Elite Event -- Sippin’ On Gin ‘n’ Juice, Laaaaid Back

Oscar night… but instead opted to hang with my fellow Unilocal Elite peers! Because it was my first time to attend a YEE, I was, naturally, anxious and nervous. I came along with fellow Unilocaler Stephen D. and was able to meet new Unilocal friends and discover O3!
Breakdown of food:
Kaarage Chicken: 3
A little dry for my taste (I’m used to Japanese-​style fried chicken).
Ceviche: 4
Tender pieces of assorted seafood (scallop, shrimp, crab) with lime served with taro chips. Great combination of flavors.
Oxtail Tacos: 4 ½
Albeit greasy, it was delicious. Meat was so tender and hearty.
Garlic noodle (with lobster): 5!!!
By far, my favorite dish. The infusion of the toasted garlic, shreds of lobster and bacon on the creamy noodles. This is definitely something to get when at the restaurant. Good job O3!
Since I don’t drink alcohol, I’m glad the bartender was able oblige me with ginger ale. Chester (from O3) was super friendly and actively engaged in all the fellow Unilocalers. I’m glad to have found this new hotspot of asian fusion. Well done O3! Can’t wait to come back for some more of that lobster garlic noodle!

The drinks were pretty good, fairly strong, and we were kept well fed with a good rotation of 5 sampler dishes throughout the night.
* Ceviche — 3.5 stars
(prawn, scallop, crab, coconut milk, lime juice, red onion, crispy shallot, taro chips)
Each of our little ceviche cups had a huge piece of scallop on the bottom — this was the best part, but it was a little hard to eat with the thin taro chips! I’m sure the proportions are slightly different when you order the actual dish of the menu, but overall I liked the ingredients (and they were all fresh and tasty), though I wouldn’t say they did too much with this ceviche flavor-​wise.
* Tacos — 3.5 stars
(braised oxtail, miso aioli, cabbage)
A nice taco with plenty of shredded, tasty, tender meat.
* Chicken Karaage — 3 stars
(adobo vinaigrette)
A little on the dry side, and the breading did not have that great of a crisp.
* Lobster garlic noodles — 4 stars
(soy butter, garlic, bacon dust)
Everyone loved this dish the most! The noodles are soft (a personal preference of mine) and almost as thick as udon, the garlic strong, and the lobster fresh. Really tasty!
* Brussel sprouts — 4 stars
(shiitake mushroom, sweet chili sauce, nuoc cham, crispy shallot)
Also well done, I like the sweeter flavor, and the brussel sprouts had a decent crisp to them.
* Surprise Punch — 4 stars
(209 Gin, apple juice, dry vermouth, lemon juice, ginger beer)
A nice refreshing, light drink (the way I like it). The ginger could be stronger, it was a little more on the sweet side.
* Cucumber Martini — 3.5 stars
(209 GIN, fresh lime juice, cucumber purée, simple syrup and a dash of orange bitters)
You’ll like this more than I did if you’re a big fan of gin — this flavor is pretty dominant and I wish I could taste the cucumber more. Still, a nice strong drink that I still enjoyed.

I finally got a chance to check out my first SF Elite event since I moved here and I was not disappointed! Jon A. did a great job putting together this awesome event. Although I only had one beer, the drinks were definitely flowing. The food was plentiful and delicious. My favorite were the Lobster Garlic Noodles and the Brussel Sprouts — both were very delicious.
Aside from the food and drinks it is the company that makes Unilocal events fun! I spent the night talking with Tanakorn T and Jane A. It is always nice to meet new people and have interesting conversations. I look forward to attending future events here in San Francisco.

Thank you Jon and Jessica for another awesome event!
I can never forget the first time I dined at O3. The «Commander in Beef» and I split some bone marrow and oxtail tacos. When we heard this was the location of the YEE we knew it wouldn’t disappoint. Singha cervezas and 209 Gin cocktails were poured as oxtail tacos and fresh ceviche worked their way around the room.
Oh yeah and the Oscars were on too.

