DecoDance Bar

My favorite bar experience while visiting San Francisco - the vibes were immaculate, music was authentic, and bartender (Judith) was a dream. Potentially the best espresso martini I've had in my life (she made it with rye?!)

I come here for the swing dancing and random bands but this weekend will be the last time I go. The website says no cover on the website, yet I was forced to pay for my guest because he was male. It was embarrassing and honestly, the dance floor did not warrant that fee. We had bought CDs from the jazz bands before and supported the crew but the “no cover” on the site should have been honored by the doors people who told me to blame the “owner.” Well alright then, say good bye to your weekday crowd :)

Delicious cocktails, good service and a fun vibe. Small dancefloor, but the music is good.

I love coming here for live jazz music on Thursday nights! It's a great place to bring your dance friends and if they're not into dancing there's plenty of space to hang out and enjoy Gaucho's music. The drinks are really good and the bar staff is always a delight to chat with.

The Thursday night band is exceptional. Gaucho. And there are a few excellent cocktails on the menu.

I loved this place. It's now one of my new favorite bars. We were there for a private holiday event and I really want to go back. The cocktails were excellent and I loved the 1920s vibe.

Bartenders are very nice people and make greate cocktails. The decoration is cozy and modern with plush chairs. Sound system needs work however. If you come here with a group of friends you'd have fun. I came on Friday randomly because my friend was a DJ. It doesn't seam tbus place attracts any locals. I talked to almost everyone and people where from all over the place.

Nice beautiful drinks 🍸 I got cloud 9 which had the butterfly. Don't remember the other drink. Went for Thursday Jazz night, had a really fun time! They also played Charlie Chaplin in the background haha.

Had a great time at DecoDance Bar! We ordered the Buena Vista and the Sunset drinks and both were great. We arrived quite earlyish and we were the only people in the bar for a bit but the service was great! It was fun seeing people trickling in and the place coming to life. The crowd skews a little older and the music was very millennial core dance/techno music. Overall very fun!

Updating my review from a 5* to a 2* based on my most recent experience here. I still love the vibe here, but had a really strange experience this past Saturday. The bar was pretty busy, but definitely not shoulder to shoulder busy. My bf and I were waiting in line at the bar with another couple, and the line was moving at an average pace. When we finally got to the front of the line (after about 5-10 min), our friends ordered their drinks with no issue, leaving us right behind them. They left to head back to the dance floor, but when it was just my bf and I next in line at the bar, it took another 20+ minutes before a bartender even acknowledged us to take our order. I was trying to make eye contact and hold out my card to any bartender who glanced toward me, but they would just go to someone else (who was clearly waiting for far less time than us) to take their order. After about 20 minutes, a bartender finally acknowledged us and took our order, but it was a really unpleasant wait. Our other friends on the dance floor said they could see us from where they were standing and also didn't understand why we were being ignored. I totally understanding waiting for a drink is part of the bar experience, but this was different. The bar was not that busy and we were definitely being ignored for some reason. This really bummed me out for the night and I hope this feedback can be used to help the bartenders not make their customers feel this way.

Very fun and lively atmosphere on a Saturday night. Live DJ playing retrowave (love this genre). Scan the QR code for the menu. Pleasantly surprised the cocktail prices are generally $14! My eyes are used to seeing $17. Delicious craft cocktails - tried the gin one with earl grey notes and it came in a super cute tea cup! Love it. Friends also had the passion fruit gin cocktail and mezcal one (sunset something?) I really think you cannot go wrong with any of the cocktails though. Very friendly sweet server and they move FAST even though they are doing craft cocktails. Quite spacious inside with seating areas / booths and a good sized dance floor. Younger crowd on Saturday night.

