Archimedes Banya

I have been here many times and have always appreciated the facilities, relaxing experience, and respectful energy. I went again recently and it was a nightmare! There were way too many people in this place here on a Friday night! This isn't supposed to feel like a club. One of the hot tubs was closed so everyone was squishing together into the only open one when there is a sign that clearly says "5 people max" but really there would be like 10 people in there and water spilling out of the sides from being too full and creating a hazardous wet floor! The steam room was so packed that it seemed dangerous since there was literally 0 room for anyone and the steam was too hot since the temperature kept getting messed up from people opening the door too often. The regular saunas had lines and people awkwardly standing around because of the limited space. People were VERY loud and would yell to each other across the facility or just be like laughing/screaming in the pool. Someone took my sandals that they assign you so I had to wear my street sandals in there. There was a guy trying to get into the hot tubs with his street clothes on and one of the employees had to stop him. Also, I don't want to soak in people's endocrine distributing laundry detergent, just soak naked! Nobody cares what you look like! Please get over your fears of being naked and leave your swim suits at home!! With this many people allowed in at the same time, even the overall cleanliness of the place could have used a solid refresh. Like the pool water was very murky, maybe due to the oak leaves that are used in the banya that people don't wash off before entering. Overall, I think the problem is 50/50. 50% this place should limit how many people are allowed in, especially if they have facilities that are not even open, and 50% people that are just ignorant and stupid that ruin the experience for everyone else by not following the rules. I ended up getting a cold from this place from being around too many people in a small, wet, environment. I still love and appreciate this place and hope they do well and keep providing a safe, clean, communal environment for everyone to enjoy.

ugh, I really did not want to make this review because I loved this place the last time I went. but something has to be said… for the cost of $67 per person, you’d think cleanliness wouldn’t be an afterthought. The women’s changing room had ants trailing ALL over it. the jacuzzis had a disturbing clump of hair, and a weird slimy film at the edges. When I kindly informed the staff of these issues, they just said “oh” and charged me. didn’t even ask where or say sorry. In this economy, I cannot afford to spend my money where businesses don’t even respect it. The price of the spa makes no sense with the lack of cleanliness, and the service was just a slap in the face. I really don’t even like to make negative reviews for small businesses but this is just unacceptable.

excellent place! its not exactly luxurious, but it has everything you need for a pretty reasonable price!! variety of sauna, banya, pools, aromatherapy was AMAZING (definitely need to try!), venik plaza is awesome, the rooftop view is great to chill at even in winter (pic attached)! and the cafe has a variety of cuisines to offer! (my fav was borscht!) definitely will be back!

I am very disappointed with the front desk experience at Archimedes Banya Spa San Francisco. We came in to inquire about booking a group of eight women, fully prepared to spend money and plan a visit. Instead, we were met with a cold, dismissive attitude and a complete lack of professionalism. One staff member was eating snacks with elbows on the counter and addressed us with, “what do you want,” which felt disrespectful and inappropriate in a customer-facing role. He also blurted out that "naked or clothed" which sound creepy the way he said it. Two other staff members remained seated and disengaged, making no effort to genuinely assist. We were told: There were no business cards No brochures or printed materials We were not allowed a tour of the facility We were simply told in a cold tone to “go online.” This was incredibly frustrating, especially since we were standing right in front of multiple staff members who could have easily answered questions or helped us plan a group visit. Turning away potential customers instead of offering basic hospitality or assistance is unacceptable. This experience felt unwelcoming and left a very poor impression. Customer service and professionalism matter, especially in a business centered around wellness and hospitality. Unfortunately, we will be taking our group elsewhere. Management definitely needs to retain their front end staff because they just lost some business.

We visited Archimedes Banya on January 21, 2026. It’s a fully equipped Russian-style bath complex with ice-cold plunge pools, a Finnish sauna, a steam room, a warm pool, and a jacuzzi. They also offer massages. Even though it was a weekday, the place was busy. Most men and women were completely naked — very authentic banya culture. After several hot–cold cycles, we stopped by the café for borsch with black bread and a cheburek — both were excellent. They also have some art on the walls; I wish they would add a reproduction of Boris Kustodiev’s 1926 painting “Russian Venus” to match the atmosphere. One thing I really appreciated was their attention to safety. Staff watched carefully for anyone who looked overheated. One of the workers even helped me walk and rest after my first session in the hot room. He mentioned that this is the hottest banya in the U.S. Overall, a great experience — highly recommended.

