Novela

Just okay; but there is something that bugs me about the place. I feel like it’s faux-​swanky, if that really is a thing. I’d go again if friends wanted to, but it’s just not going to make it in to my regular rotation.

I like this place a lot! This place is really swanky, both chill and elegant, and fun! I really liked the atmosphere. It gave a calm but fun vibe. Many people looked like they had come out of work. It’s a nice place to check out if you are in the area or you want to catch up with some friends. Or if you want to meet someone out for a nice date. ;) The Hemingway House Punch is delicious!
With grapefruit, lemon and three whiskey’s – this will be sure to quench that thirst you may have! I liked the atmosphere and that the drink names were based off authors and books. Such a cool location. Definitely gotta check it out again.

Came here after local edition to finally check it out. We tried going before but there was an event so we decided to come later.
When you walk in you’re greeted by the beautiful décor of books lining the walls. There’s a big table in the middle which is nice especially since we grabbed two seats. If you want a couch space I think you need to reserve those.
The place does get pretty packed so I recommend getting here early. The drinks here are tasty and are very creative being named after different authors.

June 17, 2016
Me: «Hi can I order a Gin and -«
Bartender in white bunny dress: «I can’t hear you!»
Me: «HI CAN I ORDER A GIN AND-​«
Bartender: «No, I mean I can hear you but I’m not listening!»
Me: «Oh…»
I was then helped swiftly by two gentlemen bartenders at the other end of the bar. Sorry that this review might indirectly harm those two as well, but the experience was already ruined by the rude one. I wish I took a picture of her to post here.

Well, let’s start with the good… the bar itself is beautiful and provides many different places to sit down and enjoy a nicely crafted cocktail. The bad… the service is terrible! It took entirely too long to even get a server to come by and then she spilled water all over our table and put in the wrong order for our cocktails. This lovely bar should have top notch service!
The vodka punch and the Leopold Bloom cocktails were well made and quite tasty though!

Drinks:
Severus Snape 13
Gin, Dimmi, Snap Pea Juice, Egg Whites, Lemon, Honey
*AUTOMATIC 5 STARS* No, seriously. Novela has a drink named after my favorite fictional character. This bar and I, it was love at first sight. Their drink menu has an extensive range of choices. All very different from each other. What I loved most was that they all were named after fictional characters in
Service:
Met up with a friend on a Wednesday night for drinks around prime dinner time and Novela was starting to get lively. The hostess seated me right away (I had made reservations for a table earlier that morning). She noticed that there was a large party next to me who was being really loud, so she asked if I wanted to move. I really appreciated her thoughtfulness! She was so sweet and so were all the other workers at Novela.
Atmosphere:
Dimly lit, roomy enough for large parties, sophisticated libary-​esque décor. Can get loud, but they also have tables for couples, away from the crazy if looking for a more intimate setting.

Surprisingly large bar and lounge that, as the name implies, has a literary theme to it, with bookshelves all over the place and drinks named after literary figures.
As for the drinks, the cocktails are generally strong and well-​portioned enough to be worth the price, and there’s a nice selection of punches as well. The bar bites are also quite decent, and service is fast and friendly.
The space is large enough to accommodate a variety of purposes, whether more rambunctious revelry up front at the bar or more intimate chats at small tables in the rear. All in all, a good addition to a stretch of Mission that’s gradually seeing new activity.

I like this bar! Pretty spacious for SF and even got lucky enough on a Friday night to get seats for the 5 of us. Classy drinks and atmosphere, punch bowls, walking distance to Local Edition. I like :)

One of my favorite bars in the city, mainly for the ambiance and décor. Colorful with the warmth of a library? Count me in! I love taking friends from out of town here. Drinks are creative and strong. They have a decently sized cocktail menu so there’s something for everyone to choose from. They can be expensive but pretty typical for a San Francisco bar. It’s not too noisy so you’re able to have conversations with your party. Service can be a little slow so be prepared to wait to order, especially if it’s crowded. The bartenders make the drinks well, in my opinion, so the wait is worthwhile.

