There is a need, for Single Barrel that is larger than anyone can appreciate in the dimly lit basement…you are greeted at the door by lovely dapper men who to my surprise go through a laundry-list of regulations (paraphrasing); which include – turn your cellphone volume off, keep conversation to a reasonable volume, no gum (the napkins are hand made) and the bartender will ask you what your tastes are and select a drink for you – you will be let into the “Speakeasy” when there is room at the bar.
I am surprisingly intrigued by all of this build-up. It’s my turn I head down the dusty looking stairs into a moment of eye-adjustment to the darkness around the corner to find a well-appointed wooden bar that does depict a bar of days gone by (that are still around if you look hard enough).
I told the bartendress my favorite Whiskey is Old Portrero and I was looking for nothing more than two fingers of Whiskey…she cleans a glass; one of the “chicks” at the end of the bar goes…”oh, what kind of drink is that glass for?” (and really it wasn’t that special of a glass?)…the bartendress explains to her. She proceeds to grab the Old Portero and I said I was hoping you would choose something for me (as was advertised as a benefit by the door man) – she offers me Templeton Rye; which worked for me.
I proceeded to sit with some gals at a tall community table facing the bar with a candle flickering next to me and I watched the show at the bar. Other than the bar there is really no atmosphere – it really didn’t have much more characteristics from when it was a dance club in the 90′s. The girls next to me where talking some elementary conversation where F*that and F*this was pivotal to their self-expression.
This my friends is the need that is so huge and is a societal one. The fact that one has to be instructed how to behave in a public social setting is the true fall of our society…I applaud Single Barrel for the attempt of creating an atmosphere that speaks to a better time but you can’t transport people to another time if they don’t appreciate the difference. Because I do it was actually insulting to me. And I really don’t understand why having a bartender ask you what you like and offering suggestions is a big epiphany – to me that is what all bartenders should be like – I always ask for tenders recommendations (true not all of them have the ability – but I think that too is a sad state).
I also couldn’t understand why being there alone made the attendants so attentive, kept asking me if I wanted to sit at the bar…my reply, no it’s too loud and I rather sit where I can watch…I think they were trying to be polite, but when I get the whole – are you meeting someone, oh, you don’t want to sit over here alone do you etc. it really called for ending the night early. And out of the whole bar I saw one dress…I had one of my vintage suits on…but everyone else was in Jeans etc. like any other sports bar…this was just a dimly lit version of the same with Vintage drinks, which seemed to surprise most; like a Side Car, Ramos Fizz, Gimlet, but I guess if you only drink beer or wine this is a new horizon…again, I applaud you for the effort Single Barrel and perhaps it will inspire others to improve their social skills, and inspire better bar-tending expectations.
(Comstock still has my heart in SF)
my YELP review:
If I was comparing you to other bars I would say 5-stars but comparing to other “speakeasy’s” and vintage drink spots I have to go for 2-stars. My suggestions:
Table Reservations (like, Bourbon and Branch) – and the availability for one person to make a reservation. I would never risk standing outside in a line. Even with the table reservation you can still Que the people to make sure the bartenders are ready for the wave. Don’t let people sit at the bar if they aren’t ordering unless it’s the two side stools – I still had to squeeze in when I got down there and the bartender (girl) was chatting off to the side to someone so I didn’t get that “hello-welcome” feeling. I would require a dress-code; everyone was in Jean’s on a Thursday night except one dress in the room – and I would offer a house drink to anyone coming in Speakeasy Vintage Style. I would also have a female hostess down stairs dressed in roaring 20′s (like the Edison in Los Angeles) – and she should also act as a waitress, compared to the bouncer like men – she could offer refills or Que up the guests downstairs again maintaining the line-free bar. Ambiance; need a lot more of it, art work, better red lighting, false brick-work anything so it doesn’t remind me of the old 90′s dance clubs that use to be down there…especially the stair-case down – felt like I was getting my car out of a basement garage or something.
Again, I applaud you for being different than the average bar but that is not what I am comparing you too…keep up the good work society needs to be told how to act proper at the door apparently – turn off your cellphone ringer, be polite with your level of conversation, and no gum – real napkins….WOW?!~ really, it’s a sad state of affairs when people need to be instructed how to act but it’s so true that it needs to be said (though, not really enforced inside – I think the dress code would help a bit) and also a sexy hostess walking around would make any sporty guy step up his game and if on a date show his lady what a gentlemen he is.
