MO Bar at Mandarin Oriental Hotel

Wow. If you like gin and tonics, GO HERE. This place is to gin as say Bourbon and Branch or Cask are to fine whiskey.
The bartender seems to know all there is to know about gin. He makes excellent recommendations and comes up with fantastic pairings. He also carries an extensive gin selection and is happy to let you try practically everything.
Oh and how could I forget the tonic? They make their own. It’s some kind of super secret recipe. But it is GOOD. I’d be happy to just drink their tonic to be honest… well not really b/​c then I’d be missing out on all the great gin!
Prices are also reasonable for a more upscale place – about $ 10 – 12 for a gin & tonic.
Only downside (which I don’t personally mind) is that the bar is located in the lobby of a hotel. It’s a little odd but the gin selection and tip top service make it all worthwhile.
Once again, if you like gin and tonic, you MUST go to the Mandarin Oriental.

In hopes of trying to warm up… sis and I ordered our night cap drinks here. The server/​host was friendly… and accommodating especially of the nephew and the nanny running around the bar area itself.
I didn’t want to get a headache the next day so I opted to get a regular mojito… the sis got something stronger… which of course I forgot the name of… but she liked it. The mojito was refreshing… and I told the sis that I could hardly taste the alcohol… to which she replied: «that’s dangerous.»
Yep… one drink and I was buzzing going up the elevator!!!
Anyway… a nice place to have a nightcap or dessert before heading back to your rooms.

Great cocktails. Read about history of classic specialty drinks.
We enjoyed the tender chicken satay with peanut sauce & the charcuterie with our Negroni, Pear Fizz & Mandarin cocktails!
The complimentary pesto covered olives is dangerously addictive!

I have stayed at this hotel on numerous special event days but this time, when I planned to present a «special surprise gift to my son and fiancé I was sorely disappointed.
I called instead of booking on the web to be certain I got all the details correct. I also wanted to be certain they did not see any of the costs.
They were to have a fabulous luxurious time.
I gave all my credit card information but that was insufficient. They wanted to fax me authorization to be certain. I was told it was a small formality and they wanted my signature. I never received the faxed. The next day when my son checked in he was embarrassed to have to remind them this was never faxed.
Instead I received an email with the form. In the middle of a business mtg I had to download/​copy the form and discovered it wanted front and back of card, my driver’s license and all the information handwritten again and then a signature. What hotel does that? I travel all over the world staying at luxury hotels and they all check wx AMEX themselves. I am surprised my SS card and mother’s maiden name were not also required.
Then the manager called me at home, NOT to apologize, but to tell me my fax was dark but he would do me the «favor» of accepting it!
They also pulled a bait and switch. When the Mandarin room I wanted was not available tho the web said it was, they gave me another room assuring me it DID have the most important amenity I wanted: the tub overlooking the view. IT DID NOT. Outright lie.
And oh yes. Had trouble again when they spelled my city, Piedmont — some ten miles from SF — as Tiedmont. Guess that made me suspicious card thief.
So now my recipient knows the price, has to use his own card when I intended the costs to be my private gift expense
Champagne that was supposed to await them upon arrival had to be called up. good thing I shared that other surprise wx my guests or they would have been billed but never had it!
Such simple requests at such high prices and the hotel failed and DID NOT CARE.

This is a great place. Seating in armchairs or at tables for food and drink. I was immediately greeted by a friendly server. In fact, all the employees were warm and offered quick service. Due to the cold weather, I asked for a hot cocktail and the server suggested a hot toddy drink made with tequila which was deliciously made and was just what I needed. The Feng Shui roll was delicious and the Spring Citrus roll was good too.
The only minus point is that the bar is so close to the front door the cold air outside would sweep across part of the seating area. Maybe a folding partition would be helpful on cold days?

Not a bad way to start off an evening post-​work. Small bar, but cozy atmoshpere. Yep, they have the piano music. A bit stuffy, but with good bar snacks, and a decent wine and cocktail selection. Works well as a kickoff to a more raucous evening, a laid back spot to relax for intimate converation, or a bar to meet someone for the first time – where you can actually sit and hear one another. ;)

A chance encounter with friends after having dinner at the Sens Restaurant, lead us to have a drink at MO Bar. Absolutely lovely end of the evening to comfortably lounge on cozy, pillowed seating albeit classy bar. And after the raucous experience at Sens, the quiet atmosphere at MO was a welcomed retreat and a perfect end to our TGIF.
Will add MO’s to our Friday date night repertoire.

Never thought to go to a hotel bar as a local, but the Groupon draw was too great to pass up.
Still feeling sick from a trip to Central America, I opted for a mocktail — the Jasmine Ginger Limeade to be exact. For a non-​alcoholic drink, it really wasn’t bad, maybe a little on the sweet side for me. Also, not a bad price either at $ 6 as compared to $ 5 for a soda. I also tried some of my friend’s lentil dip. It wasn’t as curried as I’d like, but a good even flavor overall.
But the real reason for liking the bar was the service. Maybe they just appreciated us because we’re locals, but both the bartender and our server were great. My friend ordered some weird fizz drink and the bartender was super accommodating.
Chances of coming back are still slim though, as it is a bit stuffy. There is a good $ 20 dinner special that might be worth checking out. We’ll see.

