Terroir Natural Wine Merchant

Unilocal sez opens 3 on weds. Show up 4:30. Doors open. 2 buds drinking at bar. Snot bartender (French accent) spews were closed. Unilocal sez … What’s Unilocal he sneers. What else does one need to know?

Nice place for a glass of wine. Like most places in the city, a little overpriced. Nice big airy space though. Would probably return.

I met a friend for a drink after work and the moment I walked in, I was a fan. I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to check it out! Records and wine bottles by region against the wall and a friendly staff. Although we didn’t venture upstairs, it looked like a cozy place to have a quiet conversation. It’s definitely a great date spot or just a cool place to meet up with some friends over a glass of wine.

I have bad migraines and «regular» wines give me bad ones very easily. So I started to drink natural wines and I was so HAPPY I found a bar that have a wide range of natural wines and sparklings. The owner really knows what he is talking about and it is very pleasant to listen to his wine stories. It felt like we were at a friend’s house. Very welcoming. Will definitely go back!

An a-​ok place for a glass of wine. They have a great selection, rustic ambiance, cool music and ample seating on the main floor and loft.
They also know their stuff. Went in and vaguely described what I was looking for and the first taste was spot on.
On the down side, not a lot of food or snack options. Had a slab of cold foie gras with some toast. Not sure what else they had besides pâté or cheese plate.
Also, once you sit down, no on comes around. Have to go to the bar to get your drink but there is no space because the bar is surrounded by people. At least that’s how it was on a sat night.
So nice place but self serve style.

Came at 9pm on Saturday. Not too busy, plenty of seats. Nice upstairs loft area with comfy couch without too much noise. My friend and I could have a conversation without the usual shouting over bar clattering.
Cheese plate includes generous slabs of cheese plus a few slices of apples, a handful of cornichons, some dried fruit, and a demi baguette.
I didn’t have any wine but my pal did and I tried some and it seemed to taste serviceably winey.

I had a great experience here. The bartenders (owners?) were knowledgeable and happy to let me taste until I found something I really liked. The cheese plate was unusual and beautifully presented. I look forward to learning more about French wines at this spot.

Arrogant, rude, and overpriced. The bartender was talking shit about a couple next to us because they didn’t know their wine (lotsa f bombs were dropped). The couple was obviously foreign Asians with limited English. He was so offended that they didn’t understand good wine. Wow… Are you kidding me? The bartender was a foreigner himself with heavy French accent!
2 stars for nice venue and good quality wine, although completely overpriced. There are plenty of other wine bars around. Never going back.

Chill spot with a slightly funky vibe that’s intimate enough for a date and relaxed enough to catch up with friends. The upstairs loft felt private and provided a nice vantage point. It was pretty quiet until two musicians started playing, but even then still easy to carry a conversation and the live music made for a nice background. I’m not a natural wine connoisseur and so I hadn’t heard of most of the wines, but the bartender was happy to explain his favorites and offer tastes to try and I never felt any snobby vibe like from some other places. The specialness of the wines (and ensuing prices) might have been lost on me, but I did enjoy them. It was nice to nibble on a bread and cheese plate, although it wasn’t anything extraordinary.

Incredible wines. Each time I go, the suggestions are spot-​on and really exceed my expectations. I don’t mind paying a few more dollars for something really special.

This place is incredible. I’ve been around the world and seen wine bars of all varieties, this would be in my top 5 of all time. The staff is incredibly knowledgable, and welcoming to any questions about what you’re drinking. Ten out of ten, would go again.

I’ve visited three times and overall have enjoyed it here. The ambiance is cozy and relaxed, the wines are always deliciously funky.

I’m so happy I stumbled (not literally ;)) across this little gem. I’m new to the area and have been to a couple of other wine bars, which felt more like nightclubs than the laid back wine bars I like. I loved the ambiance and chill vibe. The bartenders were very friendly, knowledgeable and speak French. They don’t have a huge wine selection but it changes out regularly, so you can try new wines. I felt they had a good selection of enough varietals and regional wines to provide something for everyone. I will be back!

The wine is great, so many amazingly funky wines to try but the prices are out of control. I get San Francisco is expensive and everywhere marks up by the glass. BUT it was something like $ 20 for a glass of La Clarine Syrah. Don’t get me wrong, I love La Clarine Farms they’re producing some of the best California natural wines, but my guess is Terroir only pays $ 20 (or less) for the entire bottle.
I have seen a $ 15 glass of wine here be sold for $ 8 at another Bay Area wine bar. With all that said it is still a 4 star place and the staff is crazy knowledgeable and will warn you before you order something that is a little different.