48th sauna review: this is a great banya. High temps, high humidity. Wood fired, constantly heating, with timed humidity releases. Many different bench heights for all levels. Well sized fitting a decent number of people in. Smooth throughout. The Finnish sauna is pretty terrible by comparison. No bucket/ladle, bench height too low, and no ventilation. I got gently told off for spending too long in the cold plunge. Think perhaps the team could do with a cold pool to spend more time in for those who want to stay longer. This is a banya, it was the star of the show and gets a full 5 stars for it.

I went there on my birthday because they offer a free pass, but booked a Venik Platza as a treat. Highly recommended: amazing experience, very authentic, saying as a russian person. The place itself is rather small and doesn't have so many different saunas or pools, so the normal entry seems rather overpriced to me (75 dollars normally, 55 in the happy hours). It also has a cafe with eastern european food and drinks and a terrace with a bit of a sad view.

great experience my first weekend at the Banya. akin to many European venues it aspires to be like and takes inspiration from, i have no complaints spending Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving there. staff and patrons were kind to a SoCal boy such as myself. locker rooms can get crowded. if you’re not used to the automatic tips SF imposes and hang out at the bar a little too much, the bill at the end can be a surprise. literally the only things i can think of. tips to newcomers i think would be helpful - 1) if your robe, slippers, or towel(s) go missing, which is definitely plausible the busier it gets, they don’t mind giving you extra. seems daunting to ask, they really don’t mind. 2) they’ve an elevator AND stairs for going up to the rooftop terrace and going back down to the Banya. this can be a little disorienting your first time (easiest way to get to the stairs is from the main floor past the showers and Finnish sauna, next to the water cooler and cold plunge. easiest way to get to the elevator is your immediate left out of the locker rooms towards the main entrance you walk in). that’s about it. had a lovely time and plan to go back Christmas weekend! can’t believe i’ve been in California 10 years and j learned ab this place this summer. many happy returns, as they say!

I lived in eastern Europe for a while and I've been coming to Archimedes since 2015 or 2016 whenever I want to get my banya fix. I also go to Korean bathhouses, but this is the only place I can get the true Russian banya, which is more humid than a sauna, and has the option of using a venik treatment (birch or oak branches) to exfoliate. I went last week for the first time since the pandemic and it's still a great experience. I found the facility to be clean and in good shape, and the employees to be very friendly. Oddly, there seems to be less of a Russian community presence and more young folks than the last time I visited, which may be due to the time of day. I did the venik platsa treatment with Bemoni, who did a fantastic job! (I had never had a professional body worker do the venik treatment before, and it's quite different than just having a friend or family member help.) If you choose that spa treatment, definitely allow yourself some time to warm up for a few banya cycles, as it does get HOT, but you will feel very relaxed after you complete the full cycle of hot, cool, warm water/relaxation. A few comments: - If you're not comfortable in a mixed gender, clothing-optional space, then this may not be for you. You are welcome to cover up with a swimsuit (I often do if it's busy there), but many do not. I will say, everyone, including the men, were pretty respectful. - As a queer person, I followed the recent news coverage about the single-gender nights. My take is that this place is trying their best to be inclusive, but they are learning. While the current solution is not perfect, they are trying to balance the way they serve the LGBT community and folks within the specific immigrant communities they were founded to serve. I've always felt extremely comfortable there as a visibly queer person, and that the staff have always treated me well. - The food is decent, but not as exciting as it used to be and there aren't a ton of vegetarian options.

