The Devil’s Acre

I came here for a friend’s birthday & it’s very quaint with low lighting making it feel very cozy. The bartenders are great and when he noticed we had been waiting very long at the bar after we ordered our drink, he actually gave it to us free of charge! I loved the Sherry Cobbler, my absolute favorite of the night.

The Devil’s Acre is another excellent creation from the Future Bars team; this particular one goes with a Barbery Coast theme. The venue has a very large upstairs with a bar and plenty of reserved table seating. Unlike Bourbon & Branch, it’s fairly easy to get weekend table reservations for various group sizes even for the same day. (There is also a downstairs bar area, but I have yet to try that one out yet.)
The attention to detail in all the aspects of the bar is so remarkable! The (lengthy) drink menu is designed as a period-​specific almanac and even has period-​specific advertisements in it. The drinks are served with cloth napkins. The skewers used for drinks with fruit toppings have pearls on them. Oh, and the table lanterns are fully functional with a knob to adjust the flame height. I think we had a little too much fun with the lanterns on our first visit and earned a warning from our server… oops!
The drinks themselves are quite amazing. I’m still working my way through the menu, but some of my favorites are the Bourbon Crusta, Call a Treuse and Three Sworn Enemies. You must try Three Sworn Enemies, which is made with gold dust, for an additional visual treat!
One tip: as the wait for drinks can take a while, plan ahead and order your next drink before you’re done with your current one. That said, the wait has never been excessive on any of my trips here and the quality of the drinks makes it well worth the extra time.
Simply put, this is one of my favorite places in the Bay Area to grab a drink with friends.

This is an interesting new bar in San Francisco that is styled like an old apothecary bar. The drinks are very good. I didn’t find the atmosphere very comfortable. It was a bit too small and spaced out strangely. I like that I could get reservations and actually get seated quickly. There is a cocktail that features gold dust, which is just way cool. Of the several other cocktails I tasted, they were all excellent.

A great place to go to and hang out with friends. Or waitress was energetic and knowledgeable about the menu, definitely made our experience more enjoyable and added value. The musician was also a lot of fun to listen to as we caught up on life. Very much enjoyed both beverages with egg white. I understand why they seem to be low on menus, a lot of fun to read through.

TL;DR: Apothecary bar. Strong drinks. Gold flakes?!
After reading articles about this «secret» bar, we thought we’d try this place out. When you walk in, you make a right and walk through all the tables and you’ll see a set of poorly lit stairs. Take them down and you’ll reach an apothecary style bar.
The drinks are very strong and very tasty. I got the St. Croix Fix, which was a rum based pineapple drink. My friend ordered the Three Sworn Enemies, a bourbon based drink with poppy liquor and gold flakes. We called it the hipster viniq. It was shimmery and very very strong.
I don’t think think place has an happy hour but the prices really aren’t that bad. You’re looking to pay $ 9 – 11 for their specialty cocktails. You’ll really only need 1 or 2 to get to a good level of intoxication.

Devil’s Acre churns out a pretty mean cocktail. A small group of us stumbled in a few weekends ago in search of relief from the chilly winds and a solid cocktail, and found
THE LOW-​DOWN.
+ Hand-​crafted quality cocktails (I recommend the Clove Leaf!)
+ Friendly, knowledgeable bartenders
+ Very swanky-​swank atmosphere (perfect for dates or small groups)
+ A possible speakeasy downstairs?
Wait-​time for drinks can vary, especially when the bartenders are swamped, but patience will get you there, they’re all pretty nice people. I would definitely drop by for a drink if I was back in the area!

I loved the atmosphere of this place and the drink selection. I got the love potion (no alcohol) and it had an interesting taste. Unfortunately I didn’t find love or get lucky that night but it was fun. I had a great time hanging with my friends and the vibe was really kool and the music and atmosphere was rad.

Started the night off with this place. Cute, quaint, dark, mysterious (since they have a secret bar/​place downstairs!) Unfortunately there was a private event going on and we couldn’t explore. The place is nice, but a little bit loud. We were just yelling at each other. It wasn’t packed, but enough people that it’s a nice and happening place. I’m an interior designer, so I will most likely comment on the atmosphere, décor, ambiance. This place did a great job at it and I would love to come back and experience it another time. Although, for a spacious place like this I would assume they serve food… or they should serve food. It would make it that much better for me, IMO. But perhaps, they have no kitchen, blah blah blah. Definitely come check it out if you’re in the area. It’s like in the middle of all cray cray happenings.

Came here for a birthday party that met on the bottom floor, in a cute little alcove.
Hiawatha soda tasted very syrupy, but had a nice presentation in a tall cylindrical glass, accented on top with a toothpick that had a pearl in it.
Ginger beer was very gingery, so great if you like that, but I prefer mine to be a bit sweeter and less sharp.
Being a large and newer establishment, The Devil’s Acre was clean, not too loud, and spacious. The bar had a great selection of non-​alcoholic beverages, and the menu is very easy to read and well thought out. Lots of seating as well.

