20 Spot — Attraction in San Francisco

San Francisco has no shortage of wine bars, but 20 Spot in the Mission district manages to carve out a special niche for itself. It's a solid 4-star experience, perfect for a cozy date night. This review is mostly focused on the ambiance and the service because my friend and I already had dinner at a restaurant next door.

Ambiance is King: This place nails the intimate vibe. It's housed in a former record store, and they've kept some of that charm with exposed brick and stacks of vinyl lining the walls. The lighting is warm and dim, creating a perfect atmosphere for conversation and connection. You can also snag a spot on the comfy couch in the back for some serious snuggle factor.

Wine & Bites Delight: The wine list is impressive, with a strong focus on interesting finds from California, alongside some classic French and Italian options. The staff is knowledgeable and happy to recommend something based on your preferences. Our bartender was very light-hearted fella and had a great sense of humor. They also serve modern American fare food. Their menu mostly consists of snacks, cheese boards, and small plates with 1-2 mains and some desserts.

We tried their house bread with pimenton oregano butter, and it was perfect for sharing.

A Few Caveats: It's a popular spot with limited seating space, so be prepared for a wait, especially on the weekends. Also, the focus is definitely on wine, so the cocktail selection is a bit sparse.

Overall: If you're looking for a charming and intimate spot for a date night with a focus on great wine and delicious bites, 20 Spot is a fantastic choice. Just be prepared for a wait and the slightly limited seating options. For the ambiance and overall experience, it's definitely...

Tucked away on the corner of 20th & Lexington, this old record store is a wine bar that also serves beer and small plates. There is a great mix of tables, ample places to sidle up to the bar or you can get comfy on one of the couches. The wait staff is super friendly and willing to give you more information about the wines or items on the menu when you are trying to decide. There was a wine flight offered when I was there for reds. I was hoping for more than one kind. I was there on a Tuesday and they offered a set menu for $20 of an appetizer, entree and dessert. I wanted to pick and choose so I went with the cheese plate with the intention of ordering something else since even ordering 4 different cheeses at most places will give you those tiny slivers of cheese with a few crostini pieces. Not here. It was amazing. Not only were the cheese portions substantial, the blue cheese had a drizzle of honey, there were almonds, apples, crostini, chutney and more. It was fantastic. I want to go back and try their other small plates, but it'll be hard to avoid that cheese plate...

Horrible experience! Listen, I'm all about food and wines but the moment you try to sell me on a fake/false experience you lost me.

I went to dinner and drinks to this spot based on the great reviews with my best friend. All was going great until we asked for recommendations for food and wine. Instead, the gentleman recommended a $167 bottle. I mean I can spend the money but you chose to be greedy. The first red flag was there and mind you it took them forever to bring our charcuterie board.

I also asked for more bread and the service took so long by the time I asked for my check he asked me if he could still bring it. I politely told him no as we didn't have anything else eat the bread with.

Unfortunately, I will not be coming here again because of the poor experience. If you actually make good recommendations I would have spent way more money and probably tasted more of your...