The spa itself is totally.... fine. It's clean, the water in the tubs is high and I appreciate that we're not all expected to sit in silence. (But if that's your thing, you won't find it here). What I'd like to write about today is the Office Syndrome massage. It was my first massage experience here and is more expensive than the others. The therapist asked me exactly zero questions about my body, told me to get on the table. I paused to explain one preference and I noticed I had to then act it out, as English is not their first language. Then, during the massage, she was WAY too rough. It was nearly all elbows and forearms. I asked her to ease up 6 DIFFERENT TIMES. When it seemed pointless, I let the involuntary flinching of my body try to do the talking, to no avail. At one point, the therapist said, "I feel like you would be quiet if I wasn't massaging so hard'. Amazing. I briefly considered just asking them to stop -- and I should have. I'd just never been in this position. All of my back muscles were extremely sore for a few days. Then, NYE morning, I did a little morning stretch and bam, one of my upper ribs went out of alignment just in time for the holiday. Thanks, Banya! I just paid $200+ to now go to the chiropractor. NON-SOLICITED ADVICE: Be particular about your massage therapist after reviewing their bios. And skip the Office Syndrome massage. The description says "This massage relieves tension in the neck, shoulders, and back" The therapist spent exactly 0 minutes on my neck and I struggle to see how her technique was anything different for this massage, since again, it was all but elbows and forearms, primarily on my upper back. It was the same rough motions, again and again. I'm hopeful other therapists have better technique and can listen to feedback, but who knows.....

This used to be a spot I'd come to relax and unwind. It's not a fancy upscale spa, but it gives you everything you need to reset your inner balance when you're just out of sorts. I'd put off coming in here after there was so much push for "true female" nights for "religious" purposes. And that upset me. Femininity is an expression that is fluid. I respect that all things happen on a spectrum, and thought this was an inclusive space that was safe for all. Now? I'm not entirely sure. If I didn't have a $200 gift card, I might not have come in on a random Thursday. I guess it's great that it's social, but I show up to completely dissociate and get back in tune with my body. I did feel hyper aware of men who seemed to be next to me, in front of me, and always right around my orbit. That gave me a bit of the ick. All I'm going to say is I'm fine that this place isn't a posh spa. I like the feel of community it can build. But I'm saddened about the approach to gender expression it's taken. It's tough to support a business that is giving off anti-trans sentiment. PERIOD.

The issue with this place is that it gets very crowded like they've oversold passes. Also weird that showers are not in the gender segregated locker rooms, but in the main co-ed space. There are 3 saunas, 1 steam room, 2 hot tubs, and 1 pool but despite coming here on a Monday at open, it got quite packed by the time we were leaving. Having been to other spas in other cities, this was pretty subpar.

Steve just had the girl who works there call me so she could cancel my massage apt at 5. I have had this appt for several days and they told me at 4:15 when I just arrived in sf from Modesto that they wouldn't let me into the spa. He said "don't worry about it we won't charge you" Are you serious I don't have anything else to do that's what I was going to do in sf. I've had this appt for days. I am so frustrated he said the hours are reflected online, but online it says they're open til 7. How sucky.

Archimedes Banya was... fine. We booked 60 min Swedish massages, but they felt pretty generic -- not much focus on problem areas, and neither of us walked away feeling particularly relieved. The overall vibe was interesting, but I'm not sure it was worth the trek. The facilities don't really meet the bar for cleanliness -- nothing felt truly dirty, but it also didn't feel actively maintained while we were there. It left a bit of a grimy impression. TL;DR: An interesting experience, but I wouldn't rush back. It's giving "spa-themed field trip," not "luxurious escape."

Archived from the Drafts - April 6th, 2019. Went for a friend's birthday. She had a handful of us. The place was super chill, relaxing amongst many strangers. Most of her friends were not comfortable going in their birthday suits. Place is clothing-optional and co-ed. We were the only ones adorned with 'clothing'. But, all patrons were great. Not sure how it us after the pandemic but I would give it a go. Great experience.

The concept of this banya is interesting, but the number of guests clearly exceeds its capacity. The locker room is small, cramped, and uncomfortable -- it takes real effort just to get changed. Inside the banya itself, it feels like rush hour in a busy city subway, except everyone is naked and constantly bumping into each other. If you're comfortable rubbing up against strangers in a steamy, overcrowded environment with questionable hygiene, this might be your thing. Personally, I find it strange to see wealthy people deliberately choosing this kind of experience -- but to each their own. Also, the surrounding area feels sketchy.

The facility up stole my own personal Banya cap! Having gotten an extra hour of time after spending $$$ on mediocre Costco food at the cafe, I headed back downstairs to enjoy more of my sauna time. To my dismay, my house robe and personal sauna cap were seized by the facility 5 minutes after my original check-in time without taking into consideration the extension I paid for and then the front desk was mean about it to me! They begrudgingly took my phone number to return it saying they always find items during laundry but they never called. It was insane that staff could straight up steal my personal property and still manage to be rude about it.