Beautifully designed bar. The cocktail menu is extensive and makes full use of all the de rigeur hipstery ingredients– artisan bitters, ginger, lemon– what have you. The lighting on the inside is super colorful, though it seems like it can get really crowded– just on a Sunday the line was 3 deep and it took a while to be served. Apparently all the books on the shelves are real and I would love to come in on a weekday afternoon and sip on a cocktail or whiskey and read.
PS– keep an ear out for a douche trying to sound smart and saying lesss mizzerabless

Atmosphere: Perfect for bookworms and those who want to watch sports, this place has space for those wanting a quiet catch-​up, the drinkers, and the sports fans. The couches are comfortable and the library-​ish décor makes a bookworm like myself very happy.
Drinks: Drinks were tasty and there was a specials menu to choose from. My friend did order a specific drink (hot toddy) that he has had there previously but was told by 2 bartenders that they have never made that drink. Don’t know whether they have taken it off the menu or don’t know how to make it. The other drinks were fun, I tried to the Severus Snape, Christopher Robin and Hibiki.
Service: A-​ok
Price: Reasonable for SF, the cocktails were around $ 11 – 12 each.
I like it and would visit again.

I love the literary theme of Novela and that they have seasonal drinks to keep the menu fresh. The drinks have never disappointed, including the Esteban Trueba (from Isabel Allende’s House of the Spirits), which made me laugh to myself because it’s served in the same Tiki style mug Pagan Idol uses.
It’s definitely more of a happy hour joint, and clears out earlier than most bars. During happy hour Novela is usually pretty crowded and loud, but not so much that you can’t still have a conversation and a good time. Unless you’re stalking the bar to swoop in, don’t expect to get a seat but you can make reservations for a table.

Stopped in for a drink after work before dinner and was greeted with a spacious and luxurious library-​themed bar. I loved the décor (though the red and green lighting was a little odd) and thought that the entire venue was really well designed.
Their cocktails ($ 12) are named after literary characters, and I went with the Severus Snape — a gin based drink with snap pea juice that made it taste like green juice! I loved how not sweet it was and strongly recommend it.
Bartenders are friendly too. Wish there were happy hour prices, but there aren’t.

Wow, the inside of this bar is stunning! It’s themed as a library with books decorating the walls and drinks named after the literary greats. This is not a «turn up» bar but rather a classy place for groups of friends to relax or date night. I came here on a Tuesday and since it’s located in the Financial District the crowd is a little older (I’m early 20’s) and most people were in their work clothes — suits, etc.
The drinks are VERY strong. I was a little disappointed because I like bars with creative mixologists, and I did ask for a custom drink with certain flavors but the bartender didn’t seem in the mood to come up with something. She instead suggested the vodka punch and told me it’s a fruity, light drink but even then I thought it was quite strong! So be prepared if you’re a lightweight. Unisex bathrooms were very clean and lots of space to lounge around. Ambient lighting — light enough to see other people but not too light to create that unattractive fluorescent glow (just an FYI for those first date people).
4 drinks was $ 57 w/​o tip.

Have walked past this place a million times and never stopped in before last night. Such a fun bar with a really wide cocktail selection! As the name suggests, this place is literary themed, with drinks named after characters and authors. I was with a large group so we made a reservation which seems to be your best bet if you don’t just wanna chill at the bar.
My favorite thing here is that they have six different alcoholic punches on tap. Sounds weird, but the vodka punch was so refreshing and good that I got two.
Heads up on the unisex restroom, and enjoy reading all the book spines that are decking the shelves. They organize the books by color and it looks super cool. Can’t wait for another chance to go!

Lots of yummy girly drinks. Doesn’t take long to get a drink, either.
Don’t think there was music here but it’s really nice and chill inside
Young group of people vibe.
Not so much of a «date» place in my opinion. I’d rather come here with a group of friends.

