Gold Dust Lounge

12/02/07

Great Drinks, Fantastic Price!

by tahnee07

I went here on a busy Saturday and loved their $2.95 margaritas. The bartenders and wait staff was excellent and very attentive. It looks kind of like a hole in the wall place, but the drinks are too good to miss. Be prepared for a huge crowd.

08/27/09

I'd give it a negative 1 if I can

by sflocal10

This place is one of the worst experience I have had in SF and I've lived here for over 16 years. I was there with a few friends after shopping in union square. I've been here before for the cheap drinks. We were having a great time when they had a shift change and this one dark haired bartender (who says his name is Jason after I inquired about his name 5 times, but I doubt it) started serving drinks. He was ok at first, neither friendly nor rude, but at one point referred to us as 'horny girls" because we were dancing to the band that was playing that night. When I confronted him about that, he claims to said that since i was kissing my bf then I must be horny! He was so rude that I asked to speak with the manager and he said that he was the manager. When I asked for his name, he blantantly refused to give me his name. We had just dropped a lot of money in this place and the guy didn't even bother to give us a name? He was definitely rude and somewhat misogynistic. I would definitely stay away from this place unless you have a thing for rude, obnoxious, misogynistic bartenders. There are plently of places in this city where you can get a margarita or glass of champagne for $3.50.

Aside from the rude bartender, this place is full of tourists and riffraffs. There were several people there with missing teeth! Go to the mission for dive bars and elsewhere for cheap drinks.

• Pros: Cheap drinks
• Cons: They don't care about customer service

01/18/09

Always good for some great people watching and talking & $2.95 margaritas you can't afford NOT to drink! :)

by KelleeJo

After reading so many reviews slamming the old bartender and bad service, I had to add my experience. I have only seen the guy a few times - and yes, he does ignore people. It is definitely a tourist bar with people from everywhere - which is fun for me to chat with others from Austrailia, Europe, etc. However, the really cute (and much younger than Chuck) bartender, Denny, is oh so worth it. He is super sweet to the ladies and doesn't ignore anyone. It's not in his nature for him to be rude. The cocktail waitresses are great. Just talk to them, be friendly and they are more than friendly back. They love to find out where people are from. It is definitely a tourist magnet - which is why I love it. We have even made life-long friends in there! Its a great bar with all walks of life! Mid-week at 4pm is great to watch the happyhour corporate crowd rock the place until about 7pm. I keep track of how many drinks I have by Go have a drink! When you can get a margarita or glass of champagne for $2.95 --- you can't afford NOT to drink it! They'd get 5 starts if there was food....

• Pros: Denny, the Bartender
• Cons: the bathroom...

12/24/08

Nice, but...

by howard4tex

... I could swear the beer got more expensive by the hour. I was only drinking whatever they had on tap (Guiness, Anchor Steam)

06/21/07

Great customer service

by sheri0827

With a friend in San Francisco, first time for both of us. We had breakfast at Sears and tried to catch a cable car outside the restaurant. After 4 full cars blew past us, we started to walk down to the turnaround but decided we needed a cocktail before catching a car. We had a great time at the Gold Dust with Jake the bartender who was very friendly and attentive. We had a wonderful conversation about Colorado (our home state). We were only sorry that we couldn't go back the next day as we were leaving. Can't wait to go back and hope Jake is still there!

04/01/07

Arrogant bartender from L.A.

by pontiuspirate

I've been here before but have never sat at the bar. The waitresses are generally okay. But this time me and a friend sat at the bar and got "served" by the old guy with glasses and grey facial hair. What a complete waste this guy was. He pretended not to see us for the entire 2 hours we sat there. At one point I am trying to get his attention because he is talking to the older couple next to us for about 5 mins. So I say, "Can I get two margaritas?" And he sneers at me and says he's busy. Me and my friend just look at each other, dumbfounded, and move over to a table.

Then a waitress tries telling us that we have to leave if more people come in because the table is for four people - not two. Whatever. Then she says she saw us getting ignored by the old guy. We get the story from her that he's been there for 30 years and is rude to lots of people - even her.

Supposedly he get's ticked off at tourists. Problem is, I live in the neighborhood. Gold Dust Lounge = Garbage tourist trap. Not for locals.

• Pros: Cheap margaritas
• Cons: Soul-crushingly rude service

02/27/07

Wonderful Bar

by randyrooky

My wife and I visited the Gold Dust on half a dozen occasions on our holiday in SF. I agree with the reviewer who slammed the afternoon bartender - the younger fellow (relatively speaking) with the short beard and dark rimmed glasses. On our first visit we sat at the bar next to a young lady who knew the bartender. He ignored us and concentrated on conversing with the attractive girl and her date. I guess we stood out as tourists. With this being said, we were still very happy with our time in this bar. The waitresses were very attentive and the atmosphere should be experienced by anyone who remembers what older bars were like. The band will bring a smile to anyones face. The prices are the best in town according to several locals we spoke with. Overall, a memorable experience and highly recommended.

Bargain cocktails and Las Vegas-like clientele make this boudoir-ish bar a Union Square must.

by Contributor

In Short
Although located along a popular trolley line, this spot is not a tourist trap.Old-timers rub elbows with errant tourists at the bar lined with pretzel bowls. Red velvet-like banquettes, gilt-colored walls, cherubic ceiling drawings (featured in the opening scene of Hitchcock's "The Birds") and extravagant chandeliers lend the bar a sense of opulence. Local sports flash on the TV, while Motown-era tunes fill the air, when live bands aren't performing.

09/30/06

AVOID WEEKDAYS

by sbaker415sf

prices are great, but the daytime bartender kept messing up orders, and was mean all around. was rude and arrogant, although he seemed to be extra attentive and nice to an attractive young lady at the bar, while ignoring other customers. not sure what his problem was, but it made the experience regretable.

ive gone back during the weekend, and the staff was incredibly delightful during the day.

07/25/06

Gold Dust Lounge!

by lucy44

We have been here three times and wow! Its always just chillin! Great people ,good music and GREAT conversatiions! Great bartending Chuck!!

• Pros: All Good!
• Cons: zero