Smuggler’s Cove

This is a cool place and I think that if you live in SF you should definitely come here once. The tiki bar theme is done very well and the drinks were great.
It’s a lot smaller than I anticipated, and the seating in the top and bottom floors were taken when we got there. I also thought it was weird to have no music — I don’t like bars that have loud music but it just seemed a little weird to have no music at all. Even some steel drum or island music would have been great.
I would recommend going early — we arrived at 10:30PM and waited in line for ~20 minutes. And unless you have a big group and will be doing scorpion bowls, I would recommend to have this be a place where you stop to have a drink before you go to your final destination of the night.

Apparently I have a natural gravitation toward nautical things… and great, nautical spots like Smuggler’s Cove call to me.
How many rum bars are out there? Not many and Smuggler’s Cove deserves it’s notoriety as a bar that does rum well and creatively. There is an extensive menu and if you’re lucky enough to find a place to sit, I would order all of them.
One Puka Punch is all you need. One Puka Punch and then I would get yourself over to the Mission for some drunchies ASAP. The crazy part is the drinks don’t taste like rum. They don’t taste like alcohol at all. Instead, it’s just delicious and the next time you know
As great as the drinks and vibes are, the bartenders are a little… cold. They’re not open or friendly as you try to comb through the multi-​paged booklet of a menu. They’re more about making the drinks than the craft behind it. But then again, rum is a pirate’s drink so I wasn’t sure exactly what I was expecting.
The vibes are so dope. You are really transported out of Civic Center and onto the high seas/​tropical island. It’s a cool place to catch up with a friend or two and enjoy some good rum. It’s a place you need to check out. Try whatever you feel like and enjoy the boat vibes.

First time customer, I was excited to try their cocktails. The place is unique and you have to be patient in order to get a drink but I took that as part of the experience. There aren’t many places in the bay area which serve decent rum cocktails. The «Smugglers Rum Barrel» was great (my friend ordered it), so was the «Puka Punch» (my second drink) but I ordered a «Painkiller #4» at first and was surprised to see the bartender (lower floor) add a good amount of water to it. It tasted like a watered down piña colada, which was super disappointing, especially because the Painkiller is listed on the menu as a «strong» cocktail. I’ll come back to try different drinks nonetheless.

Really unique/​fun spot in SF!
I came here on a Saturday night, expecting there to be a line out the door since this is what I have heard usually happens on weekend nights. Somehow we got in right away (it was on the later side though).
We actually did not order drinks so my review is only for the atmosphere/​bar itself.
The actual bar is awesome — just like a pirate ship. I think I would like coming to this bar more on weeknights for happy hour vs. weekend nights since they don’t play music (because there are apartments above them and can’t be too loud).
Can’t wait to come back and try the drinks and food!

I’ll admit to being rum-​averse after a very negative experience during my underage formative years. For a long while even the smell of rum would make me ill, but alas time heals most things. And it’s hard to deny the allure of a good tiki bar.
We were recommended this place by a friend who I can best describe as a tiki-​connoisseur. He said it may be the best tiki bar out there. Strong words. Anyway, we got there about 20 minutes before it opened and were amazed to discover a sizable line already in place. First thinking we would walk around a bit beforehand, ultimately we stayed in line and I am glad we did because the line kept growing. Clearly accustomed to this, someone came out and began handing out drink menus — two pages of tiki, obviously 90% rum based.
We made it in, and the first thing you notice is that while it’s tight, very tight, it’s also 3 floors. We headed straight for the basement and found seating, which was great because this place became standing room only within twenty minutes of opening its doors.
A lot of decisions to be made with two pages of drink options. They had a guide listing what was super strong, what was made from their own private reserve, but ultimately I went super simple — grog. Sure, it’s simple and doesn’t come in a crazy tiki cup or get lit on fire, but it’s rum forward and impossible to mess up. Another friend ordered a Zombie, which is dangerously strong and sweet, while another had a hot buttered rum.
About ordering — you have to wait in line, but the line moves fast with one person taking orders and another making drinks. The woman making drinks deserves some kind of award. I never caught her name, but I’ve never seen anyone mix cocktails as quickly and efficiently as she did. I doubt a robot could do it faster. It was mesmerizing.
The cocktails were stellar, but I have to say the buttered rum was the absolute shit. Probably has to do with being warm, full of rum, butter, brown sugar and spices, but I had to order another one for myself. Order whatever you’d like here (I tried a few others whose names escape me), just make sure that buttered rum is one of them. Regardless, I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

One of my favorite tiki bars in the world. This place is the perfect balance of dive and tiki bar, with tons of comfortable seating and fun pirate ship atmosphere. Two floors!
EXCELLENT cocktails and lovely bartenders. The tiki drink menu here is very impressive-​dozens of unique mixes and all of your classic tiki favorites in one place. You can even adjust the strength of certain drinks, which makes for a really fun experience! I had a painkiller, and an $ 18 rum cocktail that I forgot the name of, but was absolutely amazing and got me pretty twisted. After two tiki drinks and splitting a flaming volcano bowl with my friends (recommended!), I was on a different planet. Proceed/​enjoy with caution. This tiki bar is an absolute gem.