So pleasantly surprised! Came here for an engagement celebration. You can reserve the back room, which is nicely decorated with books making it look like you are in a study/​library. So beautiful.
The drinks were absolutely amazing but rather strong so be aware. I had the Juliet drink. Tried the Romeo, the punch which they are known for and I have to say they were a tad too strong for me. The drinks are named after literary authors and characters of books. The bartenders take their time making the speciality drink and the quality transpires in their creations. The lighting is dim and it feels very cozy.
We got there at 7pm so by 10pm it became rather crowded. So if you like more of a chill cozy place to have some good drinks and catch up with friends… come early.
At around 11pm, we got quite hungry. We inquired about the appetizers and they do not serve them on Saturdays but they offered is guacamole and chips and salsa and chips. Ugh… The only negative experience at this place was trying to eat the «just removed from the fridge» bottled salsa and processed Guac. So my recommendation: skip it.
Novela was a good find and I look forward to going back and trying other drinks.

To be honest, this kind of place just isn’t my type. I’m not looking to spend $ 10 for a beer and scream at the person next to me because it is so loud and crowded.
It’s the place for you if you’re looking for a classy cocktail lounge that is filled with tons of people. You can reserve tables there if you call ahead of time (but do so quickly and far in advance).

Great cocktails as always. On the pricey side. It gets quite crowded at the bar (~10pm on a Friday), but you can find space at the entrance or the back corner pretty easily. We even got seats for 3 of us!
See my photos for additional details.
THE COST: $ 37 total for 3 cocktails.
CHAPTER 1: SEASONAL COCKTAILS
* Robinson Crusoe (dark rum, lemon, housemade ginger syrup, soda. $ 10)
* Phileas fogg (bourbon, tobacco infused sherry, maple syrup, lemon, housemade anise tonic. $ 11) — 3 stars
My boyfriend didn’t like this — it was too boozy and didn’t have very interesting flavors.
CHAPTER 3: PUNCH
* Rum Milk (spiced rum, clarified milk, pineapple, allspice, lemon. $ 10) 4 stars
Good for a sweet drink to me. My boyfriend thought this was too sweet (but his tastes are very different from mine and he would never have ordered this in the first place. I found this nice and light, and I liked the nutmeg sprinkled on top.

I walked by this place several times before actually going in. The décor is very nice, and it attracts a large after work crowd from SOMA. They make some good craft cocktails with pretty reasonable prices considering the quality. The bartenders are very nice, but due to the complexity of the drinks you often have to wait a bit to get things made. We didn’t try the food.

As you know from the other thousand reviews, the place looks like some surreal library with pretty cool color changing lighting — oh and a bunch of bars.
The drinks have about a dozen ingredients each, so they take awhile, and their rather high labor cost means they are $ 11 each. Which also means you don’t wanna order the wrong one. They have some favorites with familiar names like Gatsby and Finch, but the one you really want is the Princess Leia, which might be my favorite «girly» drink yet — mildly tropical, with a rather wonderful creamy sweet write foam on top. Definitely has sugar in there, but it’s not cloying. My guess is that it’s not that stiff because it goes down so easy.

This is known for there cocktails. THEy aren’t cheap they have happy hours tho. They definitely put the pizazz into them. THe fanciness and the flare seen so many torches coming out and so many different collaborations of artwork type things in cups and sways of fruits ran across the cups.
with some of the drinks you very much get your moneys worth.
IT can be quite an experience.
The crowd is friendly.
They have some great craft beers. I like the beers.
THey have THemed karaōke once a month with Glenny Kravitz.
This place is very big with a long bar and lots of seating area.
The location and area in general is in a great part of the city.
ITs a very safe area.
The bathroom is nice.
I stepped in the room surrounded by porto potttys.
I had hella nice options .
The bartenders are cool they came up too me quick.
THey had two which helps.
This place seems like a very romantic place.
It was still very comfortable singing love stinks tho.
I am just saying wow I saw at least three couples practically getting it on at this place so it must set the mood.
I dug it tho, it wasn’t quite mushy. IT wasn’t too wild. IT was like they were in a music video but getting it on. I mean really getting it on ha this wasn’t no danching.
My friend loved this place and this guy really needed some relief from life.
He didn’t wanna leave this place he had soo much fun.
YO this place rocks

