Tempest

Great place to go for a drink!
Friendly staff and a great selection of liquor and craft Brews!!!

Good food at the box kitchen next door, but they tell you 12 minutes for everything even when it’s a longer wait.
Drinks are inexpensive and well poured.
Lively atmosphere. Nice mix of people.
Biggest drawbacks are it’s on a shady side street and it was PACKED!

I don’t drink beer, I’m a classy guy mostly vieux Carres. But Pbr pint and shot of whiskey for 5 bucks, best deal ever. Best burger I’ve ever had at a bar.

Tl;dr: The Tempest has well made drinks, a fantastic beer list, awesome bartenders, good food that you can bring in, and great prices (especially for the area). Can get a bit packed but understandably so.
Longer version:
I love The Tempest but the after work crowds are a little too crazy for me personally. The funny thing about this place is that I actually came here with a few friends the night before an interview that I had in San Francisco. After getting the job and moving to California, I ended up moving a few blocks away but didn’t realize it was so close to the bar. On the day I moved in, I actually happened to come to a nearby restaurant with my family and realized how close it was. I then came here a few days later after my first day of work and have been here a bunch of times since. So, it’s one of my favorite bars in San Francisco just due to those memories.
Other awesome things: the drinks are very reasonably priced and always have a generous pour. Awesome beer selection, both bottled and on draft and it changes often. I like to come here to watch sports and they have multiple TVs and are always happy to switch to what you want to watch. I’ve mostly had simple mixed drinks (whiskey sodas for the most part) and beer but they have a punch and some other stuff on the menu and will make you whatever you want. And you can go next door to get food from Box Kitchen and eat at the bar.
Like I mentioned, my least favorite thing about The Tempest is that it can get really crowded and loud, especially post work. Weekends are usually a bit better and lunch during the week seems to be the best time by far (at least in my opinion). Weekday lunches have lunch service inside the bar so you don’t have to go outside to order and then pick up your food and are just a lot more chill. If I wasn’t working most of the time, I would definitely come here during that time.

Food good for dive bar, which is weird for a bar.
Had a poe boy, was a tasty dish.
Cheap Drinks, Got trash canned off of Donkey Shows.

Love coming here. $ 2 beer on tap, every game in season playing on tv. its not the cleanest place, but you wouldnt even care after youve drank so much beer

It’s every haven for people who like over-​the-​top dive bars. The bathrooms are covered in a half inch of graffiti, however the beer selection is really good, so is the scotch.
The live band they had was one of the few bands I really liked.

If you like regulars who think they own the bar– this is the place for you. We were was asked to move for a big white girl with a skull tattooed on her chest.
Honestly she threatened us after we said we wouldn’t move from our table. She even threaten to hit a gf of mine with her pool stick.
I recommend avoiding this place. Your asking for trouble.

The female ratio is off the hook here, MY homie Paul was stuck in a whole ambush of women. This place is in an alleyway it could be a lil hard to notice so you may pass it a bunch of times like dooooh not again. just park bruh and go in maan the liquor is good the people are good the music is really really rockin man.
One time I was here and I seen a pregnant lady walking a midget on a leash.
This place is wild man.

Had the garlic fries, they were a bit greasy.
The bathroom here is surprisingly clean, with a lot of graffiti.

I came in on a Friday night around 6 and the place was packed. I like the mixed crowd here. A lot of fun and interesting people to meet. 5 dollar Jameson will turn your night from «Just one drink…» to 3 maybe 5. Next thing you know you’re drunk texting all your friends how much you love them and spending 30 minutes in the bathroom taking a shit… a shit load of selfies. Don’t sit next to the pool table. You’ll get hit with the cue stick several times. Ouch!

Very cool dive bar.
I had no idea where we were going and walking up the grubby street (Natoma) I was trying to figure out what the crowd was gonna be like — like am I gonna get my ass kicked kinda place– turns out, not the case. Its grubby for sure, great graffiti/​stuff in the bar, graffiti-​ed out grubby bathrooms (seems to be a standard for dives). Bar tender wasn’t surly. Mix of hipsters, city workers (the day we were there), not a suit and tie kinda place.
Good food next door that you can order and bring back.
If it isn’t already, the Tempest should be very high up on your dive bar tour of SF.

