Third Rail
| Address: | 628 20th St, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA |
| Phone: | +1 415-252-7966 |
| Site: | thirdrailbarsf.com |
| Rating: | 4.5 |
| Working: | 3PM–12AM 3PM–12AM 3PM–12AM 3PM–2AM 3PM–2AM 3PM–2AM 3PM–12AM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 11
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Johnny Wang
Perhaps Im a bit biased, having lived in semi-barren Dogpatch long enough now to feel the rare downside of not being able to stumble home after a few quality cocktails. So, color me excited when my buddy Jean Y told me about this new addition to the neighborhood! We showed up a week ago, where I ordered one of their Ol 55s, and an Envy. And, well, the bartenders know their stuff, as far as naming and suggestions go, at least. As the "spiritous" category would suggest, the Ol 55 was indeed a much stronger cocktail, with some slight medicinal notes. When asking for something a little more refreshing for my second, my bartenders suggestion of the Envy was spot on. Now, while theyre not quite at the level of favorites such as Martunis, Rickhouse, or Zero Zero, I did like their cocktails more than say, Bar Agricole or Azucar. And at $10 a pop, and within walking distance of my home, you can be certain Ill be dropping by here more in the future, simply for the balance of quality, value, and convenience. ***Accessibility Info*** Venue - While the space isnt huge, theyre new enough that there isnt such a crowd as to make the place feel cramped and hard to navigate through. In fact, the day we went, there were less than 10 other customers inside with us. The bar counter, however, is the usual bar counter height (a.k.a. too high for us in chairs). However, with the limited patrons, it wasnt hard at all getting the bartenders attention. Bathroom - Didnt check it out.
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Floyd Fisher
As one of many stops on a barhopping adventure through dogpatch recently, we ended the night at Third Rail to grab some drinks before calling it a night. The various bars in the area are really starting to grow on me with each having its own theme and appeal. Third rails gimmick is that it pairs all of its drinks with various types of beef jerky. I believe they even have a special combo in which you can choose one type of beer, one type of shot and one type of jerky all for $10. Each jerky comes with a very detailed description of its flavors and from this you can gather what it would pair best with. Overall, I really enjoyed this place and I would definitely come back because it is just so unique. I dont even know of anyone else that does something like this so Im going to go ahead and say that if youre craving jerky and drinks together, this is "as good as it gets."
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Will Kivinski
This place is an A+ cocktail bar. Dim lighting, fantastic mixologists/bartenders and a cool crowd. Its brought to you by the folks who own Range in the Mission (which actually, isnt one of my favorite places in the universe... but I like this place significantly more.) This part of the Dogpatch is up and coming (actually, its already here.) I liked the Zapatista. The chocolate bitters made it special. The amount of love they put in these $10 cocktails is quite spectacular. It can get a bit crowded on the weekends but usually clears out a bit by 11:30 or midnight. And if youre craving a bit of protein, you can get some Jerky. Yes, Beef and even a Veggie one. We asked our bartender to make something she loves thats off the menu. She totally wowed me. Ill be back for sure.
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Kevin Brink
The folks behind Third Rail followed a simple math formula and succeeded: Jerky + whiskey = genius How often do we crave for salty little snacks when drinking booze? Its a no brainer! Price ranges from $11-$17 when you get the whiskey of your choice (Eagle Rare, Templeton, Laphroiag 10) plus 1 ounce of house made jerky. I came from a whiskey tasting prior to Third Rail so I wanted a different cocktail: the Evil Twin with Mezcal, aperol, lemon & grapefruit juices and habanero bitters hit the spot. I like the train station inspired decor here. And aside from the memorable cocktail menu, the kettle cooked 4505 chicharonnes will change your life. At Third Rail, theres so much win but so little time!
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Sandy Tang
$10 gets you an 8 oz beer, a shot, and some delicious jerky! All three are of your choosing from the 4 options listed for this wonderful combo. If you dont want that, well... You crazy! .....JK (: Cocktails look good here and are about $12 each. Theres some reasonably priced beer as well. Got the Evil Twin (and to avoid confusion, its a citrus mezcal cocktail, NOT the beer. I thought it was a beer at first glance too) and it looks very pretty, but boy, it can totally sneak up on you. It tastes pleasant and ends with just a hint of mezcal. I can drink this all night and be a happy gal! Chill space too. Will definitely come back whenever Im in that neighborhood.
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Veasna Hang
There is something to be said about the Dogpatch neighborhood, but I almost dont want to say it because I want to keep the Dogpatch the way it is, low key and not too crowded. There are some real gems out here, and Third Rail is one of them. The big draw for me was the Whiskey and Jerkey pairings. Why hasnt this been done before!?! Genius!!! I love Eagle Rare bourbon and it is one of the parking options. At $11 for a pour and an oz of Jerkey, Sweet Meat, I felt it was a great deal! My friend got the Mosswood and Red Eye pairing. Really with the whiskey and jerky there is no wrong pairing!
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Shannon Sweetser
It was so easy to like this bar. For one, its located right by the Muni train, serves up well-balanced cocktails, and some of the yummiest beef jerky youll find around. I recommend the Cowboy Jerky (pineapple flavors) and the Red Eye (coffee notes). If youre a fan of bourbon, I highly recommend ordering the namesake cocktail, the Third Rail. Also, I met the owner briefly and hes A+, and youll have no problem wiling away the hours here. Would be great for a first date, meeting up with a friend or for getting a private (and quiet) drink in a cozy, low-lit place with great cocktails.
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Shawn Simister
Some of the best cocktails in SF. My favorites are the Mt. Tam (Gin, Gran Classico, Kina l’Avion, Sweet Vermouth) and Double Date (Date-infused Rye, Whisky, Sweet Vermouth, Amaro, Cinnamon Bitters). I dont like sweet cocktails so I was skeptical about the date-infused rye but it was amazingly well-balanced with just the right amount of cinnamon bitters. The jerky is really good too. I liked the pineapple/jalapeno jerky and the Jamaican jerk spice jerky even though it could have been a bit spicier.
SI
Simon Tompson
Been here a few times now, both when quiet and packed, which in itself should say how much I like the place. It certainly makes the perfect happy hour spot, but should you decide to stick around theres a wealth of good drinking options to enjoy and varied seating. The area its in is still building up, but there are good transport connections to/from via Muni, plus a Mexican place next door when you need something more substantial than bar snacks. Put it on your list.
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Christine Chao
Little neighborhood gem with perfect blend of polished yet casual ambience (ie. nice without being stuffy). Intriguing pairing of whiskey and jerky, pairing sophistication and brawn, as would be expected for such a place. Friendly and attentive service from co-owner Jeff, who exuded true passion in refining the palate of an otherwise whiskey-naive wine aficionado :)
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Reginald Moore
I just love this cocktail bar. Its got a beautiful design, feels like a good old Chicago or NYC speakeasy, and offers reasonably priced cocktails and a nice selection of delicious Beef Jerky made on premise including a vegetarian variety. II prefer going off menu, but the hand picked cocktails by the owner, who also mixes on a regular basis, are quite nice.
