Elixir

They really know their whiskey! Came here for their whiskey 101 class (found on Eventbrite) and it was interesting. The information was a bit all over the place, but what a great opportunity to taste test different whiskeys against each other. The bartender was also super knowledgeable and readily answered our questions. Would recommend if you want to get into whiskey, I had a great time!

They know cocktails!

This place is legendary! Great drinks, great people, great vibes! 5-stars!

Love this place so much. I first discovered Elixir when I was visiting SF for TechCrunch Disrupt back in 2013. (I know, a long time ago!) But our friend Mark who lived in the area took us to this gem in his neighborhood, and it was there I got a chance to see just how incredible the whiskey selection was at this place. After doing a few rounds, the OWNER of the bar came around to check in on us... but he didn't just ask how we were doing as a courtesy; he actually cared about where we were visiting from, what we had done, and if we had been to XYZ place + offered recs and even help making reservations by calling different bar/restaurant owners to help make our already-incredible trip even better. He spent a good 10-15 min with us, educated us on different spirits and mixers we were curious about behind the bar—and then before we left, bought us a round to drink and enjoy one of those spirits we had inquired about with him. True hospitality. From the owner to the manager to the bartenders and other staff. Year later, a different friend of mine and I were visiting—so I recommended we check out Elixir. Upon entering, my friend asked if I had ever tried Pappy since he noticed Elixir had the full lineup. Neither my friend and I had, so we marveled at the idea and then pulled the trigger. To my surprise—and I know Pappy is rare, let alone expensive—but when the flight came, the owner and staff recognized me from many years prior, asked how I was, recalled I was last there for that conference, how the rest of it was, and even offered us some incredible stories and education about the history of Pappy as we sipped each year. My friend and I stayed a lot longer than we had anticipated and the owner and manager even offered us a personalized tasting of rare Wild Turkey bourbons they had in stock if we wanted to come back before we flew home and see how we liked them, especially to compare to the Pappy flight. Safe to say, we came back and had a wonderful time exploring (and learning!) about different types of whiskey—and the owner, managers, and staff at Elixir really took care of us. On top of making incredible looking and tasting cocktails, seeing their passion is something I'll always remember and treasure. Thanks, H, Nick, Shea, Lauren, and team! (And Mark for the original rec!) Y'all made trips to SF so much fun and educational! Appreciate your passion, craft, and hospitality. Until next time :) - Nik

One of San Francisco’s oldest bars, with an unparalleled whiskey selection and Old Speckled Hen on tap

Best cocktails in town