My favorite dive SF. Many bars in the Mission try to emulate the feel of a real dive bar but fall short. This bar is huge and features a long bar, with tons of places to sit and enjoy your beers. Speaking of beer’s there’s a massive selection or quality drafts.
Differentiating itself from similar dive bars, the food here is incredible. While pricey, the quality of the Truffle Burger is worth every penny. Yes, you can get a Truffle Burger in a dive bar. Yes it’s amazing.

Great dive!!! Graffiti and 89′ video game and large screen tvs. Package deals on drinks for those on a budget …
I have only one complaint. I witnessed the grill cook put my burger on the grill. Burger looked like a flattened snow ball. I went against my better judgment and let it ride. Cause I was starving… Well, I ended up with a 24 hour intestinal bug. That wreaked havoc on my stomach and head. And after effects still 3 days later… Still a little shaken from the 24 hour episode… would I go back. For drinks yes but late night burgers NOOOOOO

This dive bar is what all dive bars should aspire to be. When you first walk up the place along Natoma, you’re gonna wonder if it’s any good considering its ugly ass street front.
But remember, it’s a dive. You’re here for a hopefully cheap, solid drink and maybe some finger foods. Once you walk in, it’s larger than expected and covered in graffiti.
Here’s what sets Tempest apart from all the other trillions of dives around town: stellar service. I’ve never had such a polite bartender in such a seedy place before. Drinks are also a 10/​10, where else will I pay $ 6 for a big glass o’ Kentucky mule with non-​well whiskey? Tell me if you find a place, please. Until then, I’ll be at Tempest.

$ 4 well drinks on a Saturday night! Ftw?!?
This review is a couple of years old, hope they still have those!

Who doesn’t love a good dive bar? This inconspicuous little place is perfect, and just what I was looking for when I walked in. Getting there was a little worrisome for someone from out of town, I stepped over a used needle. Maybe I took the shady way there? But please don’t let that keep you, really.
There is graffiti everywhere, and it has a real feel, I think that is rare. There are no servers that come to your table, you have to get up and get a drink. The bartenders were pretty good, they handled the packed bar and still had personality. They do have a few craft cocktails, and they were not bad at all. I really enjoyed the hour or two I spent there.
They also have food! You need to go outside and order it, but totally worth it. We ordered the garlic parm fries, which were perfectly garlicky. The ketchup wasn’t needed, it took away from it. We also ordered the breakfast tacos, they are a bit messy for me. But there is a lot in them. And the tortilla is corn, which is nice. Lastly I ordered the shrimp and grits, mainly because it had goat cheese. They were OK, nothing terrible, nothing amazing. They were fried which was cool, so it was easy to eat and easy to share.
Overall, I would go back.

Vengo todo desgreñadaVengo todo desgreñada!
Sin enchinarme las pestañas
De milagro me puse calcetas! !
Sin enchinarme las pestañas
De milagro me puse calcetas!

Este lugar é interessante. Se estivesse em um filme seria como o bar de «Um drink do Inferno». Não, não há vampiros, mas essa vibe dive bar/​truck drivers é o que rola por aqui.
Um lugar barato para tomar drinks e jogar sinuca, fica em uma rua escondida e se eu não achasse San Francisco uma cidade segura, ficaria apreensiva de chegar lá — mas na real não tem problema.
Muitas mesas, alguns lugares no bar. Muitas opções de cervejas artesanais da região que valem a pena serem provadas, a média por drink é 5 dólares.
Eu não me arriscaria mas há algumas opções de comida de bar americano.
Para a alegria dos turistas eles têm WiFi, é só pedir a senha no bar.
É um lugar interessante, vale a pena ir com os amigos ou ir aberto a conhecer pessoas novas.