I hope this comment would be live for people who need to see that. No judgment or harm. But this place is not for conservative view people. It's sauna where men and women are together , and bath in most time NAKED, and no shame on that , especially on men's part. They have beautiful languages that says it's partially or whatsoever in a waiver. Please, be aware, they don't post it on the website or notify prior anywhere. They open at 12 pm - we entered and left in 20 minutes. I didn't want a conflict and paid , but otherwise I would say a word, my baby was waiting at home. Hope I helped those who go first time and want to experience sauna experience! My family truly loves saunas but did not expect such overcome.... now we have our internal family jokes

My wife and I had an amazing time here. We were visiting San Francisco and randomly decided to come here. The parking was easy and convenient. My wife had two treatments, she had the Venik Platza and Banya Pine Tar Hammam. Her tech was Bemoni who was wonderful and highly recommended. After her treatments we both enjoyed the saunas, the plunge pool, the jacuzzi and the Japanese soaking tub. The facility was clean; the locker rooms were adequate as well. We also enjoyed the Cafe. We shared the Cumin Hummus and Boiled Potato Pelmini. The food was very tasty along with a beer I had. We both really wish we lived closer as we would certainly be regulars here. Hopefully we can return sometime in the future.

Minimal effort to process a $55 dollar gift card from my gf when faced with even a little bit of resistance in redeeming it. No good faith, shit customer service, bored/aloof/unhelpful/disinterested receptionists. Another time would not let us in when we arrived at 9:30 pm saying that last call is at 9:00 (not at all clearly identified on the website btw). We came from so far away and they refused to make an exception even one time like any place with half decent customer service would do. This was truly infuriating Pathetic business practices and customer service. Never going back and don't recommend to anyone.

My friend and I purchased the Groupon deal for a 3 hour window and came here on a Thursday close to noon. We stayed for 2 and a half hours. As you enter, you have your ID scanned and ticket checked, and are then given a robe, your locker key bracelet, and a sticker with your locker number and end-time. There is a men's and a women's locker room, and inside the locker are two towels and sandals to wear while in the spa. There are also combs, Q tips, and some hair ties on the vanity in the locker room. I took a towel with me to dry off and also to use while sitting in the sauna and steam rooms. The spa is co-ed and clothing optional, so be aware if this is something you are uncomfortable with. It was not very busy when we first arrived, but by the time we left it was quite crowded. There are 3 saunas ranging from 185°-200°, 2 large and 1 small. I preferred the large sauna in the middle, as it seemed to not be as hot as others, while also having somewhat decent sound isolation. I also enjoyed the steam room, which also had the slight smell of eucalyptus. It was very soothing. There are 2 hot tubs, 1 ice plunge, and 1 larger pool. While I enjoyed sitting in the temperature of the hot tub, I took off two stars for the lack of cleanliness in the pools. There were many remnants of leaves and other debris floating around, especially in the hot tubs. There are also plenty of showers with body soap, shampoo, and conditioner, but be aware that they are all in the common co-ed spaces. We ended our experience by enjoying the view on the rooftop and relaxing in the reclining patio chairs. The view is so gorgeous, you almost forget that you're in the middle of a construction zone. Overall, it was a relaxing experience and a nice way to unwind.

About a decade ago, I used to come enjoy Banya's baths periodically. I always found it clean and good value for the money as a casual spa. I went yesterday for the first time in a long time and was sad to find out Banya has really declined. The biggest issue for me is Banya isn't as clean as it used to be. There was hair in almost every shower, the women's locker room had hair all over and dirty puddles across the floor. There was clearly mold on the ceiling and walls throughout the spa. A number of the tubs had old, cracked and dirty grout. The food in the cafe seems to have declined too. It's not as flavorful as it used to be (at least the borscht) and it's overpriced. I've never loved the vibes in Banya. It's a bit too social for me, they often let in too many people, and there are a lot of men who lack physical awareness. But I used to look past that because of the value for money. They have raised their prices significantly and the quality has really gone down, so I don't think I'll be going back. There are several good Asian baths in SF that are super clean, have nicer ambiance, and are better priced. Not to mention, Banya's controversy about their definition of women is off putting in a city that prides itself on being progressive and inclusive.

