Bourbon & Branch — Restaurant in San Francisco

Reservation required. No sign, so make sure you know where you're going. Give your password at the door. You'll be led to your table, or maybe a bar stool. The seats aren't exactly comfortable and six people can sometimes be a squeeze but hey, it's better than a noisy club with strangers knocking your drinks over or spilling theirs on you. Dark, quiet, and candlelit (even when the sun is still up outside) it is a successful trip back in time. If you find authentic speakeasy experiences too costume-y this is not the place for you.

The menu is extensive, I believe there are dozens of drinks listed and the staff can always make suggestions. I haven't been too recently but one of my favorites was The Naughty Sundress. Crystal clear resembling a martini but so full of flavor.

My only complaints are that those are stiff drinks to be having without any food and it is often hotter than hell in there. Maybe that's authentic too? Definitely something to be experienced at least once.

I love their Beverage Academy classes they often teach on Mondays. That's where I first started learning about making cocktails at home. Check those out!

There are two bars within Bourbon and Branch as well. The Library where you don't need a reservation but the menu is very abbreviated and it's pretty much standing room only. Makes me crazy when people tell me how much they like Bourbon & Branch and then it turns out they've only been to the Library. The other bar is The Wilson, which requires a reservation and is very small. The menu is full of very unique spirits and house made tinctures but they only make the handful of drinks on the menu and on my second visit I found the menu hadn't change much so I was stuck ordering the same things again. I much prefer the main...

EXCELLENT PLACE! Hands down my favorite speakeasy in the bay area. Their selection of drinks and menu is unique, and the servers do a great job at explaining the menu. The experience is quite unique compared to a regular bar and drinks are out of the world.

[Getting there experience] It's a classic speakeasy - you reserve online, they email you the password to enter, no signboards outside the place so you need to know the address, you'll find a man in Black suit outside a spooky door and you need to tell him you have a reservation and show ID, he will ring the bell to call the host outside who'll then ask your password, the host goes inside to confirm your booking and comes back to escort you inside to your table.

[Menu experience] First of all the menu is almost like a booklet, but they've done a decent job at segregating the various drinks in categories, so the egg white drinks are separated from the fruity ones. The servers usually do a good job at explaining those if you tell them you're visiting for the first time.

[Ambience] Well it's a speakeasy so they expect you to 'speak easy' in its literal sense although you can hear some chatter. It's dark inside with only a candle on the table so provides a cozy atmosphere - suitable for dates!

[Drinks] Almost everything I have tried here is extremely good and usually strong. Drinks are priced $13 - $15 each. I would leave you to experience the drinks of your liking but I've usually loved their tequila egg white and mezcal drinks.

[Insider Tip] It'll be a cool game to find there's a hidden library somewhere which can be opened Harry Potter style! Won't spoil the surprise here but ask the server in case you...

I have been wanting to try this place for about a year and a half now. It was explained to me as a quiet place for serious conversation and even more serious drinks. That's exactly what it is. The outside is a unmarked building where you'll walk by ten times before knowing what you are passing. There are several ways you can enjoy B&B, for example there is the main room "the library" where no reservations are needed. You can enjoy a cocktail from their tome of drinks. No fear, friendly wait staff will unhurriedly guide you to a drink that will impress - if not floor you.

The way B&B was made to be enjoyed is in the main room. You'll need a reservation and you'll settle into a smallish booth where the show begins. Cloth napkins and simple glasses with water are brought to your table. I can't go into each and every drink that they serve but understand that this is all they do, and they do it very well. The ice cubes, for example, are specifically designed to be big and blocky so that they cool your drinks with out watering down. I've seen them peel oranges and slightly burn them with a sulfur match before twisting and adding to a drink. The price tag for each is about 12$ - 15$. Sure this is expensive, but its entertainment and outstanding drinks. This is my kind of bar, and I'll always make sure to stop here when I want a really fine drink and conversation.

Five Stars to B&B. What a amazing atmosphere. This is exactly how I like to enjoy my drinks and my conversations. If you are looking for a place to get a buzz, and were you might pick up a one night stand then this isn't your place. I can't wait for...