Many a bad decision has been made at Tempest, but actually going there is rarely one of them. You already know this place – that place where you know you’re going to end up, where you know you can get cheap drinks, where you know it’s going to be easy to preface your decisions with, «I never thought I would do this, but…» You know this place.
This version of that dive bar is the one with pool tables and a really incredible kitchen next door that serves up surprisingly good food that you can use to dilute the growing mix of liquor in your innards. This version is down what feels like a back alley, but when you find it, it’s packed with people. You’ve been here before, even if you never have.
So, why Tempest over any of the other dive bars in town? I wish I knew the answer to that. Every dive bar comes with its own highly unique and specialized form of Dive Bar Magic, and perhaps Tempest was blessed with more than its fair share. I was with a group of almost 30 people who were looking for someplace to go after a work event, and as the designated walker (the guy who’s leading a pack of non-​locals as they navigate the streets of SF to find this place) there was magic (read: terror) on everyone’s eyes when I popped through the door with 29 of my closest friends. There’s magic in that food next door (see also, Box Kitchen) and there’s magic in the mixture of people who show up there on any given night. You can’t mix all those genres of people together and not expect some kind of chemical reaction.
You know exactly what this place is. You know you’ll probably make some bad decisions here. That’s pretty much why you choose Tempest.

Anything named after a Shakespeare play is an instant hit with me (fun fact: I wrote my undergrad thesis on good old Shakey). But don’t be misled, while you might find the odd guy who claims to be a magician (probably don’t believe him), this ain’t no high brow joint. This place is a legit, solid, quirky dive bar. In a bit of a questionable area (so I’m told) you’ll find all sorts of people here — at least, that’s what I found late-​ish on a weeknight!
The important things to remember are that the beer is cheap, and they actually have a great selection! Grab a brew, play some pool, or just enjoy the ‘eclectic’ art scene while you chat with your friends.

Came here with a large group of CM friends to grab a few drinks after work and oh my, did I love the atmosphere! I am crazy about divy/​grungy looking bars, and this one is pretty much both. It’s big enough that it will seat a big crowd, and you can play pool if that’s your thing, enjoy a nice private conversation with your friends at one of the corner tables or just hang out by the bar talking to people, as I did.
The bartenders were pretty fast and I just drank a bunch of Gin Tonics, which I highly regreted the next day once I wope up with the worst hangover in the world. Still, while I was here that seemed like a good choice, and I just felt like this place was totally right for me. The décor is what you would expect from an alternative/​divy bar, with lots of graffiti and that whole «we couldn’t care less» vibe.
If you’re looking for a fun, alternative spot, this is it. I did not try the food but now that I look at the pictures here I kind of feel like I should have — it looks like you can get a ton of guilty pleasures around here!

Uh, the surrounding area is a bit sketchy but the restaurant itself has a really chill and dim vibe! The staff is super helpful and nice: D
We came in to get some take-​out for lunch and the server sat us at the bar to order. We got the Box Burger (done medium) with fries and the server was really patient with us even though we were acting like total noobs. Food took about 15 minutes to arrive, which wasn’t too bad.
The burger itself was super juicy and the pattie was thick. Fries were ah-​maaaazing! Definitely will need to try the garlic version next time. Overall, it wasn’t the most earth-​shattering burger I’ve had, but it’s decent and filled me up. Great spot for lunch :)

Un tremendo Dive bar con TODA LA ONDA. Vieron en las pelis y series esos bares sucios en la esquina de un barrio olvidado pero que adentro tienen espacio, mesa de pool, arcade machines (xmen, vamos) y una barra que no para de sacar tragos con buena música rock de fondo?
Eso es Tempest, un gran dive bar de san francisco que tiene alcohol barato en un lugar muy divertido sin ofrecer la mejor calidad.
Ahora imaginate ese bar con 100 cm’s de Unilocal adentro haciéndo de las suyas a la medianoche.
Genial, volvería

This is a great place to grab some cheap drinks, play pool and eat greasy bar bites while in San Francisco. It’s a little off the main street, so make sure to fire up the walking map before taking the trek by foot.
Inside, there are plenty of tables — we had a huge group come in and there were plenty places to stand/​sit. The bar is large and they had a decent selection of beers and top shelf spirits for whatever you might want to indulge on that night. If you’re asking for something super specific, know that they might not have all of the ingredients to make said drink. It is a dive bar after all! I stuck with my Jameson and ginger while I was there and was perfectly content.
I didn’t try the food as I was still stuffed from dinner, but a few of my colleagues put some orders in and said that it was good. Think greasy spoon fare with a flare. Everything comes out in little cardboard boats to keep it extra classy.
The bartenders were nice and there was a good mix of ages there for a Monday night. I’d definitely come back for some drinks when in the area. It’s super low-​key and wont break the bank. If you’re into sports — they had some televisions showing different games. For those needing wi-​fi for checking in or other data draining task, the bar has free internet for ya. Just ask for the password at the bar.

