Gashead Tavern

We dropped in randomly on a rainy, Sunday afternoon. Upon talking in we noticed the modern meets rustic minimal décor. Headed to the bar and were greeted by a very nice gentleman, who explained the small menu of items and offered to make us drinks.
My boyfriend and I settled into our seats at a large table, ordered our drinks at the bar and also ordered our food. The 49er game was on, so we sat back drinking warm and very tasty Hot Toddy’s.
Once our food arrived the bar tender himself brought us our plates and assured we had everything we needed. When we ordered, we mentioned that we would be sharing and he made sure to bring out plates for us to do so, nice touch!
Fish & Chips: Huge pieces of fresh juicy, flaky cod, with the best outer layer I have had in a really long time. Crispy, Crunchy, Golden delightfulness. Served with thick cut fries, and as a non-​frie lover, I must admit even I enjoyed a few of these bad bous.
Fish Chowder: Special of the day, served in a huge, piping hot bowl. Chopped carrots, celery and tones of fish pieces in a mild chowder which we perked up with a bit of lemon. It was tasty on a cold day.
This place was fantastic. Mellow, Good Food, Good Drinks, Nice Bar Staff.
I would absolutely come back on a mellow afternoon.

I don’t normally like giving bad reviews, but my experience here was awful all because of their horrible bartender. I went there with three friends on a Friday night and they took a seat while I went up to the bar to order drinks. The bartender is a white guy in his 30s with something that sounds like an Irish or British accent. It was so loud, it was hard to tell.
I order two 21^st Amendments and a Sculpin and a coke, and the guy stares at me blankly. I lean in again and give him my order, and he turns and starts to get drinks. Now at this point, I’m confused because I’m standing next to the 21^st Amendment tap, and he walks to the other end of the bar, so I think maybe there’s another one or something. Finally he comes back with two beers and a bottle of ginger ale, and pours the ginger ale into a glass while muttering something under his breath. Now I’m standing there confused, because I order three beers and a coke. I ask why he brought the ginger ale, and he again says something under his breath. So I say I don’t want the ginger ale, so he gets mad and starts drinking the ginger ale instead. Then I remind him of the third beer and ask if he has Coke, and finally understand him when he says «we don’t serve that crap.»
So I say okay, now I understand, I guess I’ll take a ginger ale if that’s all they have. So he stops drinking the one he’d poured before and hands it back to me. I stand there dumbfounded that he would give me this, and ask him what other sodas he has. Finally he says «oh alright» and pours me a glass of Coke from their tap, which apparently they had had the whole time.
As it turned out, he had poured my friends Speakeasy instead of 21^st Amendment, which turned out to be okay, but otherwise it was not a fun place to hang out. Not to mention that the rest of the half hour we were there, the bartender kept turning the music up and down in the middle of songs, including leaving it much too loud for anyone to talk. No thanks, never going back there. I don’t know if he was drunk or what, but I’ll find a different bar to go to on Mission.

This is my favorite bar to chill in the mission. If you want food and drink in a relaxing atmosphere this is it. The layout and brick wall is very cool and they have a lot of beers from the UK. The $ 12 lamb stew is the best and a HUGE portion! Also the burger sliders are solid.
My only complaint would be sometimes it is cold inside (but the lamb stew heats you up). Also I think their normal menu is great but I am not a fan of the philipino pop up they do (I think it is on Thursdays).
That lamb stew though…

Pros:
— LAMB STEW
— Friendly bartenders
— NFL games (w/​commentary sometimes)
Cons:
— NFL games (w/​o commentary sometimes) — hate watching w/​o commentary
— No heat during winter so it’s chilly (no where near room temperature)
— Special menus on weekdays (not as good as regular menu)

On Saturday night, we were walking down a street crowded with bars and clubs and lots of people. Thinking that it had more of the vibe we wanted to be in — chill, relaxing, and not too loud — we stumbled upon this place. We got exactly what we wanted when we entered Gashead Tavern. I was kinda sick, so I was pleased that they accompanied my request for some hot water: p… But I had a taste of the Moscow Mule and the Hot Toddy too. Both were great. There was a weird 80s flick showing on their TV. I would definitely come back and order some real drinks next time! Cool vibe to be in.

Randomly discovered this place on a Saturday night. It was a very laid back atmosphere and a nice place to chat with friends from the loud packed bars in the area. The staff was very friendly and made a few great suggestions for us to try. Overall good vibes, drinks, and music!

We came in for the British pub but there was a pop-​up kitchen running. We had the fish and chips and they definitely hit the spot. Otherwise, not quite the British pub ambiance that we were looking for. It was clean and friendly. No complaints!

Truffle cheesy sticks? Yes. Other snack goodies too. Nice bartenders, drinks are alright. Can’t complain, it was a good place to catch up with an old friend, one on one.

