establishment) is morally unacceptable. It is a shame, because you have such a lovely space and very yummy drinks!
I do hope you take this message to heart and I am sincerely sorry for the attitude of the staff you’ve hired, as everything else is just wonderful.

DRINKS:
I don’t have an appreciation for smoky drinks but apparently the drinks from here are very good. I like sweet drinks and they don’t really have any here but what I like about this place is the ambiance. The bar is in the back of another bar and the room is very tiny. You feel kind of cozy since its a small room behind a regular bar.
SERVICE:
Friendly bartenders
WOULD I RECOMMEND IT? Yes, since its a cool experience to go to a secret bar (kind of).

Czech it out.
Awesome beers for an impressive $ 5 price served by a friendly and attentive bartender:
Cozy little upstairs area perfect for getting to know your drink and the other person:
Four years after my first review the only thing that has changed is adding two more deserved and overdue stars.

This is a cool place to hang out, and it feels super chill and divey. It’s down the street from the 16^th/​Mission BART station, so bonus points! The bartenders are always very friendly and attentive. It’s not usually too busy here, which is another reason why I like Dalva.
Minus one star because the cocktails (each $ 9) are pretty weak. I was especially disappointed by the El Diablo that has tequila, lemon, ginger, cassis, and soda. I could hardly taste the tequila. They have fun selections though. My favorite is the Bee’s Knees which has gin, lemon, and honey. They have a bunch of beers on tap from Moonlight Brewery, which it turns out I’m not a fan of. The IPA tasted more sweet and fruity than hoppy, and the Death & Taxes Lager tasted like death.
Minus another star because they pretty much only make the cocktails listed on their menu. I asked for various drinks that contained mint or something spicy, but they said they don’t have the ingredients to make those. You can always go to the bar in the other room called Hideout. Just wanted to note my disappointment.
Dalva is CASH ONLY so keep that in mind, too.

Very relaxed dive bar pretty much defining the Mission. Downer is the creepy clock art on the main wall. Seriously, that thing is script for a possessed demon child’s drawing. They also play some random old movie on the screen too, which I guess only adds to the hipster vibe.
Drinks here are really weak but they are $ 9, so they are a bit cheaper than other places in the Mission.
There’s another bar with fancier cocktails in the back called Hideout. This place is incredibly crowded though so have fun waiting in line.
Also, cash only! u

Venue: Dive bar in the front, cramped speakeasy in the back. It’s pretty grungy and loud, but at least the drinks ain’t bad.
Drinks — Bar in the front serves mostly beer and simple cocktails, while the bar in the back serves more sophisticated/​unique cocktails. Red Ruby went down easy.

Is it a dive bar? Or is it upscale? Is it creepy? Or is it sexy? I dunno but we were fucking mesmerized by the silent movies on the big screen. Beer prices are solid. We stuck to local beers which the bartender knew all about. The dark ambiance was very intriguing.
Drinks: ⁴⁄₅
Service: ⁴⁄₅
Location: ⁴⁄₅

I’ve walked past Dalva a couple times but never thought about going in. It looks very cramped and long, and I’m not trying to involve myself in that. Then when my chef friend said that there’s a secret bar in the back, the Hideout, that offers craft cocktails and a cozy atmosphere, I rallied my girlfriends and we headed over on Friday night.
Dalva was exactly what I expected, so we happily made our way back to the Hideout. It was small back there too, but I liked the intimate feel of it. We all ordered the drink of the evening, which, I of course can’t remember the name since we glugged a couple bottles of wine with dinner, but it was basically a fancy, straight up Old Fashioned in a small wine glass. Very strong, with an orange finish. I got to sit and chat with my friend about life and boys before we headed out to Toronado to meet the rest of our crew. Very cool spot, I highly recommend checking it out.

One of my favorite cocktail bars in the city. plz take me with you if you go ;_​_​_​;
The front is Dalva, a dive bar that has happy hour every day from 4 — 7 PM with $ 4 well drinks and $ 2 off drafts beers. But the back is where the party is at (interpret that as you will): HIDEOUT, a cocktail bar where they don’t believe in vodka. Once 7 PM hits, shimmy over to the back and seek out a bartender called Jason, who will make you a clean mean drink of whatever the heck you want. Their cocktails menu seems to change monthly, which includes new renditions of a varying «classic.» Each cocktail will cost you $ 10, CASH ONLY, but be worth way more.
But really, those cocktails are worth every dollar and then some. I have never enjoyed drinking as much as with the drinks I had that night (this is obv the start of a great relationship). My first was the BOURBON MULE involving my favorites of mint and ginger (Jason overheard my conversation with my drinking partner… given how loud I am, that’s not too difficult hahaha). It was the pinnacle trifecta: light, delicious, and inebriating.
My next two drinks came from previous Unilocalers’ recommendations – I literally gave Jason my phone so he could see the ingredients. The SWITCHEL, made with Venezuelan rum, apple (which they ran out of), lime, ginger, and cinnamon, was another home run. Then came the 16TH STREET SWIZZLE, a fave of Jason’s. Don’t confuse this with the listed Hideout Swizzle #2 (gin, genepy, lime, pineapple, and orange bitters), as the 16^th Street Swizzle is made with Jamaican rum, lime, honey, orgeat, and ginger shrub (
). It’s like a sweet liquid ginger. It’s kinda awesome.
My drinking partner started off with an Old Fashioned, later ordering the Clover Club, which they swapped out the grenadine for raspberry purée. Another good drink.
Sometimes Jason had to run to the back room to grab ingredients, which is when I got to chat a bit with the other bartender, David, who has been with Dalva for 16 years. Epic, right?! Srsly, they care about the drinks they make without the snotty pretentious ‘tude of some other mixologists (that’s Mission versus FiDi for you, I guess), and it makes all the difference.
HIDEOUT = $ 10 CASH-​ONLY COCKTAILS, THE BEST YOU’LL EVER HAVE