My friend brought us to Novela after having dinner in the financial district. Loved the walls of books and the cool décor of this place. The bartenders were friendly and it was easy to get served right away (don’t be passive!)
The place was pretty crowded and we didn’t have a reservation so we had to stand but we found a table to stand around. The drinks were tasty — I just hate paying SF drink prices. But for the price, this place would be at the top of my list for places to grab a drink with friends in the city.
Pretty noisy but a nice place to meet and have drinks. Lots of bachelorette parties and groups seemed to meet here.

I’ve been here several times mainly after work on Fridays. A little too crowded most times. Spoke to Will, the security and he was super nice and chill to talk to. Said the best time to come to where it’s not overwhelmingly crowded is pretty much every weekday but Friday. He runs the show pretty well and doesn’t treat you disrespectfully like other security guards do at other bars and clubs in SF. He gets done job done with manners. Go Will!
It’s well lit and the colors they use for the walls are very pleasing to the eyes. There’s also several bathrooms you can use that are pretty clean. The walls are also covered with books as decorations and they’re REAL books, which was super neat!
To get a drink, you’ll have to wait a while so just make you’re ready to order and maybe order a lot at one time to avoid wasting time in line again. We ordered a Pisco pitcher. There are others to choose from like tequila, rum, and vodka. The pitcher is $ 45 and we split it amongst 3 people. We each had 2 – 3 glasses. Not a bad deal at all! It was also made very well as the flavor was very tolerable.
If you want to sit, probably better to keep an eye out when people leave since this is a good starting point or end point for a drunken so people generally end up coming and going to and from here.

Great ambience, nice décor and good drinks! We had a great time at novela ordering their $ 8 cocktail specials and wine. The service was great as well.
The only issue was that our server had no knowledge about food allergies. We wanted to make sure that their tacos are gluten free so we inquired about that. Our server told us that «they aren’t gluten free and that In fact they have cheese and stuff on them! «
I’m not sure what she meant by stuff, but cheese is okay for gluten intolerants. We then found out that the tacos are gluten free and they were quite tasty. So hoppy that we got to order those!

Charming little spot. The décor is classy and the drinks are delicious. Their drink menu rotates (weekly?) so get ready for some delightful experimentation. And if you get your heart set on a drink they’re no longer serving when you come back? Well… there’s never harm in asking.
The one downside: Novela could use a little more seating. It’s fine most of the time but finding a place to sit or set your drink down can get tricky on Thursday evenings and weekends.

Love this spot! Came in here for an early drink (or two) on a Saturday, and was very impressed.
Because it was so early (around 5PM) we were able to easily get our own table tucked away against the wall of logs and books. The whole ambiance of this place is what really won me over, aside from the cocktails being fabulous.
You can tell the drinks are handmade with care, and they’re appropriately named to match the theme (there’s even a drink called the Holden Caulfield!). I preferred the ones that were less strong tasting (denoted on their menu with a special symbol), and my boyfriend ordered the ones that had more of a kick (denoted with a different symbol).
I think between the two of us, and our two drinks each, we spent around $ 50. This was pretty reasonable considering we left pretty happy and didn’t feel like we’d wasted our money on weak cocktails.
We were very well taken care of, and I don’t know if this was just because the place was empty. I would love to come back here with a small group of friends to have some drinks a bit later in the day to see what it’s like!