I almost decided to homebody it up and stay in to watch the Oscars but the thought of being blacklisted for the next ten Unilocal events pushed my ass out the door.
I wasn’t hungry, had no desire to drink, and figured I would end up drinking five cocktails alone in a corner since we couldn’t bring guests. None of this happened. I ate like six servings of the best ceviche I’ve ever had and I’ve never eaten more brussel sprouts in my life. I couldn’t try the oxtail tacos since I don’t eat meat and I missed the noodles.
I had the pomegranate cocktail and the cucumber martini and both were solid. I had a Singha beer after the bar closed and I still saw 50 beers sitting in ice on the table next to me.
My grandfather lives right by O3 Bistro and I had been wanting to check it out since it opened. I think the menu is pretty expensive for the area but its one of the few nicer restaurants in the location. Ambiance is totally up my alley, all dark and moody.
I also ended up meeting some awesome people so I guess not being able to bring a +1 wasn’t so bad after all but oh god what is up with all those awful photos of me?! I was not camera ready!!!

Awesome event, Unilocal + O3!
The space was intimate, the food was delicious, the drinks made me thirst for more, the hospitality was superb, and the company of my fellow Unilocalers was the best!
O3, you truly showed your best side through those delicious apps! It’s hard to decide which was my favorite – I’m salivating just thinking about the delicious garlic noodles. The ceviche also tops my list, fresh and zesty. And the tacos were my guilty pleasure and paired perfectly with the Singha!
Out of the drinks, the cucumber Martini was by far the best cocktail. The Singha crew was super friendly… thanks for the Singha swag! Finally, the wine pours were generous.
Great catching up with some familiar faces and meeting new Unilocalers! Hope to see ya’ll in the near future.
Finally, thanks to O3’s Chester for your awesome hospitality!

Oh why oh why did I give up meat for Lent!!! (Oh yeah. I’ll be a bridesmaid in June.)
Yes, all I could eat was the ceviche and the Brussels sprouts. I like my ceviche with a lot of citrus/​vinegar flavors, and the one O3 served was. well. different. It was good, just not what I’m used to. What I really liked was the Brussels sprouts. charred to perfection! But I couldn’t eat sprouts for the entire night so I left after finishing my beer (which was delicious btw).
All in all, it was a casual event and a nice way to end the weekend.
And a shout out to Amanda! I just bookmarked Noci, so I’ll go there soon! :)

YEE on a sunday night at the same time as Oscars? Perfect (nothing good on tv anyways)
O3 lounge was very spacious — never been there before so not sure if its usually that roomy.
For the drinks, big props to 209 and O3 for coming up with the cocktail menu. Tasty, strong, and still had a hint of gin flavor. I have to say, tip jar was in a very awkward spot — had to reach through a conversation multiple times. Singha beer was also there, very smooth to drink down — interesting swag (luggage tags, key chains).
Oh the food! After grabbing [the first] drink and sitting down, I was able to get one of each of the plates of food within 5 min! that must be a record. Cerviche was good and elegantly put together (with the scallop as the finale). The ox tail tacos were tasty. Usually I don’t like brussel sprouts, but the brussel sprout flavor was overpowered by the sweet seasonings. Karaage was good. Garlic noodles were very oily/​buttery, and would have been better if the lobster was more infused (ie, shredded and mixed in) vs just a side piece.
Overall, it was a nice, fun, relaxing evening. Thank you Unilocal for another great event.
Beware of the bathrooms — its quite a walk. and with all the doors, you might just get lost leaving the bathroom after a few drinks

My 1^st elite only event, I’ve been to a lot of elite+1s. But since it was elite only, you were actually forced to interact with people, which was AWESOME!
Great ambiance, and great staff. The food kept coming, I actually was starving when I got there and was well fed pretty soon. Loved Singha beer, I actually tried it for the 1^st time the night before. The bartenders were really nice.
I’d definitely visit O3 again.