I'm a bartender and I like to check out cocktail bars and see what kind of unique craft cocktails are out there. We ordered the Bear Hug and Some Like it Hot. They were both outstanding, really well balanced drinks. The sesame oil on the Some Like it Hot was the perfect touch, whoever thought of that was on point. I like that they incorporate a lot of infusions, it sets their drinks apart from most other bars and shows they put the extra thought and effort into their menu. The interior decor is well thought out and on theme, lighting is cozy, and the space is decently sized. We found a cute little hidden couch in the corner to enjoy our drinks. This place seems Ukranian owned as they mention they donate some proceeds to Ukraine on their website, which is nice. Would love to come back and try some of the other cocktails on the menu.

I love this new neighborhood bar on Polk! Finally there's something a bit more upscale and a swanky alternative to Harper and Rye and Hilo for those who live in the area. The service is fantastic, from the bar staff and to the bouncers, they are all extremely professional and friendly. The drinks are standard prices and so is bottle service. They do have drink specials on certain nights which is a great bonus for anyone there to pre game. The venue itself is newly renovated and comfortable to reserve for large groups. We reserved the back tables for a birthday party and the staff was extremely professional in blocking the space off, making sure there is enough seating and table space for our guests. While also bringing over the drinks and ensuring there were enough glasses and ice throughout the night. The crowd is prob similar to the rest of the bars on Polk which would be a mishmash of eclectic SF characters. It does get crowded, but that's expected for any popular bar in this area. However, when you do get bottle service, the staff definitely helps to protect your space and, from my experience, other patrons aren't rude enough to encroach on your space. Overall, I really appreciate Decodance bar and think it is a great addition to the neighborhood. I'll certainly be back for random bar nights as well as future bottle service celebrations.

Amazing themed Bar. With a variety of house cocktails that brim with creativity. Evan Smith is responsible for a bunch of house drinks. They are all really good, especially the Some Like it Hot, City Bird, and We got the Beet. Recommended for speciality drinks, or for late night climbers.

I don't know why I haven't been here before but I visited this amazing bar last to last Sunday and oh my god it was the best decision of my life. For a Sunday, this bar was quite packed which I loved. The music they played was amazing, I couldn't stop dancing. They played songs from the 2000 to today's top hit. 20/10 to whoever the DJ was, he's one of the best in the city for sure. Overall, I had great drinks here and danced till my feet hurt. I loved the vibe, music, drinks and the ambience. I came here with a smile and went back with a huge smile on my face I would highly recommend this place to anyone who's looking to dance away the night and have a great time. Would 100% be back for some more dancing.

One of my favorite Gatsby themed bars. Good for date night or a celebration. The manhattan is always my go to drink here. I like that you can order dinner from the restaurant upstairs called Upcider. It's a fun 20s vibe! Highly recommend!

Reasonably priced drinks given the level of craft involved. There was also an old-timey jazz band. Great play to go before or after a show at Regency Ballroom.

I have been to Decodance multiple times, always great a experience , great drinks, they have Dj performing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, stuff is very friendly and knowledgeable.

Cute spot with great drinks and bumping house music! The cocktail with the spicy sesame oil was very good. The crowd here on a Friday night seemed to average around 40 years old? Either a good or bad thing depending on who you are :)

Amazing and unique cocktails, friendly bartender, not overly pretentious considering the quality of drinks and food. Mellow classy spot on Polk Street weekly swing dancing with a DJ.

Decodance offers excellent drinks and hosts some of the best Local Djs! I will be back here soon! Didn't even mention the decorations! It's absolutely fantastic!

house music but more fun buena vista cocktail slaps hard get the lychee or you're a fool come here to decodance baby when life is hard this isn't

The interior is kinda dark with a speakeasy vibe but this is a new art deco themed lounge. A welcome bar to the City. Good drinks, friendly bartenders, live music on some nights, and most importantly reasonable prices. After the front door is the main bar with stools and high chairs. Further back is what can be described as a wrapped around room, with sofas and lounge chairs and more privacy. Located in the Tenderloin but more towards Polk Gulch. A place to go before an event as they closes at 11pm. Still, adding to the rotation for sure!