Wie genial ist der Laden denn bitte. South of Market, eine coole Ecke die viel Toleranz abverlant. Aber es lohnt sich! Auf der einen Seite glänzen nobele Hotels und Shopping Malls, auf der anderen campen Obdachlose und die Seitenstraßen sind mehr Geisterbahn als Vergnügen.
Und genau in der Geisterbahn findet man die Schätze wie zum Beispiel Tempest. Riesen Flatscreens, Billiardtisch, riesen Auswahl an internationalen Biere (Weihenstephan Hefeweizen gab es z.Bsp. auch) und der kleine Haushund tut sein Übrigens um das Bild der perfekten Dive-​Bar abzurunden.
Also Dive Bar ist falsch — dafür ist der Laden einfach viel zu cool und hip! Die Mischung aus verrückter Umgebung und coolen Leuten ist einfach zu genial.
Vor der Tür scheint die Marathon-​Teststrecke von SF zu liegen. Auf und ab flitzen die ganzen sportlichen Businessleute mit Musik im Ohr.
Ich bin nächste Woche wieder in der Ecke unterwegs — 100%! Danke für das tolle Erlebnis!

Although I am on a hiatus from drinking (aiming for a year!), I will give props where props are due.
Tempest, on the surface, is your neighborhood dive. Its tucked away in soma on a corner that I would’ve never known was there. From the outside, not much to look at… in fact, arguably ugly.
Once you walk in you notice a HUGE space; tall ceilings, pool table, tons of tables and miscellaneous nick knacks on the wall. So far, your standard SF dive.
What warrants a review are two HUGE deal breakers and/​or makers, the service and the food.
One thing you can expect at most dives bars (aside from questionable restrooms), are pretentious rude bartenders. Tempest not only didn’t have your stereotypical service, the service was fantastic. The bartender, Justin, was not only warm and friendly but he made us feel welcomed… even during lunch time on a busy game day. He got our drinks quickly, made small talk and even shot out recommendations on food. Service from Justin alone warrants another visit.
The food, my god, the food. This isn’t your typical dive fare: stale popcorn, 711 style nachos and frozen hot dogs. The menu is thought out, creative and just downright GOOD. We had the Potato skins — roasted potato halves, crispy pork belly, charred green onions, Gouda cheese, crema, and quail egg on top! I meannnnnnnn… pork belly anything is a winner, this is just going the extra mile. We also had the clam chowder, which at times are so/​so, but were surprised with how big the serving size was and how flavorful it was. Granted, it’s no pier 39 bread bowl… but it hit the spot. Another notable mention is the chicken and biscuits special… saw it come to a table after we ordered and pulled this little number:
I won’t front, I would’ve easily walked past this place if I was in the neighborhood if it weren’t for Unilocal and us in route to the giants game.
Management, Justin is an asset and singlehandedly made our visit memorable and is a benchmark as to what service SHOULD be, dive or not… and the food was the cherry (pork belly?) on top.
Tempest, you’re on a pedestal and I’m fortunate to have found you.
Tip: $ 4 fernet shots every day, $ 5 Jameson and great beers on tap.

Gotta say… I kind of love this place! Its definitely not much to look at but they have an amazing beer selection! Lots of super local micro brewed beer. Its also very reasonably priced. When we came on a Thursday night, it was really crowded so be prepared to put on a pretty face for the bartender in order to get noticed at the bar. I came with a large group of ladies and had no idea that this place was in the Tenderloin. Apparently the neighborhood can be a bit rough and there were definitely not a lack of aggressive male types. We were fine though since there were so many of us. Just stuck together and we were fine!
Beware the group of guys that occupy the pool table. There’s a sign up sheet but it can be very hard to get a game in. Someone even tried to offer us $ 20 for our spot!

Un refugio underground a 10 minutos de Union Square. El ambiente es rockero y bohemio, podría ser un local de Mission. La comida es americana tradicional y la sirve Box, el puesto que está al lado. Yo tomé la hamburguesa y es DELICIOSA. También están muy recomendadas las patatas con ajo. Cervezas locales, música alta y, además, barato y con un horario amplísimo. ¡Un hallazgo!