If you love natural wine, or you’re curious to learn more about this seemingly «trendy» wine making style then Terroir is a great place to be. There’s a varied list available by the glass, carafe and bottle and you can pair it with the simple cheese and charcuterie selection. It’s all interesting and some may challenge your preconceptions about wine. Ask questions, the staff are here to help!
I visited solo one evening and really enjoyed sitting at the bar chatting with DC about all things vino, cheese and travel. I wasn’t the only solo visitor, with others sitting around the bar deep in thought or head buried in a book. It looks like it’s that kind of place where anyone can visit, solo or not, and feel right at home. I loved the rotating music selection and spied an upstairs seating area that would be perfect for first dates or small gatherings of friends.

I suppose it’s not bad for a first date. Cute in theory. I mean, technically there was wine and you could buy it. Also it wasn’t crowded and it was relatively quiet so a conversation could be had. Most of the problems had to do with the bartender who seemed to be more busy socializing with what appeared to be his personal friends rather than tending bar. He also broke one of the cardinal rules of wine serving which was he emptied one bottle of wine into my glass and then proceeded to open another and finish filling up my glass with that.
Also there was the small matter of payment. Like many places around San Francisco you were able to pay using a square app on an iPad. What was particularly off putting and annoying was that the tip amounts suggested started at 25% and went up from there. Since you are able within this app to select suggested tip amounts I was simultaneously blown away and disgusted. I wussed out and gave the guy a few dollars, but I will not be going back. Ever.

Super intimate local wine bar. If you’re looking for that old school English library feel, this is the spot. Totally reminded me of a scene from Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley (google it)! I loved the high ceilings and wooden tables!
The wine selection was fairly simple. The server was not too helpful either when we asked for recommendations. I ended up ordering a cabernet sauvignon, which totally hit the spot.
Terrior is a bit too dark and quiet for my liking. Great place for a chill, lazy night out with friends though.

I went to this wine bar with some of my coworkers after we took a pole dancing class at Botan. The environment/​atmosphere was really cool. We sat at the middle long skinny table and everything was wood which I love. The wine wasn’t my favorite, but it could be because I just got the cheapest on on the menu. I would definitely come here again and try a nicer glass.

This is easily my new favorite place in San Francisco. Came here early on a Friday night with a friend, and we enjoyed two half bottles of wine (a wuttenberg and a st. clarskburg). The servers were friendly and brought water out to our table. The atmosphere and ambiance are spot on– exposed wood beams, decorative wine bottles, a loft– this place is cool. We were lucky enough to come on a night when their house DJ was spinning on vinyl– and the music was great.
Can’t wait to come back :)

Dear surfer dude with many tattoos behind the counter of terroir this evening,
I normally enjoy my relaxed evenings with a glass of wine and a slice of cheese at this establishment. However, tonight you ruined it for me.
The problem is, I can math.
The first time, when I ordered 2 glasses of wine clearly priced at $ 8 a glass and you charged me $ 17 + tax, I made an excuse for you. You were overwhelmed and couldn’t add properly. I almost stiffed you the appropriate dollar from your tip, but didn’t.
The second time, I asked you for a recommendation for 2 glasses of wine, and 2 pieces of cheese. You spun a great tale about Berkeley and unoaked Chardonnay, and pushed an unitemized bill for $ 45 towards me, which I paid. Stung by the earlier descrepancy, I then found the price for all the items. 2 x $ 13 + 12 ≠ $ 45.
So annoyed. A favorite wine bar has been ruined by a skimming bar boy.

The best part about wandering into a random wine bar on a Thursday with one of my best friends is that we both walk in and exclaim, «I want to live here!» The rustic décor, the romantic candle lights, the simple but awesome wine shelves made from wine crates lining the walls. We love places like this, LOVE.
The wines here are not for the faint of heart. $ 16 for a glass? Yes, it’s expensive. But they also serve organic wines that taste great from places you never heard of.
Service: minus two stars. Our bartender ignored us for a good 5 minutes just chatting with people and we had to wave at him to get our attention. It’s a small bar that seats about 8 people, but he just chose to carry on his conversation without giving us a glance. RUDE! When I asked for a white wine with a buttery taste and full mouth feel, I could see him rolling his eyes. He turned his nose up and said that they don’t serve that kind of white wine and the closest he has is Domaine de la Tournelle Arbois. I asked for a tasting and I could see him rolling his eyes again and then he said no, I won’t open a bottle. Seriously wanted to smack his unshaven face into the bar. Excuse me, but the last time I checked, you were suppose to provide service. Take your snobby ass and stick it.
Anyways, I ordered a glass of the damn Arbois so he would shut up and just open the bottle. My friend gets the Syrah. We go back to our bench with the nice candle light and forget about the ass at the bar. Then we relax, sip our delicious wine and enjoy the bar. I love that their wine is organic and unfiltered so I felt great afterwards, no headaches whatsoever! This place is really vibes with me in it’s décor and unassuming loveliness. Maybe we just got a bad bartender, I’m hoping to come back to this lovely place and enjoy another glass of their delicious wine.