Worst nightlife experience ever. I bought a bottle, for two people, at this place on a Sunday night. Honestly, I like the music played here, but their clientele is a bit rowdy and I'd rather pay extra to have my own space and not be too close to other people. Things started off well -- the person who sold me the bottle sent our table some shots and even took one with us. But, then my evening became a nightmare. For reasons never explained to me, I was told by staff that our table needed to leave. I asked why and soon was surrounded by bouncers. When I was outside, I explained to them that my credit card was never returned to me and asked to close my tab. The door staff didn't care. After a while, the manager came out, and I was able to get card back. Eventually, I received my statement and was over charged for the bottle. I put in a credit card claim against the place and they produced an invoice, which included all the "complimentary" shots I took with their staff. Unfortunately, I found out I was on the hook to pay for everything. DO NOT COME HERE. This place is not for people who enjoy finer establishments. If you get a table, your space isn't protected. I can't tell you how many times people just bumped into or encroached into our table. I wouldn't pay with a credit card, because I can attest that the staff have no qualms about committing merchant fraud. Avoid this place at all cost. I'd suggest Valencia Room. Similar ambience, but the VR at least knows how to cater to people who are dropping a couple hundred a night.

I don't have much to say about DecoDance bar except THANK YOU for hosting my good friend's funeral reception. Customer service was appropriate for the occasion. Everything felt immaculate and fancy, like their ATM in the corner. Perhaps it was all their mirrored surfaces and geometric décor. All the cocktails I tried were fantastic. It's a cute place for any special event or just a night on the town. I might come here in the future to enjoy DJ music and upbeat speakeasy vibes.

Decent bar with friendly bartenders and nice decor. Only gripe I have are with high($8 at my neighborhood vs. $13) drink prices and their mandatory 15% tip that they automatically add on to your bill. Didn't read the receipt properly and wound up giving additional 20%.

Such a cozy place! The interior and the atmosphere are so unique for SF which definitely makes this place special. The cocktails are a piece of art and taste so good. The staff is amazingly polite.

DecoDance rocks - dark interior with great drinks. We DM'd them on Instagram to reserve a booth - they have a DJ on fridays starting at 9. The music was great. Really impressed with how they check everyone's vax + ID - they actually have folks wait at the door before entering to check. I had an amazing dirty martini - they recommended a gin that I loved! Can't wait to boogie on the dance floor some more.

Nice place! Gets noisy with a live band but you can go to the bar to talk! Had 3 drinks

It's a great place for dancing and enjoying good cocktails. The bartenders were nice too. The atmosphere was really nice. I loved the wall art and the lights. A lot of good music and fun. Must for sure!

Great vibes, great service, manager Viv & staff were friendly and attentive. They have different events on different days of the week. Will definitely be back.

Minor updates: This review is for swing dancing in the bar (weekly on Wednesdays, there is also live music on Thursdays). Before proceeding further with the dance spot evaluation: the drinks at the bar are excellent (well worth the $14 price tag - try the espresso martini), barlady is friendly and skilled, working with precision, grace, and efficiency worthy of admiration (give her time to do her magic), the (speakeasy) ambience is classy. Unlike the previous visit, this time the bar was not crowded on Wednesday evening - if you are after a drink, this can be a five-star experience. Dance details can be found at https://www.decodancesf.com/events/wednesday-night-lindy-society Logistics: the dance lesson starts at 7PM, party starts at 8PM (there is music playing during the dance lesson, so you can start earlier, if you brought a partner), regulars start showing up at 9PM. There is no cover fee, convenient parking is at the Polk-Bush garage on the next block ($9 for the evening, but you can find it full), neighborhood is clean by the SF standards. The bar is partitioned into two sections: one for drinkers close to the bar counter, one for dancers; the dancing floor is in between. The floor is small (leading with 5-6 couples becomes challenging) and has to be shared with the servers. While the floor does not look much (keeping with the overall image of a speakeasy), it is actually very danceable, so you can bring your dance shoes (leather soles are better for the bars, as spills happen). The atmosphere is pretty warm, so a personal fan can be handy. The crowd is smallish (under 20 dancers, primarily regulars). Skills are mostly above the beginner level. The regulars are friendly. This being a bar, some dancers might be slightly tipsy. The balance between leads and follows is uneven throughout the evening, bringing one's own lead/follow is highly recommended. The music: mostly fast swing tunes, appropriate for Charleston and Balboa (very few Balboa dancers, though). Slower tempo is infrequent, then, again, executing a swingout here requires planning and skill due to the space constraints. The DJ booth is very impressive, but the sound system appears to be poor: the music sounds muffled. Overall: definitely worth a visit if you are in the neighborhood with your favorite dance partner in tow. As a destination, YMMV.

