Iron & Steam Espresso Bar

CLOSED!!! sign says last day of business is sept 7, 2014. iron & steam you will be missed!

I was out walking my dogs on a weekend when I decided to stop at Iron & Steam Espresso Bar. The owner happened to be working the espresso bar that day. He was kind enough to bring out water for my dogs and supply them with biscuits.
My impressions:
–The owner is a super cool dude. Friendly. Knowledgeable. Attentive. Focused on service.
–The espresso (and mineral water — great touch) is the best in SF.
–Atmosphere of the interior is absolutely beautiful. Very cool environment.
–The owner has a vintage espresso machine that is visual delight. And it makes great expresso!
–This is the type of small business I want to support. Again. And again. And again.
Awesome find.

Very nice latte at $ 4. No need to add sugar at all! Friendly staff at this walk-​up coffee joint (you can’t sit inside, which is used by other businesses). Love the art deco-​ish machine in their window as well!

This is one of my favorite coffee spots in the city, no need to talk about the coffee cause you wont be disappointed in whatever you order… the owner and baristas are super friendly and welcoming, the only down side its a window café so no seating, you can hangout and chat it up with fellow coffee lovers and the staff if not take a too go cup and enjoy! Ps: their ice coffee is small but amazing! !

Yummy latte — just the right amount of sweetness, no need to add any sugar, a great pick-​me-​up for a Monday that was going to pull me under otherwise. Stop by and grab a cup of coffee — it’s a great little stop. Note though that there is no place to sit — grab and go!

Stopped by for a latte this morning, and my drink was up there with one of the best I’ve ever had. They have a limited menu, but the offerings are on point. No soy milk, just almond, which made me a bit nervous because I’ve been served burned almond milk at other places (I don’t know if it’s trickier than others), but this was great. I usually do flavored syrups, so I’m especially critical of unflavored ones — which means that this 5 star rating means a lot.
At $ 4.50 for 8oz it is pricey, so not something I plan to do frequently, but a nice local treat.

Great, good quality, grab n go espresso. Latte accompanied with a pistachio croissant was my perfect start to the day!

I’m not a coffee drinker but I was parked nearby and thought I’d surprise my man with a latte. The lady behind the counter hooked me up with a lid before I even asked. I thought that was cool. I got home without a single spilled drop. Score.
My man loved the latte. LOVED it. He even switched baby-​watching shifts with me the next day so that I could sleep longer. This is a man who values his sleep quite highly. That’s how good his latte was. I’ll be back.

A great grab and go for coffee on Polk Street. Sizes are on the smaller side and only two options of milk, whole milk or almond milk. Espressos are strong and have a bitter finish.

Super friendly barista working this interesting little bar with an awesome vintage espresso machine. I had a great cappuccino and left super happy.

Wonderful Espresso Stand Bar. Makes you feel like you’re in Italy.

And this is the power of Unilocal: rarely having to face a bad cup of coffee in a new city. Fresh off my flight and waiting for my hotel check in I was walking up Polk Street when Iron & Steam Espresso caught my eye. A quick look on Unilocal and its quality was confirmed with a string of glowing reviews. I ordered a 8oz. latte (closest thing to an Australian flat white) and handed over $ 4. What a pleasant surprise! A great and robust coffee — perfect for the grey rainy day that was. There was no small talk between my barista and I, and with jetlag seeping through my veins, I was on this occasion glad for it. My only question is, dear locals: why is it through the window only? The space within looks grand for sitting and enjoying your coffee.

Excellent, complex, delicious espresso at a fun outdoor window. It’s amazing what they can do with only two ingredients on the menu: espresso and milk.
Great social experience. Really friendly staff. Cool antique Italian coffee machine. Come to hang out, relax, and chat for 15 minutes. Like a cafecito window on Calle Ocho. The perfect break.

Very few places reinvent your sensibilities. This one did that for me.
Brass-​Tacks: Unbelievably good ambiance. I felt like I was in the Old Country.
Have you ever had Espresso in a nice cup and a side of mineral water at a counter under an awning in the rain? What an amazing place. This was truly one of my favorite finds in SF. Check out the pictures I posted last week of the 1954 Machine.

Adorable window-​service only expresso stand in nob hill. It’s the window of Hi-​Lo bar so it can be easy to miss.
The woman who made my cappuccino was so sweet. They only serve espresso and also do not have non-​fat milk so I prefer cappuccinos. They also take credit card! Whoo
A neighborhood gem :)

Neighborhood gem. Although they are but a walk-​up window housed in the Hi-​Lo Bar, and they don’t serve coffee late in the day, it’s absolutely worth a little stop in your morning. The restored 1950s Gaggia espresso machine is a beauty, of chrome and neon and steam. The Chromatic coffee roast, of which I hadn’t heard until trying it at Iron & Steam, is very tasty and the drinks menu is simple — just espresso, or espresso with various ratios of steamed milk. They sometimes do special drinks, and recently they’ve started serving pastries that are made by a local baker. Their coffee sometimes also makes it into the mixed drinks at the Hi-​Lo when the bar opens later. The owner and the baristas love to chat about the Gaggia, about coffee culture, and life in the neighborhood.

Lovely little hole in the wall. Literally.
Its actually just at the front windows of the Hi-​Lo bar. So if you are not careful you will miss it.
Great coffee and the guy really knows his stuff. It was a shame that there was no seating and it was only the outside window stand.
Great coffee though from a wonderfully restored 1950’s coffee machine. Worth it just to pop by to see it in action.

A hidden gem of an espresso bar. If you walk too fast then, you might miss it and that would be sad. One of the things that I love about Polk Gulch is how unexpectedly things pop up these days.
My first stop here today led to a Q&A session with the 2 gentlemen manning the bar. First, I inquired about how long they have been open of which I discovered was 3 months. Secondly, I asked about the very rare, vintage espresso machine that was being used (check out other reviews for specifics). I love that they took the time to humor my questions
Yet, most importantly, I give 4 stars because the Americano did not disappoint.

I LOVE coming here for coffee. It is just the right distance from my office. The Barista is very friendly and courteous. And the coffee is, oh, so fine!

Perfectly pulled espresso from a little window from a very cool machine.
The lady was super nice too and engaged me in some nice espresso conversation.