I gotta keep it real here. I’ve always passed by this place but today, while heading back to the terminal, a few friends and I(Asians/Filipinos) decided to drop by this place to check it out. Bouncer checked our ID’s. Then when we sat at the bar, we overheard a lady telling the bouncer to check my friends ID again because we looked young and smelled like weed. What the? Bouncer even asked if we had weed on us. Again, wth? Next, I believe her name is Linda, the bartender, gave us the ugliest attitude & service. It was a rude & ugly vibe like she didn’t want to serve us, seemed irritated at us. My friend and I kept looking at each other like wth is her problem? I’m not sure if they had a problem with us cuz we were Asians and/or «youngins»(not even) idk but I felt so disrespected that when I got home I called the bar to talk to the Manager(i NEVER do this but the disrespect I felt was that bad). Linda, the bartender, picks up and hangs up on me cuz she told me if I had a problem, to come to the bar. Lmao, this is ridiculous. So when I called back, the Owner, Barbara, picks up & let me tell you, she does not know how to talk and act like an Owner.
Bill M.
Place rating: 1 San Francisco, CA
RACISTBARDISCRIMINATINGAGAINSTASIANWOMEN. Please do not support this establishment, they are garbage people. Should you care to be served by discriminatory scum then you have found your place. Never in my life have I been so offended. Garbage+Racist+Scum=Sutter Station.
Alexander E.
Place rating: 3 San Pablo, CA
1 star for opening at 6am. 1 star for being located steps from the Montgomery BART Station. And 1 more star for having a Wells Fargo ATM steps from their entrance. What exactly is Sutter Station? It’s a dark bar that could be considered a dive if it wasn’t for its prices. $ 6 for a Stella pint isn’t my idea of a deal. However they do have $ 3 Buds all day, everyday and I do believe they have a happy hour of some sorts on the weekdays except Friday’s. Prices are high, service is decent, and they have a clean bathroom, a pool table and plenty of televisions. You can’t ask for much more from a San Francisco watering hole that opens at 6am. Pros: + Steps away from BART + Wells Fargo ATM2 doors down + $ 3 Buds + Televisions and clean bathrooms + Friendly bartenders + Opens at 6am Cons: — Pricey — Cash only
A. S.
Place rating: 1 Western Addition/NOPA, San Francisco, CA
Bartender was extremely rude to customers including myself. She’s drinking behind the bar. Saw her grab an employee while he was ordering products for the bar. That’s enough a for a lawsuit, sweetheart.
Jeff S.
Place rating: 5 San Francisco, CA
They were showing the Niners game and they made one amazing Bloody Mary. Best I’ve had in SF so far.
David T.
Place rating: 1 San Francisco, CA
Awful place — super aggressive staff on the doors and disinterested behind the bar. Cash only? Guys, it’s 2015. You’re only cash only because you think it’s «divey» and«cool». Nonsense — you know what it is? Inconvenient, that’s what. Oh, and a tax dodge. Credit card processing fees are like less than 2%. Cash only my ass.
Christine V.
Place rating: 4 New Bedford, MA
Definitely a dive bar. Easily accessible, prices were affordable. Staff super friendly and accommodating. One of the workers had a small snake around his snake which was pretty cool. Drinks were strong but good and there was a pretty cool and unique crowd there. Would definitely go there again, looked pretty clean as well.
Amanda S.
Place rating: 1 Livermore, CA
Door man was extremely rude and slightly sexist my friends and I will never go here again…
Diana S.
Place rating: 3 Hayward, CA
Bad: overpriced beers and coffee. Coffee costs just as much as a beer and has no free refills. Doesn’t take debit/credit cards forcing you to use the ATM. Saw roaches(the nasty infestation bug) while playing pool… And no music plays unless you put money in the juke box. Regarding the juke box, I paid for a whole album of «The Doors» and it didn’t even work and just ate my money. Good: Great bartenders and a great place to come bring your food for lunch and just hang out.
Alyssa J.
Place rating: 4 Richmond, CA
Oh Sutter Station, you are a gem. The drinks are strong, the fidi suits are afraid of this place, and the bartenders are friendly(thanks for the brownie!). This is my kind of place. The staff is on point too– one errant popcorn kernel on our table was quickly swiped away– they don’t mess around. OK so my ONE gripe– cash only– wah wah. Luckily it’s pretty centrally located so there are ATMS everywhere(and they have one on site).
