Lobby Bar
Bar · The Castro ·
Craft cocktails, small-batch spirits, and seasonal food menu
Craft cocktails, small-batch spirits, and seasonal food menu
"Deluxe Queer are joining forces with the sleek swanklords at Lobby Bar for a one-night-only feast on June 21. Seatings are at 6 and 8 p.m. and feature five “delicious takes on Asian dinner bites” alongside a la carte Lobby Bar drinks." - Paolo Bicchieri
"It’s been about a year since the sultry Lobby Bar opened in the Castro District and to mark the anniversary, owner Blake Seely says the bar will close for about a week to get a design refresh." - Lauren Saria
"This posh and intimate bar is a relative newcomer to the Castro, though not the first new business in the neighborhood since the liquor licenses opened up for the first time since 1987. Sultry and sexy drinks come courtesy of owners Hi Tops’ Jesse Woodward and Blake Seely in a velvety, dimly lit lounge. At this bar you’ll see queer artists pulling shifts as servers and bartenders. It’s gay-owned and gay-operated, to boot." - Paolo Bicchieri
"The decor of Lobby Bar is filled with luxe details throughout, and the bathroom is no different. There’s the shiny, red ceiling and cabinets, contrasting with with a black-tiled wall — with a selfie-inducing, backlit mirror hanging above the sink — but the wallpaper is the real showstopper. Step up to the wall and look over a collage of dozens of photos of Andy Warhol taken over the years. It’s a fun diversion to see how many photo repeats you can find before ducking back out to the bar." - Dianne de Guzman
"Stepping off 18th Street into the Castro's newest cocktail bar and lounge, I found a sultry, teal-and-gold room at 4230 18th Street that feels inspired by classic hotel bars even though there's no direct entry from the attached boutique hotel. Partners Jesse Woodward and Blake Seely spent about a year on an all-new build-out to create an angular space with plush banquettes up front that narrows into a short passage before opening to an 8-seat bar and seating for roughly 50 guests; luxe details include peacock-colored tiling and soft teal fur on barstools and chairs. The cocktail program aims for mass appeal while introducing fresh spirits, offering 14 signature drinks plus seven classics; highlights I noticed include the signature Lobby Bird (rum, amaro, falernum, pineapple, lime, and cinnamon over crushed ice), the E.MT. (espresso, mezcal, meletti, and tonic), and an Italian Soda (gin and China China with bubbles), along with about half a dozen clarified cocktails such as one made with cherry moonshine and genepy and another with Mexican hot chocolate–washed bourbon and sea salt. The food menu channels vintage cocktail parties with all-shareable, hands-on items—truffle fries, arancini, four flatbreads, a cleverly handheld wedge of little gem lettuce with green goddess, roasted beets, bacon bits, and cured egg, bite-size scotch eggs using quail eggs wrapped in sausage, and a turkey burger that’s roughly 50% spinach topped with smoked mozzarella and harissa mayo. Bottle- and can-only beer and a rotating wine list (including a Scribe rosé and a zero-zero Lune Pop Carbonic Zinfandel) accompany table service, and I can see it becoming a go-to spot for a pre-dinner drink and appetizer or a post-dinner cocktail. Lobby Bar opens Wednesday, April 20, with hours Monday–Thursday 4 p.m.–midnight, Friday 4 p.m.–2 a.m., Saturday 2 p.m.–2 a.m., and Sunday 2 p.m.–midnight." - Lauren Saria