Standing Room Only

$ 20. You describe the drink you want (theme, liquor, flavor profile — whatever comes to mind). Bartender concocts what you ordered and pours it into a one-​of-​a-​kind glass/​bowl/​goblet/​soup can.
I ordered «kettle corn», he heard «candy corn». Drink still tasted awesome.

Hands down, the best cocktails in SF. I kid you not. Where else can you go and just tell the bartender you’re in the mood for a ‘winters drink with gin’ and have him create the most amazing, custom drink ever?!
Every drink is one of a kind as they never make the same one twice. You’re experience will be special — guaranteed. Joey and Brian are awesome dudes as well and totally funny and welcoming.

If you’re in the mood for experimentation, not in a rush, have a sense of humor, and appreciate a well-​crafted cocktails, then this place is definitely for you! If not, well, there’s no shortage of bars in this city, right?
SRO, the back bar of Oddjob, is another in the bar-​within-​a-​bar trend that’s popular right now. It’s not located in the best neighborhood, but once inside you’ll find yourself in cocktail heaven. It’s built around the concept of an all-​star bartender. Pony up $ 16 (cash only) and await as the perfect drink is conjured up to suit your exact desire.
My first trip to SRO took place one afternoon when a friend and I were looking for a spot to grab a drink and catch up. I had heard about the concept behind SRO and was eager to check it out for myself.
As it happens, we walked into the middle of an Ivy Plus mixer at Oddjob. Luckily, most people were ignoring the back bar so we were able to escape the crowd by ducking into SRO. The place is fairly small and doesn’t have much in terms of seating options, but we were actually able to secure a couple of those precious stools after a short wait.
The bartender working that day was extremely talented. After giving him some basic suggestions, like a base for the drink and what kind of mood we were in, he proceeded to make a pair of drinks that both looked and tasted wonderful! Please do yourself a favor and experience this for yourself!
Tip: Again, as this bar is built around a star bartender, you may want to make sure that you’ll actually find said star bartender when you arrive. SRO happened to be closed on a return visit one Saturday evening as the bartender was busy with a special event that night. We ended up grabbing drinks in the front at Oddjob instead.

Awesome hangout devote a alley for any quick drink when you are in Bay Area. Remain in the bar area. Is alongside a café or restaurant Chop Suey which i heard those meals sucks…

Are the drinks here amazing? Yes, if made by Joey. I’ve only been once so I can’t speak about anyone else’s drinks. I wish I could tell ya what I had but I have no idea what was in them.
So why only three stars? I like vodka and I’m sure if Joey could rate me, he’d give me a 1 star review for answering «vodka» when asked what alcohol I prefer. I felt totally judged and embarrassed by his response about his hatred for vodka. It’s not the only alcohol I drink so Joey made a couple more with bourbon and they were delicious.
He’s a cool guy, but I don’t care to share my spirit animal, a feeling, or a place I want to be to order a drink. Especially if you answer with «I knew exactly what you wanted when you walked through the door.»

I think it’s 5 stars for what it is. We were there when Joey was there. If you go — go for the experience. The drinks are going to be $ 16 each. It will not be fast. If you want fast and/​or cheap, or roll your eyes at the mention of mixology, then this is not the place you want to be. However, for a SF fancy pants mixology type bar, this is one of the best. Kinda weird location at the end of OddJob, but the drinks really were exceptional, and it was a fun experience.

This place is pretty lame and super pretentious. They make you a drink based on your feelings and then charge you $ 16 for some whatever cocktail. Wtf! Given the area, I feel like a bad person spending that much on a drink with so many homeless people right out the door. The Odd Jobs bar next door is a much better atmosphere and you can pick your own drink there!

Each drink is personally crafted by the bartender. Maybe you can ask for something very specific but I think the whole point is to say what kind of alcohol and see what they create. Interesting to check out — but it’s really expensive for the risk of getting something you don’t like.

$ 15/​drink, wait an hour even if only three other people are there… everything is as fancy as possible but not necessary better tasting. even the simple syrup is made from turbinado sugar (not too yummy) instead of regular sugar. i won’t be back even though my drink was good. it’s just not worth it.

Crystal. Your creations are as divine as your name.
While the service here is specialized and it may take you a few minutes to get your drink, what lands on the counter in front of you is next level.
I gave Crystal a very vague description of what I like in a cocktail and what I was looking for, she took it in, processed it, and returned one of the best drinks I have ever had. In a small adorable cup she was able to combine a world of different flavors to make a drink unlike before it. #heaveninacup
The bar is small, and has less than 10 stools, so be prepared to use your legs, but either way — this spot is cute, you feel like you discovered it, and everyone is friendly and enjoying themselves.

The most amazing cocktails.
Had three wildly different drinks all incredibly crafted.
The bartender was amazing, a craftsman and an artisan. You’re not ordering a drink you’re ordering a work of art.
Seriously amazing.

True to its moniker, on a Saturday night, SRO becomes Standing Room Only, where you’ll easily wait 30 minutes to 1 hour at the bar for a solid drink from the friendly and charismatic Joey. If you arrive after 10:30PM, chairs become an elusive fantasy, available only to the early birds.
Joey’s drinks and presence are beloved by all, and especially beloved by those San Francisco hipsters. Come here for a night of classy drinking or solely for the awesomeness that is people watching.
Remember SRO is the bar to the left inside of Oddjob. Cash only.