Intimate event, met new folks, plentiful bites that were really good (all of them), tasty 209 gin concoctions, Singha beer, friendly staff, and occasional Oscar talk. I definitely unwound even from a day of doing nothing. Not sure what was making me anxious, but after 2 Cucumber Martinis, I was ready to leave my introvert self at the door, and discuss my huge crush on Jennifer Lawrence.
The highlight of their bites were definitely the lobster garlic noodles with a bacon dust (huge piece of lobster meat!), brussels sprouts and the ceviche (shrimp and the delicious buried treasure of a big scallop). I had heard that O3 was from the owners of Ozone, and it was confirmed. I know the owner’s brother! So this means I have to come back for happy hour, of course. Oh, and they have $ 1 oysters on Mondays, and Taco Tuesdays, heyyyy!
The space is modern, but comfortable. I’m curious as to how the setup is normally. One of the more intimate events I’ve been to in a long time, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

First Unilocal Elite event! Oh snap.
Wow now I know what the hype is all about. Congrats Unilocal for fostering a close community within this big city of ours.
A shoutout to all the cool people I met yesterday and the organizers of the event. Jon and I were discussing a Unilocal Noob Hat for 1^st timers like myself, and I hope that happens sometime soon. Anyone?
As for the highlights:
— Venue: Spacious lounge, excellent lighting, well-​placed bar and sectioning of the lounge/​dining areas.
— Service: So friendly and amazing I can see the 5-​star review logo in their eyes.
— Drink: Cucumber Martini was refreshing and powerful. Star of the night.
— Food: Lobster garlic noodles. Bacon dust or die.
— Swag: Singha world best bar book. Which I lost on my way back, but still…
Cheers folks!

well, Unilocal sf, you came through. you invited, you confirmed, you highhandedly both impressed me and kicked my butt (with the help of cucumber martinis).
this was my first YEE in San Francisco as an elite member (ive always been the +1). Houston & NY Unilocal communities have always been kind to me and I knew SF, the home of Unilocal,would not disappoint. sure enough, i left a happy camper with new friends.
the ambiance was sexy and fun, the food was amazing and the service was top notch. the singha girl gave me crap about coming alone but that changed after a few drinks seeing as the community was so welcoming.
thank you to O3 bar and bistro for the wonderful staff/​venue and to Unilocal and fellow elites for welcoming my bottomless-​mimosas-​all-​day-​infused self into your bubble.
see you all again soon!

After a weekend of indulgence and boarding in Tahoe, I came back just in time to make to this Elite Event. As exhausted as I was from the weekend, I was glad I made it as it was the best way to top off a spectacular weekend.
I’ve only been to O3 for drinks previously, but I always thought it was a nice place, so I was excited to try the food. It did not disappoint. My favorites in descending order:
1. Lobster Garlic Noodles: Carbs, butter and bacon. OMG! The little chunks of lobster in it were quite delicious. There is something to this Bacon Dust, as if it came from the satchel of a bacon pixie (you know the kind that dies when somebody says they don’t like bacon).
2. Brussel Sprouts: Of all the plates, I think this one had the best balance of flavors. Sweet, Salty, Savory, and UMAMI! And the crispy shallots were a perfect compliment to the spongy mushroom and crunchy sprouts. (I had like 3 servings of this and did not feel guilty!)
3. Ceviche: This was a good ceviche. Not overly acidic, but the flavors were a bit subtle. The taro chip was excellent and doubled as a utensil. The phat piece of scallop at the bottom took me a minute to figure out how I was gonna get at it, but proved to be worth the slimy fingers! haha.
4. Tacos: Yum, the flavors were just right. The chalupa like shell was a bit on the hard to eat side. Maybe if it was a bit on the chewier side… The oxtail was a little dry, but i’m not sure if that’s a result of the shell.
5. Chicken Karaage: Done popcorn chicken style and was quite good. You can’t go wrong with fried chicken. Super familiar, but the adobo vinaigrette added a bit of complexity.
All the food was good, but I had to rank them somehow.
There were four drinks being served. I like the Algiers which featured the 209 Gin, pomegranate, bitters, and sparkling wine. A complex drink that had different things going on all at once. The 209 Gin Cucumber Martini was okay. Didn’t ahve the Surprise Punch. Singha Beer never disappoints and complemented the tacos perfectly.
The event itself was really fun. Being Elites only, it was less crowded and allowed for elites to really talk to other elites they haven’t met yet. It is harder to meet others at bigger events. Only gripe I have was that they stopped serving the drinks a little after 8.
Another YEE success!!!