Mika D.
Place rating: 4 Anaheim, CA
Chill dive bar in the City in the middle of the FiDi. After having lunch with our friends in the FiDi, Jeff asked where he can get a cocktail and they suggested Sutter Station as our go to. I remembered this place when I used to work off Bush & Montgomery and I’d come with my former coworkers for a bloody mary for those late mornings or Hair of a Dog cocktails for those Monday hungovers LOL or happy hour. I couldn’t believe this place is still open after all of these years! We chilled here for an hour before our bart ride back to SFO. I had a Hendricks gin and tonic cocktails and my honey was happy with his jameson highballs. Played pool to pass the time!
J E.
Place rating: 4 New Orleans, LA
Nice bar for what it is. It’s listed as a dive bar but, I wouldn’t classify it as such. It was full when I was there but, it is a large bar and there was room to move around so that you don’t feel like a sardine. Imo, the drinks were a tad bit expensive for what I’m use to but, I guess that’s expected being that I was in San Francisco. The bartender Dwight was very sweet and handsome … his sister(Tiana) was also personable & a nice young lady. Only downfall is that it’s cash only(come on now!). Overall I had a good experience there.
Char L.
Place rating: 1 Oakland, CA
Come here if you want to be judged and treated like a child by the rotting witch of an owner. I come here quite often because I have friends that always want to play pool. I spent a decent amount at the bar and mind my own business just chatting with friend. The owner constantly stalks me asking for my id several times and says she knows I come here a lot and recognizes me but she insists on checking it again and taking it away from me. Also, my friend accompanied me into the bathroom because I have her hold my purse because I refuse to set it down anywhere because it is FILTHY. When we came out she YELLED at us saying YOUCANTGOINTHEBATHROOMTOGETHER! There is nice way to let your patrons know your rules about your disgusting bathroom than to yell at them like a child in front of everyone in the establishment. Yes, we look young but that is no way to treat a paying customer.
Michael B.
Place rating: 4 Rochester, NY
Looking to play a bit of pool near the convention center. Two tables, decent cues. Bit cramped. Got to play a few guys from their APA team, supposedly the tables get pretty busy. Will be back.
Lanie L.
Place rating: 4 San Francisco, CA
Don’t want to wait 10 minutes for your cocktail to be made, as your«mixologist» slaps the ever living crap out of that poor basil leaf, and then pay $ 15 for it? Come to Sutter Station. You know you love and miss a good dive. Cash only, beer in a plastic cup, stiff pours, workers who get drunk and rowdy with you, pool tables, loud singing. Of course, dives are the best when they’re not packed to the brim, which Sutter Station can be during certain times of the day and certain events of the year. Take it for what it is and have fun!
Christopher R.
Place rating: 1 Spring Hill, FL
Love to play pool here late at night. However, it’s bullsh*t that they close at 1am. WTF!!! It says you close at 2am. There are plenty of people in the bar who want to drink and play pool. Now I have to call it an early night? I just put about 8 dollars into the jukebox and they called«last call». I loved this place but now I don’t think I’ll ever return to this place. I’m super disappointed. When I asked the staff why last call was at 1:15am, they told me the owner wants to leave by 2am. So I order a drink for last call and by 1:45 I am being told to hurry up by the staff. Come on!
Smruti A.
Place rating: 5 San Francisco, CA
Great place! I really love most of the bartenders(the ones that look like they’ve been working here forever), happy hour gets you $ 3 whiskey, and on Fridays there’s free food — everything from pizza to shrimp cocktails. One drawback is that it gets packed after work, with people who all come from the same workplace and continue talking obnoxiously about work. Ugh. But whatever I don’t come here to mingle, and they can’t help who comes in, so 5 stars.
Vivek S.