I decided to return and see if this was going to be my last visit ever after months since the policy changes and views on transgender individuals. Guy at front desk was helpful and chill. We were given an upstairs locker and asked which locker room sex to be assigned. Whole experience went well and we met nice friendly people in the spa.

Awesome baths! Three saunas, hot tub, ice cold tub, Etc. clothing optional Cheaper 12-4 Dec. 31 and eves of holidays are charged extra.

I went here with my uncle recently. I enjoyed it. Co-ed and clothing optional. Cold plunge. Different hot and warm soak pools. Cold pool. Different sauna from wet to dry. Met some interesting folks here. Feedback: I didn't dig some of the music. I like some techno yet didn't vibe with some of the music they were playing. I like being social and meeting new people yet for example when I was meditating in a zone in the wet sauna some folks were chatting and took away from the meditative vibe. I have been to Harbin and enjoy it yet is far from SF. This is close and is in the City. I am curious to check out Kabuki hot springs as my close friend used to work there. I hear they have a meditative vibe that I would probably love. The cafe had Denver Nuggets vs Boston Celtics playing in a close game where the Nuggets and the Joker won. Joker is no joke. The cafe had some vegan options including chana masala served with pita bread and a borscht served with rye bread that looked good. All in all I enjoyed and would go back.

Towels had blood or rust on them $67 for a $5 experience is a rip off. Learn to manage capacity all pools and tubs were over stated capacity Save your money and go somewhere that is a decent establishment that actually cares about sanitation

Came here during a men's night and towards the end it was basically an orgy in both the steam room and dry sauna. Outside of that on coed days it's quite a nice experience. Come on dudes, I'm pretty sure y'all already have places for that kind of fun.

Absolutely epic!!!!! But would love a better Eastern European beer selection and some friendlier staff.

A wonderful way to spend a birthday. Thank you for being so welcoming. One of the best massages I've had.

I traveled to the United States (San Francisco and Denver) in May, and there were two main objectives 1:Going to the sauna 2: Watching MLB This was my second visit to Archimedes Banya in San Francisco, and I was able to relax again with the hot sauna room and cold plunge. And the steam sauna had a strong herbal scent that made me feel very relaxed Furthermore, if you go up to the rooftop from the door next to the cold plunge, you can take a rest while seeing the superb view of San Francisco It was nice to be able to stay for almost three hours for $55 on Happy Hour If I have to complain, I think 55℉ to 58℉ is just the right cold because the water temperature of the cold plunge is too cold

I initially was very excited to give archimedes Banya a try, however after going and understanding what the experience is like I will sadly not be returning. As someone who is a bit of a clean freak I appreciated that the facility instructs you to shower before heading to the pool and sauna area. The facility initially also gives you robes and towels to change into in your respective locker room along with a wristband that unlocks your locker. I was a fan of this since the locker room was nice and there were even heated toilet seats. The part that utterly grossed me out was the actual hygiene of the pools and saunas/steam rooms. Upon exiting the locker rooms there is a door to enter the pool area but everything in this area is slimy. The pre pool showers are covered in hair and some black mold and the pools themselves have random hair, and black/brown flakes floating in them which I will choose to believe were just dirt and not flaked off human skin. There were even globs of hair stuck to the walls! After taking notice of how unhygienic the environment was I decided to cut my visit short and head out. Instead of spending the full 3.5 hours that are included in the $70 pass I only spent 1.5 hours where half the time was at the cafe area. And even with the limited time spent in the pools and sauna I left feeling itchy! The cafe was however nice and cozy and the food was very tasty. All in all if you value hygiene and cleanliness I do not recommend coming to Archimedes Banya! Instead, there are many other well maintained day spas I would recommend such as pearl day spa and kabuki springs spa.

I love this place I come here all the time but I wasn't thinking about it and drank from the water fountain and I swear I was poisoned...something is really wrong there. I normally know better to drink the filtered water but it needs to be removed. They've upgraded everything else why keep that ?