Great place to take a group. There’s extra seating upstairs and another bar downstairs with more seating! Also a cool fountain downstairs!
Everything is tiki/​sea themed. Great atmosphere for just chilling. Also scorpion bowl is great for sharing! For mixed drink it tastes pretty good. It’s pretty sweet.
There’s another bowl version that is a bit stronger and less sweet. The waiter described it as the more «adult» version of the scorpion bowl.

It’s quite the hidden find, but once you do, the interior will take you into a whole nother place. My first time to a tiki bar, because I’m normally not into the types of cocktails or liquor served, but it was about the experience. There’s 3 stories here. All 3 packed, from what were told upon ID check. We enter to what is the middle floor and after the kind gentleman manning the front door offering is suggestions, I knew it was house rum, neat, to start with. Very smooth, easy to drink. Delicious really. After we get our drinks, we head downstairs to see if there’s any room. Nope, just as packed. The top level is teeny tiny and looks really quaint, so we didn’t even bother. We stood in the corner next to the bar and chatted away on the first floor. There’s only a couple of seating areas and 2 barstools. After the first round we order the Volcano. It’s accompanied with a short fire show, Volcano inspired show. It was cool, but I’m amused with fire so it may be nothing special to the ordinary. Thankfully, the 2 barstools become available. Girls call dibs. Not sure the ounces count of alcohol in the drink, but it’s up there. At $ 45, it was decent, had a sour aftertaste. At last! A small table opens up, we still lugged the bar stools with us and the volcano drink. Got comfortable, played with the massive straws and drank away. It didn’t really do much in terms of elevating our state. It was just… fun.
Smuggler’s Cove is one of those dark places, full of wonderment. It’s not obnoxiously loud either, so it was pleasant. It wasn’t somewhere we parked ourselves for the rest of the night either. Nevertheless, a solid spot for a quick stop. Especially if you do not end up finding seating, quick for real.

I’ve been wanting to check this place out since I moved to the city, but it was a huge disappointment. My friends and I came around 10pm on a Saturday night. After waiting half an hour, the bouncer told us we could go in if we went straight to the lower floor and stayed there. When we asked for clarification he changed his mind and started telling us we should have gone in when he told us to, and now we’d have to wait more.
We waited ten more minutes — finally, the bouncer let us in, only to have the bartender flip out when he saw the door open. He literally screamed at the bouncer… I think it was just really crowded around the bar area, but they def need to have better communication.
After an hour total wait, the bouncer begrudgingly let us in. Not really sure why he didnt want to let us in, but the line behind us was getting really long and I don’t think he could justify not letting people in haha. The décor is cool, but it was so dead. We were the youngest there by like 10+ years, there was no music, and the bartender on the middle floor was giving death glares to anyone approaching the bar. We went downstairs and literally saw some dude napping.
Maybe we came on a bad night, but we were in and out in 3 minutes after waiting ah hour. Not worth.

Are you in for a campy tropical/​piraty kind of experience, complete with a slightly musty but well-​chlorinated waterfall/​tiny pond area? If you’re willing to let go of your too-​cool-​kid-​cred for a little bit, you’ll enjoy this place.
The drinks are all delicious, and there will be more than a few very loud-​talking, red-​faced people drinking out a ginormous stone bowl. Although the space is tiny, it can accommodate larger groups, or if you’re willing to talk a little loudly, smaller groups.

This Tenderloins adjacent bar is inconspicuously located on a dimly lit street. It might be hard to find if you don’t know what your looking for but once found its a bona fide gem!
The cove has super cute décor and is built vertically. There are three levels with two bars; one on the middle level where you enter and the other on the lower level. The top level only has seating. As you walk down to the lower level bar the walls look like a cave and have water flowing down into a little shallow pool. It’s pretty cozy and keeps to the theme throughout the entire bar.
The drinks here are a bit pricey especially if you’re getting the volcano bowl. It’s the most popular bowl there with lime, pineapple, rum and passion fruit. And for $ 40 it also comes with a super cute fire show. It’s sort of same and sharing it between 3 ppl will not guarantee a buzz. But its cool to experience and may be better to share among 2 ppl.
Customer service is grew here. The bartenders were pleasant and friendly. The bouncer was even a pleasure to speak with. Overall super chill bar with a cool theme

I’m a huge fan of tiki bars– I make a point of finding them when I travel, and regularly hit up a few in my hometown. Smuggler’s Cove straddles that line between a three and a four but I’m rounding up.
Drink menu is extensive and prices are average to low– most are $ 10 to $ 14, with a couple of options featuring souveneir cups. The obvious exception is the giant, shareable flaming volcano drink– fun presentation but not something we felt compelled to get. Of the three drinks we did get, one was mostly ice while another was wayyyy too strong and went unfinished at our table. The third was a winner, but unfortunately I don’t remember which one it was.
TIPS: this place is difficult to spot from the street at night– it’s a dark exterior with no signage, so just look for the address. Go in and immediately scout out seating upstairs or downstairs, then send someone from your group to order.