Place rating: 3 Oakland, CA
Call it the FiDilemma: it’s 5pm and you need an adult beverage. You finally break free of your air conditioned sweatshop, pull out the Unilocal app, and realize there are two kind of establishments at your behest. You recognize the first kind: an over-designed bar with $ 12 Craft Cocktails and dudes with tucked in shirts braying about funding and saying things like«great space.» You lament with a shiver, «if only there was a dive bar nearby. Where real people drink!» The counterpoint to this dilemma is practically Grecian in its irony. Sutter Station is like getting blasted with a flamethrower after complaining about the the cold. It’s cash only, crowded, dingy, balmy, noisy, and charmless. There are real people sure, but they’re mostly glued to the game, or wondering how the fuck you got in there. You might find a few folks playing at the pool table in the back. Drinks are cheap. There’s popcorn for a dollar. This is a coin flip kinda place. Obligatory Simpsons Reference: «This isn’t faux dive. This is a dive!» Menu Readability: I didn’t see one, nor did I look. Need to mention: This place promises free Wi-Fi but you should never pull out your laptop there. What this place teaches me about myself: I shouldn’t complain, lest this spot become«upgraded» to a spiked kombucha tavern.
Peter D.
Place rating: 2 Fürth, Bayern
Ein seltsamer Laden. Sieht urig aus, der Service ist aber mies. Wenn man nicht an der Bar, sondern an einem Tisch sitzt, dann brüllt die Bedienung durch den Laden und die Bestellung darf man dann auch selber abholen. Menükarte? Fehlanzeige. Die Cocktails und Bier sind relativ günstig, aber das Publikum ist auch entsprechend grenzwertig. Wem es nicht auf einen Dollar ankommt, der ist vermutlich im Pied Piper(im PalaceHotel schräg gegenüber) besser aufgehoben.
Jon T.
Place rating: 2 San Francisco, CA
While I appreciate a «dive bar» being located relatively close to my work, the crowds and service are not worth putting up with. This place gets packed after work and you have to squeeze through lots of people. Then at the bar, you’re lucky if you can get served within a few minutes. Better off either paying a little more elsewhere or just going back to your hood and drinking close to home.
David G.
Place rating: 3 San Francisco, CA
Any bar that is situated on lower market is de facto a «dive» bar. Sutter Station fits this bill to a T. They have cheap drinks and a colorful array of patrons. Normally I would not go here but heck it was Saint Pats and some buddies egged me into going. If you want a cheap buzz this is your kinda place.
Ed U.
Place rating: 4 San Francisco, CA
It’s probably no surprise that the character I most relate to on «Cheers» is Norm… Ed – «Afternoon, everybody!» Customers — «ED!» Woody — «Hey, Mr. U, what do you say to a cold one?» Ed – «See you later, boss. I’ll be at the Sutter Gutter.» When I meet people in the middle of a work day, my usual choice is Starbucks or Peet’s. Coffee is the ideal noncommittal beverage for a noncommittal conversation. But I have one friend and former colleague I see every now and then in the FiDi, and when I first suggested meeting up for coffee, we ended up here. At first, I was a bit taken aback not because I’m some prude but I kept having images of a made-for-TV movie made back in the 70’s when some married alcoholic ad agency guy would stumble out of a bar too scared to face his judgmental wife at home. Y’see, he got fired for being drunk at a big client presentation that lost his agency its big account. Sutter Station looks just like one of those lonelyhearts bars. What can I say? I like the place. If Current TV ever decided to remake«Cheers» in San Francisco, this is the tavern they should use because the bartenders are friendly and the taps are full(see photo). They have Guinness right out of the tap, which was nice since I just came back from Dublin where I took the tour of the storehouse and got the free pint. We were having a great time. So the funniest thing happened the last time I was there. I was approached by a fellow Unilocaler who recognized me from my profile, and he was gushing about how great he thought my reviews were. My friend was watching this gobsmacked by the outpouring of affection to me. He actually said it was like meeting a celebrity. I must have turned fifty shades of red. No autographs please. DRINKS — 4 stars… good for a midday pick-me-up AMBIANCE — 3.5 stars… Cheers, SF-style SERVICE — 3.5 stars… pours ‘em just fine TOTAL — 4 stars… You want to go where people know, people are all the same… you want to go where everybody knows your name… ED!
Josh D.
Place rating: 3 Oakland, États-Unis
Your standard dive bar. Beer is cheap… comparitivley. Close to bart. If you’re looking for hot chicks… you won’t find them here… unless you BYOC(bring your own chick)