Have been here multiple times. Always quality drinks, music and crowd. If you visiting from Europe than you def will feel like home here

Trendy little spot on Polk! Went early on when it opened and had a great drink "the old flame"

Great gem in Lower Nob Hill! Fab cocktails and great vibes. We don't have enough classy cocktail bars in the city and this is definitely one of them!

Nice place to meet friends and talk. Some days are quiet and nice to chill with the very fascinating decorative interiors

Horrible bartender service. We ordered our drinks, paid on card & was about to tip with cash when the bartender came over & asked if our drinks were bad we replied no that we just wanted a little more sprite & she grabs the receipt slams it on the counter and says oh I thought they were bad since you didn't leave any tip i'll leave this here so you can change that. (With an attitude) First of all tips are not required last time I checked, also if you are going to give attitude what makes you think you will receive a tip. I never leave tip on card always cash but when she decided to be rude ofc she wasn't going to get anything. Also she never even brought the sprite we asked for. First time & last and will definitely not recommend.

I was looking for a place where my friends and I can enjoy good drinks, great music, and cool vibes. A place that could leave a great impression to my European friends. This place was the bomb! First of all, they asked for our vaccination card which is what SF is all about, safety first and leading by example. Followed by some delicious cocktails, combined with house/ lounge music tailored to the audience by a DJ I never met. The ambiance looks upscale with comfy chairs and a sofa. Overall, it's was the perfect place to go after enjoying an awesome San Franciscan show on Green St. My friends where impressed by SF and overall the great welcoming vibes! Definitely coming back next time I want to shake it!

I had an amazing experience at Decodance bar, all thanks to the talented bartender, Marina! Her cocktails were absolutely outstanding, and her skills behind the bar were truly impressive. From the first sip to the last, each drink was a delightful blend of flavors that left me wanting more. The ambiance of the bar was fantastic, and Marina's friendly and attentive service made the evening even more enjoyable. I can't wait to return and try more of her creations. If you're looking for great cocktails and a memorable time, be sure to visit Decodance and ask for Marina! Cheers!

I am willing to take back my previous review of this place. Yeah, it seems Saturdays are way busy and staff could seem distracted at times. It just seems that Saturdays and probably Fridays doesn't feel right for me personally. I came during SantaCon in the afternoon. Not too busy. My advice to the bartenders is to pay attention to all the patrons that come up to get drinks. On a slow day, this place is great.

Service was terrible (the two blonde bartenders were awful and kind of petty). The location is great and place is gorgeous! We got a few cocktails from the other bartender and they were great. I love their Latino Sundays. Overall, a good vibe, if not for those two Sunday night bartenders.

Great owners ! Awesome drinks and music! Highly recommended to visit and enjoy the vibes.

Cool speakeasy vibes and the drinks were nice and floral. They share the same building as upcider and are very cool with you "pregaming" there before upcider opens.

I was very disappointed. First at 12:45 they wanted $10 cover charge. For what? It's a bar. Then after waiting 15 minutes for a drink they charged $24 for an IPA in a bottle and a shot of basic whiskey. I repeated to the rude bartender how much? She told me I don't decide the prices - the owner. Good luck mean person - I would never go back again or recommend. Also $18 for 2 Coronas.

A gem in the hood! This place reminds me of a speakeasy (dear irving) in NY. Well decorated, delish cocktails.. I got a lavender cocktail and It was such a success! I'd love to be back.

