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(415) 931-7292
561 Geary St
San Francisco,
CA
94102
37.7866
-122.4126
Neighborhoods: Tenderloin, Northeast
Last updated 6.08.11
Category:
Lounges, Nightclubs, Bars & Clubs, Neighborhood Bars, Singles Bars, Bars & Pubs, Whiskey Bars, Wine Bars
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, MasterCard
Bar & Pub Special Features:
Bar & Club Type of Music:
Blues, DJ - Electronica, DJ - Soul & Funk, DJ - Rap, DJ - Disco
Bar & Club Special Features:
DJ, Open Mic, 21 & Over, Specialty Cocktails, After Work, Live Music, Late-Night Scene
Recommended Drink:
Chartreuse Swizzle
What People Are Saying About Swig
Featured Review
Contributor
Contributor
In Short – In front of an exposed-brick wall, an affable bartender mixes a slew of specialty drinks--many are replicas of city favorites, like the herb-flavored Chartreuse Swizzle (a specialty at Harry Denton's Starlight Room). Other offerings are more original, like the peach julep, consisting of fruit puree, fresh mint and bourbon. Many nights feature DJs or live music, but there's rarely a cover charge.
Editor's Tips
- Parking:
- Follow the alley immediately east of the entrance to find all-night parking ($8).
- What to Drink:
- Ask the bartender for recommendations--most cocktails feature specialty ingredients.
- When to Go:
- On weekdays, this place is low-key until later in the evening. If you want a scene, arrive after 9pm.
- Know Before You Go:
- There's a blues jam on Sundays (9am-2am), an acoustic open-mic on Mondays (10pm-1am), and dance DJs (Thursday-Saturday).
06/28/10
Awesome neighborhood bar
by Lauren Hannah at Citysearch
Swig is one of my favorite neighborhood bars. It's clean, friendly, and the drinks are strong! On Fridays and Saturdays, it picks up around 10pm. During the week, it's pretty mellow, but definitely still has a nice crowd. It's actually quite interesting how the ambiance changes from weekday to weekend.
Weekends are full of loud music, dancing, and long lines at the bar (but still not as bad as many other downtown bars).
Weekdays are quite, warm (they have a fireplace) and almost romantic.
Love this place.
- Pros: strong drinks, awesome ambiance
- Cons: Can get crowded on the weekends
05/28/10
Great Union Square Club
by lguerriero , Citysearch Contributor at Citysearch
Swig generally falls into the "sorta good" category for me. It's usually crowded, hot and sweaty and the drinks are not necessarily all that good of a deal. The thing that takes swig from "sorta good" to "very good" is that it's reliable. You always know what you are going to get when your there. Another plus is NO LINE! Never have I seen a line to get in here, which is a nice change from Slide or Ruby Sky or other bars in the area. Also, Swig gets another star for no cover charge and good music and DJs that usually play your requests without too long of a wait.
- Pros: No line or cover charge
- Cons: Hot and crowded
08/10/09
Snotty Bartenders
by SummerLuvin at Citysearch
We stopped into this place quickly, but walked out after one drink. The bartender was super snotty and barely offered us another drink. There is nowhere to sit in this place. The chairs at the bar have holes in them and there is no sense of friendly atmosphere.
- Pros: Close to Union Square
- Cons: Neighborhood, Bartenders, No where to sit
06/01/09
great owner and drinks
by GoPlaySFBay at Citysearch
ok - some people think the hood is a bit well not so hot - but I go here often and love the place and people. We had a friend pass away recently and held an Irish Wake in his honor - this place will always be at the top of my list.
- Pros: warm fireplace and staff
- Cons: hood