I spent 4 hours here using the various saunas, hot tubs, steam room, and cold plunges. It was a very relaxing place to spend an evening. I had booked a venik platza service as well as a hammam treatment from Genie. She was so professional throughout the service, and I highly recommend her for these treatments, which are rare to find in the United States. The next time I am in the area, I plan to come back again.

Archimedes Banya is a remarkably well hidden treasure of San Francisco, if you have not experienced it yet , flock to the Banya! Aromatherapy on Mondays at 9pm with Demian is a highlight, he plays with plant aromas of Cinnamon, Vanilla, Kumquat, Blue Lotus and Spearmint with so much craft, it creates high heat experiences approaching sacred. The entire platza staff -- Chad, Steve, Tommy, Andrei and others offer their aromatherapy sessions magic and provide various other services. They are very approachable and ready to share their knowledge with you. A self care ritual once a week your body will love

This place has gotten better over the years. The staff are professional, the offers are top notch, the overall vibe is fun. The cafe staff can be a bit nicer. That rough Russian edge is jolting to the non-Slavic visitors. Glad this place exists. Going to make this a regular visit.

Archimedes Banya is an interesting experience in San Francisco. It is a mixed gender, clothing, optional sauna, and hot tub bath place. You can get a three hour or day pass and spend time in a variety of relaxing in sauna experiences. Pros: - Variety of saunas and pools, including dry sauna, wet, sauna, hot tub, cold plunge, cooler pools - Towel, robe , slippers provided Cons - Crowded on Sunday evening - Hourly pass is not available. I got a three hour pass ($63) but I only stayed for a shorter amount of time that day. To stay longer I wish the bathhouse was less crowded and there were more lounging areas. - Locker rooms are very minimal and showers are only in the public communal - casual no frills sort of place I would revisit if I really wanted to spend a lot of time in the saunas in particular, but if I want a slightly more pleasant ambiance go elsewhere.

Came in on a Monday right at noon when they opened. You get a bracelet w locker number, two freshly laundered towels, a robe and flip-flops. The establishment is on three different floors but all the saunas and plunges are on the first floor, place is super clean and everyone was very respectful except maybe one or two older men that bluntly were staring at women, clothing is optional. By 1:30pm there were more people but not so crowded that you could not enjoy the establishment. Second floor has a small patio, TV room and a restaurant. The third floor is a larger area w lounge chairs and stunning views of San Francisco. The entire experience was wonderful and just so relaxing. Easy street parking

I came here with my partner and wow this was a fun place to go! We'd heard a lot about it from various folks. Good: - The variety of facilities is great, I enjoyed doing the steam room then a cold plunge then the hot spa and then back into the cold plunge - Friendly other people -you don't get bothered if you don't want to chat, but you can also chat with others - Nice towel and sandals available for free - Showers are really nice! Bad: - Decently expensive, for our trip it was about $240 a person including the deep tissue massage - Feels not as clean as some other places, and it gets packed so you might have to wait around Overall it was an enjoyable time and it was fun to go with my partner! We did the swimsuit option, but a lot of the men especially were clothing optional from my observation.

Went here for my bday ! Pros: Received a relaxing massage by Jada, booked a deeper tissue while her pressure was more of a medium than deep it was still relaxing. She did walk on me which was an intense "good pain" pressure, which was much needed. The Banya was also an experience. There was a multiple sauna rooms, 2 hot tub pools and a cold plunge. FYI a lot of freely naked people walking around so just be prepared lol. Cleanliness of the banya I would say was a 8/10, some things were floating around in the tubs but nothing alarming. Definitely wash yourself down after the pool. Since there are along of bodies coming in and out of the tubs. You might be itchy if you don't wash off which shouldn't be Happening at all but me and my FIANCE did feel a little itchy after. Cons: CAFE ..... Not Worth It !!! I repeat not worth it. Unless you don't care how food is prepared. Found out food was pre packaged food just microwaved, which was disappointing because the prices they were charging at least let it be freshly cooked food. My fiancés plate wasn't even thoroughly warmed ... it was cold in the middle. So will not be going to the cafe if we come back. Tv lounge had a weird smell and rooftop was mid ... so all in all def worth it for the massage and banya portion of the experience. Def want to try other services that they offer.