This is it !!! One of the best spots I’ve been at since I’ve been here, very cool ambiance and it resembles somewhat of a hipster speakeasy.
I ordered a boulevardier and my fiancé ordered a sherry cobbler, the execution and craftmanship on the drinks were great, have I had a better boulevardier before? Mmmm yes however this will definitely do.
It’s also got a sitting area that you can enjoy your drinks, the liquors they use are higher grade which that’s what you’d expect since you’re not getting a typical well drink.
This place is definitely a 10 out of 10
Great drinks
Great prices
And more than anything they make a proper craft drink .
I will be back :)

A nice addition to the North Beach neighborhood! It’s hard to compete with Comstock and 15 Romolo, but I think The Devil’s Acre is solidly in the running. If you’ve been to Local Edition, this is a lighter, cozier version.
We walked in on a Friday evening and although the tables all had reserved signs, when we asked the hostess seated us at one right away. I love a bar where you can sit, plop your bag down, and order from a server rather than aggressively bumping elbows at the bar! Much more relaxing after a hectic week at work.
I ordered the signature cocktail with rum and pineapple juice and it was just right.
Note that there’s a smaller bar area downstairs, although the vibe isn’t quite as nice.

3.5 stars. Another solid cocktail bar by the B&B team, though I personally like most of the other bars better.
I had the Three Sworn Enemies, with bourbon, Grand Poppy, vanilla, angostura, and gold dust. I was stunned when the drink came out — it was liquid shimmery gold, and literally looked like a teeny bopper Bath & Body Works product. When I finally mustered the courage to take a sip, I couldn’t pinpoint any flavors in particular so I’m guessing the Grand Poppy was the dominant flavor. It was definitely interesting, and visually unlike any drink I’ve ever had, so I’m glad I got it. That said, I’ve had more spectacular drinks at B&B, Tradition, W&W…
I do want to mention the «remedies» that you can add to either your cocktail, soda, or water for $ 2. My friend added the digestive remedy to the devils manhattan so they stirred up the manhattan, then added a few drops of the remedy tableside. I wish we had been able to try the drink with and without the remedy, though I’m sure it elevated the drink. I was initially hesitant about champagne in a manhattan but it was just a splash — just enough to impart a grape-​y brightness without being classified as bubbly. Overall I enjoyed my friend’s drink better than mine. My only worry with the remedies though, is that while the concept is cool, it relies on the customer to know what flavors pair well together and also runs the risk of making an overly complex drink muddled in flavor.
The drinks are $ 11 – 12, but then they tack on tax and healthy SF which is kind of annoying. But there is a highly entertaining astrology part of the menu that made up for it. I imagine the astrology section would be a great icebreaker for a date.

Take one part impeccable service. Add two parts glorious cocktails. Stir in an apothecary theme. Dash in a real-​life herbalist to create the menu. Serve neat and garnish with live jazz until last call.
From the geniuses that brought you Bourbon & Branch, The Devil’s Acre is a recipe for success, completely unique and a no-​brainer 5-​star bar. Found this place on Unilocal and marked it as a must-​go during my recent trip to the Bay area. My friends and I arrived for our 9pm reservation on a Thursday. The décor and aesthetics are completely original. They’ve got everything from vintage scientist eye droppers to more than 100 century-​old chemists canisters. And if you want the legit speakeasy experience, head down to basement bar hidden down an unmarked staircase in the back.
Thirsty? Hell yes we were. In fitting with the apothecary theme, all cocktails are presented as «remedies» on the menu. Very fun and inventive. Collectively, the five of us ordered about 15 drinks total (it’s a miracle we didn’t black out). But anyway, those definitely worthy of a mention were the The Golden Age, Pisco Punch, Bourbon Crusta, and Three Sworn Enemies. All were well-​executed and well-​balanced. I was particularly taken with the Three Sworn Enemies, not only because I’m a complete sucker for old fashions, but there’s actual edible gold dust in the drink. Gold, son! Complete novetly, I know, but c’mon who doesn’t love shiny things?
To cap off the evening, I went off menu asked for a spicy gin-​based cocktail. SO GLAD I DID. The waitress came back with a concoction of gin, ghost pepper tincture, lime juice, and raspberry purée. Wow… the drink was beyond bonkers. Fruity/​spicy/​boozy ambrosia. The mixologists are truly masters of their craft.
Seriously, forget bar-​hopping. Devil’s Acre is a «last stop» (or «only stop») kind of place, and not for just –A– drink. You’ll be back for another round. I know I will.

Big fan of this place. Strong, tasty, inventive cocktails and love the apothecary theme. We came around 4pm, and it was empty — we snagged a table upstairs without any issues. Perfect setting for a day date or to catch up with friends.
Service was extremely attentive.
Wish they sold food — I get hungry when I’m three cocktails deep!
I personally enjoyed the St. Croix something — it was a rum cocktail and tasted pineapply. So refreshing!