Smuggler’s Cove is nothing short of an SF landmark.
Besides unique interior design and bar selection, the bartenders are craftsmen of their field. Like any establishment of such kind there will be nights where one’s experience may be suboptimal due to your preferred level of volume, and crowd density. But SC is always worth a return visit, and the extra dollars that you will end up spending — quality and the experience are totally worth it.
If you’re a fan of classic cocktails, like lets say Manhattan, i highly recommend trying SC’s «the black prince».

Awesome bar. Perhaps I’m biased because I love rum, but go check it out and you will see for yourself.
The theme of the bar is rum cocktails from around the world, and from different time periods. It’s a pirate-​themed bar, as the incredibly appropriate décor will tell you. The space is pretty small, spread out over three levels with a bar on the ground level and on the lower level. Good for smaller groups; definitely not large parties. Consider it a blessing if you get a table. Bar service is not the quickest, but the variety and taste of the drinks make up for it. I ordered the Tradewinds first and the Hot Buttered Rum second – highly recommend both cocktails.
There is zero signage out front. Look for the red light, and for the street number above the door.

Okay, here’s the deal:
It is a subtle exterior, look for the red light outside. There is a nice man who checks your ID and hands you a menu as you walk in.
Bottom floor has a bar, some bench/​chair seating, 2 seats at the bar, and little boxes to use as tables.
Middle floor has a bar, seats all around the bar (and I think a few chairs along the wall).
Upstairs has no bar, but tables and chairs (and looks the coolest by far)
We got there at 4:55 (the day after Thanksgiving), and there was already quite a line outside before they even opened. We went downstairs, and it took a good 45 minutes before it really started to get busy there. By the time we left (~7ish?) it was packed. Happy hour is 2 dollars off any drinks from 5 – 6:30pm.
Drinks:
Painkiller — I’m not a rum fan, and thought this was okay. However my friend who loves rum said it was super tasty.
Ocean Shore — One of the non-​rum options. This was gin, and right up my alley. Great flavor, tons of foam though… at least ½ of the drink.
Rum Flip — Creamy, if you like eggnog you will like it. They use a whole egg as opposed to just the white
Puka Punch — Whoa. Large and in charge. All the rum and juices you will ever need. It’s a little more expensive, but it is like two drinks in one.
Barbados Rum Punch — Compared to some of the other drinks this one was kind of small. My friend felt like she was back in the Caribbean, but it was the least favorite of her drinks.
Jamaican Planter Punch — Tasted like allspice, lots of booze.
Moral: They aren’t kidding with the icon that says it is boozy.
Overall, it’s a novelty place with most people coming in for a drink to say they’ve been there and then leaving. Don’t come here with groups. Do get there early. I wouldn’t come back unless I was with someone that loves rum or tiki places (I’m a whiskey girl), but if I do I would get there early and sit upstairs.

Came to Smuggler’s Cove after having it bookmarked for quite awhile and I must say I cannot understand what all the hype is about. Thanks to those who wrote about the door we were able to find the location quite easily. Parking on the other hand was quite a pain!
We came on a Sunday evening and everywhere was packed, not a seat in the house to be had. We waited ~10 minutes for our drinks and luckily got a seat after feeling like a stalker!
$ 20 for two mediocre drinks is quite steep, but I guess in the city almost anything goes. Trying to have a normal conversation in here is anything but. We were down in the «basement» and sound echo’s off the walls like crazy! We killed our drink and went off on our way. Unfortunately I don’t think we’ll go back to Smuggler’s cove even if we are in the area as it is just too stuffy here.