A fun and intimate affair at O3. I’d always just driven by the venue, so thank you, Unilocal,for making me stop and smell the roses… aka eat delicious bites and drink tasty cocktails courtesy of 209 gin and Singha beer. My favorites — the surprise punch (not to the face) and the ceviche. Who doesn’t like a little scallop surprise? If you don’t, we can still be friends, so you can share yours with me!
I’d love to swing by O3 for happy hour because I hear that’s where it’s at.

What a good time on a Sunday night!
Personal favorites:
— Ceviche: OMG so good! The big scallop on the bottom was pure love!
— Brussels sprouts: probably the second or third time I’ve had Brussels sprouts in my life, but never had it roasted this way. It was so tasty & I am so glad they served it with shiitake mushrooms — absolute harmony.
I also really liked the Unilocal giveaways — I really needed a pair of sunglasses & now I can rock Unilocal ones! The restaurant itself was also warm, modern, and spacious.
I’m glad I got to go to this YEE & had someone to talk to! It was so fun mingling & getting recommendations on SF restaurants.
I walked into the event hungry & alone, I walked out full, with a new bookmarked restaurant & some new Unilocal buddies! No complaints here. Thanks to Jon & the Unilocal crew for their hard work & for making this event another great one!

O3 is a beautiful space — very sleek, modern & sexy on the inside, with a roomy bar area for an effective happy hour time.
The event was a chillax affair, with plenty of delicious passed bites (esp. the garlic lobster noodles — oh my goodness).
The gin concoctions were generous and strong, and creatively thought out.
An enjoyable event wherein Elites got to know each other a bit more, so that was great.
Also — A+ to the Unilocal Party Pass electronic gizmo!

Parking: Great
Décor and Service: Great
Location: For me it was great in that parking was good but it’s not really accessible by BART so it’ll be a bus ride or bart and bus ride for those not in the city.
Drinks were good and food was good (my favourite was Ceviche) but I don’t know if it was because it was a Sunday night (Oscar night) at a location where it was but it felt a bit empty. Since it was Elites only (no +1s) everyone walked in alone and was forced to talk to others (which I think is a nice way to get elites to mingle and get to know each others).
I met some interesting girls and had a good time all up (but it would have been nicer if it was «busies» and «bustlier»)
Uploading my photos soon and THANK YOU!!!
I’d be back at O3! :)

What a fun and laaaaid back Sunday night of eating and drinking courtesy of Unilocal!I haven’t been to an Elite event for a couple years, so I really enjoyed sampling the food and drink from O3 Bar & Bistro and mingling with fellow Elite chums!
I got to try a little bit of everything, but my favorite was the oxtail taco! The brussels sprouts were also delicious, which dispelled all of my childhood memories that anything with that vegetable in it was supposed to be «yucky.»
Chester, who I believe is partial owner/​partner of the bar and bistro was super friendly and engaged us on the offerings and specialties of the venue. Apparently they serve a mean happy hour during week days and a «reverse happy hour» on weekends! I will definitely be back to try more of the drinks and bone marrow dish that they are known for!
Thanks, Unilocal.and ambassadors for the long overdue catch up with Unilocal Elite-​dom! You really know how to make your loyal Unilocalers happy! ^____^\\//
Thanks, O3 — my friends and I all agree that we’ll be back soon!

I was familiar with O3 before this event so was excited to see it on the calendar. This was an intimate YEE which didn’t disappoint. The No. 209 Gin cocktails and Singha beers went well with the numerous bites. O3 hooked it up with the braised oxtail tacos! They are so very good! I was also loving the ceviche with prawns, crab, coconut milk and a large scallop at the bottom of the cup. This was a great reminder of how brilliant their menu is.
Thanks for another awesome evening Jon & Jessica

Absolutely could not have been more excited to be here if I tried!
The location was great, easy to find, and strangely enough we actually found parking right on the street! The hosts were fun and had a high energy that I appreciated, and really made everything run smoothly. The food I thought was delicious, although I am quite sad I missed out on the Lobster pasta, which Sarah told me was devine… next time I guess.
I was interested in the exotic mixed drinks, but eventually settled on the Singha to be my buddy for the evening. Of course the other Unilocal Elite-​ers were all fantabulous, and met some wonderful new friends, and was delighted to finally take the obligatory photo with the Elite logo on it. The extra Unilocal swag was a nice touch, and I am very much looking forward to the possibility of more local Elite events in the near future :)