I love going to Archimedes Banya and detoxing and relaxing with my friends. It's a very clean, quiet and respectful space. They offer very good massage therapy, as well as the hot and cold pools and steam and sauna. Parking in front is easy, and I enjoy the food at their restaurant. It's a great way to spend some time.

It was good. I do however felt the floor is too dirty. Sandals must always be worn. Management should hose down the floor from time to time. Other than that, I liked it.

67 dollars for a dirty, crowded place where nobody follows "clothes required" rules, where lockers can barely fit a small purse, with not a single chair or a blow dryer, and with showers that are beyond gross. The only redeeming feature was the hot room and the steam room, but they didn't outweigh the rest. Please don't call this "Russian banya." You'd probably be hit with those banya veniki if you tried to run an establishment like that back there.

One-star rating is for the rude, unprofessional staff and repeated harassment regarding unwritten policies. I was also horrified to hear that sexual activity is common. Non-op trans women are not welcome on women's nights. I was asked repeatedly to wear swim bottoms when no other women were asked to do so. First, a staff member asked me to go to the front desk. The manager told me that their policy was that I had to wear swim bottoms, claiming that they've had problems with "transgenders" and men "with boners". At this point I confirmed with the manager (Steven?) that they were not asking me to leave. After I returned to the baths, another staff member (Stephanie?) approached me in a tub and told me I had to wear swim bottoms or I had to leave. My partner had a long conversation with this staff member who claimed that they were trying to protect women's night. She pointed out spaces where people have sex on men's nights--absolutely disgusting for a public spa and sauna. Otherwise--would have been decent tubs and saunas, and a great chatty crowd who also complained to the staff on my behalf. Cleanliness could be better, and I was disturbed to hear about sexual activity on men's nights.

DO NOT GO THEY ARE SCAMMY after the bath, i go up to the register to pay and the payment goes through i see the confirmation on the screen. however the woman is insisting the payment did not go through. we go back and forth with her so the other worker there intervenes and says maybe you can show us the receipt from your phone banking app. i show the transaction but somehow the first woman is still not convinced. they bully me into paying again and when i try to pay again they have to OVERRIDE THE DOUBLE TRANSACTION FEE in front of my eyes. im very annoyed byt they bully me to go through with it anyways assuring me they would simply refund me if both transactions go through. AND OFC I AM DOUBLE CHARGED. I HAVE BEEN CALLING EVERY DAY FOR A WEEK to get my money back. they just dont care. DO NOT GO.

Welcome to PP and VV land... if you are naive like me and thinking "oh maybe just a few open-minded folks are going to be nekie"... PLEASE reset your expectations because clothed ones are odd ones in this space. My review isn't based on the different expectations when it comes to that because I was aware of the "clothing optional". The place gets 2 stars because it is overly crowded and it is dirty! I am not impressed with the services. 1. For the price point, this should be considered mid-high end services. However, most sauna or steam rooms even the pools and tubs are WAY ABOVE capacity, but hey that's our problem isn't it? They just want to collect. 2. Place is super dirty and some areas are kinda gross. 3. Letting people in to the point there Was no place to hang our robes or towels was just ridiculous. Did I mention it was HARD to walk without TOUCHING others' private parts? That was how crowded it was. Hopefully, they get health inspection or code inspection soon because to me, there are multiple failed codes.

My friend and I went a couple months back, as we've kind of been looking for a relaxing activity to decompress and release stress. Inside they have lockers with a wrist key you take with you everywhere to store your things. The day we went, it was co-ed and clothing optional, but we kept our swim clothes on, so choose the day and time you go depending on your comfortability around other nude folks. Inside was a range of different pools, spas, and rooms: hot tub, ice cold tub (longest I stayed was 90 seconds, unreal levels of cold), steam rooms, varying humidity/heat rooms, body temp pools, and special treatments you could get in some of the rooms too. Upstairs they have a game room, a tv room with lots of big chairs to sink into, and a balcony with great bay views next to a grassy wetland. Additionally they have a restaurant in the building too, serving a bunch of different foods, including some traditional Russian and Eastern European cuisines. Overall, if you're looking for something relaxing away from the loudness of the center of SF and trying to get away from your phone for a couple hours too, this is definitely a great option, you feel rejuvenated after.