Novela is a very attractive bar which has a very Vegas-​like look to it. It’s decorated with bookshelves which definitely give it character and keeps it true to it’s namesake.
Their drink menu is full of seasonal cocktails and are all named after famous literary characters. The Jay Gatsby is their signature drink which is made with bourbon, calisaya, nocino, amaretto, and islay scotch. It’s a smooth drink for sure but it’s good enough to nurse through the night if you’re a lightweight like me.
They don’t normally serve food here but on occasion they have a food truck parked outside which Novela allows their food to bring inside. And they also have special nights where they serve raw oysters for happy hour.
And like other bars in the city, the place can get ridiculously crowded, especially on weekends as expected. So if you don’t have a table reserved, you’re pretty much going to find yourself standing the whole time. This place is really popular so don’t be surprised if you come in on a non-​busy night and see everything reserved with parties booked.
Overall, Novela is a nice gem in SoMa for gathering with friends or co-​workers and enjoy some cocktails.

Hi Classy-​pants, I finally caved in and got haters happy hour in the city for the first time in years. Not sure if we can be friends, because dayum, i don’t think I can afford you.
I mean, you are like the guacamole at Chipotle that I am not supposed to have because you will make my cheap lunch cost more than $ 10, when your average drink cost $ 13 and I haven’t given you a nice tip yet.
Strong? Not too much. Bold? Definitely, you have the mad men in you alright. But hey, that is the average price for a drink in SF. Great drinks, great staff, beautiful venue, however Novela, you are only for special occasions.

Definitely one of my favorite bars. The environment of this bar sets the mood for sure, I love the bookcase theme, it gives it a elegant feeling.
I came here multiple times with friends and co workers. It get’s pretty crowded near the end of the week and apparently Saturdays is asian night so all of you guys that have asian fever ayyyyyy. This is a great place to hang out with friends, have team outings and most importantly I have seen many tinder dates LOL so online daters give this place a try.
Oh and can I say $ 1 oysters??? YUS

I don’t know if I’m spoiled from growing up in Vegas or what, but I found Novel to be lacking in many ways, except for the décor and location, which were indeed excellent.
SERVICE
was practically nonexistent. The bartenders look classy and all but they made no moves to be nice to the customers. It was literally like a drink-​making machine (and a slow one at that). Even on the busiest club nights in Vegas, the bartenders would make friendly or nice remarks while busting out drinks in 5 seconds flat.
There should have been more staff, such as bussers or greeters besides the also-​not-​friendly doorman. If there were bussers, then I didn’t see them. Tables were left messy for quite a while.
ATMOSPHERE
I felt very uncool and underdressed, although that may be my fault for not looking the part? I loved that the place was all classy and originally chose Novela due to my fascination with books… However, the patrons did not seem like the type at all to enjoy a nice night in reading and I was sorely disappointed by the vibes. Novela is very loud and crowded and not relaxing and cozy like I thought it would be.
DRINKS
Had Jameson and ginger ale. It was pretty good.
TIP: MAKE A RESERVATION OR YOU WILL NOT GET TO SIT.
Would I come again? Spontaneously, no. With a reservation, yes. Seems like a good start for a raucous night out with friends, not a place to have a nice conversation over a drink.

Wine, beer, scotch, rye, whiskey, tequila, vodka, things you never herd of before and a HUGE ice cube… CHECK!
Seating hard to find, CHECK. (Make a reservation).
Service and staff friendly and attentive, check!
Really fun place with a modern and fun hipster vibe, check.
I plan to go back. It was a REALLY COOL bar and I loved their selection of alcohol, along with some of their happy hour app specials. Will make sure to make a reservation though. Otherwise, there is nowhere to sit.

Came here with some co-​workers for an early happy hour on Wednesday. We arrived around 4:30pm, and the place was half empty. The hostess asked us if we had a reservation. Yes, my friends, it’s THAT kind of bar. When we were told that we didn’t, she replied, «I’ll see what I can do.» We tried hard not to laugh at the absurdity of this dog and pony show. 10 seconds later she came back and said that she found a booth for our party of 4.
Our server checked in with our table 10 minutes after we sat down. We placed our drink order. 20 minutes later, our drinks were still nowhere in sight. And finally, at 5pm they arrived! Almost 30 minutes to get one round of drinks.
Novela — there’s no question that you’re a sexy, trendy bar that serves tasty libations. But there’s no excuse for making your thirsty customers wait that long (especially when the bar is half empty). I can think of a number of other cool spots within a 6 block radius that would gladly take our business and deliver our drinks in a timely manner.