Randomly ended up here to meet up with some friends when the place we’d picked to meet was ridiculously full. Plenty of seating, large screen TV with the Giants game on.
Friendly bar keep, good beer selection on tap, great gastropub-​style food. Wish the menu had more appetizer-​type options – it was mid-​afternoon and we’d all eaten just a few hours before so were looking more for things to pick at. We ended up getting a few plates of the fries to share which were fantastic, but would have liked more shareable non-​entrée choices.

I come for the sliders. They’re very delicious. Even the veggie ones (I promise!)
The service here is also very good. I have had a couple different bartenders serve me and they’re always very attentive and fun to talk to.

**3.5**
I guess they lowered their fish & chips price to $ 16 (or was it cheaper because it was during brunch?). I thought it was pretty good, and I don’t routinely order this at restaurants.
I came in on a Sunday afternoon — wasn’t too crowded, and the bartender/​server was really friendly. As for setting, it did successfully give off a British dungeon/​goth vibe. But the restaurant itself and bathrooms were clean. No complaints. I just don’t know that the experience was so memorable that I’d go out of my way to revisit.

Super attentive bartender, good beer selection, decent prices and its clean! I’ll be back.

So, I guess not every place that opens up in the Mission is a guaranteed hit. Squeezed in between Cha Cha Cha and Bruno’s, been open for nine months… and only 40ish reviews? Hipsters, where you at? Though, it worked out for us since we were able to walk straight in and grab some seats just in time for the Warriors game.
Although Gashead is listed as a «British Pub», it doesn’t have the same look or feel as the ones I’ve been to in the past, save for the fish & chips, bangers & mash, and our bartender. The menu doesn’t offer a ton either (mostly starters with a handful of entrees and sliders), but I was actually really excited for the two I tried:
– TRUFFLE CHEESE STICKS with Sherry Braised Shallots — Fontina, Petit Basque, Truffle Garlic Butter…$ 10
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On the one hand, I really liked the truffle garlic butter and cheese. The sweetness from the shallots was nice too, but this was essentially just a sliced grilled cheese sandwich. For the money, I would have liked better quality bread, more cheese, and/​or more «sticks».
– FISH & CHIPS with House-​made Tartar Sauce — Beer Battered Local Cod, House Cut Chips…$ 18
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Really disappointing, especially for $ 18(!!). The cod didn’t taste that bad, and the pieces were big, but the batter was awful — flavorless, flimsy, and soggy. What’s worse, the chips were barely better; big cuts that were dry and barely crispy.
As if the food wasn’t problematic enough though, service literally left us wanting. It wasn’t all that busy when we were there, but it took about 10 minutes to get menus, another 15 to order, and another 15 to get our check. The staff seemed nice enough, but really, all of these flaws are just too much. Not when I can find better elsewhere without having to endure all that comes with the Mission.
Sorry, but pass.

My go to Sunday Brunch place.
Outstanding service. Quality good sized portion food. Classy atmosphere.
Always greeted with a hello. Small but well versed brunch menu (egg sandwiches –awesome to the equally good burger and fish and chips) the fries rule as well and truffle sticks.
Outside seating for great people watching and TVs to allure sports fans!!!

I would love to give these guys 5 stars. Why? The service was awesome, super friendly and on point and the drinks were also pretty good.
Minus a star cuz those truffle cheese sticks were essentially a weak grilled cheese sliced up and made into a pile. And didnt taste any truffle. Can you supe it up a bit? They werent cheap for what you get…
The veg burger was excellent though.
I won’t be ordering the truffle cheese sticks (even that was a big reason i was excited to go to begin with).
:)

Needed to use a restroom. Stopped in here for one and stayed for a drink.
They have two restrooms in the back; Women and Unisex.
It’s a small bar. They have a drink menu for the indecisive. They also serve food. The bartender is comfortable in his position, nice and accommodating. You can hang out and watch TV and I wish I had the time to do so. I really just needed to pee but I’m glad I stopped in and found a cool place.

Still working out its British pub vibe, I can tell — but definitely potential to be had with this drinking establishment.
Stopped here though for a friend’s coworker’s farewell get-​together. Their crew came to Gashead since it was pretty low-​key (everyone was seriously super crowded around a few doors down at Cha3 as well as at Dr. Teeth). Service was friendly and attentive enough, since we occupied most of the long bench seating. Cocktails gonna run ya about $ 10. Decent liquor balance on their Moscow Mule. Happy hour ends at 7. Typical pub grub with some sliders, fries, and whatnot. Nothing extraordinary for what’s supposed to be a themed sort of joint, ya know? There are fish’n’chips lurking somewhere on the menu, I believe.