This place blew my expectations out of the water, no pun intended. I thought I would walk in with my friend, order few pretty colorful drinks, and be on my merry way. Oh man did I feel like a drunken pirate by the time I walked out!
First of all, this looks disguised from the outside. The only reason I knew it was the right place was because the bouncer told me. Clearly they spent their whole budget making the inside look absolutely amazing. I felt like I was transported into a scene from The Pirates of the Carribean. There is so much to visually absorb at first. When your eyes finally adjust, you will notice seating on the main floor, upstairs, and downstairs. There is not much seating or room in general so come early and grab a place to hang out. Good for groups only if you get here early or if your timing is good enough to catch another group leaving.
After perusing the long and complicated menu, I settled for the Hotel Nacional. This was an excellent drink to start with. Fruity with crushed fresh pineapple, apricot liqueur, and some of their fine rum. I think I got a little ambitious with my second drink. I ordered the Zombie, partly because I like zombie apocalypse video games, and partly because the list of ingredients includes BRAINS. The bartender told me to be careful with this drink, which scared the crap out of me. I took my first sip and felt like I had turned into a zombie. Tasted like straight alcohol. Omfg. What a great night.
Anyways, I was mildly impressed by the plastic volcano structure that can feed four people (supposedly) and the bartender sets the center of the volcano on fire. The whole vibe of this place is awesome. Everyone is here to have a good time, and I get the sense that everyone’s inner pirate (or mermaid) comes out a little. I mean the chick sitting next to me was even talking about The Little Mermaid and the moment that Ariel held up her fork. How bizzarre… or maybe that was my zombie brain imagining things.
I’m definitely coming here again and bringing more friends with me! This place is quite the experience and one I will recommend to anyone looking for a unique bar in San Francisco.

Of course I had to join all the fun and head to Smugglers on my last night in town. I went with a few friends and while it didn’t look like anything on the outside I would definitely go again.
To start, my cab driver dropped me off exactly out side but there wasn’t a bouncer standing there when I showed up, so I walked right past this place, only to turn around and have to walk back.
When entering, I realized this place would be rough, even for a group of three. It’s awesome inside, and you feel like Johnny Depp… Okay? Maybe Hunter S. Thompson, would pop out of a closet. There’s not much seating, so we fiddled at the bar for a bit.
Of course we ordered a volcano punch bowl that could be set on fire. Because… San Francisco! Keep in mind that we had two seats at the bar that was big enough to accompany the bowl. (They also keep a credit card on file, so you don’t run away with the goods)
We finally saw some people leave and the bartender offered to have all of our stuff be moved so we were more comfortable. So we took his offer, and went downstairs.
The drinks are stiff, the music is fun, the bartenders are great. I just wish there was more seating! Definitely go a bit early. It’s a cute place!

Pirates fans, unite. This cool little rum joint lives up to its name as it serves a variety of rum variations in hand, leaving you with just enough room to smuggle and snuggle with a friend or foe or two.
I love how this place is literally a hole-​in-​the-​wall. It’s walking distance from Civic Center and serves as the perfect hideaway. It seems to attract a younger, hip crowd as I don’t feel I’d be bothered getting hit on by a creep and can enjoy simple good company with good friends.
The rum variations on their menu is amazing. They specialize in bringing the best rums and spirits with TONS of different sweeteners and well-​thought mixers… It takes a bit just to look through the entire menu, so, just go with what you feel, as I feel you can’t be disappointed. They also serve a fiery volcano drink for share which I’ve yet to have myself, but it seems like a fun social drink to have that is worth the price.
Thematic-​wise: I love the entire décor and ambiance of this cove. It’s dark and poorly lit with just enough Disneyland-​esque Pirate-​y lighting that makes me feel like I’m in Disneyland all the time. And, the drinks are tasty too. I’d definitely love to come back. They’re whipping up some GOOD drinks in a cool spot. I can’t complain!

We almost missed this place! We just kept walking on Gough until our friends called us back and pointed to the nondescript façade of Smuggler’s Cove. There was nothing except a small sign on the door to betray the fact that this is a tiki bar!
You’ll have to get to Smuggler’s Cove before 5 pm if you want to get premium seats downstairs, especially if you have a big group like ours. We were a group of 8, so it was a good thing we got there at quarter to 5. We were second in line and as soon as they opened, claimed our spot downstairs.
Love the Pirate-​themed décor. There’s a water feature downstairs, and nets and lifesavers hanging on the wall. It’s very dark in there as well.
I was afraid that the drinks here were going to be very sweet as most tiki drinks are, but I’m happy to report that their drinks are not sweet at all. I had the Guava Cooler and though it didn’t have a strong guava flavor, it was strong and not sweet. My husband had a rum and coke (he’s not into rum cocktails), and 4 of our friends had the Top Notch Volcano. Now, that was a drink. Fire, flames and explosions – what a show! It was a nice drink too.
This place has lots of different rums. Taste 100 different kinds and you will get your name added to their wall of fame. Taste 250 and the owner will take you on a trip to a rum producing destination and show you how to make rum. You’d have to be truly a rum lover and have lots of disposable income to do that!
We enjoyed our hour here. The drinks were stiff and the ambiance truly transporting! Ahoy Mateys!