Kate O'Brien's
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: (415) 882-7240
- Cross Street:
- Second Street
- Hours:
- Daily 11am-2am, Kitchen open daily until 11:30pm
Editorial Review for Kate O'Brien's – by Marcia Gagliardi
The Scene
Pretension-free patrons consume good beer and grub while listening to eclectic beats. They sit at one of the numerous cafe tables, or sidle up to the long copper bar lined with 16 beer taps announcing some of Europe's (and California's) finest. The brick walls, decorative wrought-iron balcony and Irish memorabilia offer a warm contrast to the city's sleek, minimalist bars.
The Draw
A steady lunchtime and after-work crowd comes for tasty sandwiches, burgers and perfect chips (fries) to go with ice-cold pints. The downtown location makes it an easy destination for the working class to meet up with friends when the whistle blows, especially Thursdays and Fridays. Rotating DJs play downtempo, hip-hop or house music (Wed-Sat).
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Insider Tips
Save MoneyCheck the board out front for the daily food and drink specials.
Where to SitThe front patio with the powerful overhead heat lamps is a treat--but it can also get a little smoky.
ParkingThere's a lot of parking turnover once people clock out, so odds are you'll find a spot after 6pm.
User Reviews for Kate O'Brien's
01/04/2007 Posted by nomadslime
Lots of taps, food is much improved now that's under new management, and the staff is friendly enough. But the space itself is tough. The booths are tight, and not conducive to large groups, and even when it's not full, I'm constantly squeezing past people. It gets loud, again even when it's not hopping. Good ambience, but has that stale air
10/26/2006 Posted by thela
This bar had been the favorite of some of my coworkers and we held a few get-togethers there. I found the waitresses to be ill-informed and, at times, rude. The music was far too loud and wasn't lowered when requested - even though we were the only patrons in the bar at the time. I'm not exactly sure why they have TVs on at all when the music was at an ear crushing level. On my first visit, the bartender reeled off a list of "specials" and when it was my turn to order I ordered Guiness, she tried to talk me out of it saying they don't make Guinness in Ireland, etc. When I responded with "And Clysdales didn't deliver those kegs of Bud, I still want a Guiness". Now I know it takes time to pour a proper Guniness but when my pint took 10 minutes longer than everyone elses, I knew she wasn't getting a tip and I was fairly certain I wouldn't be coming back. Unfortunately, a few weeks later I had to go back for a work meeting, then a few weeks later for a going away party. When the place is crowded, the loud music is less of a bother. And, the appetizers are great. I'd suggest sitting outside and only going when it's crowded - make sure you order a Guiness.
Cons: service, music, wait staff