I’m a sucker for anything old-​fashioned, and The Devil’s Acre more than fits the bill. I came here for date night and 36 questions, and neither disappointed. Upon arriving, we were given the option of giving up our table to enjoy the bar below. Next time we come, we’ll definitely be checking it out – I’ve heard they have excellent tastings. I shouldn’t have been so surprised, given The Devil’s Acre is a sister to Bourbon & Branch, another favorite speakeasy in the city.
The menu was filled with a great selection of cocktails and non-​alcoholic drinks. Drinks were unique, delicious, not too sweet, and not too expensive. We started the night with Bourbon Crustas, moved on to the Sherry Cobbler, and spent the rest of the evening trying cocktails on the wait staff’s suggestions. The sugar rimming the Bourbon Crusta was delicious – I think it was my favorite of the evening.
I particularly enjoyed the feeling of being transported back in time. Pair this with it’s location across the street from City Lights, and there is no better way to spend an evening.
Advice: definitely get a reservation, this place fills up quick.

Stopped by after dinner for a cocktail. Really loud speak easy styled venue with really powerfully packed cocktails.
I guess we just aren’t specialty cocktail folks as they were too flavorfully concocted for our tastes.
Give us straightforward gin and tonics, martini’s, margaritas any day. They are inventive drinks however and give a strong impression from the get go.
Stop by if you want to try something new.

There is obviously no shortage of hand-​crafted cocktails in San Francisco. Personally, I enjoy the creative cocktail competition that has evolved, and The Devil’s Acre has arrived to the competition prepared and ready! What a welcome addition to the list of fun destinations in North Beach.
The menu is a crafty throwback to the Barbary Coast speakeasy years. There are pages and pages of drink options. Of course, you can always allow the bartender to surprise you. They don’t serve food, so be prepared to grab a slice of Tony’s or eat a big dinner beforehad
Bonus tip: plan ahead and reserve a table on the Devil’s Acre website

People loved Jazz At Pearl’s, the previous venue that resided in this space, so these were some big shoes to fill. It’s a great thing when someone can takeover a well known space & redo it in such a way that it feels like something else completely. And it feels good. The Bourbon & Branch team have done it again.
Of course, w this team comes stellar, unique, artisan cocktails. But, an entire menu of house made soda & nonalcoholic drinks? What?! How refreshing & genius!
These boys are pioneers.
It’s beautiful. We stopped in after having dinner @ Doc Ricketts. It was around 9:30. We easily got spots at the bar, which was especially lucky for Friday night.
It’s all about timing.
I ordered 2 drinks. First, I asked for something that is not on the menu. I wanted a skinny margarita. The bartender listened to my specifications, & she came through beautifully.
Next up, I asked for a pisco punch. Wow. It’s way too easy to drink. Refreshing, & happily it’s not too sweet.
The majority of the tables are reserved, & it’s standing room only at the bar. No barstools in keeping w the old Barbary Coast days, when there was never seating at the bar. You only stood at the bar, & you sat at a table.
A great addition to North Beach.

Stop one on an impromptu bar hopping night. On Friday, May 8^th around 6pm, we walked in with a party of three. We didn’t have a reservation, but it was only half filled, so we easily got a table.
*Devil’s manhattan ($ 10): rye, sweet vermouth, boker’s and orange bitters, champagne
*Lauchlan’s antiscorbutic ($ 10): old tom gin, navy strength gin, lime cordial, lime juice, sea salt
*Ammonia coke ($ 6): with Mexican coca cola, aromatic spirits of ammonia
*Prescription julep ($ 10): cognac, rye, mint, gomme, pebble ice
*Three sworn enemies ($ 10): cyrus noble bourbon, grand poppy, vanilla syrup, angostura and orange bitters, gold dust
*Aberlour 18 year ($ 18): speyside
I ordered the Devil’s manhattan and the Aberlour. After my first sip of the manhattan, I actually wasn’t sure if I liked it. It was almost too sweet for me. But as I gave it some time, the flavors blended and mellowed out and I enjoyed the drink. After that I just wanted something neat, so I ordered the aberlour.
Service was great! It is a little on the slower side, but I didn’t mind. We were here to catch up and enjoy our drinks. But if you’re in a hurry and just want a quick drink, this may not be place for you. You’ll want to sit back and enjoy your company while they craft you a great cocktail!

Wow this might be my favorite bar in SF. I’m a huge cocktail nut (heh) and can definitely appreciate a well crafted drink in a nice lounge environment. They have a huge selection of spirits and the specialty drinks that I tried are all delicious. I had the Bourbon Crusta, Clover Leaf, Sherry Cobbler, and Pisco Punch. The sugar coated rum of the Bourbon Crusta was a great touch, but my favorite drink had to be the Sherry Cobbler. They have a bushel of mint sticking out of the drink so you can bury your nose into the mint while you take a sip out it — great touch!
They have a really cool Barbary Coast theme. I can’t get enough of their menu! Of course it has all the listings for drinks, but it’s designed like an old-​fashioned brochure and also includes cool extras like astrological signs and advertisements for other local businesses (in old-​timey style).