Very nice place to listen to piano music, enjoy unusual cocktails and yummy nibbles without having to yell. Kristen the server was terrific and patiently explained the drink menu.
Like Antoine, I came here only because I took advantage of a Groupon deal. But I’d come back with friends and pay full price because it was that enjoyable. Drinks are between $ 10−15ea with appetizers $ 10 – 20. They do offer a happy hour 4p-​7p which helps to offset the cost.

Bought a groupon for Mo Bar and we’re so glad that we did! Their drink menu is extremely diverse with some very interesting cocktails. The meals were generous and well prepared. They offered a $ 20 meal deal with an entrée paired with a glass of wine or cocktail. Great deal! While all of these examples are reason enough to go, the excellent service is what put it over the top. Our water glasses were always full and our snack tray was replaced as soon as it was empty. We were lucky enough to be served by Priscilla, the Mo Bar manager and we received some of the best service we’ve ever had! She was extremely knowledgeable and offered suggestions for cocktails that were suited to our taste. She was professional and attentive. We’ll definitely be back!

MO is in the lobby of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. I used a Groupon to go here, and was happy I bought it!
While not cheap (the Groupon helped) MO has a nice cocktail selection, as well as many specialty Prohibition Era drinks– I had the SF Manhattan (which included Grand Mariner) was was good. Also had the Salt and Pepper Shrimp, and Thai Spareribs. All the food was good, as well as the drinks.
MO has a upscale atmosphere, and the service was really good. I recommend this place for drinks and quick bites!

As a Manhattan lover, I have to give Mo Bar 5 stars! The Manhattans there are so perfect — icy cold, perfect bourbon/​vermouth/​bitters ratio, and delicious cherries. Mmmm… This place is pretty low-​key and comfy, but it feels like a treat. We like to go there for a pre-​dinner cocktail before heading out to the restaurant. Super bonus points for never-​ending refills of salted spiced nuts and servers that know just when to appear. Perfect for Manhattan drinking.
It’s not a scene at all, so hipsters, be warned. Also, it’s not cheap. It’s a place to get one or two drinks and enjoy!

just wondering why they charged me 25 dollars to Valet my car, ok, i am kind of used to that in SF. The main thing that got to me was, they asked for 3.50 for Valet tax. That is a new one. the gent at the front desk said, Oh thats ok, just make it 28 dollars even, as i was trying to get the correct change. Beautiful hotel, good location. would have given 4 stars had it not been for the parking ordeal.

Every so often you need a place to drink for adults… this is MO Bar
Not trendy but classy.
A place where you can hear each other talk
No lines at the bar because you are served by professional waiters
Plenty of tables, comfortable seating and private rooms. Excellent wine selection and mixed drinks with fresh ingredients. Great snacks and a high quality menu.

Amazing service. The drinks were fine. Cushy seats, dim lighting, very quiet, easy to find a place to sit for after-​work drinks with friends (even on Fridays). It’s a good standby if you like the stuffy hotel bar from time to time.

I would give the service 5 stars. Kristin was fantastic in every aspect. She was attentive, personable and absolutely one of the best.
Two reasons for three stars: 1) parking is not validated at the bar (despite the fact that we ate fabulous sushi and dropped some money there) and is $ 25 and 2) the amazing sushi comes with regular soy sauce. For a 5 star hotel not to be conscious of low sodium options is nuts.
I had the blueberry bellini, which was very nice. The lychee tea was great too. The sushi was fresh and very good.

A classy place to grab a late-​night cocktail. I was here when a guest was staying in this hotel, and I was surprised at how empty it was in the lounge. We were able to order some drinks and late-​night snacks in an atmosphere where it was quiet enough for us to talk. The bar wasn’t awesome enough for me to forget that I was ultimately in a hotel bar, but it was quite pleasant.

Sometimes you want to enjoy a cocktail in a lounge w/​dim lighting, soft music and good service. I was in such a mood and we were on a hunt. While walking toward the Embarcadero, I remembered reading about Mandarin Oriental’s lounge and decided to head there. I thought and hoped it was upstairs but it was located just to the left of the lobby as you enter. There were tables near the bar or you can enjoy slightly more private seatings on an elevated level where the baby grand is located.
We settled at one of the private seatings — they are like bench seating along the window with lots of plush cushions hidden between large columns. The petite waitress was very friendly and attentive.
There were quite a few special cocktails and between the two I was debating on, the waitress recommended I try the Navan 75 — Navan Vanilla Cognac, Lemon Juice, Champagne, Sugar Rim — $ 13. It was ok. Hubby ordered a vodka tonic (strange surprise) — $ 10.
There’s also a small food/​appetizer menu, as well as some sushi and sashimi. We ordered an order of yellowtail and escolar nigiri — $ 5 each. We really didn’t have any high expectation on the sushi but we were pleasantly surprised. The cut was generous and the taste was fresh and very flavorful. The escolar was especially tasty. They stop serving at 8pm so the waitress actually asked if we wanted more when we ordered as it will be the last order. Too bad we didn’t because those two orders were so good that we wish we had more to nibble on. Sushi/​sashimi is served M-​F until 8pm only.
For a Friday night, it was quite slow. Most patrons appear to be hotel guests. We were actually mistaken as one too!
They have afternoon tea too. Will definitely return.