Bar April Jean
Cocktail bar · North Beach
1371 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
Highlights
Creative cocktails inspired by childhood snacks, welcoming vibe
Creative cocktails inspired by childhood snacks, welcoming vibe
"If your idea of a fun night revolves around creative cocktails and gossipy conversations that would make TMZ jealous, you’ll love April Jean. This fern-laden North Beach bar serves spirit-forward drinks with ingredients like pie crust, condensed milk, and raisins. One even comes with a cookie on the side. And the best part is that you can always count on a crowd to fill this mid-century modern lounge with pendant lights and a pistachio green tambour trim, loudly chatting about their forbidden romances while perched on the many redwood stools until the lights shut off at 2am." - julia chen 1, patrick wong, lani conway, ricky rodriguez
"This cocktail spot in North Beach is always packed with dates, freshly dumped twenty-somethings, and big groups trailing behind someone in a birthday sash. You’re here to jumpstart an unhinged night out with fancy cocktails or because Vesuvio had approximately two square feet of available standing room. Strut around and let everyone witness that outfit you painstakingly curated before you sweat through it down the street at Tupelo—and scoop up any fellow chaos agents on your way out the door. Anyone with a home address east of Van Ness" - julia chen 1, patrick wong
"One of the more recent additions to San Francisco’s cocktail scene, April Jean offers simple yet balanced cocktails with fresh ingredients that feel rare in North Beach. With textures of wood, marble, leather, and concrete, the interior design feels warm and welcoming, with an effortlessly hip aesthetic. April Jean has a simple cocktail menu — but it’s all hits, no skips. Try the La Naya cocktail, starring blanco mezcal with strawberry-pineapple-infused vermouth; it’s a balance of sweet and salty, and it’s a fun way to drink the Mexican spirit. With its hyper-curated wine, beer, and cocktail lists, this place is perfect for the easily overwhelmed."
"April Jean is one of North Beach’s newest bars, and it’s already earned a following for its drinks and comfortable space. The cocktail menu is themed around childhood, with drinks that recall snacks and meals made by mom. Pat’s Choice is a take on key lime pie and comes with a small cookie on the side, while the Watermelon Mama pairs tequila with Italian aperitif, salted watermelon, lime, and ginger. It does tend to get crowded on the weekends, but if you’re looking for a buzzy, vibrant spot, this is the place." - Paolo Bicchieri
"Nostalgia for moms and childhood snacks may seem like an unusual theme for a bar, but at April Jean the concept makes perfect sense in this storied, 100-year-old North Beach space. The bar is named for co-owners Joe Poz and Jamal Blake-Williams moms, and the cocktails here are their takes on beloved childhood snacks. Take in drinks such as Pat’s Choice, which should be reminiscent of key lime pie, pairing agricole rum with falernum, sour lime, condensed milk, and “mom’s pie crust” — a cookie served on the side." - Dianne de Guzman, Eater Staff