Novela has managed to win me over throughout the last couple years. I went here shortly after they opened and was not a fan. It seemed like a slightly above average dive bar (bouncers, unfriendly bartenders, sponsored bar mats) with an upscale façade. After ending up here with a group over a year later, I was pleasantly surprised, and now it is on the regular post-​work rotation.
The drink that won me over was the Leopold Bloom. Hibiscus infused gin, which is made in house, gives it a wonderful blood red hue. Served over crushed ice, a few of these is a great way of taking the edge off at the end of the day. Given the tasteful décor and location, they are also reasonably priced. The only complaint on the interior decorating is some of the sitting area feels too open and underutilized. There is almost an uncomfortable amount of distance between people.
The friendliness factor is still a little hit or miss with the bartenders. Some of them are nice, some of them are rather unaccommodating. Luckily I only order one thing here now, and since it is a house special there is a much lower risk of having a bad run in over drink orders.

TL;DR — No happy hour but I left pretty happy!
Usually, I’m a happy hour girl. I love trying what a bar has to offer without committing to the large portions.
The girls and I decided to check out Novela for after shopping drinks. We loved the presentation of the drinks as well as the ambience of the place.
We will definitely be back!

Had a great time here with my uncle a few weeks back. We came in after a full day of exploring SF, wanting to grab a quick drink before heading home on the Bart.
I LOVED the ambiance. The color coded books catered to both the OCD and book lover within. The menu was also so much fun. I opted for the Pisco punch, while my uncle opted for the vodka punch.
Both drinks were extremely well made and delicious. My uncle thought his was a bit sweet, and mine had some kind of savory pepper aftertaste. We both enjoy the experience though.
The crowd definitely leaned young and professional. It was definitely on the expensive side for drinks — a place I would come to feel grown and classy but not a local watering hole type place.

This place is BEAUTIFUL on the inside, but from the outside you might walk past it! So at 3:45 on a Friday my co-​workers decided to go for an impromptu HH and I was scrambling to come up with suggestions. I called Novela and the manager was totally cool with the late notice, and even roped off an area for us. The bartenders were nice, quick, and helpful, and I got a sense everyone there was genuinely satisfied with their jobs.
My co-​workers and myself were very impressed. I’m not usually a fancy drink girl but I had to try something so I went with a margarita and it was soooo good. My friend got some kind of adult slushie but it was way too sweet for me. I wish the drinks weren’t so pricey :/​
Since coming here it’s now become the office HH spot and it’s only a block away. Supes close to BART as well so you can stumble home.

Novela, I like how you look. It reminds me of my home. Beautiful books on display, but have they ever been read? Perhaps not. Those illuminated colored shelves are pretty snazzy. Enormous Ernest Hemingway portraits in the back. All good things.
Go for the punch. It’s special. The tequila one packed some punch, eh heh. We went big… the 32oz. Which FYI serves more than 3 people. We each sipped two glasses to finish her off. And before dinner that will leave this lightweight with a buzz. It was just sweet enough, just tart enough, and just enough tequila to loosen you up.
I love everything about the appearance of this place and also a fan of their oyster menu. If I lived in SF, I’d probably be here often. So those of you who do live here, enjoy it for me and tell me about it. Cheers!

After an awesome Monday, sometimes you need a cocktail to really top it off. A few of us headed here for early evening drinks and got a table easily.
The décor is pretty glam — it’s like a blinged-​up library which I really liked. The drinks menu is surprisingly short and there wasn’t a whole lot of choice. I went for the Lolita Haze ($ 11) — vodka, blueberry, dimmi, lemon and sage soda. For a group of 4 we didn’t have to wait long for our drinks (even though we all ordered different things) and I was pretty pleased with mine — nice and sweet, and nicely topped with a sage leaf. For a one-​drink bar, this was a perfectly good experience and the waitress was pretty helpful. I’d definitey go back.