I love this place! The best and hottest saunas, it's clean, relaxing and refreshing. The spa is also great. Jayda is the best massage therapist I've ever had. She's attentive, really strong, and truly wants to help relive you of stress and pain. Ask for her if you go!

Spartan but close to original Russian spa. Very high temperature in the sauna. Great smell of vihta

I've been to this place twice already! Both times after doing 50k ultra marathon! Great healing place because of the intense heat of the sauna which i love! This is a coed banya and both genders naked without any malice! Love the vibe of openness and honesty and innocence! Will keep on coming back!

My place to go for Banya, Good tip , usually at the end of the year they have promotion when you can buy 10 passes at good pricing

If you are wanting to elevate your spa experiences beyond the more restrained and discreet Western-style practices, go to Archimedes. Let go of your inhibitions. Set an intention. Absolutely have a Venik Platza. There is nothing else that compares with the heat, the burning, and the release. Have your outer surfaces scrubbed, rubbed, and rinsed. Your inner compass will be reset. Most highly recommend Chad for the platza - a true master of this ancient art. Jada gave me an extraordinarily intimate and caring Song Kran body scrub and massage. Do note that Friday's get busy. As this was my first experience, the quantity of bodies - in all shapes and sizes - took some getting used to, and there was nary an empty towel hook left. Go on a quieter night, or even Ladies' night, to experience a different, more feminine energy if you have any reservations about co-ed nudity. A group of my dearest friends and I reconnected in this special place, and it was a divine experience. If you are at all intrigued or curious, go.

STILL NO REPLY. Going to my bank now to dispute the charge. SUPER DISAPPOINTING! The least they could do is reply to my email or call me back like they promised.

If you're looking to carve out some serious time to reclaim your sanity, this place has you covered in ways few others even try. Each corner is armed to assault your stress into submission. Whether you're plunging into that ice-cold tub, daring the body temp pools, or sweating it out in the humidity chambers, your nerves will have no choice but to wave the white flag. The real flex is the rooftop--a perfect hideout for that next-level unwinding. For a few hours, the chaos beyond these walls becomes a distant rumor.

Great place for Sauna and spa whores. Love the hot saunas and the steam room, especially the nice cold water plunge. Such a great hot/cold remedy. They offer you a robe/sandals and 2 towels and a locker. I do suggest and recommend that they can offer ice cold water in a nice pitcher with lemon like the other spas, to their clients to give them a nice experience instead of a big tub of warm water. Yall can do better than that to elevate the experience for the guests. Plus, we should be able to bring our paper cups in the sauna as there is no harm done as we can stay hydrated. Being comfortable should be the priority. Please note this is a clothing optional place so be prepared to see ppl who are naked. Would prefer to have them offer days where clothing is mandatory as some guests like myself would prefer to not see them as some ppl have ruined the experience for me. Other than that, the Saunas are great. There's a rooftop access also and a restaurant. They serve sausage also- what a surprise.

I recently went on a Friday night, and it gets pretty packed. A few minor things - the door to Turkish sauna does not keep closed, so some heat escapes. The restaurant's food expensive and not great, but it's something to snack on if you feel hungry. The lockers are not big enough and the locker rooms are generally small and have no benches, so it's a little hard to get dressed. The value is great - for three hours you can enjoy various pools, jacuzzis, cold baths, saunas, and steam room for one admission of about $50. In addition, they offer bunches of birch leaves for exfoliating / massaging while in the sauna for a small additional cost. The facilities are very clean and well maintained, and they use a convenient system for lockers and general identification: a waterproof bracelet with a sensor. You are provided a clean robe, towels, and flip flops for use in the banya. The best part - the water pressure in the showers is heavenly.

Archimedes Banya never fails. The warmth from the baths to the humans is always hospitable and helpful. I love sneaking up to the cafe for soul filling eats or checking out the view in the roof. I got to meet Kitty and Abi for the 1st time who are so incredibly gracious. We will definitely be back again and again.

The facilities are pretty depressing, peeling paint and visible mold; a dark, windowless cafe; a TV room full of peeling pleather armchairs with crumbs and empty cans strewn around. Worse than that was the treatment by the staff, who seemed outraged and accusatory that we were not enjoying ourselves. Would not recommend.