Their drinks are amazing and you can't taste alcohol that much (you can definitely feel it though). Bartenders were very nice, helped us choose drinks and we had a nice conversation with them.

My partner and I swung by DecoDance tonight to pick up a business check because my partner DJ'ed here recently. The bouncer (black, bald man with a long black trench coat and diamond earrings) was very rude and micro aggressive in a variety of ways--I could get very detailed, but I'll just give you the main gist. My partner tried to explain that he was told by the owner to pick up the check from the bartender. The bouncer said that he didn't care and insisted that we paid the cover of $10. We weren't even going to get drinks or hang out--just grab the check and go, as we explained. I was even willing to just wait outside while my partner grabbed the check but the bouncer still refused. When I asked if he could get the manager so we can speak with them, he refused. It was only until after we asked several times and showed a poster with my partner's name that proved that my partner was in fact telling the truth, that the bouncer asked someone to get the bartender. It's really unfortunate that the bouncer treated us rudely especially after my partner DJ'd for this bar and brought them business. But the unfairness doesn't end there. I witnessed a man who tried to get in and tried to bargain to pay a cover of $5 instead of $10. The bouncer refused. However, five minutes later some other people were trying to get in and when they also didn't want to pay the cover, the bouncer said they could get in for $5. What in the discrimination! It's just unfortunate how rudely this bouncer treated us for no good reason. However, I give this review/situation two stars instead of one because the owner and bartenders here are quite nice. I hope they reconsider hiring a more kind and understanding bouncer who treats everyone with equity.

Stopped in while wandering Polk and so incredibly glad we did. The vibes were exquisite, mood lighting had us back in the 1920s living the life of Gatbsy. The drinks were pristine, so very delicious! I'd recommend the Lychee Martini or the Manhattan, both exceptional. Will certainly return again!

Nice place. Chic. I would definitely recommend this place to learn bachata and salsa.

Wow, what an upgrade to old Vertigo! The interior is completely new and gorgeous with a Great Gatsby vibe. This is now hands down the classiest and coolest bar on Polk! The DJ booth lights setup is my personal favorite touch.

This place is fantastic! Great prices on cocktails! A lovely little dance floor and live music. Staff is super nice and decor is modern yet very Art Deco. AND you can get the full food menu from UpCider! So happy this is in my neighborhood!

Love this spot! Love the owner Angela! Shes amazing as is this adorable bar she put together!

Had so much fun last night. This place is awesome. I came on Sunday and it was Latin Night. I've been told that they have live jazz on Thursday and different DJs on Fridays and Saturday. Really tasty craft cocktails. It's 10 out of 10 in my book.

A great time on a Saturday night! The bar is beautiful, the bathrooms are clean, and we are all SO impressed with how quickly the staff cleaned up spills and collected empty drinks around the space. Kudos!

I agree with the last review 100%. A must-see if you are visiting SF, and if you live in SF, its should be against the law not to go there, especially for singles, especially for music lovers.

The doorman didn't let me in and called me a f@ggot. Ridiculous and rude, wouldn't recommend

My new favorite bar in San Francisco! The old Vertigo has magically been transformed into a gorgeous Art Deco space. When I entered, and took the whole place in, I half expected to see Cole Porter sitting at a banquette, watching Bricktop singing Miss Otis Regrets. This will definitely be my new post opera go to spot (it used to be Jardiniere, alas no more), being a sophisticated enough background for my handsome husband, imbibing a martini, in his tuxedo. The first time I came here, a fantastic gypsy jazz duo were burning it up in front of a well-dressed group of appreciative fans. The cocktail menu is top notch. I especially like the English Breakfast, Fitzgerald, and Gold Digger. It turns out this place is owned by the same folks who renovated Iron Horse, another favorite bar that looks like it's been around for decades (in the best way).

Love this new spot on Polk St. Bar done in Art Deco stole. Drinks are delicious and bartenders friendly and knowledgeable. Will be back for sure!