I’ve been wanting to try this place ever since I read it opened (on Unilocal of course), and it did not disappoint. I saw pictures of the cheese sticks and knew I had to try them! They were to die for! So fresh and cheesy and just perfect, so I highly recommend ordering them. I love mussels so I wanted to try those as well and they were solid. The hubby wasn’t that hungry but couldn’t resist eating like half because they were so good. My only complaint is that there wasn’t enough bread for the broth at the end, but I’m sure we could have asked for more.
We ordered the pilsner which was super good and refreshing, so I’m glad the bartender recommended it.
The bar tender was our server and he was on top of things. He brought the food out and checked on us regularly, which was nice, and was super friendly. We came a bit early so there was an older, irish crowd, but I still enjoyed it. The only thing is that the walls were kind of bare.
Overall I can’t wait to come back and try more items (and order the cheese sticks again).

The kitchen at Gashead produces really good fare. The Bangers and Mash was perfectly executed and met the high expectations of my British husband, who is picky and opinionated when it comes to sausages. The Sliders, which include three options — hen, traditional beef burger and curried pork — are delicious and the fries, which are cooked in lard (!) and available as a side dish, might be addictive.
Despite the flavorful food, I was underwhelmed with the overall experience. Though billed as a British pub, there isn’t anything particularly British about the place. For example, there is not a single British ale on the beer list. And the atmosphere is lacking that certain warm, dark and gritty pub ambiance. With the exception of one exposed brick wall, the place is painted a stark white. In fact, the interior doesn’t seem to be decorated at all — unless you count the wall-​mounted TVs at each end of the bar. At the very least, I would have expected the TVs to be showing footie (i.e. soccer) or a British comedy (Faulty Towers, Yes Minister, Coupling, As Time Goes By, Keeping Up Appearances).
Nevertheless, I’d like to think that because Gashead just opened that it’s still coming into its own. So I would happily come here again and next time, I want to order the fish and chips.

3.5 STARS
Gashead I am not. Gasbutt is another thang. Mr. NSS can attest to this. I usually give him the dirty look in public to make it look like he’s the one playing anal acoustics. *evil laugh* That’s what good bfs are for no? I kid.
If you’re a Unilocaler, than you can relate when I say, that a good bf (or gf) is one that willingly goes with you to all the new spots while they rather be eating $ 8.99 3-​item bento box. A happy wife, is a happy life. Well kinda, but you know what I mean.
Opening on Monday, Gashead Tavern took over the Charanga space next to Cha Cha Cha and Bruno’s. It’s been years since I dined at Charanga but the space doesn’t seem to have transformed a lot except for some fresh new paint and new furnishings. As usual parking in the area was a beeeatch even on a Wednesday night but there’s a parking lot right next door for a $ 15 nightly flat rate ($ 20 on the weekends).
What interested me the most about Gashead Tavern was reading that they would be serving British inspired fare. I somehow thought it would be like a casual Cavalier (Marlowe team) or The Coachman (Charles Phan) but it wasn’t. The menu offers 7 apps, 3 types of sliders, and 2 entrees ($ 6-​$ 18). Other than the Fish & Chips and Bangers & Mash, I didn’t think the menu was very British but what do I know? I’ve accepted the whole small plate trend with expensive prices to match. It’s become the norm in SF but the quality and execution has to match. I felt the food was a bit lacking in both departments but they just opened so I’m sure they will improve overtime. Kitchen closes at 9 pm.
What caught my eye was the Truffle Cheese Sticks ($ 10) which I wrongly assumed would be fried truffled «cheese sticks». These were actually a grilled sammie cut into sticks:
. You can never go wrong with oooey goooey melted cheese and carbs. The sherry braised shallots gave a nice tart bite and the truffle garlic aioli dipping sauce added another creamy element. I think if a better quality bread was used (instead of a wonder bread type), it would have been that much better; especially for the price.
The staff was nice enough to allow us to order a combo of the 3 sliders offered: Herb Roasted Hen, Curried Pork, and Gashead Burger ($ 15):
. Loved the concept of a hen and a curried pork sliders unfortunately, they both dry and lacking in flavor. The burger slider was the best of the trio but it needed something more than the beef, caramelized onions, and aioli to be memorable.
Redeeming the sliders were the delicious Fish & Chips ($ 18):
. The battered local cod was perfectly fried to golden brown. The crust was crunchy and light while the cod was moist and flaky. While the chips were double fried, I wish they were more crunchy throughout (the ends were crunchy but the body was more limp). A solid dish nonetheless.
The standout of the night were Gashead Tavern’s buzztastic cocktails (all $ 10). Seriously, their cocktails are no joke. They’re strong and very well balanced. Kudos to the bartender because I got super buzzed with just one French 75:
and could only finish ¹⁄₃^rd of the Moscow Mule:
. If I didn’t have to wake up at 5 am for work, I would have killed the mule as it was my fav of the two.
If you’re a lush, I definitely recommend Gashead Tavern for drinks. It’s Thirsty Thursday after all so cheers!