06/08/07

Worst bartender EVER

by missmockingbird

If I could give this bar a lower rating I would. My friend and I went there around 6:45-7pm on a week day. The bar was not crowded. There were maybe 10-12 other people there at the bar fawning over the bartender. My friend went to the restroom and I went up to the bar to order us two glasses of wine. The bartender was trying to make two cocktails and talk to the ladies in front of him. He did not acknowledge me, at all. He didn't even look at me. I watched him make two identical drinks, separately, and slowly, for a single tab. (Normally, a decent bartender would make the two drinks at the same time.) By the time my friend returned from the restroom I still had not been acknowledged. The bartender gave the customers their total and waited while they fished around in their purses for their money. Then he rang up the order and got them change. Then, he finally looked at me. In the meantime other people have come up to the bar to order too. He never looked at them either. I ordered four glasses of wine (because I did NOT want to have to go through that again.) He wandered off to find the wine and came back about 2 minutes later, still not looking at any other customer. It took him over a minute to open the wine bottle. Finally he poured the wine and slowly, carefully, placed each glass on a napkin in front of me. He took just as long to get my change as he did the last customers. This guy was really terrible. As you know a good bartender could have poured 2 glasses of wine WHILE he made the the mixed drinks, would have smiled at EVERY person who walked up to the bar and said "I'll be with you in a minute." WHILE he was making the cocktails and pouring the wine. I cannot overstate how bad the service was. By the time I got to my table my friend had hand-written 3 thank you notes and addressed the envelopes! On the up side the decor is nice and the bar is comfortable.

• Pros: nice decor, comfortable room
• Cons: slow service, untrained pretty boy pretending to be a bartender

03/19/07

some of the best mixed drinks in SF with a cool retro vibe

by chefbum

Orbit Room is a cool joint with some of the best mix drinks and bartenders anywhere in the City. Tah Weh (sp?) is a new (er) bartender who just adds a touch of class and experience to the drinking experience. When he makes you a drink, you really feel like it is being crafted like the creation a good mixed drink ought to be.

Even when the Orbit Room is slammed, which occasionally it can be on a Friday or Saturday night, the bartenders can be a joy to watch as they continue to make elaborate mixed drinks in a perpetual motion dance of nonstop cocktail frenzy. Usually, though, this is a low-key, relaxing place to hang out and have a good drink in a very good bar. Cool retro decor doesn't hurt, either. Highly recommended.

• Pros: bartenders, drinks, ambiance, service, style
• Cons: parking, a little pricey (but good), sometimes quiet

09/19/06

Go back to New York!

by libate

You have given Orbit Room a bad taste in my mouth. Shame on you!

We order:

Her drink:

Dirty Martini with extra olive

What she got:

Talking to the other three customers, blah, blah, blah, New York, blah, blah, blah, don't care for SF, blah, blah, blah, slowly making the drink, blah, blah blah, knocked olives off of drink, blah, blah, blah, partially spilled the martini while pouring, blah, blah, blah, poured the rest in a pint glass, blah, blah, blah, blah, used a strainer to pour martini, blah, blah, blah, blah, had float'ies in drink (mint leaves), blah, blah.

Gave a look at drink and said what is that floating?

blah, blah, blah, oops, do you want me to start over?

That's ok.

I didn't hear her order her drink, but she is specific. So don't put vermouth just cause your to busy blah, blahing.

My drink:

Guinness...what no draft beer tonight. Just give me a dark beer.

I usually enjoy an array of concoctions at the Orbit, but after seeing the disaster, I stuck to a beer.

As we leave:

blah, blah, blah, crunch, crunch, crunch, blah, crunchblah, crunchblah, crunchblah..., (eating his bag of chex).

You're a good looking kid and seem to have many positive things going for you, but please don't give the Orbit Room a bad taste in friscos mouths.