Toronado — Restaurant in San Francisco

Well, what can I say? We originally went next door to Rosamunde Sausage Grill for a snack and were encouraged to go to Toronado to enjoy it with a nice craft beer. We were on holiday in America from London and had been treated really well by the locals in San Francisco up to that point. Being big fans of craft beers in the UK we gladly took our bratwursts next door and perused the expansive menu at Toronado. I love an IPA and living in East London affords me an amazing selection. From Punk by Brew Dog and Hepcat by Gipsy Hill through to Gamma Ray by Beavertown, it’s my drink of choice and the opportunity to sample some of what America’s independent breweries had to offer was an unexpected bonus. My wife picked a raspberry beer that I can’t remember the name of now and I decided to ask the barman about their choice of IPAs. Big mistake. The barman was an old, fat guy with long grey hair tied back in a pony tail. I think he might have had a beard and/or glasses, I can’t really remember. Anyway, he looked like a typical biker hillbilly and, as it turned out, had the class and intelligence to match. Despite clearly stating which raspberry beer my wife had chosen to him he aggressively asked me which raspberry beer I meant as there were two. He said that he hadn’t tried either of them so I had to be specific. At that point, I gave him the benefit of the doubt (despite his attitude) and simply repeated my order, to which he sassily responded “there we go…”. He asked what I would like and I asked about his IPAs. I told him that I liked something quite hoppy and he looked at me blankly liked he’d never tasted any of the beers on his menu and dismissively stated that “they’re all good.” To my bemusement, he then proceeded to pour me two of the raspberry beers I had ordered for my wife. I told him I only wanted one of those and when he, again, with a large slice of attitude asked me what I wanted I had been so offended and disappointed with the service at that point that I told him to leave it at that and chose not to drink there. What an awful and saddening experience of ‘cool’ and ‘hip’ California. In stark contrast to the hospitality travellers can expect from most craft beer pubs in East London. To the owners of this establishment, I urge you to get rid of this pathetic excuse of a barman and employ any of the thousands upon thousand of barmen in America who actually care about what they sell enough to acquire even the basic knowledge about it, as opposed to defensively putting down customers to mask their inadequacy and incompetence in this area. To the barman himself, I wholeheartedly suggest he leave this establishment and find a vocation about which he IS interested and passionate about and not continue to destroy the reputation of what could be an otherwise great craft beer bar with his surly and disinterested attitude. To visitors of the US from the UK and, indeed, the rest of the world, I urge you to avoid this bar at all costs, at least until this barman has been removed. Hugely...

Listen up, fellow seekers of liquid happiness, because I have uncovered a bar that redefines the term "sour grapes." Prepare yourselves for an encounter with a bartender whose frown could make Medusa turn to stone. Welcome to the land of unwelcoming glares and drinks served with a side of disdain.

As I stepped into this establishment, hoping for a refreshing beverage and a dash of human decency, I was met with a bartender who clearly had a black belt in grumpiness. With a scowl that could curdle milk and a demeanor as inviting as a closed sign, this individual single-handedly extinguished any spark of joy in the room. Move over, Grinch, we've found your spirit animal.

Attempting to place an order felt like navigating a minefield of sarcasm and silent judgment. Every question or request was met with a sigh that could rival a hurricane's force. It's as if this bartender believed that serving customers was a punishment rather than a profession. Sorry, buddy, but you missed the memo on "customer service" and the concept of basic human decency.

To add insult to injury, the service was slower than a snail on tranquilizers. I swear, I aged a year waiting for a simple drink to materialize before my weary eyes. Perhaps the bartender had a secret competition to see how long they could test the patience of their customers. Congratulations, my friend, you've won the gold medal in tortoise-level service.

In conclusion, my dear comrades, if you have an affinity for being treated like an inconvenience and enjoy sipping drinks crafted with a sprinkle of disdain, this bar is your sanctuary. But if you have a shred of self-respect and a desire to be treated like a human being, save yourself the trouble and find a watering hole where bartenders actually understand the concept of hospitality.

May your future bar experiences be filled with smiles, friendly banter, and drinks that make your taste buds dance with joy. Cheers, my friends, and steer clear of this sour-faced bartender and their...

In town for business and I had heard that Toronado was the place in San Fran guaranteed to be serving Russian River. I walked from my hotel over to Toronado on Haight and Fillmore, keeping a close eye as I had heard it was easy to miss.

For a world class bar, this place is tiny and unassuming. For me (at 4:15pm on a Tuesday afternoon where I was easily able to find a stool at the bar), this was a good thing. I can imagine if I came at a more peak time it would be really frustrating trying to get a beer.

I had read reviews in advance and was fully prepared with my cash on-hand and was expecting a surly reception from the bartender.

The bartender (a delightful lady) was very pleasant and quick to take my order. She approached me in less than one minute, I ordered the Blind Pig, she poured in within another minute and I had paid and was enjoying my beer just like that. I followed that up with a Pliny the Elder (a requirement IMO) and a Drake's beer that the bartender actually helped me select based on its New England style.

I had a couple of pleasant conversations with guys at the bar that were just like myself - in town for a short period and looking to check one of the world's best beer bars / best beers off their bucket list.

Overall, it was an extremely pleasant experience.

I don't doubt the horror stories I've read, so I would recommend that if you're planning to visit, try to hit an off-peak time to maximize the experience. Have your cash ready and have a good idea of what you want to start. After an efficient order and a nice tip, good chance the bar tender will help you out with some advice if you need...